(12-05-2018 01:18 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  The offense was superb in year 1......the offense in year 2 and year 3 were actually quite similar.

Yeah that's what I was getting at. I get that we had a new o line in 2017 that impacted the offense, but the play calling became noticeably worse even during the early 2017 campaign once we entered CAA play. It then stayed that way up until the Colgate game, almost stubbornly refusing to change.

(12-05-2018 01:46 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Another way to look at it...

In 2017 JMU had to replace 3 of 5 offensive lineman to include all-CAA and all-America players. They did this well enough to go 14-1.

The thing is though, can we honestly say they improved as a unit this year? I think the OL unit has consistently declined in performance year to year during MH's tenure. That's not a good thing.

(12-05-2018 01:53 PM)ShadyP Wrote:  I had forgotten about Jamal Powell. Either way we need better production from the oline and te positions. I thought we were kind of loaded at TE this year and it seemed to be a position of struggle and under-utilization for much of the year. I think I can count on one hand how many times we used the TE down the seam or in the middle of the field.

Yep. It's been disappointing how little the TE position has been used the past two seasons. It doesn't help when one of the TEs is good for at least one holding call per game consistently.

(12-05-2018 02:33 PM)AllForDukes Wrote:  Without 50/50 receptions, the running game had a bigger hill to climb and it allowed the opponents to load the box and overwhelm the o-line with LB's, safeties and CB's.

Yep. This is essentially the core problem of our offense, in 2017 and 2018. With receiver drops in 2017 plaguing us and then just poor QB accuracy and deep ball threat in 2018, opponents quickly realized we have no deep pass threat. They didn't respect BD and stacked the box, knowing he wasn't a considerable passing threat. The O-line then struggled mightily when they were double teamed constantly.

In all the losses and even the SB win, that's exactly what happened and it worked.

(12-05-2018 02:33 PM)AllForDukes Wrote:  Without 50/50 receptions, the running game had a bigger hill to climb and it allowed the opponents to load the box and overwhelm the o-line with LB's, safeties and CB's.

I agree 100%.

I need to go back and watch a couple games, but I think they adjusted later in the season by calling a lot more passing plays to hit receivers on the move and/or allow the receiver to create a big play. Lots of hook routes to the sideline, levels concept plays, and slant routes. The idea being that we have very fast, athletic receivers who can make plays with their feet. So if you get them the ball in space they'll make plays happen.

I also think that's why Riley largely went quiet at the end of the year. His stats are slightly higher this year than last, but if you look at when he scored his TDs: W1, W3, W4, W5, W6, and 2 in W10. He only had one 100+ yard game (with 98 and 99 yarders, too), which is not atypical of receivers in Houston's offenses. The 100+ yard game, in which he didn't score a TD, was against UNH and most of those yards came from passes by Cole Johnson.

(12-05-2018 02:45 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 01:46 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Another way to look at it...

In 2017 JMU had to replace 3 of 5 offensive lineman to include all-CAA and all-America players. They did this well enough to go 14-1.

The thing is though, can we honestly say they improved as a unit this year? I think the OL unit has consistently declined in performance year to year during MH's tenure. That's not a good thing.

No they certainly did not. That was my point. 2017 was under Stinespring. New starters at 3 out of 5 spots and held our own well enough to finish 14-1. I’m wondering if they would have held or improved had he not gone to MD.

(12-05-2018 03:02 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 02:45 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 01:46 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Another way to look at it...

In 2017 JMU had to replace 3 of 5 offensive lineman to include all-CAA and all-America players. They did this well enough to go 14-1.

The thing is though, can we honestly say they improved as a unit this year? I think the OL unit has consistently declined in performance year to year during MH's tenure. That's not a good thing.

No they certainly did not. That was my point. 2017 was under Stinespring. New starters at 3 out of 5 spots and held our own well enough to finish 14-1. I’m wondering if they would have held or improved had he not gone to MD.

And this year was with his recruits.

We won't know until he takes over, but as others have also said the success of the new coach will be based on the quality of the assistants he hires. When Houston brought in his assistants they had some pretty good resumes.

(12-05-2018 03:07 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 03:02 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 02:45 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 01:46 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Another way to look at it...

In 2017 JMU had to replace 3 of 5 offensive lineman to include all-CAA and all-America players. They did this well enough to go 14-1.

The thing is though, can we honestly say they improved as a unit this year? I think the OL unit has consistently declined in performance year to year during MH's tenure. That's not a good thing.

No they certainly did not. That was my point. 2017 was under Stinespring. New starters at 3 out of 5 spots and held our own well enough to finish 14-1. I’m wondering if they would have held or improved had he not gone to MD.

And this year was with his recruits.

We won't know until he takes over, but as others have also said the success of the new coach will be based on the quality of the assistants he hires. When Houston brought in his assistants they had some pretty good resumes.

Yep, the assistants (Trott anyhow) arguably had a deeper resume than Houston. I’m amazed Trott stayed as long as he did in FCS, heckuva coach.

Shankweiler now confirmed to follow him to ECU. OL Coach.

(12-05-2018 04:08 PM)Potomac Wrote:  Shankweiler now confirmed to follow him to ECU. OL Coach.

Good.

Could've told you that a week ago. He's the one that was liking every UNC-Charlotte post he could find on twitter on Tuesday. No secrets with that guy lol.

(12-05-2018 04:31 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Could've told you that a week ago. He's the one that was liking every UNC-Charlotte post he could find on twitter on Tuesday. No secrets with that guy lol.

I don't think he realizes that's how twitter works. That it shows not just what you tweet and retweet, but some of what you like.

(12-05-2018 04:34 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 04:31 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Could've told you that a week ago. He's the one that was liking every UNC-Charlotte post he could find on twitter on Tuesday. No secrets with that guy lol.

I don't think he realizes that's how twitter works. That it shows not just what you tweet and retweet, but some of what you like.

Not some. All. Every profile has a “likes” tab and you can see that persons entire activity. From coaches liking new schools, to politicians liking porn, no “like” goes missed.

(12-05-2018 03:07 PM)Dukester Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 03:02 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 02:45 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 01:46 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Another way to look at it...

In 2017 JMU had to replace 3 of 5 offensive lineman to include all-CAA and all-America players. They did this well enough to go 14-1.

The thing is though, can we honestly say they improved as a unit this year? I think the OL unit has consistently declined in performance year to year during MH's tenure. That's not a good thing.

No they certainly did not. That was my point. 2017 was under Stinespring. New starters at 3 out of 5 spots and held our own well enough to finish 14-1. I’m wondering if they would have held or improved had he not gone to MD.

And this year was with his recruits.

We won't know until he takes over, but as others have also said the success of the new coach will be based on the quality of the assistants he hires. When Houston brought in his assistants they had some pretty good resumes.

They mostly weren’t his recruits if you count 2016 signees Patrick and Bethea as EW recruits since MH didnt’t get to JMU until Jan 2016 (assuming they committed under EW/signed under MH). 6 JMU starting OL this past season. Going by the Colgate game notes (gives starting info for the 1st 12 games), for the 13 games.

EW recruits:
-Patrick (13 starts at OC) (committed under EW).
-Bethea (13 starts (4 at LT/9 at LG)) (committed under EW).
-Chavious (11 starts at RG)
-Jackson (6 starts at LG)

MH/Stinespring recruits:
-Fornadel (13 starts at LT)
-Gillespie (9 starts at RT) (2016 walkon, so possibly could be a Withers recruit).

(12-05-2018 04:45 PM)Dukes1825 Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 04:34 PM)Potomac Wrote:  

(12-05-2018 04:31 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Could've told you that a week ago. He's the one that was liking every UNC-Charlotte post he could find on twitter on Tuesday. No secrets with that guy lol.

I don't think he realizes that's how twitter works. That it shows not just what you tweet and retweet, but some of what you like.

Not some. All. Every profile has a “likes” tab and you can see that persons entire activity. From coaches liking new schools, to politicians liking porn, no “like” goes missed.

He’s pushing 70, so he’s probably not well versed on the ins and outs of twatter..

FWIW, small trivia tidbit...

...this will be not 1, not 2, not 3, but the 4th stint for Steve Shankweiler at EZU.

'87-'91 he was Bill Lewis' offensive coordinator
'98-'02 OL coach
'05-'09 O-Coord.

He was O-Coord. at Ga Tech from '92-'94 and was horrible. When I read Houston hired him to JMU, I was unimpressed to say the least and after the struggles of the O-Line this past season I am not surprised. To be fair, not all of that was on him of course.

Leaving JMU for EZU? Sounds good to me.

(12-05-2018 07:20 PM)Wear Purple Wrote:  FWIW, small trivia tidbit...

...this will be not 1, not 2, not 3, but the 4th stint for Steve Shankweiler at EZU.

'87-'91 he was Bill Lewis' offensive coordinator
'98-'02 OL coach
'05-'09 O-Coord.

He was O-Coord. at Ga Tech from '92-'94 and was horrible. When I read Houston hired him to JMU, I was unimpressed to say the least and after the struggles of the O-Line this past season I am not surprised. To be fair, not all of that was on him of course.

Leaving JMU for EZU? Sounds good to me.

I have the impression Houston may have picked him up as extra bait for the ECU job. Houston said he was eyeballing that job for a while, and ECU fans are drooling over the return of DK and Shankweiler, much moreso than Trott. There was also an "insider" posting that the ECU connections were the reason the top brass picked Houston over Butch Jones.

Shankweiler looked great "on paper", but in practice he seems sort of meh, if you judge our oline performance this year. Could just be due to injuries/suspension and youth I guess.

Meh, we had multiple players should clear regression in my opinion. He was a swing and miss if you ask me.

(12-05-2018 10:08 PM)jmu007 Wrote:  Meh, we had multiple players should clear regression in my opinion. He was a swing and miss if you ask me.

I agree. Stagnate as best. No real loss there.

I agree with others. Won’t miss shankweiler. His o line unit continued to regress compared to an already underwhelming 2017 season. They had an extra year of experience too.