12/4/06 Na Koa Lunch Report

[uhwarriors]

June Jones spoke about the Oregon State game at the final Na Koa lunch of the season. It was a tough one to lose because we had our chances. However there were too many breakdowns and failures to convert opportunities to score to overcome.

In the Q&A session, Jones said that Oregon State did not do anything different defensively than we have seen from other opponents. It was primarily a failure to execute proper pass pro that caused the sacks.

Ross Dickerson was used at RB because Nate Ilaoa couldn’t practice all week with a heel injury. Jones was hoping to get through the first half without having to use Ilaoa.

Asked about which players had improved the most over the course of the season, Jones said the Hercules Satele had made the most improvement on the offensive side while on defense, he said it was Jacob Patek.

In response to a question about the difference between Purdue and Oregon State versus WAC teams, Jones said the front sevens were bigger and faster.

Regarding recruiting, Jones could only say things are going well. Asked about replacing the graduating seniors on the O-line and D-line, Jones said they feel that they have some talented guys already on campus that can step in.

Asked about Arizona State, Jones said although he had seen them on the Oregon State video, he really hadn’t studied them yet to comment specifically other than to say they are very talented and are going to a bowl game for the fourth year in a row. He reiterated that he wants to win this game for the seniors who have meant so much to the program.

Jones started the video review with the special teams video. The touchdown return was the result of two coverage players in the middle of the field losing their outside leverage responsibilities and breaking down toward the returner before he had committed . There were also two missed tackles. Jones said if any one of the four players had done it right, it probably wouldn’t have been a TD.

Jones showed several other kickoff coverage plays. On one, R.J. Kiesel-Kauhane did his assignment well and made a good tackle. On another he showed Brashton Satele giving it his all and going over the top of the wedge, while Dane Porlas made a good tackle.

On the Oregon State punt that the punter was tackled for a loss, Jones showed how David Farmer did his assignment perfectly and was able to make the tackle on the punter.

Jones feels that Davone Bess can be a really good punt returner because of his quickness. On his first return, from the endzone view Jones showed that Bess made three defenders miss and was just tripped up or would have been on his way to a big return. On his second return late in the fourth quarter, Bess made several great moves to break the big return. He needed one more block to go all the way. Unfortunately a blocker glanced back instead of “going to the next level” and blocking the last remaining defender.

On the offensive videos, Jones showed us what happened on the sacks and interceptions. Oregon State did exactly what was they were expected to do on defense. Most of the sacks were the result of busted blocking assignments. On one sack, Colt Brennan wasn’t in the correct location in the pocket. On another play Brennan held the ball because the intended receiver had run a wrong route.

On the first interception at the end of what could have been a 99 yard drive, Brennan did a good job moving in the pocket to buy time. He made a great throw against the 3 deep zone coverage putting it exactly where he should have put it. Unfortunately Bess stumbled out his break and wasn’t able to get to where the ball was thrown.

On the second interception, the receiver had an option to cut out to the sideline at one of two angles depending on the coverage to give Brennan a good lane to throw through. Unfortunately the receiver ran the route at a wrong angle and the defender was able to make a play on the ball.

On the missed opportunity in the endzone on the second drive of the first quarter, Jones had put in a special play this week for the coverage they anticipated seeing. They got the coverage they wanted and Bess made a good move on the safety to get open. Unfortunately he couldn’t make the catch.

Jones also showed three plays where the speed of Oregon State’s front seven made a big difference. In each play, a DE or LB from the backside of the play made a play down the field to save a possible TD or at least a much bigger play.

Jones showed the last offensive series of the game. On the second down screen play that resulted in a sack, Jones showed that Brennan hadn’t dropped back enough to draw in the pass rushers and thus didn’t have the room and angle to make the throw. On third down, Oregon State was in a man free coverage which is what Jones expected. As expected Ryan Grice-Mullin had beaten his man was open for a TD. Unfortunately Brennan didn’t go to Grice-Mullin and threw an incomplete skinny post to Jason Rivers on the backside of the play.

Jones also showed the defensive video. Overall the defense played quite well except for a couple of missed assignments.

On Oregon State’s longest run of the game, the 19 yarder in the first quarter was the result of a DE on the backside of the play missing an assignment. He was supposed to slant inside the OT into the cutback lane, while the OLB had outside contain. Unfortunately the DE went up-field instead and left a cutback lane. That was corrected and Oregon State didn’t run that play as effectively later.

Oregon State’s first TD a pass to the TE was a result of a LB biting on the play action and not covering the TE. Leonard Peters and Myron Newberry tried to help but to no avail.

Oregon State’s QB is very good and put the ball in spots that the DBs couldn’t defend even when they had good coverage.

Jones showed us several plays which showed how powerful Michael Lafaele is. On a pass play, Lafaele clubbed the center’s shoulder with one arm and knocked him totally off-balance. On another play he fought off a double team and made the tackle at the line of scrimmage.

Mel Purcell has played exceptionally well the last several games. Jones showed several plays that Purcell fought off double teams to make tackles.

Members of the Sports Hawaii ohana in attendance were CoachKen, Kapakahi, Isleboy, TW and Raudi.

This was the last Na Koa lunch of the season. Watch for announcements for the fundraiser Golf Tournaments and the Pigskin Pigout.

Na Koa supports the football program by providing equipment, the training table, tutoring and summer scholarships. If you would like more information on how to join or help Na Koa, please contact Ben Yee at 542-8912.

[Irse]

Thanks. Wish I could have been there.

[WarriorFootballFanatic]

Thanks for all the explanations coach Jones made at the Na Koa lunch. Interesting observations. Lafalele is super good and very underrated. I watched him DESTROY Fresno's Kyle Young, a potential NFL first round pick this year. Last year, he destroyed Wisconsin's Railoa. Lafaele should be first team next year. Yeah, I remember Grice Mullins being open for a TD on that last drive. In general, I think Brennan should have looked for him more often. Its seemed like the slots were killing their men a lot more than the WRs. Yeah, an unfortunate bess stumble. that wasn't colt's fault. just unfortunate.

[Grinch]

Thanks for the great report - as usual.
Reading it was both painful and encouraging.
Painful - knowing how close we were to winning.
Encouraging - I guess for the same reason.

[808havok]

aye. mucho thanks for the weekly reports. and to think that the team could be undefeated right now... scary thought for next year fellas!!!

[Duster]

uhwarriors, thanks for all of the excellent in-depth reporting this season. It was great "hearing" the insider's perspective on what worked and didn't work, and why.

[jediwarrior]

Mahalo for the awesome report Gentlemen.

[kapakahi]

uhwarriors...
You never cease to amaze me with the detail and accuracy of your reports. I was sitting right next to you and I already I forgot what JJ spoke about by the time I read your report. Your reports got me hooked to go down to the Na Koa lunches this season for my first time to check it out. I hope to attend those lunches as much as possible next year as well.

Guys...
I'm an eye witness to that fact that uhwarriors writes his report without taking any notes...purely from memory. Simply amazing!