25 Questions on Zippy Morehead

What is their body of work?

Akron has had as big a struggle as any team in the FBS.  The Zips have never won more than 8 games.   Since 1975, they have 10 winning seasons. Terry Bowden was 35-52 but that now appears to be a veritable golden age compared to what came after, where they are 4-30.  

Which would be fine, except for Tom Arth, who was 3-24 as Zip coach, two of his wins were over BG. Far and away, the lowest moment of the Loeffler years is the 2020 31-3 defeat to the Zips.  Last year's defeat was only 15 points.

Arth landed up, as a pass game specialist for the Chargers and his buddy, Brandon Staley.

He was replaced by Joe Moorehead, sending a primal scream through the Falcon fan base.  Moorehead has a reputation as an offensive genius.  He was 38-13 at Fordham in his first head coaching gig.  Then he moved to Mississippi State, where a 14-12 record got him canned. From there to Oregon as OC and now to the Zips.  

This year they are 1-3.  They won their FCS game in overtime, then lost to MSU and Tennessee, as expected.  They played Liberty and lost 21-12, a really decent result against a good team.  

BG is a 9.5 point road favorite.

How experienced are they?

According to Steele, they are the 6th most experienced team in the MAC, with 2 seniors on their pre-season depth chart.

Who are their nationally ranked players?

Tony Grimes is the #13 PR, #1 in MAC.

Bubba Arslanian is #10 in solo tackles and #9 in total tackles

What is their turnover ratio? 

They are even so far

Offense

How is their QB play?

Well, he's a specimen. DJ Irons is 6'6" and 205 pounds. You don't run across many QBs like that.  He played in 8 games last year but did not play in the game against BG due to an injury.  He's #10 in the MAC in passing efficiency.  He's completed 63% of his passes, which is right about the NCAA Average.  He has about 10 yards per completion but only 3 TDs over 1 INT.  He is definitely a running QB, with over 11 yards per carry even with sacks included.  His mobility has been limited since an injury at MSU, but they are hopeful he is improving.

What is their scoring and yards per play

They have not done much offensively this year.  They are 128th in the nation with 12 PPG.  They are 115th in yards per play at 4.3 yards per play.

Can they run the ball?

Not really.  They are last in the MAC at second-to-last in the nation at 1.8 per carry.  Their lead back, Cam Wiley, averages 3.4 yards per carry.  He's a transfer from Minny.

Do they pass the ball?

They are not great so far. They have a WR with 21 catches named Shocky-Jacques Louis.

How is their run/pass balance?

Factoring for sacks, they have run on 33% of their plays, which is really low.  Right where Missisippi State was.

Do they convert on 3rd Down?

 No.  At 23%, they do not.  Having said that, there are 4 teams even worse.

Do they score in the red zone?

Not at all....3.9 points per trip. 

Do they protect the quarterback?

Not well.  They have been sacked 20 times (2nd to last in NCAA) and 10.5% of attempts.  

Defense:

Topline: Scoring and yards per play

They are last in the MAC in scoring defense and 9th in yards per play.  Played much better defense against Liberty.  (Where you only defend what you need).

Do they defend the run effectively?

They have been allowing 5 yards per rush, last in the MAC.

Can they be passed on?

They are pretty good, #5 in pass efficiency defense. They allow 63% completions and have 4 int.

Do they get off the field on 3rd down?

They are ok, 43% allowed, 8th in MAC.

Do they defend in the red zone?

Not great, 5.8 points per trip.

Do they pressure the QB?

Not really.  Sacks on 4.8% of passing attempts.

Special Teams:

Punting?

They are #8 in the MAC.  No blocks and no TDs allowed.

Punt Return?

As mentioned, their guy is nationally ranked.  No blocks.

Placekicking? 

They have used 2 guys.  Smiegel started and struggled.  Noah Perez is now kicking.  He is 4-5 on FGs and a long of 41.  Only miss is over 50.  THEY HAVE TRIED ONLY 4 xps.

Kickoff? 

Teams start on the 24.

Kickoff Return?

They start on the 26.

Intangible Miscellany

I say this every year,  but this is a game where two struggling teams look at each other and say "this is one we could win."  Akron has beaten BG twice in the Loeffler era and beaten almost no one else and they do not have an FBS win this year.  In fact, their LAST FBS win was over BG last year.  They have lost 8 straight.

On the flip side, BG continues to try and define itself as a competitive team. We have been told to wait until we hit MAC play, so we are here.  A competitive team in the MAC wins this game.

It will be interesting to see how healthy McDonald is.  In the Marshall game, his ability to run made a big difference and opened this up.  Without that, it feels like he has had more struggles.  His mobility will matter.  I suspect they will not want him running too much.

Christian Sims will be back, which is really important.  He's probably our top player on offense.

To me, the key is defense.  Akron has struggled on offense, but outgained Liberty.  If the defense asserts itself, prevents the run and keeps Irons in the pocket...and then moves the ball on the other side...they should be able to win this one.  And need to.  Crazy MAC and meaningless helmet emblems aside, the outlook is a lot darker with another loss to UA.

Depth Chart

Typically, there are not a lot of updates on our depth chart.  This year, there's some movement strictly on the O-line.

Jakari Robinson is now starting at C.

The right side of BG's line has been consistent--Warner and G and Wollschlager at T.  The left side has seen some more turmoil.

With Robinson at C, Jalen Grant is now listed at LG.  His backups are Dunbar OR Zimmerly.  The LT is Kam Stewart OR Jeremiah Banks-Wall, with Fatuksai in the #2 slot.  These typically don't correspond with injuries--no guarantee Fatuksai or Zimmerly are ready to play, for example.

BG's O-line continues to be an issue.  It's hard to tell with the variance in non-conference schedule, but BG is #10 in pass blocking and #11 in run blocking in the MAC, according to PFF. 

Loeffler Presser---Embolism Edition

So Coach Loeffler was back in the saddle again today for his presser, after what had to be a pretty awful week.  He said he thought he had a blood clot in his calf before the UCLA game.  He flew out there and then tried to run and had a horrible time with it.  Then, Sunday night (after the Marshall game) he couldn't sleep and was spitting up blood.  He thought it was acid reflux and so he slept upright in his office chair.  Felt awful the next day, couldn't get up the stairs and then went to the hospital.  He was 24 hours from "a very bad day" he said.

He will be back Saturday.

Someone asked him if he should be back.

He said yes.  He can't fly but he is fine.

Someone asked if it has changed anything for him.  He said "reality did set it a little bit," but that his energy approach is not going to change.

He said he wasn't happy about not coaching, but it was the right thing.  He was wiped watching the game on TV by halftime from the couch. 

He started to provide advice and then admitted he was the worst at it....let me chime in...if you don't take care of yourself someday you will be missing at something you shouldn't be missing at.

A lesson we only seem to learn the hard way.

Jason Candle was the first coach to text him, FYI.

He said he is "absolutely" expecting McDonald and Sims to play Saturday, though he said McDonald was fine last week, too.

As for that decision, McDonald practiced for the first time Friday morning.  Loeffler said he didn't think that McDonald could last a full game with his mobility issues.

He went off on his usual helmet emblem speech.  He said Akron is tough on offense with the RPO game and "eye violations."

There's no such thing as a cupcake game.  He said.

Past and Future Opponent Land

UCLA--(4-0) Beat Colorado, worst P5 team

EKU--(2-2)  The indomitable Colonels lost to Austin Peay

Marshall--(2-2) The "could win out" Herd lost to Troy

Mississippi State--(3-1) We played them

Akron--(1-3) Lost to Liberty, 21-12

Buffalo--(1-3) Beat EMU in wild one

Miami--(2-2) Won @Northwestern

CMU--(1-3) Lost to Penn State

WMU--(1-3) Drilled by San Jose State

KSU--(1-3) Lost to Georgia but they handled up

UT--(2-2) Lost to San Diego State

OU--(2-2)  Beat #18 (FCS) Fordham, 59-51

East Vs. West: East 1, West 0

MAC vs P5: 2-19

MAC vs. G5: 3-9

MAC vs FCS: 9-2

Expected Result in Starkville

Well, Starkville was what we thought it would be.  We're overmatched on a good day and then add our coach and QB and it was going to be an impossible assignment.  Presumably the check with clear and we can win Saturday.

It wasn't a total washout.  We managed 2 nice drives, one of them in the first half.  The Air Raid overwhelmed us on defense.  We had a couple stops, but they worked from really good field position and we didn't have an answer for that.

So, rather than a total recap (see: they kicked our butts mostly), let's take a look at a few notes.

First, as we all know by now, Coach Loeffler had a pulmonary embolism earlier in the week.  This is incredibly serious and potentially deadly.  Obviously, wishing nothing but wellness for Coach Loeffler.  He's all in with us and he has a great family and you want to see him live to be a slightly manic old man.

We will see what happens.  He is supposed to be back Monday and I suspect he will be.  Sometimes a scare like this changes people, and only time will tell on that.  He's 47 years old.

Matt McDonald did not play either.  He was a game-time decision, but they decided to hold him out and it seems to make sense to me.  His hips were injured in the Marshall game and at the end of the game, and he had zero mobility.  So, assuming that was still the issue, it would be crazy to send an immobile QB into a game with an SEC pass rush.  We will need him for Akron and hopefully he can be ready.

Orth represented himself well.  His PFF grade was in the high 40s (out of 100), and there's no surprise there.  He did make some throws and he missed some.  His grade is about where McDonald was in 2020.

Jakari Robinson is in the lineup!!  Everything should be smooth sailing from here.  I'm happy for him, the coaches love this guy. He did not start but played 40 snaps with mid-range grades on run and pass blocking.

If nothing else, we can use the body. BG has started 8 players on the offensive line this year.  In this game, three of them (Zimmerly, Banks-Wall and Fatukasi) were DNP.  Four of those 8 bodies have been transfers, 5 of 9 when you add Robinson in.

According to PFF, our run blocking is about the same as last year, while our pass blocking is greatly improved, though still just average.

Harold Fanin had himself a nice game.  Led the team with 5 receptions and scored a TD.  He's projected to take Christian Sims' spot.  Sims, BTW, did not play yesterday.

The defense was just overmatched.  There was some shuffling on the starting lineup, but honestly, I don't think it makes much of a difference, these guys are rotating in and out all the time.  Davon Ferguson is out long-term, into at least mid-October and possibly later.  The rest of the defense is relatively healthy.

Jaylen Jennings got his first carries, running effectively in the 2nd half. He's a true FR from Columbus.

One of our goals was to have a better running game this year and for my money, we aren't there.  We don't consistently run the ball.  I know we have had some tough assignments, but the running grades aren't any better for EKU and Marshall than for the P5 games.  The turnover on the line and the absence of Stewart and Johnson clearly is making an impact here, but if we are going to make MAC play what we need it to be, that's going to need to be shored up somehow.

Breaking: Strack reports Loeffler Will Not Go to Starkville, Has Serious Health Issue

Scot Loeffler had a serious health issue Monday night. He spent two nights in the hospital. Doctors told him he was 24 hours away from even more serious issues. He wasn’t cleared to travel yet. Hopes to be back by the middle of next week. https://t.co/VTnQWL8DTU

— Jordan Strack (@JordanStrack) September 23, 2022

So this is a Wow. He will not travel to Mississippi State and Steve Morrison will coach the team.  I know that people differ on Loeffler's coaching, but he's a good man with a family and we wish him wellness above all.  And it's an important reminder that we are talking about human beings.

Steve Morrison is BG's Associate Head Coach, so it makes sense for him to step in. He played at Michigan and made 31 NFL starts.  He was an assistant at Michigan, EMU, WMU and Syracuse before leaving coaching in 2012 and returning in 2019 to BG.

Best to Scot.

Update:  Morrison will be head coach, but will stay in the press box.  Brian White will manage the game on the field.  He was interim Coach at Colorado State when Addazio was gone last year.  I am not sure who will be calling plays.

25 Questions from Cowbell Land

 

Wants to see the manager

What is their body of work?

Obviously, Mississippi State plays in the toughest conference in college football. Having said that, they are always sort of outside the very elite part of college football.  During the 2000s, they have pierced the top 10 only once (#1 though, under Dan Mullen) but have finished in the top 25 3 times. 

They are coached by Mike Leach, the pirate, the lock the James kid in the equipment closet guy...he's 13 and 15 and in his 3rd year at Mississippi State.  They are 2-1 this year, with wins over Memphis and Arizona and then a loss to LSU in which they played poorly and caused a lot of consternation around the program.  Leading to this awesome Leachquote:

Question:  Is there anything you can say to your guys to get that done?

Leach:  So, you think there was a sentence or two that wasn’t said?  Left out a phrase maybe.  A couple of words, a key adjective here or there.  I think it’s a little more complex than that. 

All right then.

The teams only played once.  BG battled Dak Prescott tough in 2013 before losing 21-20, the closest Clawson got to a P5 win in BG.  Also, LB coach Matt Brock was a Jinks-era assistant at BG.

How experienced are they?

This is a very experienced team. They have 36 juniors and seniors. They have 17 players who are 5th year seniors of graduate students.

Who are their pre-season all-conference players?

LB Tyrus Wheat (1st)

KR Lideatrick Griffin, (1st)

CB Emmanuel Forbes (2nd)

QB Will Rogers (3rd)

WR Austin Williams (3rd)

DL Jaden Crumedy (3rd)

What is their turnover ratio? 

They are -2 so far this year.

Offense

How is their QB play?

Their QB is Will Rogers (no really) and he's been OK.  His QBR is 150, which is 41st.  He completes a high percentage (72%), 10 TDs over 3 INT and only 9.7 YPC.  Of course, this is Air Raid and high percentage passes. He is a uni-threat QB.

What is their scoring and yards per play

They are scoring 35 a game, which is pretty close to the NCAA average and have 5.7 yards per play, which is 77th in the nation and not great.

Can they run the ball?

They are all right.  Their two lead backs collectively average 5.2 yards per rush.

Do they pass the ball?

As noted, their passing is 41st in FBS. Their leading WR is Dillon Johnson, who is a RB. Their long completion of the year is 35 yards.

How is their run/pass balance?

They have run on 33% of their plays, which is really low.

Do they convert on 3rd Down?

They are at 48%, which is pretty good, 33rd in the country.

What happens in Starkville....

Do they score in the red zone?

Really well, 6 per trip.

Do they protect the quarterback?

They allow sacks on 5.4% of passes, which is decent.  Shallow passes prevent sacks.

Defense:

Topline: Scoring and yards per play

They allow 24 points per game, which is 62nd in the country. They allow 5.1 yards per play, which is 50th. 

Do they defend the run effectively?

Not really.  They allow 4.6 per rush, which is 97th.

Can they be passed on?

They are #21 in team pass defense. They allow only 56% completions, 3TD/3INT, and only 5.3 yards per completion.

Do they get off the field on 3rd down?

Yes.  They allow only 32%, 4th in the MAC.

Do they defend in the red zone?

Not great, 5.6 points per trip.

Do they pressure the QB?

Machine Gun Kelly attended Mississippi State

Not really.  Sacks on 4.7% of passing attempts.

Special Teams:

Punting?

They are really good.  #14 in the country.  No blocks.

Punt Return?

They are having a little bit of a PR controversy there.  Zavion Thomas is looking dangerous.

Placekicking? 

He's 3-3 with a long of 45.  He has not been blocked.  As a team, they have missed 3 XP.

Kickoff? 

Good.  Teams start on the 22.  7 TBs.

Kickoff Return?

They are really good.  Griffin is #4 in the nation.

Intangible Miscellany

This is the last game of the year outside the MAC for BG.  The Falcons are 30 point dogs and ESPN gives the less than a 2% chance of winning.  For my money, I'd take the points on this one.  This Mississippi State team is not dominant.  Having said that, win/lose favors them big time.  BG has two upsets of this magnitude during the Loeffler years.  We'll see. 

You wouldn't believe it, one night I got in jail in Starkville Mississippi
For picking flowers.
I was walking down the street. I may sing heaven for you a little bit later
I was walking down the street....what?
Excuse me I couldn't hear you I was talking
I was walking down the street, and uh
You know, going to get me some cigarettes or something
'Bout two in the morning, after a show. I think it was
Anyway, I reached down and picked a dandelion here and a daisy there as I went along
And this car pulls up.
Said, get it the hell in here boy, what are you doing?
Said, I'm just picking flowers
Well, thirty six dollars for picking flowers and a night in jail (goddamn)

Presser and Depth Chart

So Coach had his presser today and unleashed maybe one or two interesting points as he talked about the big Marshall win and then moving into Cowbell land.

He said that McDonald was "gritty" and I think that's a pretty good description, actually.  He made throws, he took hits and he scrambled for yards, something that plainly isn't natural for him.  And he was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for the second straight week--and this week it was really deserved.

While we are at it, Karl Brooks was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week. He notched one sack and fumble recovery. His fumble recovery came inside BGSU's own five-yard line. Brooks also helped BGSU force two Marshall turnovers inside the Falcons' five-yard line. His pass rush helped BGSU hold Marshall to a FG in the first overtime, setting the stage for BGSU's game-winning touchdown drive.

One of the things that Coach mentioned twice was the number of people who contributed to the win.  He said that 10 different guys had at least a half-sack and 8 players caught a pass.  He said that "whenever" he has been in a successful offense, they have had a lot of places to go with the ball.

When asked about McDonald and Banks-Wall, both of whom were injured late in the game, he barked "they're good."

He talked about the near fight right before the last play of overtime.  He said that it would be a learning experience because obviously, you don't want to get a penalty in a situation like that.  (Can you imagine?)  I thought the officials did a good job just letting that go, but it could have gotten out of hand.

Also:  "No one has ever won a football fight."

Moving to Starkville, it turns out they are even better than Marshall and Eastern Kentucky.  He expects it to be very hot and not like that Rose Bowl heat.  We're looking at 96 real feel Saturday right now.  He points out that it is really BG's first game this year with crowd noise.  Obviously, nothing at the Rose Bowl could be described as a "crowd" and the Doyt is, well, the Doyt.  And Starkville is very loud and everyone rings a cowbell that they have handles on.

Meanwhile, the depth chart came out.  BG had a couple things on the line Saturday.  Rutgers transfer Tunde Fatusaki, who started the first two games, did not play and was replaced by Jeremiah Banks-Wall.  No idea if Tunde is injured but I would suspect so.  Cade Zimmerly, injured early in the EKU game, also did not play.  He was replaced by Cedric Dunbar II.

The depth chart, for whatever it is worth, is, L-R, Stewart or Banks-Wall, Zimmerly or Dunbar II, Grant, Warner, Wollschlaeger.

Davon Ferguson, who did not play at all against Marshall, is not listed on the depth chart. He is still listed on the roster.

Sweet Victory #1, Part Two

To look into the game a little more....

Marshall outgained BG significantly for the game, though BG outgained them after the first quarter, 356-338.

Offensively, BG had a very productive game on the scoreboard.  Breaking it down, there was one specific thing that made the offense work...which was big passing plays.

I think it's pretty clear that BG did not think they would be able to run the ball against the Marshall line.  If you take out the scrambles and sacks, there were 21 true run attempts in 74 plays.  Seems like a strategic decision to me.

By the way, whoever thought we wouldn't be able to run the ball was right.  If you take the sacks out, BG was 25 for 115.  That is 4.6 per carry, which isn't great and it isn't awful.  However, they had 35 yards on scrambles and 23 yards on the Wimberly fake reverse, leaving them 20 for 57 on honest to god run plays that were designed as regular runs.  

Patterson and Mosely had 3 carries. When coach talks about the RB room being "thin," he's referring, I assume, to the loss of Jaylen Jennings and Jamal Johnson, neither of whom can go.  And of course, Stewart.  Our line certainly struggled out there today

Oh, and he still thinks Jakari Robinson will get his waiver, which will allow BG to close up one hole on the offensive line.

So, BG was going to need the passing game to get going to move the ball.  And it did get going.  McDonald completed 60% of his passes with no picks. He had about 10 yards a completion and his highest average depth of target this season.

Coach says McDonald was "sensational."  Without getting wrapped up in labels...he did have a really good game, some of which might not show up in completion numbers.  He scrambled for some key plays, including a key first down at the end of the game.  He is tough, to be sure.  He took some shots and kept playing.

He made some big throws and hit guys who were open. And he made the winning pass in the flat to Taron Keith.  I think he had a really good game.

I think the key was that he completed 7 passes for more than 20 yards.  Those chunk plays were probably the difference between winning and losing, and occurred against a good Herd secondary.

Honestly, coach says we need to keep him clean, but I thought many of his best plays were under pressure.  In fact, his PFF grade is higher on pressured plays than non-pressured plays.  He did a good job creating time, scrambling for yards, etc.

And he was under a lot of pressure. He was pressured on 39% of his drops, same as last week.  Having said that, the line won some of the battles and provided solid coverage on a bunch of plays.  And hopefully, roon to get better.

Coach said that in practice this week they said they needed to "bring the defense."  As noted in the preview, Marshall was a team that relied heavily on its run game.  Even though Ali was in practice, he did not get the ball.  They relied on Laborn, who ended up 24-157, which is a really good day. After the first Q, he was 19 for 90, which is 4.7 yards per carry, much more manageable.  In total, while Marshall got their yards, their running game did not take the game over.

They actually called passing plays on a majority of their plays.  Here they had more trouble than the expected. They came in completing 85% on high-percentage passes, and BG had them at 68%, with an INT and 4 sacks. Their completions were spread across 9 different receivers.

The key for the defense was the 30+ minutes between when Marshall had 21 and when they got to 28.  That kept BG in the game long enough for the offense to get back in it, plus BG turned the Herd over twice in that segment.

Especially note that JB Brown forced 2 fumbles, including the key red zone fumble...Demetrious Hardamon had a sack and 2 hits...

Past and Future Opponent Land

 UCLA--(3-0) Beat South Alabama by 1

EKU--(2-1)  Beat Charleston Southern 

Marshall--(2-1) We played them

Mississippi State--(2-1) Lost to LSU

Akron--(1-2) Lost to Tennessee

Buffalo--(0-3) Lost to Coastal Carolina

Miami--(1-2) Lost to UC

CMU--(1-2) Beat Bucknell

WMU--(1-2) Lost to Pitt, closer than it looked

KSU--(1-2) Beat Long Island

UT--(2-1) Lost to OSU

OU--(1-2)  Lost to Iowa State

East Vs. West:  Null set

MAC vs P5: 1-15

MAC vs. G5: 3-5

MAC vs FCS: 8-2

Sweet Victory #1

 

Sweet victory.

What a night.  What an incredible game and so happy that our boys got the W.  Honestly, in the stands it was like a bunch of people who were liberated, hugging strangers...selfies...what a great night.  It's why we love sports.

I'm proud of the guys for their resilience.  They came off a really tough and disappointing loss and turned it around with a great performance in front of a great crowd against a team we were expected to lose to.

And based on what we have seen, for good reason.

People were tough on BG last week--including on this blog.  You know, you lose to your FCS opponent--even the vaunted Eastern Kentucky Colonels--in the year you are supposed to finally be competitive, it's easy to see things falling apart.

And then, one week later, everything looks different.  Marshall can say the same thing.

This team is far from out of the woods.  What is needed to make this year a success is what we have not seen in the Loeffler era--or, honestly, in 7 years--and that is quality performances strung together.  BG has won 2 games in a row only once during Loeffler's time here. BG lost 4 in a row after the Minnesota upset and 5 of 6 after the UT upset.

But the game was a glimpse of what could be.  As John Gibson said after the game, let's hope this is where we look back and see it all turned around.  Either way, our boys rewarded themselves with a huge victory on our 100th Homecoming.

BG was expected to lose this one, and it certainly started as expected.  Marshall scored on their 4th play from scrimmage when their receiver rolled off a pile, wasn't down and ran to the end zone. BG went three and out and then Marshall scored on their 2nd play on a 78-yard TD pass and run. So we're down 14-0 with 2:38 elapsed.

While the defense steadied itself, things did not get better for the offense.  BG had 5 punts and 1 first down in the first quarter. BG had 21 yards on 18 plays. It was as one-sided as it could be.

At this point, commenter Paul came on and commented that BG couldn't handle Toledo Christian and Loeffler had to go now.  Which you could see....sorry Paul, I fat-finger-deleted your comment.

BG started the second quarter on its own 30.  BG converted a 3rd and 12, two plays later hit Broden for 28 yards and then capped the drive off with a 25-yard TD pass to Odieu Hilaire...to put BG on the board.

It's 14-7.  Marshall, kept the pressure on with a 9-play, 69 yard TD to go back up two scores with 9 minutes left in the second.  They would next score 34 minutes later.

Last week, the 2nd Q killed BG.  Things were different here.   BG took the ball on their own 25, converted a third and one (PASEAN WIMBERLY) and then hit Hilaire for a 24-yard completion and then a TD catch for the ages.

WHAT. A. PLAY.🤯

See you on the #SCTopTen, @0jstay1k 👀@BG_Football | #MACtion pic.twitter.com/3MljHrezKo

— #MACtion (@MACSports) September 17,

 Now down one score, BG needed a stop.  Obviously, when you are behind, you can't keep trading scores. They got it and more when Trent Simms intercepted a pass and BG was in business. BG converted a 3rd and 10 and then on a 4th and 2 BG came out in a tight formation, ran a hard play fake and then went over the top to Cavon Croom for a WIDE OPEN 30 yard walk-in TD pass to tie the game with 1:44 left in the half.

Marshall opted not to really try a 2-minute drive and the half ended tied.

BG had 21 points on 203 yards and 22 plays in the 2nd quarter.

BG went 3 and out to start the half.  Marshall moved the ball and you could sense them re-asserting control, until a holding penalty put them behind the chains.  On 4 and 3 from the BG 26 they went for it with a run that BG stuffed.

BG went 3 and out again and Marshall drove right back into BG territory. They were on the BG 14 when Laborn caught a  pass and was headed for the end zone when he fumbled and the ball went out of the end zone for a touchback in what was probably the single biggest play in regulation.

BG then went on a drive.  They had 2-and 18 and made a first.  Converted a 3rd and 10. Converted a 3rd and 5 and then Fannin scored from the 1 and BG had a 28-21 lead.  That's 14 plays, 4:54 off the clock and 13:08 left to play.

Marshall drove to the BG 45 before Colombi was sacked twice in 3 plays and they punted BG to their own 7.  Playing with fire, BG goes 3 and out and Marshall starts on their own 47.  They convert this one into a TD and the game was tied with 5:47 left.

BG made one first down and then had a holding penalty and punted Marshall to their 26.

This is the drive of the game.  Marshall made 2 first downs and got to the 50 before BG stiffened up and the Herd punted BG to the 1 with 1:04 left.  Marshall had 3 time outs and BG needs a first down.  Marshall gave McDonald room to run and he finally started to take it.  He gained 5 yards and left hurt.  Orth hit Sims for 3 yards. McDonald, back in the game, gutted out the first down on a run, just barely making it.  

Overtime again.

Marshall ended up going first, but got a holding penalty on second down, BG held and they kicked a FG to go up 3.

From the 25, BG ran a fake double reverse.  Gibby said that it fooled Marshall because the fake pitch--if real--would have run right into the Herd defense.  But Wimberly kept it and JETTED the corner and appeared to score.  Pandemonium reigned.  Fans rush the field.  Fans hugging.

And then you look on the field and Marshall wasn't leaving the field and it was clear something was wrong.  They ruled him down on the 2.  A near brawl nearly broke out.  McDonald is back on the field and Coach said after the game that the QB told him he literally couldn't move with 2 hip pointers. So BG called a play, his second read was Taron Keith in the flat, and he scored.

Pandemonium reigned.  Fans rush the field.  Fans hugging.  This time it was over.

What we have been looking for is evidence we are on the way back.  This was the first we've gotten this year.  I'm proud of our guy--they have not quit on Loeffler, which is to his credit.  We've seen teams quit on the coach (I'm thinking late Ankney, late Blackney, Jinks) but these guys are still on board, or Marshall would have demolished us.

It was a top-10 night at the Doyt.  More to come.

25 Questions Zane Grey Can Answer

What is their body of work?

Marshall left the MAC in 2004 (for the second time).  For eight seasons, it did not go great.  Starting with 2013, they went 63-40.  Most of that success came under Doc Holliday who was fired after going 7-3 in 2020, of all things and being the coach of the year in the conference.  Their new Coach was a Saban guy and was 7-6 last year.  This year is their first year in the Sun Belt and they are 2-0.  You might have heard they won in South Bend.

Steele had them second in their division behind App State.  BG leads the series 21-8 and 9-1 at the Doyt.  Remember, Marshall has been in the MAC twice.

The last meeting was a 44-28  BG won in 2010, a Clawson era game.

How experienced are they?

They have 27 juniors and seniors on the depth chart, which is a lot.

Who are their pre-season all-conference players?

RB| Rasheem Ali (1st)

LB | Abraham  Beauplan (1st)

WR| Corey Gammage (2nd)

OT | Kendrick Sartor (2nd)

LB | Eli Neal (2nd)

DB | Steven  Gilmore (2nd)

DT | Isaiah Gibson (3rd)

DB | Micah Abraham (3rd)

What is their turnover ratio? 

They are +5 so far this year.

Offense

How is their QB play?

He's good in their offense. His name is Henry Columbi, who played previously at Utah State and Texas Tech.  He leads the nation with 85% completions. That's only for 350 yards, 2 TD and 1 INT.  His efficiency rating is #35 in NCAA. He's not a big threat to run .

What is their scoring and yards per play

They are scoring 27 a game, but gaining at 6.4 yards per play, which is in the top 25.

Can they run the ball?

Yes they can.  Their top 2 backs average 6.5 yards per carry and their pre-season All-SBC back has not played yet and was back in practice this week.  Laborn was 31-163 in South Bend (Florida State transfer).

Do they pass the ball?

As mentioned, they are highly efficient with a high rate of completion, but 9 yards per reception. Their long pass play of the year is 20 yards.

How is their run/pass balance?

They have run on 68% of their plays.

Do they convert on 3rd Down?

They are not great at 44%, which is about average.

Do they score in the red zone?

They are not great, 4.5 points per trip.

Do they protect the quarterback?

Not really.  They have been sacked 5 times in 52 attempts.

Defense:

Topline: Scoring and yards per play

This is their real strength.  Their DC is Lance Guidry, who was head coach at McNeese State and a noted defensive coach.  (He was interim coach for Miami in the 2010 GoDaddy Bowl).  Each position group was #1 or #2 in Sun Belt, according to Steele. They have allowed 13.5 PPG and allow 3.9 yards per play, #13 in the country.

Do they defend the run effectively?

Marshall was founded so long ago that it pre-dates 
the founding of West Virginia itself.

They do.  They allow 2.3 yards per rush, #20 in the country,

Can they be passed on?

No.  They are #20 in team pass defense. They allow 52% completions, 11 yards per completion and 1 TD over 4 INT. 

Do they get off the field on 3rd down?

They do.  Opponents are 5-25 on 3rd down, #8 in the country.

Do they defend in the red zone?

They have no red zone stops...but they have allowed only 4, which is the best red zone defense.

Do they pressure the QB?

They get sacks on 7.7% of pass attempts, which is pretty good.

Special Teams:

Punting?

Their punting is not good.  He's new and #122 in the country--9 spots behind  BG.  He has been blocked once.

Punt Return?

They have returned only 2 for negative yards.  No blocks.

Placekicking? 

He's new.  4-4 for so far, long of 30.  No blocks.

The Marshall nickname came from this
1925 Zane Grey novel.

Kickoff? 

Good.  Teams start on the 22.  7 TBs.

Kickoff Return?

Nothing great here.  No TDs.

Intangible Miscellany

Well, if this is going to be a happy homecoming, BG is going to need one of those Minnesota-UT
miracle performances.  On paper, this is a tough game and a way-worse matchup.  Our offense has struggled mightily and Marshall has a shut down defense.  That alone is an issue.  Then, Marshall has a great running attack and will keep our defense on the field, which would lead to fatigue/depth problems in the second half. 

BG is a 16.5 point underdog.  We've  blown through bigger spreads than that.  This one would be every bit as improbable.  

One thing:  could Marshall have a little bit of a hangover? Yes, they could.  Whether it's enough--and BG raises its game enough--would be seriously in doubt.

Loeffler Presser and Depth Chart, Bizarro World Edition

So, I watched the Loeffler presser this week.  He's in one of those situations--he needs to be positive and yet when he does, he sets people off who see it differently and don't need to be positive.

Having said that, it was a doozy.  Overall, beyond the specifics, there was a kind of bizarro world tone-deafness to the whole thing--and the video the department made from the game.  It's like losing to EKU was just part of the "process."

He sat down and said he watched the tape and there were "a lot" of positives.  Which, you know, there were positives.  "A lot" might be grading with a curve.  But, you know, it wasn't all terrible.  It just wasn't good enough.

He said we won the "daily double," which means that we won the turnover battle and the explosive play battle.  If you win the daily double, he says you will win 85% of the time.  AND THEN, if you block a punt, there should be no way you can lose, like 99%,

But we did lose.

He said that we made too many mistakes at the wrong time.  That is surely right....coaches, even him, always say that a football game comes down to a few plays. Like, four or five. In this case, Coach cited the bad snap, the 18-yard conversion in overtime and the missed FG...you could add in the bad punt, too.  Of course, EKU would have their own list and BG benefited from the completely lucky KO carom to start the game.

We did have some ill-timed mistakes.

This whole probability thing...it reminds me of the old joke where they show the professor a working prototype and the professor says "I know it works in practice, but does it work in theory?"

He also cites a lot of offensive injuries, at RB, WR and OL.

Which has grown thin as well.

The media lapped this up.  Follow-up questions about all the positives came toward Loeffler.

No follow-up to a statement like he was "really hoping" the game would be over in regulation.

Or, to when he said that Alex Bayer is telling the team BG started 1-3 when they won the 2015 MAC title.  This is, of course, completely wrong. BG was 2-2, with 2 Big Ten wins and a loss by 3 to a Paxton Lynch-led Memphis team and NO FCS game on the way to a 10-4 record.  Comparing this team to that two-time defending division championship team is ridiculous.

He said that in college football, it doesn't matter the emblem on your helmet--you can win a game.  He was referencing Marshall-Notre Dame.  I guess the sad thing is that it does seem to matter when it's our emblem.

He then went on to say Marshall might be the best team we play all year---the equivalent of a Big Ten team, and that's a direct quote.

Finally, while we "want to win every game," it's the MAC games that really matter.  Which I agree with.  Problem is, he says the EKU would be a competitive team in this conference.  Look at the EMU game!  Even if that's true--and we'll have to see how they do in their own conference--we're supposed to beat teams like that....like EMU did.

Note:  Bob Moosbrugger logged into the live feed a few minutes after it started.

Other Note:

Here are the three questions the media should be asking:

Can you explain why the level of play you say you saw in camp hasn't translated to the field?

Can you describe how you prepared in practice for the possibility that Jakari Robinson's waiver might not come through?

Why didn't you prepare for the departure of your kicker and punter before the end of last season?

Last thing,  I looked at the game notes.  Robinson is now listed behind Jalen Grant at C, with Zimmerly OR Dunbar at RG.

Past and Future Opponent Land

UCLA---(2-0) Beat Alabama State 45-7

EKU--(1-1)  We played them

Marshall--(2-0) Won at Notre Dame

Mississippi State--(2-0) Beat Arizona 39-17

Akron--(1-1) Lost to MSU

Buffalo--(0-2) Lost to Holy Cross

Miami--(1-1) Beat Robert Morris

CMU--(0-2) Lost to South Alabama

WMU--(1-1) Won at Ball SAtate

KSU--(0-2) Lost to Oklahoma

UT--(2-0) Easy win over UMASS

OU--(1-1)  Lost to Penn State

East Vs. West:  Null set

MAC vs P5: 0-10

MAC vs. G5: 2-3

MAC vs FCS: 5-2

Sadly Comic and Tragic Night at the Doyt

Well, last night's game against EKU was unforgettable.  It provided incredible drama throughout the overtime, if you were an EKU fan or a casual football fan somehow trapped by a broken remote control on this game.  For a BG fan, it was a different kind of drama--more of a grotesque tragicomedy from the classical era.

It had a chance to be saved. That chance expired in the final three minutes of the game, where BG, having taken a lead (finally) after trailing by 14, allowed EKU to march down the field (AFTER STARTING WITH A SACK and featuring a 2nd and 20 in the last minute) and scored on the last play of the game to tie it.

From that point on, it was not going to be a success for Bowling Green.  A victory would be better than losing, but the spirit of the result was going to be excruciating.

That would include a one-play situation from the 18 when BG only need to hold them to 17 or less to win the game and didn't.  Along with other "match point" opportunities too depressing to mention.

It's a disaster for our season.  Coach says there's "a ton of football left."  That can be looked at more than one way.  With Marshall and Mississippi State next, odds are very good that we start 0-4.  Which means we would need 6-2 going home--essentially win the division--to get to .500.  Matching last year's record is a far more likely outcome.

Which will ensure we are back in the coaching wilderness.

There was one sequence I think we need to highlight.

There is 2:12 left in the second quarter, BG is up 17-10.  BG has the ball on the 25.  On second down, the center snaps the ball over the head of Matt McDonald (like WAY over his head) and it rolls down to the 3 where McDonald fails to fall on it and it rolls into the end zone for an EKU touchdown.  The game is tied.

BG gets the ball back on the 25 with 1:41 left.  They (of course) go 3 and out, and BG has a 16-yard punt and EKU has the ball on our 44 with :56 left and scores again with :13 left to take a 7-point lead.

BG got the ball to start the second half.  They did make a first down but then threw behind the line on 3rd and 10 and lost three yards.  Good punt, EKU starting on their 18.  BG's defense was completely lifeless and flat, and EKU went on an uncontested 12-play drive to take a 2-TD lead.

That's a 9-minute -21 sequence that keeps you from winning.

Note that BG was using its third-string C.  No idea how many reps he got in practice since the word is Robinson continued to get first-team reps all week.  Zimmerly started at C, was injured (looked to be serious) and Cedric Dunbar was next man.  Later in the game, Jalen Grant was at C and Dunbar at G.  I'd think you'd prepare for at least the possibility that Robinson's waiver might not come through and be ready for playing without him.  

And, when our football is down, this unprepared scramble for kickers and punters always seems to be happening.

BG did not fold.  In fact, the offense bounced back and gave the team what they needed, which was a scoring drive to answer.  McDonald, in his best game in our uniform, capped the drive with an outstanding throw to CJ Lewis in the end zone for a 34-yard TD.  And BG was down one TD with about 6 left in the 3rd.

Next drive, BG's defense allows conversions on 3rd and 9 and 4th and 20 before a pressure, a stuffed run play and a sack force a punt.  BG gains no yards and punts it back.

Fourth quarter starts.  EKU is on the 49. A sack, a five-yard loss on a run and a false start leave EKU with a 3rd and 27, which they do not convert (!!) and they punt. Jake Rogers unleashes a 24-yard punt return putting BG on its own 47 and the Falcons tie the game (including a 4th down conversion) with a 20-yard pass from McDonald to Broden.

About 9 to play.

EKU gets to the 49 again, but a false start and a big 12-yard sack on 3rd down (Brooks) have them punting.  The snap is high and Pasean Wimberly blocks the punt and BG is in business again on the 22. They struggle a little, and it's 4th and goal from the 2 with 3:39 left.  BG goes for the TD and gives to Jaison Patterson.  The middle of the line was just destroyed but he bounced it out to the left and got the score to give the BG the lead.

So, EKU had their 10-minute run.  And BG had their 10-minute run, the result of which was a 7-point BG lead. The problem was the 3 minutes still on the clock.  BG needed a stop against an FCS opponent, at home, killer instinct time, after getting stops on the last 3 drives and it did not happen and with a one-play, win or lose opportunity, allowed a 3-yard TD pass on the final play of regulation.

Sadness accrues. More to come.

25 Questions About the Colonels

They were once the Leopards

What is their body of work?

EKU has a long history of competitive FCS football. They have won 2 national championships and 16 conference championships.  They were coached by the legendary Roy Kidd, who is not in the College Football Hall of Fame. Mark Elder was their first coach since the 1950s not to win a conference championship.  He was replaced by Walt Wells, who then had a cardiac issue and couldn't coach the opener.  It would appear from the game notes that Wells will not coach Saturday.

They played EMU tough last week.  They were down 28-10 in the mid-3rd but then cut the lead to 8 with 7 minutes left.  They traded scores from there and it was 42-34 final. This is the sixth meeting between BG and EKU--the Colonels lead the series 3-2.  (UPDATE:  Thank you to alert commenters who pointed out BG played EKU in 2018 when Jinks was coach.  BG won 42-35 with EKU on the BG 15 to end the game.)

So, EKU has played in the OVC and the WAC and now is in the Atlantic Sun, which is adding football.

How experienced are they?

They have 28 juniors and seniors on the depth chart, which is a lot. They added 13 transfers.

Who are their pre-season all-conference players?

Note:  there is only a first team and Matthew Jackson, LB, was the pre-season ASUN defensive player of the year.

OL | Payton Collins, Eastern Kentucky, So., Columbus, Ohio

C | Howard Watkins Jr., Eastern Kentucky, Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio

DL | Kelton Dawson, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., Stockbridge, Ga.

LB | *Matthew Jackson, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., Nashville, Tenn.

LB | Eli Hairston, Eastern Kentucky, Jr., Columbus, Ohio

DB | Joseph Sayles, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., Alpharetta, Ga.

What is their turnover ratio? 

They were even last week, and +3 last year.

Offense

How is their QB play?

He was just OK last year, 5th in his conference in passing efficiency.  He had a big game against EMU last week, going 35 of 51 for 351 yards, 3 TD and 1 INT.  He is a dual-threat QB.  PFF says he made five "big time throws" last week.

What is their scoring and yards per play

Last year, they scored 28 a game, which is OK.  They had 34 against EMU on 6.2 yards per play, which is really good.

University President Who Chose
Colonels, Known as Hogjowls.

Can they run the ball?

They averaged 5 a carry against EMU, but much of that was McKinney.  On a yards per carry average, they have not had strong backs last year or this year to date.

Do they pass the ball?

As noted above, they weren't great last year but passed it on EMU. Their TE, Dakota Allen, was 9-118 and 2 TD. (Update:  He was the QB for EKU in their 2018 game at the Doyt).

How is their run/pass balance?

They passed on 65% of their plays, which is really high.

Do they convert on 3rd Down?

They were 12-18 last week, which is good.  They were relatively average last year.

Do they score in the red zone?

Three TDs and 1 FG in 5 trips last week. 

Do they protect the quarterback?

They do.  It was about 1 sack per game last year and only gave up 1 sack in 52 passing attempts last week.

Defense:

Topline: Scoring and yards per play

They were decent on defense last year, about the top third of the FCS. They allowed 25 PPG and 5.6 yards per play. EMU put 42 up on them with 6.2 yards per play.  EKU outgained EMU by 100 yards overall.

Colonel John Miller, founder of
Richmond, KY and Revolutionary War Officer.

Do they defend the run effectively?

They were tough to run agains last year, about the top third in FCS.  EMU's overall rushing was 3.8 per carry but their lead backs were over 6 per carry.

Can they be passed on?

Same, about the top third.

Do they get off the field on 3rd down?

They were pretty good, holding opponents to 37%.  EMU was 6 of 11.

Do they defend in the red zone?

They were really good last year but gave EMU 5 red zone TDs in 5 trips.

Do they pressure the QB?

They had 3 sacks on 33 pass attempts, which is pretty good.

Special Teams:

Punting?

They had poor punting last week, 33 per kick.

Punt Return?

Last year, their punt return was former Falcon Matt Wilcox, Jr. who went on to a solid career for EKU.

They did not return a kick last week.

Placekicking? 

He was 12 of 16 last year, 8 of 9 inside 40. He made 2-2 last week and has a career long of 51.

Kickoff? 

Not great.  Opponents started on their 27.

Kickoff Return?

They started last year on their 20.

Intangible Miscellany

So, a few things.  First, word on the street is the Jakari Robinson practiced with the 1s...that would seem to indicate his waiver is in, but who knows.

Also, we will wait to see if everyone is healthy.  BG doesn't discuss injuries (or Jakari Robinson's waiver) until game time, so we don't know.  I noticed Walter Haire in particular helped off the field on Saturday.

This is no gimmee.  EMU is picked to be better than BG this year, and EKU outgained them by a 100 and only lost by 8.  It goes without saying the BG will not win if they don't get better offensive play than they did at UCLA.  By the way, I understand it was UCLA, but the opponent doesn't cause you to mis-run routes and overthrow open receivers.  BG simply must move the ball effectively to win.  My hope is that we will respond to our humbling Saturday with a more focused performance, but I don't have confidence in these guys yet.

It is a must-win game for the Coach.  It is hard to see us getting to 6 without this win--you'd almost have to win the division to do it. To have any hope for the season, this game has to be won.  We will see how they react.  

Loeffler Presser and Depth Chart

So, Coach Loeffler had his Monday presser today.  You can watch on line, here was what I heard that was interesting....

Naturally, most of the interest is in the terrible performance of our offense on Saturday.  Coach said that the offense had regressed to how it had played last year, which is, of course, "majorly disappointing," in his words.  He said all through camp it only felt that way,once and it was at the season ticket holder event, which some of you have reported to me.  He said numerous times that "UCLA didn't stop us, we stopped us."

Anyway, he cast blame up and down the offensive lineup.  He noted the QB--with his usual "good plays and bad plays" line, but calling out the Gazarek pass especially.  He also noted the line and the WRs and TEs, specifically, including with guys running the wrong depth on multiple routes, including a shallow cross where the TE/WR was actually behind the line of scrimmage.

Me here: This is indeed disappointing.  You just don't expect to come out in your first game of the promised year four in the rebuild and make those kinds of basic execution mistakes.  It casts doubt on how much rebuilding has actually happened.  We will find out more soon, because we will need to play much better to beat EKU and if we don't beat EKU, we will have a new coach next season.  And rightly so.

I hope that doesn't happen.  But it needs to happen on the field and that wasn't it.  

Loeffler recognizes that the defense is good enough to compete, if the offense gives them half a chance.  That was not what happened.  He says he "challenged them [the offense], to say the least."

Someone asked him if he was looking at giving another QB a chance.  He indicated no...the problem being that I don't know that he has the depth to give him an option.  This is like the Schilz situation, except we don't have Matt Johnson.

He went into further detail on the Robinson waiver.  He said that there was a transcript error that was not caught by BG or the previous school.  So a class he passed was not counted.  Loeffler was sure the waiver would be approved on Thursday or Friday but it did not (the NCAA does not have a great track record in this regard).  He is hoping it comes through tomorrow.

This is a big loss...and between him and Stewart and Osborne, things have not gotten easier.  That's not going to save him.  Competitive teams overcome.

More on EKU coming up this week.  This is a good team with 13 FBS transfers. It is not an automatic win but it is one we can't afford to lose.

Nothing new on the depth chart.  Usually isn't and it's generally less meaningful than it used to be.  Defensive players roll in and out constantly, as do WRs and RBs.  The only stable ones are OL and QB.  Robinson is still listed at C with Kabir as back up...just like last week, though Zimmerly got the start at C.

Past and Future Opponent Land

UCLA---we played them.

EKU--(0-1) Pushed EMU hard on Friday but lost

Marshall--(1-0) Beat Norfolk State 55-3

Mississippi State--(1-0) Beat Memphis 49-23

Akron--(1-0) Beat St. Francis PA in overtime.

Buffalo--(0-1) Lost 31-10 to Maryland

Miami--(0-1) Lost 37-13 to Kentucky

CMU--(0-1) Another wild one with OK State, lose 58-44

WMU--(0-1) Lose 35-13 to MSU

KSU--(0-1) Lose 45-20 to Washington

UT--(1-0) Easy win over Long Island

OU--(1-0)  Beat Florida Atlantic by 3

East Vs. West:  Null set

MAC vs P5: 0-7

MAC vs. G5: 1-0

MAC vs FCS: 4-0

UCLA Game Report

Well, the first game is in the books.  We aren't built to compete with a team like UCLA and more or less we didn't. There were moments and certain phases where I thought we were OK and then there were certain parts where we simply didn't get anything done.  We finished right about where the point spread was.  How this projects to the future is hard to tell.

BG started out hot with a blocked punt TD in the game's first two minutes.  A couple series later UCLA threw a bad pick, which BG failed to capitalize on.  Then, UCLA fumbled a punt and BG started on the 11 but only got a FG and lead 10-7 mid-first but with a functioning offense could have been up 21-7.  Late in the first, BG got a 4th down stop on its own 27 and put together its only sustained drive of the game, ending in a TD for a 17-7 lead.

That was as good as it got.  UCLA came back with a 10-play drive for a FG, got a three and out, ran an 8-play TD drive to tie the game, got another 3 and out and a short punt and followed with a 52-yard TD pass to lead 24-17 at the half.  They scored 3 second-half TDs to get the score to 45-17.

There was one last point in the game where it was still in touch.  About 11 left in the second, BG driving inside the UCLA 40, down two scores but maybe can cut it to one.  On 3rd and 2, the snap went over McDonald's head and UCLA recovered.

Starting with the positive, coach said the defense "played their hearts out."  I would agree.  The overall numbers are terrible, but the offense didn't give them any help and at the end of the day they were trying to play the nation's #12 scoring offense from last year.  We also used a lot of players due to the heat.  I thought we had guys make their share of plays.  We got some pressure on the QB, though we had to blitz to do it. There were missed tackles, to be sure, a couple of long runs through traffic that you hate to see.  UCLA was clearly stronger than us...there were several times they pushed the pile--even with just their backs.  

But I felt like the defense stood in there against a better team.

The offense is another story.  Same disclaimers apply, but I feel like the offense failed to punch above its weight at any time.  Yes, the Robinson waiver did not come through.  But we are supposed to be competitive this year, which means that one guy isn't the whole thing.  And, BG knew the waiver might not come through yet and didn't seem to have a plan B--which Coach admitted to in the presser.  (FWIW, Coach also said that the issue is "an error that no one could control.")  Anyway, it was Zimmerly back at C.

Coach said that there were too many 3 and outs, we couldn't run and we couldn't pass protect.  All of which is true. BG had 8 3-and-outs in 14 drives and only one drive over 40 yards. BG had 9 first downs.  We ran 61 plays and UCLA ran 92.

There is no doubt about the running game.  BG ran 1.5 yards per carry, overall.  That can be a little misleading.  It includes 11 yards in sacks and 22 yards lost on the high snap. Jamal Johnson averaged 4.5 yards per carry and Nick Mosely 5.3, on only 3 carries. So, the featured backs were not bad. Patterson, Hilaire, Wimberly and Keith all combined on 8 carries for 9 net yards.

The passing game was very ineffective.  According to PFF, McDonald was pressured on 28% of his overall attempts, which is a little less than last year at 31%.  I think lack of confidence on protection impacts BG's play calling, though.  We tried most of our passes on quick drops, which keeps the pressure number lower but seriously impacts the offense.

Overall, McDonald was 17 of 34 for 125 yards and a TD.  That's just a mess.  Not all of it was on McDonald, but it didn't seem to me that he played a great game. He missed a WIDE-OPEN Levi Gazarek for a TD and a few times threw behind receivers running across the middle who were open. He was also batted down a lot.  PFF has it four times.  He was the only QB in the nation batted down 4 times in week one.  Maybe it's pressure or maybe it is his delivery or maybe it is some of both.

(He was batted down 26 times last year.  The next highest number was 18).

Austin Osborne is out on an extended absence.  I don't know that any of the WRs really had much of a chance to shine. More will need to be seen.

Mason Lawler did well at K, though it was XP and a 24 yard FG.  Sir struggled on the punt, with 34.3 net, which was 106th in the nation.

One thing....wow....those cramps.  Coach conceded after the game that BG needs to do better.  Yes, it was hot, but it wasn't SwampGainesville hot (Note based on comments, this is what Loeffler said).  He said we need to rethink that.  He's right. Also, it shouldn't have happened in the first place.  It was pretty embarrassing.  The acclimatized thing doesn't even make sense to me--it was that hot during training camp here.  I'm also remembering issues with the heat in Atlanta a couple years ago.

Lastly, coach said something like "it's nice not to have to lie about our effort at these pressers."  He felt we finally played hard. Woof.

Ultimately, if we had seen BG play UCLA really tough, we'd think, hey OK, this might be something.  Instead, we did what we often do under difficult circumstances, which is perform as expected.  This can still happen.  Next week is going to be key.  EKU is no joke.  A loss Saturday and I think we know where this whole thing is headed.

25 Questions for the Grandest Stage

What is their body of work?

UCLA was at one point a marquee program, back during Dick Vermeil and Terry Donahue days.  They had a couple good years under Bob Toledo, but since 1998 have finished the season in the final AP poll only 3 times.  Chip Kelly begins his 5th season with 2 votes in the pre-season AP poll.  He had his first winning season in Westwood last year.  Of course, the shadow of the Big Ten now looms over the program as well.

How experienced are they?

Phil Steele gives them a 63 for experience, which puts them in the bottom third of the FBS.  They return only 40% of their tackles from last year.  (BG's score is 90).

Who are their pre-season all-conference players?

Zach Charbonnet, RB (1st)--UM Transfer

Jake Bobo, WR (1st)--Duke Transfer

Kazmeier Allen, KR (1st)

Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB (3rd)

Ale Kaho, LB (3rd)--Alabama Transfer

Michael Ezeike, TE (4th)

Gary Smith, DT (4th)

Darius Muasu, LB (4th)--Hawaii transfer

Jon Gaines, G (4th)

Devin Kirkwood, DB (4th)

In total, 23 transfers on the roster.

What is their turnover ratio? 

They were +5 last year.

Offense

How is their QB play?

He's a good one.  He has made 35 career starts and is the best QB they have had since 2005, based on passing efficiency.  He is a two-way threat.

What is their scoring and yards per play

As expected, Chip Kelly moves the ball.  Last year was 36 PPG, #12 in the nation.  They had 6.2 yards per play, which was 41st in the country.

Can they run the ball?

They averaged about 5 per rush last year, 32nd in the nation.  They had Charbonnet last year, too, so they should do at least this well again.

Do they pass the ball?

Papparazi are everywhere in LA

They were 39th last year in passing efficiency. Thompson-Robinson completed 63% of his passes. There were 13 yards per completion. He had 21 TDs with only 6 INT.

How is their run/pass balance?

They ran on 61% of their plays, about where OU is for reference.

Do they convert on 3rd Down?

Yes they do, 46%. #12 in the country.

Do they score in the red zone?

Pretty good, 5.6 points per trip.

Do they protect the quarterback?

Not great, sacks on 7% of attempts.

Defense:

Topline: Scoring and yards per play

The defense was not quite as good, allowing 26 PPG, #74 in the nation. They allowed 5.5 yards per play, which was 60th.

Do they defend the run effectively?

They were tough to run against, allowing only 3.8 yards per carry, 37th in the country.

Can they be passed on?

They were 42nd last year. They allowed 62% completion percentage, with about 11 yards per completion.

Do they get off the field on 3rd down?

So when the yards per play is pretty good and the scoring is worse, it's usually 3rd downs on red zone bringing the scoring down.  They allowed 44% 3rd down conversions, 111th in the country. 

Do they defend in the red zone?

They allow 5.3 points per trip which is not great.

Do they pressure the QB?

They get sacks on 5.5% of passing attempts, which is average.

Special Teams:

Punting?

Their punter graduated and their PK, Nicholas Barr-Mira, will handle punting as well.  They were blocked twice last year.

Punt Return?

They led the nation in punt returns last year.  Their #1 guy is gone (20+ yards per return) but they do have a returner back who averaged 11.7 per return. No blocks.

Placekicking? 

He is not great. 14 of 21 overall.  Long of 48, 8 of 9 inside 40.

Kickoff? 

Pretty good.  Opponents started on their 21.

Kickoff Return?

They started last year on their 23.

Intangible Miscellany

BG is a 24 point underdog.  No surprise there. Improbably enough, Loeffler has won twice in similar upsets.  I think the Rose Bowl is an intangible.  Will BG have big eyes playing in college football's most famous stadium?  UCLA has a very solid defensive line...will BG's new look OL be able to get any traction?  Lastly can the BG defense slow down the UCLA offense?

These games are on our schedule to pay the bills in our Athletic Department.  Once in a while, we pick one off.  Short of that, we're looking for a representatie performance and for everyone to be healthy.