I'm not one to go around thinking that we're totally screwed this season cause Blake won't be on our sidelines, as there are things we can be more hopeful for, like that we will stop seeing the crap with players talking trash over meaningless plays while losing and that there will be an all out effort bending over backwards trying to shock the world and win the Utah and USC games. And I am on record that even before this unfolded, I was actually hoping we would do good enough for Blake to get poached followed by us replacing him with Dreiling, before we got Dreiling poached and had to hold our breath for how Blake would do without Dreiling with who he would have hired to replace him.

But that said, and this is kind of repost of what I said in another thread about Cefalo, as I'm not worried about it being him and not Blake calling plays, and I also understand this would be a concern with ANYONE we could have realistically gotten to be our interim coach, is the lack of experience with game management, getting the little things that matter in crunch time right. Things like, getting the right people on the field, having the guys in position to tackle opponents in bounds if we are in the lead late with the opponent trying to get out of bounds, calling plays to get to the sidelines if we are behind late wanting to do a 2 minute drill, calling plays with guys staying in bounds if we are trying to run clock, having guys aware that the opponent is out of timeouts so we don't do what we did against San Jose in 1995, having guys aware of the downs and not spiking the ball on fourth down, trying to get another play off before a controversial call our way can be reviewed and overturned or getting the challenge in before the opponent can get the play off when a call goes in their favor, not trying to go back two plays to review, etc.

It's good we brought in 2 guys that have been head coaches, albeit in JUCO and D2. BUT, there are things that are the same about FBS and JUCO and D2 and things that are different. Those guys have never dealt with Instant Replay, and some rules might either be different in FBS or have changed from when they were around, little things like rules about the play clock starting to wind or being at 40 or 25. And penalties, like do JC and D2 have the helmet rule that was costly when we played at Utah one year. And they need to be refreshed on what you can and can't challenge, least of all the inability to back two or more plays to review. I can still remember in Bobby Petrino's first NFL game, he tried to go back two plays to challenge. BUT, there are ALSO things that are the same from FBS to D2 and JC like the clock stopping on incomplete passes or going out of bounds, running when you stay in bounds, the fact that you can't spike it on fourth down, having three timeouts, etc. but there might be a few minor differences.

When it comes to game management, I thought Gary Andersen was a very poor game manager, while Matt Wells was excellent. Blake Andersen also seemed poor at it.

For better or worse, it seems like from an offensive standpoint, the guy we will most likely have on the field playing QB has pretty nice game management experience.

I am not saying that to downplay his ability in any way, he just was not really asked to sling the ball around like I expect he will at Utah State. B1G vs. MWC. 'Nuff said.

Dreiling said he was involved in the game management with JK at NMSU and learned lots from his coach Dad so he’s probably more prepared than the average first time HC.

I really enjoyed listening to all the interviews that Hans & Scotty did last week. Dreiling mentioned the two new guys that were brought in and that they would help with game management. Also as was mentioned, he was pretty involved in those things last year at NMST.

Also said during the interviews was that Kyle was calling most of the offense this spring and the original plan with Blake was to have Kyle take over as the OC after this season. So Kyle is the new OC 5 months earlier than planned.


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Something I did like about Blake was his willingness to run some fakes on special teams, as well find holes for blocked kicks and punts.

We literally won UConn last year on a block, and it was a great cushion vs SDSU in 21.

Hope to continue to see attention and aggression in this area.

Chatman wrote: ↑

August 5th, 2024, 2:47 pm

When it comes to game management, I thought Gary Andersen was a very poor game manager, while Matt Wells was excellent. Blake Andersen also seemed poor at it.

One of the worst mismanaged end of game situations was with Wells at home against New Mexico. That was just plain abysmal.

Chatman wrote: ↑

August 5th, 2024, 2:47 pm

When it comes to game management, I thought Gary Andersen was a very poor game manager, while Matt Wells was excellent. Blake Andersen also seemed poor at it.

Not trying to be pedantic here: GA was indeed very poor at game management. Matt Wells was better, though I wouldn't say excellent. The U of U onside kick and the UNM end of game debacle are notable examples. There are also times I thought he went way too conservative with big leads at ends of games.

Madmartigan wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 10:06 am

Chatman wrote: ↑

August 5th, 2024, 2:47 pm

When it comes to game management, I thought Gary Andersen was a very poor game manager, while Matt Wells was excellent. Blake Andersen also seemed poor at it.

Not trying to be pedantic here: GA was indeed very poor at game management. Matt Wells was better, though I wouldn't say excellent. The U of U onside kick and the UNM end of game debacle are notable examples. There are also times I thought he went way too conservative with big leads at ends of games.

Being too conservative with a big lead is one of the requirements for coaching at USU. We’re only occasionally allowed to run up the score (2018 aside).

Hoot wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 10:31 am

Madmartigan wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 10:06 am

Chatman wrote: ↑

August 5th, 2024, 2:47 pm

When it comes to game management, I thought Gary Andersen was a very poor game manager, while Matt Wells was excellent. Blake Andersen also seemed poor at it.

Not trying to be pedantic here: GA was indeed very poor at game management. Matt Wells was better, though I wouldn't say excellent. The U of U onside kick and the UNM end of game debacle are notable examples. There are also times I thought he went way too conservative with big leads at ends of games.

Being too conservative with a big lead is one of the requirements for coaching at USU. We’re only occasionally allowed to run up the score (2018 aside).

I've been to Boise 3x for bowl games. All 3 were losses. Probably my worst experience was 2011 when we had a comfortable lead and choked it away in the final minute after not going for the jugular in the 4th.

Madmartigan wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 10:06 am

the UNM end of game debacle are notable examples.

That was after we got screwed on the pass interference call. You can see the infamous Captain Aggie and that would be the last home game we would be alive for.

GameFAQSAggie wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 12:31 pm

Madmartigan wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 10:06 am

the UNM end of game debacle are notable examples.

That was after we got screwed on the pass interference call. You can see the infamous Captain Aggie and that would be the last home game we would be alive for.

Was this the same year we had a TD pass against AFA that was inbounds called out of bounds after review?

Madmartigan wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 12:58 pm

GameFAQSAggie wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 12:31 pm

Madmartigan wrote: ↑

August 6th, 2024, 10:06 am

the UNM end of game debacle are notable examples.

That was after we got screwed on the pass interference call. You can see the infamous Captain Aggie and that would be the last home game we would be alive for.

Was this the same year we had a TD pass against AFA that was inbounds called out of bounds after review?

Yes. But just to clarify, the TD pass was ruled out of bounds and the field followed by the call standing. There was a few minutes after that a first down catch that was ruled a catch on the field followed by being overturned to an incompletion after review. There was a call later that same night where Myers was ruled to have fumbled after he was down then that call stood after review.

That PI call also caused some people to bitterly suspect that we had the same crew that game that we had for Air Force earlier that year, but it was a different crew. It was however the same crew we had earlier that year in a game against BA led Arkansas State where there was a controversial PI call taking away a Dallin Leavitt interception that would have eventually led to us extending the lead from 24-0 to 31-0, instead enabling the Red Wolves to cut into the lead 24-7 and get back in it.