I didn’t drink last night (although it would’ve made getting through that debacle easier), but I watched the game super late on the East Coast and was too tired to process all of my thoughts.
There was a LOT going on in the game, here’s a recap:
- Offense gets off to ANOTHER slow start. This is more than coincidence now. Likens game planning to start a game has been pathetic and has routinely put this team in a hole.
- Defense can’t get off the field on 3rd downs. There just seems to be too much space for opponents to complete easy 5 yard passes on 3rd and shorts. I think our secondary is talented, but they have to learn how to play closer to the LOS or we are going to keep giving up 3rd down conversions.
- Merlin, where art thou?
- Emotions. Herm has harped on this the last 2 weeks and he’s right. This team has played like a bunch of immature, street ballers. Losing their cool, undisciplined, being disrespectful, getting embarrassing unsportsmanlike penalties. Serious shades of an Erickson team. Not good.
- Likens is seriously hurting this team. Don’t give me the excuse that he is just taking marching orders from Herm - that’s not the case. He still calls/designs the plays. When is the last time you were impressed with an ASU play design? (I’ll wait). When is the last time we’ve had a dominant offense performance? Likens is the nicest guy in the PAC, but the worst OC. We need to upgrade.
- Refs were worth 10-24 points tonight. Bottom line.
- The overturned catch on 3rd down for UCLA. The Eno spot. The Eno “unsportsmanlike”. The “false start”. The questionable roughing the passer. We played like garbage but the refs put the Sun Devils in a nearly impossible situation.
- Bad Bad Losses becoming a theme for Herm. Colorado 2x, UCLA, losses to non P5 schools (SDSU, Fresno). There have been some nice wins, and I like Herm, but you CANNOT have losses like this.
- Chip Kelly had a really nice game. Some really nice play designs, controlled the clock, made ASU pass to beat them (which Rob Likens wasn’t prepared for).
- There is a legit chance ASU doesn’t get to bowl eligibility. Going to have to play some offense to beat even Oregon State and UA. Not sure they are up to the challenge. (I do think they’ll find a way to win 1-2 more, but it’s far from a sure thing)
Hoping they get some rest, reset their minds and attitudes, Rob Likens starts doing some homework, and USC stays banged up coming off Oregon next week. Go Devils!
There was a LOT going on in the game, here’s a recap:
- Offense gets off to ANOTHER slow start. This is more than coincidence now. Likens game planning to start a game has been pathetic and has routinely put this team in a hole.
- Defense can’t get off the field on 3rd downs. There just seems to be too much space for opponents to complete easy 5 yard passes on 3rd and shorts. I think our secondary is talented, but they have to learn how to play closer to the LOS or we are going to keep giving up 3rd down conversions.
- Merlin, where art thou?
- Emotions. Herm has harped on this the last 2 weeks and he’s right. This team has played like a bunch of immature, street ballers. Losing their cool, undisciplined, being disrespectful, getting embarrassing unsportsmanlike penalties. Serious shades of an Erickson team. Not good.
- Likens is seriously hurting this team. Don’t give me the excuse that he is just taking marching orders from Herm - that’s not the case. He still calls/designs the plays. When is the last time you were impressed with an ASU play design? (I’ll wait). When is the last time we’ve had a dominant offense performance? Likens is the nicest guy in the PAC, but the worst OC. We need to upgrade.
- Refs were worth 10-24 points tonight. Bottom line.
- The overturned catch on 3rd down for UCLA. The Eno spot. The Eno “unsportsmanlike”. The “false start”. The questionable roughing the passer. We played like garbage but the refs put the Sun Devils in a nearly impossible situation.
- Bad Bad Losses becoming a theme for Herm. Colorado 2x, UCLA, losses to non P5 schools (SDSU, Fresno). There have been some nice wins, and I like Herm, but you CANNOT have losses like this.
- Chip Kelly had a really nice game. Some really nice play designs, controlled the clock, made ASU pass to beat them (which Rob Likens wasn’t prepared for).
- There is a legit chance ASU doesn’t get to bowl eligibility. Going to have to play some offense to beat even Oregon State and UA. Not sure they are up to the challenge. (I do think they’ll find a way to win 1-2 more, but it’s far from a sure thing)
Hoping they get some rest, reset their minds and attitudes, Rob Likens starts doing some homework, and USC stays banged up coming off Oregon next week. Go Devils!
