Sunday, October 5, 2014

Great Effort Comes Up Short
Ferrum falls 21-19 to CNU

I had the opportunity to go to Ferrum's game last night, and knowing the historical record between the two schools, I will have to admit, I was nervous to say the least. As I indicated in my Game Preview post, I thought Ferrum could give the Captains a game, and possibly catch them looking ahead to Huntingdon. The Panthers did indeed give them a game. In so many respects, Ferrum seemed like the stronger team, but there were other times that Ferrum would cause as much problems for themselves as the CNU team did.

Some observations......

Penalties, Mistakes, and Miscues

Penalties will happen. They are an inherent part of the game, but teams have to work hard to minimize them. Reflexes can cause penalties. Reaching to tackle the ball carrier, and inadvertently grabbing the face mask is one of the things that just happens....you obviously want to minimize penalties, but they do happen. A team like CNU is very talented, and does not need the help of penalties to enhance their efforts.....especially when those penalties, after a score, result in the Captains kicking off from the Ferrum 35......(that was definitely a first for me.)  2 dead ball fouls, a personal foul, and an abusive language penalty, were completely avoidable. This to me was inexcusable, and a complete detriment to the overall objective. These along with a sideline penalty on a coach, were all ridiculous. I would also add that in the penalty department, Ferrum, having two kickoffs go out of bounds hurt the Panthers cause. Yes it was windy, but the kicks have to stay on the field of play.

Turnovers are something that has to be eliminated. The one pass interception was a well thrown ball that could have been caught, but it looked like to me from where I was, it somehow bounced off of the receivers shoulder pads, and into the hands of the defender....those things happen, but CNU did what good teams do, they converted it into points.
The fumble by Reynolds was another example of how quickly a good team can strike after being given a gift. ( If I remember right, CNU threw for a touchdown after the fumble, but it was called back due to their own mistake...offensive pass interference.)

Defensive Effort

Marcus Morrast, and Rudy Rudolph are very good, and athletic ball players. They are a hard combination to stop, and it was no surprise to me that they had several connections. You are not going to stop them all the time, but I have to say that the defensive effort was very, very strong. The defensive front for Ferrum did a great job.  I was really impressed with the entire defensive effort.

Offensive Effort

I heard a comment at the game last night, and I have had this repeatedly asserted in readers comments on the blog..."They always run the same stuff"  Ferrum runs a spread option attack, and as I understand it, this formation spreads the defense out. If the Panthers, from this formation, run the typical run or pitch type option play, they are generally moving the ball to the edges of the field. This attack requires pretty good speed in the back field. If the offense is successful in getting around the corner, there is a good possibility that the ball carrier will pick up good yardage. If the defense starts to slide to the edges, then it opens up the middle, and yardage can be gained through the middle. Lastly, if the defense brings the secondary in closer to try to stop the run, passing routes may open up.

Many followers of the blog seem to think Ferrum needs to initiate a different offensive game plan. I personally have no problem with the spread option, but think that last night, the shorter the field got, the less effective it was. Mostly, I thought Ferrum's offense was strong between the 30's. I must emphasize, they did have over 400 yards of offense, but I think this should have resulted in more points.

Special Teams

Two kick offs out of bounds, and a blocked xp.... Work needs to be done in this area. Punting seemed better as far as getting the punt off, but I don't recall a huge amount of pressure. Kickoff and punt returns were good, but I am still hoping to see a couple come back all the way.

This was a game that Ferrum could have won. I will also add that there seemed to be a lack of enthusiasm on the sideline. The players need to be vocally supportive of each other, they need to motion to the fans to get fired up. This can have an effect, and can help make a difference.

In the end, it is another loss, but what makes it worse is it was against a team that, on paper, looked superior to the Panthers. They were not. Ferrum could have won, and while there are many good points to the Panthers effort, my favorite part about last night's game is that CNU is not going to be on the schedule next year....not as a conference opponent anyway.

Great Effort....Go Panthers!

13 comments:

  1. Hey Allan, Look for once I am not here to bash you!!! FC came to play and for what I saw it would of been nice to have seen this from good ole FC long time ago but Ferrum played hard and lost not because CNU beat them FC lost because FC beat themselves once again!!! Look at the game did you not see that Reynolds tried to do a Marcus Morast from CNU trying so hard to carry the team. My favorite was that when they put in 10 which unless my info is wrong they claim it was Max Harper on that toss sweep to make that first down which they didn't make!!! Come on Allan you know as well as I know that this has been the first time in years that FC played well and lets face it FC plays up to their opponents and when it comes down to the biggest plays ones that can make you win the game They meaning FC chokes!!!!! Look at the 2 personal fouls after CNU scored I can accept the one with not the one with the kid using foul language. You would think that FC coaches would teach them not to use that on the field what the players do off the field is on them!!! Look at it this way FC has themselves to blame for this lost and their season and take a hard look at this one for once its not the players fault!!!!!!!!!!

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  2. #10 was Troy Helton. He had gotten his #5 jersey torn completely off of him, and then wore # 32. He later changed to #10. I am not sure why he changed a second time. Max Harper was in a home # 10 jersey (black jersey with gold numbers) on the sideline signaling in plays. He is on the roster as a quarterback, but has not gone in a game yet to my knowledge....Max is Dave Harper's son.

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  3. It's not my goal to try to place blame, but I am pretty sure that these players know that foul language is something that will get you a penalty. As for that penalty, and the late hit in the end zone, I find it difficult to understand how this was the coaches fault. As for the sweep that did not work, I gather by what you are saying that this was a poor play call. As I explained above, that was Helton in a different jersey.....rather than solely looking at the coaches as the problem, I would say on that play, CNU rose to the occasion, and made a very good play..

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    1. No Allan, I don't blame harper and company for the late hit personal foul, but the foul language yes!!! I still don't understand how you can believe and stand with harper who and lets face it can't handle the pressure when everything is on the line. Like I said FC played like old FC like 2005 and older before I was there but when your in a position to take the lead and fail to make a yard like that toss sweep as well as reynolds fumble which the coaches are not suppose to teach him to retreat from the ball and then play hero and catch it with one hand!!!! Ferrum yes had there chances and yes that Coach E has finally shown some of that magic that you have hyped up but again when you lose this one is not on the players!!! I have always said this: YOU CAN NOT BLAME THE PLAYERS FOR POOR COACHING!!!!! FC has one wide receiver your kidding right!!!!!! Explain why are you depending so much on the run!!! Like you said you don't have a problem with the offensive calling but I do!!!!! FC you can not win games with the pound and ground method anymore you must throw and with harper being the special teams coach find someone else!!! You can't kick it out of bounds and expect to win this or any other game!!!!!! Good try FC but like the normal your always be short which I feel for the players, but nothing for the coaches they players did their jobs the coaches failed to coach so yes Allan its on harper and company!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  4. Special teams again hurt FC. Missed extra point forced team to go for 2 later. The game should have been no less than tied at 21. Punting has been horrible and other than 1st game, FG and kick-off's not good. Looks like FC truly misses the consistency of Wes Franklin who was perfect in FG/Xpt's last year and a very good punter. Unless your kickers significantly improve, they will continually put the team in poor field position and this will result in short fields and easy scores for the opponent offenses.

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    1. Your Right some can say it cost FC the win!!! After all Harper is in charge of the special teams after they canned Pete Shaw!!!!! So Allan your tells us its not on the coaches right??? Look again homer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  5. "Joe from Rocky Mount" or "Angry Anonymous Guy" or whatever your name is- your posts are very entertaining and please keep them coming but come on man- we get it- you are angry because you use to coach there and for whatever reason you don't anymore- you clearly are bitter and have an axe to grind. With that said, anyone who follows Ferrum football knows for whatever reason Ferrum lost it's recruiting advantage of the Hank days 20 years ago- they missed the boat on consistently building on that success. And it's going to take a number of years to turn that around- it starts with recruiting the right kids, keeping those kids, and WINNING to keep getting the RIGHT kids in the program.

    Before you call me a homer- I think the offense is horrible to put it nicely. You can't efficiently run this offense with a quarterback who can't throw. The current QB should be playing defensive back. If you can't recruit the right QB, go back to the wishbone- the real identity of the offense needs to be solved.

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    1. Hey Why are you picking on Joe from Rocky Mount??? Why aren't you talking or making comments to defend FC Then??? I think that Joe is right and do agree with him and I don't like to see that Ferrum has gone from a school that use to be in it to what now???? Come on and tells us why you think that FC is this great program and stop taking shots a people who have voiced their opinions and have done it in public while you and even me in this post hide behind anonymous!!! Thanks for your 2 cents because your right on one thing which is that FC needs to find kids to stay in the program for longer than one season!!!!!

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  6. Wow...you guys are on a roll.....I guess I will start with the comment about blaming the coaches for the players foul language penalty. In my opinion, and I may be looked at as just being a homer, The coach cannot control what a player says or does on a field. They therefore are not immediately responsible for the players poor choice that led to a penalty.... BUT I will say that the coaches are ultimately responsible for the actions of the team that they put on the field that represents Ferrum College. Therefore, they should number one, make it clear that if you act out in a game in that manner, you as a player, and as a representative of Ferrum must suffer consequences, and number two, impose those consequences without fail. Lastly, the coaches have to be an example to the palyers. They have to exercise good judgement in their words and deeds in order to be able to correct and discipline with credibility.

    As for Special Teams, there is lots of room for improvement....Its on the coaches to figure that out, and make that aspect of the game as solid as possible.

    I don't look at the offense as horrible, but I would call it mildly effective. It's hard to argue with 425 yards of offense, but that in most cases should produce more than 19 points....I would be interested to know what all you guys out there think that the offensive approach should be? Power I, Wing T, Wildcat (Single Wing), West Coast,Vertical Offense, Air Coryell....Here is a link, of a buch to choose from....I'm just curious what your thoughts are as to what Ferrum should be doing with their O.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offensive_philosophy_%28American_football%29#Vertical_Offense

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  7. Let's not blame the special teams let's put it in reality. You have your upperclassmen kicker who has good led from 45 yards in, you have #39 who is good from 50 yards in # 30 is good from 55 yards in and has hit from 60 yards let's direct this in the right direction why recruit them if your not going to use them left a possible six points on the field that could have won the game. Freshman or not it was ridiculous that they weren't used , to go for it on 4th and 1 with an end around against a faster Def was as ridiculous as leaving your kickers on the bench.

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  8. If you are going to post the special team bashing at least have the fortitude to post the defense so I will try again. First the kickoffs out of bounds will happen when kicking to the sideline that would be kicking to A as its called it would also be called no confidence in your coverage team.the blocked extra point is not a kicker problem that's a line problem get that blame out of the system.now as for losing the game by 2 I will state it again it is ridiculous to have a junior who can kick 45 yard field goals #39 who is good from 50 or closer and # 30 who has 55 and in range and has kicked a 60 yard field goal to leave any of the 3 on the Bench and leave 6 possible points on the field for a 4th and 1 end around run against a fast defense is ludicrous why recruit them if your not going to use them.

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  9. Allen,
    It was really nice meeting you on Saturday. You asked me if I ever read your blog and I said that I try not to. I must admit that I found myself searching for your blog on Sunday morning. I obviously do enjoy reading your synopsis of the game and reading other's comments. I probably won't comment much because my son plays on defense and I am extremely biased and we are new to the Ferrum family, Keep you blog coming even though I know you're overpaid. Stop by my tailgating tent at any game and grab a bite to eat. Just follow the smoke signal.

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  10. Very much enjoyed meeting you also. I'm sorry I am so slow responding to your comment above. I am having more computer problems than should be allowed by law...lol. I have been going to the librarey, and that is somewhat limited. I have gotten my desktop up and running, after sitting idle for about a year. I have been relying on my laptop, and now that is down. At least, I can watch the game online Saturday.
    I very much appreciate the tailgating invite.As I live in Williamsburg, it is difficult to get to Ferrum often. I am hoping to get to a couple of more games this year, but that is still up in the air. If so, I will definitely come by for some food. Take care, keep reading the blog, and Go Panthers!

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