DA v. USJ for the DII-A Gold Ball

[chainsaw2]

Not gonna engage-instead I’m simply giving an opinion. I think what trader said was true with one major exception/addition—linemen. Not good size kids, but actual 6-2 260+ lb linemen and at least 5-6 of them. OL and the ability to rotate them on DL as needed. Incredible backs like Eric Gray, Chase Hayden, etc ran behind a big athletic line. Lausanne the last 2 years probably averaged 6-3 290 as they had 2 guys 6-5 320+ last year. Not having the beef up front may get you thru the season, but come playoff and especially championship time, you gotta have them. IMO this is what has kept USJ from a gold ball more than anything. They have had plenty of skill players but have usually lacked size on the line to be physical enough against top teams. 

[Kublah]

24 minutes ago, chainsaw2 said:

Not gonna engage-instead I’m simply giving an opinion. I think what trader said was true with one major exception/addition—linemen. Not good size kids, but actual 6-2 260+ lb linemen and at least 5-6 of them. OL and the ability to rotate them on DL as needed. Incredible backs like Eric Gray, Chase Hayden, etc ran behind a big athletic line. Lausanne the last 2 years probably averaged 6-3 290 as they had 2 guys 6-5 320+ last year. Not having the beef up front may get you thru the season, but come playoff and especially championship time, you gotta have them. IMO this is what has kept USJ from a gold ball more than anything. They have had plenty of skill players but have usually lacked size on the line to be physical enough against top teams. 

It's definitely been the Achilles heel in a few championship games. Ironically enough the one year we had the beef (Trey Smith's senior year) we were probably one skill guy short. Of course Lausanne was a buzz saw...

[Pledgemaster]

3 hours ago, tradertwo said:

Since you brought it up... I was not going to go here, because it will be perceived as a knock on the current players. Add to this years incarnation of the Bruins a QB who can make the throws that Smith could with wheels enough to run, a true RB who can accelerate through the line, a TE with good hands, and you will get your gold ball. Wallace was very capable pounding the ball into the line for short yardage and wearing down opponents, but he wasn't going to gash good defenses for big gains or pop long TD runs like the back they faced Thursday. Just a couple of completions on the long pass attempts in the championship game could have changed the outcome, but a QB who was mobile enough to buy time, or to turn pressures into positive yards would have changed punts to first downs, extended drives, and kept the defense on the sideline. USJ accounted themselves well for what weapons they had, just not enough horsepower to finish the job.

IMO USJ had one of the best TE/H backs around in #24.

[tradertwo]

1 hour ago, chainsaw2 said:

Not gonna engage-instead I’m simply giving an opinion. I think what trader said was true with one major exception/addition—linemen. Not good size kids, but actual 6-2 260+ lb linemen and at least 5-6 of them. OL and the ability to rotate them on DL as needed. Incredible backs like Eric Gray, Chase Hayden, etc ran behind a big athletic line. Lausanne the last 2 years probably averaged 6-3 290 as they had 2 guys 6-5 320+ last year. Not having the beef up front may get you thru the season, but come playoff and especially championship time, you gotta have them. IMO this is what has kept USJ from a gold ball more than anything. They have had plenty of skill players but have usually lacked size on the line to be physical enough against top teams. 

 

36 minutes ago, Pledgemaster said:

IMO USJ had one of the best TE/H backs around in #24.

Yes, the lines on both sides are important. If you're building the "perfect" team they are a major component, but with Browder's preferred offensive formula, winning with what USJ had on the field is not a problem. Like I said, an athletic QB who can read keys, pull the ball and throw or run equally well, and a RB with a good burst will provide multiple concerns for defenses... give Browder options and he will control the game with short passes, screens, and designed QB draws. Conversely, if USJ had a big powerful offensive line, Wallace would probably have been enough of a load to move the sticks, but that's a different kind of offense altogether. 

  I agree with Pledgemaster about #24 too, probably the most complete player on the field for USJ, but he was mostly used as a wideout. The traditional role of "security blanket" settling in behind the LB's and catching outlets when the QB is pressured was my meaning... for what it's worth, if I could go back to August and steal a player for my team from the Bruins, it would have been #24.

Edited December 7, 2019 by tradertwo

[tradertwo]

One last thing... this is what a message board is!!! I really enjoy quality football talk, and lately the 1A/2A boards have degenerated into excessive ragging of other teams, ref shaming, accusations of cheating, and sometimes even genuine animosity between posters... I'm out on that. I genuinely hope that the DII board continues what's been started in the last couple of days into next season.

  Well, it's Saturday night and Cowboy Steakhouse has their froglegs on special... time for me to go be a redneck!!!

[BigEdMo]

1 hour ago, tradertwo said:

 

Yes, the lines on both sides are important. If you're building the "perfect" team they are a major component, but with Browder's preferred offensive formula, winning with what USJ had on the field is not a problem. Like I said, an athletic QB who can read keys, pull the ball and throw or run equally well, and a RB with a good burst will provide multiple concerns for defenses... give Browder options and he will control the game with short passes, screens, and designed QB draws. Conversely, if USJ had a big powerful offensive line, Wallace would probably have been enough of a load to move the sticks, but that's a different kind of offense altogether. 

  I agree with Pledgemaster about #24 too, probably the most complete player on the field for USJ, but he was mostly used as a wideout. The traditional role of "security blanket" settling in behind the LB's and catching outlets when the QB is pressured was my meaning... for what it's worth, if I could go back to August and steal a player for my team from the Bruins, it would have been #24.

You are right. Browder was clicking at scotts hill. Who was that QB again. That is the type of QB he is looking for now. 

[CFAfan]

I can’t wait for next year. This league will be even more top heavy I think. DA, NCS, USJ in that order. I think DA runs away with it to make it 3 in a row. 

[tradertwo]

2 hours ago, BigEdMo said:

You are right. Browder was clicking at scotts hill. Who was that QB again. That is the type of QB he is looking for now. 

Jr. Kimmel was #8. Carter was #14, and though both were effective, Jr. was the one who had the wheels to shred defenses. I think if one isn't "found" soon at USJ, he will make himself one from an athlete coming up the pipeline. Our best line (as a whole) was just better than average, but with creative blocking schemes and multiple threats, they did their job very well. On any given play you had two options to run up the middle, pitching out of the option, threat of #9 running a jet sweep, or throwing the ball... tough to defend even with a dominant defensive line and good linebackers.

[warhawk]

21 hours ago, tradertwo said:

Since you brought it up... I was not going to go here, because it will be perceived as a knock on the current players. Add to this years incarnation of the Bruins a QB who can make the throws that Smith could with wheels enough to run, a true RB who can accelerate through the line, a TE with good hands, and you will get your gold ball. Wallace was very capable pounding the ball into the line for short yardage and wearing down opponents, but he wasn't going to gash good defenses for big gains or pop long TD runs like the back they faced Thursday. Just a couple of completions on the long pass attempts in the championship game could have changed the outcome, but a QB who was mobile enough to buy time, or to turn pressures into positive yards would have changed punts to first downs, extended drives, and kept the defense on the sideline. USJ accounted themselves well for what weapons they had, just not enough horsepower to finish the job.

 I did not perceive it as a knock on the current players ... it’s simply your opinion.   However, in my opinion the talent was there to win a state championship.   The Bruins had all the necessary pieces to win a state championship this season. They came up 1 game short, and there will be differing opinions on if the pieces were put in the right place, and if enough of the pieces were used.  ......      by the way, hope the frog legs were good.   

[tradertwo]

5 minutes ago, warhawk said:

 I did not perceive it as a knock on the current players ... it’s simply your opinion.   However, in my opinion the talent was there to win a state championship.   The Bruins had all the necessary pieces to win a state championship this season. They came up 1 game short, and there will be differing opinions on if the pieces were put in the right place, and if enough of the pieces were used.  ......      by the way, hope the frog legs were good.   

Our opinions really don't differ at all, I'm just using the benefit of hindsight. Refer to my statement " just a couple of completions...could have changed the outcome", and an earlier post where I said that they usually connect on those. Reality is USJ was one dimensional on offense because there was no threat to score running the ball, and to take that thought one step further, they were limited in what they could do to try and run. When you have to operate from the shotgun, and your only option is hand it to a bruising style back 3 yards behind the LOS, you're in trouble against a sound defense (who had one objective, get to that spot on the field).

  In my humble opinion, you will eventually see the benefit of an athletic QB running the style of offense that Browder favors, depending upon what players are available. When that happens, USJ will be much tougher to defend.

[UGA5]

On 12/7/2019 at 6:47 PM, CFAfan said:

I can’t wait for next year. This league will be even more top heavy I think. DA, NCS, USJ in that order. I think DA runs away with it to make it 3 in a row. 

Hard to argue.  DA was still relatively young this year!  Only 3 losses in 3 years

[USJalum88]

1 hour ago, UGA5 said:

Hard to argue.  DA was still relatively young this year!  Only 3 losses in 3 years

No doubt.  DA had a lot of Juniors making plays Thursday. They are the clear favorite.