well I can see your point about predictability - and I do recall 1 “crazy” interception, but HR interception rate is still less than MH (albeit close) and I would say that TT (and crew) won the Idaho game as the Ags were behind when he replaced Hastings.

Not trying to be contrary, but I am just not seeing/feeling it in this home stretch situation at QB. I believe the teams that make a run in the playoffs will have strong quarterbacks - EWU and Sac State QBs have that. I will say that the Aggie D has been good and consistent this year and that goes a long way. Funny that at 7-1 and beating an FCS school I (and maybe some others) are not feeling super confident now about getting into playoffs let alone making a run in them. Hope I am wrong - and I think the odds are still they get in.

I would have expected Bob Dunning to get the facts straight. He was at the Idaho game.

“Hastings was impressive in his first start two weeks ago at Cal Poly when he hit 28 of 34 pass attempts for 210 yards and two scores in a 24-13 win.”

I would say Hastings did conservatively well, but 6 yards an attempt is likely why the completion percentage is high. Also the statement of this being his first start is incorrect - he started at Idaho and TT was brought in to shake things up. If Hastings had half the escapability of Rodrigues I wouldn’t be as concerned, but with no real threat of a run and limited escapability, others are going to really have to step up. Not knocking Hastings, but I am beginning to wonder if it’s some sort of personality thing with Cody Hawkins. I don’t view it so much as “deserving” to play as much as it is who is going to give you the best chance to win. I just think that as the Ags get to these money games and possible playoffs that the Ags will need Rodrigues.

correct.

Pocatello is Mormon-town lite and they will probably get lit up.

I feel sorry for Idaho State. Maybe BYU will be worn out by hanging 66 on Virginia. Of course BYU defense was a sieve. ESPN gratuitously gives them a 1% chance of winning. I guess 1% is the low asymptote.

Two metaphors and an idiomatic expression in the first sentence. Pretty impressive .

I have no idea of how this game will go. Potential vs. potential says Aggies, but with so much variability in both teams I think it may be an enigma wrapped in a conundrum

Am hoping offense wakes up this week. I wish I had a better feeling about this game, but the SLO performance was not good. The Ags had the worst output (points scored) against SLO save for San Diego. Defense has really been stellar for the most part and that is comforting. I have no idea who will start at QB but it sounds from the press conference last week that it will be Hastings. If so I hope he does well but I have yet to see flashes that say “this is the guy to get you wins”. Fine for safe games and shorter throws but I think in big games they need someone more mobile. QB is such an important position and it needs to sorted out/improved on fast going into the last three games and potential playoffs.

Watched some of the Monmouth - NC A&T game via replay. Official crowd of 20,500 and it looked packed (Homecoming in Greensboro). I think Monmouth will be Big South champs. Their QB Muskett is very good and I think they will beat Kennesaw State who squeaked by Gardner -Webb and are always overrated IMO.

That is just totally wrong. Sac beats Montana in their house. Also Montana sneaks by a 1 win SUU at home. Montana just does not look good at this point. Quite a different feel from after their first game. I think injuries have something to do with it - but Montana State will likely beat them and a loss at NAU would not surprise me.

I wonder if there is some “coach envy” from Taylor getting coach of year honors and maybe not being considered (along with Sac) as in the “insiders club”.

I actually played on the baseball team with him - to be more precise, he played and I sat :-). He just looked like a normal guy - not one you would think of as an NFL player. He was quite fast though.

it is good that Hastings has gained experience as HR is more prone to injury simply because he will run the ball. Re: all interceptions, HR interception rate (int./att.) is 2.95% and MH is 5.17%. Avg yards per attempt HR 7.2 MH 5.6. So while HR has tailed off - and concussion/other may have had something to do with it, I think that the natural frustrations of fans to desire a switch in quarterbacks should be kept in perspective. I do not know all the ins and out the coaches have more insight of course and I don’t want to question their decisions. Re: SACs 2 QB system it seems to work for them. I have watched several of their games and both are good. Dunniway is the better passer (can stretch field) but OHara is a nifty runner and is a decent short yardage passer. I think it is just the fit, coaching and system that makes it work.

Agree. I do think MSU will drop one of those - likely in Cheney.

I agree with you that HR puts the Ags in a better position to win when he is on than Hastings. I think Hawk is right that HR has been pressing, but by yanking him you wonder if that will just lead to more pressing. No way we would have beat Tulsa without HR. He is clearly the most mobile. Hastings can throw a nice ball but he needs good protection (that has not always been there) and tried at SLO to throw at least three times when he should have pulled it down (blocked passes and interception/near interception). These are things he could learn. Yards per throw stat was only a little north of 6 yards at SLO. Castles was big in that game. Unless we have awesome running games - the only way I see the Ags beating EWU or Sac is with a HR and him playlng as he can. It would be nice if there we some clarity in the QB position - don’t think it’s optimal to be playing musical chairs from game to game. Maybe it just isn’t going to happen this year. Sac has found a way to rotate within the game that has worked well - both QBs have different skill sets and are used in the right situations and the the team as a whole has adapted.

Sac is good. We will not beat them playlng like we have recently.

Well , I hate to say it but a mobile qb with option pass to Gilliam would have been nice. Hawkins didn’t want a batted ball and played it conservatively

Dodged a bullet. Now nothing weird.

Need to get more pressure on Brasch

Well that didn’t work.

Hastings need to learn to pull down those blocked passes.