- Stay aggressive on offense
Cornell limited a more talented opponent in Delaware to just 14 joints over three quarters. On obvious running plays, the Big Red were able to clog the holes and gang tackle the running backs. Yale will need to open up the playbook this week to keep Cornell guessing. Misdirections, crossing patterns over the middle and deep routes were successful for Delaware. Screens, reverses and quarterback draws should be utilized this week in addition to pounding the rock with our backs. Hopefully Lamar and Dudek aren’t too banged up from last week. The second half of the Holy Cross game was mismanaged by our offensive staff calling the game too conservatively. Playing to not lose the contest will get you beat every time and we must learn from the loss to get back on track this week.
- Master the fundamentals on defense
One of the most frustrating aspects of our defense last week was that our defensive line could not get lined up before the snap of the ball. Playing with only two down linemen is already a head-scratcher, but not being lined up is unacceptable especially when you consider the fact that middle linebackers are tasked with playing a stand-up defensive end position against 300 lb. offensive tackles. Tackling and coverage must improve this week as well. The corners and safeties were often glued to receivers, yet they did not turn to play the ball. Arm tackling and face guarding are recipes for disaster versus the Big Red.
- Win the turnover battle
Dudek has to hold onto the ball this week and Rawlings needs to be wary of throwing errant passes in the direction of Cornell’s All-Ivy corners. If our secondary can’t improve, we cannot squander any possession to stay in this game. This is going to be a tight contest decided by a score or a turnover as recent history suggests.
3 replies on “Keys to Victory”
As usual, good concise assessment of what it will take for Yale to win tomorrow from the moderators
My own take on the HC loss is it essentially showed what a lot of us expected – we will miss the outstanding seniors from last year’s team, especially on defense.
I don’t entirely disagree with the posters who feel the offense was too predictable but I would have to ask were the play calls last season including the one sided game against HC really anymore imaginative than what we saw last Saturday.
Again my take, I think a major reason Yale didn’t score more points was because Shofi and Rouse (missed most of the game) were not on the field. These two impact players are true game changers. It would be awful if their playing time this year will be limited because of injuries.
Like i said before you will see the same offense.You would think the coaches would change the never mine no use beating a dead horse.
One of the things that drives me crazy is defensive players staring at the coaches on the sidelines waiting for last second instructions even as the offense is lined up.
I’ve asked about it and the coaches are trying to call defenses at the very last minute based on the offense look as they line up on the line of scrimmage.
Call me a dinosaur…..but it looks like over-coaching. Call a defense and line up. Allow the players who should know down and defense to read formation, motion and then recognize the play and find the ball.
I just don’t think you are ready to read the play if you’re hopping around and trying to understand some flapping arms nowhere near the opposing players.
Rant complete….
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