I hope that Faison playing spring football
will pay dividends. He's one of the best athletes (maybe the best) on the team. Developing better chemistry with Carr would help. Faison only had 50 yards receiving in the first two games (though obviously the quality of the opponent factors into it) and 590 in the remaining 10 games. I hope we have a reliable big-bodied receiver who can force teams in match-up problems. Fields did pretty well in that respect last year but I'm hoping for better this year.
I'm not sure what the right answer is on 3rd and 4th and short. In 2024 it was easy -- have Leonard run the ball. Last year, I was among those moaning about the Wildcat. Teams always seemed to find the right gap to plug. I don't know if we telegraphed it or what. I also didn't understand leaving Carr on the field as a WR. It seemed to me to defeat the idea of getting a +1.
If you basically tell the other team that the play is going to be a give to a TB it's pretty hard to gain two yards between the tackles assuming you have an opponent of major conference quality. One advantage Leonard (or any running QB) had or has is that he's standing up when he gets the ball so he can more easily see where the creases are. There was one play in a playoff game where the play was designed to go to the left but a crease opened the right and Leonard galloped for about 25 yards.
I'm really high on Williams. Rewatching the highlights of the PSU game, we would not have won that game but for him. He came up large both in the passing and the running game. I'm glad he stuck around after basically not playing last year. I'm sure he had big NIL offers elsewhere.
I really hope we identify a QB2 and get him some meaningful action early on. If Carr gets dinged we need someone who can run more than 20% of the playbook.
--
"Somewhere in Middle America"
Complete thread:
- Pre-Pre-Season Musings -
Mike (bart),
2026-07-08, 06:36
- The fix for #1 - KGB, 2026-07-08, 17:11
- I hope that Faison playing spring football - omahadomer, 2026-07-08, 15:54
- This was bursting to come out with all the soccer talk, huh? -
cdawg,
2026-07-08, 15:29
- TE blocking is another factor. -
KGB,
2026-07-08, 17:26
- That's a really good point - Mike (bart), 2026-07-08, 17:53
- Do we have any outside runs aside from the odd toss? - Mike (bart), 2026-07-08, 17:15
- TE blocking is another factor. -
KGB,
2026-07-08, 17:26
- On #1 -
Domer99,
2026-07-08, 11:15
- HR kinda mailed it below -
Mike (bart),
2026-07-08, 11:41
- But that still doesn't register with me -
Domer99,
2026-07-08, 15:17
- here's how I see it - HumanRobot, 2026-07-09, 07:18
- HR is always mailing it (in)
-
Jay,
2026-07-08, 11:49
- But that still doesn't register with me -
Domer99,
2026-07-08, 15:17
- HR kinda mailed it below -
Mike (bart),
2026-07-08, 11:41
- on #1 -
HumanRobot,
2026-07-08, 07:09
- I think Denbrock and Rudolph have joint responsibility here - San Pedro, 2026-07-08, 16:14
- Denbrock was also slow to give up on the wildcat -
Jeff (BGS),
2026-07-08, 09:15
- I was always fine with it but we seemed to have 1 play. -
Chris,
2026-07-08, 09:20
- They should have kept it - Mike (bart), 2026-07-08, 09:53
- I was always fine with it but we seemed to have 1 play. -
Chris,
2026-07-08, 09:20
- 100%. Terrible overreaction by Denbrock -
Mike (bart),
2026-07-08, 07:53
- I'm not a huge fan of 2RB -
HumanRobot,
2026-07-08, 11:01
- As a context specific package -
Mike (bart),
2026-07-08, 12:03
- more heresy -
HumanRobot,
2026-07-08, 12:55
- Agreed. It's definitely a Denbrock weak spot - Mike (bart), 2026-07-08, 13:06
- more heresy -
HumanRobot,
2026-07-08, 12:55
- wash your mouth out - Jay, 2026-07-08, 11:51
- As a context specific package -
Mike (bart),
2026-07-08, 12:03
- I'm not a huge fan of 2RB -
HumanRobot,
2026-07-08, 11:01