Game thread for Miami vs. Northwestern

[mountaindrew]

This is some #%*!ing bull$%!% right here.

1-3 with losses to Duke, SIU, and Miami of Ohio. What a #%^*ing embarrassment.

Could not say it better.

 

[mountaindrew]

Fitz

Fitz might have to take a hike. This is atrocious!!!!! He is not only killing his hard work that led to 2015-18, he is killing the program. If we have only a two or three win season, he needs to trash his staff at the very least. It is like he has lost his mojo big-time. Never have seen this type of program collapse without severe sanctions before. Guy has to man up and take some real responsibility for this. Damn, this is sad.

Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

 

[mountaindrew]

You know, last week, SIU did some things to come out and really really look smart in the scheme. THey really attacked NU's defense in some clever ways and their guys made the best plays they could. Their veteran QB played smart and well.

Miami didn't do any of that tonight. Miami actually played pretty sloppy, made big mistakes, and their QB is an awful player. They really didn't play a very good game. And they STILL beat NU

Yes Sir. They're not much of a team at all. And we, a totally desperate, much more "talented" team, can't beat them at home. Drives me insane.

 

[mountaindrew]

I’m so sick of Fitz hugging the other coach after a bad loss

That's what grown ups do, Dude. Stop it.

Fitz might be in a gigantic slump right now as the leader of this program when it comes to playing actual football, which pisses me off, but crapping on him for how he acts like a real adult/grown up with the coach on the other side? Put the bong down. We're still very fortunate to have him as our coach. Yes, he does need to do some serious changes regarding football. Like, right now.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Yes Sir. They're not much of a team at all. And we, a totally desperate, much more "talented" team, can't beat them at home. Drives me insane.

I do think they're a well coached and developed team, but they didn't do anything special at all from a schematic standpoint to attack us like Duke and SIU did.

 

[Jaguar 88]

In fairness, you’re just reporting what the gophers will do with the paste. They’re launching it into space, not you. (Terribly unsustainable.)

You, me, and Greta Thurnburg will be there picketing and decrying how the paste is being used.

I hope Fitz will be doing something else to change all of this.

Yeah, he needs to take a hike!!!!

 

[jensberg]

Start playing for the future. Fire JON immediately. Play everyone and see if there is a LB somewhere on the roster.

He won't do either of those things. All the same players will start.

 

[mountaindrew]

Minnesota is going to beat the Cats into a fine paste and then launch that paste into deep space.

Yes Sir. At least tonight's game was an exciting, close fought game that went down to the wire, and our whole team fought their asses off, especially the D, the OL showed finishing power on the late TD drive, there were many positives, etc. And it was still very embarrassing.

Playing Minny - that is shaping up to be OMG, I'm Going to Crawl Under A Rock For The Next Ten Years embarrassing. I think I'll be ironing my underwear that day.

 

[Jaguar 88]

Yes Sir. At least tonight's game was a close fought game that went down to the wire, and our whole team fought their asses off, especially the D, the OL showed finishing power on the late TD drive, etc. And it was still very embarrassing.

Playing Minny - that is shaping up to be OMG embarrassing. I think I'll be ironing my underwear that day.

Maryland might be embarrassing as well. Damn, every BIG game might be embarrassing!!!! Really sad. Watching the Cats for over two decades with it's ups and downs was still fun as you knew the Cats always had a chance to win, with a few exceptions, but since 2019, the program has lost its mojo. I can't believe that the staff can be so bad that they can't put a decent team on the field. Recruiting has been improving, but the results are subpar to say the least. Fitz and his coordinators aren't getting the job done.

 

[hudsoncat]

Yes Sir. At least tonight's game was an exciting, close fought game that went down to the wire, and our whole team fought their asses off, especially the D, the OL showed finishing power on the late TD drive, there were many positives, etc. And it was still very embarrassing.

Playing Minny - that is shaping up to be OMG, I'm Going to Crawl Under A Rock For The Next Ten Years embarrassing. I think I'll be ironing my underwear that day.

I cannot agree that the game was exciting. Close perhaps, but I’ve been a fan for 30+ years and I had a hard time caring about the outcome.

 

[WildcatWillie]

Why not catch a punt and save 25 yards ?

That's a puzzlement to me also. Would like to hear the coaching staff's justification for that.

 

[mountaindrew]

Maryland might be embarrassing as well. Damn, every BIG game might be embarrassing!!!! Really sad. Watching the Cats for over two decades with it's ups and downs was still fun as you knew the Cats always had a chance to win, with a few exceptions, but since 2019, the program has lost its mojo. I can't believe that the staff can be so bad that they can't put a decent team on the field. Recruiting has been improving, but the results are subpar to say the least. Fitz and his coordinators aren't getting the job done.

Exactly. How can we be recruiting - at the very least - above average, and play this bad??

 

[Alan Smithee]

That's a puzzlement to me also. Would like to hear the coaching staff's justification for that.

Because that’s just what they’d be expecting us to do.

 

[Jaguar 88]

Does anyone really believe that a team of gorgeous women are going to cut your hair if you go to SportsClips?

I live in Sumter SC. Their are only two places a guy can get a haircut on a Saturday and the one near me is SportsClips. No hot babes are ever present. A few are cute though.

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

I go to our local sports clips. The staff are very nice. I tend to get the senior cut - I qualify! The full service option is relaxing too but has become a little pricey. Our shop is always busy, I have to reserve ahead.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Okay, I was out of town and didn't see a single play.
I read all the comments on the game thread...

How can some of you guys be blaming the defense for this loss?
You hold somebody to 17 points, you should win.

I'll watch the replay if I can find it.

But come on - if you can't score against Miami, Ohio, you have a lousy offensive line and bad play calling.

One thing you can' see on TV is if the quarterback is failing to identify receivers who are breaking open.... did Hilinski find anyone to throw to while scrambling? It is an enormous part of being a college QB.

 

[AdamOnFirst]

Okay, I was out of town and didn't see a single play.
I read all the comments on the game thread...

How can some of you guys be blaming the defense for this loss?
You hold somebody to 17 points, you should win.

I'll watch the replay if I can find it.

But come on - if you can't score against Miami, Ohio, you have a lousy offensive line and bad play calling.

One thing you can' see on TV is if the quarterback is failing to identify receivers who are breaking open.... did Hilinski find anyone to throw to while scrambling? It is an enormous part of being a college QB.

Watch the game and you'll understand why.

 

[CatManTrue]

Okay, I was out of town and didn't see a single play.
I read all the comments on the game thread...

How can some of you guys be blaming the defense for this loss?
You hold somebody to 17 points, you should win.

I'll watch the replay if I can find it.

But come on - if you can't score against Miami, Ohio, you have a lousy offensive line and bad play calling.

One thing you can' see on TV is if the quarterback is failing to identify receivers who are breaking open.... did Hilinski find anyone to throw to while scrambling? It is an enormous part of being a college QB.

All three units played like shit in that game. But the defense has been bad in pretty much every game since Auburn.

If it’s broke, fix it. I still have hope for our offense this season with Jake if they can clean up the turnovers.

 

[PurpleWhiteBoy]

Watch the game and you'll understand why.

Okay I watched the game.
The offense was garbage for most of it.
Obviously the O-line could not open holes for the running game - Miami came in with a solid defense against the run, but I don't think Hilinski even attempted any passes beyond 20 yards in the middle of the field.
Miami figured us out and started blitzing - Hilinski did not respond well to the pressure.
When he rolled out or scrambled, he threw into multiple defenders frequently.
(Do we EVER send anybody deep in those situations or does every receiver come to the ball?)

The defense gave up a single TD after a blocked punt handed Miami the ball on the NU 8 yard line at the end of the first half. Can't blame the defense for that.
They played quite well for 3 1/2 quarters. Some of that had to do with Miami's QB. After the NU offense finally got our 2nd touchdown, the defense promptly gave up a 65 yard run that led directly to a game-tying TD.

The offense immediately went 3 and out, handing the ball right back to Miami in a 14-14 game.
Miami ran the ball 11 of the next 12 plays, eating up the clock and setting up the game-winning field goal. Why we couldn't stop a team that really didn't want to pass, I'm not sure. The linebackers almost seemed to be running forward into the line instead of sitting behind the line, reading the blockers and trying to locate the ballcarrier.

However, we primarily lost the game because our conservative, predictable, limited, bumbling offense put up only 14 points in 11 full possessions.