NIU Defeat--more thoughts....

 So a few thoughts.

NIU is a one-dimensional team.  They are going to run it.  And they did, with, in general, ruthless efficiency.  They threw only 8 passes.  Completed only 4.  Why would you bother?  After the game, BG cited doing better against the run in the second half, but it was 5.5 yards per carry in the first half against 5.3 yards in the second half.  The defense did get consecutive stops in the second half.  Yes, NIU was running to kill the clock, but they were one-dimensional the whole game anyway.  I don't understand why BG kept playing a two-deep alignment given how NIU plays.  I would think you would want to force Lombardi to try and beat you but that wasn't the approach we took.  

This was always a tough matchup for us--our DBs are the strength of our defense.  BG has not had a run-stopping defense in almost a decade.  I hope we are moving there but we are not there now--not a slam, but you could see it out there.  Also, NIU's leading RB did not play.  Jay Ducker, with 24 career carries for 85 yards, was 33 for 210 yards against BG.

The offense.  Woof.  We outgained NIU, FWIW.  There is no ability to sustain drives.  BG scored six times.  One came off a fumble, four others included at least one big play.  The only "sustained" drive was a 10-play drive that covered 28 yards.  Even the big plays led to FGs, because BG does not sustain even short drives.  Example.  After the McDonald 49-yard run, BG was on the 25 and did not make another first down.

The running game is improved.  Even removing the 49-yard run they averaged 4 yards a carry, which is far from great but we came in averaging half that.  Terion Stewart played.  We used some wildcat.

Here's the thing.  As the rushing game got better, we expected to see the passing game improve and it did not.  It was not good enough to win.  We completed 39% of our passes.  Sure, it was windy.  True, we had no INTs (or turnovers or the game would have been a blow out), but there was one pick-six that was completely dropped.  There were missed throws and dropped passes.  At least a couple knocked down at the line.  BG did connect some long passes, 3 of them for 134 yards.  Which leaves the other 38 passing attempts yielding 101 yards.  Less if you include the one sack.  He was hurried twice, though he did scramble out of the pocket a few times.

Don't get me wrong.  I love big plays.  But when we get a big play to the 25 we have to turn that into at least a chance at scoring a TD.  And that is not happening and it kept us from winning this one.  Coach said after the game that a close football game comes down to a few plays.  We got into the position to create those opportunities but didn't execute those key plays.

Needham and Naranjo are doing a great job.  The TD on the kickoff return might have been the most damaging play of the game.  Just can't let that happen when you have all our other issues.  We also had a short kickoff for no apparent reason and an OB kickoff.  Also, we had one return where we could have fair caught it, but didn't and ended up with a penalty and starting at our 8.  Also something we can't do with our issues.

I give our coaches credit for creatively working to run the ball.  The o-line seems to be improving, though it is still struggling on many plays.  Tactical decisions--like declining the penalty and no seeming plan to run a two-minute drill at the end and the two-deep alignment--are also holding the team back.