11-14 Morehead State

[VU2624]

Valpo vs. Phil Simms alma mater with an offense he'd be proud of. MSU's probably going to put some points on the board. Can Valpo play keep away and match them?

Coach indicates a good chance of a change at QB.

[covufan]

In PFL play we are averaging 17 points a game, and giving up 38. 

Morehead State  31
Valpo                 20

Maybe we can win the TO battle and make it closer.

[usc4valpo]

Morehead State 45
Valpo 21

BTW - speaking of Morehead State, what about Dick Fick for the Valpo HOF?

[VULB#62]

This is Morehead's best team in years.

[VULB#62]

Rooting for Scott to have a really good showing in light of his 4th quarter Butler performance. However, he is not going to have Catrine as a target. Let's hope the young OL gives him the protection he needs to do well and that same group sustains their blocks to give our RBs some holes.

Here is Brandon Vickrey's preview.  Not too promising 

FROM THE VU ATHLETICS GAME NOTES;
Quarterback Austin Gahafer - and the Morehead State offense - is one of the best in the PFL. Only Jacksonville racks up more yards of total offense (449.3 YPG) in the league than the Eagles (416.6 YPG). Gahafer has started all but one game since arriving in Morehead in 2013 and has piled up 7,589 passing yards, 756 completions, and 55 touchdown passes in just 32 tilts. (To compare, his completions and passing yards would currently sit atop Valpo's all-time career leaderboard.)

Morehead State's defense has made noticeable strides from a year ago. The Eagles surrendered over 40 points within PFL play in 2014. This season, they've limited opponents to nearly half that (22.2 PPG).


OBSERVATIONS FROM THE TWO-DEEP
Offense:
Now 17 of 22 are underclassmen; 13 of the 17 are true freshmen; only 3 starters (including Scott as a Senior) are seniors; 6 freshmen start.
Catrine is not listed this week (except as a backup punt returner - might have been an oversight)
Defense:
Usual starters and backups.

COMPARATIVE PFL SCORES
MSU                                    VALPO
Davidson (H) Won 34-0         (A) Won 42-35
Butler (H) Won 34-21            (A) Lost 21-42
Drake (H) Won 38-35 (OT)     (A) Lost 7-34
Dayton (H) Lost 15-20           (H) Lost 14-44
JU (A) Lost 26-30                  (A) Next Week

[usc4valpo]

not a lot of interest on this game - maybe the Valpo administration needs to provide a free tailgate party!

[VU2624]

Rooting for Scott to have a really good showing in light of his 4th quarter Butler performance. However, he is not going to have Catrine as a target. Let's hope the young OL gives him the protection he needs to do well and that same group sustains their blocks to give our RBs some holes.

Here is Brandon Vickrey's preview.  Not too promising 

FROM THE VU ATHLETICS GAME NOTES;
Quarterback Austin Gahafer - and the Morehead State offense - is one of the best in the PFL. Only Jacksonville racks up more yards of total offense (449.3 YPG) in the league than the Eagles (416.6 YPG). Gahafer has started all but one game since arriving in Morehead in 2013 and has piled up 7,589 passing yards, 756 completions, and 55 touchdown passes in just 32 tilts. (To compare, his completions and passing yards would currently sit atop Valpo's all-time career leaderboard.)

Morehead State's defense has made noticeable strides from a year ago. The Eagles surrendered over 40 points within PFL play in 2014. This season, they've limited opponents to nearly half that (22.2 PPG).


OBSERVATIONS FROM THE TWO-DEEP
Offense:
Now 17 of 22 are underclassmen; 13 of the 17 are true freshmen; only 3 starters (including Scott as a Senior) are seniors; 6 freshmen start.
Catrine is not listed this week (except as a backup punt returner - might have been an oversight)
Defense:
Usual starters and backups.

COMPARATIVE PFL SCORES
MSU                                    VALPO
Davidson (H) Won 34-0         (A) Won 42-35
Butler (H) Won 34-21            (A) Lost 21-42
Drake (H) Won 38-35 (OT)     (A) Lost 7-34
Dayton (H) Lost 15-20           (H) Lost 14-44
JU (A) Lost 26-30                  (A) Next Week

The two deep is not a reflection of reality is some cases. There are some cases in which players not listed are playing over players listed. I'm also not sure how much they stick to one QB.

[VULB#62]

That's true.  For instance,  I noticed that the deep safety more than most times is always Kellen despite his listing as #2. And Hutson is listed as #1 but gets fewer snaps than others.

[VU2624]

That's true.  For instance,  I noticed that the deep safety more than most times is always Kellen despite his listing as #2. And Hutson is listed as #1 but gets fewer snaps than others.

As bizarre as this thought process would be, I wonder if the two deep is intentionally misleading in some cases. There are players on the 2 deep I know are out and a few not listed at all who will get a lot of snaps over the listed players.

[usc4valpo]

Gameday at beautiful dry Brown Field!! Go Saders!

[valporun]

Valpo scores on a turnover. 7-0 Valpo in the 1st.

[usc4valpo]

cripe. Once again Valpo snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

Things are going to get better as long as the youth stays.

[VULB#62]

cripe. Once again Valpo snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

Things are going to get better as long as the youth stays.

So disappointing, but at least there were jaws of victory from which to do the snatching. Couldn't say that much for most games this season. Take away those 2 pick 6s last weekend and the month of November so far has shown that the team has made some competitive improvement. Given how we started amidst injury and youthfulness, that is a positive takeaway. In the game this week, we out played Morehead statically in just about every category (including picks thrown unfortunately  ). Scott threw for 333 yards  and we out rushed them.  TOP and first downs  too. These are things that can be built upon, both for the game next week as well as for next season.

[valporun]

I didn't get to hear the second half of the game, but in this rebuilding(?) year, it is good that we're getting to see how Cecchini recruits can play. A few of the seniors are showing us that Dale Carlson was in over his head at Valpo. Carlson's system might work well at schools where the players know they aren't going pro in football, but at Valpo, he couldn't rebuild a program that he didn't start from the ground up. I look forward to next season, with hopefully a true #1 QB named and ready for Game 1, and protected through Game 11. I'm thinking the #1 QB in 2016 will be Staal or Paliga, but we'll see if Clarke makes it a real competition, now that he has some game experience, and hopefully he gets a lot quicker on the decision making process in play. We also need a running game that pounds it up the middle A LOT, and goes left or right, if the running game needs to spice things up. Also, take advantage of multiple receivers per down/pass play. Have a lot of work ahead, but this team is definitely young, and will be hungry to get wins. I'm sure the coaches will need to be set on the same page every game, and adjust based on the game, not based on someone getting antsy to play a certain way.

[usc4valpo]

1100 fans for senior day on a nice weather day? Unacceptable.

Valpo needs to assess this and think of more creative ways to boost attendance.

[usc4valpo]

run, I am not sure where you are going with Carlson being over his head. Do you really think any of the players in the past 20 years had NFL or even CFL potential? The talent level at Valpo is Division 3 in all reality. None of the players at Valpo come in with even remote aspirations of going to the professional level.

[Brandon]

It won't be Staal - he is graduating. Dalton Stokes will be in the competition, if not the top candidate.

I'm thinking the #1 QB in 2016 will be Staal or Paliga, but we'll see if Clarke makes it a real competition, now that he has some game experience, and hopefully he gets a lot quicker on the decision making process in play. 

[valporun]

Carlson was in over his head because he wasn't building from the ground up. He was trying to rebuild confidence in football players that had endured losing seasons, only he couldn't build winners, and it just trickled down from there. Also, there have been players from the non-scholarship ranks that have made the NFL, Arena Leagues, and CFL, we just don't hear about them enough to recall names.

[VU2624]

cripe. Once again Valpo snatches defeat from the jaws of victory. Things are going to get better as long as the youth stays.

So disappointing, but at least there were jaws of victory from which to do the snatching. Couldn't say that much for most games this season. Take away those 2 pick 6s last weekend and the month of November so far has shown that the team has made some competitive improvement. Given how we started amidst injury and youthfulness, that is a positive takeaway. In the game this week, we out played Morehead statically in just about every category (including picks thrown unfortunately  ). Scott threw for 333 yards  and we out rushed them.  TOP and first downs  too. These are things that can be built upon, both for the game next week as well as for next season.

I was impressed with the offensive gameplan which did a very good job of spreading the ball around the slot WRs, backs and TEs. Little from the edge WRs in Catrine's absence. The OL played pretty well and the theory of more accuracy in the short passing game opening up the running game a bit appeared to be true. Scott played very well. He missed a couple but if you put the ball up 55 times or whatever, that's going to happen.

Happy to see Jake Hutson have a really good final home game.

[VU2624]

I didn't get to hear the second half of the game, but in this rebuilding(?) year, it is good that we're getting to see how Cecchini recruits can play. A few of the seniors are showing us that Dale Carlson was in over his head at Valpo. Carlson's system might work well at schools where the players know they aren't going pro in football, but at Valpo, he couldn't rebuild a program that he didn't start from the ground up.

I'm apparently not the only one but what are you talking about? Carlson's recruits have no more or less potential in turning pro than Cecchini's do. Until Cecchini's recruits mature and win games consistently we don't know much about which coach was a better fit. Cecchini's team last year proved he could coach a mostly upper class laden roster to some wins....something Carlson didn't really get to do with that class. There appears to be some talented kids but they've won 1 game and that a struggle vs. the worst team in the league. Throw on top of that that there have been some incredible brain farts from the coaching staff i.e. the Stetson offensive gameplan and we need to hold off handing out the kudos to the current staff.

I look forward to next season, with hopefully a true #1 QB named and ready for Game 1, and protected through Game 11. I'm thinking the #1 QB in 2016 will be Staal or Paliga, but we'll see if Clarke makes it a real competition, now that he has some game experience, and hopefully he gets a lot quicker on the decision making process in play. We also need a running game that pounds it up the middle A LOT, and goes left or right, if the running game needs to spice things up. Also, take advantage of multiple receivers per down/pass play. Have a lot of work ahead, but this team is definitely young, and will be hungry to get wins. I'm sure the coaches will need to be set on the same page every game, and adjust based on the game, not based on someone getting antsy to play a certain way.

Staal probably won't use his extra year of eligibility. QB will probably be Stokes or Paliga. Todd mentioned on the radio that yesterday's WR crew was one sophomore eligible and the rest freshman along with two freshman TEs, a soph and freshman RB along with a nearly complete frosh OL. So that's all good. Defense will need to be rebuilt particularly in the front 7. That might be next year's issue.

The biggest concern I have is what I've heard from players, parents and others who have conversations with same in that there has been a lot of talk of players not returning. This covers a number of scenarios....transfer, stay and not play, leave and not play. One comment I heard from more than one person was that one of the QBs would be the QB by default....with the implication being he'd be the only one on the roster back. Typically this type of talk is from or about players who aren't playing or playing enough in their view. That is not the case with the names I've heard. It is players either currently playing or would be expected to play key roles.

[usc4valpo]

run, I think there was a QB at Valpo who played Arena ball, but that does not count. You don't play football at Valpo with the primary intent of going professional. It is like doing a paint by numbers set with the intent of becoming a Van Gogh.

[IndyValpo]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Browder

Here is the QB referred to above.

[IndyValpo]

Staal probably won't use his extra year of eligibility. QB will probably be Stokes or Paliga. Todd mentioned on the radio that yesterday's WR crew was one sophomore eligible and the rest freshman along with two freshman TEs, a soph and freshman RB along with a nearly complete frosh OL. So that's all good. Defense will need to be rebuilt particularly in the front 7. That might be next year's issue.

The biggest concern I have is what I've heard from players, parents and others who have conversations with same in that there has been a lot of talk of players not returning. This covers a number of scenarios....transfer, stay and not play, leave and not play. One comment I heard from more than one person was that one of the QBs would be the QB by default....with the implication being he'd be the only one on the roster back. Typically this type of talk is from or about players who aren't playing or playing enough in their view. That is not the case with the names I've heard. It is players either currently playing or would be expected to play key roles.

It takes a special kid to play this level of football. It is not for everyone. If players choose to leave, so be it. There are few if any players that are not replaceable at this level. I hope most stay, it helps us, but unhappy players and parents do not help the cause.

[VULB#62]

Scott already announced that he was completing his degree, getting married and pursuing a professional career next year. He is foregoing his last year of eligibility. 

[usc4valpo]

well, he is smart on 2 out of 3!