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Cotton Bowl Post-Mortem: S-E-C!!! S-E-C!!!
Posted by dedfischer on January 4th, 2009 under Uncategorized
Well, I partied like a carnie and that’s something no one can take away from me.
The bloody mary bar opened early on Friday at the Manshed on Lower Greenville.
I’ve re-watched the game and can’t think of anything funny off the top of my head, so let’s get right into what Ole Miss brought to the table. The Rebs OL is as good as any I’ve seen from tackle to tackle. LT Michael Oher is one of the most complete players at the position and proves to be equally adept at pass and run blocking. I don’t think he’s the athlete that Baylor’s Jason Smith is, but he’s more physical in the run game. Drafting for an NFL team, I would take Smith as Brandon Williams did have some success with quick pass rushing moves, which makes me think Oher might struggle against the Demarcus Ware and James Harrison types at the next level.
I was particularly impressed with Ole Miss center Daverin Geralds, who was extremely physical in the run game and adept at working combo blocks. Both guards, Maurice Miller and Reid Neely, were strong and mobile. By the 4th quarter, the center of the Reb line was beginning to assert its will on the Tech front and easily getting to the 2nd level on LBs during zone blocking assignments. They gave up some sacks to Dixon and Williams, but overall, played outstanding football. Ultimately, I felt the ability of the Ole Miss line to control the middle of the Tech DL was the difference in the ball game.
Jevan Snead is a good game manager and outplayed his counterpart in this contest. Outside of one horrible throw, Snead didn’t make any bad decisions and proved to be accurate. Dexter McCluster was as fast as advertised and Brandon Bolden ran hard between the tackles.
The Ole Miss DL wasn’t as good as I thought they would, and resorted primarily to blitzing as a means of getting pressure. The Tech running game enjoyed productivity during the 8 running plays called during the game. Harrell was given sufficient time to throw for most of the day.
Offense
Leach’s record since 2005 dropped to 5-10 when the RB position receives fewer than 20 touches. We handed the ball off 8 times for 62 yards in a game where we spent most of the time trying to get our QB untracked. And we’re damn sure gonna make him do it on his own.
Quarterback
I’ve marginally felt that at best Graham Harrell could be a Kurt Warner type QB at the next level. Then, watching the Cardinals play on Saturday, I realized that’s not possible. Accuracy and pre-snap reads are a great skillset to have at the next level, but ultimately the willingness to get smashed in the face is what separates the guys who make it from the guys who don’t. You have to thrive on that and still have the ability to process information quickly. Currently, Graham Harrell and Tony Romo don’t have that quality. Watching a 400 pound Grady Jackson barrel down on Warner’s face and crush him, while he zipped a perfectly thrown ball to Anquan Boldin reminded me of this. I’m genuinely excited for some fresh blood whether it means 7-5 or 11-1. Don’t get me wrong here, I’ve enjoyed the Graham Harrell era and his physical talent took our offense to a level it had never been. Or did it? I can’t decide as he seemed very human and average when not playing with Michael Crabtree over the course of his career. I’m simply bored and ready to see what Taylor Potts can do, whether good or bad.
Running Back
Shannon Woods was my offensive MVP finishing with 11 touches for 113 yards. Baron Batch received 4 touches for 23 yards for an aggregate production of 15 touches for 136 yards. Had that number of touches been doubled there’s a decent chance we win this football game. Seriously, I believe that.
Wide Receiver
Ed Britton and Eric Morris both played their asses off and combined for 15 catches, 176 yards, and 3 TDs thriving on an array of coverage mismatches. Watching the game live, it seemed as if at least one or two guys were able to get open every play. Finding them often proved to be difficult, but when we did, things rocked along as usual.
Offensive Line
These guys played pretty well for the most part and a 4 Mississippi count on a blitz is sufficient time for a QB to find an open receiver and deliver the ball in time. The upfield play of the Ole Miss DL tailored well to our shielding style of run blocking, and they opened up nice running lanes on all but about 2 of the 8 running plays called.
Defense
This game reminded me of 2007 Colorado and 2008 Nebraska. With Ole Miss playing power football using a TE and FB, we continued to play the run with an honest front despite a horde of Rebel OL personnel running free at our LB corps. We overloaded the run with Darcel McBath in the box for one series in the 2nd half, which resulted in 5 plays, 22 yards and a punt. For the rest of the game, vanilla Cover 2 zone conceding easy completions to the flats against soft CB alignment or slot receivers running away from OLBs. Also, this proved to be conducive to success for the Ole Miss running game. Not much man, not much blitzing, and 2 deep safeties. The gameplan must have been to outscore them, which like, totally backfired.
Defensive Tackles
Colby Whitlock and Richard Jones played hard, but were pancaked for most of the 4th quarter as the down blocking schemes from the Rebel tackles began to take its toll physically. Double teams did not go well and guards were getting off on LBs too easily. The remains of Rajon Henley are still being removed from the Cotton Bowl turf.
Defensive Ends
No real surpises here. Brandon Williams and McKinner Dixon both played pretty well against outstanding competition, while Jake Ratliff and Sandy Riley did not.
Linebackers
As the season has progressed, I’ve found it ironic that opposing teams have figured out to align in formations that require our OLBs to do things they physically aren’t capable of doing. How do they know that? I can’t figure it out.
Cornerbacks
I’m not sure I remember Jevan Snead throwing a ball to the left side of the field. Jamar Wall was perfectly competent of allowing easy completions underneath on the right side, though.
Safeties
McBath got off to a quick start. Anthony Hines forced a fumble near the goalline. Other than that, I don’t recall them punishing anyone in the run game or preventing tight ends and wide receivers from catching TDs over the middle of the field. Your typical Cover 2 fantasy fiesta against a power running team.
Summary
It was good season anyways and I’m ready to start writing about 2009. I’ll take 11-2 in little old Lubbock, TX any day.
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Odie said:
January 4th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Did Harrell step into a sigle throw all day? He seems to throw off his back foot even when not being pressured. I don’t remember him doing this before the OU game.
I agree. Give me Potts or whoever. Thanks for your effort Graham.
Confused said:
January 4th, 2009 at 11:46 am
I deleted the game from DVR but seem to remember a bunch of player substitutions on D in the 2nd half and an Ole Miss buddy I was watching with commented on how Tech was screwed because we had a white guy playing CB. I swore that Rowland, Nickerson, Bunton, played meaningful snaps. Also, I thought Charbonnet was the starting SS but Hines was in for most of the game. Where was LA Reed? Any insight as to this? Injuries, stubborn rotation, benching due to imcompetence? Outside of Dixon and Williams, the talent on D looked like something out of the WAC.
I know Ruffin is all for simplifying things on D but if we can’t run another type of D than a cover 2 then this guy has no business being a DC. We play in a BCS conference and were ranked #2 in the country at one point and it’s inexcusabe that we can’t even make adjustments on D.
Confused said:
January 4th, 2009 at 11:55 am
Also, I thought Crabs would have been 100% after a month layoff but guess he tweaked the ankle early. Harrell is nothing without his safety blanket and this hurt us but not as much as abandoning the run. We didn’t seem to do much to counter the blitz and seemed to play into their hands.
We were definitely out coached in all phases – Still can’t get over some of the offensive play calls.
Unfortunately Tech football lost what little national respect and credibility we still had remaining after the OU fiasco. Leach’s stock has dropped and he better sign that extension or he may find himself coaching in Finland again.
dedfischer said:
January 4th, 2009 at 11:58 am
Bront Bird was abused for most of this game. Marlon to some extent as well, but he wasn’t quite as bad. They both need to lose about 10-15 pounds given what we ask them to do.
Dumbfounded said:
January 4th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
I’m extremely frustrated over the coaching failures that got exposed in Norman and again in Dallas. Any thoughts on whether our AD may have some new doubts about the extension that is still unsigned? Or whether he will push hard for a real DC? It now seems that he had good reasons for delaying the new offer.
It seems that Leach has been taking vapor lock lessons from McNeil when it comes to making adjustments. And it bothers me that we are giving raises to guys whose game planning seems almost an after-thought. Every opposing coach on our roster next year must be licking their chops now that Stoops and Nutt have shown how to exploit our coaching weaknesses.
RRR said:
January 4th, 2009 at 12:57 pm
I laughed at least three times, ded. And that’s needed after the way I felt Friday night.
Bring on the Taylor Potts era. It might not be as good, but it’ll look significantly different.
I understand Chis Perry and Brandon Sesay made mistakes and got themselves suspended for the game. I know you have to be firm and consistent as a coaching staff, but damn, poor Whitlock, Jones, and Henley.
Secondary will be widely discussed this off-season, but at the OLB position I worry that Williams/Bird are as good as they are going to get, which means we’ll have the same vulnerabilities as this year.
For now I can dream of Potts being the kind of QB who doesn’t have to throw his way into a rhythm – the kind of signal caller who’s willing to check to the run and stick with it.
I’m disappointed that we weren’t able to finish with a win, and that I had to listen to ‘SEC! SEC!’ and ‘OVERRATED! OVERRATED!’ from the delightful Ole Miss fans, but as I see it, this team played about three wins better than their talent level. I’m proud of that.
I’ll take 11-2 and a Cotton Bowl loss over another 8-5 year with an Insight Bowl win.
Next year? Who knows. But we’ll be there to see what happens.
Confused said:
January 4th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
Ded – any insight into so many backups playing in the secondary?
dedfischer said:
January 4th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
LA Reed was hurt and Jamar Wall got benched shortly. I benched Ruffin for a series in the 2nd quarter before I left for the beer stand, but Ole Miss scored anyway, so I put him back in. My bad.
Jessie's Girl said:
January 4th, 2009 at 7:45 pm
dedficher…..do you still sing karaoke?
Dr. Mark said:
January 4th, 2009 at 11:40 pm
Ded, thanks for the good reads this football season. I appreciate your open personality ,whether pro or con concerning Tech this season. I think you nailed it right on,as far as needing 20 rushes per game. Again thanks for your time and effort this year. Later, Mark
dedfischer said:
January 5th, 2009 at 7:00 am
I’ve retired from karaoke.
NM99 said:
January 5th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Confused -
McBath went out right after his INT on what looked to be a hamstring pull/cramp. I think they rotated Charbonnet over to SS from FS. I too wondered about L.A. Reed during the game and heard afterward that he is still injured. Losing Wall on that kickoff return probably hurt some becuase he is generally pretty good at making the tackle even when in a soft zone. Not so much for the replacements who were abused in both passing and providing poor support for the sweeps that just kept coming.
Tim said:
January 5th, 2009 at 9:09 am
To Jake Ratliff I say Good Bye, Good Luck in your future, and Thank God we don’t have to watch you take yourself out of 90% of plays any more.
I think we all were reminded why Jordy Rowland and Lance Fuller never started at Safety. They were great at giving us depth in Dime packages, and on special teams and for that we thank you.
McBath I’m afraid you will be very difficult to replace. I wish Anthoney Hines would have never gotten stabbed, could have been a difference maker.
The only thing good about Friday was that Alabama laid a giant Egg, and the “Tech/Ole Miss story” got moved to the back page. Thankfully all atention is on Alabama and not Texas Tech. I would prefer Texas Tech not to get mentioned again untill late October 2009.
Shanna Shute said:
January 6th, 2009 at 9:38 am
Amen to that one Tim!
TT_ said:
January 6th, 2009 at 10:19 am
This is a digression to November 1, but I’m really confused after the Fiesta Bowl. Here’s the scenario:
Team A has been down big but slowly comes back, and in the last couple minutes scores a go-ahead TD. Team B, who had been tied or leading most of the game, gets the ball back with 2:00 or less to go. They drive the length of the field on passing plays and score in the closing seconds to regain the lead and win the game. During that winning drive, there was one play that came very close to ending the drive.
Here’s where I get confused. Is that a hard fought, well deserved, come from behind win led by a Heisman-quality QB? Or is that a last second, lucky, miracle fluke led by a gimmick QB? From listening to UT fans for the last two months, I thought I knew the answer but suddenly the rules seem to have changed.
RRR said:
January 6th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
Well said, TT_.
I’ve been loving OU and UT fans talk about their wide-open passing attack that is essentially the same as ours, only ours is a gimic/pop-gun routine.
UT offense is base 4-wide and the only thing they do different is some option and some empty-backfield.
OU has an NFL TE, and if we had one we’d look similar. In their case they are more willing to use some traditional running formations, but their explosiveness this year is still base 4-wide.
Whatever.
Anonymous said:
February 21st, 2009 at 9:02 am
FullPCGames said:
April 22nd, 2009 at 6:40 am
Very good info, thanks for the post.