Saturday was certainly not the outcome any Flames fan was hoping for or expecting. The Flames were upset by a passionate Jacksonville squad, resulting in a quite different outcome from their first contest. The Jacksonville contest can end up being that course-correcting loss that leverages all the Flames’ potential towards a fourth conference title if they are retrospective.
Here are a couple things I expect of the Flames going forward after their loss on Saturday:
1. More balanced offense.
Obviously, Darius carries a large offensive load for the Flames this season. This has won some games, but occasionally, the burden is just too much for one player (Darius put up nearly half of the Flames’ shots on Saturday). Against Jacksonville, it could be argued that there was a lack of trust in some of the starters and what they bring to the table offensively. Regardless, we are not in the huddles and locker room. We don’t know schemes and dynamics between teammates, but I fully expect to see Darius settle into what he prefers doing – scoring in bunches through particular chances while also opening the flow of offense for his teammates.
2. A renewed commitment to the Packline and defensive intensity.
The Flames have been defensively uncharacteristic in the past few games. The Flames have given up 64.3 points per game this season but allowed 73, 69, and 84 in their last three contests. There are variables to these numbers, but it does demonstrate a more offensive emphasis from the team. This is unlike McKay’s recent teams. I expect to see the men recommitted to swarming, switching, and hedging with excellence in the game Tuesday against North Florida.
I would wager the Flames had tired legs and minds coming off such a long stint of games prior to the game at Jacksonville, but they have to remain hungry and humble if they are going to achieve the peak of success in the ASUN this year. I have full confidence in Coach McKay, his staff, and the exceptional members of this Flames team. This slight bump in the road will likely serve as a motivating factor to achieve greatness once again this season.
