EMU Runs Over Falcons

As it turned out, Game 12 was a microcosm of the whole season.  As Coach Jinks said, "we couldn't get out of own way."

BG ends 2-10 and 2-6, which is two games overall worse than last season and one game worse in MAC play.

It was a terrible season.  No home wins.  Loss to South Dakota.  Record number of points given up to Toledo.  It was an awful season.

But more to review on that later.

EMU is a good team and way better than their record.  I love what Chris Creighton has done up there, with very little to work with.  He's built a culture around a program that traditionally has struggled year after year.

The Eagles came into the game ranked #9 in the MAC in yards per carry, but they were coming up against the worst run defense in the MAC.  And BG's run defense again failed the team.  EMU--playing without Roback, who was injured in the first quarter--took to the ground, running the ball 53 times for 266 yards, or 5 yards per carry.  BG's run defense was pretty much non-existent.

I thought Brandon Harris said something interesting after the game, as quoted in The Blade.

“Our struggles to stop the run were from a lack of execution,” said linebacker Brandon Harris, who led the Falcons with 12 tackles. “People weren’t fitting in their gaps. People weren’t doing their jobs, and they did a good job exploiting that.”

To me, that's coaching.  You don't need to have talent to be in the right gap.  But more of that on another day.

The offense had a good day, marred by a couple costly turnovers and a penalty on the Clair run for a TD.  BG ran for 6.7 yards per carry and passed effectively.  Doege is the real deal.  He completed 62% of his passes for 2 TDs and 12.2 yards per completion and one INT.  The idea he can still get better should be very encouraging for Falcon fans.

Michael Wilcox also had a great KOR for a TD called back by a penalty.

More later, but for now a couple last thoughts.  First, from what I see on twitter, there are Falcon fans who have not gotten the memo:  Mike Jinks will be back next year.  There is no doubt.  The larger question is whether there are staff changes made.  You know where I stand on that, but the question is where he stands.

I would caution fans to be patient on that front.  Coach said he was going to evaluate everyone and he has also said that his primary focus is recruiting starting on Sunday for something like 3 straight weeks.  I don't know if he's going to do anything or not, but it's possible it won't be his main focus until after the early signing day.