Five - 5 - V - cinco - cinq

[iaafan]

However you want to put it MSU football is officially on a Drive for Five.

1. Northern Colorado
2. Idaho State
3. Kennesaw State
4. Northern Arizona
5. Montana

Win this week and three of final four are at home.

[GoldstoneCat]

However you want to put MSU football is officially on a Drive for Five.

1. Northern Colorado
2. Idaho State
3. Kennesaw State
4. Northern Arizona
5. Montana

Win this week and three of final four are at home.

Yessir. One at a time is the mantra here, but as fans we can look ahead, can't we? We've finally entered the part of the schedule where I always thought we could, potentially, "stack" some wins. For us to get to 7-4, which I always thought with our schedule was a playoff bid, we were going to have to beat either Weber at home, or NAU/EWU on the road, plus UM at home. Nothing has changed from that original thought. Long way to go here, but IMO everything we want to accomplish this season is still in front of us. Despite the frustrating nature of our losses, I think with a couple changes to the offensive game planning and execution we can get over that irritating hump. Would be pretty sweet to find a way to 6-4 with UM coming in here, potentially with a playoff bid/going home on the line for the winner and loser. Can't win 5 in a row if you don't win the first one.

[HawkAndBobcat]

[iaafan]

Execution, like last year, is a big problem. But it doesn't just fall on the players. The coaches need to hold them accountable. For example, I wouldn't mind seeing McChesney go in for a series next time Murray falters. Same thing for every position. They need more motivation to not f--k s--t up.

[The MICKSTER]

However you want to put it MSU football is officially on a Drive for Five.

1. Northern Colorado
2. Idaho State
3. Kennesaw State
4. Northern Arizona
5. Montana

Win this week and three of final four are at home.

Notes on the CATS remaining opponents;
UNC (1-2); beat ISU 43-42 at home, lost @ NAU 48-20 & @ ND 48-38.
ISU (1-3); beat CP 38-34 at home, lost to um 39-31 at home & @ UNC 43-42 & @ SSU 41-21.
Kennesaw (5-1 overall); are on a 5-game win streak…won @ Liberty 42-28, lost @ Samford 28-23.
NAU (3-0); beat CP 28-10 & UNC 48-20 both at home, won @ PSU 42-20. Also beat Illinois State but lost to Western Illinois.
‘um (3-1); lost to EWU at home 48-41, won @ PSU 45-33, @ ISU 39-31, UND 41-17. The 5 teams they’ve beat have a combined D1 record of 7-25.

MSU (2-2); lost at home to Weber 25-17, lost @ EWU 31-19, beat PSU at home 30-22 and won @ UND 49-21. The 4 teams we’ve lost to have a combined D1 record of 18-7. The 2 teams we’ve beat have a combined D1 record of 2-11.

The only team remaining that is potentially as good as SDSU, Weber & EWU, is NAU. We could easily beat the other 4 remaining teams, but we could also loose to any of them as well. IF we play mistake free football we can beat NAU. After the loses against SDSU & Weber I thought that with just few adjustments and different 'bounces of the ball' we could have won each of those games. However, the loss to EWU even though we had the ball with 9 minutes left on their 20 yard line and only down by 5, we let it slip away. I came away from that game thinking we weren't close to winning......just the way the game played out I guess. The main reason is because in the SDSU & Weber games I thought the mistakes were mainly attributable to miscues of execution on the field as opposed to coaching/play calling/game plan, however in the EWU game I thought the coaching/play calling/game plan had more to do with the loss than in the other 2 losses. I know we had 3 fumbles and an interception, but we also recovered 3 fumbles. I think we have great coaches, that for the most part are better than the coaches across the field from them. However, when we can't out rush EWU and loose the TOP battle with them, I think our coaches should of either had a better game plan going in, or made better adjustments. After all EWU was 11 of 14 on 3rd down conversions.....ouch......that's not just execution on the field. On the offensive side of the ball, I thought play calling and the timing didn't allow the team to get in a rhythm......it just looked like we were not organized offensively at all. It didn't seem that way against SDSU or Weber to me. I hope the coaches can take something constructive on how this game played out and improve their execution. GO CATS!

[TomCat88]

The next five should be wins IF the Bobcats can stay focused at key times. They've only done that a few times since the Choate era began.

[Buckaroo Bonzi]

An ole boy once told me you practice tell you get it right (that takes focus) then you practice tell you can’t
get it wrong (that takes execution) Go Cats

[iaafan]

That is one wise ol' boy, Buckaroo. Our young boys need to get there pronto.

[Buckaroo Bonzi]

Unfortunately , it’s a process and a grind , I think you get the first,your Frosh and Soph years and the execution
comes, your Jr ~ Sr years , some sooner and some later . We are young overall at many positions on O and D and
As much as I want to see it now, their is no doubt where this program and staff are going , that is obvious by listening
to the post interviews of Coach’s we have played this year, while some of it is professional courtesy,a lot of it
Is admiration and respect for the young program . As painful and frustrating as they are , I still believe today’s
Losses are Tomarrows Wins. Go Cats

[iaafan]

If we could've flipped our schedule with the exception of the Cat-Griz game I think we could've built ourselves up to the EWU and Weber games resulting in some different outcomes. These next three games could have us prepped for the NAU game.

[Buckaroo Bonzi]

If we could've flipped our schedule with the exception of the Cat-Griz game I think we could've built ourselves up to the EWU and Weber games resulting in some different outcomes. These next three games could have us prepped for the NAU game.

I'm for sure hoping so, that's the next opportunity for that" Signature Win" that defines this program. I still think
this program has the ability to " Go Off " this year where everything comes together against a quality opponent.

[msuhunter]

The biggest concern appears to be how our defensive scheme matches up against 3 of the last 5 opponents. NAU, ISU, and Missoula community college are all teams with QBs capable of throwing, especially against the soft zone coverage over the middle. The defense is a bit of an enigma, as statistically it held EWU to significantly less than its season averages (although it gave up a ton on the ground), yet it cannot seem to make a third down stop when it matters. How the defense contains the QBs and the passing games in these three contests is going to dictate the results of these games. Statistically, the defense doesn't appear to be doing bad, but watching them play at times leaves me more concerned. Should be an interesting five weeks if nothing else.

[catatac]

The biggest concern appears to be how our defensive scheme matches up against 3 of the last 5 opponents. NAU, ISU, and Missoula community college are all teams with QBs capable of throwing, especially against the soft zone coverage over the middle. The defense is a bit of an enigma, as statistically it held EWU to significantly less than its season averages (although it gave up a ton on the ground), yet it cannot seem to make a third down stop when it matters. How the defense contains the QBs and the passing games in these three contests is going to dictate the results of these games. Statistically, the defense doesn't appear to be doing bad, but watching them play at times leaves me more concerned. Should be an interesting five weeks if nothing else.

Agree. I will point out one thing however - every team we play we hold them to significantly less points and yards than they're average, and I'm OK with that.

[iaafan]

On defense we're statistically good and fundamentally sound, but not physically good. Need to be more physical.

[desmond1957]

The biggest concern appears to be how our defensive scheme matches up against 3 of the last 5 opponents. NAU, ISU, and Missoula community college are all teams with QBs capable of throwing, especially against the soft zone coverage over the middle. The defense is a bit of an enigma, as statistically it held EWU to significantly less than its season averages (although it gave up a ton on the ground), yet it cannot seem to make a third down stop when it matters. How the defense contains the QBs and the passing games in these three contests is going to dictate the results of these games. Statistically, the defense doesn't appear to be doing bad, but watching them play at times leaves me more concerned. Should be an interesting five weeks if nothing else.

I'm curious as to why everyone seems to feel that the Cat's problems all are on the defensive side especially after a loss to a team rated as having a powerful high scoring offense but a mediocre defense. Giving the ball away 3 times on fumbles, twice within EWU,s 21 yard line plus an interception while generating only 14 firstdowns! is a hell of a long way from being what I would call an excellent offensive performance. Especially after two games in which we pissed away several scoring opportunities by stringing together OL penalties to wipe out drives deep in the opponents territories. Until we develop a short passing game like everyone else in the Big Sky to stop opponents from stacking the box, using tight ends and even an occasional screen IMO we are in for a long season. What happened to the imaginative plays and sets we saw flashes of in the PSU game?

[ImagineSanta]

The biggest concern appears to be how our defensive scheme matches up against 3 of the last 5 opponents. NAU, ISU, and Missoula community college are all teams with QBs capable of throwing, especially against the soft zone coverage over the middle. The defense is a bit of an enigma, as statistically it held EWU to significantly less than its season averages (although it gave up a ton on the ground), yet it cannot seem to make a third down stop when it matters. How the defense contains the QBs and the passing games in these three contests is going to dictate the results of these games. Statistically, the defense doesn't appear to be doing bad, but watching them play at times leaves me more concerned. Should be an interesting five weeks if nothing else.

I'm curious as to why everyone seems to feel that the Cat's problems all are on the defensive side especially after a loss to a team rated as having a powerful high scoring offense but a mediocre defense. Giving the ball away 3 times on fumbles, twice within EWU,s 21 yard line plus an interception while generating only 14 firstdowns! is a hell of a long way from being what I would call an excellent offensive performance. Especially after two games in which we pissed away several scoring opportunities by stringing together OL penalties to wipe out drives deep in the opponents territories. Until we develop a short passing game like everyone else in the Big Sky to stop opponents from stacking the box, using tight ends and even an occasional screen IMO we are in for a long season. What happened to the imaginative plays and sets we saw flashes of in the PSU game?

I for one am tired of seeing 2 and long or 3 and (very) long and knowing that they will probably get the first down. I remember a few of them during the game against EWU. Got to get those stops on those plays.

[GoldstoneCat]

The biggest concern appears to be how our defensive scheme matches up against 3 of the last 5 opponents. NAU, ISU, and Missoula community college are all teams with QBs capable of throwing, especially against the soft zone coverage over the middle. The defense is a bit of an enigma, as statistically it held EWU to significantly less than its season averages (although it gave up a ton on the ground), yet it cannot seem to make a third down stop when it matters. How the defense contains the QBs and the passing games in these three contests is going to dictate the results of these games. Statistically, the defense doesn't appear to be doing bad, but watching them play at times leaves me more concerned. Should be an interesting five weeks if nothing else.

I'm curious as to why everyone seems to feel that the Cat's problems all are on the defensive side especially after a loss to a team rated as having a powerful high scoring offense but a mediocre defense. Giving the ball away 3 times on fumbles, twice within EWU,s 21 yard line plus an interception while generating only 14 firstdowns! is a hell of a long way from being what I would call an excellent offensive performance. Especially after two games in which we pissed away several scoring opportunities by stringing together OL penalties to wipe out drives deep in the opponents territories. Until we develop a short passing game like everyone else in the Big Sky to stop opponents from stacking the box, using tight ends and even an occasional screen IMO we are in for a long season. What happened to the imaginative plays and sets we saw flashes of in the PSU game?

I agree wholeheartedly. The defense, both in talent and in scheme, is not the problem for us. Could we defend the short pass better? Yes of course. But that's going to leave guys who are really zone corners exposed 1-1 on the outside, resulting in home run plays and backbreakers. This make-them-earn-it approach is both a hallmark of Ty Gregorak over the years, and really the only way we can be effective (which we are) against the pass-happy teams in this league. Our defense did plenty for us to win Saturday. The problem is on offense. I think some may be due to the fact that our QB is a bit limited in what he can and can't do (he can't rip it through the wind, for instance) and some limited by unimaginative playcalling at times. However, if you can eliminate the turnovers, especially in the red zone, we win that game. We're doing enough scheme-wise to win, especially on defense, but we have to stop making the critical mistake. Some of that is on the players (protect the damn ball) and some at this point has to be on the staff, because they continue to happen. I'm with the whole theme of this thread though, if we can win this week and start stringing 1, then 2, then 3 together, we have the potential to build confidence and really be rolling by the end of November.

[Counter Assault]

It will be a gift from God if we win three of these next five. I am thinking probably two. Probably UNC, ISU and possibly the Griz. Kennesaw and NAU away look tough.

[iaafan]

I'm thinking the only one we will be picked to lose is NAU. The other four should be wins. Kennesaw State has played and will continue to play an easy schedule. Their four fcs wins are against teams with a combined 4-21 record. Needed a last second TD to beat a 3-2 D2 team. Their big win is against the Liberty Flaming Falwells, whose three wins are against teams with a combined 2-17 record.

[Mtcatfan]

Until we develop a short passing game like everyone else in the Big Sky to stop opponents from stacking the box, using tight ends and even an occasional screen IMO we are in for a long season.

This.