We're a First Three Quarters Team

[moses_007]

This team's m.o. has been the same in all three conference losses this season.  At Auburn, we were tied 21 all at halftime, and Auburn figured out how to stop our running game and shut everything down in the second half. We couldn't effectively run or pass after halftime.

Against A&M, we were up by 14 points going into the fourth quarter and lost.  We simply didn't do anything right on offense in the fourth quarter.

Against Alabama, we witnessed the same scenario again.  Arkansas led, 13-7 entering the 4th quarter and our defense was playing like mad men, giving us a chance, finally, for a victory.  But again, our fourth quarter woes reared its ugly head again and we only gained a mere 5 yards on the ground and couldn't complete passes down the stretch.

Frank Broyles always talked on his Sunday TV show the importance of winning the 4th quarter.  Ole Frank was a pretty wise coach, wasn't he?  He knew that teams that lose the 4th quarter can't win.  We lost the fourth quarter to Alabama, 0-7.

I think the biggest problem with this team is that it is too one dimensional.  No sweeps or reverses, no pitchouts, no Student Body Rights, no screen passes, only a trick play once in a blue moon.  Are our backs too slow for all this stuff... do we need more speed in the backfield?  I don't know, but what I've seen through six games is a team that does nothing more than hand the ball off right up the middle.  This is a three yards and a cloud of dust offense if I've ever seen one. It works quite well against mediocre teams, but in the SEC, it isn't working, and by the 4th quarter, our running game becomes an afterthought.

And do we have a 2 minute offense?  I haven't seen it yet, and frankly I don't believe we have one.  I had no confidence in our ability to win the game when we got the ball back with around 3 minutes left.  Why?  Because our quarterback has never shown a comeback ability late in a conference game, our receivers can't get the separation they need at critical times, and to top that off, we simply don't have a field goal kicker.
 
Is improvement being made?  Yes, and you can see it.  We lost two straight SEC games that we should have won.  We lost the A&M game because of two critical major penalties.  We lost yesterday's game because of a fumble at the goal line, a muffed field goal and a partially blocked extra point in the first half.  I knew at the time that those miscues might cost us the game, and they certainly did.

We are losing because of penalties, miscues and turnovers.  We beat ourselves the last two games.  Like everyone else here, I'm ready for all that to change and for us to start winning some conference games.  Whether that starts this season remains to be seen.  We are closer... beyond a doubt.... but we're still not over the hump.  One SEC win might just get us on a roll.

[moses_007]

Can this thing be turned around this season?  Who can we beat?

[Jerrajo]

LSU, Missouri and maybe Georgia.. Unless Chaney and BA find a way to screw us out of those wins as well.

[hogcard1964]

Can this thing be turned around this season?  Who can we beat?

We will win next week.  Nobody from the SEC East can hang with us.

[Jerrajo]

We are an OC away from winning it all. I'm just mad because I've had it with Chaney. Our QB play falls on him. The crap play calling in the fourth falls on him. We need to show him the door.

[moses_007]

Have we ever had a great OC?  Frankly I can't remember one.  Malzahn would have been terrific if Nutt had let him do his job and hadn't taken the play calling away from him. 

And, although Petrino had OC's, didn't Petrino call most of the plays?  It sure appeared that he did.

[moses_007]

We will win next week.  Nobody from the SEC East can hang with us.

I wouldn't say we are THAT good.

[Redhogs]

We will win next week.  Nobody from the SEC East can hang with us.

I agree with you allot of the time...but not this time.

[Dirty]

This fan base is a fourth quarter fan base.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

We have much improved defense.  If we can just get the passing game to average, we'll win lots of games.

[farmhawg]

This fan base is a fourth quarter fan base.

Brilliant.

[moses_007]

Defense was definitely the highlight of yesterday's game.  To hold Yeldon to no gain or losses on most of his carries was incredible, and I never thought the Hogs could have done that.  Alabama only had 66 yards rushing the entire game.  However, Alabama's run defense was almost as salty, holding the Hogs to only 89 yards rushing. 

The problem is, we aren't a prolific high scoring offense.  We rely on a ball control game, and when that isn't working, we don't have a backup Plan B.  Ball control wasn't working for us at all in the fourth quarter yesterday.

Mistakes, miscues and penalties are bound to happen, but you've got to have a good enough offense to overcome those, and also any bad calls from the men in the striped shirts.  We simply aren't there yet on offense.  We need a dual threat quarterback and two Jarius Wright's.....