The first game of B1G Ten play and they played a physical Rutgers squad who competed. They gutted out a win, while at times flashing signs of a balanced threat offense. Several things I noticed that the film will back-up.
- The WRs route running is improving. That's an encouraging sign because that means the QB just has to step up and make the throws.
- Sketchy 2nd Half playcalling shows Cade's role is the manage the game. I posted during last week's game how it was obvious that there are just some throws JJ can make that opens up the playbook in ways that scare defenses. Today's game reinforces that belief. Cade does have tendencies to have bad mechanics and not step into throws the way he should. He's been doing that since high school. Still does it.
- Neither line played well today. The O-Line missed several assignments and didn't get off the ball the way they did the first few weeks. The D-Line was atrocious in how they were not reacting to the snap of the ball until well after the play had started. That allowed Rutgers's O-Line to set up their connecting blocks with little to no trouble. It is virtually impossible to stop the run in that situation especially against an RPO-style offense and exasperated by the defense fielding young, inexperienced LBs.
- Tackling was also a major problem lost in the frustration of everything else that was taking place. The defense missed more tackles this week than the first three games combined. I'm not sure if anyone on the defense grades out well for this week.
- Rutgers targeted Mullings the moment Ross went out with the injury. They repeated ran that zone delay at him and he continuously either misread the play or simply failed to tackle. He was basically out there playing two-hand touch today with that club on his finger.
- Film session will be good for these guys. They faced true adversity and that tends to help stimulate growth if you respond to it. The season finale isn't next week so we should have a measure of expectation that the team will continue to grow.
- People are right that we didn't challenge the edge nearly enough. Funny, because you heard Blackledge calling all game for the jet sweeps and getting AJ Henning involved offensively. I get the feeling Gattis only likes to call those types of plays if they are in terrific down-and-distance situations which weren't often today.
- Lessons to be learned, humility one of them. The guys dug in when they had to and got the W which absolutely shouldn't be overlooked. The sky isn't falling because a non-ranked preseason team with serious question marks in nearly every area of the team faces some difficulties. Keeping things in perspective.
