Mornin Mates...
I just got back home and it was not a happy trip after about 4 hours of sleep last night following the game...
Today's Topic = Sark Was Right
If you'll remember, shortly before the season began, Sark addressed the Trojan faithful, while inebriated and embarrassed himself at the function but one seemingly outrageous thing that he said may have been the truth...you know the line, the one where he said that ASU, Oregon and UCLA sucked and, after last night's dreadful performance by both the Sun Devils and Ducks, one could easily conclude that what he said was right on the money...
There is absolutely no shame is losing a game to the favored Trojans but the way the Sun Devils lost last night was out and out shameful and set the program back another country mile when it comes to national credibility, not to mention the lost credibility with the local fan base and, more importantly, local elite talent...
A couple of days ago, I pointed out that the Trojans had more talent on paper than the Devils based on the last five years of recruiting at both schools and that again turned out to be the case (talent is destiny) but we were also badly out coached by the Trojans as well, which just adds insult to injury...
I also pointed out that most games come down turnovers, special teams, rushing and explosive plays, both for and against, so let's take a brief look at those variables in this game...
Turnovers - USC had two while ASU had four, so Trojans were +2, keeping in mind that two of those TOs came just before the half when ASU had a first and goal but fumbled that resulted in a Trojan TD and on the ensuing kick-off, we attempted to return the kick but got tackled and fumbled at our five yard line that led to another easy Trojan score that sealed our fate...
Special Teams - missed a couple of FGs and returned the aforementioned kick-off that was a disaster and gave up a 45 yard punt return and generally played like we usually do on special teams, which is poorly, despite having a new highly paid coach in charge of special teams...
Big Plays - the Trojans started the game with a long bomb completion and also had an 80 yard pass play for a TD and returned a fumble 95 yards for a TD, and generally were making third down conversions, right and left, no matter the yardage, etc...meanwhile, we had a couple of good runs that we got nothing from and a couple of okay pass completions that also didn't amount to a hill of beans in the scope of things...
Rushing - the Devils beat the Trojans in this category 182 yards to 76 yards but, given all of the other factors listed above that were in the Trojans favor, including an eye popping 379 passing yards, it didn't really matter that much...
Again, our OL was very average at best and the Trojans didn't have much problem putting a lot of pressure on Berco in the pocket, with their front four, while our DL didn't do much, even when we blitzed, without a lot of success...Kessler was able to navigate the Sun Devil waters without a problem all night long...
We also don't have any really game changing TEs and we are very suspect in the secondary as the Trojans exploited it all night long...
So, I hate to say it but Sark may well have been correct when he said we sucked...
We now have to face another LA team that just demolished the Cats in Tucson and I don't suppose we'll do much better against UCLA given what I saw last night from the Sun Devils...
I've gotten to the point where I'm really assessing my trips up to Tempe, with the added expense and inconvenience, only to watch that kind of garbage in big games far too often...
Right now, Graham and his staff are getting grossly overpaid, IMHO, as this is their fourth year on the job and not the first or second years...
G'day Mates...Not Talking About Championships Any More As Talk Is Cheap...Go Devils!!!
I just got back home and it was not a happy trip after about 4 hours of sleep last night following the game...
Today's Topic = Sark Was Right
If you'll remember, shortly before the season began, Sark addressed the Trojan faithful, while inebriated and embarrassed himself at the function but one seemingly outrageous thing that he said may have been the truth...you know the line, the one where he said that ASU, Oregon and UCLA sucked and, after last night's dreadful performance by both the Sun Devils and Ducks, one could easily conclude that what he said was right on the money...
There is absolutely no shame is losing a game to the favored Trojans but the way the Sun Devils lost last night was out and out shameful and set the program back another country mile when it comes to national credibility, not to mention the lost credibility with the local fan base and, more importantly, local elite talent...
A couple of days ago, I pointed out that the Trojans had more talent on paper than the Devils based on the last five years of recruiting at both schools and that again turned out to be the case (talent is destiny) but we were also badly out coached by the Trojans as well, which just adds insult to injury...
I also pointed out that most games come down turnovers, special teams, rushing and explosive plays, both for and against, so let's take a brief look at those variables in this game...
Turnovers - USC had two while ASU had four, so Trojans were +2, keeping in mind that two of those TOs came just before the half when ASU had a first and goal but fumbled that resulted in a Trojan TD and on the ensuing kick-off, we attempted to return the kick but got tackled and fumbled at our five yard line that led to another easy Trojan score that sealed our fate...
Special Teams - missed a couple of FGs and returned the aforementioned kick-off that was a disaster and gave up a 45 yard punt return and generally played like we usually do on special teams, which is poorly, despite having a new highly paid coach in charge of special teams...
Big Plays - the Trojans started the game with a long bomb completion and also had an 80 yard pass play for a TD and returned a fumble 95 yards for a TD, and generally were making third down conversions, right and left, no matter the yardage, etc...meanwhile, we had a couple of good runs that we got nothing from and a couple of okay pass completions that also didn't amount to a hill of beans in the scope of things...
Rushing - the Devils beat the Trojans in this category 182 yards to 76 yards but, given all of the other factors listed above that were in the Trojans favor, including an eye popping 379 passing yards, it didn't really matter that much...
Again, our OL was very average at best and the Trojans didn't have much problem putting a lot of pressure on Berco in the pocket, with their front four, while our DL didn't do much, even when we blitzed, without a lot of success...Kessler was able to navigate the Sun Devil waters without a problem all night long...
We also don't have any really game changing TEs and we are very suspect in the secondary as the Trojans exploited it all night long...
So, I hate to say it but Sark may well have been correct when he said we sucked...
We now have to face another LA team that just demolished the Cats in Tucson and I don't suppose we'll do much better against UCLA given what I saw last night from the Sun Devils...
I've gotten to the point where I'm really assessing my trips up to Tempe, with the added expense and inconvenience, only to watch that kind of garbage in big games far too often...
Right now, Graham and his staff are getting grossly overpaid, IMHO, as this is their fourth year on the job and not the first or second years...
G'day Mates...Not Talking About Championships Any More As Talk Is Cheap...Go Devils!!!
