Just back from biking to the game.
SDSU just gave USC and anyone else a blueprint for stopping Love. SDSU's secondary was terrible, and they could not possibly cover our receivers adequately when in single cover. USC's secondary will not be terrible. We cannot be one dimensional against them the way SDSU made us one dimensional.
Our defensive line made some good plays, but broke down badly on numerous others. That inconsistency won't work against better teams.
SDSU's defense reminded me of WSU's last year in Pullman. They held Love to 69 yards and we lost. This was an even greater debacle--18 rushes for 29 yards. I credit Shaw for opening it up in response. I thought SDSU would back off and defend the pass eventually, but even when Costello was torching them they refused to budge. Shutting down Love was their moral victory, I guess.
There are some good things in this game, but I am less optimistic about this year's team than I was before the game. The O-line looked pretty good when pass blocking but seems to have forgotten how to run-block. It almost seemed as if they spent the whole summer improving their pass blocking technique but forgot to work on run blocking.
And all the chatter about SDSU selling out to stop the run--remember Shaw doesn't care. He thinks he has the personnel to run even against stacked boxes. Well, it didn't work at all today.
SDSU just gave USC and anyone else a blueprint for stopping Love. SDSU's secondary was terrible, and they could not possibly cover our receivers adequately when in single cover. USC's secondary will not be terrible. We cannot be one dimensional against them the way SDSU made us one dimensional.
Our defensive line made some good plays, but broke down badly on numerous others. That inconsistency won't work against better teams.
SDSU's defense reminded me of WSU's last year in Pullman. They held Love to 69 yards and we lost. This was an even greater debacle--18 rushes for 29 yards. I credit Shaw for opening it up in response. I thought SDSU would back off and defend the pass eventually, but even when Costello was torching them they refused to budge. Shutting down Love was their moral victory, I guess.
There are some good things in this game, but I am less optimistic about this year's team than I was before the game. The O-line looked pretty good when pass blocking but seems to have forgotten how to run-block. It almost seemed as if they spent the whole summer improving their pass blocking technique but forgot to work on run blocking.
And all the chatter about SDSU selling out to stop the run--remember Shaw doesn't care. He thinks he has the personnel to run even against stacked boxes. Well, it didn't work at all today.