First quarter blues

[RUich]

With 25% of the season in the books, we see that our team is woefully prepared to start the games on both sides of the ball in the first quarter. With us giving up a total of 59pts. so far it is hard to imagine us finding a way to even stay close much less beat any of the next three opponents.
Our points production in the first is only 14 pts and both scores came on big plays and show very little of a consistent offense.
So, how do the coaches wake this team up???? I will give them a lot of credit for being able to play better D (at least) for the rest of the games, but we all know that this team cannot give up so much of the game and be successful.
Iowa has scored a total of 35pts in the first quarters of their three games while giving up only 10. Not necessarily great, but they have not played us yet either.
After watching some of the Iowa/NDS game, I have little doubt that we would not fare well against those guys either. They look like a BIG team and play well disciplined ball.
I guess I should not have been surprised that I wasn't surprised with getting down so quickly yesterday. I also assumed that we would stabilize and get back into it too.
Hope Ash and company can light a fire under these guys to come flying out of the blocks.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

An old tune by Muddy Waters. Or was it BB King ?

 

[Mr_Twister]

With all the noon kick-offs, does Rutgers practice midday?

 

[RUBOB72]

It has nothing to do with lighting a fire under them... first J. Grant mis judges the punt which puts us in a very bad spot...Chris Laviano is the key to starting our offense however we know by now he is not ready to do that anytime soon.... his is poor mechanics and inability to run is why we're three and out... a few drops by our WR's and it's a 2-3 touchdown deficit....give us the Apodaca kid and we'd win more than 6 games this year...he 's not great but is just what we needed from one of our 6-7 ab's on the roster...

 

[Rutgers1976]

Just a thought--what if thy did the old Bill Walsh era 49ers thing and scripted the first 10 plays or so (subject to audibles). Practice what they'll actually use to start the game.

 

[REDRICH65]

Scripting doesn' t mater. Laviao can't t complete a short pass throwing off his back foot.

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

Spread up tempo offense is based on a guy who can throw a lot of short to mid range passes and can run enough to get by. He can seem to do neither. If none of the other 5 can do it any better than we are saddled with Laviano for better or worse. If we had the Denver Broncos D we could get through the season and overcome his deficiencies but we aren't.

 

[Mr_Twister]

Are you suggesting that installing this offense is premature ... we do not have the right pieces in-place to run it?

 

[FELONIOUSMONK]

I would never imply that. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:What I am implying is that is the right vehicle that doesn't quite have it's correct engine yet. But it will.

 

[andysjb]

I love how that the defense gives up 21 points in the first qtr and people blame Laviano for it. I know going 3 and out does not help but you still have to put some of the blame on the defense. Does anyone give credit to Laviano for the 75 yard td pass or on the next drive when they scored their 2nd td? You can't just pick the bad plays and forget the good ones.

 

[Knight Shift]

I love how that the defense gives up 21 points in the first qtr and people blame Laviano for it. I know going 3 and out does not help but you still have to put some of the blame on the defense. Does anyone give credit to Laviano for the 75 yard td pass or on the next drive when they scored their 2nd td? You can't just pick the bad plays and forget the good ones.

I am not an X's and O's guy, but why did we not take another vertical shot the entire game after the Harris 75 yard TD? Why not get Harris and Grant running deep routes at the same time?