FOOTBALL GAME THREAD The Official Purdue @ Marshall Game Thread
- Thread starter ARandomHerdFan
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Purdue isn't at the top of the Big Ten, but that is still a Big Ten O-line. Ask Stanford about Big Ten offensive lines....they found out yesterday.
I was at work when the game started. Had HAZMAT training class so started the game on record. did not want to come here until I was able to fast forward to live running. By the time I got here
we were down 21-17. So I know how I am and most of us are. After watching the game without any outside influences a few things.
1. Birdsong on the reads keeps the ball to often.
2. Refs missed some things on both sides, but some of the things they missed were things that did not help us in key spots both for and against us.
3. I understand why DJ was not used as much as we thought he would. Perdue was keying on him the whole game.
4. Birdsong has an arm and can thread it at times.
5. Moist of the time bounces in a game can affect a game, after the first play through midway through 4th quarter the bounces went Perdue's way.
6. Our guys have zero quit in them.
we were down 21-17. So I know how I am and most of us are. After watching the game without any outside influences a few things.
1. Birdsong on the reads keeps the ball to often.
2. Refs missed some things on both sides, but some of the things they missed were things that did not help us in key spots both for and against us.
3. I understand why DJ was not used as much as we thought he would. Perdue was keying on him the whole game.
4. Birdsong has an arm and can thread it at times.
5. Moist of the time bounces in a game can affect a game, after the first play through midway through 4th quarter the bounces went Perdue's way.
6. Our guys have zero quit in them.
Explain why you feel that way.
It's absolutely wrong, but I'll play along and let you explain why you think that.
The only complaint I have on Birdsong was something that was to be expected.. For most of the game he was making his reads too slow which caused him to miss some open guys who were further down in his progression.. First game in 22 months though so I expected it.. What I didn't expect was that we wouldn't get DJ more involved to help take some of that pressure off Birdsong's shoulders.. But, he came through when it mattered and really looked good and poised at times especially that drive we scored our last offensive TD on.
As he gets more comfortable and things start to come more natural for him out there and the wheel's aren't turning as much I think he's going to be pretty damn good.
And, again, what is it that allows you to distinguish if he should have kept it or not?
Is it because he was tackled immediately after keeping it? Is it because the RB gashed the middle without the ball and could have hands big gain if it was a give?
What is determining for you guys if he should have kept it or not?
Is it because he was tackled immediately after keeping it? Is it because the RB gashed the middle without the ball and could have hands big gain if it was a give?
What is determining for you guys if he should have kept it or not?
I didn't hear them one time critique birdsong on whether he should have given it or kept it.
They critiqued not getting DJ the ball more in terms of play-calling and birdsong getting hit a lot, but I don't recall a single time where they said anything about wrong reads with handoffs.
I was very impressed. The kid hasn't played in 20+ months? Even more impressive. I'm going to nit-pick some things about him.
It's unfair to compare him to Cato, but I will anyways. He is a different type of quarterback. Birdsong won't extend plays with his feet like Cato could. Though Cato wasn't much of a running threat, especially his senior year, he was able to buy time with his feet for receivers to get open. Birdsong won't be able to do that. But, he does bring a different dimension to the offense by being able to run the zone read. I just hope he doesn't get killed with getting hit so much.
He has a canon for an arm. Much like leftwich's sophomore year, he needs to work on touch on certain throws. There will come a time where, to be elevated to an elite QB, he will need the perfect amount of touch to fit a ball between a dropping LB and a safety. As it looked today, his ball would end up drilling the back of the LB in the helmet. But, again, he hasn't played in 20+ months.
His size, mechanics, base/feet, and arm are all superior to cato's. His accuracy is lacking, but that will continue to improve. Cato was very good at fitting balls in tiny spaces. Yet, he struggled with accuracy at times when his receivers were wide open.
Another good thing I saw a handful of times was that he would look defenders off, flip his hips, and come back the other way. Cato rarely did that. But, a couple of times, it seemed like birdsong fell in love with that. He would look off a safety and get linebackers to flow one way, but then automatically come back and throw the other side without really making sure that receiver was open. Again, it's a good thing he is looking defenders off. Learning not to overreact to that will come.
Another good thing is that he has that internal clock that triggers him to get out of the pocket. Realistically, a QB can't expect the line to give him protection for more than 3.5 seconds. At around the 3 second mark, a QB needs to start having his clock go off. At 3.5, he really needs to push up into the pocket and throw the ball away or try to get yards straight ahead. Birdsong did that. But, there is also a downside. A couple of the times he did that, he would start to run forward when that clock went off. Ideally, he would shuffle up into the pocket: at the 3 second mark, shuffle up; shuffle up again; at 3.5, you need to get rid of it or run as you will already be close to the wish after two shuffles up. He didn't shuffle up into the pocket. He would have the clock go off, but would start running. That means he won't have a good throwing base and won't have as strong of a throw or accuracy if he sees an open receiver during the time he should be shuffling up (which allows his feet to still be planted, his base wide, and his shoulders ready to throw). One time, in the first half going away from the facilities building, that happened. Instead of shuffling up, he started to run when the clock went off. He then saw a receiver and threw an inaccurate ball.
Just like with needing touch and needing to not fall in love with automatically throwing backside after looking off defenders, the failure to shuffle up into the pocket can be fixed with a few different drills and showing it to him on video.
Overall, they've done a very good job with him. He has great tools and can spin it. I think legg and doc must be salivating knowing what they will be able to do with this kid.
Go back and watch it again. They made several comments to that effect - all in the 2nd half.
