It's Egg Bowl week ........

[mshunter77]

Dak's fumble on the initial drive was the catalyst for the entire game. State scores on that drive, and it's an entirely different outcome.

I agree with this but it also looked like the Rebels came out ready to play a physical football game, and we just didn't. I get sick of watching State trying to run some kind of finesse defense and then diving at a guy's feet trying to make a tackle. The few drives where they came out and played aggressive defense they were successful, and then they would back off in that ugly booty zone defense and proceed to get picked apart. If you run a zone defense on a good QB w little or no pressure you will lose.... Period.

As a State fan the biggest emotion is disappointment...... I hate watching the team play on its heels most of the night, and I think much of that is due to the preparation and mindset process going into the game. The last game I can remember when State really came out and hit folks in the mouth wide open was Auburn, last year. For some reason ever since that game they have played patty cake type defense and it's sickening...... The biggest difference between us and OM right now isn't talent, it's the will to HIT somebody squarely and make a tackle. They have been trained and motivated to do it, we haven't.

Agreed

[peewee]

Dak's fumble on the initial drive was the catalyst for the entire game. State scores on that drive, and it's an entirely different outcome.

I agree with this but it also looked like the Rebels came out ready to play a physical football game, and we just didn't. I get sick of watching State trying to run some kind of finesse defense and then diving at a guy's feet trying to make a tackle. The few drives where they came out and played aggressive defense they were successful, and then they would back off in that ugly booty zone defense and proceed to get picked apart. If you run a zone defense on a good QB w little or no pressure you will lose.... Period.

As a State fan the biggest emotion is disappointment...... I hate watching the team play on its heels most of the night, and I think much of that is due to the preparation and mindset process going into the game. The last game I can remember when State really came out and hit folks in the mouth wide open was Auburn, last year. For some reason ever since that game they have played patty cake type defense and it's sickening...... The biggest difference between us and OM right now isn't talent, it's the will to HIT somebody squarely and make a tackle. They have been trained and motivated to do it, we haven't.

Agreed

I agree also. I remember reading where Dan brought someone in earlier this year to teach the team how to tackle (a new technique) as to where they limits injuries. It aint working.

[camlock]

The biggest difference between us and OM right now isn't talent, it's the will to HIT somebody squarely and make a tackle. They have been trained and motivated to do it, we haven't.

Ole Miss has 3 guys about to go in first round in the next draft and about 7-8 others that will be in 2nd or 3rd rounds this year or next...physicality was a big part of the Egg Bowl game on Saturday night....but the talent disparity right now is very much notable...

[hillhunter]

I didn't say that they weren't more talented, I just said it wasn't the biggest difference. I could make the same argument that while Alabama is the more talented team, the fact that OM plays very physical football is a big reason why they have beaten them the last two years.

[mshunter77]

The biggest difference between us and OM right now isn't talent, it's the will to HIT somebody squarely and make a tackle. They have been trained and motivated to do it, we haven't.

Ole Miss has 3 guys about to go in first round in the next draft and about 7-8 others that will be in 2nd or 3rd rounds this year or next...physicality was a big part of the Egg Bowl game on Saturday night....but the talent disparity right now is very much notable...

State also has a couple of players that will go high in the draft. Also you don't judge a team by just its top players. You have to judge too to bottom. Honestly I think over all the talent is pretty close.