GAME #6: Dayton @ Valpo - 10/12, 1:00

[VULB#62]

Missed everything after the misses FG. Back for the second half.  Do agree on Box not at his best when he lines up 7 deep in red zone.  He is a quick opener runner.  And our holes open up quick (they close quick too).

[VULB#62]

Can it be that the OC has found out that Chris can run?  TD!  Box on a 10 yard run!   OC must have heard 24's critique of the first scoreless drive  .  21-14 after the Valpo first possession.  If they can run on Dayton that bodes well for the rest of the schedule.  I'm trying to zero in on the pass routes, but I'm not doing too well.  I have to be more disciplined.  But of the little I've seen not too much seems to give the QB too many open options.

[VULB#62]

Nice drive by Dayton to offset the Valpo TD.  The TE shuffle pass for the TD was well executed.

Then Ollie returns the KO for a score!  28-21 Dayton.

[VULB#62]

At the close of Q3 Valpo has rushed for 265 yards with Duncan at 139 and Box at 74.

[VULB#62]

ESPN+ is down in Q4. No audio, just game tracker.  Going to WVUR.  Just not the same.

[JD24]

Missed everything after the misses FG. Back for the second half.  Do agree on Box not at his best when he lines up 7 deep in red zone.  He is a quick opener runner.  And our holes open up quick (they close quick too).

When the ball is at the 4 yard line, the defense is up too tight to run those plays with Boxrucker.

In general, played better. Duncan missed some throws which I thought are too easy to miss. However, can the WRs make a tough catch once in a while. How about once. Reese seems like he could be a playmaker but any time he's challenged, he doesn't seem to win. The other guys for the most part they might as well be playing with 3 of us posters. A big upgrade is needed at this position.

[JD24]

....and my comment was apparently already heard by the WRs as LaRose makes a really nice catch in the endzone.

I forgot to mention the missed FG. That changed the game towards the end. Instead of kicking the FG later in the game to make it a 7 point game, they were forced to go for it on 4th down. That has to improve one way or another.

[vu72]

A very solid team effort against a very old, very good Dayton team.  Much improvement starting with Duncan and Ollie. Fun game to watch and a nice crowd as well.

[VULB#62]

Final is Dayton 41 Valpo 28 with VU scoring in the last 1:30 and Valpo leaving scoreless at least twice inside the 10.  I believe Dayton scored on all their redzone  chances?

Hey, FINALLY, VU looked like a FB team on BOTH sides of the ball and it appeared that the overall play calling actually took advantage of what our opponent was giving us.  Chris did a great job rushing (154 yds.) the ball.  Box was just under 100 yards (92) for the game as well.

My Bottom Line:  Despite the disappointment of being 0-5 coming into the game and the lackluster performance at Drake, our kids showed improved play today.  Good for them!  That's all we can ask for right now.  @USD next week will be a killer what with travel and all, so my goal would be to continue to improve so that we can grab a couple of wins from the remaining five games on the schedule:

Stetson
@ Davidson
Morehead
@Butler
Marist

And to put our loss today into context, Dayton previously took down MVFC foe @Indiana State 42-35, NEC scholarship @Robert Morris 34-31, and PFL Jacksonville 56-28.  They lost by 4 to NEC Duquesne 35-31.   

BTWs -- ISUb took down EKU 19-7 and beat EIU and WIU going into their game today with SDSU. They lost by 7 @ BCS Kansas to open the season

[VULB#62]

Now that the game is over, I was wondering if Fox and Dayton Coach Rick Chamberlain got a chance to chat over a beer or two last night.  And, if they did, I wish I could have been a fly on the wall. 

[VULB#62]

My final (I think) comment(s) on the game.

Congratulations to Chris on a great performance. In the early part the season he was placed in an uncomfortable position in two ways:  a new system and coaches coupled with an assumption by the coaches that Chris would fit into a pass-predominant offensive scheme.  Truthfully, he looked bad and performed very poorly. The one trait of his that most of us have highlighted for the last couple of years was never leveraged with plays designed to let him run the freaking ball.

Those poor performances screamed for a change. Enter Jimmy, the better passer but less effective runner. The two game experiment brought one glaring soft point in the Valpo attack to the surface — no run game (and a continuing ineffective passing attack even with the "better passer"). But during this transition time, more and more plays were called for QB keepers by the non-runner QB — BTW,  a point observed on this board.

Sometime in the last two weeks the staff recognized that the personnel we have can't effectively execute a pass happy attack or bulldoze a 3 yds and a cloud of rubber granules offensive. And the lack of a running threat at QB could not support any attack. The result was what we witnessed today. And it worked because Dayton was kept totally off balance by Chris and his running. They were not prepared to deal with what we threw ran at them.

Where do we go from here?  How about this.........?

Add two not-seen-before components of the Valpo QB keeper to anticipate how USD will attempt to shut down Chris' running: 

1)  Pass option off the run. As DBs come up to stop the run, it should free up receivers who find open space to sit in and offer attractive targets - either short or long (off a curl-then-go).

2)  Pitch option off the run to a trailing back.

P.S.  Wishfully, I'd also like to see a misdirection play off an inside handoff, but that maybe is for Stetson 

P.P.S.  Can Nimz run?

[JD24]

1)  Pass option off the run. As DBs come up to stop the run, it should free up receivers who find open space to sit in and offer attractive targets - either short or long (off a curl-then-go). 

Good comments all around but one thing baffling to me is I don't know if there's been a play in which the QB can set up and step into a throw to an open receiver all season long. I'm not talking about deep balls. Just a 12 yard in or something like that. Despite the man amongst boys efforts of Trautman today, Dayton had open receivers all day long. It's just weird that Valpo hasn't been able to do this. Every passing attempt it seems is challenged to one degree or another.

[VULB#62]

Wondered the same thing, 24. Why do their kids get open and ours don't?  That's why I wanted to concentrate on our routes but when I finally got focused the video crapped out. One route I haven't seen much of is a curl and setup in the seams of a zone. Our receivers/QBs might just be running specified routes without reading zone/m2m and not breaking off and sitting in open space. Just a WAG cuz I can't say Ive seen enough to say that with any confidence.

Gotta say, though, that Ollie could eventually be our next Catrine.

[usc4valpo]

Despite a loss, which is what counts at the end, Valpo looked improved. If they play like this and continue to improve, they can win some games as their schedule gets significantly easier.

[usc4valpo]

BTW, Dayton's Trautman made ESPN's college football plays of the week with his one handed catch.

[JD24]

Wondered the same thing, 24. Why do their kids get open and ours don't?  That's why I wanted to concentrate on our routes but when I finally got focused the video crapped out. One route I haven't seen much of is a curl and setup in the seams of a zone. Our receivers/QBs might just be running specified routes without reading zone/m2m and not breaking off and sitting in open space. Just a WAG cuz I can't say Ive seen enough to say that with any confidence. Gotta say, though, that Ollie could eventually be our next Catrine.

Reese will never be Catrine who was a different cat. Ollie may turn out to be really good but what made Catrine was his ability to come down with virtually every ball in traffic. Reese appears to struggle in that capacity as I don't think he's strong enough nor has the body Catrine had. Remember, he was a running back coming to Valpo and he used his basketball ability to basically "rebound" 50/50 balls.

[JD24]

Despite a loss, which is what counts at the end, Valpo looked improved. If they play like this and continue to improve, they can win some games as their schedule gets significantly easier.

After San Diego, I think they can win any of the games. Davidson will be tough but the other 4 games I see them right in the mix.

[vu72]

Wondered the same thing, 24. Why do their kids get open and ours don't?  That's why I wanted to concentrate on our routes but when I finally got focused the video crapped out. One route I haven't seen much of is a curl and setup in the seams of a zone. Our receivers/QBs might just be running specified routes without reading zone/m2m and not breaking off and sitting in open space. Just a WAG cuz I can't say Ive seen enough to say that with any confidence. Gotta say, though, that Ollie could eventually be our next Catrine.

Reese will never be Catrine who was a different cat. Ollie may turn out to be really good but what made Catrine was his ability to come down with virtually every ball in traffic. Reese appears to struggle in that capacity as I don't think he's strong enough nor has the body Catrine had. Remember, he was a running back coming to Valpo and he used his basketball ability to basically "rebound" 50/50 balls.

Ollie also played basketball and baseball in high school. Not saying one way or another about the comparison, only that Ollie is a very good athlete with probably better speed given his kickoff return.

[valpofb16]

#13 RSFR P Patrick McNerney has left the program the roster is now down to 92 players.

[IndyValpo]

Did not see the game. Curious how Lundberg's replacement did. Was it Biggs?

[M]

Stupid Dayton couldn't even cover the spread 

[valpofb16]

Indyvalpo it was Biggs.

I think the offense will be better suited to be run heavy moving forward.

Kluck, Biggs, Russell, Vas, Byrd are all much more effective in the run game, so are Earley and Boxrucker.

With a mobile QB and lack of arm talent/receiver talent this seems like a no brainer

[JD24]

Wondered the same thing, 24. Why do their kids get open and ours don't?  That's why I wanted to concentrate on our routes but when I finally got focused the video crapped out. One route I haven't seen much of is a curl and setup in the seams of a zone. Our receivers/QBs might just be running specified routes without reading zone/m2m and not breaking off and sitting in open space. Just a WAG cuz I can't say Ive seen enough to say that with any confidence. Gotta say, though, that Ollie could eventually be our next Catrine.

Reese will never be Catrine who was a different cat. Ollie may turn out to be really good but what made Catrine was his ability to come down with virtually every ball in traffic. Reese appears to struggle in that capacity as I don't think he's strong enough nor has the body Catrine had. Remember, he was a running back coming to Valpo and he used his basketball ability to basically "rebound" 50/50 balls. Ollie also played basketball and baseball in high school. Not saying one way or another about the comparison, only that Ollie is a very good athlete with probably better speed given his kickoff return.

....and not every basketball player is an effective rebounder. Catrine showed the ability to win 50/50 balls immediately upon being installed as a WR permanently during his soph year. Reese hasn't shown that quality. He's definitely a good athlete.

[valpofb16]

#5 RSSR Jalen Leandre has left team