Two Things I Saw Saturday

[cmrhawg]

Saturday was the most fun I have had watching a football game in a long time. I came away from that win with a couple of points in particular that stuck with me.

1. Fundamentals and Discipline - I felt like for the most part I was watching mistake free football on our part. We had the one holding call and HH had a false start, other than that we had very few mistakes. You can tell how much emphasis we have put into doing the small things right, and it is starting to show. Still need to show some improvement in tackling however.

2. Play making - When TT had the ball they were able to move it on us for the most part, like we knew they would be able to. But for the first time in a long time I saw players in the back 7 making plays. Breaking up passes, breaking on balls to go for interceptions, Gaines absolutely blowing that receiver up, etc.  Also at the QB position. For the most part during his time at starter Brandon Allen has been somewhere between shaky and serviceable. Saturday was the first time I can think of that he was making plays out of nothing. The third and long when he scrambled and tossed to JWILL and the TD run were both perfect examples of plays that were dead in the water and he pulled something out.

Hope we see more of the same Saturday. I think we will cause some problems in the SEC this year!

[Prestworthy]

Saturday was the most fun I have had watching a football game in a long time. I came away from that win with a couple of points in particular that stuck with me.

1. Fundamentals and Discipline - I felt like for the most part I was watching mistake free football on our part. We had the one holding call and HH had a false start, other than that we had very few mistakes. You can tell how much emphasis we have put into doing the small things right, and it is starting to show. Still need to show some improvement in tackling however.

2. Play making - When TT had the ball they were able to move it on us for the most part, like we knew they would be able to. But for the first time in a long time I saw players in the back 7 making plays. Breaking up passes, breaking on balls to go for interceptions, Gaines absolutely blowing that receiver up, etc.  Also at the QB position. For the most part during his time at starter Brandon Allen has been somewhere between shaky and serviceable. Saturday was the first time I can think of that he was making plays out of nothing. The third and long when he scrambled and tossed to JWILL and the TD run were both perfect examples of plays that were dead in the water and he pulled something out.

Hope we see more of the same Saturday. I think we will cause some problems in the SEC this year!

So impressed with BA's progress.  If he can make plays with his legs when receivers are covered up, this offense will be very difficult to stop.

[JIHawg]

Agree and both good points.

[The_Iceman]

Play making on defense has seriously been lacking the last few years.

[010HogFan]

Brandon was awesome. His scrambles to keep plays alive reminded me of Greg McElroy when Bama beat us in DWRRS in 2010, incredibly frustrating for a defense if he can do that.

[Oklahawg]

Hard to figure (just yet, anyway) which has shown the most growth:
1. BA - expert management of the game and the knack to make throws when we had to have one. I love the play where we had the three TEs/WR on the wrong side, flipped them calmly and snapped the ball with a couple of ticks on the play clock. RB had a big (shock) run. Normally that is a TO or a busted play. Reminded me of McCarron or Barker at Bama.
2. Secondary - that is what "bend but don't break" looks like. Take away the gashing long plays down the seams or sidelines. Make them field it underneath and punish them. Sure looked a lot like Bama.
3. Legit defensive playmakers in the back seven - Ellis looks like the real deal. Spaight played very well. Tolliver and Mitchel are both very good CBs right now. Liddell made a near-interception on an incredibly athletic play. Turner and Gaines will struggle vs A&M due to A&Ms speed and pressure they put on the secondary, but should be solid players the rest of the way. And, Liddell and Coley are going to push them hard.

[ldfergu]

The number one thing I noticed was effort.  We got a ton of yards and picked up several first downs because our guys never gave up and were constantly playing to the whistle.  To me, this is the main difference in our team last year to this year.  They actually believe we can win.

[GolfnHog]

The number one thing I noticed was effort.  We got a ton of yards and picked up several first downs because our guys never gave up and were constantly playing to the whistle.  To me, this is the main difference in our team last year to this year.  They actually believe we can win.

The fumble strip and recovery on TT's 3rd possession was huge and at that point and time I realized that the D had grown a little and had some swagger. The 2nd half dam sure proved it though the defense was only on the field for under 7 minutes or so.
I'll take that defensive effort though it wasn't perfect; it was a great improvement by the back 7 and it was enjoyable to watch.

[Michael D Huff AIA]

That was one of the most dominant performances by an offensive line that I have ever seen.  Period.  I know Texas Tech wasn't that great, but D1 defensive linemen shouldn't get that physically dominated.  Skipper pancaked one of those guys with just one arm. 

And how about the fact that Tech had the ball for like 6 minutes in the SECOND HALF?  It's damn hard to score if you don't have the ball. 

[Paul]

 Dean, Liddell, Mitchel, Gaines, & Tolliver all made plays 

[hawg IQ]

That was one of the most dominant performances by an offensive line that I have ever seen.  Period.  I know Texas Tech wasn't that great, but D1 defensive linemen shouldn't get that physically dominated.  Skipper pancaked one of those guys with just one arm. 

And how about the fact that Tech had the ball for like 6 minutes in the SECOND HALF?  It's damn hard to score if you don't have the ball. 

Brandon Allen looked like a quarterback in control of his offense.. Best he's ever looked. I think this is the base he can build himself into a SEC QB from.
Good qbs win games on savvy and guts and improves from to week to week, you can now see that in Brandon Allen.

[HoggusMaximus]

I was impressed by the secondary, thats the best they've played in a long time. The run defense did look a bit flimsy but i contribute that to the fact that we were playing the pass.

[Grag T]

I was majorly impressed that our defense held them to only 7 points the entire second half.  Excellent job.

Tech also seemed to get their spirit broken and trampled as well, later in the game they just looked like they'd given up.   

[RunHogruN]

Dean, Liddell, Mitchel, Gaines, & Tolliver all made plays

I really like these young group of secondary guys. They are athletic and have a little bit more speed.  I really think Liddell will be a ball hawk. Dean and Tolliver are impressing me as well with their athleticism. 

Note: I wish Ellis would learn to square up and wrap up. He missed several open tackles.  If he works on that then he would be a more effective run stopper.

[Ash]

I was very happy with our defense. BA missed a couple of throws I felt he should be able to make but overall did a good job doing what he was asked to. Hope the improvement continues.

[HogMantheIntruder]

It seemed to me that BA was a little bit off on Saturday, but he still made plays, and he seemed to maintain confidence throughout.  I'm not sure who has shown more improvement this year, BA or our secondary.  I'm just glad I'm wondering who has improved rather than regressed this season!

[Hook 'em Hogs]

With BA, it's real simple. We have to have a WR make a play every now and then. All good qb's throw tough balls that only their receivers can catch. When they catch them, it's a good job by BOTH the QB and the receiver. If Drew Morgan catches that one in the EZ, is anyone really complaining about BA's performance? It would have been a nice catch, but if you watch it, it was a very nice throw-a dart that only Morgan could catch. Morgan catches that, BA's 7 for 12, 1 TD, no int's. That's a good, efficient game. Our WR's are improving, but they have to catch passes that don't hit them square in the chest.

[redeye]

OP, I agree with everything you said.  However, I believe we tied for 12th place nationally as the least penalized team last season, so that's not really something we've just begun doing.  It's a staple of Bielema's teams, and a very welcomed one, imo.

[dj shanon "Notshavin" smeya]

Tevin Mitchel showed he can be a game-changer.