USM

[SisyphusMiner]

USM is on their 3rd string QB.  Their first two out with injuries already.  This freshman threw for 300 yards, but also 3 INTs, and was sacked 5 times.  I'm guessing their O line is pretty porous, and our really stout D line may have a lot of fun.

[Minermojo]

USM is on their 3rd string QB.  Their first two out with injuries already.  This freshman threw for 300 yards, but also 3 INTs, and was sacked 5 times.  I'm guessing their O line is pretty porous, and our really stout D line may have a lot of fun.

Then it's time for a whole bunch of blitzes. The Miners need to shake the young kid and make him gun shy...a good hit for openers can help too.

[kyyote]

In that area;

Forced fumbles
-   Sam Williams   Ole Miss   Sr.   DL   4   2   .50
21   Praise Amaewhule   UTEP   So.   DL   5   2   .40
-   Felix Anudike-Uzomah   Kansas St.   So.   DE   5   2   .40

[SisyphusMiner]

Looks like we are 2.5 point favorites.  When was the last time we were favorites in a conference road game?  This has to be the karma kiss of death.

I think Kyy posted this elsewhere, but we are #31 in total defense, and somewhere in the top 75 in scoring D.

If you take out the Boise game, we are in the top 20 in both categories.  Obviously taking out the Boise game doesn't mean we are in the top 20 defenses, but it points out that we are really, really stingy against our level of competition.  This is encouraging.

We aren't there, but heading in the right direction.  With a true dual threat QB and a receiving tight end or two, we might actually be legitimately good.

[SisyphusMiner]

Interesting rankings at USA Today.   We are the lowest ranked 4-1 team, but I agree that we are probably the worst 4-1 team.  Is this ranking fair?  It's really hard for me to make up my mind.  I am open to the possibility that we are better than it feels like we are because we play so ugly

UTSA  24
Boise 46
UAB  60
FAU     77
UTEP 79
La TEch 89
Rice      104
USM    116
UNT     120

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2021/10/04/college-football-ncaa-re-rank-big-ten-alabama-georgia/5981859001/

[kyyote]

The first thing that I think of is to ask myself if the Miners are better than LA Tech. My answer is that they never have been. I don?t think they are today. So I would say that this scale is off by ten for those two. I would trade their spots. I?m not saying that the same numbers would apply with other teams. I just believe that their scale is unreliable in my very humble opinion.

I decided to check ESPN Power Rankings;

USA         ESPN UTSA  24             67 Boise 46              58 UAB  60               71 FAU     77            68 UTEP 79             119 La TEch 89           83 Rice      104        124 USM    116          112 UNT     120          110

I don't think ESPN is too much better but more in line with how I might see it.

[SisyphusMiner]

Dimel said the two-quarterback set-up they used in the fourth quarter on Saturday featuring Hardison as the predominant passer and Calvin Brownholtz as a better running option could be used even more in future weeks.

?It makes people prepare for it and we have a lot of stuff to prepare for,? said Dimel. ?We practiced it a lot during the week because we like it. Once Gavin had to come out, it forced our hand. Once Calvin got in, we said, ?these are good run plays.? It allowed us to get more rhythm in our run game.?

This scares the hell out of me.  On the one hand it worked against ODU, but I don't trust Dimel not to be a dumbass.  He's done this before.  We've been moving and scoring with Hardison, and he randomly puts Brownholtz in for 3 consecutive runs and we go 3 and out and all momentum gone.  The problem is the minute we put Brownholtz in, everyone knows it's a QB run.  The minute we put Hardison back in, everyone knows it's a pass.  Alabama could walk in here, hand us their playbook, and tell us what play they are running and still beat us like a red-headed stepchild.  That's not our relationship with CUSA.

[liebestraum]

The best dual-threat QB I know of is SHSU?s Eric Schmid.  He was a big reason SHSU won the FCS national championship last year.  If the Bearkats can find one, I have to believe UTEP can as well.

lieb

[Minermojo]

The best dual-threat QB I know of is SHSU?s Eric Schmid.  He was a big reason SHSU won the FCS national championship last year.  If the Bearkats can find one, I have to believe UTEP can as well.

lieb

Apparently the Miners haven't been able to find one so what's the secret. Maybe it's that Huntsville (?) is nicer looking than El Paso and players don't want to come here even if it's a big city. If your QB hasn't graduated maybe you can donate him to us.

I really don't know what it is with our coaches since I don't know when that they can't find a decent run and gun QB.

[kyyote]

It has been mentioned, but I think it hasn't been talked about enough.  Indeed, the Golden Eagles are absolutely horrible, ranked right near the bottom in sacks allowed and tackles for a loss.  I know, that we are just a team who beat some really bad teams but even if you cut the sacks in half we get 2.4 and 4.3 tackles for a loss.  And again we are just blah blah blah...but we are actually pretty good at tackling people in their backfield.  People turn the ball over when there are tackles in the backfield.  I tried to find a stat for time of possession per possession but couldn't find it.  But dig it.  If you give UTEP extra possessions and a lead its like bamboo torture.  You can doze off as the Miners go into 3 or 4 back mode and when you wake up their will be bamboo shoots growing out of the Eagles chests.  And we win big, by six on two 15 play drives to kick field goals.

[SisyphusMiner]

I agree there is a very good chance that our D spends a lot of time in their backfield.  I hope so, and we have done against comparable teams

[SisyphusMiner]

It's looking like I won't be able to watch today, so i will be counting on y'all to tell me how it goes down.