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.