Holy Cross

Back-to-back PL champs 2016 and 2017.... but need to get back to relevance in the national FCS scene.
ngineer
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Holy Cross

Post by ngineer » Mon Oct 28, 2019 10:47 pm

We need start analyzing what should be a 'mini-Armageddon'. I believe we must play the best game of the year. We have been getting better each week, but the Crusaders appear to be the best team in the PL to date in terms of quality wins and decent performances even when losing. However, their tight game with Bucknell is curious to me. Our defense will need to get back to a better attack with our front seven as we did at Colgate and Fordham. To me, defense sets the tone and can really help the offense with field position and our offense needs that help. The OL needs to continue its improvement so we can be a better running team. We've shown glimpses of a good run offense, but consistency has been missing. We need to force HC to respect the run so the pass game will be more open. Weather forecast looks super--sunny and mid-50's. It's great to be sitting here with November approaching and anticipating a big, meaningful game with championship implications.


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van
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by van » Mon Oct 28, 2019 11:02 pm

we'd be a better run O if Brisson would stop calling the read option for Monaco, it's not an option if QB can't run
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by datruph » Tue Oct 29, 2019 9:43 am

Please understand "VAN" that the perceived read option is just a look that Lehigh chooses to operate out of. Just like when Joe Montana use to operate out of the west coast spread which was really most of the time an off-set veer with rathman and craig. Because it looks like a read option, smells like a read option doesnt mean it is a read option. From what I see is our play action comes off that look. The naive fan sees read option. The educated fan sees counters, play action, various dives and pulls. Its our look for lack of another word. If Brisson tomorrow decided to run out the wishbone that would be our look. All good coordinators use a look to disquise there entire offense. I can guarantee you at this time of the year most offensive coordinators are not having there qb's pull because of fear of injury especially with a team in the position we are in. LOOK at Georgetown last week!!! That so called read option can come in with no read at-all...just to look like a read. I had a qb that had a separted non throwing shoulder that popped in out, an ACL knee repair and was on concussion protocol earlier in the year and got knicked the week before the biggest part of our schedule. We kept our base offense (read-option) but never sent one option in the entire post season. It was always a give or counter or lineman pull or play action. He took tons of inflammation pills and played. I do think we operate our run game better under center but I'm not the coach. I do hope we put a trick play in and I do hope we boot on the goal line because the definition of insanity is doing the samething over and over and expecting a different result is applying here. Looking forward to a very exciting game. IF we were told we would be in this position at this time of year this year non of us would have believed it...LETS ENJOY and hope the team does well.
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van
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by van » Tue Oct 29, 2019 9:59 am

the point is, if we run that play and never pull it out we are giving away a down because the front 7 or 8 is converging on the RB that has little chance to make good yardage, I am ok with passing out of that scheme but just putting it into the RB belly nets us very little yardage, we have run that play probably a 100 times this year and I doubt our avg gain is more than 2 yds, it is a great play if the QB can occasionally run with the ball but that is not TMs skill, he is a solid pocket passer and game manager, I won't ask my GP to do a root canal, and I would not ask TM to run the read option, not a knock on TM, just the way it is, and I am not negative on this team, they have already exceeded expectations and I see a bright future
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by datruph » Tue Oct 29, 2019 10:27 am

I understand your point. I am not 100 percent certain what Brissons calling but I have seen zone blocking on that same play and pull blocking and some trapping. I was thinking the samething you were so I decided to watch what the line is doing and there is various blocking assignments that are happening leading me to write what I previously wrote. This read option is not a true read option on this team. Perfect example...Shaf kept the ball 200 times a season. He was also hurt very badly at the end of the season and was sitiing a lot!!!!Brad had the same coordinator and never kept the ball similar to what we are seeing now. I look at it this way and this is just my opinion...Brisson is going with the style of qb he has. Shaf was a runner. Brad and Monoco, NOT!!! I like the fact that our coordinator is adapting to his talent and I have always been critical of Brisson but I am seeing between the lines at what hes doing and I applaud his efforts. This is a big arm offense. Lehigh lives and dies with throwing. We are becoming decent on both sides of the ball. Our qb has become very effecient in Patriot league play with high QBR ratings. If our run game picks up and we can survive this game we are becoming a team to deal with...INCREDIBLE THAT I AM WRITING THIS!!!I am concerned with the late defensive calls that have been happening lately but our defense has played crazy good. I think they are ranked very high in the Patriot league on total defense. Any way you slice it, we are young and the future looks brighter than most of us thought despite how we end up this game. Schneider was forced to stay in last week a lot because of the constant pressure and hes to big of a weapon to be forced to stay in. Is it saturday yet???
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RichH
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by RichH » Tue Oct 29, 2019 12:29 pm

Agreed it is not a true RO scheme. Whether it is or not tho is not particularly important.OL has been improving week to week. Better unit cohesion is evident. Inexperience tho is still an issue. My issue with our run game is the constant use of slow developing plays. OL facing a packed box cannot hold blocks long enough for these plays to gain yardage.Traps and counters are necessary pieces of a run attack. As is quick hitters and belly runs. Both need to be used. Otherwise I like how Brisson is now calling games. Markedly better than last year. Execution has improved. Monaco has steadied at QB. Good movement and quicker reads. Not many WTF throws. Only 2 bad throws last week. Both overthrows. Wrs have been consistently good.
Crusader D is almost as good as Hoyas. Their O has exceeded expectations.
Cross is favored by 7 at this point. To get the upset we will need to be better than we have been this year.
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RichH
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by RichH » Tue Oct 29, 2019 12:35 pm

No major changes to 2 deep.

Fris moved to 2 behind Fournier
Rivera up at 2 behind Fest

Hill Allen and Hope all listed at RB

Spencer back at CB behind Floyd
ngineer
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by ngineer » Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:04 pm

Unfortunately, Floyd will have to sit the first half. One other area of improvement that would be nice is our punting game. Henning has been beyond all expectation as a PK, but punting seems like a wild adventure. He's had some very nice high spirals, but there are always a few shanks that barely clear 20 yards. I realize it is difficult for a PK to also punt because of the change in mechanics, and the fact that we haven't seen the freshman punt I guess says it all.
Will also be great to see Snyder back as part of the offense. Such a big target. Perhaps use a two back set at times to assist with blocking so he can release, and let's not forget a couple screens. I not sure how good a receiver Hill is, but getting his locomotion and size into space can create havoc! Hope and Allen can motor, too, so if the box is stacked let's swing it or slant it out.
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by LUFAN » Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:06 pm

I think everyone is likely correct. Lehigh’s zone scheme is a pull scheme but in many cases a particular QB isn’t really reading anyone. If he did read, and was willing to run, it would certainly add another element to the offense. Run game will continue to develop with so much young talent. I don’t agree with protecting a QB who has been average at best. Lehigh has a solid stable of QBs so just play to win! Brad actually did pull a few times last year and had solid, albeit modest gains. Agree that OC has wisely altered offense to fit QBs skill set. Drop back pass has been all but eliminated in favor of RPO with short throws making drives more sustainable and eating clock. This game plan likely works in PL but not sure it translates OoC, but for now PL is all that matters.

It’s worth noting that the KO and punt return game was outstanding vs Gtown.

Saturday should be a good one.
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van
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Re: Holy Cross

Post by van » Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:23 pm

LUFAN wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:06 pm

It’s worth noting that the KO and punt return game was outstanding vs Gtown.

Saturday should be a good one.
special team returns and coverage have been getting better each week and very good vs Gtown as you noted, suspect Hoyas lack of depth part of the reason, not taking anything away from our guys who were excellent, many of us who were concerned about special teams coming into the season have been pleasantly surprised, just another area that this team has exceeded espectations
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