I look at what we could have done to win this game. Well at 100% I think we have a good chance. Ruiz was just too much to overcome. He can get to the next level and then pick up speed. This would have forced JMU's LB's inside and then given us a chance to work in space. We3 had no outside run game & our offense thrives on this. Also, the line could have better protected Wells, both in general and with a run-game. I am impressed by a couple of those young WR's we have.
On offense JMU players were not what I would call elite ...none of them. However, they work well together. Look at that QB, not to insult the guy as he just whipped us, but was he even in the top half of the QB's we faced this year? (WVU, ILS, SDSU, NDSU, UNI)? Nope. Pregame hype had me scared about that back, well he got his yards, but he was not even averaging 3 yards-per carry after the first 2 drives. However, we were down 14-0 at that point with stupid TO's and a short field. Our defense finally settled in on them. Yet coach Carl brought up our safeties in run support and they simply knew to pick on our terrible secondary, as every balanced (offense) team did all season against us. Our D line has never seemed that bad, I do not understand why we creep up like that. If you look at our losses, we do this in every one of them. JMU did the same thing but they had a secondary. Heck that was the strength of their team
None-the-less. Our inability to run, our miscues on special teams and our secondary all add up to a lopsided game.
Nation, who cares about 2015 at the end of 2016? Your OC has been here for 8 years, so if you are going to judge him either do it for 2016, or his entire tenure. In 2015, our pass coverage and D line was terrible & not much better in 2016. Last year Carl dropped back and doubled-up. This year he stacked the front. I do not blame coach Carl or Bo ...in fact I respect the improvements in just 2 years. Yet in 2016, our offense was stellar most games once we settled in on a QB. You are just afraid to say anything negative about a guys named Pelini ....either one of them. We have many shortcomings on defense and in head-coaching ...you can fool some people, but no one that watched the games. Heacock loaded up the front under Tressel, but we had a secondary that could play on an island. Just because Bo says the defense was "okay" in every press conference does not mean it is so. He is covering and it pi**** me off every time he does it. I lose respect for him. People who watch the game also know the shortcomings on offense and special teams. We don't look at the game with the focus of getting rid of a coach. Have you ever once asked why we do not have a special teams coach? Last year we did not even have one and this year we brought over an under-qualified coach just to cover. That is the fault of your Head-coach. You are right about one thing ... coach Bo is no god and needs to stay out of the O and D ...maybe take over as special teams coordinator. Let his OC and DC do their jobs. The season is over and now the coordinators jobs switch over to recruiting.