Falcons Cruise over Fordham

Overall, a good start to the season.  Winning is always good and BG got the win they should have gotten---and comfortably over a decent and well-coached football team. 

First games are always works in progress. There's always a lot to clean up, and there is in this case as well, but you can do it with a win.

For 20 minutes BG was really good.   I mean, really good.  At that point, BG was up 27-0.  The team began to lose their edge about then, with Fordham scoring 3 on the last possession of the first half and then 7 on the first possession of the second half to make it 27-10. I don't want to overdramatize it---BG kept scoring and kept them from turning that into a run and the Rams did not score again until the last minute on a blown play by BG backups.  It was never close.

Offense:

The BG offense had a good game.  That's 5 offensive touchdowns and 8.5 yards per play.  No turnovers.  Strong 3rd down execution.   Stewart was highly effective (14-161-3), as was Fannin (6-67).  We had a good play mix.  Bazelak did what was asked of him and he was well-protected.

While BG kept Bazelak (15-22-168-0-0) protected, he did not go long once--meaning the hardest routes to protect were not run.  We were highly successful short over the middle--14 of 16 for 148 yards. Nothing wrong with this game plan.  We wanted to control the ball.  Other times, we will probably need to stretch the defense to open up the run and short pass, and we will need to see if it is there.

In fairness, BG had 5 drops. 

Last year, BG completed 51% of its passes to WRs, which seems low to me.  Last night, just 4 of BG's 16 receptions were to a WR.  RJ Garcia--the K-State transfer--is out with an injury.  However, WR was a worry coming into the year and BG did not get great production from the position in Game 1.

Lastly, PFF graded BG just 67 on run blocking.  The thing is, Stewart doesn't need blocking, but you could see him fighting off tackles right at the line.  Patterson was way less effective.  BG does have several backs and can continue to try and find a #2/#3 if they have to.  Jamal Johnson had 4 catches as well.

Defense:

The defense started very strong and held Fordham to 17.  In the second half, they bent but didn't break. The first time Fordham got the ball back after their quick 3Q opening TD, they were still down 17, they drove inside the BG 40 when the Falcons bowed up and got a stop on 3rd and 2 to force a punt. They also drove inside the BG 20 early in the 4th with the game no longer close, but BG forced the turnover on downs.  The Falcon defense never allowed Fordham to get close again after the big lead and stopped the momentum after the early 2nd half quick-score.

As the game went on, BG didn't keep Montes in the pocket, as they did earlier.  With a QB like that, you have to be disciplined in how you rush and BG was sometimes good and sometimes not.  It is extremely important in today's game.

Loughridge ran effectively on us, at 16-112.

And the 2nd team gave up a big play, they are going to hear about.

Special teams;

Pegues stunned the world with TD run to start the season--a score BG says has been seen 5 million times--and later added a 25-yard punt return.  Appears to be a potential force and I think people will be agitating to get him into the regular formations--which he did a little.  Also fielded a punt that was probably heading into the end zone and a bouncing punt that nearly turned into a turnover.

After not missing an XP last year, BG changed kickers, and Kleather missed his first one.  He didn't miss any others, though.  BG did have a KO go OB.

And let us not forget the fake punt BG ran on 4th and 25 from our 48 that led to the score that took the lead to 24.  Huge play.  You read here that Henderson was a star QB and S in HS, so he's a football player.  He had 29 yards on that one and was BG's second-leading rusher.  Shades of the fat punter.

Injuries

Coach said he would talk injuries on Monday.  He had promised to talk about players who were going to miss the year after the game, but said he wanted to talk to the player involved and their family before going public.  And he said he "loved" this player.  I have no inside information but if you look at the players listed as unavailable last night, a name jumps out at you.

The next two weeks are really tough: @Penn State and @Texas A&M with a week in between.  The next return to the Doyt--and reasonable competition--is ODU for homecoming.