Defense/Secondary

[Appersrule]

I am tired of reading post after post ripping the play calling and the offense all year. The offense really was pretty effective but every week our defense got shredded. The secondary is awful. We have some players in Sanders and McCray but gosh almighty can we recruit a safety to replace Blalock. If he is the best we have, then we are terrible. He was a walk-on and probably a really good kid. But he is slower than Christmas and couldnt cover my grandmother. Illinois State schemed to exploit him and they succeeded all day long. This has happened in every game all season. This defense will be in a world of hurt last year if no one steps up for Kimbrough either. He was a manbeast who covered up many mistakes in either scheme or execution this year. He will be sorely missed. Its time to replace Dale Jones and over haul the defense. The offense will be ok.

[HighPointApp]

Truth hurts. Something needs to be changed.................

[appalum2003]

I typically go into each season with the mentality of "well, if we can just fix x and y, then we should turn it around."

Going into next season, I don't know what to fix. That's not me saying that EVERYTHING is wrong, but something's gotta give. We have WAY too much talent to lose in the first playoff game every year.

[t4pizza]

You hit the nail on the head. We need a defensive overhaul. It has been three years and he just isn't getting the job done.

[AppState89]

DITTO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like you said, this isn't the first time this has happened this year. Even some former players near me today said the same. We need someone fast..PERIOD!!! Don't understand why changes aren't made when someone keeps getting burned game after game after game after game..

[CharlotteApp]

So true about Blalock. I'm sure he is a good kid, but he has been burned time and time again this year. Hate to say it, because he went to the same High School as me, but he has to go.

[appfan83]

Well as the old saying goes, "if if ands and buts where candy and nuts We will all have a Merry Christmas. with that being said, If we hadn't lost some of our New defensive talent to season ending injuries, things could have been different.

[AppState89]

So true about Blalock. I'm sure he is a good kid, but he has been burned time and time again this year. Hate to say it, because he went to the same High School as me, but he has to go.

You know I HATE HATE HATE calling out a kid in college or HS,, but Blalock just isn't a very good SS. He is just to slow... I'll call out a PRO player in a skinny minute because he make millions, but these kids play from their hearts. Looks like I called him out...sorry.

[bcoach]

Are we pretending that Blalock was the only one that got burned, or that he is our major problem? As much as we hace improved from the early part of the season we have many problems. Their lines made mush out of us for one.

[CharlotteApp]

So true about Blalock. I'm sure he is a good kid, but he has been burned time and time again this year. Hate to say it, because he went to the same High School as me, but he has to go.

You know I HATE HATE HATE calling out a kid in college or HS,, but Blalock just isn't a very good SS. He is just to slow... I'll call out a PRO player in a skinny minute because he make millions, but these kids play from their hearts. Looks like I called him out...sorry.

After I posted my first comments, I thought about it and was mad at myself for calling a kid out like that. I know exactly what you mean. The kid plays his heart out, that I know for sure.

[CharlotteApp]

Are we pretending that Blalock was the only one that got burned, or that he is our major problem? As much as we hace improved from the early part of the season we have many problems. Their lines made mush out of us for one.

That's a very good point. My comments about Blalock were a little hot headed. He needs to improve but there is plenty of blame to go around.

[moehler]

the defensive line actually held up well against the run, I dont believe they had more than 130 yds. As far as a pass rush, I blame Jones, again, he went conservative, backed the linebackers off into coverage, and didnt change up the defensive schemes, and didnt blitz nearly enough, its tough to get to a qb, behind a line that averages 6'5 320 with only 4 guys.

[appbio91]

What about that Kimbough guy! Gonna miss him.

As for Blalock he played his ass off tonight I am sure. He left nothing on the field and he is sombody's kid. Let's not forget that our Payton finalist QB had probably his worst half of football of the year today (injured and playing his ass off as well) and our O line let somebody blast straight up the middle to block that PAT and we missed two interceptions and our coaches made some questionable decisions and fans were leaving early and fill in the damn blank...

It was team loss, coaches and players share the failings like 99% of every team sport loss.

[yosefederation]

What about that Kimbough guy! Gonna miss him.

As for Blalock he played his ass off tonight I am sure. He left nothing on the field and he is sombody's kid. Let's not forget that our Payton finalist QB had probably his worst half of football of the year today (injured and playing his ass off as well) and our O line let somebody blast straight up the middle to block that PAT and we missed two interceptions and our coaches made some questionable decisions and fans were leaving early and fill in the damn blank...

It was team loss, coaches and players share the failings like 99% of every team sport loss.

"Ding ding" Well said, and welcome to the MMB this year.

[87ASUgrad]

Other than a few plays, Bridgewater (ISU QB) had plenty of time to pick our secondary apart. ISU had a good game plan and exploited our weeknesses all day.

[BrownHP800]

On thing that would help a secondary a lot is a pass rush. There was none today. If you give a good QB that much time to throw, you are in trouble.

[GoAppsGo92]

Have to agree with others... This was a team loss... defense held thier own in the first half while our offense took 4+ series to figure out what it was doing... they looked horrible in the first half.

No doubt, the defense was shredded in the second half, and totally blown coverage on the first play in overtime.... but this game was very winnable despite all of that. That last offensive series was poorly executed and led to the overtime in the first place IMO. Had a chance to win right there. Don't feel too bad about this one though... perfect weather for a ball game, super exciting 4th quarter, and a worthy opponent... heck, after Citadel and Wofford, I did not think this team had a chance at the playoffs.

[WataugaMan]

our O line let somebody blast straight up the middle to block that PAT.

They almost blocked every PAT we attempted, adjustment to the line were not made. Thus, it was just a matter of time before they did, and they did.

[ASUPATCH]

I hate to pile on a kid but here goes. I dont really feel Blaylock is all that slow. What he really lacks is football IQ. He is often times out of position and doesnt possses the world class speed needed to make for mental errors. On top of it he is possibly the worst tackler on the that side of the ball. Worst of all is that pass coverage is his strength. You guys remember Citadel, Wofford, GSU. He took bad angle after bad angle after bad angle on ball carriers on option plays. I think he is a pure athlete that has zero instinct or football acumen. Unofrtunalt as the moderator on the board(Yosef) brother can attest I call the blocked extra point. Every kick al game long they were getting pressure up the middle. Said moderators brother looked at me after our OT touchdown and said "Second OT it is" to which I replied "not if we dont protect the middle." There was either no adjustment made or ISU was simply too strong up front for us to make adjustments.

[WVAPPeer]

Here's an idea - STOP CALLING OUT INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS - as stated, this is a team game and to pick one player when the defense has underperformed all year is asinine ---

by the way -for the season he finished 4th on the team in tackles and tied for first in takeaways ---

Bitch about units or groups or combinations but please for the love of God lay off individual players who work their asses off for 12 months a year to play football for Appalachian State University and give all they have ---