Then I really don’t know what was. I thought Arizona State was ugly. I thought Cincinnati was brutal. This takes the cake.
It is absurd to me how many times this offense trots onto the field and almost looks like it is trying to throw the game away. So many times throughout the game last night, it really felt that way. I’ve never been one to voice my own frustrations in the game thread, I usually leave that to you lot, but yesterday I was sick and tired of it.
For half the game, Tech played into exactly what Iowa State wanted them to do. The ball was taken out of Tahj Brooks’ hands, Behren Morton dropped back time and time again and the Cyclones rushed three successfully, over and over again. The success this unit saw on the first two drives went completely out of the window.
And give credit to Iowa State. That is a phenomenal defense, and that secondary is probably the best Tech will see all year. When ISU is dropping eight every play, and Tech is relying on Behren Morton to try and find somebody open against that secondary whose powers were amplified by the coverages they were playing, it was like beating your head against a brick wall for two quarters of play.
It looked like the quick-hitters, RPO and play action that Tech had executed to perfection against these 3-3-5 defense were cut out in favor of long-developing pass plays that had no effect on that defense.
I made a comment to someone either the other day during the week, or maybe even during the TCU game, that I simply did not trust this offense to be able to put together a game-winning drive like it did last night. Nothing that this offense has shown this season showed me that they would have the wherewithal, the physical grit or mental toughness to string together plays like that and ultimately be able to punch it in.
For lack of a better term, that final drive was ballsy. Tech was behind the sticks twice, the result of pre-snap penalties (which I thought were rough for the first time yesterday for the first time in a while), and to me that signaled game over. When you’re staring at both a third-and-15 and fourth-and-7, I’m fully expecting the worst.
Tahj Brooks pulled the Red Raiders out of the first-and-15 to open the drive, and he finished it off on the final play. What better way to win that game than by putting the ball in your best player’s hands and letting him go to work.
One concern that I think was voiced about Jalin Conyers coming into the season was his lack of blocking prowess because Arizona State never really needed him to bring that onto the field. I have been vocal about my concern on Conyers’ usage throughout the season, but that was well-played putting him in the backfield–something Tech has shown this season– and letting him be the lead blocker.
This offense frustrated the hell out of me yesterday. But they found a way on the final drive. Also found a way on the 98-yard march down the field in the third quarter, which should not go unnoticed. And that’s, overall, what matters.
Anybody who watched understands that the defense was absolutely the reason this game was winnable into the final frame. Tim DeRuyter’s press conferences this season have been interesting because there have been times where he flat out sounds defeated. He and his unit have been hounded all year about being better, from people on social media to even Joey McGuire repeatedly saying they just had to be better on that side of the ball. Again, much like the offense, it was not pretty. The Cyclones got theirs, certainly, but more often than not the defense answered the call.
Rocco Becht was uncomfortable the whole game. I thought Harvey Dyson was strong, the stats might not reflect it but he made some good plays early, as did Braylon Rigsby. Tre McAlpine had a really nice run stuff in the back field. It was overall one of the better performances from the group up front, I thought. It also helped that DeRuyter was willing to gamble and bring extra blitzers.
Jacob Rodriguez is a special player, man. 13 total tackles, two sacks, two TFLs, another forced fumble. He is a dude.
This defensive performance felt very Arizona-y to me, reminiscent of the kind of performances that this side made a living off of two years ago. Holding ISU to two touchdowns on 13 drives, and considering how many of those ended in Tech territory, all you can do is tip your cap to the defense.
I’ve rambled on and on, I know. Earlier in the season, I made it known what I thought about this team’s lack of a killer instinct. Over the last two weeks before this game, I felt that idea started to catch on with more people. It was evident against TCU, especially.
Defense took its chances and the offense did what I thought was unthinkable in the most critical time of the game. This kind of win against Arizona State and Cincinnati was unfulfilling, in my eyes. But dang, I would be a fool to be complaining about this one.
