The ADB Mailbag: How Football Improved So Quickly

Welcome to another installment of the ADB Mailbag. Today, we’ve got answers about football’s improvement, basketball defense and how to watch it all unfold when you’re on the go.

Remember: If your question wasn’t answered, or you’re just hearing about this and want to get in on the fun, you can submit your questions here or on Twitter (@ADimeBack).

Matt asks: I think we’re all pleasantly surprised with how well football has recovered. Whats the one area where they have improved the most since last year?

The biggest difference on-field is quarterback play. Having a real Division 1 quarterback who can throw the ball and actually run the offense without doing anything really stupid is why this team looks so much different. (Though for the love of Jonathan, Bryant, please start sliding! We can’t lose you!)

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Last year, the defense was actually pretty good, but they spent way too much time on the field because the offense was non-functional, and that affected their numbers overall.

However, I’ll actually posit that the most important reason this team looks so much better is culture change. Bob Diaco may be nuts, but whatever he’s doing is working. This year’s team has a totally different attitude. Every player is pumped after every good play, and they are all totally engaged for the entirety of the game. The buy-in is astounding given what the team looked like last year. It’s nothing short of miraculous. So while there are certainly personnel improvements causing the team to be better, I actually think it’s what’s been happening off the field that’s made the biggest difference.

– Meghan Bard

The Eleventh Toe asks: This weeks focus on the Alpha Dog is justified but of equal importance is the lock-down defender who neutralizes the opposing team’s best guard (often at the expense of their own shots). Who you got?

If you’re looking for a Ricky Moore on this team, you’re going to be disappointed. But that’s OK. This team defends differently than the late-90s squads on which Moore excelled. Rather than seeking to force the other team’s best offensive player into turnovers and bad shots, perimeter defenders on this team – Purvis, Gibbs, Calhoun, Hamilton, and Adams – are going to generally try to play the other team’s guards into the strength of the defense, by leading them into the long, shot-blocky arms of Amida Brimah and Shonn Miller.

But if you’re just concerned about who actually has the potential to play plus defense on the perimeter, the best answers are Purvis and Adams. Both have excellent lateral quickness and relatively long arms. Purvis is better-suited to this role now, as his defensive positioning is better (though still not great), and he’s much stronger. Adams has the requisite talent to be an elite defender, but he has work to do. That being said, if this team faces up against a terrific wing scorer and needs someone to shut him down, the best lock-down defender they have is Miller, who has the length, athleticism, and footwork to defend almost any position on the floor.

– Peter Bard

J asks: I, unfortunately, am going to be at a work function and am going to miss this Tuesday’s game. Do you have any tips about how best to discreetly follow along so I don’t get stuck in this same situation again?

(note this was sent in prior to the New Hampshire game)

We chose this question so everyone can use this as a resource in similar situations. We get it. Life happens. Work functions happen. Sometimes you have to miss out.

Should this happen to you, here’s a comprehensive breakdown on how best to follow a game:

1. If you have computer access, most games are streamed on Watch ESPN. All you need is a cable subscription and you should be able to watch a fair-quality feed that is only about a minute behind the rest of the world.