Playing with a lead

[Tsakoi]

Teams come out and Butler is able to stymie them early on. We build a lead. By about halftime the opposing QB tells their OC that their WRs just aren't open because we have good CBs. Their OC tells him to make 1 or 2 reads and then take off. (Sorsby, Chiles, Maiava, Imatranfering) They seem to be able to run for a 1st down on a 3rd and long scramble. (Seriously, does anyone have time to check how many times a long down and distance conversion happened that way against us by each opponent in the 2nd half?) We are actually getting teams right where we want them but these QBs are able to pull a 3rd and 9/10/13 out of their ass. Because if they didn't we would be in total command. Game that looks over isn't over yet and remains close until the end.

 

[Quint]

I won’t say this verbatim, but Rhule has basically said most of our conference games are going to be close. It’s annoying considering a lot of them don’t need to be this way.

I envy the Cignetti’s ability to instill the will to crush the opponent. He expects to destroy the other team. Our coach expects a tight game. Not saying that are issues are as simple as adjusting our mentality, but it would be a start.

Honestly I think he understands where we are today and what our current ceiling is.

He knows we’re not blowing out conference opponents this year, wants to mentally prepare the team (and to a lesser extent the fans) and not have there be a letdown when the promised blow out doesn’t happen. You prepare a team to go into a game with the mindset that you’re just going to blow the opposing teams doors off and when it doesn’t happen, you’ve got a problem on your hands.

Long term, yes, we have to be able to blow out the teams we have significant advantages against and not have those games become four quarter games because we’re OK with that.

 

[Alcaus]

Honestly I think he understands where we are today and what our current ceiling is.

He knows we’re not blowing out conference opponents this year, wants to mentally prepare the team (and to a lesser extent the fans) and not have there be a letdown when the promised blow out doesn’t happen. You prepare a team to go into a game with the mindset that you’re just going to blow the opposing teams doors off and when it doesn’t happen, you’ve got a problem on your hands.

Long term, yes, we have to be able to blow out the teams we have significant advantages against and not have those games become four quarter games because we’re OK with that.

I agree with this. I think there's a psychology at play to train the team to succeed under duress while protecting a lead.

 

[SoCal_Corn]

He did say in his press conference that when you're up like that, the easiest way to blow a team out is to get a takeaway. Which we don't get a ton of takeaways. But he did say that's the next step in our program's progession.

Starts at about the 15:10 mark.

^THIS^

We needed probably ONE takeaway (and SCORE) in those games in the OP to put our foot on the throat.

We just dont get those.

What we do get is the DEF then allowing a bounceback TD drive by the opponent to get back close again, or just back in the game.

 

[Quint]

I agree with this. I think there's a psychology at play to train the team to succeed under duress while protecting a lead.

I haven’t agreed with 100% of what Rhule has said, done, etc., but there is a purpose in all he does, and in this case IMO it’s exactly what you stated.

We’ve gone from getting our asses kicked under Frost, to close losses under Rhule, now to close wins and the next progression is kicking asses.

Walk before you run and I suspect we’ll be running in the next two years.

 

[Flabio]

They are going to work on this in year four. #trusttheprocess

 

[Cornicator]

And that’s why he didn’t last in the NFL.

NFL coaches absolutely want to stomp on peoples throat and run it up with no regard but you just don’t see it as much since there is more parity.

There’s always a game or two a year where the Lions will get up big and Dan Campbell will be calling halfback passes and ridiculous stuff like that even when up multiple touchdowns.

Not really. He didn't last in the NFL because he coached for one of the worst organizations and owners in professional sports. I seriously think they might lose out to end the season and finish around 5-12.

Secondly, most NFL games are decided in the final minutes of the 4th quarter. Blowouts do happen, but that league has the more parity than any other professional league in the World.

 

[BorWhiskey]

Some of this thread is legit curiosity and that is totally fine. I don’t intend to direct my following vinegar toward you. But Some of it is people whining about how a win in a P2 conference looks. This “Stomping on the throat” rhetoric is nonsense.

The game plan was to win the game. We’re not playing for anything other than the win column. The games flowed in all kinds of different directions. For example, I don’t think it was conservative play calling that lead us to falling behind against UMD and MSU. Or putting the ball in the hands of NW in FG range to take the lead. It was the common, everyday shit that happens in football. But we won each game.

UCLA went about as perfect as you could hope for. We bled the clock. We made them bleed the clock. And we won. Regardless of them scoring the last 14 points it felt like we were in control the entire time.

My main point is I don’t think we can make sweeping judgements, or in most cases, guesses, about our staff and their philosophy because we had leads and those leads got smaller. We’re not a top 5 program where you see that kind of consistency in dominating their opponents. Instead of complaining that we aren’t as tough as people on the internet, we should be happy that the coaches and players got the W.

 

[V-Doub]

Because we’re good, but we’re not great.