So What? What’s on the menu? 04.22.2009

Judging a spring game to a season is remnant of judging a restaurant by the menu. Hmmm, it looks appetizing. But how is the service? Presentation? Will we be able to have dessert or perhaps a cocktail?

But, the spring game is fun and it brings excitement to a hungry football audience. It gives you the opportunity to preview a full meal and perhaps sample a bit of the menu. The Spring Game… ala carte of course.

So what did it reveal? Not much: Because as you know, it is only a sampling of modest proportions. Yet, the menu looked good and some of the items look very appealing especially if compared to last year’s cafeteria specials.

First, the offense: Judging from a run game that averaged 3.3 yards per carry last year, the offense served up 1.2 yards more than that average and totaling 253 yards on the ground. Not bad in a game where you don’t want to so too much, as we are led to believe.

Did the offensive line make a difference? I’ll illustrate some things on that subject. It makes it easier.


In this capture, Armando Allen just reaches the line of scrimmage (black line) with two defenders squaring him up – he chooses to run strong between them. They hit him at the +4 yards, but…

He goes down four more yards after impact (black line).

Only one person in the front seven was available to tackle him. Had Chris Stewart pull off his double block of a guy Dan Wenger had control of, he could have easily taken the Mike LB out of the play. Regardless, this is improvement. The line dominated the push in the opposite direction of the run. Just like Coach Verducci stressed in practice. Neither the RB’s nor the OL executed like this three months ago. Good job!

Here’s another running play. Look where the OL’men are…three are two yards down field while the others contained their blocks outside.

Robert Hughes (circled) takes the ball, doesn’t dazzle or shift, but powers forward in the hole. He gets tackled just past where Michael Floyd is about to lay a block (arrow) on his defender. Floyd effectively removed that defender from the play. Good job!

It looks like these kids have been coached.

I’m shocked that the call for Nate Montana as "our QB" wasn't hurled across cyber space. After all he threw the longest completion of the game. Then again, I quit Blue & Gold Illustrated months ago, so I wouldn’t know. Keep in mind, Mike Ragone, caught that ball against the 3rd team defense (quick, can you name one player?) and was as open as a Denny’s restaurant. Good job, but he should have made that pass. Ragone should have been in the end zone, but his legs do not look 100%. Good job, but get those legs healthy, Mike.

But Jimmy Clausen is the starter. There’s no reason for him not to be. He didn’t throw better than 50%, but the offense ran the ball over 50 times. His interception felt like a recurring nightmare. The video that was available leaves more mystery than conclusion. Did John Goodman run the route wrong? Did he do a poor job of getting Robert Blanton off the play? Maybe Blanton just made an exception play. Did Clausen just flat out mess up? Who knows? But, it was an avoidable interception non-the-less. Someone needs to be made aware of something by someone. The good news is it happened now and not against the real opponent.

As for the defensive line, I can only comment on what I heard. The video that was available didn’t showcase much defensively outside of the interception. However, the news seems to be surrounding Ethan Johnson, Tyler Stockton, and the leading tackler in the game Zeke Motta: one sophomore, and two freshmen. Something is cooking in the kitchen. But, Blanton was the BMOC defensively. He covered Floyd and Golden Tate (who left the game at halftime, btw). The kid looks like he plays two positions at the same time! I’ll be shocked if he’s not a starter.

So, I hope we enjoy the appetizer. The chefs are sitting down, reviewing tape, strategy, trying to create some recipes that will make the audience savor for more, while the opponents are feed the table scraps. Dinner won’t begin until September 5th. I don’t know what will be served up, but I really like the ingredients.