Bye Week Banter

0:45 Welcome back to the boundary Corner podcast with bronzy glow, I'm Curtis Wilson. Happy hump day, big guy. Yes, sir. Yes sir. I got a little little little extra bonus tonight class guide. Let out early. So I had a little little more time than I'd planned. So, we're rolling and rocking tonight on time, ready to talk a little by week's Shenanigans here and see what we can. We can chop up and figure out about this offense man. Bye week. Banner. Some self-reflection tonight. Some digging into the statistics, some reviewing. This conferences and digging into Brian had a great time today. Brian got to dig into the essentially foundation of the crew offense little history project today guess history, prop history project Bottom by some conversations. We heard earlier this week with Jerrod Evans and then just me getting very bored me getting bored. Last night, Curtis is like, take a look at this. I was like, I'll take a look at it. Now, I'm going to look at for other games and and we're going to, we're going to put this into the into the show tonight. So, I triggered, Brian, because I'm sitting here, this is kind of what it happen.

2:07 What we're going to go about later on the episode. I'm literally sitting here saying, I wonder if the foo offense is the same as it was a decade ago, when he was scoring 43 points, plus a game. I TCU so I essentially were I was able to find A full gameplay with pretty much in all 22 View and the side view, I sent it to Brian. We go through like 15 minutes looking at plays couple things. Brian immediately says, why aren't we doing this now? We'll get into that. But we're going to be first guys is we're going to go deep. Do some statistics about what we're seeing on offensive, and defensive side of the ball and then we can go into the oppressors with food ham and Horn. Sounds like a how crisp Thanksgiving dish, right there. I want some food ham corn and then we're going to have that turducken.

3:04 Is that what is that what it was like for ducking? What? You get your size as well. Yeah, exactly. And then we're going to go look at that table on making some pictures for some games this weekend. We are not going to be here Sunday, this is the by we get hokey. So like the Hokies we're practicing in the middle of the week. We're going to get the weekend off their heads refill here. Any picks this week guys soon, or you can flip a coin against our picks. Hey, I'm better than a coin flip. Now guys, one flip. Hey, start with my current record, hold up. If you have been betting with me after the absolutely horrendous, start us the three in God.

3:52 I am, let's see three and nighttime 18 and 12 against the spread after week one. I'm a sick. So he said you're doing pretty good. What? You got? A little bit of data. Exactly, exactly. All right. Well let's kick it off here. Brian let's kick it off. Looks look at the defensive side of the ball and let's do the first two steps on a thread and talk about is this third down conversion. Hokies to me, this is Elite territory 28.8%, conversions against them, 15th in the country, and they're only giving up 71 first downs. And in four games folks, that's roughly about 16 17 a game. Which when you start talking about, people aren't converting. Plus you have a guy like Peter more. Shout out Peter more freshman 29th, and a country with 42 yards, net.

4:45 Even teams that are moving the ball brine, you know, they're not getting far, and they're not converting on third down. So great start for our defense, right? Absolutely great. Start for the defense on third down. And as you said, with Peter more, when you look at the statistics, I think another thing they're showing is that we're doing a great job in average starting field position. For our defense won, com1 climb over on the other side of the field one time and that's huge. That's that's definitely playing in to our advantage there. Any time you can Take your, the other team have to drive 65 plus yards to score a touchdown. Every time you're doing something right? And that's regardless of whether it's kickoff pump, whatever we're doing a good job of making them have to start fairly deep in their own territory with every drive and that, that definitely UPS the chances of the defense, being able to get off the field without surrendering any points. They've been doing that is they've been doing that as well. Braun scoring off.

5:45 Sworn defense has 15th in the country, borderline Elite 15 .25, the game and that's including we haven't stopped on anybody. In the Red Zone, yet teams are 747 in the red zone for touchdowns three field goals. So statistically we are not. We're literally at the bottom of the barrel because every time they get down there they score unfortunately. But in four games to only have seven Red Zone trips, I'd take that, okay? You're not getting in there either. You're gonna have to beat the long plays, or you're kicking long field goals. Yeah. And I mean, I'd like to see, maybe that that foreign three swapped, I'd like to see four field goals against three touchdowns. But the the number the total number with seven trips. I mean, that's good, it's over the course of four games. So I'll take that all day especially It's we've only surrendered, really, you know, a handful of big plays on defense as well.

6:44 Well, three the Carolina screen, the long-running West Virginia, and the corner smashing West, Virginia, along with their 50-plus yard field goal. So even when teams again and there's only what one, over 40 yard for your plus yard touchdown. Yeah. So we're not seeing what we were seeing last year or we're not seeing those big gash runs. Yeah, you know you look they'll occasionally bus to 15-yarder on us but we're not giving up consistently those big cashiers of 30-plus that are going for touchdowns exactly and that's what was killing this defense last year. And you know with that stopping the tackling better essentially, people can throw things and and I hope somebody comment some of the chat.

7:35 Dax is playing his natural position. And tis is playing his natural position. They're both playing 85% of the time they're not, they're no longer sharing snaps. So we're not splitting snaps and actually playing a position that he's comfortable with. And we saw him out on the field, a whole lot more against Richmond. Then we have previous week's. Yeah, because they were a more of a run. First offense, especially once Mancuso went down on the first drive there, they were printing. They were very much a run first off. And so that meant that we didn't necessarily need that true nickel package, that we've been deploying against some of the other teams that like to swing the ball around a lot more. Exactly.

8:16 Now, the last few things I'm going to throw on with the defense here. Total Defense. We just put that out there. First 47, that 326 yards very respectable up close to 60 positions from last year and where we were. So okay, I'm goes on that. Having a full All Seasons, definitely helpful. But the the other pieces I want to take a look at here, is we forced six turnovers 50th in the nation? And what do you usually look at Brian? What do you want to know about when you hear about forcing a fair? Number of turnovers in the first course of four games. What do you think?

8:58 Pressure in this team's getting pressure. Okay. I like that 25th in the country and sacks three and a quarter of game 45th in the country and tackle for loss at six point, eight a game. So, you know, like I think Richmond had a total like 62 plays do the math and if you're, if you're averaging 10, If you're averaging ten times getting in the backfield then basically 20% of the time you can book. We're getting there. Not wanting what do we got? I wish there was this that out here PFF, probably has it. I love to go see it. Hits and pressures. If you're getting there, fifteen twenty percent of the time with Saxon tackles for loss, how much more additional pressure you're putting on that defense. So bad throws forced fumbles, five, interceptions, total obviously, Jermaine Waller.

9:50 Leading the way. And one of the top guys in the country. So yeah, deep that it will go ahead and say, you know, we've talked about the last few weeks that we haven't necessarily seen. You know, the stat sheet filled up by bar. No. But it looks like the impact of the defensive line as a whole is there. And you know, bar knows impacting the game in different ways that aren't necessarily showing up on the stat sheet. But we definitely need to get him involved a little more in terms of getting back there in the in the back. It again like we saw kind of the start of the season and we're going to talk about that a little bit J. Hamm address that a little bit in the press conference. So we'll talk about that a little bit more but it's nice to see the Hokies getting pressure on the quarterback.

10:34 Again getting tackles for loss disrupting the running game because a lot of that was absent really last few years, but last year a particular particular last year. So in general, as we look at all the data points in what we've seen on the field with the defense and make sense, this is, you know, I know Oh, Total Defense is 47, but you start going through all these stats, do you say we're a top-25 defense? So yeah I mean we're up there and you know, I think we talked about it. When we look at whether we talk about Total Defense, your points, I care more about points. Yes. Because if you're keeping points off the board, you can move move between the your own 20 and are 40 all day. But, you know, we're going to lock it down as long as we lock it down after that, it's all good to me. Get that 45, 50 yards of offense and then get nothing out of it. So again, you know, Scoring its Elite. And if you take away the couple of big plays, it would probably be in the top five, but some things to work on, not perfect, on defense yet, but, definitely some things to work on. All right, I'm gonna go to the office now because okay, that ain't is good and let's go with the two things we're doing actually, okay, okay, I'll put together, first of all, we've only had four turnovers all year

12:05 36 in the country. We are not just handing the ball two teams which is good because the way the defense is playing way the defense is playing. If you don't turn the ball over you don't necessarily put them in bad spots. They get they get the ball back to you pretty quick. Yeah. Now the other believe it or not this is not a bad statistics on those one third down conversions, we're 40th in the country. We're converting about 45% of our third Downs. But I know something me and you talked about and it's going to go into this. We're only getting 78 first downs for the year. So we're only getting about 19 a game and we just talked about our defense giving up about 16 17 a game. We're not far behind.

12:53 So I know you talked about the Richmond game. Ryan particular a little earlier this week about You know, it's cool to be able to convert their downs but you're tired of it, right? Yeah. Middle Tennessee, State and Richmond. We got to third down way more than we should have. There's no reason that we should not have been successful at a higher rate on first and second down where we weren't forced into. So many third down opportunities, converting on third down opportunities is important and it's a good tune up for some of those hard. Our matchups that we're going to face starting next week with Notre Dame, but at the same time we should be able to assert ourselves against a Richmond or Middle Tennessee, State and not get forced into situations where we're having to convert on third down at such a rate that we have.

13:50 Yeah, and it's just it's one of those things. It's like we don't have those explosive plays where we're getting 15 20 yards of Pop. Five to six times a game that essentially against teams like that. That's how you crush them quick now. All right, I've done the good, okay? Bad and ugly. It's there, it's just bad and ugly. It's not bad being ugly. It's just, it's all bad and ugly. It's a combination, all bad and ugly. Let's start with this man. Yeah, the Red Zone, efficiency. Where 107th out of 130, some teams, we are only converting 64% of our Red Zone. You know, we've only had 14 trips, we've inverted 9 obviously, there's three we know about, but in general even though that like you can say well that game really skews it, It's your also sit here, you take those out, it's like 6 or 11, you're still about the same percentage in the other three games.

14:51 And luckily, for us, the defense has been bawling because we loved so many points on the field. I don't know. For when they talk about it right now, I mean, can we just start? Let's just count how many potential on field will say it will go 5 number 21 points at West Virginia right? Right. Yeah. What would we say 14 points at North Carolina? I'd say at least at least 14 in North Carolina and then probably 7th or Richmond in Middle Tennessee. We agree, you agree. There's been a girl's a couple D, the Peter Moore Bluff up, the getting behind on the chains.

15:36 When we were driving you like, okay, start doing the math and it's like, okay, 30 next thing, you know, it's like it's 50 points, Max, when we left on the board, you throw 50 points on there are dismal scoring off the sense of numbers. 99th in the country. We got 99 problems and scoring is definitely. One point three and a half a game. Yeah. I mean, we just got to get better. I mean, we've missed a couple field goals that were giving a chip shots, because we're on the wrong hash for good or ill. I mean, that's at this point, we, that shouldn't be a problem, but the fact that it is means that we need to start adjusting to it, right? Take that into account and you know, it's bad enough. Not converting, it's even worse.

16:28 When you when you leave. On the field in the kicking game. So that's kind of doubled down on our our lack of success in the Red Zone. It's like, okay, we're not getting seven then half the time. We're not getting three either whether it's because we choose to go for which, in some of those cases I think was necessary. Well, and in some of those cases, it probably would have been smarter to take three and then, but, you know, we've had a couple times where we've been inside the 10 and miss the three. So, you know, when that's what that may be playing into the idea of rolling the dice there. Exactly. So, you know, it's really kind of one feeding the other at this point. And when you're playing down like we were most of West Virginia, that's when you start making those kind of choices, right? You have to I mean, we made three choices to go for touchdowns versus kicking field goals. And that game, if Romeo could have made them from that close, its nine points.

17:25 It's a six-point game three point. When you probably don't, you don't know at the time that you're To get two turnovers in the second half that are going to set you up nicely. Nope. And overall, Braun the total offense. We're at 113. I mean, this is, this is like crime 2000's offense, which Stanny 113 329, ouch. I mean, the thing is, we have pretty decent field position. A lot of time starting probably somewhere in the I would say, Between 30 and 35 and you count. Again, you start doing the math and it's just like it translates, right? We're averaging three touchdowns a game roughly 320 you do the math and we've talked about the you know the the punting game with Peter more there. Let's talk about the kick return game are punt, return team, and our kick return team have set us up pretty good. Yes, they have for most of the year so and that's why. Why?

18:26 I mean some of the this offense has to start coming together because we can't keep having the defense get us good stops or and or turnovers and are kicking team. Give us good field position and We Come Away with three points or nothing. Most of the time. We got to start putting the ball in the end zone. It's very true, man. And I mean are essentially our punt unit punt. Return unit is actually one of the best in the nation, you know, coming in in the top 20, the 145 return yards, you know, obviously you got taste touchdown and and that's one of those parts where it's can we.

19:08 Can I say it even though this is a whole new regime is history repeating itself. Its history repeating itself and it's what the whole different cast of characters. Yeah. And something has to be done and, you know, let's just flip it over. Let's hear what let's talk about, what coach Fuente had to say. I think the big one I want to start with here. Brian is there having practice this week? We lose that in the first part Monday. Yesterday and today it was with primarily, all the young guys, they're looking at snap count. The old guys were getting true breaks, they'll be back, Thursday for some workout or Thursday, for actual practice.

19:52 And then Friday for workouts, I'm assuming this is probably something that's just normal policy in Collegiate football. I wouldn't say it's standard but I think it definitely is widely used. I think it kind of depends on the coach I know Fuente somewhat alluded to the fact that he used to kind of have a set schedule for the bye week and he's kind of changed that up over the years and kind of is done things as needed for the team at the current moment. And I think, looking at where we are, depth, wise and Things like that, getting rest for the veteran guys, for a couple days, you know, he'll up, still keep the mental sharp, right?

20:42 But not necessarily doing a ton on the physical side of things and then coming back on Thursday and then getting that lift on Friday probably the best prescription for them. While the young guys that haven't had a ton of reps that aren't completely banged up, get them out there. Get them practicing with the first group as much of them that are Icing and just make sure that they're getting to run through reps against live competition. I think that's what's going to be good for the bye week because you know we've said it depth is a concern this year and the more guys we can bring along faster, the better it's going to be in the long run and some of that's going to be the wide receiver group, where we've got our big three of kind of played a shit ton of snaps. Yes, they have.

21:30 Where everybody else is not so much. But we're also talking about across the defensive line, especially defensive end and probably the other one is offensive line, right? So absolutely, you know, something else you mentioned Brian, other than the rest and stuff like that is talked about, this is a week, the coaches can start reviewing their skiing and what to do, and how they make adjustments. There's a lot of adjustments needed. And then he kind of asked the question, what steps can you take to improve? Are you asking too much of your players? You know, I sit here and in the players are put in the position that you asked me to be in. Could execution, be better?

22:14 Yes. But the whole piece is. You've had this is where you've had a full spring. You've had a full summer session. You had a full fall and if you're still saying there or we're asking our players to do too much, That should have been answered when you got default camp. Not the 4th week into the season. Yeah and I think some of that speaks back to the depth right because when you don't have depth you kind of start asking more of the guys that know what they're doing, have the experience and things like that. And sometimes They're physically ready to take that on but they may not be ready to do that week to week, right? Yeah.

23:04 And so you can see it happened in practice but when you put it on a game you don't be too weak. So that's where the inconsistencies can show up and sometimes putting too much on a player can win that start showing up in a game, that's when you see it. So that maybe what he's speaking to there, and it's hard to replicate some of that in practice. So, getting game tape and then Waiting that way is really the only way to kind of encapsulate that they said they saw it last year with Blackshear and they made some adjustments in the offseason. So sometimes the only way to really see that is by having the tape and seeing that. Okay, well, looks like he's pressing here or, you know, he's trying to do too much here or whatever it may be, and I'm staking a little bit off, you know, throwing The Change-Up might be the better option there. It's very true.

23:54 And but the only thing about that Brian is your four games in and you get deeper is the more basic or this is my opinion. The more basic you become on either side of the ball easier for defense has easy for offenses to key in on what you're doing, easier for them to attack you or for being in the right spot when you attack to get you minimal gain. So it's that it's a catch-22, right? Well, yeah. And some of this isn't necessarily trimming back Responsibilities sometimes it can just be focusing on the things you're doing well. More than the things where you know you're struggling with so some of that's going to be selection some of its going to be addition by subtraction, but some of its just going to be, we're going to say we're going to keep that in our back pocket until we absolutely need it. Instead of throwing it out there, you know, multiple times a game?

24:47 Exactly. All right, he took complete ownership. We already mentioned it. We're not scoring enough. When he took complete ownership saying, we had left a ton of points on the field and not being manufactured at the rate. They won't. It was good to hear him say that. And then, you know, then he talked about evaluating the coaches during the bye week, right? Yep. What they can improve. And I know Brian, he did something that you liked a lot with what he asks his coaches. Yeah, I mean, so this is this is a technique that a lot of a lot of manager. Good managers do is that, you know, they'll last questions of folks that they already know the answer to wanting them to communicate how they feel so that, they make sure that they're on the same page that a lot of times, you know, the classic thing is, you know, when you assume something, you make an ass out of you and me, you don't want to assume that you're on the same page with your coaching staff.

25:47 You want to have some To confirmation. So, in lack of actual verbal, communication of that asking those types of questions, kind of gets that ball rolling, right? It absolutely does. Because if, you know, he has a question, he expects in answering this format in this box and one of the coaches is over here. Well, first of all. Does that make sense where he is, right? That's the, you get outside the box thinking, don't get me wrong. You can think outside the box and be right, and maybe had shine some light on things, but it's when they're over here, and the answer is not close to what you're looking for. You guys start kind of bringing them in into a better point of what we've been talking about, if the execution issues, right? If the execution issues are happening at certain position, those guys aren't giving those answers that he's looking for. Then you can start unraveling like, okay, now I can see why we're having the issues here and there, so me it's a very good technique, so I'm not even gonna it's a good managerial technique.

27:01 Hopefully, something will come to light of it, but we'll see. We talked about third down, he said he wants to see improved on both sides of the ball for the defense, okay? Um, They literally stopping people a pretty much elite clip. So we're going to toss that away maybe even just for the offense because again we've already talked about the offense, it's not good but it's also the number of times they're getting to third down and to me it's for the number of times. I think the number of times on the, on the defense side of the ball is is fine. And you know, I think it's been it's been good to see that. There has been an improved point of emphasis of improving third down efficiency because that was awful last year on both sides of the ball in a lot of ways.

27:58 So, having Improvement really on the efficiency side of things on offense and defense from 2020, has been a good sign of things to come. There, we just need to piece together consistency, right? So, when our back has been against the wall, the offenses has been okay at keeping drives alive, but You know, we've been so inconsistent first and second down that it's really hard to keep that conversion clip going through just need to. We need to be be a lot better. And part of the reason that we're so good on third Downs that we're having a lot of them because we don't have any explosive plays. Yeah.

28:39 We're we don't we don't yet we don't have any explosive plays at all. I think I mean kavion punt returns probably the most explosive play all year. Then you look at like holsten's TD. He catch their explosive but they're not, they're not Buster's. When I say a bus to I'm talking like a 40 plus because 40 plus yards completely change, everything changes field position, it changes play called Dynamics If you're at the right spot obviously on the field. You almost feel like we're in scoring position now. Yeah. I mean it's definitely definitely isn't Khalil Herbert on the outside Zone finding an ally, slipping one tackle getting to the sidelines and just out running everybody, we're not doing that this year.

29:24 Not at all the opportunities. I think are there. They just have to get consistently and put the guys in the right spots. Alright Braun. Hey John. How's it going? John? All right. What did I say earlier? Just want to put this back on. Now earlier in the preseason, about all these young wide receivers he's and he was hyping on to the Moon. Yep. And we've seen barely any from Jalen Jones, Dwayne Lofton and very little Joy, Jane call you, it's finally starting to come on the last couple weeks. Well, here's what I'm going to go with Brian.

30:05 If I hear him, say that, if he's here next year and I hear him say it. My first thought is where he's talking about at least two of those guys are injured because that Jen is the case, Jalen Jones, injured, getting close to coming back, Jaden pay. You'd obviously, we saw him on the field, the last couple weeks but was fighting a hamstring injury, so I Limited in terms of the snap count because of that hammies. It looks like he is plotting his way into Health at this point like the ham. He's good to go, just he's not quite full speed in terms of getting his conditioning and everything back where it needs to be Jalen. Obviously been injured since pretty much the end of fall Camp, so been nice to know.

30:54 No, some of that information as to why he's not seeing the field and do on Lofton, I mean, he's had had some good run out there. But I mean, in terms of consistency, you know, we've had to be on Robinson has probably been our most. Consistent receiver, whereas trays been the bigger play threat. Yeah, Tavian has been the most consistent threat. So it's he Loft and probably hasn't quite as many opportunities one with with tabi on having that much success on the field. So we definitely need to rotate them in because we cannot have those big three you know, along with Caleb's. Smith, they're playing 85% of the snaps in this office needs to be, at least like at least down 10 percentage points, right? Yeah.

31:43 You want to see him only, you'd like to see them on the field for productive plays? I would say between, Eight and twelve actual plays. So at least one what would be one fold drive and we're not even close to that. I mean Lofton has one catch in four games, so he's been on the field a few times but again, it goes back to utilization Brian utilization and they're not utilizing them correctly and hopefully we'll pay you coming back. Especially having this week off and lean up the next week. Hopefully the coming-out parties against Notre Dame, which I'm sure you saw today is a celebration. All out. So now that one early announce the very which is not shocking, it's not shocking whatsoever.

32:28 For also be a ton of people putting those on a secondary Market. Essentially selling those tickets to pay for next year's full season tickets. Yeah. And, and, and kinda bad move. I respect you. I respect the hustle. Exactly 7:00. 7:30, I mean, that's that's a weekend if you do, it will pick one next year, and they'll buy next year for the Winning seasons tickets and it'll go on and on like that. All right. I mentioned a few things about Braxton. Now, he talked about, he needed to reach another level of efficiency in sort of self-ownership saying, you know, it's our job to get in there again. I feel like in these, this press conference, I've heard more, you know, owning things, then maybe in the previous five years combined anytime I like The language, but if I don't see change, then it's just, it's all for naught. Yeah.

33:26 Lip service, isn't it? It is, I appreciate the ownership show. Me, well, I would have to, you would have gotten a whole lot more respect from the ownership two to three years ago. I'm past just owning it being okay, show me show you something. But I mean, as he highlighted, the, I mean, the big thing is that, you know, we have done overall, a really good job of protecting the Ball. Well, yeah. And then that alone that alone is probably this offense as much as any that. You know what, we what we are able to generate, you know, we, you know, we have we haven't done a whole lot of we've shot ourselves in the foot, in other ways, but we have not shot ourselves in the foot and in giving the ball over in key areas.

34:13 So, one time, one time, when we decided to put the backup quarterback at the 6 yard line, which tells me a lot about who's paying Tension out there. But yeah if you know you take that playaway just Braxton, it's been three in four games. And can I be honest? That's why we're three in one. if you say we were at somewhere between, if we were at Double that or put a few more turnovers on the board, Two and two. Probably lost UNC. So, you know, again, it's a mean the game against Richmond, was way closer than we wanted to be.

34:54 I mean, we never felt like truly threatened, but at the same time it was close enough where, you know, you had to think about it, right? Exactly, um, he mentioned the coastal being good for us even if it's not good. For the conference conference is just completely down this year. Could someone get in, yes, The only reason I say that Braun. Everything in a mentioned this to people heard on the radio, this is smelling like 2007 again. We're hearing, it's constant chaos, top tens teams are losing every week in this with it. I think we're going to see that.

35:39 So we're going to probably see at some point. It's going to level out where we're going to see a few less but then as soon as it gets close to rivalry week again, You going to see it ratchet right back? It's going to go through the roof. And you remember Robert week of those seven, just, I mean, like LSU lose an Arkansas and that crane, weird. A McFadden went just nuts. Yep. Then LS, you still got in the national championship game. Um, I do also like this from filling day. He talked about how by weeks have changed for him, and it didn't, he didn't really used to believe, they were any different. And now he does. think that's just now some guy who has coached close to twenty years where in the beginning it's probably I just want to keep the guys going and keep them involved and keep them where now it's Well now I can step back. I can let the kids breathe.

36:38 I like the program breathing, step back and look at what's going wrong. Now, I record out of the by weeks not the greatest, I wouldn't three, the last three seasons. So hopefully he reflects upon something and he changes on this week to result in a win. Yeah, we haven't been great out of buys last three years. Really for years, I think. Four in a row. We've lost a couple of those have been against decent to above-average competition but a couple of those were stinkers. So you know when you play a Notre Dame coming out of a by this will be what the second time we played Notre Dame coming out of a by and yep played an 18 and yep until the Willis fumblerooski. Was within three now.

37:36 What's your point game? He fumbled it. They go score 10. Come out the second half, pop that big playoff and optimism. Yeah, the next thing you know, it's it's still a good game because we continue to fight but you know and then last year the such a funky year. Oh yeah. Last year we had play Clemson. Yep. So so it's one of those things like Like yes, he's 013. But then on the other hand, you get to say what he also had to play two playoff teams. The other two, I don't Duke was one of them was Georgia Tech one of them. Georgia Tech not in 19.

38:22 That was dude. That was do you okay? Yeah, probably because everybody's like is when you make the quarterback change because you have two weeks. Yeah, so in reality of the three seasons, it's been two Elite teams and Duke and we know what was happening in 19 in that room. So again, let's hope he figures out the right him, getting things 7 to nothing. 17, was Georgia, Tech, and I think that was just an average Georgia Tech Team. So yeah, very likely. All right, well, let's jump. Off the head coach, let's go over to the defensive room. Brian J Hamm, he opened up talking about the linebacker room. Would you hear from him? I mean likes Dak says he kind of quarterback of the defense, bring the energy and effort the passion, really likes the way Tisdale's coming along in the defense. Both of them have done a good job, leading the team in tackles, you know, wanted to there. So I think that's big huge.

39:24 Somehow, you know, when you're inside linebackers and I know in general, this is a good thing when you're inside, linebackers are leading the team in tackles, that's what you like to see, means they're taking care of the trash, not a lot, skidding past the second level of the defense, so that's good. And he talked about, you know, he shot an artist and Indian getting in there and, and making some noise in the opportunities. They've had. They've absolutely made noise. I mean, we've seen little, if no drop-off on those two, guys are on the field subbing Which is really good because dachshund tis do play, a tons of special teams play. So having two guys that you trust to just go out there and run your defense. I wish he would have mentioned a little more about Tomorrow, he's role as playing that nickel Mike or the nickel linebacker position because that has really helped us to defend significantly.

40:19 Should be talked about more on how he's went to that, but he hasn't and again, we talked about it earlier and I think you said you were a little nervous about what a little nervous about Dean and Keyshawn. They've alleviated all worries that is probably the best death room. Maybe in the entire team is the linebacker room. Hi brownie, maybe Corner, maybe Corner would be the only other one. I feel like you can meet on, you know, five or six years ago. It's true then. Alright, the next thing I talked about was he was talking about, you know, he was giving the complimentary feel position, chili calling out Peter Moore and it is true, right?

41:02 Ron the, for the back of team up, the more opportunities, it's the defense is going to attack, you're not on your heels, you're not thinking about In play and shoot, they can take it to the house. And again, we've we mentioned we continue to mention Peter More Steam and I know he's a punter, y'all, but their football players to in the way. We've had a play ball this year. He has been a weapon. And for the defense, I'm sure when they see all right, Pete's, gonna boot one, we're going, we're going to have them inside the 15 and if they make a boo-boo we're going to be able to force a turnover and be on the doorstep. Yeah, that's been the big thing. I know we've talked about it already, but Peter more, flipping the field for us, really, not really a known quantity in terms of what to expect from him this year, right?

41:55 Well we really didn't know what to expect and he's really come out and answered all, the all the bells that have been kind of putting his way there, except for throwing a 25 yard pass to Dorian strong on the fake punt. That's about the only negative play he's and I think he's had maybe one other one punt the whole season that wasn't what like 40 + yd. So he's been bun. Mmm. And doing a good job just kind of you know controlling emotions and the heat of those moments. So kudos to him.

42:35 Exactly. Alright then he sort of talked about this week just to self Scout a little bit. You know I like the way he talked about basically Carolina, they played with Reckless abandon For that being in the last three game, they have played a little more conservative, might have cost us. It was specifically talking about up front, right? Yafeng 7 right there at the defensive line and he was also kind of talking about how the other offensive has. He's not been able to go as Reckless, which is good, which tells me ham, understands, I can't can't.

43:16 I cannot attack this type of offense. This is going to be. This isn't a slugfest, it's almost think of a boxer, right? You've got guys like Floyd Mayweather who can jab box, not going to knock you out, but going to win the fight. Yep. And then you've got guys like Tyson would knock you out. Then you kind of guys had guys there in the middle, you know, if you, if you think back you look way back. You think you like Sugar, Ray Robinson, who were just technical Fighters, but could lay the boom on you when they needed to? Yeah. So what I'm seeing from ham and I'll take that analogy. Is he knows. We can throw this at these guys.

43:59 It's not going to hurt us. He knows I got to be careful these, this team can make a big play. So again, it just shows you sort of the the intelligence he has on defense knowing, you know, I can slug. I could jab on this team. If we get up 10, I can talk don't hate makers. Yeah, I think that's good. Kind of, knowing knowing where to dial up, you know, that aggressiveness and we talked about the line of Carolina and, you know, when you look at them, statistically it Makes sense. Why you throwing it out there because, you know, some of the grades on their running backs. Last year were through the roof, but the grades on their offensive line were consistently below. So their running backs were making the line look good. And they, I mean ham essentially made the wager that they'll be fine at running back, but they're not going to be what they were last year.

45:02 We can take some chances and, you know, they might break one here, one there. There, we feel better about ourselves on the back end to make sure that doesn't turn into a big play. Let's get aggressive and try to force some of those tackles for loss and they did exactly. All right. Brian, he really went pretty deep into the DL defensive line talking about how it's been really key, how he's rotated, guys. He gave credit to, he gave credit to Monsters Inc. On the defensive line lesson, one of the players that in the pressures today you've got the big guy Jace.

45:42 Do you got the little guy Bill, right? Yep. The Monsters Inc, defensive line coach is really keeping that rotation good. Keeping guys fresh. And then obviously, the questions came up about bar know, you know, we know bar no logged on the stat sheet last week. But you know what, did, what he had to say? What did you feel? Feel is going on with bar, no right now. So he talked about how they're running directly at him with the running game, a lot, and sliding protection to him in the passing game. So that's taken that's taking him out of some some of the plays but that's also meaning that other guys on that defensive line or having more one-on-one opportunities.

46:27 So I mean overall you know you love having a guy that's filling up the stat sheet but you I would rather have that defensive line is a unit pulling pulling numbers. And as long as they keep doing what they are doing, I think we can keep it rolling. You know, would like to see him adjust a little bit more to kind of, what is being thrown at him, so he can kind of get back into the impact player level there, but it makes sense to see the drop-off based on how they're playing him. Now, I like that he seems to be adjusting a little bit. I like I said I think I mentioned in the Richmond recap, you know seeing him walk down, you know rushing. Play, you know, 15, 20 yards, downfield. So, you know, he still finding ways to even when he's blocked even when he's managed initially to still get in there and make a play.

47:18 So, that's good to see. And the other thing Jam talked about on the defensive line is that cold Nelson is starting to come along. Yes, he is. And getting getting him in. There is going to be pretty big. I like the analogy used their High motor low-maintenance, the motor. He About like they have to talk about shutting him down and I told you you go back and reminisce and the stories from 2002, that it reminds you of a lot of what people said about tap. Yep. And in that build coming in. He's similarly, built to Darrell, unfortunately, he missed that one year of getting coach fine, but yeah, Cole Nelson is officially part of the defensive end rotation now.

48:03 And then something else that maybe didn't shock, may be shocked. A lot of people, if you didn't hear, Wilfred Panay has been making noise. Well, from Pune is pushing for playing time and right? I think you mentioned back in the summer, you were like, well, with his body. It's a chance that he could take a big step. Yeah. And it's good to see him picking up things in a similar fashion to the speed. That that bar, no picked up things. Last offseason, you know, hopefully, we can start seeing you in the field probably in terms of size. As a little more aligned with the traditional size and speed of a defensive end, not quite the freak athlete of bar, no, but but definitely athletic and can make some plays there. So I'm looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the table now that we've kind of on-boarded him to that defensive end position.

48:56 Absolutely. And Brian you mentioned about them running at bar know you would kind of think the guy who's been in that position it's going to hurt us now we're we have went almost 50 yards or less per A game rushing almost a full yard per attempt down last year, we were about at five this year about it for, so clearly them running at him. He's obviously holding up in that which is great to hear, not only for the defense in general, but for him in general because we know he has to pass rush skills. He starts showing where he is a good run Defender, the stocks going higher and higher with them. Well, I think the thing is like, you know, they are running at him which does neutralize him to a point but he's not The fact he's not getting blown out where it's creating craters in the defense at other levels. I think that definitely bodes, well, long term because it means that, you know, yes, he is, he's not necessarily being able to impact the play, but he's not getting taken out of the play where he's creating problems for other players on defense. Very true.

49:58 All right, let's flip it over it. Let's talk about the corn presser and let's talk about the offensive line first for on your bed and butter. There he And we need more than five guys. Well, we had more than five guys. And then somehow We ran people away. Nestor obviously, starting to run. It West Virginia and Hudson significantly in the rotation in Louisville. Where, you know, if you have those guys, you don't have to talk about depth. You are deep if because you had Kate and take the step up, if Johnny transfer in, you're probably as deep as you were last year. Yeah. And I'm not sure if you have a Johnny transfer in if you have those other two guys that that's up in the air, but, you know, you're at least solid in your Verse 5 and have one swing guy.

50:47 You can count on with Caden stepping into that other role probably still would be a little questionable at tackle, just because you'd probably end up having to have Nestor be kind of a guard tackle combo because we were going to be thin at tackle this year. Almost regardless, the question at this point is going to be, would Nestor playing a tackle, whether it be right or left have made this line a significant upgrade or would it Then on the similar level, that we've been at, I think you would have definitely been a little better. Yeah. Because thank, you know, even though he does occasionally struggle in past Pro, I think, you know, his his floor and passed Pros a lot higher than some of the others we've seen so far.

51:32 And, you know, we know he's good in the run in the Run game so I would have liked to see what that could have been. But, you know, alas, it didn't work out that way. So, you know, we're dealing with this situation. Beijing where we've got brought kind of moving all over the line. The last couple weeks you played some right tackle against West Virginia played left guard, almost primarily against Richmond, hasn't had a great year so far, I think he definitely would like to place a lot more consistently than he's played this year. He's not playing at the level, he was playing.

52:15 Last year and last year, he played at a pretty good level, but he cost us with, with the mental stuff. Yeah, that's intuitive. The mental is went away, but he's not, he's not impacting the game with his physicality in the same way. And that we need to find a balance with that, you know, I don't know if, if gearing down has caused his intensity to kind of go away in the between the whistles or what, but he's not playing at that same level, so it's very true now. Brad mentioned that they're looking at getting Silas back into the rotation, I'm assuming that's going to be Notre Dame, but then for Wednesday mentioned, he liked the starting five, there were out there on Saturday. I'm blending these two together.

53:01 Brian. Do you think when we come out against Notre Dame? Do you think our line is lettuce myth? That left tackle Rockoff minute left guard, Johnny, its Center Silas Dan Z. At Right Guard, Luke 2 Nu du at right. Tackle with obviously came or getting some snaps and potentially maybe Tyrell Smith or maybe not Tyrell Smith getting some snaps. I think more than likely, they keep Lucy this Smith at left tackle, I think that is going to okay, give us the most consistently because it gives us our best overall lineman at the most important position, right?

53:44 Yeah. Because even, even with tackles that are true, tackles that have a little bit more, little bit more speed getting out of the snap. He's not he's not any worse off than they are. And he's been much more consistent both in the past game and the Run game and the in terms of his protection that really, anybody else on the line, I would definitely keep his consistency at that left tackle position and then kind of fill in everywhere else, you know, Brock despite his kind of subpar play overall. Definitely gives us flexibility there because he can play across the entire interior of the line and slide out to tackle if absolutely necessary.

54:28 Yeah. So, that gives you a little bit little options there. So, yeah, I would definitely keep Lucy. This myth out there at left tackle and then kind of figure out what other makeup of the line is kind of your best five, and hopefully have one or two guys in the hole that can kind of slide in when necessary or get you whether to give a breather or whether to jump in. If there's a Nick that's you know somebody has to come out of the game. Exactly. All right. Next thing we're going to live. He did make a few comments about Braxton. I want to hit on a couple of those Those brine. All right, first of all, he admitted completely. He is disappointed in how Braxton's played the first four games. You know, he did kind of admit.

55:09 He has to look in the mirror himself on that too. He also admitted that there's still a chance for him to take a step and that step is definitely needed in the next coming, eight games because 23 points are not going to cut it, but he talked about his athleticism has helped them now, Brian you said something to me? Right? You're a little bit upset about well, yeah, he has this but Brad, you're not helping him. Yeah, I think that's that's the thing I'd like to see is that we need to make out the gate and I think this is what, what frustrates me the most is that we need to get Braxton comfortable out, the gate, and keep him comfortable in that second drive because we've had, we've seen him have success on an opening drive.

55:56 I've seen him come out a little flat when he's had success. We haven't seen that coupled with a second drive that kind of gives him that confidence where he's really building a pain that I think at this point we need to be a little bit better with with the script and with how we how we get into our second drive and and make that a little more consistent get, you know, get up 10 points, get up, 14 points, get to scores, you know, in the first quarter and start putting pressure, not only on the other team, but also give Braxton the confidence where that, you know, if they do come back and put some points on the board, he's ready to go out there and move the Ball down the field again.

56:38 You know, some of its confidence I got playing with confidence is willing to take a little more calculated risk and some of that is what's needed right now as well. You know, pulling the trigger when guys are open but it's tight, pulling the trigger. When, you know, you may not be able to make the most accurate throw, but if a guy's wide-open, try to get it out there to him, I think we need to see a little bit more of that. That I don't want to see risk-taking necessarily in terms of putting the ball in danger but you know, he can sling the ball, he's got the capability, he's not going to drive it down field, you know 45 50 yards on a dime outside the numbers, but he can throw an accurate ball within that you know, that 30 40 yard range.

57:27 You know, when he needs to and we need to let him rip it a little bit more and rip it with confidence. Because when he grips with confidence, it looks a lot better than He's out there and looks like he's really overthinking. What he's doing with the football. Well it looks a little profit explained with confidence. It's the UNC game especially first half when we start with see it's UVA last year's, its most of the Clemson game, I mean, it's weird when he's in his bag he looks, it looks okay, it's not great, but it looks, it looks good. You're fine with it. Well, the whole piece of it is, when he starts easy, think about the UNCA, Game, we started with some easy, swing passes, a couple easy, you know, relatively easy outside passes and the next thing you know, you talk about that 45-yard past the tree where he put on the money he felt good.

58:20 He felt like I'm going to hit my passes when you put them in situations where your he's not like that. You can see it and it's in his body language and I'll tell you something else run when we were watching that interview Corns. Body language is not good. I got a feeling probably Sunday is Fuente was talking about asking question you think he got dressed down? I think there were definitely a lot of questions asked that he didn't necessarily have the right on the, on the, the right. Wavelength answer for corn definitely looked like he embedded been a long week for him so far and it was you know, Tuesday worse.

59:03 So That's going to be interesting to see how that develops going forward to see if corn makes any sort of wholesale adjustments to get Braxton more comfortable or whether it's going to be kind of the same old. Same old, just repetition repetition and hope it. Hope it works out exactly. And I'm not discounting repetition. Repetition is important. If you don't wrap it, it's hard to get. But at some point, we're four weeks into the season. We should have seen it, click into place a little bit faster so I'm hoping that something changes that causes that click to happen. Well, it's got to be some now in all, in all honesty, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to, I'm going to wrap this segment with this statement by me and you looked at it and said, okay, the ownerships there, right?

59:52 Yep. He, he, he said this, and it basically says, this means all of us have All of us kind of taking a good hard. Look in the mirror. Starting with me. Thank goodness. He said, starting with me because it is you because you are the offensive coordinator and just continue to find ways to continue to help each guy get better more consistent, which was a theme of the entire press conference. For most of the guys and finding the best way to put our guys in positions and have the chance to make plays. He's got to do it now. And the reality is, if everything goes right Or not everything goes, right?

1:00:33 If if things are truly looked at hard this week, I do think we might not hear about it but there should be a change and whether that's going to be in the red zone, or something like that, you know? Got to make a choice there. Brian. Right. Okay. I know we're going to get into this a little bit more after the break here, but we are cozies Hey maybe one case had cozies a ton, but but you know, before we actually dive into it but before we dive into Brian's review of essentially, the foo foundations of offense, we are going to take a quick balls for a message from our digital Partners.

1:01:20 All right guys, as we mentioned at the top of the program, Brian did some deep dive analysis. On the Justin Fuente, offense looking at TCU and his early days, in at the Memphis offense, and brown pointed out a niche and I started scratching it. Hey, I found something just, you know, just type something into Google and things pop up, and it's like, oh, that's an hour and then Brian types of up, that's an hour and 20 minutes that's an hour. Next thing you know, bronze hitting triple speed, trying to watch multiple videos. So Brian, let's start here. We're going to take a look back at TCU from 2010 2010, was essentially, the making of who Justin Fuente was, and how he got here.

1:02:08 Yeah. Well, Andy, Dalton, Jeremy Kerley, and absolute Stout Gary Patterson defense at TCU they go undefeated, they win the Rose Bowl beating Wisconsin who had JJ Watt amongst others on that defense that year and Brian you looked at the Air Force. Game in the Oregon State game, Oregon state that year was a pretty good team. They were ranked when they played them. So I'm going to kind of let you go and tell me what you saw on the tape. Yeah so I'll be I'll start this off. I know we mentioned a little bit earlier but this kind of came to fruition as a result of listening to the Jerrod Evans interview on Davi Fridays.

1:02:56 That was kind of the Some of the comments made about the offense of Paxton Lynch relative to what Jerrod the keys that Gerard was given when he got to Virginia Tech and and the juxtaposition, there was kind of what got this thing rolling in my head would cause Curtis to start digging and then what caused me to spend several hours watching Tate. It's kind of the culmination of all that. So, yeah, that's good. I'm watching the tape but I I'm like, what are they doing? So, you know, Oregon state was, I think they open with Oregon state that year, they were, I think TCU was a top 10 team.

1:03:37 Oregon. State was a top 25 team. Yep. When I was watching the game, I saw a bunch of previews for the Virginia Tech Boise, State game. So go ahead and, you know, cry the tears on that one real quick. But you know, so I watch those two games, not a ton of different things in those games. Um, they did have a good dose of speed option, so a little bit more run-heavy than we've seen in terms of the focal point of the offense, but the things that were different. The big thing is that they were under Center a lot, especially in short yardage plays, they ran a lot of play-action boots off. The off, the under Center looks there, they were in pistol, a lot, which we still incorporate at Virginia Tech and, you know, it kind of this is where it kind of started.

1:04:26 So they ran Here they but they also ran obviously the inverted v r which was kind of a relatively New Concept at that time. They ran it with or without the jet motion. That's quick question. Veer explain because, you know, Because some people associate well I hear beer I think read-option there. It's different though, right? So the read option is essentially running back. Goes One Direction quarterback is reading and go in the other direction. If he decides to keep it with the Veer, you're essentially the running back of the quarterback or going the same direction, just the running back is going inside.

1:05:10 The tackle, quarterbacks aiming point is outside the tackle and they're reading your both of them are reading the defense. Banner outside edge Defender but one is going. They're both going the same direction when they're going opposite direction. So that's kind of the difference. Their quarterback Powers did exist at TCU they were ran with Effectiveness, Andy Dalton, you know, isn't the Andy Dalton? We see today, he had a little bit more athleticism and is in his early 20s there. So, He was out there running running with good frequency and they were working a lot of the bubble screen and then running some variations off that were they would show up lock and then kind of Escape up the sideline either kind of a kind of a fade stop look or just kind of finding a soft spot in the zone there. Okay.

1:06:07 Can I ask this Braun? We don't see here are the times we've seen in. It's been absolutely miserable failure. I think Ryan Willis in the bowl game against Cincinnati. when you go under Center in short, yardage, you know, some people say, you know, Why does it help so much? I always think you go under Center on short. Yardage a if it's third one and a half you're running back is getting a absolute full start right? We'll start line of scrimmage. Second they have to be wary of sneaks your third and one and a half. Well, if I can get the ball here and that Center can submarine. I can just find the hole and get into yours. So why aren't we incorporating that here? I mean, I think a guy like Jerrod Evans, I think it got like hitting.

1:06:58 I mean, Quincy if your understanding those guys at one and a half or two yards, it's like the Playbook is so open because it sounds really dumb. Okay, takes time to teach quarterbacks at this level. How to take a snap, because no one's doing it at the high school level anymore, either. No one's taking the snap under Center. Very few, very few High School offenses that aren't triple option. Have guys, taking the ball in the center, which means the actual quarterbacks that sling, the ball and not just running backs playing quarterback. Have never taken an actual snap under center, right? So why would it take? It takes time to wrap and I'm guessing they just say, well it's not worth it, but I think it's absolutely worth it. Not only for their development, in terms of, you know, potential NFL careers.

1:07:47 But just when you get the ball under Center, you're already you're half yard behind where the ball starting, instead of five yards behind where the ball starting, it's easier to push the pile. It's easier to find those gaps. You got your running back. That can kind of give you that push. You got your lime and that can get behind you and give you that push. Where, if you're trying to run that QB dive or QB power, and that short yardage play, It's a lot easier for the Lima to get penetration and make the quarterback have to kind of redirect his route there. We see that a lot. Yeah, so I would prefer us doing a little bit more with that and, you know, I can talk a little bit more about Memphis here in a little bit because they do something similar.

1:08:34 Alright, so something else you mentioned Braun is in the me kind of what we're missing this year or easy passes and you mentioned to me I think it was like on the third or fourth. Play of that Air Force game. We looked at your like their own double digs their own double digs on the sidelines. And essentially I think what was like a scene in one guy was running a Crosser. So, why are we seeing those digs? And that E-ZPass, I know you had to pushing it down the field, but at the corners playing 10 yards off and you're on a 5-yard, dig. It's hit the third, step fire, it. Put it on the right shoulder. First, you got to make a tackle.

1:09:17 Why are we seeing easy passes? Like that for Braxton? Yeah, we're not working levels of the defense, over the middle of the field at all. They did more of that at TCU and some of that at Office. So it seems like some of these, you know, middle middle of the field levels Concepts. It's kind of kind of went the way of the dinosaur slowly from 2010 to. Now I'm not sure why I love a good dig. You know, whether you, whether you hear me on here or or see me on the timeline on Twitter, I am always saying put the damn dig in there. 15-yard dig should be a bread and butter route. It's so good because we're we have a decent offense where we can influence linebackers.

1:10:08 If we don't throw the dig in there, we're just letting that space. Go to waste. And I know we run a lot of like, you know, post like slot post which kind of does something similar, but you can't work the Zone. The same way that you can with a dig where you're running all the way across the formation. So I'd like to see us be able to do that. All right? So obviously we're seeing elements that we have now still as part of his foundation back at TCU, some things aren't there, for whatever reason, we don't know that. But let's go to the Memphis years again. Don't lock the TCU years. 43 points, he averaged over, the team was averaging over 40 down in Memphis when corn and Dicky. Where The Coho sees as for Wednesday was a CO C at TCU, Jerry Henderson with Jared Anderson, who was? I told you, when you said that, I look back, Back Anderson had been on the staff at TCU 15 years give or take. Yep, while Dickey had been in football close to 25 when he joined that staff.

1:11:19 At Memphis. So what you were pairing is you repairing Young guys with very experienced, guys. New school philosophy with experienced, guys, that can kind of point out maybe blind spots in these newer, newer systems. Right? Exactly. Alright, let's jump into it. Let's get into. Memphis, you looked at the Houston, the Ole Miss game, the Ole Miss upset that Justin Fuente went from being a rising stars. The o.c. and its first couple years of Memphis, he knocks off the Hugh. Freeze He's team a top 15 team at that point in time. What did you see from that game and the Houston game?

1:12:01 So similar to TCU, we actually saw Paxton Lynch under Center, not a great deal, but in in certain scenarios, so in if they decided they wanted to pound the ball between the tackles, okay? We go under Center and just hand the ball off downhill. If they were in the red zone and needed a couple yards, they would get under Center going. Downhill, run Paxton Lynch hand it off to there. Running back running downhill quarterback Powers. We're still employed in that offense. So I mean the QB power is not going away. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a consistent element of that run game.

1:12:43 It is a staple of the Valente offense. Yep. So when they were running the read option, it was a lot more inside Zone and kind of power versus the outside Zone that we are accustomed to. Okay. They ran probably more Veer and inverted v r with or without jet motion. Even than TCU. I think TC you really went full inverted. V r. I think towards the end of that 2010 season, especially in the bowl game, I think it's one that really had the big coming-out party so we were starting to see more of it at at Memphis there and still a lot of bubble and tunnel screens and variations off of that. Probably more more more tunnels screens than we run probably less bubble screens than we run.

1:13:38 Okay? But the thing that like I saw more of than I've been used to recently as we they ran a lot more Slants to the slot receiver and they actually targeted that in the offense consistently whereas I feel like we go away from that in those because that could be a bread-and-butter route for us when we need to move the sticks and I feel like we go away from it for so long. And eventually we get back to it and it has some success for us but we don't stick with that concept. What what what it? Is the broken ask this? Isn't that a manipulation play like running a 43-yard slant, consistently bread and butter and it eventually aren't you going to eventually the mic or the back or whichever side of the field?

1:14:23 You're running to eventually. If they see that predicament, okay, they ran this three times. I'm getting out of my lane and I'm going to try to stop it and thus if that happens, if they take that step out of the lane you. Throw you run something like a draw. Well, he's off balance, he's out of position. We're about to have a nice little spread open here. We'll remember, I forget if I remember correctly. I think it was the, the big play to Trey against Middle Tennessee State. Where they jumped, what, what looked like was that kind of like a square in and then trade took in a field and got the big gay.

1:15:06 The one that was underthrown slightly. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, I mean that's a similar type of concept that you're talking about there where we had ran a couple plays where they were starting to key on what we're doing and we hit them with something that kind of got them out of position. Still busted coverage, safety didn't realize what the what the backer was doing and the backer, you know, just went in place there. Now, in terms of what they do in the passing game, they still they didn't run that they ran more slams than we did. But they also I did a little different things outside the numbers. Okay. So instead of just running the true Fades, they ran a lot of like Faith stops, and a lot of like kind of back shoulder laser throws. And so that that's a little bit of a different different concept than what we are seeing where we're, when we take the shots, they are more straight Fades, right? And I don't know if that's a Personnel decision or if that's a scheme decision but we're not seeing some of those kind of Fate stops.

1:16:18 And back shoulder throws that were kind of Hallmarks of the Memphis offense. All right, and it in obviously, Dicky and corn coatsy's there. So again, we're seeing a lot of, we're seeing a lot of similar elements, but we're also seeing things that we don't see as much anymore. Brian, as you start analyzing this, you know, from what you saw from really 10 years ago and roughly 45 years ago. Excuse me, six years ago, I get that, right. What are you saying? These are what you need to start taking these elements and you need to put them here. Not only with the quarterback we have, but the offensive Personnel how we play defense and the wide receiver in the weapons. What do you want to see them bring to Virginia, Tech from what you see on the table, more kind of middle middle routes. So middle of the defense middle depth, you know, starting with those 15-yard dig starting with with more consistent. Slants from the slot position, more cross-country kind of crossers.

1:17:30 I like to see see more of that. And we can work that off play action, where you get a little bit more time there so those can kind of develop, right. But a lot of this comes down to, you know, we've said it play sequencing and execution over all. Those are, those are still the areas that when I watch those tapes. Memphis and TCU looked more crisp running these plays than we look consistently. Can I ask this? You watch this offense for five years here, right? Yep. And you just watched four games. Probably close to. I'm gonna guess close to 250 snaps. Correct. Give or take snaps. Yeah.

1:18:10 Was there ever a time when you're sitting there watching it last couple days where you said they're going to do this was there any time in point you were able to key and say they're going to do this. I mean I could see a Jet Sweep coming a mile away but he was it was a little more you know we sometimes Telegraph what we're doing in our priest at motion but then we work variations off that to make to take that to take that away, take that anticipation away. So I think that's why it's a little bit little bit hard sometimes when we start games because we start games with, we're showing you what we're showing you what to expect.

1:18:53 We'll see if you key on it and then we'll then we'll give you a variation of it. All right? All right. I don't necessarily like that approach because I'd like to see us sometimes come out and hit them with something they haven't seen okay and not you know save our load for when we get behind No, hit them. Yeah, I'd like to see the variations and then, you know, get them to start thinking then we can get back to our bread and butters with the Jet Sweep that you know, are more telegraphed. All right, on Brian. Do you feel like there's anything with those teams that they had that we're missing?

1:19:37 We've had this this type of player before but we don't necessarily have an established version of it now and that's kind of that Swiss army knife h-back like Sam Rogers, our Dalton Keen Drake and Nick I think are doing the best they can but I don't think they're quite where they need to be to run that position. Consistently and, you know, we were using James Mitchell has kind of both a past catching tight in and a Swiss Army knife Because of how well he could Block in space and not having him. His definitely started to hurt this offense. You know, say what you will about us having decent depth at the position. Some of the things he was doing is hard to replace and they didn't always show up on the stat sheet. All right, all right.

1:20:26 What about Braxton? What's the difference between him? And I mean, I'm not going to say what's the difference between an Andy Dalton, Andy Dalton was a starter for ten years, went to five, you know, took the Cincinnati Bengals to five playoff games as many people that trash Andy, Dalton he took the Bangles two playoff games. I think that's more than Boomer. I think that's more than Carson and then, obviously Paxton was one of those guys to me. Thanks and have a lot of talent packs and went to the worst place he could go. And follow you and iconic quarterback. He wasn't like you know, you were you were step if he to follow Tebow you might have just gave him a little bit more time to kind of.

1:21:07 Yeah attentively come into his own but when you're when you're following a legend and when you're in a situation where if you don't win now their consequences and there was yeah and he's pretty much gone from the league now. But what's the difference? What's the difference between Burmeister and those two guys where, you know, maybe the maybe the plays are in the Playbook, And we're just not seeing them because a Braxton, like I said some of its sequencing but a lot of it is really just the command of the offense that they have they they were comfortable and some of that's from experience. But I mean at this point Braxton has been in this offense going on three years now, through you got, you got to be comfortable in this offense at this point if you're going to be the starter.

1:21:58 But just overall command and Lynch and Dalton. Could make those you know we talk about the Fades versus kind of those those back shoulders and those Faith stops. You've got to be able to put some arm behind those type of throws because they're they're not Loft it up in the air where your guy goes up and gets it. They have to be in a spot on time or it could potentially be a pick. Some of the some of that you can't necessarily put in the offense, unless you've got a quarterback that has that type of arm and I think that's what's missing and then some of the just calculated risk and I think that comes with the confidence because if you're confident in the throes you're making, where your receivers are and your own arm, you know, you'll occasionally, take a little bit of a calculated risk and squeeze one in there. I saw packs and against Houston, throw it between two Defenders on a On a corner route that you know, it was tight coverage but there was a window and he got it in there and sometimes you got to make those throws. all right, so what I'm kind of hearing even though he's been in the system for years, he's only played technically Seven games now.

1:23:19 Yeah, he games a game. Excuse me, he was he was three in one last year so you know, where Dalton and Paxton. Basically, by the time they got to some of those years we're looking at they've been in the system two and three years and not just in the system, but they were at 20 plus games. And I'm going to say this goes back to fool and corn in general, Every year it's a new quarterback, every years multiple, quarterbacks you need to find a guy and you got you. They've recruited several very talented guys but it's always as well. Can't do it quite yet. Who was it? We talked to Brian.

1:24:00 That said the year Ryan Willis, when Ryan Willis, when Josh Jackson went down, they should have said screw Ryan. Well, let's play handed screw it. It's not going to be a good season anyway. Get him to all the game reps you can because hendon's a type of guy that do it. So, and whoever it was and I don't remember who it was. I'm sorry, I'm old. Um, so is that a key? If that's a key, the offense. Great. Then from day one after Jerrod of In Josh Jackson your quarterback second you I don't care what Ron or you do it the opposite way, I don't care what Ron Williams does. Josh is your quarterback. Yeah, go back and look at the numbers from 2013 and 2014 and 2015 with Paxton Lynch you'll see ratcheting it up very steady, uptick in terms of yardage in terms of efficiency and turns of touchdown to interception ratio.

1:24:59 I mean, Everything improved with time but you can't create scenarios where you don't have consistencies at that position and you know some of this is you know, just bad luck and some of this is creating scenarios were quarterbacks don't want to continue playing here. For one reason or another and that's so good. Maybe you got to take some ownership of that. I mean, yes. You know, you've had some bad luck, thrown your way you go. There were choices made that didn't work in your favor, but at the same time, you got to play with the guys. You got in. Try to maintain the talent that you do have and develop that Talent, true.

1:25:41 Very true can only develop that Talent if you keep guys in the building and get them reps in the game. Abso-freakin'-lutely. All right man kudos to Brian for diving into this because you know I thought about it and found tape and sometimes when you give a football junkie tape it's like it's like giving an attic something like that. We are going to do it again. You boys 500 or better? We're rolling. We're going to look at the ACC seven games and then we're going to look at three out of converges, braless start tomorrow night, I will probably be tuned into this as will you as UVA goes down to Miami to play Miami. Miami is a five and a half Point favorite since you are leading, you get the honor sir Miami legal limit UVA. But awful on defense.

1:26:45 Holy crap. Did you watch some of that game against wait? Oh some of the tape where I'd like the defensive lineman like did a push got show. It 100 this wasn't late in the game. They know one was fatigued defensive lineman playing playing titty pet with the offensive linemen and then you got the secondary just like all right well the ball is in the air. I'm going to watch it for a bit here. It's going to float into the end zone. Shit. It's in the end zone. So basically for kind of the game surrender Cobra. Yeah, right after where yeah, I'm with you Miami legal limit. Miami wins by 1440 228.

1:27:27 All right. Good do u qn c. Ha ha. Um, again is a nineteen and a half Point favorite We talked about it. A few weeks ago, UNC is going to struggle with anyone who has a good defense Duke, does not have a good defense. If they get me again, they get me again. Um, see wins by 21. They cover the 19, to half 4927. I'm gonna go UNC as well, because Number one, it's Duke number to UNC if they don't do something.

1:28:14 Then I mean, I know we're picking against the spread here and not outright winner, but in UNC need some style points at this point, right? What else? This is a good opportunity to get some style points against an in-state rival. Go and beat the fucking Blue Devils. If you don't beat them by 19 points, I'm not sure whether you got a pulse at this point. Well, if they don't meet about 19 plus Point same house coming back next year. Which is going to screw up their quarterback of the future type thing because the way they've recruited. I, Brian, you get to lead with this one. Hey, Georgia Tech pit hit is a three and a half Point favorite. Well, I got a pic. I got to pick Georgia Tech against Kenny Pickett.

1:28:56 This is like, my nightmare scenario. Worst, why are you making me do? This is I had to pick Duke. Yeah. I can't believe I'm doing this. Give me Kenny Pickett. The Kenny Pickett pits, anything. It pits. I'm seriously trying to figure out how this game is three and a half. I feel like the Vegas in Vegas, builds the casinos, and they're building more and now they're getting online sports book and having that house somewhere. So they're building more casinos.

1:29:36 I can't see how this is a three and a half point game for Pitt this, even though they lost to Western Michigan. Their offense, most of the year has been productive in every game they played Georgia Tech's defense played okay against UNC, they still gave up almost 30 points. Georgia Tech's offense has been the roller coaster ride. That you don't miss the big bad wolf. She had hurt you because you don't know what they're going to do. I don't know how they're getting three and a half Point here. This line smells very fishy. I'm with you give me pit All right.

1:30:18 Brian. You get to leave the next one man. I get to lead the next one. I'm a little bit confused by this. So Wake Forest coming off a pretty big win over. UVA plays Louisville. Louisville, who, you know? You know, one last week against Florida state only one by eight points. And I mean that game, you know, they scored 31 first half points and then didn't score anything after that, you know, Louisville's three. And one there wins obviously Ole Miss gave up 43 points Eastern Kentucky. You know, when I can count that one, you see ya. And against a putrid, FSU team gave up 23. Let's see, wakes often, I don't see how this is a seven-point game.

1:31:10 I think weight wins by 10. I think way twin somewhere in the neighborhood of like 3828 just because you look evil hasn't stopped anyone they played this year. Yeah we give me wake. I'm taking weight because I'm taking I'm almost taking week to to be the team coming out of the Atlantic if they can, if they can get Everything they keep it steady. Because right now, I think they have a good balance of Defense passing game rushing attack. They're always well coach, they're always sought on special teams. I just think they're they're that classic. You know, just well structured team that if they get one or two things, go their way in every game, they can pull it out against anybody.

1:32:05 So I'll take wake here in the and lay the seven. I like Louisville has kind of shown a pulse the last couple weeks but I feel like wakes just more more well-rounded team and is going to handle them. Wake is a crisp, executing machine on offense right now and just to verify Steady. As You Go defense? Yep, all right. Let's figure this one out Brian as you lead, Syracuse plays FSU FSU has not won a game. As I mentioned Louisville scored 31 on them in the first half last week. So the game was over, they fought and got the 23 fsu's, a four and a half Point favorite. And I mean, I know Braun that this game this week. you know, is at is at Florida State, but if you saw the look of the crowd there last week, it's not the Florida state of old. It's like 60% capacity.

1:33:08 They reach full apathy. Oh they are apathetic. Yeah, let's talk real quick about, you know, if we had to roll the dice on the Memphis coach, we at least got the better of the two. Oh, are you sure it was, he just in a no-win situation down there. You know what? I don't care about. No win situation. Man, you're over. We were if we were pulling the, the stat classes that they did here, and we're winning like that went. A would have been gone two years ago, true. Very true. Very true. So Braun. Are you taking them?

1:33:48 Hell no. Give me cues. I'm right with you. I don't care if Syracuse is coming off, a very big win in the dome last week. Syracuse to me is just to well-rounded. This is another one of those smelly, smelly lines because I think people are going to, they're doing that to say, well, people are going to see Florida State and just lay it because of Syracuse this line was week. One or two. I think you could have seen people jump all over FSU here, especially the way they competed wire-to-wire with Notre. Dame very true, but that's really just having seen the last three weeks, you know, juries out here.

1:34:31 He's out, completely thickness, wins closer than enough enough to for getting four and a half. As a Road Dogg enough to cover. I mean, I think he's wins out, right? So yeah, me too, man. All right, here we go. Braun NC State off the huge. He's upset of Clemson. Last week in Raleigh gets Louisiana Tech this week, NC State's Elaine, 20 and a half on. Make this one short and sweet. It's a hangover game for them, they're going to win. They're not going to win by more than three touchdowns against Claudette. You know what? I'm gonna go against you here. Finally have a pivot point here. I see NC State.

1:35:15 I think you know you say hangover I say Clemson is the game that kind of refocuses them and say we still got something to play for here. It's true. So they so they come in focused and ready to ready to go. I think they take care of business. All right, Brian. We finally decide to decipher their. All right, man. Well, let's go talk about Clemson this week. They get BC coming into town, 15 and a half Point. Favorites are the Clemson Tigers in Death Valley. It is going to be a night game that is going to be on the ACC Network. Over under forty six and a half.

1:35:56 Brian, what are you thinking on this one? Give me the under. Okay, we BC in this line would have been again some of these lines the I guess a lot of this is like playing on History because I mean, right now, nothing is told me that Clemson can beat any power 5, team by 15, a half points. So I'm going to think that a pretty good BC team even without their starting quarterback. They've shown, they can pivot their offensive style leaving their power running game. They've got a solid defense, it's better. It's improved from last year.

1:36:38 It's not giving up some of the big caching runs two quarterbacks like it was last year. So I'll take BC, I can probably tell you why, I think you're going to go the other way, though. Well, I'm going the other way. Why am I going the other way? You're going the other way? Because it's a fucking put up or shut up week for Clemson after that loss to NC State. Anytime Dabo gets into those put up or shut up games. His team's come out and respond. I also think it's Dennis grow cells. Essentially, this is going to be his third game on tape, and I think Brent venables is going to have him pretty much eaten alive. I take the under two and I think Clemson wins something like 20.

1:37:19 It's That will be much. It's barely going to cover some like 24/7 maybe 31, maybe 3124 shooting 3110 but I don't think this is all going to be seized getting to 14 points. So, I'm going to take Clemson on this one. Alright, alright, that wraps the ACC. Let's go out of conference. Brian three. Pretty big games in several different conferences. Let's start in the SEC. Alabama, Ole Miss old. Lane kiffin, Nick Saban. As every Alabama game is from the month of after SEC play starts.

1:37:59 Its on CBS at 3:30. Not shop. Bama ready for this one? Yep. Bama laying 14 and a half over under seventy nine and a half. Yeah, I'm trying to wonder what they know here is. You know, I think bam has a really good team, but I think Ole Miss keeps it closed through the duration. I think it's like a 10 10 point 10 point win for for Bama there. So give me Ole Miss. I know Mike will bond. It doesn't like me doing that. You think that lane kiffin is a clown? But I will say that he might be a clown, but when he is focused on a goal, he does a pretty good job of keeping his team's competitive even against.

1:38:48 ADI competition, so I'll go with Ole Miss here. I'm gonna go with Ole Miss to. So we're back to agree and again, and I think it's super close and I think it's super close enough. That if you wanted to throw a few bucks on the money line, because I think the money line is going to be so favorable for Ole Miss. I think they can get them. I think Ole Miss, I think Lane can out tour Bryce young without without the receivers. The over is 17. And this game went to like, 112 last year. 111. Excuse me, 63 48 was the final Alabama and then the previous year same way.

1:39:32 It went pretty high with Lane. I mean kiffin knows how to expose the biggest defense has now. The question is going to be his is kiffin. If he keeps continuing to do well here, does the place that left them on tarmac? Give them another call. Or does he say, you know what? Forget that I don't feel like being left out in the cold again but Ole Miss definitely covers. Think about the money line. If you're getting good odds I think almost could pull the pig upset here in Tuscaloosa. All right. Brian next one, let's go out to the Big 12 and throw a little off here because we hadn't really done much, Big 12, exception of West, Junior or Oklahoma, but Baylor and Oklahoma State Eight both 4 & 0, both ranked in the top 25, Baylor with the big upset win last week at Iowa State. Oklahoma State, big upset win over Kansas State. So both are coming in off two big wins. Oklahoma state with the Boise State wind going up there at a night game winning.

1:40:44 And you know, other than the our state, this is kind of the second big test for Baylor. This is going to be in Stillwater with a night kick. And as much as I love Dave, Aranda, he's a hell of a defensive coordinator. I think Gundy gets this one. And I'll lay the three and a half points. Give me Okie State. You know what? I'm right there with you. I think Baylor's going to have a little bit of a hangover from a big win, you're playing in a tough environment and I think going to get is going to get those guys ready to go. So I'll take Okie State there. We're agreeing on that one.

1:41:29 All right. To me, this is the biggest game of the weekend. I'm not sure if ESPN Gameday, actually. Where is game day going to be this week? Mom, you look that up real quick. Great question because there's three big games. We're not we're not picking the Arkansas Georgia game. I didn't want to do Jewel SEC because that's a big game. Sam Pittman returning to Georgia where he coach the offensive line for several years and several playoff runs. He's at 14 and 14 ft, what Wabash? Cincinnati at Notre Dame. The line just went down a few minutes ago. Cincinnati is the road favorite. Lane two points against the Irish. Cincinnati is 3 and 0 Notre Dame's for no Cincinnati with wind So Far Over Indiana might Miami of Ohio and Murray State so not the biggest while while Notre Dame. We watch the fourth quarter that game just laid the absolute SmackDown on Wisconsin in every single way. We Got Game Day in Athens, Georgia. I like that.

1:42:47 I mean, I'm not knocking, like, where they go but for real. You're good. If this was that Arkansas, do it, they don't go to Fayetteville, much to me, go to South Bend, you give Cincinnati that Spotlight that day. You give Georgia Spotlight all the time. All right, Brian. Two-point game. Do you think it's basically considered I'm taking Notre Dame? Mainly because I want Notre Dame to get another Goodwin before we get them. I want that game to be as big and meaningful as possible because if we can figure out a way to get it done, then, that'll that's all the better for us.

1:43:30 Absolutely. And I'm with you. And I'm not with you because of I want them to come in undefeated. I want them to come in rank. Bleah. It could potentially be in the top five with that win, especially with numerous teams above them playing good opponents but I think this is the Marcus Freeman game. I think Marcus Freeman who had been with Luke pickle for quite a few years. Probably knows enough ins and outs when you can say the same thing with fickle knows his defense in and out to the difference is pickle knows his defense in and out pickle now has to deal with his defense. The ins and out with stack, top ten classes in top Elite Defenders.

1:44:17 And as good as fickle as a coach, I think Notre Dame wins this one. So a home, dog getting points. Let's lay that on the line. We're both going Notre, Dame. We only disagreed on two games behind. So if you like our statistics of when we bet together, which I think we're running it like a 70% clip when we agree on things. Take your money, those games. We agreed on. Go Leon. Yeah, we got we got a good card this week, guys, got a very good card. This week. Anything breaking in the last hours here. I haven't seen anything buddy. It's like we're free and clear.

1:44:58 All right, well let's wrap up this episode of The Boundary Corner podcast. Ian, Curtis Wilson. I'm Brian Sigler. Visit our website at boundary corner. Be d.com to listen to all of our episodes. Also rate review their health. What you like? Also, don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and subscribe to the YouTube Shop. Try YouTube account and wear your favorite podcast Source including Spotify, Amazon and apple, as always, we let our buddy Jason long place in play us out, check him on Spotify and apple music. We thank you for listening. And as always let's go Hokies