Standing on third down---oddly enough

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Doc1001

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for years--it has seemed to fire the other team up as much as our team. I feel bad for the gopher fans---ok including myself---who stand on third down and over and over and over--we end up disappointed. It just doesnt seem to help and invariably fails. I know it doesnt hurt the team but it doesnt seem to help either. Our fans just deserve better. We stand---and watch another first down.
I have also noticed something at Willliams arena also----when our team does something to ignite the crowd---and the crowd goes into one of their patented frenzies---the ones that shake the roof---almost invariably on the next play the visitor does something big to quiet the crowd down. I dont know why. Its almost--as I said---fires up the opposing team to do something big. I am not saying you shouldnt stand and yell but why does it have to be so frustrating and for all practical purposes--a futile exercise.
One more observation----when we have a back looking hot---why do we almost always have to take him out of the game. Whaley for example--i would love to see him in for a whole drive or two and just see what happens.
Ok--let me have it.
 

Of all the issues this team has, this one sticks out to me more than almost any. Our 3rd down conversion defense is now 112th out of 120 (45 of 93). This is just a killer when it comes to the crowd getting into the game, and being able to get our defense off the field. I don't pretend to be able to break down x's and o's, so I really wonder what the issues are. Is it speed, scheme, lack of pass rush, players not executing, coaching, or something else?
 

I've thought the same thing regarding Whaley. I thought that the coaches were building him up in prior weeks to make him the top back. I still think it will eventually happen. Maybe the coaches see a need to ease him into the role.

As for our third down defense I'm not a real strong x's and o's guy either but it seems like our corners give such a huge cushion that it makes it way too easy for opposing teams to complete 12 yard pass plays on third down. Obviously it would help to have a pass rush that disrupted the pocket a bit more often but I would like to see us bring the corners up a bit from time to time.
 

It might just be saying more about the overall ability of our defense to stop the other team than it has to do with karma or pumping up the other team. We've been standing on every third down, much to the quiet displeasure of an older couple behind us. It's finally gotten to the point where I'm letting the 12 year old boy sitting right behind us to decided whether we stand or sit. We finally got lucky and stopped Purdue when he called "sit". Oh well.
 

The bigger problem is the jackasses who stand up on third downs and make noise - when WE have the ball.
 


You know I hadn't noticed that but Brewster actually remarked about that during his luncheon speech last Friday. Our fan base is hard to figure out sometimes.
 

The boilermakers were 8 of 17 in 3rd and 4th down conversions. Of those 17 plays, I think that the crowd played a part in one false start which - if memory serves correctly - resulted in a 3rd and longer that Purdue did not convert.

I have had the same feeling of futility when standing and making noise on 3rd down that has been described here. I guess, though, if I as a crowd-member, can contribute to one single punt in a game as opposed to a conversion to first down, I'll take it.

I have always said that there is very little that a fan can do to affect the outcome of a game; making noise that leads to the other teams' failure to convert is about the only one (of course we all know how well that turned out in the Cal game).
 

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