Monmouth vs Eastern Game Day Thread

[LDopaPDX]

Chism, tho…. Wow. Great showing. Whole OL played darn well, RBs and QBs too. It’s weird to see 3 diff QBs, but it was working.

On defense, DaJean Wells looked good. He gave up a TD where he was supposed to have safety help. Never got beat one-on-one but was tested a lot.

 

[Hambone]

The O seems like a slightly better version of last year's. The biggest difference I saw was in QB play with KV...very efficient with essentially no mistakes.

 

[EWURanger]

Yea, playcalling was boring. If Baldwin was playcalling we'd be up 42+ by half time. I like when 4 receivers lined up and no one was in the backfield but Taylor was QB. Did not fool them at all lmao.

I agree, but it’s hard to argue with the production. 26-29 passing for 292 and 5 TD’s. The only major concern I had with the O is that we just don’t seem to stretch the field as much these days and I’m not sure if that’s due to limitations in capabilities or just deliberate changes to play style. The 20 bubble screens a game will probably not be very effective against better defenses.

Yeah, the defense looked fine at times and then completely lost at others. It was sort of hard for me to figure out their pre-snap alignment a lot of the time. I know the new DC likes to disguise a lot, but it seemed like we had guys out of positions a lot of the time…thinking mostly Safeties here. The corners seem to be the strength on our defensive unit.

Special Teams play seems very improved to me. There were a couple of times I felt like we should have given our kicker a chance to make a long FG where we punted instead.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

Offense was very good. 6 TDs on the first 7 drives. Would’ve been 7 had it not been for a really weird penalty call (lots of calls on Eastern, WTF on the roughing the passer call?).

Defense is still shitty. Maybe a little better, but several guys looked lost. There were a lot of plays where Eastern wasn’t even in position at the snap. It just looked like a confused bunch.

Fortunately Monmouth is what we figured… not very good. Eastern didn’t need to be great to win.

Maybe I'm just getting tired of screens and running the ball. I'd like to see more shots downfield. But yea the stats were good.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

I agree, but it’s hard to argue with the production. 26-29 passing for 292 and 5 TD’s. The only major concern I had with the O is that we just don’t seem to stretch the field as much these days and I’m not sure if that’s due to limitations in capabilities or just deliberate changes to play style. The 20 bubble screens a game will probably not be very effective against better defenses.

That's what I'm saying. We should be stretching the field. They should always be scared we're going to take shots downfield. It also has the effect of opening the run game. I don't think we're going to win in the trenches against the Montana schools, Weber State etc. I know Visperas isn't exactly EB3 or VA or even Gubrud but he can't be that bad.

 

[luckyintheorder]

Offense was very good. 6 TDs on the first 7 drives. Would’ve been 7 had it not been for a really weird penalty call (lots of calls on Eastern, WTF on the roughing the passer call?).

Defense is still shitty. Maybe a little better, but several guys looked lost. There were a lot of plays where Eastern wasn’t even in position at the snap. It just looked like a confused bunch.

Fortunately Monmouth is what we figured… not very good. Eastern didn’t need to be great to win.

Super efficient offense. I'm all for it. Big concern is the type of playmakers necessary to continually throw laterally and expect gains begins and ends with Chism and Wortham. Visperas looked pretty calm too, but was I believe 1 for 5 on plays up field over 10 yards. Was a lot of the same ole same ole from last season. Better teams will shut that down. Loved the running attack and OL was good. Great warm up game.

D in the second half fell apart a bit. Had a lot of revolving players at DL and LB all game but produced good results through 2.5 quarters. They did stop any run game Monmouth may have had. Do wish Eags would finish when up big.

Officiating was OK but Eastern did draw a lot of big penalties. Hope everyone got out of the game unscathed.

 

[Obzerver]

Hopefully they are saving a few down the field passes for those times we need em(super dbl secret plays we don't want to show early on). Gonna score pts that's for sure. Pretty good crowd I thought. Secondary looked like we were playing a man short. Larry and Paul as I listened to the radio while in the stands said yeah made a few mistakes but they were goona be really good, they didn't mention when.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

I want everyone to be scared we could line up 4 wideouts running go routes and go for the TD at any time. They should be doing that shit like once a drive. Will stop safeties from crowding the line and help the run game.

 

[luckyintheorder]

I want everyone to be scared we could line up 4 wideouts running go routes and go for the TD at any time. They should be doing that shit like once a drive. Will stop safeties from crowding the line and help the run game.

You ain't wrong. I don't like the idea of keeping plays out of the game to unleash them another time. If teams feel they have to prepare for a vertical passing game too, it just adds to their burden IMO. Don't recall unleashing the surprise last season and Visperas has a biggish arm... Offense was efficient and effective. Eags can ride the OL and RB's if need be, maybe not against Weber, Griz or Cats..

 

[LDopaPDX]

You ain't wrong. I don't like the idea of keeping plays out of the game to unleash them another time. If teams feel they have to prepare for a vertical passing game too, it just adds to their burden IMO. Don't recall unleashing the surprise last season and Visperas has a biggish arm... Offense was efficient and effective. Eags can ride the OL and RB's if need be, maybe not against Weber, Griz or Cats..

I’d rather let them know the run game and wide screens are coming and execute them well enough that they can’t stop it. North Dakota State beat us in the Nat’l Championship with basically a QB draw. We couldn’t stop it. They won. Physically strong teams impose their will.

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

What are we gonna beat the Montanas at their own game? We're gonna need a vastly improved defense for that considering we were literally dead last at run defense last year in the whole FCS. No if we want to win games we're going to have to score as many points as fast as possible and hope the defense holds.

 

[LDopaPDX]

What are we gonna beat the Montanas at their own game? We're gonna need a vastly improved defense for that considering we were literally dead last at run defense last year in the whole FCS. No if we want to win games we're going to have to score as many points as fast as possible and hope the defense holds.

We’ve started right. Gotta control the clock, get first downs, and keep the D off the field as much as possible. I think the offense has adapted. How can the D improve enough to not give up more than the 27 they gave up yesterday? If so, we’re in great shape. If they start giving up bundles of points, we’re fucked. I’m confident the offense will do their part.

 

[luckyintheorder]

I’d rather let them know the run game and wide screens are coming and execute them well enough that they can’t stop it. North Dakota State beat us in the Nat’l Championship with basically a QB draw. We couldn’t stop it. They won. Physically strong teams impose their will.

Ha. Eastern lost the Natty because they had a Freshman safety covering a top Senior WR man to man the whole game and he managed to gash the Eags for big plays whenever they got NDSU behind the sticks.... McPherson was over 150 in that game I believe and EB3 threw 2 weird picks into high/low coverage that were terrible play calls. Yes, Stick got his. Eags missed Tiuli (?) that day on the DL. Note the 3rd qtr... Sheppard gashed Eags for 2 deep TD's in the 3rd that put this game out of reach. Thanks for bringing this shit up. Natty vs NDSU

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

We’ve started right. Gotta control the clock, get first downs, and keep the D off the field as much as possible. I think the offense has adapted. How can the D improve enough to not give up more than the 27 they gave up yesterday? If so, we’re in great shape. If they start giving up bundles of points, we’re fucked. I’m confident the offense will do their part.

If that's Best's strategy he may as well start packing his bags now. To accommodate that type of offense you need at least a top 30 defense if not top 20. Not a bottom 5 like the last few years. Turning the defense into that is like a multi-year project. I'm pretty sure you don't just change the coordinator and hit up the portal. I hope I'm wrong for Eastern's sake.

You can't just like hide the defense, it has to do its part. Under our former fast and high scoring offense the defense could be a bend don't break, get turn overs type defense. Under the run the ball, throw screens type offense you need a pretty much shut down defense. Best implemented the offense while ignoring the defense and that is why he is on the hot seat.

 

[Obzerver]

I concur bout defense giving up 27 to Monmouth not good. Looking at most every BSC team play threw some shade on my optimism Gonna stay upbeat as there eres bright spots all over the red. Onto Drake on another home win and getting better every day!

 

[LDopaPDX]

If that's Best's strategy he may as well start packing his bags now. To accommodate that type of offense you need at least a top 30 defense if not top 20. Not a bottom 5 like the last few years. Turning the defense into that is like a multi-year project. I'm pretty sure you don't just change the coordinator and hit up the portal. I hope I'm wrong for Eastern's sake.

You can't just like hide the defense, it has to do its part. Under our former fast and high scoring offense the defense could be a bend don't break, get turn overs type defense. Under the run the ball, throw screens type offense you need a pretty much shut down defense. Best implemented the offense while ignoring the defense and that is why he is on the hot seat.

I don’t think you’re seeing my point. Our offense needs to do what’s required to keep the D off the field as much as possible. If we get in a situation where the opponent can play ball control and thus build consistency and momentum, it makes our D that much worse. Yeah, we need to score, but we also need to find ways to keep the opposing offense out of rhythm. Keep them off the field for long periods of time. Of course, they still might walk down the field and score, but this at least gives us a chance to improve the odds.

Still, and we all know this, our problems aren’t on the offensive side of the ball. Despite being Ok defensively against Monmouth, we had some breakdowns that were inexcusable. We’re playing 3 deep safeties in the 4th quarter and receivers ran right by them. If they had some ball catchers, that game could’ve easily been tied.

I’m still trying to figure out who our best safeties are. They were terrible, and were playing some guys that don’t look anywhere near athletic enough at this level.

 

[luckyintheorder]

I don’t think you’re seeing my point. Our offense needs to do what’s required to keep the D off the field as much as possible. If we get in a situation where the opponent can play ball control and thus build consistency and momentum, it makes our D that much worse. Yeah, we need to score, but we also need to find ways to keep the opposing offense out of rhythm. Keep them off the field for long periods of time. Of course, they still might walk down the field and score, but this at least gives us a chance to improve the odds.

Still, and we all know this, our problems aren’t on the offensive side of the ball. Despite being Ok defensively against Monmouth, we had some breakdowns that were inexcusable. We’re playing 3 deep safeties in the 4th quarter and receivers ran right by them. If they had some ball catchers, that game could’ve easily been tied.

I’m still trying to figure out who our best safeties are. They were terrible, and were playing some guys that don’t look anywhere near athletic enough at this level.

Gotta say, I expected more out of the defensive backfield too. Not sure Eag's fans have seen the "big" jump from a Game 1 to a Game 2 in the past 10+ seasons that every f'ing announcer mentions year in and out. Hoping to see some shut down play this week against Drake, not sure that means much though. they did lose big to 3 MVC teams last season... big. 2023 schedule drake

 

[E-Wu Tang Clan]

I don’t think you’re seeing my point. Our offense needs to do what’s required to keep the D off the field as much as possible. If we get in a situation where the opponent can play ball control and thus build consistency and momentum, it makes our D that much worse. Yeah, we need to score, but we also need to find ways to keep the opposing offense out of rhythm. Keep them off the field for long periods of time. Of course, they still might walk down the field and score, but this at least gives us a chance to improve the odds.

Still, and we all know this, our problems aren’t on the offensive side of the ball. Despite being Ok defensively against Monmouth, we had some breakdowns that were inexcusable. We’re playing 3 deep safeties in the 4th quarter and receivers ran right by them. If they had some ball catchers, that game could’ve easily been tied.

I’m still trying to figure out who our best safeties are. They were terrible, and were playing some guys that don’t look anywhere near athletic enough at this level.

Rather rely on pure scoring ability then "consistency", "momentum" and "rhythm." Plus those offenses aren't good at scoring fast if they're down and there isn't a lot of time left.

Although going up several scores in the first half can be pretty demoralizing for the opponent and motivating for our defense like the Baldwin days.

I guess agree to disagree.