The McNamara dilema

[squeezebox]

Looking at that stat line you would think we damn near have a perfect qb, 82% completion rate, 7.7 y/p average, now no TDs. The difference between the 1st half and second half were quite obvious. It looked like he was more open to taking shots down field.

0:31: should have hit Vanderzee over the middle for the 1st down
0:57: this is exactly where the ball should be going, great pass, great catch. Plenty of open targets in this set (Lachey was WIDE open over the middle)
1:12: good scheme, Buie is probably the second target in this set, but wow was he open.
1:46: bottom of the screen, Gill was wide open going deep, this was one of many missed opportunities
1:55: can't complain too much, Vanderzee was open early, and went to Gill instead
2:19: hit him in stride for a big YAC
2:29: Great pass, and we have to get him involved

 

[sober_teacher]

I’m going to have to rewatch at some point this week. It just felt like a weird game where they moved the ball but things don’t look like they’re clicking yet.

 

[hawkeyemark18]

I think things look unsteady partly because we have an ongoing process of Kirk and Lester coming together in the way they both want to play. I could see that in Kirk's comments and the work they did on the Sullivan package to score when we get close in. Cade and Sullivan both bring different things to the table. Remember that Lester said from day one that he tries to play to the strengths of the individual QBs he has to work with.

 

[tomander]

Yahoo QB rating for the Big 10, rates Cade 14th after 3 games.

 

[Muscles1989]

Hate to see Sullivan get some drives. He’s clearly quick and the o line clearly blows, seems like they’d compliment each other

 

[InsaneHawkJJP]

How many OC’s has he had in his college career? How many injuries? Of course things aren’t clicking quite yet, everyone is learning a new offense. I do like Sullivan being the RZ QB and think both are decent QB’s, which we haven’t been able say in quite a while.

 

[jonesy5960]

Yahoo QB rating for the Big 10, rates Cade 14th after 3 games.

Is that good?

 

[uihawk82]

How many OC’s has he had in his college career? How many injuries? Of course things aren’t clicking quite yet, everyone is learning a new offense. I do like Sullivan being the RZ QB and think both are decent QB’s, which we haven’t been able say in quite a while.

Maybe Sullivan needs to be ready for QB sneaks also. Taller, healthier with the knees I assume, maybe more push. We had a 4th and 1 foot to go on Saturday and handed it back 4 yards behind the LOS on a somewhat slow developing play.

Sneak the damn ball. And Sullivan is quick enough and I assume smart enough to guage on a sneak where the weakness in the DLine is so he can slide to that weakness

 

[fezzador]

Hate to see Sullivan get some drives. He’s clearly quick and the o line clearly blows, seems like they’d compliment each other

Run blocking has been decent so far; pass protection sucks hardcore. They're going to have to find a way to improve, and soon.

How many OC’s has he had in his college career? How many injuries? Of course things aren’t clicking quite yet, everyone is learning a new offense. I do like Sullivan being the RZ QB and think both are decent QB’s, which we haven’t been able say in quite a while.

Speaking of bad pass protection, Mac is a ticking time bomb. I'm glad Vegas doesn't have odds on "players most likely to suffer season-ending injuries" because folks would be betting heavily on Cade getting totally wrecked yet again. Which is too bad, because even though he's a shell of his former self, he's light-years ahead of future bowling leaguer Deke Hill.

 

[tomander]

Is that good?

Better than 18th.

 

[obfuscating]

HE doesn't look as quick on his feet as he did in the 1st game. Beating the dead horse...Sullivan needs to be the man, he has another year with the program and NEEDS the reps, put CM as the backup so he can fully recover.

 

[thunderstruck1]

He will be fine. We will be fine. I think it was him (cant recall right now) that said "we are all starting to understand where we all need to be during plays, or something like that. So it is coming together. Remember if 1 or 2 guys whiff it on an offensive play, it is all but over. So I am encouraged that they all are getting on the same page now about the plays.
If anything I am more concerned with how our secondary is getting taken to the wood shed.

 

[Hawk_4shur]

After suffering through Petras and Hill, I'm pretty happy to see Cade in there. 19/23 for 176 yds, no pics. Efficient. Looked pretty comfortable in the second half. Good decisions and good throws.

It's progress.

 

[Beattheohiostate]

After suffering through Petras and Hill, I'm pretty happy to see Cade in there. 19/23 for 176 yds, no pics. Efficient. Looked pretty comfortable in the second half. Good decisions and good throws.

It's progress.

Yep. If Iowa can play Troy every week, I think they will end up OK.

 

[HawksRule73]

From my somewhat untrained eye, the issues in pass protection are from Logan Jones and Beau Stephens. I'm not seeing a whole lot of issues with edge rushers beating our tackles for the most part. But man, that middle/left side of the line is a freaking sieve in pass pro.

 

[jonesy5960]

So the interesting piece of this discussion is that should Cade continue on his current pace, he could very well set the record for completion percentage under Kirk.

 

[TampaHawkfan]

Is that good?

Depends on if you think 14th out of 18 teams is good.

We'll see which way it trends over the season, though.