Not impressed. Hopefully they can figure some stuff out. But not impressed. Mendoza was inaccurate all day. The line didn't push ODU line when needed... at the goal line. Definitely it writing us off but ... this team doesn't look as nasty as last years.
I’ll have to watch the recording of the game but from the stands it felt like he only looked for EJ the first half. The Copper drop didn’t help but he seemed a bit slow in his decision to let it rip on several throws.
I didn’t like how he threw the red zone passes. Looked like they were more line drives instead of tossing them high to let the guys go up and get them. He had good protection so hope he settles in and what we saw was more first game jitters and learning to trust his line.
@bbh42 He was throwing darts the whole game, had no touch passes. The long balls (minus the Cooper drop) were off target and even the Cooper drop was not thrown where it should have been.
@carramrod Primarily the red zone…
You need to be able to pound the ball in against Old Dominion without resorting to gadgetry and exposing too much of the playbook.
When you cannot take a vanilla scheme and execute it inside the 5 yard line and 4 downs, your offensive line is soft as Charmin. I’m tired of hearing about the guy we got from Notre Dame and the backup at OSU and these other guys and this supposed upgrade and…….they go out and get shoved around like a bunch grade school sissies when you need 2 freaking yards. All just talk. This 2025 squad is not physical, so they can remove that from their little catchphrase.
I wouldn't doubt the play calling, especially the full backfield near the goal line, was partly designed to appeal to the big group of recruits. Reports said a large amount were linemen.
Hopefully it didn't backfire.
@carramrod Primarily the red zone…
You need to be able to pound the ball in against Old Dominion without resorting to gadgetry and exposing too much of the playbook.
When you cannot take a vanilla scheme and execute it inside the 5 yard line and 4 downs, your offensive line is soft as Charmin. I’m tired of hearing about the guy we got from Notre Dame and the backup at OSU and these other guys and this supposed upgrade and…….they go out and get shoved around like a bunch grade school sissies when you need 2 freaking yards. All just talk. This 2025 squad is not physical, so they can remove that from their little catchphrase.
They rushed for over 300 yards. You can be frustrated they stalled out inside the 5, without saying stupid meathead crap like they got “shoved around”.
FM stats very much like KR
18/24. 189 yds 6 carrries for 3 yds
19/27 196 yds 8 carries 37 yds
KR threw a td, FM ran for one
think OD better team than FIU my opinion
Were there no other QBs IU considered in the portal?
Tayven? 
Tayven has more touch.
Mendoza has shown the ability to put more touch on the ball. I watched his tape from last year and he had a lot of nice touch passes to Nyzaiah Hunter. It’s his first game here. He will get better and more comfortable in this offense as the season progresses. Let’s give these guys some time. Rourke wasn’t spectacular in his first game last year and wasn’t very good in those osu and nd losses. People may forget that because of how good he was in the other games. I’m pretty sure Mendoza will be fine, but I am concerned with how hard he zips the ball. I noticed he did it a lot at Cal too. Great QBs don’t need to throw bullets every play and those that do have receivers dropping a lot of passes. I will wait until after the Ill game before I start writing off any particular player. I agree he has to get a lot better especially with gauging when he needs to put that much velocity on the ball. Time will tell. For now we are 1-0. For as bad as the team looked today at least it didn’t take a missed field goal to win. Always have to find that silver lining. 😆
Rourke was OK against ND and OSU. A bad int in each, but the one against ND was a great play by their guy.
The game plan was poor, and also three or four guys were there to flatten him pretty quickly on most plays.
Those were coaching losses. Plus they each had a lot more talent.
Before the game, I said getting out of this game healthy was priority #1. We did that.
Who remembers game 1 last year? We didn't exactly play like we did against Nebraska a few weeks later.
No need to panic. Game 1 with a lot of new players. We'll be alright.
I’ll have to watch the tv broadcast but FM didn’t seem inaccurate to me.
there were some obvious miscommunications with receivers as far as where route was going that were misses.
there was an end zone shot where the receiver (Bonds I think) turned over his inside shoulder but it cam outside shoulder. Still just about got a finger on it but if he had turned the other way instead of drifting in was a sure TD. I’m not saying it’s either player’s fault there, but the throw was good enough for the girls we go with.
my bigger concern with FM was not seeing wide open deep shots.
I do appreciate FMs mobility. Kurtis had a great dip (one of the 5 Ds) to avoid sacks but if pressure was coming he was cooked and he was no threat to run. FM can scramble AND do designed runs so that’s going to be an important dimension to add. So long as we don’t get him killed in the process.
my bigger concern overall was the goal line O
Seems like fans are being way too hard on Mendoza after just one game. Not on here necessarily, but I’ve read some pretty extreme negative reactions out there. He has a proven track record and his talent is clear. People need to take a deep breath and at least wait until after the Illinois game before passing judgment.
@busdrivere Exactly. 1st game misfires caused 2 OD scores, misfires left 3 TD's off the scoreboard, I don't know what you call a bounced FG off the crossbar. Score of 38 - 0 was most likely envisioned. Those misfires and lack of hasty physicality will be invisible next week. Bank the $!
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