Rants & Raves: SIU
Sorry for the delay in getting these out. My daughter was baptized yesterday so my Sunday was spent with family. The Jacks rebounded from a rough MVFC opener to play their best game of the season.
"3 Matchups to Watch" Review
1. CB's vs. SIU pass game: SDSU held SIU to just 179 yards passing. 90 in the first half and 89 in the second half.
2. Jackrabbit front seven vs. ground game of SIU: SDSU held SIU to just 84 yards rushing total and only 9 yards in the first half.
3. Jackrabbit #2 receiver vs. the SIU secondary: Oh did they step up. We will write about this below.
Rants & Raves
Rave: The Jackrabbit defense was exceptional. Coach Stig had really challenged them and seemed to call them out following the YSU game. They responded. As I shared above, 179 yards passing and 84 yards rushing are tremendous totals. Furthermore, SDSU only allowed 3 of 12 3rd down conversions and dominated the time of possession 41:30 to 18:30. The defense also harassed the SIU QB, Straub, constantly. Kellen Soulek registered a sack which is the first SIU has allowed since it's season opener.
Rant: The SIU defense did leave a few plays on the field. Mid-way through the second quarter they almost hit on a screen that would have gone for a 60 yard touchdown. All of the defensive rushers chased the quarterback and there weren't many defenders between the intended receiver and the end-zone. Another instance was a flat-out drop by a SIU receiver who got behind the Jackrabbit corner. However, these are the breaks of the game that the Jacks didn't get to enjoy against YSU.
Rave: The Jackrabbit offensive line played really really well. I say that every week, but they played really well again. This week they dominated a young SIU defensive front in both the passing and running game. Even the second string offensive line seemed to perform with great physicality.
Rave: Speaking of the offensive line, how about the holes they were opening for Mengarelli (20 attempts, 220 yards, and 2 TDs), Daniel (13 for 77 and 1 TD), and Wallace (14 for 55). Mengarelli looked fresher, faster, and quicker than he has all season. When he plays like this the offense really becomes dynamic. Because of the amazing ground game the Jacks held that crazy time of possession advantage.
Rant: Where were all the students? I get that it was a 3-day weekend, but c'mon. You only get around 24ish home football games in your academic careers. Students had showed up great previously so their attendance was pretty disappointing this week. I hope that it wasn't many who chose to go to D-Days instead of staying to cheer on their own school.
Rave: Jordan Brown battled this week finishing with 8 total tackles, an interception, and an additional pass break-up. He was physical, he tackled well, and he contested every catch. Great game for Jordan.
Rave: Larenzo Williams continued his strong season. Zo needed a shot to get on the field and is now making plays all over it.
Rave: It stinks that Jake and Dallas were dinged up throughout the game. However, Marquise Lewis and Skyler Cavanaugh stepped up. Lewis finished with 33 yards and 2 TDs while Cavanaugh had 4 receptions for 53 yards and 1 TD. For the Jacks to be successful against the top-notch defenses of the MVFC, they need to find a consistent 3rd and 4th option in the passing game.
Game Balls
Offense: Brady Mengarelli is the obvious choice. 20 for 220 and 2 TDs is a great stat line. He was quick and almost always made the first guy miss. He looked great and I hope this is what we see for the rest of the year.
Defense: It is hard to choose just one because the team effort was so good. However, Christian Rozeboom has had a really good sophomore season and I don't think I have fully appreciated that. On Saturday he found the ball and seemed to play with fire. He finished with only 4 tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass break-up but his emotion set the tone for the rest of the defense.
Go Jacks!
Matt
"3 Matchups to Watch" Review
1. CB's vs. SIU pass game: SDSU held SIU to just 179 yards passing. 90 in the first half and 89 in the second half.
2. Jackrabbit front seven vs. ground game of SIU: SDSU held SIU to just 84 yards rushing total and only 9 yards in the first half.
3. Jackrabbit #2 receiver vs. the SIU secondary: Oh did they step up. We will write about this below.
Rants & Raves
Rave: The Jackrabbit defense was exceptional. Coach Stig had really challenged them and seemed to call them out following the YSU game. They responded. As I shared above, 179 yards passing and 84 yards rushing are tremendous totals. Furthermore, SDSU only allowed 3 of 12 3rd down conversions and dominated the time of possession 41:30 to 18:30. The defense also harassed the SIU QB, Straub, constantly. Kellen Soulek registered a sack which is the first SIU has allowed since it's season opener.
Rant: The SIU defense did leave a few plays on the field. Mid-way through the second quarter they almost hit on a screen that would have gone for a 60 yard touchdown. All of the defensive rushers chased the quarterback and there weren't many defenders between the intended receiver and the end-zone. Another instance was a flat-out drop by a SIU receiver who got behind the Jackrabbit corner. However, these are the breaks of the game that the Jacks didn't get to enjoy against YSU.
Rave: The Jackrabbit offensive line played really really well. I say that every week, but they played really well again. This week they dominated a young SIU defensive front in both the passing and running game. Even the second string offensive line seemed to perform with great physicality.
Rave: Speaking of the offensive line, how about the holes they were opening for Mengarelli (20 attempts, 220 yards, and 2 TDs), Daniel (13 for 77 and 1 TD), and Wallace (14 for 55). Mengarelli looked fresher, faster, and quicker than he has all season. When he plays like this the offense really becomes dynamic. Because of the amazing ground game the Jacks held that crazy time of possession advantage.
Rant: Where were all the students? I get that it was a 3-day weekend, but c'mon. You only get around 24ish home football games in your academic careers. Students had showed up great previously so their attendance was pretty disappointing this week. I hope that it wasn't many who chose to go to D-Days instead of staying to cheer on their own school.
Rave: Jordan Brown battled this week finishing with 8 total tackles, an interception, and an additional pass break-up. He was physical, he tackled well, and he contested every catch. Great game for Jordan.
Rave: Larenzo Williams continued his strong season. Zo needed a shot to get on the field and is now making plays all over it.
Rave: It stinks that Jake and Dallas were dinged up throughout the game. However, Marquise Lewis and Skyler Cavanaugh stepped up. Lewis finished with 33 yards and 2 TDs while Cavanaugh had 4 receptions for 53 yards and 1 TD. For the Jacks to be successful against the top-notch defenses of the MVFC, they need to find a consistent 3rd and 4th option in the passing game.
Game Balls
Offense: Brady Mengarelli is the obvious choice. 20 for 220 and 2 TDs is a great stat line. He was quick and almost always made the first guy miss. He looked great and I hope this is what we see for the rest of the year.
Defense: It is hard to choose just one because the team effort was so good. However, Christian Rozeboom has had a really good sophomore season and I don't think I have fully appreciated that. On Saturday he found the ball and seemed to play with fire. He finished with only 4 tackles, including one for a loss, and a pass break-up but his emotion set the tone for the rest of the defense.
Go Jacks!
Matt
Alright, here are some of my thoughts:
ReplyDeleteYour first rave is not enough justice. Take away the one drive, where it was the fourth quarter and the team was up 30 points and let them in to the end-zone a second time and suddenly SDSU held SIU to under 170 total offensive yards.
Rant one, I could be mistaken, but that was the SIU offense who left plays on the field. The D did get lucky in two back to back plays deep ball where the zone was beat. The next play a screen which was a lot of open field. To say that it was for sure a TD though is a stretch. They would have been in range of a normal kicker to at least get on the board, but thankfully. SIU has a kicker worse than Nick Foles.
Rave two, did we switch lines and get some "second string" guys a chance? Seems to me, but overall it was a seamless play by all parties considered and you didn't see missed blocks and have to justify a poor second string performance. The entire O-Line was amazing.
Rave three, time of possession. Here is your golden trivia fact for the game, SDSU held SIU to under 4 minutes and 37 seconds on average each quarter of the game.
Separate RAVE!!! Are you kidding me, it was like watching the 3 musketeers. Everyone was hungry and Stig made sure all of the backs could eat. The cuts, the zags, the slips, the stiff arms, the take downs (or lack there of). The run game was playing on all Madden against a bunch of rookie level players. Not even fare.
Rant where are all the students. This weekend caps off the crappy weather of an entire season of Agriculture. Many parts of the state are in frost warnings over the next three days. I assume most the students went home to go help the families salvage the Harvest or at least prepare for it. Otherwise, they are gearing up for a four day hobo week. I am not going to be disappointed by the students, until I see the turn out next weekend. I imagine that they are getting things done before, HOBO DAY!!!!! Talking to some students at tailgate, it seemed that it was home or homework keeping people away. Not them getting sucked into what can only be described as the black whole of our state.
All of your players comments are spot on. We have some real special talent on the field and is it fun to watch them.
My GOT-Jacked Players would have been:
The O-Line GOT-Jacked it didn't matter who was running. They had some kind of space. 385 yards on the ground. I thought Christion had lots of time in the pocket and he only got put to the turf twice. Didn't see to much contact out side of those two plays.
Jordan Brown GOT-Jacked on the D. He and the rest of the D kept a potential nightmare team in check. Straub going into Saturday had averaged just over 240 yards of passing a game. The Jacks kept him to 179. Brown made a key play to keep the tempo up. Revitalize the crowd and team, who then marched.
P.s. Now you at least know I read it.