A few random thoughts, having taken a couple of days to simmer down:
--I thought Drink dropped the ball with how he said he would handle the QB situation. I would've announced that Cook was starting but note that because they need to see what they have in Horn, he was going to play a lot. This is clearly Cook's team.
--If the plan all along was to give Horn the second half (and I was OK with that), then you have to defer to start the game. You want the ball, get an early score. I get it. At the same time, you have a good idea what you have in Cook, and you were never going to lose this game. Receiving the second-half kickoff assures you that Horn is going to get the ball coming out of halftime and probably an extra possession. No one could have predicted SD would go on a 17-play drive. Deferring would've eliminated that possibility.
--All we heard throughout fall camp was that the o-line was the most-improved unit on the team. And you get into a fourth-and-one near midfield on the opening possession and you punt? Talk about sending the wrong message. Take some chances. Be aggressive.
--I thought Cook was solid and efficient. None of us know how much of the game plan they held back. And you can talk all day about how you should be able to out-athlete a team like this, the fact is that SD did everything in its power not to get embarrassed, shortening the game in every way possible.
--That said, while the good news is that Cook hasn't thrown an INT in eight games, the bad news is that he hasn't thrown an INT in eight games. Again, take some chances. Be aggressive. Live with the mistake here and there. I believe this is more on the coaching staff than Cook. What QB in his right mind doesn't want to sling it around?
--You can win with a controlled passing game like that, but you have to take the occasional shot. I reserve judgment on whether this offense is any different until after this week. But if we're having the same discussion then ...
--What I really liked about Cook. Four throws: 1. The TD pass, which he threaded just past the outstretched arm of the linebacker. That was a dime, maybe as good a pass as I've seen him thrown. Don't think Miller was his first read, either. 2. The pass he completed to Burden that was dropped over the corner and in front of the safety. That's the kind of throw you have to complete against cover-2. A lot of folks said he floated it. That's because he had to. Throw it on a line and it gets batted away. 3. The pass across the middle to Burden. A pass across the middle! What a concept. Again, perfectly thrown. 4. The swing pass to Peat on second-and-16. I watched the replay a couple of times. No doubt in my mind that's where he was going with it from the time he got the snap. But he first used his eyes to move the defense down the field. And then he hit Peat in perfect stride. Simple pass? Sure. But far too often we've see balls thrown to places where the receiver has to adjust. Not this time.
--We've seen it over a lengthy stretch of games now. Cook seems to play his best at the end of each half, when the tempo is faster. Just sayin' ...
--I watched a lot of games this weekend, and I watched a lot of teams employ the tight end effectively. Want to open up the field? Give the QB a target in the middle of the field, a guy who can work as a safety valve or stretch the field, opening up the middle for crossing routes. (Typed as he watches an Oregon State tight end score on a 14-yard pass across the middle.)
--I'm not sure we learned anything about the o-line. Did I mention it would've been nice to roll the dice on fourth-and-one?
--One of the knocks I have about this staff is the way they stick with the same players. Two running backs got carries. Two! How does Roberts not see the field? Jones, too.
--I expected Horn to be erratic and he was. The pass across the middle was a laser and he had to drop it over a linebacker. Unfortunately, the throw that ended with the INT had the same heat on it and was low and behind the receiver. We've seen Miller make some ridiculous catches, and that one would've ranked up there. And I was disappointed they didn't let Horn air it out on the last drive. I'm sure the INT had something to do with it. Again, stop coaching not to make mistakes. Take some chances. The behind-the-line bubble screen to Burden? Whoop-de-do! Let him throw it around. Make no apologies in the post-game handshake. Teams were scoring 70 and 80 points with their backups. Mizzou was sitting on 28.
--Love the defense and the depth that is being built.
--Burks is going to be a player.
--Mevis? WTF?
--I thought Drink dropped the ball with how he said he would handle the QB situation. I would've announced that Cook was starting but note that because they need to see what they have in Horn, he was going to play a lot. This is clearly Cook's team.
--If the plan all along was to give Horn the second half (and I was OK with that), then you have to defer to start the game. You want the ball, get an early score. I get it. At the same time, you have a good idea what you have in Cook, and you were never going to lose this game. Receiving the second-half kickoff assures you that Horn is going to get the ball coming out of halftime and probably an extra possession. No one could have predicted SD would go on a 17-play drive. Deferring would've eliminated that possibility.
--All we heard throughout fall camp was that the o-line was the most-improved unit on the team. And you get into a fourth-and-one near midfield on the opening possession and you punt? Talk about sending the wrong message. Take some chances. Be aggressive.
--I thought Cook was solid and efficient. None of us know how much of the game plan they held back. And you can talk all day about how you should be able to out-athlete a team like this, the fact is that SD did everything in its power not to get embarrassed, shortening the game in every way possible.
--That said, while the good news is that Cook hasn't thrown an INT in eight games, the bad news is that he hasn't thrown an INT in eight games. Again, take some chances. Be aggressive. Live with the mistake here and there. I believe this is more on the coaching staff than Cook. What QB in his right mind doesn't want to sling it around?
--You can win with a controlled passing game like that, but you have to take the occasional shot. I reserve judgment on whether this offense is any different until after this week. But if we're having the same discussion then ...
--What I really liked about Cook. Four throws: 1. The TD pass, which he threaded just past the outstretched arm of the linebacker. That was a dime, maybe as good a pass as I've seen him thrown. Don't think Miller was his first read, either. 2. The pass he completed to Burden that was dropped over the corner and in front of the safety. That's the kind of throw you have to complete against cover-2. A lot of folks said he floated it. That's because he had to. Throw it on a line and it gets batted away. 3. The pass across the middle to Burden. A pass across the middle! What a concept. Again, perfectly thrown. 4. The swing pass to Peat on second-and-16. I watched the replay a couple of times. No doubt in my mind that's where he was going with it from the time he got the snap. But he first used his eyes to move the defense down the field. And then he hit Peat in perfect stride. Simple pass? Sure. But far too often we've see balls thrown to places where the receiver has to adjust. Not this time.
--We've seen it over a lengthy stretch of games now. Cook seems to play his best at the end of each half, when the tempo is faster. Just sayin' ...
--I watched a lot of games this weekend, and I watched a lot of teams employ the tight end effectively. Want to open up the field? Give the QB a target in the middle of the field, a guy who can work as a safety valve or stretch the field, opening up the middle for crossing routes. (Typed as he watches an Oregon State tight end score on a 14-yard pass across the middle.)
--I'm not sure we learned anything about the o-line. Did I mention it would've been nice to roll the dice on fourth-and-one?
--One of the knocks I have about this staff is the way they stick with the same players. Two running backs got carries. Two! How does Roberts not see the field? Jones, too.
--I expected Horn to be erratic and he was. The pass across the middle was a laser and he had to drop it over a linebacker. Unfortunately, the throw that ended with the INT had the same heat on it and was low and behind the receiver. We've seen Miller make some ridiculous catches, and that one would've ranked up there. And I was disappointed they didn't let Horn air it out on the last drive. I'm sure the INT had something to do with it. Again, stop coaching not to make mistakes. Take some chances. The behind-the-line bubble screen to Burden? Whoop-de-do! Let him throw it around. Make no apologies in the post-game handshake. Teams were scoring 70 and 80 points with their backups. Mizzou was sitting on 28.
--Love the defense and the depth that is being built.
--Burks is going to be a player.
--Mevis? WTF?
