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Early FAU @ South Carolina Preview...

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Re: Early FAU @ South Carolina Preview...

Early FAU @ South Carolina Preview...

South Carolina will watch the tape from FAU-Nebraska, and that will show:

  1. FAU's offensive line played well at Nebraska, but it often took backs to help block the pass rush. Expect South Carolina to study this carefully.
  2. The tight ends succumbed to tight coverage, and the Owls did not have an answer for this. In fact, they seemed surprised by it. Expect SC to study this carefully.
  3. The wide receivers seldom got open enough to be an effective force. Expect SC to study this carefully.
  4. The defense was effective early, but not later. Expect SC to figure out the difference.
  5. The special teams weren't. Expect SC to notice.
  6. The QB didn't play as well as we (or he) expected. Expect SC to notice this. (He is a lot better than he played, and I hope SC underestimates him.)
  7. The running backs performed pretty well, especially considering Nebraska's much-hyped defensive line. Expect SC to notice this and try to figure out a counter.
  8. Halftime coaching adjustments clearly were in Nebraska's favor. Expect SC to notice this.

* * *

  Our coaches (and players) will be able to study two weeks' worth of SC games. This should help. But they already know what has to happen in Columbia:

  1. Come to play 60 minutes. Effectively use the considerable talent on the team. They're good.
  2. Devise Plan B schemes to get the fine tight ends and wide receivers open and into the game. Nebraska's successful coverage schemes will be imitated; they have to be neutralized.
  3. Stay a step ahead on pass protection. SC will look to counter what the Owls did to stop Nebraska's pass rush. The Owls have to move the chess game forward and devise a plan to neutralize the likely counter.
  4. QB play has to settle down (and most likely will). He's that good (and so is the back-up).
  5. Running backs have to continue to grow. The fullback coming out of the backfield as a receiver is a potent weapon, as we saw. The running back can bang away, but might be better with more slants.
  6. Studying FAU play-calling tendencies, gleaned from years of archival tapes, can help an opposing defense. What's the plan to counter this?
  7. What's the answer with special teams? This seems to have been elusive for some time.
  8. The defense has to play tighter. With experience building confidence for younger players, this is likely. However, expect SC to figure out FAU's tendencies (including, but not limited to, those that allowed Helu to run so effectively) from the Nebraska tape. Just to stay even in play will be a challenge because SC will have the tape to help it determine counters to FAU schemes. The return of one or two of the injured should help, assuming no one goes down in practice.
  9. Effective halftime (or other time) adjustments, if needed, have to be installed on the fly. (Ask the Denver Broncos, who were on the down side of three Super Bowl blowouts, about this concept.) It has to be frustrating for the coach, who said he asked them at halftime to put it into overdrive; instead the Huskers stormed to the end zone and the Owls didn't.

* * *

  This is a good (and smart) FAU team – clearly not as good as Nebraska last week, but a good team. The season should be good as well, but it has to start pretty soon. Digging out of last year's early-season hole was hard enough, and should be lesson enough. Cheer 'em on, friends. I intend to.
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Re: Early FAU @ South Carolina Preview...

Owlando said

owlfan1 said

Every time I think FAU has a shot in these long shot games my hopes are dashed as FAU continually gets drubbed by BCS conference teams.

My only hope in this one is based on the fact that South Carolina only scored 7 in their opener. However, we only scored 3 in our opener so I guess the edge still goes to USC especially with the solid play on defense that they demonstrated against NC State.

If FAU can keep this game within two touchdowns and put up some points of their own I will be pleased.


I think FAU has two things going for them with regard to Scar-olina.

  1. The Cocks will enter this game coming off of back-to-back road games against tough opponents: NC state, Georgia
  2. FAU enter this game coming off a bye week, in which they had to time to review, re-tool, and will seek redemption.

Even if we lose this game, I believe you'll see a much more exciting game. Speaking of which, who is going to any of the out-of-town watch parties?

I might have to go the other way on this one… I think the bye week may actually hurt us because we will sit back and be complacent again… we only perform well when we are in the thick of a schedule of back to back games where we have established a rhythm… I honestly don't see a rhythm yet and granted we have only played 1 game… therefore Rusty needs to find his rhythm, play strong and motivate the rest of the team to a win or at the very least a strong and confident showing…

On the flip-side, the Gamecocks would have had two games to work out any kinks in their playing style…
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Re: Early FAU @ South Carolina Preview...

grayowl said

South Carolina will watch the tape from FAU-Nebraska, and that will show:

  1. FAU's offensive line played well at Nebraska, but it often took backs to help block the pass rush. Expect South Carolina to study this carefully.
  2. The tight ends succumbed to tight coverage, and the Owls did not have an answer for this. In fact, they seemed surprised by it. Expect SC to study this carefully.
  3. The wide receivers seldom got open enough to be an effective force. Expect SC to study this carefully.
  4. The defense was effective early, but not later. Expect SC to figure out the difference.
  5. The special teams weren't. Expect SC to notice.
  6. The QB didn't play as well as we (or he) expected. Expect SC to notice this. (He is a lot better than he played, and I hope SC underestimates him.)
  7. The running backs performed pretty well, especially considering Nebraska's much-hyped defensive line. Expect SC to notice this and try to figure out a counter.
  8. Halftime coaching adjustments clearly were in Nebraska's favor. Expect SC to notice this.

* * *

  Our coaches (and players) will be able to study two weeks' worth of SC games. This should help. But they already know what has to happen in Columbia:

  1. Come to play 60 minutes. Effectively use the considerable talent on the team. They're good.
  2. Devise Plan B schemes to get the fine tight ends and wide receivers open and into the game. Nebraska's successful coverage schemes will be imitated; they have to be neutralized.
  3. Stay a step ahead on pass protection. SC will look to counter what the Owls did to stop Nebraska's pass rush. The Owls have to move the chess game forward and devise a plan to neutralize the likely counter.
  4. QB play has to settle down (and most likely will). He's that good (and so is the back-up).
  5. Running backs have to continue to grow. The fullback coming out of the backfield as a receiver is a potent weapon, as we saw. The running back can bang away, but might be better with more slants.
  6. Studying FAU play-calling tendencies, gleaned from years of archival tapes, can help an opposing defense. What's the plan to counter this?
  7. What's the answer with special teams? This seems to have been elusive for some time.
  8. The defense has to play tighter. With experience building confidence for younger players, this is likely. However, expect SC to figure out FAU's tendencies (including, but not limited to, those that allowed Helu to run so effectively) from the Nebraska tape. Just to stay even in play will be a challenge because SC will have the tape to help it determine counters to FAU schemes. The return of one or two of the injured should help, assuming no one goes down in practice.
  9. Effective halftime (or other time) adjustments, if needed, have to be installed on the fly. (Ask the Denver Broncos, who were on the down side of three Super Bowl blowouts, about this concept.) It has to be frustrating for the coach, who said he asked them at halftime to put it into overdrive; instead the Huskers stormed to the end zone and the Owls didn't.

* * *

  This is a good (and smart) FAU team – clearly not as good as Nebraska last week, but a good team. The season should be good as well, but it has to start pretty soon. Digging out of last year's early-season hole was hard enough, and should be lesson enough. Cheer 'em on, friends. I intend to.

Agree.

I think this bye week will be more important than all of spring practice.  Where we would work on all aspects during spring, now we have some film against a strong opponent and can spend 2 solid weeks working on specifics like blocking techniques, route running, coverages; everything in detail that we know is a problem based on a real game and not just our Sunbelt offense working against our sunbelt defense, etc.


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