So, in order for us to survive deep into the CFP we have 2 things that must be fixed...

[filmcane]

... pass pro and defending the pass.

Unlike 2024', we actually have the horses and coaches to get this done, so I still have hope. The question is - will they figure out the Chinese puzzle that is our OL and as our players get healthy in the secondary, will the returning players get their sea legs and communicate better?

Anyone hearing or believing that these two things will happen or will we just not get that figured out for the CFP?

 

[CanesFan93]

I'd be interested in knowing how often does an OL go from being average mid-season to being good/great by year's end.

 

[supacane]

Which 2 units take the most communication on either side of the ball? OL and Secondary. Which teams have lost most players on our team? OL and Secondary. As long as we improve over the course of the season like we did last season, we will be fine imo. The OL just need reps, and the Secondary need health.

 

[TexasCane90]

I'd be interested in knowing how often does an OL go from being average mid-season to being good/great by year's end.

If it clicks for Cantwell… he’s your RT. McCoy to RG

Pancake, Cogdon, RR, McCoy, Cantwell

That’s a quality playoff oline

 

[kryptonite]

... pass pro and defending the pass.

Unlike 2024', we actually have the horses and coaches to get this done, so I still have hope. The question is - will they figure out the Chinese puzzle that is our OL and as our players get healthy in the secondary, will the returning players get their sea legs and communicate better?

Anyone hearing or believing that these two things will happen or will we just not get that figured out for the CFP?

No way to tell. For now we’re one of the few remaining unbeaten, I’m doing my best to just enjoy that.

 

[flips]

On the OL, all 5 guys are first year starters at their positions, hopefully they improve with more reps. Mensah isn't a statue and was under much more duress at Duke last year (he got sacked at more than twice the rate he has here) and he still played really well, so I think it'll be manageable.

Wake and FSU had the best pass rush of the teams we have played, and Mensah had his struggles but he didn't turn into Beck against UL last year. Pitt, ND, and UNC all have good pass rushes.

I do think Mensah will always be under more pressure than we have been used to seeing the last couple of years at QB. Hopefully we don't have a game in which we simply can't block multiple guys and Mensah gets sacked 4+ times.

I think the secondary will play much better the more we can play a 5 of Lucas/Poyser/Fitz/JJ/EOC

 

[3rd-43]

If it clicks for Cantwell… he’s your RT. McCoy to RG

Pancake, Cogdon, RR, McCoy, Cantwell

That’s a quality playoff oline

He’s gotta play to get clicking, hope it happens soon

 

[dirtyred786]

Our Secondary issues seem to be more scheme issues than talent. We dont do zone match concepts and we like to keep everything in front of us. Problem is we are allowing catches but not tackling well right now.

 

[TheATLCane]

Mensah pressured on 40% of drop backs. Anez would have something to say

 

[drewm3i]

If it clicks for Cantwell… he’s your RT. McCoy to RG

Pancake, Cogdon, RR, McCoy, Cantwell

That’s a quality playoff oline

Buchanon will be back too.

 

[QuattroCane]

We can survive with the o line, the pass defense just needs to keep a couple of guys healthy.
No one seems unbeatable, it looks like an any given Saturday type of season.

 

[Bender]

O-Line performance improved as the game went on. Secondary is being hamstrung by the DC making weird calls.

Kind of surprised we didn't go more vanilla on defense after Poyser was out. He communicates everything back there.

 

[112_cane]

Mensah pressured on 40% of drop backs. Anez would have something to say

And he still threw for 330 and 3tds, completing 68% of his passes. Imagine a clean pocket.

 

[Genghis Cane]

The secondary is atrocious for the level of talent we have.

Yes, we have had injuries, but we still have more talent than most teams around the country. And yet, we make every QB we play look like Tom Brady. It’s unacceptable. It’s not simply lapses in communication, it’s also poor technique, fundamentals, and eye discipline.

I think we had similar issues last year, but the DL bailed the secondary out a lot by creating havoc almost every play. That dynamic doesn’t exist this year. And you know it doesn’t because Heatherman feels like he has to blitz almost every play to generate pressure.

Can we get better? Sure. But I have a feeling that this team will only go as far as the offense takes them. This isn’t 2024, but it sure as **** ain’t 2025 either. Time for this staff to earn their paychecks and either fix the problem or do a better job of hiding it.

 

[CDWright40]

In pass coverage it feels like we are nickel blitzing 75% of the time and against better teams we just are not getting home. I’d love to see the backers a gap blitzing a little more with big safties like Dunnigan or Bobby Pruitt (I know he’s a LBer but he’s more of a tweener) sliding down providing more speed to chase down running qbs or playing late developing TE/Rb screens. Norvell called a good game and just let us run 5+ defenders up field out of the play repeatedly and screened us to death behind it.

 

[E1k]

If it clicks for Cantwell… he’s your RT. McCoy to RG

Pancake, Cogdon, RR, McCoy, Cantwell

That’s a quality playoff oline

Mccoy has been better at tackle than samson. Why do we keep wanting mccoy to move and not samson? And samson was looking like he could be great at guard

I think best case scenario is Cantwell/ben/ryan/samson/mccoy

But that’s just hoping for a miracle that cantwell becomes starter ready in mid season