McNeese Game Thread

[JimmyJack]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

It's easy to second-guess, but Harris did have a monster game and no doubt the coaches thought they had something there. In hindsight, I suppose I'd like to have the ball in Minett's hands. But as Stig says, any play in the game can impact the outcome.

We just have to take our frustrations out on Cal Poly.

[Jacks99]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Stig did explain the call to go for the reverse. They planned this week to use that call if needed. They figured McNeese would see the film from last week where they would see the same set and key to the overloaded right side. McNeese called the right d and the rest is history. He said it was a situation where they maybe outcoached themselves.

Maybe a lesson for them not to get too fancy when the game is on the line.

[Jacks99]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Great game. They kind I love, neck and neck till the end. Although, OT's are nervewracking.

Give their QB the game ball. So many times he was sacked or at least stopped and gets 8yrd+ 1st downs, not to mention great passing under pressure.

Bye week will be huge for injuries and prep for Poly. We need a win and can do it. After that we just need to not look ahead and win the games we should and this will give us a shot in the final two games to either win/tie the conference or secure an at large bid. With our schedule, and if we are in the top 3 records of the MoValley, I'm confident we would be in at 8-4.

[jackmd]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Stig did explain the call to go for the reverse. They planned this week to use that call if needed. They figured McNeese would see the film from last week where they would see the same set and key to the overloaded right side. McNeese called the right d and the rest is history. He said it was a situation where they maybe outcoached themselves.

Maybe a lesson for them not to get too fancy when the game is on the line.

I think maybe JaRon wasn't deep enough in the backfield as well. The idea is to pitch that thing deep and let him sprint to the corner.

Speaking of outcoached, I think we got outcoached yesterday. They had a better scheme throughout the game. Our D made some adjustments at the half, the biggest thing being more blitzing. We did hit some guys in the seams, especially JaRon and it paid off. The call of 4th down and about 3 late in the 4th quarter in their territory (about the 35 I think) where we ran a sprint out right and Berry threw the ball into the stands was a terrible play call, just terrible. Berry isn't a sprint out QB, especially on 4th and 3.

All-in-all, great game. We should have won that thing. Main point I want to make is that we can compete with any team in FCS right now. We might drop out of the polls this week but it doesn't matter. This team will compete every game. Can't wait for Cal-Poly in 2 weeks.

[Nidaros]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Great game. They kind I love, neck and neck till the end. Although, OT's are nervewracking.

Give their QB the game ball. So many times he was sacked or at least stopped and gets 8yrd+ 1st downs, not to mention great passing under pressure.

Bye week will be huge for injuries and prep for Poly. We need a win and can do it. After that we just need to not look ahead and win the games we should and this will give us a shot in the final two games to either win/tie the conference or secure an at large bid. With our schedule, and if we are in the top 3 records of the MoValley, I'm confident we would be in at 8-4.

We seem to have trouble with QB's that can scramble and run bootlegs etc. I dont know why SDSU has not been able to find that kind of QB, and also why is our current defense schemes not sufficient to stop these kind of QB's?

You have to go back to Ted Wahl and Todd McDonald to find any kind of resemblence to the McNeese QB. He was darn good and if they had the UNI tape, they would have seen our flaw that dont stop that kind of play. Maybe McNeese did see that film. I dunno know.

I plan on being on hand on Oct 18th when we take on Cal Poly. A win would be very big and would silence the first year transition of USD.

[propar80]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Just got home from Hobo Day 2008.

What an unbelievable game...one we'll all be talking about forever. This game told me one thing. This SDSU Jackrabbit team can play with and beat ANY TEAM in the nation at the FCS level. I don't think I was willing to let myself think or say that until yesterday.

As frustrated and beat down as I was walking out of CAS yesterday, I am just as proud of the way the Jackrabbits competed against a great McNeese team. I'm proud of the support that SDSU fans show, and I'm just glad to be a part of it. There is NOTHING like a Jackrabbit football home game in South Dakota and there is NOTHING even close.

To Jimmy Rodgers...You are hands down my favorite player on the Jackrabbit football team and I know you feel worse than anyone today, but keep your head up. I'd take you over any Linebacker in the country and fluke crap like yesterday happens...it won't be the last time.

To the SDSU administration I want to thank you all for the best tailgate and game experience I've had at CAS since becoming a fan in 2004. I hardly noticed any UPD and the fans were great(only one arest). The Pride was awesome (loved the Twisted Sister tune). Let's keep it up for the last three home games...No more after Hobo Day hangovers...like I said...SDSU fans have a team that can beat ANY TEAM in the nation on any given day and we all should be excited to see that, no matter what part of the year it is.

So let's all get out in two weekends and support out Jackrabbits when they take on Cal Poly....a game the Jackrabbits NEED to win and they're going to need the Home Crowd's help.

Even in a loss, I'm proud to call myself a Jackrabbit fan today more than ever before! SDSU does it the right way!!

Go Jacks!!

[EQguy]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

I'm proud to call myself a Jackrabbit fan today more than ever before! SDSU does it the right way!!

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I am just so proud of the way these teams have battled though adversity since transition to become a team to be reckoned with. I don't care where or when that first playoff game is I am guaranteed to be there.

[tdhummel]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

I don't second guess that two point conversion. I think it was a good call, maybe not the best but you have to roll the dice sometimes. I mean as a fan there are other plays that you would second guess AFTER the fact. If the play works Stig would be considered brilliant, but it didn't. I have no regrets about that game and SDSU should be proud that we know that we can compete with anyone!
Go Big, Go Blue, Go Jacks!

[EQguy]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

It was a weird call but I understand it. In the 4th quarter they did a good job of limiting Minett for anything larger than 3 yards. You know they were keyed on him. Mis-direction can work in that case as the defense over pursues Minett.

It falls into the same category as the goal line call against Montana in (2005?) where Kardoes walked away from the line acting like he couldn't hear and the direct snap to Koenig went over his head and we were looking at 3rd and 19 from the 19 instead of 2nd and goal at the 4.

It was over thinking and looking back now a bad call, but in the situation very easy to defend the thought process. That's why they get paid the big bucks

[crossfire07]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

I personally dont like those kind of calls. especially reverses at any level of football. to me they just arent high percentage plays you are going to gain on. in one of the ot drives on about the 4 McNeese called one of those semi fancy plays to the tailback and lost about 5 yards thanks to the good d the rabbits were playing. like i needed something else to add to the high blood pressure i already had

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

I didn't see the game because I was out of town, but it's easy to second guess a reverse call after the fact. If it would have worked we would have been screaming about it, but now that it didn't work we all question it. We have a good coaching staff that thought they could surprise them with something it didn't work.......no one here knows more than our coaches.

[crossfire07]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

I wasnt putting down the coaches or anything for calling it. I was just saying how personally I dont like reverses. the jackrabbit coaches are doing an excellent job with that program.

[launcher46]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

A couple of thoughts from the game:

1. It is very easy to second guess the reverse call, and I would not have ran that play, but I don't have as big of a problem with it as most people because we got the ball into the hands of our best player. I am always a proponent of a roll out/ sprint out in that situation giving the quarterback two ways to get the ball in the endzone. But like I said, is putting the ball in the hands of our best player really that big of a mistake?

2. In talking to John and Luke Meadows after the game, they were basically both of the opinion that McNeese was the best football team we have played since going D1. Throughout the game my dad and I kept discussing the speed differential that was evident between the two teams (Defensive players taking angles that work every other week but not against McNeese and cutbacks made by their players for big gains). We were of the opinion that it was greater than the difference in the Iowa State game. Both coaches seemed to echo this when they indicated they felt McNeese would beat Iowa State.

3. The players will be fine. In speaking with several players after the game, most notably Berry and Harris, it was evident they were obviously not happy about the game but understood how good of a team they had just taken to the wire. I expected most of the players to be completely down, but they really understand just how good they are and what they need to do the rest of the way- especially in conference. Our team is so mentally strong it is amazing. They will not let this affect them negatively.

4. Jimmy Rodgers is a great player and no one will be more affected by this loss than he will. Sure he should have knocked that ball down on 4th and 21, but it was a natural instint to try to catch the ball. If anyone is bad mouthing him I will be exteremly disappointed. No one plays harder or wants to win more than he does, and I am hoping he can find a way to put this past him.

5. I cannot believe I am saying this, but cut CoyoteFan some slack about his comment about this game evening out last weeks game. The best team won last week, and as hard as it is to admit, the best team won this week. McNeese is a very talented team that beat us today.

[McNeese72]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Hey Guys,

This is the first time I've had a chance to sit down and post since I got back home last night.

I want to thank everybody up there for a very nice road trip. You guys are doing it right, have a very good gameday atmosphere, and I very much enjoyed my visit.

Thanks to Terry Schroeder and his tailgate group for their hospitality and for feeding some of us. (I do have a few pictures for some of the dads there that I will be emailing later in the week.)

This was a great game between two evenly matched teams that fought their hearts out on that field. It was a shame that one of them had to lose. I can say I honestly that I thought we were done right before that 4th and 21 play. I know talking to some of the McNeese players after the game, that they were emotionally drained after the game.

I took more than 400+ pictures of my trip up there. It may take me a few days to sort through them, select some to put online, rename them, shrink them, and then put them into some webpages. I'll put a post here when I get them up sometime this next week, if any of you guys are interested.

Good luck to you guys and the Jackrabbits the rest of the season.

Hopefully we will do a home and home again in the future. If we do, try to make it down here when we play and we will definitely treat you guys right.

Thanks,
Doc

[CapnCat]

Re: McNeese Game Thread

Tough loss, JackNation.


You'll be pilin' up crowns sooner than you think, I wager! Very positive reputation in all of FCS already.