Game Thoughts: WVU

[cyclone1209]

Offense

• Hunter D. was just smooth all day long. 2 td's no picks 67% completion. His game gets instantly elevated with the threat of a run game.
• Speaking of which, I thought Norton was tough and especially strong in the red zone. He needs to be our inside the 10 RB rest of the year, even if Brock gets healthier. He is stronger I feel than our other backs and has enough wiggle in him.
• Deon Silas: tip of the cap to this guy, he busted a big one of 38. We need a running back to get a chunk gain once per game, it opens up the entire offense.
• OL: they were mostly servicable today in pass protection, and hungry at times in the run. Hufford, Miller, Simmons and Downing all opened up holes. I feel like Jake Remsberg is still getting his sea legs after missing so much time.
• Hutchinson: find me a better WR in america right now, guy deserves the Blitnikoff.
• I also liked to see Darren Wilson get an important third down catch, Hannika had another TD as our go to TE, Easton Dean is finally starting to make plays. This offense just seemed to find some confidence finally (albeit against a crap team)
• Negatives: not many. I will say Jaylin Noel is staring to make it routine to disappear in some games, he had a nice reverse but like 2 drops today and one where he wanted to avoid contact. I'm starting to get less and less bullish on him if I am being honest.

Defense

• Will McDonald played his ass off today, .5 sack but many disruptive plays. MJ Anderson had a great sack, he can be the centerpiece of this defense next year, just a relentless player love his motor.
• Anthony Johnson with another pick, he continues to move up draft boards as a flex safety as an nfl prospect
• TJ Tampa - nobody can outrun this guy, nobody. What a player.
• LBs I feel McClaughlin is always in the right spot (although he shared time with Reeder today). Reeder was solid today and made some key tackles
• We lose Will and Isiah Lee but I feel this defense can be very, very good yet again next year. Dominique Orange is a behemoth of a man.

Special Teams

• Dear Iowa State ST: when Jaylin Noel lets 6 plus punts over the course of the year fly over his head and choosing not to fair catch, causing us to start drives inside our 10 yard line, it is time to find someone else. This is an outrage. I do not get why he is above benching. He never gets a solid return at punt return (today he even almost botched a kick return bumping into someone), his play in my eyes should force PR to go to Myles Purchase, Stanley, or good God anyone else. I can't watch anymore and it is confusing they continue to let this happen. This some games will cost us 25 yards plus.

 

[ClonerJams]

I think Noel has a lot of potential and definitely showed it the prior two games, but when I hear people say he's better than Deshaunte Jones I get irrationally upset because people forget how good Deshaunte was.

 

[isufbcurt]

Offense

• Hunter D. was just smooth all day long. 2 td's no picks 67% completion. His game gets instantly elevated with the threat of a run game.
• Speaking of which, I thought Norton was tough and especially strong in the red zone. He needs to be our inside the 10 RB rest of the year, even if Brock gets healthier. He is stronger I feel than our other backs and has enough wiggle in him.
• Deon Silas: tip of the cap to this guy, he busted a big one of 38. We need a running back to get a chunk gain once per game, it opens up the entire offense.
• OL: they were mostly servicable today in pass protection, and hungry at times in the run. Hufford, Miller, Simmons and Downing all opened up holes. I feel like Jake Remsberg is still getting his sea legs after missing so much time.
• Hutchinson: find me a better WR in america right now, guy deserves the Blitnikoff.
• I also liked to see Darren Wilson get an important third down catch, Hannika had another TD as our go to TE, Easton Dean is finally starting to make plays. This offense just seemed to find some confidence finally (albeit against a crap team)
• Negatives: not many. I will say Jaylin Noel is staring to make it routine to disappear in some games, he had a nice reverse but like 2 drops today and one where he wanted to avoid contact. I'm starting to get less and less bullish on him if I am being honest.

Defense

• Will McDonald played his ass off today, .5 sack but many disruptive plays. MJ Anderson had a great sack, he can be the centerpiece of this defense next year, just a relentless player love his motor.
• Anthony Johnson with another pick, he continues to move up draft boards as a flex safety as an nfl prospect
• TJ Tampa - nobody can outrun this guy, nobody. What a player.
• LBs I feel McClaughlin is always in the right spot (although he shared time with Reeder today). Reeder was solid today and made some key tackles
• We lose Will and Isiah Lee but I feel this defense can be very, very good yet again next year. Dominique Orange is a behemoth of a man.

Special Teams

• Dear Iowa State ST: when Jaylin Noel lets 6 plus punts over the course of the year fly over his head and choosing not to fair catch, causing us to start drives inside our 10 yard line, it is time to find someone else. This is an outrage. I do not get why he is above benching. He never gets a solid return at punt return (today he even almost botched a kick return bumping into someone), his play in my eyes should force PR to go to Myles Purchase, Stanley, or good God anyone else. I can't watch anymore and it is confusing they continue to let this happen. This some games will cost us 25 yards plus.

Agree with everything except the last paragraph - They were line drive rugby style punts and the coaches tell them if they can't be caught cleanly just let them go. Also, this is the exact reason so many coaches like having rugby style punters because they made the punts more tricky to catch.

 

[Malty Flannel]

Dekkers is so much better when he’s mobile. Loved seeing him scramble a bit and he keeps his eyes downfield well. The speed option was a nice addition to the playbook as well. Overall Dekkers was utilized much better today by the play calling, and he was obviously told this week to be less hesitant to scramble around a bit on drop backs.

I worry in this NIL era about keeping Orange, Freyler, Purchase and Tampa all on the roster next year, but I feel like the D is absolutely stacked for the next couple years.

I think Noel has some contact jitters and also some jitters catching punts. He avoids them both

Overall I’m not sure how much to take away from a bad WVU team that spent half the game extremely unmotivated. None the less it was great to have our first win, plus a relatively stress free one, since September

 

[clonedude]

Agree with everything except the last paragraph - They were line drive rugby style punts and the coaches tell them if they can't be caught cleanly just let them go. Also, this is the exact reason so many coaches like having rugby style punters because they made the punts more tricky to catch.

Were they really rugby style punts? I don't remember that? I know two of them today landed right next to him.... and then rolled another 20 yds or so it seemed. We lost a ton of yardage today because of him unable to field punts.

 

[isufbcurt]

Were they really rugby style punts? I don't remember that? I know two of them today landed right next to him.... and then rolled another 20 yds or so it seemed. We lost a ton of yardage today because of him unable to field punts.

Yes the ones he let go were rugby style line drives. The ones that weren't line drives he caught with no problem.

 

[clonedude]

Dekkers is so much better when he’s mobile. Loved seeing him scramble a bit and he keeps his eyes downfield well. The speed option was a nice addition to the playbook as well. Overall Dekkers was utilized much better today by the play calling, and he was obviously told this week to be less hesitant to scramble around a bit on drop backs.

I worry in this NIL era about keeping Orange, Freyler, Purchase and Tampa all on the roster next year, but I feel like the D is absolutely stacked for the next couple years.

I think Noel has some contact jitters and also some jitters catching punts. He avoids them both

Overall I’m not sure how much to take away from a bad WVU team that spent half the game extremely unmotivated. None the less it was great to have our first win, plus a relatively stress free one, since September

Playcalling was a bit better today it seemed. More like the Texas game. But of course the next game after Texas we went right back to the horrible playcalling again. Hopefully we don't revert back next week to the old playbook.

 

[clonedude]

Yes the ones he let go were rugby style line drives. The ones that weren't line drives he caught with no problem.

If he can't catch rugby style punts that land right next to him.... then maybe we should find someone who can.... or is willing to do so? It just kills us.

I remember when Lazard fair caught every punt.... but at least he caught them all it seemed. That would be preferable to what we have now.

 

[State2015]

Dekkers is so much better when he’s mobile. Loved seeing him scramble a bit and he keeps his eyes downfield well. The speed option was a nice addition to the playbook as well. Overall Dekkers was utilized much better today by the play calling, and he was obviously told this week to be less hesitant to scramble around a bit on drop backs.

I worry in this NIL era about keeping Orange, Freyler, Purchase and Tampa all on the roster next year, but I feel like the D is absolutely stacked for the next couple years.

I think Noel has some contact jitters and also some jitters catching punts. He avoids them both

Overall I’m not sure how much to take away from a bad WVU team that spent half the game extremely unmotivated. None the less it was great to have our first win, plus a relatively stress free one, since September

Amen. Made me really worry about losing some of these guys next year. Stepped up my We Will donation but still concerned about losing some of these guys that could give next year some real potential…

 

[CyGuy5]

It felt like a really ugly game up until the 4th quarter. Not sure that I really feel like we improved that much or anything, more WVU rolled over. I feel like a Debbie downer but that’s just where I’m at at this point. Either way, it’s just nice to win one

 

[LarryISU]

Yes the ones he let go were rugby style line drives. The ones that weren't line drives he caught with no problem.

Well then if you are the punt returner, practice catching line drive punts. It's your job!!

We lost 40 to 50 yards of field position. Win in the margins? This will cost us against better teams.

 

[clonedude]

Well then if you are the punt returner, practice catching line drive punts. It's your job!!

We lost 40 to 50 yards of field position. Win in the margins? This will cost us against better teams.

Exactly! Other teams seem to do it fine. No excuses why we can't.... unless we really have nobody on our entire roster that can do it. If the ball lands basically right next to you.... there's no reason you can't wave your hand and catch it.

And don't get me started on punting and kicking. I tune in to some FCS level games nearly every week... and they all seem to have better punters and kickers than we have too. I just don't get it?

 

[AuH2O]

As uninspiring as the first half offense was, the fourth quarter was excellent.

Had a few bad plays of pass protection vs a 3 man rush, but they definitely turned it on late. Getting the running game going really got the OL on the attack. Great to see.

What else can you say about this defense? 7 points in meaningful minutes. This D is so good.

 

[istate2022]

Our defense is legit. Our offense sucks. It was really hard to watch the first 3 quarters on O.

 

[Jer]

CMC was yelling at Noel after the second kick so it wasn’t the coaches telling him not to field the kicks.

 

[cyatheart]

Think this might be the best defense I have seen at Iowa state, just loaded everywhere. It's really amazing we haven't won more as good as they are.

Thought Hunter looked better today.

I didn't see much improvement from the o line, their pass pro is fine but they were awful in the run game fir 3 quarters.

 

[Malty Flannel]

Playcalling was a bit better today it seemed. More like the Texas game. But of course the next game after Texas we went right back to the horrible playcalling again. Hopefully we don't revert back next week to the old playbook.

I’m not sure what Spencer Sanders’ injury status is but if he’s out again next week we absolutely should steal one down in Stillwater. A bad KU defense feasted on that freshman QB today

 

[clonedude]

CMC was yelling at Noel after the second kick so it wasn’t the coaches telling him not to field the kicks.

Even the crowd finally cheered for him when he finally caught one. It was bad.

 

[IsUaClone2]

Agree with everything except the last paragraph - They were line drive rugby style punts and the coaches tell them if they can't be caught cleanly just let them go. Also, this is the exact reason so many coaches like having rugby style punters because they made the punts more tricky to catch.

I also wondered if the sun was making it risky.

 

[IsUaClone2]

I also thought the double-reverse and pitch-option runs helped open up the defense.