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I don't think the situation is as bad as recent seasons.

#1 The defense is obviously solid this year

#2 O-line is vastly improved, although there is still lots of room for improvement

After 2 games, we have two glaring issues that seem apparent

#1 We probably need a new kicker. Not sure Luckhearst can recover mentally now

#2 QB is still questionable. We really didn't get a long enough look at Jackson last week, but now we know he is not a great pocket passer. Finley can't run the RPO as well as Jackson since he is not a huge run threat, but he is a better pocket passer. With a strong run game, if I were Spav, I would stick with Finley for better overall offensive balance. We seemed one-dimensional last night with Jackson and Auburn stacked the box the whole second half in addition to a variety of creative blitzes that Jackson could not handle.

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Wait, what? The OL was beat like a drum last night. Played hard, but clearly do not have the size and speed to compete with the top dogs.

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I’m not an analyst or an expert by any stretch of the imagination, but from what I saw they were stacking the box with Finley in there too. The difference with Jackson was the safeties started having to cheat with the extra run threat. They dared us to beat them in the air, and both versions of the offense failed to make them pay for the scheme they used and it wasn’t always for the same reason. Sometimes the quarterbacks made the wrong read, sometimes they just missed. Sometimes receivers weren’t on the same page like that one where Jackson was jumping up and down all frustrated when the receiver didn’t turn around. Auburn also called some very well-timed good blitz packages at really inopportune times for us. I totally understand not abandoning the run, and I love seeing a running back smash into and over people as much as anyone, but it wasn’t happening. It felt like Spav was living in his plan rather than the reality in front of us all. In the end, the offense has to execute, and special teams failed to do so.

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Sep 10, 2023
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You can't be a starting QB at Pac12 and be "just learning how to pass"

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I think he means improving. Jackson V was a wide receiver in HS. In camp, the scouting report was that he has a good, but room-for-improvement passing arm.

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I think with better scheming, play-calling, and active coaching Sam Jackson can make the offense work. Not sure if those things are going to happen though.

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Disagree. Sam has really bad QB mechanics. And his poor mechanics make for inaccurate throws. It would take a couple of years of intense Tedford-like QB coaching to get him to be a middling P5 QB.

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Yeah I dont think he has NFL potential, but potential to make a modern college offense work, with his share of turnovers of course, but we have a good defense to bail us out of those. Basically, I think we/he can do better than we did last night with Sam Jackson, as the first drive showed. And that was also against what I think will prove to be one of the better defenses we play.

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What's with the hook flip?

How does he even do that? Is he double-jointed? Interesting, kind of a no-look pass, but, IMHO, risky and bad practice, but it's not for me to judge.

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Unfortunately while we have improved so has the rest of the Pac-12. Good chance Auburn is not one of our six toughest opponents this year.

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I think it'll prove to be one of the better defenses we'll face. If that linebacker of theirs was in the P12 we'd be thinking he's all american. Their offense, not a so good though.

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Asante had me wondering if he'll be available in the Portal this Winter. Yeah, imagine, him a Bear.

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Our defense is fine. I'd rather have their kicker.

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It was the pointing Spiderman game.

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The Pac-12, in it's swan song year, is incredibly competitive. Amongst the teams discussed, probably only Cal has made the least progress. Unfortunate but true. The effort now must be on saving the season starting next week in what probably will be a competitive game, followed by the Huskies. Usually we play them tough. However we'll need to come up with a PAC 12 caliber offense by then.

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Sep 10, 2023
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Texas is SEC next year.

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