First half versus second half

[Polecat]

I feel like the issue with the second half collapses is that CBB and his staff are pretty dang good during the week in preparation, but pretty horrible at making halftime adjustments, and adjustments during the games.
Look at our success ratio of scoring on the first drive of the game. And then our offensive execution seems to wane as the game goes along.
With a couple of exceptions, Petrino was something of a wizard here in terms of adjustments within the game and outsmarting the opposing defensive coordinators. I just don't think in-game adjustments are a strength of Bielema's or his staff. He doesn't strike me as a person who thinks quickly in the moment, off the cuff – but rather, does much better when given a few days to prepare a scheme.
Which doesn't bode well for the Hogs, as our coaches face some of the more talented and exceptional minds in college football here in the SEC.

[Biggus Piggus]

No. It's not halftime adjustments. That's not it. And the issue isn't even constant from game to game. The Missouri and VT games brought a completely different issue.

[NaturalStateReb]

I feel like the issue with the second half collapses is that CBB and his staff are pretty dang good during the week in preparation, but pretty horrible at making halftime adjustments, and adjustments during the games.
Look at our success ratio of scoring on the first drive of the game. And then our offensive execution seems to wane as the game goes along.
With a couple of exceptions, Petrino was something of a wizard here in terms of adjustments within the game and outsmarting the opposing defensive coordinators. I just don't think in-game adjustments are a strength of Bielema's or his staff. He doesn't strike me as a person who thinks quickly in the moment, off the cuff – but rather, does much better when given a few days to prepare a scheme.
Which doesn't bode well for the Hogs, as our coaches face some of the more talented and exceptional minds in college football here in the SEC.

I think the lack of depth and mental toughness eventually overcomes a pretty good game plan.

[Biggus Piggus]

I think the lack of depth and mental toughness eventually overcomes a pretty good game plan.

Exactly.

[Polecat]

I think the lack of depth and mental toughness eventually overcomes a pretty good game plan.

I can agree that Petrino was much more of a disciplinarian and his teams were mentally tougher, but his teams had better depth?

[Biggus Piggus]

I can agree that Petrino was much more of a disciplinarian and his teams were mentally tougher, but his teams had better depth?

Compare the 2010-11 defenses with this season's. And the offensive lines.

[Atlhogfan1]

I think the lack of depth and mental toughness eventually overcomes a pretty good game plan.

Plus not being able to run the football when we wanted to do so.  Put pressure on OC and QB to believe they had to keep putting it up and making plays.  Had some good runs vs Mizzou in second half but couldn't do it in redzone leading to pass game mistakes and failures.  Saw it vs A&M in red zone early in season with inability of oline to get us in running(plus stupid bunch formations).  Didn't even bother trying vs VT.  Which goes back to my comments about the oline.  Even with a historically bad D, a good reliable oline would have had us at 9 wins this season.  Maybe more depending on A&M and what that higher total would have brought in terms of bowl.  But only 3 full classes plus lack of numbers and attrition and it was early to ask to have a built oline in this rebuild.  Going to have to show it very soon though.  Line up and hand it off and it is hard for a team down 17-24 pts to get momentum.  We went Big 12/OM/A&M-like in abandoning the oline's importance too often because of lack of trust. 

[code red]

Seriously...if we run the ball every play in the second half of both Mizzou and VT we probably win.

[Atlhogfan1]

Seriously...if we run the ball every play in the second half of both Mizzou and VT we probably win.

You left out effectively and it leading to at least a few points. 

[code red]

You left out effectively and it leading to at least a few points. 

The way Toby Baker was punting.....I venture to say we would have won both.

[Atlhogfan1]

The way Toby Baker was punting.....I venture to say we would have won both.

You have a point.  Then you bring in the trust of the staff with the defense. 

[NaturalStateReb]

You left out effectively and it leading to at least a few points. 

Agreed.  You can play grind it out football, but you've got to get first downs consistently.

[code red]

You have a point.  Then you bring in the trust of the staff with the defense. 

They...VT were not doing anything with it....I would rather them have to go 40 as 4 for 7 points.

[code red]

If we would have run the ball every down it would have taken VT about 6 min to score a td probably....they had to score 4 to beat us.  That's 24 minutes.  I think VT took the lead in the 3rd qtr??? 

[Atlhogfan1]

They...VT were not doing anything with it....I would rather them have to go 40 as 4 for 7 points.

If we would have run the ball every down it would have taken VT about 6 min to score a td probably....they had to score 4 to beat us.  That's 24 minutes.  I think VT took the lead in the 3rd qtr??? 

I agree with your premise.  Again though, the way our defense gave up chunk plays this season not sure the coaches trusted them.  One thing to remember though was the insane wind that night.  Tough to go downfield with the ball. 

[PorkSoda]

If we would have run the ball every down it would have taken VT about 6 min to score a td probably....they had to score 4 to beat us.  That's 24 minutes.  I think VT took the lead in the 3rd qtr??? 

only scored 21 in the 3rd. 

someone pointed out that it looked like we were dominating with a 24-0 lead at half time.  I told them that 24 wasn't near enough points.

[HiggiePiggy]

You have a point.  Then you bring in the trust of the staff with the defense. 

A lot less plays for the opposing team if we ran the ball and punted. Even if they went 3 and out it would still kill 2 mins or more and then a punt down into the 20.

[20hog11]

Funny playing conservative is what most wish we had done against VT. Ive seen the opposite be said pretty often on here. We play too conservative and don't know how to go for the kill. I'm no different, I just find it interesting. Seems like a can't win situation sometimes.