What a strange game. Get beat clearly in every statistic that matters but win a game going away. If ever there was a text book case for the importance of defensive scores and special teams scores in a game, this was it.

The one most important point that comes out of this game is the defensive line depth is something that we have not seen arguably since the days of coach Hayes. To be down our best run stuffing lineman, Dex Larimore, but hold the nations #14 rushing attack to 118 yards shows just how deep we are. The pass rush looked like something straight out of the NFL. 6 sacks in one game versus an offensive line that had given up 2 total in its first 5 games is the most revealing stat of the game. It is hard to single out an individual for praise. I know one thing that stood out to me was having Williams and Gibson on the field at the same time. In obvious passing situations that would be part of the scheme. Heyward is a first rounder. The last few weeks Gibson has played like a first day pick at least. But Nate Williams is the best pass rusher on the roster. I would put Heyward and either Worthington or Rose inside with Gibson and Williams on any obvioous passing down. All are relentless enough that teams can't decide to try and run on the smaller lineup.

I thought Spitler was once again had a very strong performance but Homan is the one playing really well. Coleman is playing all-american first team caliber football. Beyond the interception he has a great game. His problem is he is a senior at the same time that Eric Berry is senior and Taylor Mays is out there. Anderson Russell comes on with another good football game. That is 2 in a row. We have not seen that from him in some time. I think that bodes well for the future. His tackle on the kickoff that pinned Wisky inside their 5 was a turning point in the game. Jermal Hines had another good game. The interception was the icing on the cake. He has been more involved the last 2 weeks. More around the ball like he was last year.

My only criticism of the defense is playing so soft in the secondary behind such a fierce pass rush. We hurt ourselves with that a couple of times. Gave up big plays several times when the rush did not get there because we gave up so much room. Maybe you give that to Aurelius Benn but I didn't see a receiver for Wisky that we needed to make sure we got a lot of tacklers around, and needed to make sure they didn't get behind us.

Offense goes back to one thing. Pryor is making us crazy. Last week I thought maybe he turned the corner. I would argue that it was his best all-around performance. He comes back this week with his worst at least since Penn State of last year. He was late all game and when he wasn't he was high. He is not executing properly. Think about how often bad balls from Pryor are high. That is mechanics. He is releasing the ball at its highest point, when the velocity is at its highest. If he does not get off his back foot and transfer his weight onto his front foot he is not going to get over top of the ball and force it down. The point will be high and the pass will sail. He is late on his reads which makes him late on the throw. It is all in his head. We are looking at a stretch where we will outathlete Purdue, Minnesota and New Mexico. Two of those are at home. First, I would sit him for a week. In that week I would convince him that he is going to do it my way, he is going to sit, or throw it at him that he could move if he wanted to. He is not getting it done at the quarterback position. You want to play in the Show, son? You want to be a millionaire? It will be at a position that needs elite athleticism like wide receiver. At quarterback I need a thinking man. Sleep on it and get back to me.I would only be half trying to shock him. If he did not answer on the spot that he did not need to sleep in it, that he wanted to be a quarterback, I would think he had lost his confidence and given up on being a quarterback. He was overwhelmed and not up to the challenge of being an elite quarterback.

I have some concerns about how Pryor is being coached. I am not yet ready to say the staff is not up to the job of teaching him. I am saying this unique talent, who continues to make the same mistakes, who continues to have poor execution and poor mechanics, who cannot find consistency to save his life, is not getting the discipline that would make him find those important pieces of the puzzle.

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