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Post by purplestorm on Sept 16, 2015 23:56:39 GMT
Well, we may as well try to ride this bull because he's no longer in the pasture, but in the lot and headed to the chute. We've played teams as tough and even tougher in our history, but maybe never with a greener defense than we have right now. I'll be interested to see if our offense can move the ball against the mighty Bulldogs "D." I have nothing but respect for the "State" football program and I don't think we'll even come close to winning, but we have beaten them in basketball and baseball in the past. However, our FCS peers, Jacksonville State, reminded us last weekend that on "any given Saturday, anything can happen." They actually let Auburn off the hook, but that's another story. I'm just not sure we have the mettle, this particular season, at least, to try to pull off any major upsets. But ... we have done it before. So, we'll see. I just hope we don't get too banged up playing a rough and tough SEC team. A new season begins for us after this weekend. I hope we studied hard and learned some valuable lessons. Before I go, I have a story to share about Mississippi State fans. About four years ago, I sitting in a sports restaurant/bar in Cool Springs, Tenn. (suburb of Nashville) and I'm wearing my NSU purple. I'm sitting with some buddies who are cheering for Boston College on one of the 25 or so TVs in the restaurant (understand there are fans from as many universities as there are TV's ... Nashville has a nation-wide college football audience and the sports bar scene there in the Fall is electric). I'm following an NSU game on my phone and all of a sudden I hear someone yell from across the bar ... "Demons, Demons, Demons!!!" I looked up and a guy donning every Mississippi State garb you can imagine (hat, shirt, sweats, sweatshirt, pins, etc.) comes up and starts shaking my hand and introducing himself to me. He was a relative of an unnamed alum and had been to football games at Turpin Stadium at least three or four times. It was a nice moment and my respect factor for "State" fans went way up because he didn't have to go out of his way to speak to an FCS stranger and we all know there are several upper-tier schools that would ignore anyone in FCS garb.
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Post by Cajundemon11 on Sept 17, 2015 5:13:50 GMT
I know it won't happen this week but I'm just ready to win a game and pick a damn quarterback already!!
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Post by purplestorm on Sept 17, 2015 11:37:51 GMT
These games make us better ... IF we can remain healthy. The future is going to be just fine. Jay is willing to play anyone in order to build the program to his liking. Being brought back from the dead takes time. Just ask Southern Mississippi.
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Post by NSU2003 on Sept 17, 2015 12:13:30 GMT
Yea. This one will be ugly. If our defense wasn't so inexperienced then maybe we could hold them under 50 but that won't happen this year.
I just hope we don't get too banged up. The only thing that could make for a worse season would be to lose key players for the rest of the schedule.
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Post by DallasDemon on Sept 18, 2015 4:40:17 GMT
It is time that we step up and play like we are capable. Mississippi State or not, we have to believe we can go out and win every game. There are plenty of other FCS teams who do this, several within our conference. We need a good showing in Starkville this Saturday, no excuses.
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Post by DonewiththeDemons on Sept 19, 2015 21:21:54 GMT
Hopefully we can hold them before the half. Offense doesn't look too bad.
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Post by purplestorm on Sept 19, 2015 22:44:22 GMT
First-string offense has done very well today. Defense has a LONG way to go. But, a very good SEC team us not a fair litmus test. State almost beat LSU who is mauling Auburn today. While I am happy we get to play up a couple times a year, I will be glad when all this is over and we can play people our own size.
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Post by NSU2003 on Sept 20, 2015 20:34:33 GMT
Defense is gonna be iffy all season long. Offense has the potential to be very good. I still say that had we been prepared to play Game #1 we should have beaten (outscored) SLU.
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Post by NSUPurple on Sept 21, 2015 1:28:12 GMT
I agree. SLU is loaded but has failed to impress but may put it together in time. The problem is we may have to score lots of points to win any of thr remaining games.
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Post by DallasDemon on Sept 21, 2015 1:59:28 GMT
1. Decide on a QB and stick with that decision. Having 4 QB's play by design is unprecedented and quite frankly not smart football. 2. We have no defense. Figure out what is wrong and fix it quickly, there is no time left.
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Post by Cajundemon11 on Sept 21, 2015 2:52:01 GMT
Just to add on to Dallas I'm going to throw in my two cents, feel free to disagree its just one person's opinion.
First off I'll list off a few positives from saturday. 1 penalty, no turnovers, and offensive line is by far our best unit. They played well, also Chris Jones ran hard.
And now for my rant. Saturday was pathetic, I was absolutely humiliated by where our program is right now. No more excuses, don't feed me that bullshit, been listening to it for two years. No more. Mississippi State recorded its highest offensive output in the history of its program saturday (647 yards). They annually play a SWAC team or at least another FCS team, they are known for scheduling extremely weak OOC and we give up more yards than anyone else has.... They literally ran any play they wanted to successfully. The holes to run through were huge and they could've thrown it deep on us every play. Absolutely horrid, and I am by no means expecting us to play them down to the wire, all I want is for us to be somewhat competitive and look like we belong on the field with them, which we didn't…Dak Prescott was 10-11 for 227 yards. Those are numbers that you could have throwing against barrels. I can't even do that in a video game, it was way too easy for them to move the ball and we looked lost and there were absolutely no adjustments made on the sideline. The freakin DC was cheering on the offense for crying out loud while the defense was off the field, Lucas had the D off to the side and was diagramming adjustments in between possessions. This is no where close to the "Purple Storm" of old, those days are long gone. I was flat out embarrassed by our defense.
Now for the debacle on offense. Bringing in Rivers was the worst mistake this staff could make, these younger guys are getting the shaft and poor JD Almond starts the game, moves the ball and gets pulled for Rivers. WTF!!!? Pick someone and go with it, this is going to cost us an entire season of snaps for our quarterbacks. Start Almond, and bury Rivers in the depth chart, he is NOT the guy. This is an absolute calamity and I"m telling you right now its causing this team division. This is such a poor way to handle it and I can't even wrap my mind around the thinking behind it. Pick a guy, stick with him and let him get into a rhythm and cut the shit on the musical chairs of quarterback. THis shit should've been figured out by the first game. Thats why you have fall camp, make a decision and go with it. We will have a losing season, but at least give one of these younger guys the game experience and live snaps.
Also I'm really pissed off with the excuses Jay is making after the games, that's bullshit. Just say we got our asses kicked and the fact he isn't showing any disgust or disappointment is very troubling. We didn't play the New England Patriots, saying we couldn't tackle the running backs because they were "big SEC backs" is puzzling. They shouldn't be dragging 4 guys down the field for 15 yards. We have to find out real quick where the hell this train is going or we are in for a very long season. I was the biggest Jay Thomas backer on here, but these first 3 games have been extremely discouraging. I am certainly not calling to make a change but my doubts on our future are growing. Maybe this thing gets turned around and I eat my own words, I'd love nothing more. Alright, rant over. I just love this school and program so much it just hurts that I invest so much time and resources (like all of you) to see these games and we get ran out of the stadium. It just sucks.
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Post by NSU2003 on Sept 21, 2015 11:53:16 GMT
Yes ^
A lot of what you said goes to that first game when we looked like we weren't even ready to start the season. SLU showed up to start the season and we showed up to play the Delaney Bowl.
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Post by purplestorm on Sept 21, 2015 11:58:39 GMT
Man, maybe I just can't get upset over sports anymore. Something has happened to me as of late. I mean, the world is falling apart at the seams in some places and I just see college athletics as an outlet for relaxation and fun. I love NSU, but I doff my cap to you gentlemen who wear this much harder than me, but this is where I get off the bus and let things fall out like they are going to whether I worry or not. Have a nice day.
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Post by Cajundemon11 on Sept 21, 2015 18:19:41 GMT
You're exactly right purple storm, this is totally out of our hands. At the end of the day its 18-22 year old kids throwing a ball to each other and we have no control over the outcome whatsoever. I try not to care but when its teed up I can't help it, it is just a game. Ill make the trip saturday and cheer on these kids regardless.
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