An exceptionally drunken crowd of 39,444 watched the Cards at Papa John's Saturday. Every drop of booze was sorely needed. Ay, ay ay...where to begin? Well, those familiar with the pregame posts know that we at Cardinal Laws were not predicting the same monumental rout most were. Indiana State was held in such ludicrously low regard that every play not somehow resulting in a Cardinal touchdown was going to cause grumbling and unease. I simply wanted a team that passed the eyeball test. Consider that test failed.
The story of the game has to be the wildly inaccurate passing of QB Justin Burke. Wide- open receivers were constantly overthrown. Burke acknowledged after the game to being too "amped up", but I think he let's himself off the hook a bit too easily. The errant passes did not look like the kind caused by too much adrenaline, but looked more like weak heaves downfield. The speed of our receievers is our one supposed advantage, and if Burke cannot deliver the ball to them with some measure of efficiency, Kragthorgpe will have to make a move down the depth chart. Soon.
Second, the poor coaching continued to reveal itself in the form of penalties and sloppiness. Of the 14 flags against the Cards, most frustrating was the excessive celebration penalty earned after scoring to go up 10-7. Excessive celebration for taking the lead from Indiana State in the second quarter?!? Talk about embarassing.
The playcalling was bad. Kragthorpe seemed hell bent on getting the passing game going, but the result was a choppy and out of sync offense. For being so intent to force production out of Burke, Kragthorpe never called for the sort of easy, short passes that allow a quarterback to develop a rhythm. A quarterback sneak on a third and nine?!? My head hurts.
Finally, as I watched the other games on TV Saturday, I was struck by the energy and emotion on display. Players hungry for their first hit, their first catch, fighting for extra yards and popping up after being tackled. At Papa John's the energy level was noticeably low. After one of Burke's two INTs, receiver Josh Chichester did not even attempt to make the tackle! I don't know if the unease felt in the stands somehow transferred to the field, but the team did not show the hunger and happiness that should be seen on week one of a new season.
The painful fact is that the Cards did not even look to be a physically superior team. Aside from Trent Guy, Indiana State appeared relatively equal in speed and strength. Let's face it, Michael Bush, Kerry Rhodes, and Amobi Okoye ain't walking through that door. In the absence of physically superior athletes, the Cards are going to have to find a way to win through sheer grit. Much more than was displayed Saturday.
Krags needs more time, 4 more years at least. It's not as if he inherited a BCS caliber team. Let the man get his own guys (more Jucos) in there. In all seriousness, its a shame with the top notch talent and depth Louisville has this year at wide receiver that no one will be able to get them the ball.
ReplyDeleteI hear that Jurich is trying to line up Quincy for at least six games next year. We might win a couple. Maybe. Perhaps. OK, at least one. Possibly.
ReplyDeleteI find it a fascinating coincidence that to post my previous comment the word I had to type in was "uncle." I will be crying uncle this whole season.
ReplyDeleteWhat more can be said about this Joke of a coach?
ReplyDeleteIt's just a waiting game till he leaves. It's gonna get real embarrasing for Krags.