Push the Button

So, the last time I felt like this, we had just gotten humiliated on our home field last season by Kent State. I went back and looked at what I wrote that day, as a reference. You can, too, if you like. One thing is true. This week, coach didn't say he saw it coming. He said that he was embarassed, and more or less acknowledged that fans who love this program are right to feel upset about it.

The game yesterday was awful. Without redeeming characteristics. We were skunked in every facet of the game. This Miami team--that had trouble scoring points, and using reserve players--ran through and over us with ease. This team that had much trouble stopping the pass shut us down big time.

We turned it over--and didn't really get many turnovers. We were completely out-classed, out-played and out-coached by a team that isn't a Big 10 or Top 10 team, but an average team in an average conference. This never should have happened.

The entire game can be summarized from the first quarter. The remaining 45 minutes were only variations on a theme.

• Starts off great, Williams races to Miami 38 with opening kickoff
• Then, Sheehan is sacked on second down. loses 12 yards. We punt.
  
• Miami starts on 20, goes 80 yards in 9 plays, running through our D with virtually no resistance, huge holes, poor coverage.
• Williams returns the ball to midfield AGAIN. One pass, and we're on the Miami 40. Sadly, from there, we go 3-out, including a wide open Marques Parks alligator-arming a perfectly thrown pass.
• We stick Miami on the 5. At this point, things are not looking too bad. They go 3 and out, and punt us back to our 35. Bullock fumbles on the first play from scrimmage, Miami recovers.
• We get a first down sack, but Miami covers 38 yards in two plays to go up 14-0 with 6:41 left.
• Miami squibs the kick, and we start on our own 46. On the second play from scrimmage, Ty Pronty catches a pass and fumbles it. Miami recovers.
• We hold Miami off and start on our 20. Things are still not out of touch. Tyler hits Corey for 22 yards, but alas, we are penalized for illegal formation. Drive ends when Sheehan loses 23 yards on two straight sacks and then our punt in the end zone is blocked for a safety. (16-0)
• Miami gets the ball and turns it over on a fumble. If we can score, its still a long game. Sadly, we go 3 and out.

And so on.

Miami dominated every facet of the game. Nowhere was this more evident than on the line. The Miami O-line simply manhandled our D-line. Pushed us around, created gaping holes for the RBs. Our defense fell into an old bad habit, which is to leave cut back lanes wide open in the interests of undisciplined approaches, and they ran right throught them. And, sure as shit, when you start to see Jarrett Sanderson making tackles, you can count on the other team going over the top for a big play. Which Miami did.

Starting on the line, but moving to every part of the game, our defense was dominated for nearly every play.

When we had the ball--not a lot better. Because they know we aren't gong to run the ball, the Miami defense was dropping into coverage, and covering well. Our receivers couldn't get open. They got sacks on Tyler, but they were mostly coverage sacks. Here I fault our team for an arrogant belief that we can pass on anyone. We simply believed--and stated--that we didn't need to run the ball. But, yesterday, some of those sprint draws and runs into a defense backpedaling into coverage and all spread out would have made a big difference.

Let's understand the facts. We had 26 rushing attempts. There were 9 by Sheehan (most not really runs). Our of the remaining 17, 6 were Turner and 2 were Glaud. Leaving us with 9 freaking carries by our RBs. Ryan in the Blade noted that we have only two TDs from a RB this year, both by Dan Macon, and both in garbage time. This was simply exposed by Miami Saturday.

To make matters worse, the word is out that Tyler doesn't throw deep, so we had Miami cramming the short and medium routes, creating even less space. Sheehan looked indecisive and confused. He's still a young QB, and we know what he's capable of. Miami schooled our entire offensive unit yesterday. No QB could have rescued us. At the same time, he will need to be more confident for us to compete.

Finally, we had a disturbing number of dropped passes by a receiving corps that played flat most of the day, with the exception of Corey.

And, of course, we didn't take care of the football.

Finally, we had special teams problems. Roger Williams was brilliant, but we gave up 2 points on a blocked punt, which never should have happened.

Now let's think back to our Kent debacle. Falcon fans will remember that we will bounced back from the Kent game to win @ OU, in what was our best game of the season. We will need exactly that next week against Kent.

You can say all you want about how the players have to execute, college football is a coach's game. Good and bad days point to the coach. I'm encouraged that he is committing himself to fixing it, rather than making excuses like he did last year. You can see the earlier post--he knows that never should have happened.

It doesn't get easier, it gets harder. Now we have some health problems...From The Blade

INJURIES: Defensive tackle Sean O'Drobinak and cornerback Antonio Smith did not return after suffering injuries in the first half. O'Drobinak's left arm was in a sling and Brandon believes the senior hyper-extended his elbow. Smith hurt his hamstring.

Losing O'Drobinak would be costly as BG is already missing linemen Nick Davis and Michael Ream. Defensive end Joe Schaefer returned after missing three games but was used sparingly. Brandon Mack, listed as an offensive lineman on BG's roster, saw his first action of the season - at defensive tackle.

(Note: Citizens of the Falcon Nation, who didn't understand moving Mack to O-Line and then not using him, while moving O-Drob to DT will take perverse pleasure in this. It is unlikely all that movement for Mack was an indication that he was a productive D-lineman, however).

So what we need to win....

First, we need to run the table. That is a huge challenge, but not undoable. Candidly, if we don't turn things around, we could literally lose every East game left on our schedule. But, if Coach can right things, there is no team so dominant that we can't compete with them. Heck, Temple beat Akron, this whole division is unpredictable.

Second, Miami must lose twice. They play @Temple, Buffalo, Akron, @OU. They could literally lose any of those games, especially if Temple is coming around.

So, is all lost? No. But, our team has to go from what was an abjectly miserable performance to competitive football by next Saturday. Or, we're 3-4 and fighting to be .500.