How to set passing game expectations for 2015

[Biggus Piggus]

Will the passing game be good enough to make SEC defenses back off the line of scrimmage? By my estimation -- based on the performances on SEC champions in recent years -- "good enough" would be 8 yards per pass play, no more than one sack allowed per game, 60% completion, and 14 yards per completion. In SEC games.

Last season in SEC games, Arkansas gained 5.6 yards per pass play (net of sacks), completed 54%, reached 11.4 yards per completion. The Hogs gave up one or zero sacks in five games but allowed nine sacks combined in the Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss games.

The Razorbacks ran more pass plays in SEC games than Alabama did but threw only 10 touchdown passes vs. the Tide's 20. I'd say Arkansas needs to average two TD passes per game, if the pass is going to be a big enough threat to back off the defense from the LOS.

By the way -- the Hogs' SEC passing stats in 2014 are not across-the-board better if one excludes the Missouri and Ole Miss games (Brandon Allen was injured in the OM game and played hurt against Mizzou).

Raising the completion % goes only a small part of the way. The 11 yards per completion is much too low. Arkansas needs big plays, 20+ yard gainers, breakaways for touchdowns. This probably does not mean throwing more long bombs (which likely wouldn't help the completion %). This probably is not a schematic problem. Arkansas must get the ball to players in open space, players who can gain additional yards after the catch with the chance of breaking away. This is a personnel issue.

We know players such as Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs were good enough to do this against SEC defenses. Can Arkansas approximate that kind of threat with its combination of tight ends and receivers? In my view, the hardest thing for the Razorbacks to do in 2015 = reach 8 yards per pass play, 14 yards per completion in SEC games.

Hunter Henry caught 37 passes last year (all games), 14 yards per catch. Only two touchdowns. Needs to produce more catches, more yards, more TDs.

Jeremy Sprinkle had seven catches, 12 yards per catch. If he is going to make up a significant % of plays this year, Sprinkle had better produce more per catch. Looked very good in spring.

Keon Hatcher caught 43 passes last season, 13 yards per catch, six touchdowns. Only scored three in SEC games. Can he add more big plays? Certainly had his chances. If you exclude his one 50-yard catch, Hatcher averaged 12 yards per catch.

Drew Morgan had 18 yards per catch, only 10 catches. To date has had only moments.

Arkansas's longest pass play of 2014 went to tight end A.J. Derby. The Hogs had more rushing plays (five) that went 50+ yards than passes (two). Arkansas totaled three passes of 40-49 yards, five for 30-39 yards, 18 for 20-29 yards.

Comparison -- prior to its playoff game loss, Alabama had eight pass plays of 50+ yards, seven for 40-49, nine for 30-39, and 12 for 20-29.

In 13 games, Arkansas completed 28 passes for 20+ yards, and Alabama completed 36. For 40+, Arkansas five, Alabama 15.

This is the gap that must close. Did the Hogs add enough, from recruiting and player development, to begin producing more big pass plays? I suspect Arkansas will close only part of the gap in 2015.

[Exit Pursued by a Boar]

Helps when they don't drop passes, as KH did against Auburn for instance.  That one wasn't BA's fault. 

EFBAB

[IBleedRazorbackRed]

I think we need to run better in sec play in order to pass it better.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

Keon Hatcher has to catch passes similar to the one he dropped early vs Auburn. That was a perfectly designed play. Allen fakes right then bombs one to Keon who has his man beat but then Keon dropped what would have been a TD.

Dom Reed of course must make a huge impact. JJ Robinson is another player that must have a big impact. These two need to beat Drew Morgan and Cody Hollister on the depth chart if we are going to make Auburn and Alabama nervous.

[Hollywood_HOGan45]

I think we need to run better in sec play in order to pass it better.

+1 This.

Everyone touts our running game but it really wasnt the big key factor in us breaking through. Even against LSU and Ole Miss our running game was ok.

Alex Collins' production must improve in the 2nd half of the season. He was amazing against Tech and aTm but wore down as the season progressed.

[Biggus Piggus]

I think we need to run better in sec play in order to pass it better.

That won't happen if the defenses put eight or nine in the box again. Running game is not going to improve in a vacuum. It has to have relief from the pass threat. Not just a higher completion %, or better pass protection. The risk-reward profile has to shift. If Arkansas does not raise its big pass play production, the risk-reward of stacking up against the run won't change.

[Hoggish1]

For me, the biggest factor is going to be how Enos uses backs out of the backfield, which will lead to increased YAC for everyone, if we are successful there.

The threat of Reed, in itself, will lead to increased YAC for the other receivers, including TEs.

[PonderinHog]

I hate to quote a previous coach, but I hope BA is able to be a willing runner this year.  Those passes to the third row killed(hurt) his completion percentage last year.  There were some critical plays where those extra yards would have come in handy, not to mention what they might have opened up in the passing game.

[GuvHog]

I think we need to run better in sec play in order to pass it better.

I respectfully disagree. The Hogs need to pass better to open up the run. An effective passing game (I don't mean throwing the ball all over the field) will force opponent's defenses to respect the pass and keep them from stacking the line to stop the run.

[ricepig]

I hate to quote a previous coach, but I hope BA is able to be a willing runner this year.  Those passes to the third row killed(hurt) his completion percentage last year.  There were some critical plays where those extra yards would have come in handy, not to mention what they might have opened up in the passing game.

Yep, not so much on rollouts, but up the middle when the pocket collapses. The throws into the stands were well covered on the run and the routes, but like against Texass, there's room up the gut sometimes, take advantage of it.

[JaketheSnake]

Yep, not so much on rollouts, but up the middle when the pocket collapses. The throws into the stands were well covered on the run and the routes, but like against Texass, there's room up the gut sometimes, take advantage of it.

That was clearly something he was coached to do.  It could have been bc they dont want BA running bc of injury risk or bc a sack and losing 3-4 yards hurts our offense worse than the opportunity/risk for the QB to run it for a 3-4 yard gain is worth.  If we averaged losing 2 yards for BA running it for each time that he actually chunked it to the stands, could that have changed our W-L record? Would it have helped?  I dont know that answer, but I bet the coaches understand.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

That won't happen if the defenses put eight or nine in the box again. Running game is not going to improve in a vacuum. It has to have relief from the pass threat. Not just a higher completion %, or better pass protection. The risk-reward profile has to shift. If Arkansas does not raise its big pass play production, the risk-reward of stacking up against the run won't change.

I think you are right about this, Biggus. While we will throw underneath coverage some, if we don't break a larger percentage of those for longer gains (YAC) and opposing DC's feel confident that their Secondary can limit our gains on underneath passing plays, they won't hesitate to continue to crowd the LOS to stop our run.

Of course having success on deeper throws might also give opposing DC's a pause about trying to rely solely on the Secondary in shutting down the underneath throws especially if we have a receiver or two that can draw coverage towards the sideline and more downfield and make a few of those catches. We need to force opposing DC's to have the LB's drop into coverage to help the Secondary.

Bottom line to me is, opposing Secondary's need to be forced to respect all of our receivers so that they are more spread out in coverage and that is only going to happen if we have receivers who can not only create some separation but make the catch when it is thrown to them. Being a potential threat is one thing, but actually making the catch and punishing the opponent with the results will force them to respect our receivers. That should also make our run game more effective as well.

[Biggus Piggus]

I saw hardly any comments out of SEC Media Days on Dominique Reed, but one source asked the right questions:

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/arkansas-may-have-found-downfield-threat/

[hawginbigd1]

I saw hardly any comments out of SEC Media Days on Dominique Reed, but one source asked the right questions:

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/arkansas-may-have-found-downfield-threat/

Reed I believe can make a difference, but we haven't gone deep except on run downs off PA because of the OL Would not hold up. The reason we run so many roll outs and half rolls on passing downs.

[Oklahawg]

I saw hardly any comments out of SEC Media Days on Dominique Reed, but one source asked the right questions:

http://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/arkansas-football/arkansas-may-have-found-downfield-threat/

I was frustrated with the lack of engaging questions.

[Oklahawg]

I remember the Petrino years when defenses would challenge us to break tendency. We got QBs hammered because he stubbornly wanted to win his way.

I don't see the stubbornness today but I see the same mentality - defenses will make us throw to beat them.

[Oklahawg]

I may not understand the tactical side of things well enough to comment on this.

One way that teams sometimes stretch the field on UA (Nutt years haunt me for this) is a TE going up the seam or between the hashes behind the backers. We do not throw often in that territory. Better play elsewhere can open up this area of the field. Or, showing this will hold the safeties so that they can't funnel wide to help with short passes to the sideline...or storm to the LOS to bottle up the RBs.

[bigbadhog]

My expectations for our passing game are low as usual.  I see BB as very stubborn on this issue much like past Hog coaches.  I don't think it will ever be a priority for a BB coached team.  It was enough to win in the Big 10 but I think his best Wisc teams would have been in the lower half of the SEC.  He needs to take a page from Gary Patterson's book but it will never happen...

[Cinco de Hogo]

I have alway loved the Drew Morgan's of the receiving world and I think Enos will use him underneath like NE does to keep the double coverage off the bigger or faster guys. He's compact and tough and you don't risk injury to Hatcher or Reed.

Used right Morgan would be the most reliable receiver we have.

[Cinco de Hogo]

Will the passing game be good enough to make SEC defenses back off the line of scrimmage? By my estimation -- based on the performances on SEC champions in recent years -- "good enough" would be 8 yards per pass play, no more than one sack allowed per game, 60% completion, and 14 yards per completion. In SEC games.

Last season in SEC games, Arkansas gained 5.6 yards per pass play (net of sacks), completed 54%, reached 11.4 yards per completion. The Hogs gave up one or zero sacks in five games but allowed nine sacks combined in the Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss games.

The Razorbacks ran more pass plays in SEC games than Alabama did but threw only 10 touchdown passes vs. the Tide's 20. I'd say Arkansas needs to average two TD passes per game, if the pass is going to be a big enough threat to back off the defense from the LOS.

By the way -- the Hogs' SEC passing stats in 2014 are not across-the-board better if one excludes the Missouri and Ole Miss games (Brandon Allen was injured in the OM game and played hurt against Mizzou).

Raising the completion % goes only a small part of the way. The 11 yards per completion is much too low. Arkansas needs big plays, 20+ yard gainers, breakaways for touchdowns. This probably does not mean throwing more long bombs (which likely wouldn't help the completion %). This probably is not a schematic problem. Arkansas must get the ball to players in open space, players who can gain additional yards after the catch with the chance of breaking away. This is a personnel issue.

We know players such as Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs were good enough to do this against SEC defenses. Can Arkansas approximate that kind of threat with its combination of tight ends and receivers? In my view, the hardest thing for the Razorbacks to do in 2015 = reach 8 yards per pass play, 14 yards per completion in SEC games.

Hunter Henry caught 37 passes last year (all games), 14 yards per catch. Only two touchdowns. Needs to produce more catches, more yards, more TDs.

Jeremy Sprinkle had seven catches, 12 yards per catch. If he is going to make up a significant % of plays this year, Sprinkle had better produce more per catch. Looked very good in spring.

Keon Hatcher caught 43 passes last season, 13 yards per catch, six touchdowns. Only scored three in SEC games. Can he add more big plays? Certainly had his chances. If you exclude his one 50-yard catch, Hatcher averaged 12 yards per catch.

Drew Morgan had 18 yards per catch, only 10 catches. To date has had only moments.

Arkansas's longest pass play of 2014 went to tight end A.J. Derby. The Hogs had more rushing plays (five) that went 50+ yards than passes (two). Arkansas totaled three passes of 40-49 yards, five for 30-39 yards, 18 for 20-29 yards.

Comparison -- prior to its playoff game loss, Alabama had eight pass plays of 50+ yards, seven for 40-49, nine for 30-39, and 12 for 20-29.

In 13 games, Arkansas completed 28 passes for 20+ yards, and Alabama completed 36. For 40+, Arkansas five, Alabama 15.

This is the gap that must close. Did the Hogs add enough, from recruiting and player development, to begin producing more big pass plays? I suspect Arkansas will close only part of the gap in 2015.

+1  great post!

[razorbacksnum1]

I have alway loved the Drew Morgan's of the receiving world and I think Enos will use him underneath like NE does to keep the double coverage off the bigger or faster guys. He's compact and tough and you don't risk injury to Hatcher or Reed.

Used right Morgan would be the most reliable receiver we have.

The most reliable receiver we have is Hunter Henry. Morgan has been inconsistent at best.

[jgphillips3]

We know what we have in Hatcher.  We, I believe, have seen what we have in Cornelius.  I have posted this before, but imagine a formation with Reed isolated to one side, Hatcher and Cornelius (or JoJo) to the other with Hunter Henry in the game at tight end.  You have four very different but all legitimate pass catching threats.  If you add JWill in the backfield in a single set, you now have a running back that can catch passes or, if they play us to pass out of that formation can gash them right up the gut.  I am expecting great things with the variety of weapons we have this year and for us to be far less predictable.

[JaketheSnake]

My expectations for our passing game are low as usual.  I see BB as very stubborn on this issue much like past Hog coaches.  I don't think it will ever be a priority for a BB coached team.  It was enough to win in the Big 10 but I think his best Wisc teams would have been in the lower half of the SEC.  He needs to take a page from Gary Patterson's book but it will never happen...

Insert shocked face

[Biggus Piggus]

My expectations for our passing game are low as usual.  I see BB as very stubborn on this issue much like past Hog coaches.  I don't think it will ever be a priority for a BB coached team.  It was enough to win in the Big 10 but I think his best Wisc teams would have been in the lower half of the SEC.  He needs to take a page from Gary Patterson's book but it will never happen...

The "very stubborn" statement is questionable. The "lower half of the SEC" statement is questionable. Wisconsin, obviously, defeated the West champion in a bowl game -- Bielema's first season as head coach. That was a 12-1 Wisconsin team. The next season, Wisconsin lost to a good Tennessee team by 4 points in Tampa (Outback).

In later bowls, Wisconsin proved it was competitive against top 10 opposition, just not quite good enough to beat them. Scored plenty enough against Oregon to win, had the defense been a little better. Stopped TCU well enough, just couldn't score enough against that great defense.

Given the overall recruiting limitations at Wisconsin, I'd say those teams performed close to an optimal level. Had nothing whatsoever to do with a bias against throwing the football. You repeatedly backwards engineer random thoughts to make a negative argument. You never proceed from reality to observation to conclusion. I'm sure you are capable of learning how.

[DeltaBoy]

I expect it to be good enough to win 8 games this year.

[ballz2thewall]

i'm going to go against the grain,

our running game was just about fine last year.  despite the less than stellar bleacher pace, it was often just what the game needed.

working in more TE action should compliment that pace very well.

so, if we improve on the running game, my hope is that we throw less.

[Theolesnort]

Will the passing game be good enough to make SEC defenses back off the line of scrimmage? By my estimation -- based on the performances on SEC champions in recent years -- "good enough" would be 8 yards per pass play, no more than one sack allowed per game, 60% completion, and 14 yards per completion. In SEC games.

Last season in SEC games, Arkansas gained 5.6 yards per pass play (net of sacks), completed 54%, reached 11.4 yards per completion. The Hogs gave up one or zero sacks in five games but allowed nine sacks combined in the Alabama, Georgia and Ole Miss games.

The Razorbacks ran more pass plays in SEC games than Alabama did but threw only 10 touchdown passes vs. the Tide's 20. I'd say Arkansas needs to average two TD passes per game, if the pass is going to be a big enough threat to back off the defense from the LOS.

By the way -- the Hogs' SEC passing stats in 2014 are not across-the-board better if one excludes the Missouri and Ole Miss games (Brandon Allen was injured in the OM game and played hurt against Mizzou).

Raising the completion % goes only a small part of the way. The 11 yards per completion is much too low. Arkansas needs big plays, 20+ yard gainers, breakaways for touchdowns. This probably does not mean throwing more long bombs (which likely wouldn't help the completion %). This probably is not a schematic problem. Arkansas must get the ball to players in open space, players who can gain additional yards after the catch with the chance of breaking away. This is a personnel issue.

We know players such as Jarius Wright, Joe Adams and Greg Childs were good enough to do this against SEC defenses. Can Arkansas approximate that kind of threat with its combination of tight ends and receivers? In my view, the hardest thing for the Razorbacks to do in 2015 = reach 8 yards per pass play, 14 yards per completion in SEC games.

Hunter Henry caught 37 passes last year (all games), 14 yards per catch. Only two touchdowns. Needs to produce more catches, more yards, more TDs.

Jeremy Sprinkle had seven catches, 12 yards per catch. If he is going to make up a significant % of plays this year, Sprinkle had better produce more per catch. Looked very good in spring.

Keon Hatcher caught 43 passes last season, 13 yards per catch, six touchdowns. Only scored three in SEC games. Can he add more big plays? Certainly had his chances. If you exclude his one 50-yard catch, Hatcher averaged 12 yards per catch.

Drew Morgan had 18 yards per catch, only 10 catches. To date has had only moments.

Arkansas's longest pass play of 2014 went to tight end A.J. Derby. The Hogs had more rushing plays (five) that went 50+ yards than passes (two). Arkansas totaled three passes of 40-49 yards, five for 30-39 yards, 18 for 20-29 yards.

Comparison -- prior to its playoff game loss, Alabama had eight pass plays of 50+ yards, seven for 40-49, nine for 30-39, and 12 for 20-29.

In 13 games, Arkansas completed 28 passes for 20+ yards, and Alabama completed 36. For 40+, Arkansas five, Alabama 15.

This is the gap that must close. Did the Hogs add enough, from recruiting and player development, to begin producing more big pass plays? I suspect Arkansas will close only part of the gap in 2015.

This is why in another post in a different thread I said the strength of this team will be the defense. It was very evident in the main scrimmage this Spring that bigger better and faster players are on the way there if they haven't yet arrived now. The ball is in Enos's court but does he have the players just yet? That part is yet to be determined and the one thing that holds me back with Brandon Allen is his past tendencies to throw a little late on his timing. Is it because he is so hesitant to risk interceptions so he waits just a hair to long to throw when his receiver is open? If that is true then to me what you are giving great dbacks is a opportunity to recover in just enough time to throw a fly in the ointment. So to me the question begs to be asked, does Allen need a little more of the gunslinger attitude in him to risk more interceptions in order to make more big plays. I am just speculating here because I am not a qb guru but I sure would like to know the reward risk ratio in all this.

[PonderinHog]

This is why in another post in a different thread I said the strength of this team will be the defense. It was very evident in the main scrimmage this Spring that bigger better and faster players are on the way there if they haven't yet arrived now. The ball is in Enos's court but does he have the players just yet? That part is yet to be determined and the one thing that holds me back with Brandon Allen is his past tendencies to throw a little late on his timing. Is it because he is so hesitant to risk interceptions so he waits just a hair to long to throw when his receiver is open? If that is true then to me what you are giving great dbacks is a opportunity to recover in just enough time to throw a fly in the ointment. So to me the question begs to be asked, does Allen need a little more of the gunslinger attitude in him to risk more interceptions in order to make more big plays. I am just speculating here because I am not a qb guru but I sure would like to know the reward risk ratio in all this.

More weapons and better protection won't hurt.

[WaltonCollege]

Our defense carried us BAD last year. In blowout wins v LSU, Ole Miss, and Texas the defense was the group fueling the team (Two shutouts, 59 yds v Texas) Chaney was bad in that he couldn't adapt to our putting our best players in positions to succeed, he was too focused on installing his system. Too many 3 and 4 WR sets out of shotgun that are not the teams identity. I think Bielema saw how bad he and robb smith carried the team last yr defensively and brought in a more run-oriented Enos. Any improvement in the passing game will be huge, and we should eat off play-action. Woo Pig!

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

My expectations for our passing game are low as usual.  I see BB as very stubborn on this issue much like past Hog coaches.  I don't think it will ever be a priority for a BB coached team.  It was enough to win in the Big 10 but I think his best Wisc teams would have been in the lower half of the SEC.  He needs to take a page from Gary Patterson's book but it will never happen...

This is just stupid. CBB's first Big 10 championship team dominated the same OSU team that CBP lost to in the Sugar Bowl. That CBP team is the best Arkansas team I have seen since we got in the SEC (now our next season was a better record finishing #5) but is still believe the 2010 was better.

[Cinco de Hogo]

This is just stupid. CBB's first Big 10 championship team dominated the same OSU team that CBP lost to in the Sugar Bowl. That CBP team is the best Arkansas team I have seen since we got in the SEC (now our next season was a better record finishing #5) but is still believe the 2010 was better.

Our biggest problem in 2010 was we hadn't been in the big stage in a long time.  No doubt we were not ready to play that game vs a team that had been to something like five straight BCS Bowl Games.  We proved we "could" play with them and might even have been the better team.  That experience paid off the next year against KSU. 

[HogWall Jackson]

Biggus you tied it down pretty well except I expect the RB to be more active e in the passing game this year. How much CA we expect from Reed? We will be I.improved  it but how much?

[MuskogeeHogFan]

Biggus you tied it down pretty well except I expect the RB to be more active e in the passing game this year. How much CA we expect from Reed? We will be I.improved  it but how much?

We need Reed to be that guy that draws coverage because of his speed and can win a one-on-one match-up, up the sideline because of his speed and height. If we can hit him a few times in that pattern and make other teams respect that, we will find a lot more receivers underneath that wind up being open in single coverage who can extend YAC. That will help this offense immensely.

[MuckyPig]

EFBAB
[/quote]

Helps when they don't drop passes, as KH did against Auburn for instance.  That one wasn't BA's fault. 

EFBAB

Watched the MSU/UofA game this weekend. KH routinely turned their D-back around with great moves. Made some good catches. But BA absolutely missed him a couple of times he was open...then once he abused their D-back, got behind him and BA laid it in there perfectly.  He had both hands on the ball and I think a touchdown.

He dropped it.

The difference this year will be if he makes that catch and BA makes the throws to open receivers he missed LY.

Also watched him throw it away seconds before our guy came open. Can he get to where he can extend a play just a little longer?  It was all there, we could have/should have won that game. We only need to execute better to have won 9+ last year.

[MuskogeeHogFan]

EFBAB
Watched the MSU/UofA game this weekend. KH routinely turned their D-back around with great moves. Made some good catches. But BA absolutely missed him a couple of times he was open...then once he abused their D-back, got behind him and BA laid it in there perfectly.  He had both hands on the ball and I think a touchdown.

He dropped it.

The difference this year will be if he makes that catch and BA makes the throws to open receivers he missed LY.

Also watched him throw it away seconds before our guy came open. Can he get to where he can extend a play just a little longer?  It was all there, we could have/should have won that game. We only need to execute better to have won 9+ last year.

There's a little different coaching/teaching philosophy at work this year with Enos here. Just remember, BA has not had anyone who was a true, dedicated and experienced QB coach to work with him since BP left and at that time, most of BP's time was spent with Wilson and Mitchell, not some Freshman QB that he thought he would have time to develop. Enos is his first exposure to anyone with actual and dedicated experience at coaching QB's since BP was invited to leave.

I think BA's mechanics and decision making, along with timing, will be better than we have seen in the past and largely due to the influence and coaching of Dan Enos.

[MuckyPig]

It's funny though.

I didn't come away thinking we were deficient in any way when we lost that game. What we lacked was the belief we could do it. BA on that last drive found it. Twice he found HH on 4th down when it looked like it was over!  If we had won that game we would all still be talking about that final drive. The interception in the EZ on the last play was him making his mind up before the play instead of during. If we are going to be great this year it will be because he can shift his decision making to inside the play instead of before.

Btw, Dak is outstanding at that aspect of the game. Were it not for a fantastic performance on his part we would have shut them out too.  Most of their points (if not all) were a direct result of his play. We often "had him" when he would extend a drive and that touchdown he was inches away from Flowers grasp. (didn't hurt that we didn't cover the receiver at all).

[MuckyPig]

Maybe Enos can help him find his inner Favre

[MuskogeeHogFan]

It's funny though.

I didn't come away thinking we were deficient in any way when we lost that game. What we lacked was the belief we could do it. BA on that last drive found it. Twice he found HH on 4th down when it looked like it was over!  If we had won that game we would all still be talking about that final drive. The interception in the EZ on the last play was him making his mind up before the play instead of during. If we are going to be great this year it will be because he can shift his decision making to inside the play instead of before.

Btw, Dak is outstanding at that aspect of the game. Were it not for a fantastic performance on his part we would have shut them out too.  Most of their points (if not all) were a direct result of his play. We often "had him" when he would extend a drive and that touchdown he was inches away from Flowers grasp. (didn't hurt that we didn't cover the receiver at all).

Hindsight is always 20-20, particularly for us fans. It is easy to become an expert when you already have the benefit of the events that took place, laid out before you.

But I agree with you, we should have beaten Miss State, but we also should have beaten Alabama, along with A&M. We could have easily ended the regular season at 9-3 which would have changed our post season options significantly.

[Pig In The City]

Pass on first down. Keep defenses guessing makes defenses play honest.

[PorcineSublime]

There's a little different coaching/teaching philosophy at work this year with Enos here. Just remember, BA has not had anyone who was a true, dedicated and experienced QB coach to work with him since BP left and at that time, most of BP's time was spent with Wilson and Mitchell, not some Freshman QB that he thought he would have time to develop. Enos is his first exposure to anyone with actual and dedicated experience at coaching QB's since BP was invited to leave.

I think BA's mechanics and decision making, along with timing, will be better than we have seen in the past and largely due to the influence and coaching of Dan Enos.

This could be a key. BA was a top level recruit out of HS and thought to have the tools to be a good to great QB. He just had the misfortune of living through the hell that was John L. Had he had any instruction outside of his week or two with Chris Wienke, things might have been different. Enos has been in this very situation before with a Senior QB and he was able to tune him up enough to play pretty well. I am excited to see what they have worked on and how Brandon could grow.