Scrimmage Report

So, made it down to BG to pick up the season tickets and get a first look at the Falcons for the year.  It was a beauty day and it is always great to see the guys again.  A few general impressions:

First, I honestly don't know if the defense is going to be better, but I honestly can't see how they aren't.  First, they were playing with a HIGH degree of enthusiasm and energy, including from the sideline.  I wasn't keeping track, but it seemed to me that the defense won more than their share of the battles.  Not all of them, but more than their share.  Brandon Harris, in particular, seemed to be all over the place.  Banks, too.  Josh Croslen swallowed a running back.  Anyway, the defense seemed to me to get the better of it.

As for the offense.  Well, I guess if you thought it was just going to be one down year and then be back to the offenses those MAC Championship teams had, I just don't see it right now.  Not that they won't be better, but I guess I wouldn't expect it to be a machine offense.  They made yards, for sure.  I thought all the QBs missed more throws than expected.  I thought they gave up a lot of "sacks" and yeah, I know that favors the defense because the QB doesn't actually have to be brought down, but also those throws were missed by QBs who didn't have to worry about being hit.  I thought the inside rushing game wasn't great and the only RB getting yards was Cleveland...and he was very effective.

I guess I would say that the line could improve...and let's not expect SO James Morgan to be SO Matt Johnson.  As for the backup QBs, they all missed throws.  Doege dropped some nice passes in and then missed some.  My uninformed suspicion is that they will leave Foy on the 2-line and would like to redshirt Doege, but depending on when the need came they might use Doege in a critical game, depending on how he develops.

The other thing was the coaching.  Last year, my recollection is that the Coaches were fairly retired and quiet.  Sort of Baberish.  Cool.  Not this year.  They were highly involved.  Lots of cursing.  Love it.  When Phoutavong accessorized a great TD catch with a taunting penalty, coach spent 15 seconds "correcting" him with his hand pulling on his face mask.  He had a "talk" with another player who threw his helmet and threw one defensive player off the field.  Called time out and seemed to be yelling at the coaches.  It was much more intense than we had seen last year.  I don't actually know if that is good or not, but I have to assume this is more in line with the way football is usually coached.

Anyway, just a few weeks to go.  Overall, my optimism meter for measured progress this year is modestly up.