Sweet Victory #6: The Defense

So every week the first part of the game I analyze is the offense.

This week, the defense.

Maligned as they have been, and undermanned as they are, they did something I don't think anyone outside their locker room (or maybe inside) thought they were going to do, which was to pitch a shut out in a MAC game.

My goal for the defense was literally to hold teams to around 30.  I didn't expect shutouts.  This defense is better than last year's defense with significantly less talent, which is a statement about how mismanaged the defense was last year and how well coached they are this year.

Yes, I can hear the naysayers.  No doubt, the preview indicated that this is a young Kent team without a strong offense.  Also, their QB is a FR starting his second game.  All that's true.  Even given all of that I would not have anticipated a shutout.

The numbers are just great.

10 first downs allowed.
166 yards of total offense.
3.3 yards per play.
2 interceptions
Of the 51 plays, only 11 inside BG territory.
Kent never entered the red zone.
Kent was 1 of 11 on 3rd down.  Check that out.
Allowing for sacks, Kent had only 74 yards rushing on 24 attempts.
Deducting sack yardage leaves Kent with 93 passing yards for the game.

It was no match.

BG's strategy was to stop the run first, which the Falcons have been relatively successful at this year.  With a FR QB, that makes total sense.  And BG was effective.  The Kent RBs were never a factor in the game at all.  Durham, who doesn't look like the same guy from a couple years ago, had only 5 carries for 7 yards.  In fact, the RBs had only 12 carries and that includes a few in garbage time.  Bollas, the QB, had the most carries with 12.  Two of those were sacks, and then he lost 11 yards on additional plays as well.  BG shut the Kent run game down, forcing Bollas to the air (along with the score).

And that was a struggle.  They were 12 of 25 with 2 picks and 111 gross yards.

BG played most of the game without Dernard Turner, who was ejected for targetting, BG's 3rd of the year.  Jamari Bozeman, a true FR stepped in and led BG with 8 tackles and also broke a pass up.  He's going to be a good player.

Trent Greene had 7 tackles and was robbed of an INT, while Valdez had 6 tackles.  Remember, Kent only ran 51 plays.  Sanford and Colvin had the sacks and Mack and Hardy had the interceptions.

Beyond the two sacks, BG had 5 other TFL, including Greene, Valdez, Mack, Baird and Locke.

BG has one more game left against the MAC East and OU is struggling big time on offense.  I think the defense has improved and is considerably better than we expected it to be and I look forward to seeing them match up against WMU and UT.