Davidson IMO is a toss-up next Saturday despite being blown out by Morehead today. They also beat Campbell (28-21) and were fairly competitive with Butler last week (20-31) and Jacksonville the week before (24-34) the Campbell win.
Valpo can win IF... they (1) stop Davidson's first drive and establish a winning tone (2) don't fumble away a ball for a TD on their first drive, (3) don't commit a slew of stupid penalties, (4) run the ball effectively (encore, Mr. Hudson!) (5) play smart (don't try to block a punt in Q4 when you're up 2 scores and wind up giving them the ball back). The coaches control 4 out of the 5 through detailed preparation, sound game time coaching and good play selection. But my fear is that this will be a repeat of 2011, because the momentum of the win will not be properly optimized, and Davidson will capitalize on Valpo mistakes.
Valpo has been competitive in only two PFL games this season -- Drake (L) and Campbell (W). In both they established the run.
I think being successful at both the run & pass was the key. Hoffman was 21 of 23 in pass completion for 200 yards and Hutson (where did he come from?) was 248 rushing yards. Now if we go up against a tougher defense in Davidson can the football Crusaders sustain that momentum?
Maybe the O-Line is beginning to work as a unit, which gave Hoffman the time for 21 of 23, and Hutson the great yardage he came away with in this game. I believe Hutson has started the last 4 games, with about 470 yards in those games. Did I read the box score for Cambell right - are we now running a 3-5 defense?
Hats off to the players and coaches on a winless team for digging out from an early 0-14 start in the first quarter. That takes guts.
It probably doesn't and shouldn't change the big picture. But they really had nothing but pride to motivate them.
All winning streaks start somewhere. Valpo shocks Davidson next Saturday with a 27-26 victory.
If Hoffman and Hutson are the real deal, and hold onto the ball, and our new 3-5 defense continues to play well...
Valpo 34
Davidson 20
I'm trying to be realistic. I don't think Valpo football is quite there yet. I do think Coach Carlson gets one more year with a chance to earn more years.
Davidson 45
Valpo 44
in OT
Valpo 24
John Davidson 21
(ring the bell baby!)
Carlson then gets tenure.
FYI
DAVIDSON OPPONENTS
Rushing/game 52 232
Passing/game 285 196
TOTALS 337 428
Davidson can't stop the run and they love to pass. Their QB set the school career record for passing in a losing cause against Morehead this past Saturday. Their run game is an anemic 52 yds/game. So.........
The D has to focus on pressuring the QB, forcing pics or incompletions and ....
Between Hudson/Somerville (and maybe Ali El?) running the ball and eating up the clock and Hoffman throwing no risk passes, this could be another win.
VU 35
Davidson 27
Coming off a good performance against a similarly poor team, I see us pulling this one out at home. As long as we prevent the long bomb:
Valpo 34 (missed extra point)
Davidson 24
Quote from: valpotx on November 05, 2012, 03:19:16 AM
Coming off a good performance against a similarly poor team, I see us pulling this one out at home. As long as we prevent the long bomb:
Valpo 34 (missed extra point)
Davidson 24
Missed how? Did the kicker forget to go onto the field? A five yard penalty, and VU still can't find the kicker, goes for two, and misses the extra point?
Hmm, this could be the new prediction method...
It seems like something always happens, so however we don't get the try, we will miss one :)
Quote from: covufan on November 05, 2012, 11:04:06 AM
Missed how? Did the kicker forget to go onto the field? A five yard penalty, and VU still can't find the kicker, goes for two, and misses the extra point?
Hmm, this could be the new prediction method...
Kicker was on the field. Shanked it wide left I believe.
Quote from: VULB#62 on November 05, 2012, 12:13:34 PM
Quote from: covufan on November 05, 2012, 11:04:06 AM
Missed how? Did the kicker forget to go onto the field? A five yard penalty, and VU still can't find the kicker, goes for two, and misses the extra point?
Hmm, this could be the new prediction method...
Kicker was on the field. Shanked it wide left I believe.
Yea, the kicking issues have been well...interesting. It's my understanding they couldn't find the kicker during one series, couldn't find the holder on another, and just shanked an extra point. Missing the extra point, while not good is an excusable physical mistake. Not knowing you need to be on field for a field goal...unacceptable. How is that even possible?
Quote from: milanmiracle on November 05, 2012, 12:54:10 PM
Yea, the kicking issues have been well...interesting. It's my understanding they couldn't find the kicker during one series, couldn't find the holder on another, and just shanked an extra point. Missing the extra point, while not good is an excusable physical mistake. Not knowing you need to be on field for a field goal...unacceptable. How is that even possible?
I was watching the stream (although I missed the first part of the 3rd quarter) and didn't notice any lost kicker issues on the sideline. I don't recall the announcers making a to-do about it either.
valpo 56
davidson 14
(is that big enough to get the guys to come through once again? joking about it worked last week - let's see what really happens.)
Quote from: VULB#62 on November 05, 2012, 02:00:16 PM
Quote from: milanmiracle on November 05, 2012, 12:54:10 PM
Yea, the kicking issues have been well...interesting. It's my understanding they couldn't find the kicker during one series, couldn't find the holder on another, and just shanked an extra point. Missing the extra point, while not good is an excusable physical mistake. Not knowing you need to be on field for a field goal...unacceptable. How is that even possible?
I was watching the stream (although I missed the first part of the 3rd quarter) and didn't notice any lost kicker issues on the sideline. I don't recall the announcers making a to-do about it either.
I am referring to earlier games, not specifically this one. ;D
Oh, OK. BTW the kicker has a leg. He kicked the ball out of the end zone on a KO AGAINST the wind. the announcers were flabbergasted. got to get that kid (1) good coaching and (2) an iPad with a reminder application to be ready to kick when the team needs him.
Interesting story on the Valpo athletic site about the game Saturday as well as it being Senior Day. What I found interesting is that in spite of all the problems and turnover that there still are 16 seniors. That's a pretty good size class isn't it? sure, they had more in the freshman class but kids figure out that they better focus on studying to make it through Valpo, or transfer or whatever.
The other part of the story is that the game will be on The Horizon League Network, a rare thing to be able to watch a Valpo home football game live.
http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2012-13/12147/valpo-returns-home-for-senior-day-matchup-with-davidson/ (http://www.valpoathletics.com/football/news/2012-13/12147/valpo-returns-home-for-senior-day-matchup-with-davidson/)
Surprise,surprise,surprise. Someone just informed me that Nate Silver has predicted a Valpo win, or was it Karl Rove? Neverless,I'll pick Davidson by 14. How about Patraeus? Screwing around when Bengahzi lit up. Bye,bye. :crazy:
You really think Karl Rove, if we're ahead by 14 with 5 minutes remaining, will like Valpo killing the clock when there is still time to score one more time before the game is actually over? I mean I'd be content, especially if it has been a tough game, and we could get that kind of lead finished off with confidence in both the offense and the defense.
Here's hoping that the FB team can continue the weekend home streak -- First IU, then GSU and next Davidson. Good luck Crusaders!
7-0 Davidson middle 1st. Direct snap "fake punt" play on 4th and short in their own territory to keep the drive alive early. Tried a 31 yard field goal, but the snap was bobbled, the holder picked it up just before defense could get him, went around left and scored the TD. Inauspicious start for Valpo to say the least.
oren tweeting: "Valparaiso kicking off from Davidson 35 after two personal foul penalties on VU touchdown. Unreal. #ValpoGameDay" can somebody who's been following the game explain this?
Quote from: vuweathernerd on November 10, 2012, 03:32:32 PM
oren tweeting: "Valparaiso kicking off from Davidson 35 after two personal foul penalties on VU touchdown. Unreal. #ValpoGameDay" can somebody who's been following the game explain this?
The announcers couldn't explain it either. I didn't see the kickoff, but did we try to onside kick it?
There were some other questionable calls, that the flag came out late and no good explanation, including a TD for Valpo taken off the board.
Tough loss to another inferior team. Wait till next week. 1-10 on the season? Book it! :'(
That was one of the worst football games I have ever sat through. I have never seen so many bad calls and spots against one school, and to top it off, an absolutely moronic celebration penalty by our team in OT that gives them the ball at our 12 to start their possession. Oh wait, to even top that, we had just missed that extra point, so we lose on a missed XP...you have got to be freaking kidding me.
Has our running attack always started 6 yards behind the line of scrimmage this year? This is the first game I have watched, and starting that far behind the line on every running play is simply not smart.
Unbelievable loss. Horrible officiating. A continuation of our sloppy undisciplined play.
Only saw Davidson's first score of the game and the last score of the game while attending to some work. Two questions: can anyone watching explain Pando's missed extra point (wide, blocked, whatever) and is there any chance that there'll be highlights put online? For the latter, I'd just love to see some of the better plays of the game that I missed while working.
A little bit high of a snap, but recoved in plenty of time, with him pushing it wide. You could see Carlson giving him an earful when he came off after that kick
Quote from: valpotx on November 10, 2012, 04:57:55 PMA little bit high of a snap, but recoved in plenty of time, with him pushing it wide. You could see Carlson giving him an earful when he came off after that kick
Carlson getting on the kicker in OT is really going to make a difference. Unbelievable, then again, we are talking about a coach who has been 2-30. I was listening to parts of the game while I was studying, and Davison was a brutal team that should be an easy win. Heartbreak, man.
Thank goodness USC is back on track.
Quote from: valpotx on November 10, 2012, 04:45:44 PM
That was one of the worst football games I have ever sat through. I have never seen so many bad calls and spots against one school, and to top it off, an absolutely moronic celebration penalty by our team in OT that gives them the ball at our 12 to start their possession.
Watched half on my iPhone till the lightning break and the last part on my Mac at home with sound. I, too, have never seen so many offensive pass interferences called against one team. What bothered me most was that on the recalled TD the ball was caught and then run in from about twenty. The kids began celebrating and I see the back judge go for his flag and throw it a full 5-6 seconds AFTER the TD was scored. And the spot was way back behind the play. On the interception that was negated, the CB was running step for step, the safety came across just like it is written in the playbook, intercepted the ball, and 3 seconds later you see a flag come into the picture from a strange angle -- pass interference on the CB. On the 63 yard punt, Wood was hammered by three (count 'em three) Davidson players. The announcers went berserk (and usually they have been pretty balanced in their commentary) at the 5 yard running into the kicker instead of roughing and an automatic 1st down. The celebration in the end zone in OT was nothing inordinate either, IMO, to warrant that penalty that put Davidson on the 12.5 yard line.
That said, Valpo did not respond to Davidson in the second half in the same manner they attacked Campbell last week. The offense did not establish itself. As far as defense goes, we faced a team that historically all season could only run for 54 yards a game and relies 90% on the QB's arm, yet receivers were left open all second half for long yardage completions. We knew their go-to receiver, and we knew they were running delays across the shallow middle play after play, yet the go-to guy was not doubled and the LBs were dropping too deep to defend the shallow delay and no adjustments were made. In other words, we allowed the game to go to OT, and a missed kick cost us the game. The principle is that you take away what they do best and force the opponent to win doing what they are not good at. We didn't do that -- we gave up 400 passing yards. Davidson, on the other hand, took away our rushing attack (3.4 yards a carry) and forced us to win in it the air and we couldn't.
I've watched the replay (a dozen times) of the offensive interference that negated the Tim Bennett touchdown. It's honestly one of the strangest calls you'll see. Fred Gladney is running a deep post pattern from the slot. At the end of his route he looks back to see if the ball is in the air. As he peaks back at the quarterback the ball is landing in the arms of a wide open Bennett at the sidelines. At that very moment the safety brushes Gladney in a feeble attempt to get to a football he has no shot at. Gladney never saw the safety and clearly didn't initiate contact. As strange as the call was, even more strange was the timing of the flag. Bennett had already run through the back of the end zone when the flag was thrown. I know officials make mistakes (as do announcers), but this call is so strange, I had to watch it 12 times over because I've never seen anything like it.
It's ok to just say that these refs were terrible Chef. I will say it for you. These refs couldn't ref middle school games down here with that performance. Everything you and 62 said happened, and seemed very strange at the time they occurred. Not strange as in,
'crap, we got it called back, what poor luck,' but rather, 'you have got to be kidding me, the play was over 5 seconds ago and now they are throwing a flag????' You were also correct on a lot of the strange spots, as you would see our guy go across the 40 or 45 without being down, but we would get spotted at the 38 and 43 in each instance. I usually give the guys in stripes the benefit of doubt, but they need to choose a new weekend hobby after that performance...
Let's just hope the new contract finally gets ratified and the replacement refs can go back to....., oh wait. Different league. Sorry.
I agree that the refs were sub par but they were bad for both teams. Davidson was not a very good team and this game should not have come down to blaming the refs for the loss. Davidson was the least athletic team Valpo has played so far and I've seen every game. The defense gave up over 500 yards of offense again which will never win games. The offensive play selection was also suspect. Valpos pass completion percentage is high because they don't throw the ball down the field. When its third and five it would be nice to throw the ball six yards instead of backwards on a bubble screen. Jake Hutson carries the ball 28 times against campbell for 248 yards last week and gets 8 carries this week. One of the wide receivers had 5 carries yesterday, tell me whats wrong with this picture! Morehead State dropped 70 points on Davidson two weeks ago, I hope Hutson is in the game plan this week and gets more than eight carries or I can see another blowout coming.
willy, if I remember correctly, Gabe Ali-El was back for this game, so it became a timeshare between him and Hutson. I'm not sure I like the idea of the timeshare, ride the hot streak, even if the #1 at the start of the season is back, keep him down while the backup is hot. Yes, a lot of the coaching decisions have been to blame this season, regardless of which coach made the decision. Sure, the box score shows the two receivers having carries, but unfortunately it seems Coach Carlson is all about Gabe Ali-El, instead of Jake Hutson. I've been talking about changing from Gabe to Jake before, and it was looking good, until Gabe was "healthy" again. I just wish the coaching staff would see that maybe Gabe would be a better fullback, than half-back?
Quote from: valporun on November 11, 2012, 03:01:13 PMwilly, if I remember correctly, Gabe Ali-El was back for this game, so it became a timeshare between him and Hutson. I'm not sure I like the idea of the timeshare, ride the hot streak, even if the #1 at the start of the season is back, keep him down while the backup is hot. Yes, a lot of the coaching decisions have been to blame this season, regardless of which coach made the decision. Sure, the box score shows the two receivers having carries, but unfortunately it seems Coach Carlson is all about Gabe Ali-El, instead of Jake Hutson. I've been talking about changing from Gabe to Jake before, and it was looking good, until Gabe was "healthy" again. I just wish the coaching staff would see that maybe Gabe would be a better fullback, than half-back?
It wasn't a time share at all. Ali-El played a few snaps in the first quarter and that was about it, he ended the game with 3 carries and no receptions. Hutson played the entire game and should have been fed the ball. Hard to understand why a guy who rushes for 248 yards a week earlier isn't used the folowing week!!!!
It's possible Ali-El wasn't in the shape he needed to be, but I'm still saying that the game plan was for them to timeshare, and since the coaching staff doesn't adjust things well, they decided to get away from what worked and try something unexpected, that didn't work as well as hoped. I agree Hutson should be getting the ball more, and I don't know why Coach Carlson doesn't feed it to him consistently. It's like "riding the hot hand" in basketball, why not keep "driving with the right horse" in our running game. Hutson seems to be it, not Ali-El.
I want to take a moment and reflect back on the missed extra point. My reflection comes from someone who actually has kicked extra points and tried to do that at Valpo as a freshman, only to find out that a guy named Bob Lampe could kick it harder and farther. In fact, Bob once hit a field goal from 50 yards.
Now, this might seem odd, old fashioned, old of date and weird, but I'll say it anyway. all those extra points were straight on kicks, no soccer style. In fact Garo Yepremian started the soccer style kicking in 1966 and gradually it became the norm.
Here's the point: The soccer style was adapted because you could develop more power and distance with this style of kicking. Nonetheless, when kicking an extra point, the ball only has to fly about 20 yards, something most of us could do to this day.
When I kicked, my shoe had a built in square toe. All I had to do was hit it somewhere near the middle and it generally flew the required distance. The idea of a "shank" was something religated to golf, not football. Next time you are on a football field, go to one end, back up about 10 yards from the goal line and then look at the goal post. It shouldn't be that hard, a block not withstanding.
I guess what I'm suggesting may seem odd, but, I'll suggest it anyway: For extra points, go back to a straight away kick (with a square toe).
Lampe just won his sixth consecutive men's golf championship at our club here in SC. A good athlete. His son-in-law,Brandon Jacobs,will be positive factor in the 49er's run to the Super Bowl. Book it!
Bob Lampe graduated from Concordia Prep, Bronxville, NY back in the late 60's (I believe). He was playing at Bronxville while I was at Valpo. The Prep no longer exists. He was a do everything QB at the Prep and went to Valpo and payed DB. I played at to the Prep before him (captained the 8-0 1961 team) and also moved on to VU. After VU I returned to Concordia to coach. Missed Lampe but saw film (16 mm of course).
The world is so small.
Not a bad idea, 72. I actually was a straight-on kicker early in high school until losing the job to a better straight-on kicker. As little as we kick, an old school kicker for XPs and the few chip shots we try shouldn't be much of a detriment at all.
Also, to note back on the game that brings on this discussion, this was our first overtime game since VU-Davidson on Homecoming 2008 which we won 35-29. We scored first, David Hamaker missed the PAT wide left, and Anthony Curry intercepted the Wildcats to preserve the lead and gain the win. That was the first Crusader football game I ever attended, and I believe the only VUFB win I've ever seen in person. We were down big early, came back in the 2nd half, won it in OT, and the team stormed the field. It was a great day.
Quote from: VULB#62 on November 11, 2012, 07:21:58 PM
Bob Lampe graduated from Concordia Prep, Bronxville, NY back in the late 60's (I believe). He was playing at Bronxville while I was at Valpo. The Prep no longer exists. He was a do everything QB at the Prep and went to Valpo and payed DB. I played at to the Prep before him (captained the 8-0 1961 team) and also moved on to VU. After VU I returned to Concordia to coach. Missed Lampe but saw film (16 mm of course).
The world is so small.
Bob did not play DB at Valpo. He played QB. My memory tells me that he was All State NY of some sort. true? As we were classmates, he must have graduated from high school in 67.
My bad on the Valpo position -- based it on what I had heard. :-[ He got all sorts of accolades in Westchester County, NY and probably got some state-wide recognition. Concordia Prep, was a boarding pre-college and pre-ministerial prep school, and at the time enrollment was down to probably about 140-150 boys grades 9-12 (my graduating class numbered 47). When I coached there, right after Lampe graduated, the enrollment was going down. The last season (67 or 68?) was cancelled after 3 or 4 games because there were less than 20 kids on the roster.