The key is turnovers...

catsrback76 · Post by **catsrback76** » Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:30 pm

From the Bobcat notes:

Turnover Talk
Montana State stands -7 in turnovers on the season, the same total the team compiled in 2005. MSU is 1-0 this year when positive in turnovers. The Bobcats finished 2005 -7 in turnovers, and were even in 2004 and +4 in 2003. The 2002 Big Sky Champs were -4.

gbkat · Post by **gbkat** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:51 am

Cory will have to stop throwing interceptions. We will continue to lose if we continue to turn it over. Last year's Griz Team was positive in the turnover margin (at least for the majority of the season)..they had a freshman quarterback at the time. They controlled the clock with Lex, played sound D, and a lot of games. Why are we struggling with these concepts???

BozoneCat · Post by **BozoneCat** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:57 am

It is not just the offense that needs to stop turning the ball over. Guys have to start making plays on defense to take the ball away. This, unlike some of the other problems our team is having, has been an ongoing problem for years now. Our team has won in the past several years despite a negative turnover differential - which could probably explain many of the games being closer than they should have been, along with the losses to inferior teams. If you check the stat sheets over the past several years, I would bet money that in the games where Kramer's teams have had a positive or even turnover margin, they have won at least 80% of those games, probably more. Pretty telling statistic, if you ask me. Portland State is already +9 in the turnover margin... amazing! I'm not sure if this team will even cause 9 turnovers all season long. The defense needs to become much more aggressive in causing turnovers, I would rather see a guy try to make a big play and miss once in a while rather than play it safe and give up 15-yard chunks of yardage time after time after time.

gbkat · Post by **gbkat** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 9:59 am

Agreed.

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 10:44 am

BozoneCat wrote:It is not just the offense that needs to stop turning the ball over. Guys have to start making plays on defense to take the ball away. This, unlike some of the other problems our team is having, has been an ongoing problem for years now. Our team has won in the past several years despite a negative turnover differential - which could probably explain many of the games being closer than they should have been, along with the losses to inferior teams. If you check the stat sheets over the past several years, I would bet money that in the games where Kramer's teams have had a positive or even turnover margin, they have won at least 80% of those games, probably more. Pretty telling statistic, if you ask me. Portland State is already +9 in the turnover margin... amazing! I'm not sure if this team will even cause 9 turnovers all season long. The defense needs to become much more aggressive in causing turnovers, I would rather see a guy try to make a big play and miss once in a while rather than play it safe and give up 15-yard chunks of yardage time after time after time.

Agreed as well. It's come to that point in the season where we need to take risks and impose our will on the offense with our D. Roll the coverage and take some CB or Safety blitz chances to create TO's. Turn Murietta into Jake The Snake by pressuring him into running and making quick bad decisions downfield. Also, HIT EVERY WR that catches a pass. SMACK EM EVERYTIME! No free catches across the middle or anywhere w/o the big hit/physical tackle. The WR's on the other teams are TOO comfortable sometimes and are not scared. POP EM IN THE MOUTH.

tetoncat · Post by **tetoncat** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:02 pm

Rush more than 3 or 4 linemen on third and long so the 8 db's do not have to defend for 8 seconds.

catatac · Post by **catatac** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:57 pm

BozoneCat wrote:It is not just the offense that needs to stop turning the ball over. Guys have to start making plays on defense to take the ball away. This, unlike some of the other problems our team is having, has been an ongoing problem for years now. Our team has won in the past several years despite a negative turnover differential - which could probably explain many of the games being closer than they should have been, along with the losses to inferior teams. If you check the stat sheets over the past several years, I would bet money that in the games where Kramer's teams have had a positive or even turnover margin, they have won at least 80% of those games, probably more. Pretty telling statistic, if you ask me. Portland State is already +9 in the turnover margin... amazing! I'm not sure if this team will even cause 9 turnovers all season long. The defense needs to become much more aggressive in causing turnovers, I would rather see a guy try to make a big play and miss once in a while rather than play it safe and give up 15-yard chunks of yardage time after time after time.

Totally agree. I really hate to make this comparison again, but it needs to be done. If anyone watched any of the Griz game on Saturday, their players are playing with a much different level of intensity than ours. Kramer keeps saying that player effort is not the problem, but I disagree. Our guys need to fire it up and max out on intensity EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF EVERY SINGLE PLAY! The Griz are up by 40 and the D gets a tackle after a 4 yard pickup and the entire D erupts and hugs and high 5's as if though the guy had just made the game ending tackle. I'm sorry but our guys are not playing that inspired... and it's really frustrating to watch, too because I think our defense is really close the the Griz talent-wise.

catsrback76 · Post by **catsrback76** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 7:26 am

CARDIAC_CATS wrote:
BozoneCat wrote:It is not just the offense that needs to stop turning the ball over. Guys have to start making plays on defense to take the ball away. This, unlike some of the other problems our team is having, has been an ongoing problem for years now. Our team has won in the past several years despite a negative turnover differential - which could probably explain many of the games being closer than they should have been, along with the losses to inferior teams. If you check the stat sheets over the past several years, I would bet money that in the games where Kramer's teams have had a positive or even turnover margin, they have won at least 80% of those games, probably more. Pretty telling statistic, if you ask me. Portland State is already +9 in the turnover margin... amazing! I'm not sure if this team will even cause 9 turnovers all season long. The defense needs to become much more aggressive in causing turnovers, I would rather see a guy try to make a big play and miss once in a while rather than play it safe and give up 15-yard chunks of yardage time after time after time.
Agreed as well. It's come to that point in the season where we need to take risks and impose our will on the offense with our D. Roll the coverage and take some CB or Safety blitz chances to create TO's. Turn Murietta into Jake The Snake by pressuring him into running and making quick bad decisions downfield. Also, HIT EVERY WR that catches a pass. SMACK EM EVERYTIME! No free catches across the middle or anywhere w/o the big hit/physical tackle. The WR's on the other teams are TOO comfortable sometimes and are not scared. POP EM IN THE MOUTH.

Ditto: hassle the QB and create attempts on the ball by the db's. No more cushions on those seam routes down the middle.

#34 · Post by **#34** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:37 am

catatac wrote:
BozoneCat wrote:It is not just the offense that needs to stop turning the ball over. Guys have to start making plays on defense to take the ball away. This, unlike some of the other problems our team is having, has been an ongoing problem for years now. Our team has won in the past several years despite a negative turnover differential - which could probably explain many of the games being closer than they should have been, along with the losses to inferior teams. If you check the stat sheets over the past several years, I would bet money that in the games where Kramer's teams have had a positive or even turnover margin, they have won at least 80% of those games, probably more. Pretty telling statistic, if you ask me. Portland State is already +9 in the turnover margin... amazing! I'm not sure if this team will even cause 9 turnovers all season long. The defense needs to become much more aggressive in causing turnovers, I would rather see a guy try to make a big play and miss once in a while rather than play it safe and give up 15-yard chunks of yardage time after time after time.
Totally agree. I really hate to make this comparison again, but it needs to be done. If anyone watched any of the Griz game on Saturday, their players are playing with a much different level of intensity than ours. Kramer keeps saying that player effort is not the problem, but I disagree. Our guys need to fire it up and max out on intensity EVERY SINGLE SECOND OF EVERY SINGLE PLAY! The Griz are up by 40 and the D gets a tackle after a 4 yard pickup and the entire D erupts and hugs and high 5's as if though the guy had just made the game ending tackle. I'm sorry but our guys are not playing that inspired... and it's really frustrating to watch, too because I think our defense is really close the the Griz talent-wise.

I coudn't agree with you more!