[NU Sports] Preparation S

[Mike Nolan]

> Did anyone else notice that Syracuse was well prepared for our speed-up 
> game?  Each time we went into fast mode, they countered with a good 
> defensive play.  And what was Fitz doing trying to throw a pass at the 
> end of the 2nd quarter?  It nearly caused disaster.  We played badly 
> on defense.  It's time to be worried, but not about Kafka's passing.  He 
> shined.

So many teams run variations of the spread and hurry-up offenses that most
defenses are reasonably prepared for both these days, because they will 
face them week after week.

The trick is to either be so doggoned good at it that they just can't
stop it or have some new wrinkles, which I don't know that NU has yet.

The biggest positive to take out of yesterday's game is that the Cats
can come back from 3 score deficits (though it would be better not to
ever have to.)  The biggest negative is that they still haven't learned 
how to slam the door shut at the end.   We've seen that time and again
in for quite a few seasons, both under RW and under Fitz.  And what that
means is that the other team knows they still have a shot as long as
they're close, and sometimes even if they're not (aka the Michigan State
fiasco.)
--
Mike Nolan