CU @ Arizona State Thread (11/4, 7PM on Pac-12 Network)

[SINKRATZ]

This came across my social media feed this morning. Obviously this wasn't from yesterday but I hate that this picture exists.

 

[DBT]

I get being mad about the drops. But the lack of adjustments in the second half is ridiculous. First half drops are useless to dwell on once you go up by 10 in the second half. Shorten the game and get out with a win. Instead, we actually seemed intent on making the game much longer, even after it became clear our defense was hanging on by a thread.

Your best player is a RB built for situations like this one. Run. The. ****ing. Ball.

ASU came out in the second half focused on stopping Lindsay. Its easy to say “run the ball”, and I get it. But just running the ball will lead to a lot of 3 and outs. I have an issue with play calling in general. Not just that we didn’t run it. But the way we ran it and threw it. If they are focusing on Lindsay, then use that to your advantage.

 

[4BienemyTDs]

Lindgren sucks.

First Half Lindgren was just fine
Second Half Lindgren sucked eggs

 

[ZandiBuff]

This came across my social media feed this morning. Obviously this wasn't from yesterday but I hate that this picture exists.
View attachment 24207

I hate that the picture is 100% accurate

 

[4BienemyTDs]

Arizona’s receiver’s made spectacular catches. Our receivers had spectacular drops. That shows me the mentality of some of our players.

To go even deeper into that point is that they caught balls that were well covered (but nobody looked back) and the pressure was on the receiver to make the catch because the QB was just throwing a 50/50 ball. Where as our receivers were WIDE open, not covered very well, and the QB put the ball right on the money to the receiver. Many of us have been asking for more back shoulder or 50/50 throws from Montez because we might as well put the pressure on the receivers (those that shall not be named blackout boyz). So, that makes me even more pissed off that everyone acted like Wilkins is or was a good QB!!! He made 2-3 runs that should not have happened if we spy him correctly, and his throws were not accurate, and he just handed it off.

 

[leftybuff]

First Half Lindgren was just fine
Second Half Lindgren sucked eggs

Maybe. The ASU D made adjustments and Lynott went out with an injury. CU's bailing wire and duct tape OL had no way to put together decent blocking and sustain any drive (no quality depth behing the starting 5, 3 of whom graduate). CU ran 50 plays in the first half with no 3 and outs. 33 plays in the second half with three 3 and outs. No Lynott, no OL. PL had 65 of his 80 yards in the 1st half.

As I have said in other posts, next year's OL will be a problem and without PL to boot. Strap in, '18 is going to be a rough ride.

 

[OUBuff]

With only USC and @ Utah left, you can’t really say we’ll pick up another win somewhere along the way, you’ve got to suggest how it’s going to happen. Because ASU was the best option and it’s gone. Could happen of course, just looking sort of dismal given the final 2 games.

I would presume he is suggesting that CU will score more ponints than the one of the other teams in the remaining contests.... I could be wrong.

 

[seattlebuff]

The drops hurt us for sure, but recall that we scored a TD on the possession that Ross dropped his TD. The Fields drop was a killer but we lost because we are 103rd in run defense. Simple as that.

Another thing ... people keep saying we're "this close" to be 7-3. But recall that we could very easily have lost the OSU game. And CSU was way closer than the score - but for 2 questionable OPIs, we might lose that too. So 5-5 is about right for this team. USC run game is gonna truck us, no chance there. Utah will likely be playing for bowl eligibility too, so our chances are slim to none.

 

[ahoelsken]

The drops hurt us for sure, but recall that we scored a TD on the possession that Ross dropped his TD. The Fields drop was a killer but we lost because we are 103rd in run defense. Simple as that.

Another thing ... people keep saying we're "this close" to be 7-3. But recall that we could very easily have lost the OSU game. And CSU was way closer than the score - but for 2 questionable OPIs, we might lose that too. So 5-5 is about right for this team. USC run game is gonna truck us, no chance there. Utah will likely be playing for bowl eligibility too, so our chances are slim to none.

No. Seattle, you're misunderstanding the conversation with the drops-go back to ASU's first half against USC. SC hit a number of big plays against them, and they had a 28 point lead at the half. Game was over at that point. If we convert the balls we drop (let's include the two TD drops....and don't forget about the underthrown wheel route to PL that would have been another TD), we're up double digits at half. Its probably a much different second half at that point.

 

[BuffLuke80]

No. Seattle, you're misunderstanding the conversation with the drops-go back to ASU's first half against USC. SC hit a number of big plays against them, and they had a 28 point lead at the half. Game was over at that point. If we convert the balls we drop (let's include the two TD drops....and don't forget about the underthrown wheel route to PL that would have been another TD), we're up double digits at half. Its probably a much different second half at that point.

If that happened, we could've pounded the rock and called it a night. Unfortunately, didn't work that way.

 

[The Alabaster Yak]

Shay’s drop, Montez’s misfire on PL’s wheel route and MM’s poor clock management at the end of the half are the 3 specific situations that lost the game. If those are all executed properly, it’s a 17 point swing in the first half and ballgame over.

 

[Duff Man]

ASU came out in the second half focused on stopping Lindsay. Its easy to say “run the ball”, and I get it. But just running the ball will lead to a lot of 3 and outs. I have an issue with play calling in general. Not just that we didn’t run it. But the way we ran it and threw it. If they are focusing on Lindsay, then use that to your advantage.

Burning clock is important when your DL is getting whooped.

 

[cu3x]

The drops hurt us for sure, but recall that we scored a TD on the possession that Ross dropped his TD. The Fields drop was a killer but we lost because we are 103rd in run defense. Simple as that.

Another thing ... people keep saying we're "this close" to be 7-3. But recall that we could very easily have lost the OSU game. And CSU was way closer than the score - but for 2 questionable OPIs, we might lose that too. So 5-5 is about right for this team. USC run game is gonna truck us, no chance there. Utah will likely be playing for bowl eligibility too, so our chances are slim to none.

If we didn't pay $1 million to T State and UNC, we'd be 3 - 5. I know everybody does it, but it's bs

 

[aghcsm]

I would presume he is suggesting that CU will score more ponints than the one of the other teams in the remaining contests.... I could be wrong.

I think explaining specifically how we will score more points than either USC or Utah, who on balance have demonstrated more skill at competing successfully against higher levels of competition than the Buffs have, is a challenge.

 

[PAHIBuff]

I think explaining specifically how we will score more points than either USC or Utah, who on balance have demonstrated more skill at competing successfully against higher levels of competition than the Buffs have, is a challenge.

Tons of parity in this conference. The idea that CU is going to lose 3 games in a row is a stretch. No idea HOW it will happen but I'm pretty sure THAT it will happen. It's just kind of an actuarial prediction. Any PAC 12 team can choke against any other PAC 12 team at any time. It's one of the reasons that the conference gets disregarded. And I get that it's true of college football in general, but it's HIGHLY true of the PAC 12.

 

[aghcsm]

Tons of parity in this conference. The idea that CU is going to lose 3 games in a row is a stretch. No idea HOW it will happen but I'm pretty sure THAT it will happen. It's just kind of an actuarial prediction. Any PAC 12 team can choke against any other PAC 12 team at any time. It's one of the reasons that the conference gets disregarded. And I get that it's true of college football in general, but it's HIGHLY true of the PAC 12.

Ok, all true, I’m just not confident and ASU seemed the best chance of the 3 remaining games to me. I wonder if a better term is “inconsistency” than “parity” though. Unless we consider that there’s parity in the inconsistency...

 

[MtnBuff]

Shay’s drop, Montez’s misfire on PL’s wheel route and MM’s poor clock management at the end of the half are the 3 specific situations that lost the game. If those are all executed properly, it’s a 17 point swing in the first half and ballgame over.

Without a bunch of screw ups and with some better focus this team should have been up something like 28-10 or even 31-10 at half. Get a couple more stops early in the second half and ASU no longer has the option of running it down our throats the rest of the game.

I really had the impression that had we given ASU a reason to quit last night they would have. Instead we let them hang in and in the end it was us that lost our will.

 

[aghcsm]

Without a bunch of screw ups and with some better focus this team should have been up something like 28-10 or even 31-10 at half. Get a couple more stops early in the second half and ASU no longer has the option of running it down our throats the rest of the game.

I really had the impression that had we given ASU a reason to quit last night they would have. Instead we let them hang in and in the end it was us that lost our will.

This - definitely.

 

[PAHIBuff]

Ok, all true, I’m just not confident and ASU seemed the best chance of the 3 remaining games to me. I wonder if a better term is “inconsistency” than “parity” though. Unless we consider that there’s parity in the inconsistency...

I agree generally that ASU and Utah both looked like equal chances for a win. But now it looks (temporarily) unlikely to some folks because of the Utes' big win over UCLA.

 

[ahoelsken]

I agree generally that ASU and Utah both looked like equal chances for a win. But now it looks (temporarily) unlikely to some folks because of the Utes' big win over UCLA.

I cited this example after last week-Cal beats Wazzu by 34. Wazzu shuts us out. We had our way with Cal. What happened last week means nothing this week, and this week will be as irrelevant when we kick against SC next week as last week was at 7pm last night. Enough of the "Oh my god, Utah blew UCLA out, so therefore we should be pissing ourselves at the thought of playing them."

 

[PAHIBuff]

I cited this example after last week-Cal beats Wazzu by 34. Wazzu shuts us out. We had our way with Cal. What happened last week means nothing this week, and this week will be as irrelevant when we kick against SC next week as last week was at 7pm last night. Enough of the "Oh my god, Utah blew UCLA out, so therefore we should be pissing ourselves at the thought of playing them."

Yeah, that's what I meant. The PAC 12 is the ultimate proof of the financial disclaimer "Past results are no guarantee of future performance".

 

[Gary Indiana]

Just watched the game on DVR. Not reading through this thread because I’m sure it’s ridiculous, but in my opinion the loss comes down to two things-

-being forced to start Wigley with Oliver out again

-the Lynott injury which forced us to have to play Kaiser. I have never seen someone pretty much single handedly lose the game for their team. ASU did whatever they wanted to him all night, including the blocked punt.

 

[sackman]

I think ASU was looking for a reason to pack it in. We never gave them one.

 

[aghcsm]

I cited this example after last week-Cal beats Wazzu by 34. Wazzu shuts us out. We had our way with Cal. What happened last week means nothing this week, and this week will be as irrelevant when we kick against SC next week as last week was at 7pm last night. Enough of the "Oh my god, Utah blew UCLA out, so therefore we should be pissing ourselves at the thought of playing them."

IMO Utah’s most notable games were playing well @USC and AZ (pre-Tate), and v UCLA at home; and playing poorly at home v ASU. Other than the ASU loss (which was quite bad) they’ve been fairly consistent. The next 2 games with the Washingtons will be interesting, but only relevant in that they will set the degree to which Utah is motivated to make a bowl game.

 

[buffs04]

Tons of parity in this conference. The idea that CU is going to lose 3 games in a row is a stretch. No idea HOW it will happen but I'm pretty sure THAT it will happen. It's just kind of an actuarial prediction. Any PAC 12 team can choke against any other PAC 12 team at any time. It's one of the reasons that the conference gets disregarded. And I get that it's true of college football in general, but it's HIGHLY true of the PAC 12.

Speaking from a purely logical perspective, it is absolutely bizarre to refer to events that have already happened when talking about the probability of streaks. Given your posting history in the politics forum, however, it doesn't surprise me that you seem to think that the fact that CU already lost consecutive games means that it is somehow less likely that they lose the next one...

 

[PAHIBuff]

Speaking from a purely logical perspective, it is absolutely bizarre to refer to events that have already happened when talking about the probability of streaks. Given your posting history in the politics forum, however, it doesn't surprise me that you seem to think that the fact that CU already lost consecutive games means that it is somehow less likely that they lose the next one...

Blah blah blah...

 

[DBT]

Burning clock is important when your DL is getting whooped.

Yep. That’s why getting first downs is important.

 

[Duff Man]

Yep. That’s why getting first downs is important.

So after the Buffs went up by 10 with just under 5 minutes to go in the third quarter, the Buffs proceeded to pass the ball 13 times and run it 6 times. They picked up two first downs before the last drive.

In the last four drives, TOP was:

1:18 (3 plays), 2:35 (5 plays), 1:29 (5 plays), 2:36 (6 plays)

What exactly WAS working to inexplicably go pass heavy? Outside of the one long pass play to Lindsay, the offense did very little AND managed to slow the game down. Terrible playcalling to protect a lead.

 

[Always BUFF]

First Half Lindgren was just fine
Second Half Lindgren sucked eggs

This is an understatement

 

[Always BUFF]

So after the Buffs went up by 10 with just under 5 minutes to go in the third quarter, the Buffs proceeded to pass the ball 13 times and run it 6 times. They picked up two first downs before the last drive.

In the last four drives, TOP was:

1:18 (3 plays), 2:35 (5 plays), 1:29 (5 plays), 2:36 (6 plays)

What exactly WAS working to inexplicably go pass heavy? Outside of the one long pass play to Lindsay, the offense did very little AND managed to slow the game down. Terrible playcalling to protect a lead.

ASU made adjustments vs the run and unfortunately the mix of pass and run went out the window. I will say this, ASU 's secondary was not good and for the most part I had no problem with the longer pass plays called, after all we did have a couple of 40+ yders dropped. Rather go long than the dink and dunks that become so predictable and eventually jumped.