Game #5 @ (1-3) Drake 10/7

[FWalum]

Some really big officiating mistakes in this game. Valpo should have won 21-20 as the officials completely blew the call when Valpo returned the Drake fumbled kick off for a touchdown. One of the worst calls I've seen in a long time.

[JD24]

Thoughts.... -Mikey Appel has not been great. But if I was his parents I'd be in the portal and not let my kid play another down for Symmes. -Landon Fox will always coach a defense to have Valparaiso in a position to win against likewise talent. - when game was on line Tezzo and Jimenez were subbed out for Yeats and Mackay. Just let the kids play. -Davis is the only offensive player capable of breaking one and he's been more drops than not last two games. -Defense gave up sub 300 yards and two touchdowns and it was a loss. Tough to do in modern football.

Davis is the only athlete on the offense. The rest are JAGs and appear to be pretty small JAGs.

I didn't see the entire game. I turned it off for a bit when Appel was still in the game. Did he get hurt and was he the guy with his arm in a sling?

[valpofb16]

Cannot confirm as broadcast did not specify. But would check out. Kid was done a disservice this year.

24 sacks in 5 weeks

If it was Mikey in the sling, sling probably means OFY for a QB. Jackson will be a 6th year and finish out the Symmes era, and maybe the Fox era.

[VULB#62]

IMPORTANT QUESTIONS:  Our offense was kinda OK last season. This season, not so much.

A) Is this the same Playbook as last season?  Then....

Is it being poorly coached or are the personnel not capable of executing it......

OR

B) Did Symmes bring in a new scheme? Then....

Is it being poorly coached or are the coaches and/or the personnel not capable of executing it......?

Face it.  Mikey is off. His accuracy is nowhere near where it was last season.  We have some decent RBs but they can't find holes? OL don't pick up simple twists that result in pressures or sacks. Screens (appears that there is only one) are predicable and almost always smothered.  Most pass patterns are inscrutable and our receivers always seem to be covered like a second skin by even third rate secondaries - very infrequent separation.  And, of course, Mikey has almost always had someone in his face when passing, and when he he tries to pass on the run his accuracy suffers -  he's no Ben Lehman. 

Hey, these are emotional observations after watching ¾ of the game and the two previous ones. Probably rife with inaccuracies, but I think they paint at least a general picture.

What must Fox do to correct this?  .....in one week before we run into a really good offense in MSU?   

[VULB#62]

This is not  what anyone wants to hear, but Carlson's offense could account for tons of yards and a lot of scores.

Of course the word "defense" was not in his vocabulary, so we seldom won.

Yet, why can a QB like Eric Hoffman pass for >5,000 yards and we haven't seen any QB since come close -  even under a reputed O guy like Cecchini?

Just throwing this out to get a reaction.

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BTW, Cecchini had the good sense to accommodate Ben Lehman's mobile QB skills and it paid off. Yeah, I loved that kid.

[valpofb16]

It's a new offense that was loaded with motion BS and a rather large playbook.

Things have been cut down substantially since IWU, but let's face it. It cost the team IWU.

Our two biggest question marks heading into the season were WR and OL.

OL has been an issue but Washington and Dawson were able to rise above the issue. They are gone and Mann/Labus/Butler are not in that same category athletically. The run game set up play action, but now that there is none (top RBs didn't play bad today, but there is 0 home run threat from that position) quite honestly teams don't have the need to sell out on the run and are getting home rushing four. That is detrimental to any offense.

With receiver Ross/Contreras/Jernegan were the sure targets last season with Davis being the home run threat. Contreras and Ross ( who have seen field for Illinois State and Indiana State this season) are gone and Jernegan has been all but eliminated from the offense. We replaced our first down catchers with Tezzo, Ragle, and Jimenez who are all negative in their measurements. To make matters worse it seems all three don't have breakaway speed on under routes.

All resulting in defenses being able to sit back in coverage. Still apply pressure, with zero worry about home run threats aside from Davis who they can mirror with someone over the top.

In lay man's terms - offensive nightmare

[valpofb16]

I played with Hoffman and he knew the offense like the back of his hand for a team that threw 50+ times a game.

However from what I saw with Seewald in 2017. If he is healthy in 18&19 he's shattering every record by Macchi and Hoffman.

Duncan/Clarke just didn't have the same arm talent as those guys. Nimz didn't have the reps/snaps. Lehman had a great senior year.

Appel looked to be our next guy but if the arm injury is bad. It'll be another few years til we get a guy with that arm talent.

[valpofb16]

Fox has built the best defense maybe since Valpo joined the PFL there's depth and young talent.

I am beginning to wonder if he's willing to stay for an inevitable fourth offensive rebuild

[VULB#62]

But 16, Fox is the hiring manager. So is it on him - his hiring judgment?

OR

The hiring manager has a small budget and what we've seen is what he can afford?

[VULB#62]

Mikey may be a question going forward - body injury. This scenario is feeling scary familiar.

[valpofb16]

Valpos off-coach coordinators in my time have been.

2011: Robert Lee DC - left took position coach at Miami of OH
2012-2013 - Tyson Silveus DC from a D2 , HS after firing
2014-2018: Ernest Moore DC from a D3, left coaching after firing
2019-2020: Chris Limbach OC from D2, left coaching after firing
2021-22: Will Fleming AST QB coach at Boston College (former Rhode Island OC), left for Same job at Lamar
2023: Matt Symmes OC some position at Eastern Carolina.

Looks like the budget has fit low level D2 coordinator, high level D3 coordinator, and  assistant to the assistant FBS coaches.

Not great.

[JD24]

Cannot confirm as broadcast did not specify. But would check out. Kid was done a disservice this year. 24 sacks in 5 weeks If it was Mikey in the sling, sling probably means OFY for a QB. Jackson will be a 6th year and finish out the Symmes era, and maybe the Fox era.

I went back and watched again and saw the play he was hurt on. Looked like he landed on his shoulder with a defender on top.

[Pgmado]

Jernegan out for the year.

[valpofb16]

Eberhardt, Appel, Vercher, Jernegan, roughly 1/3 of the top 12 snap getters on O out indefinitely

[soapyjeans]

Eberhardt, Appel, Vercher, Jernegan, roughly 1/3 of the top 12 snap getters on O out indefinitely

I think those you listed, will be back better than ever just like Evan Annis did.  His rehab success is a great motivator for others to follow.