MAC Blogger Roundtable--My Answers

The MAC Blogger Roundtable is back.  This week, our questions are coming from our friends at Bull Run.

1 - NIU has recently cracked the top 25 in both the AP and Coaches Polls should they win out, and if Fresno trips up, do they finish in the top 12? what would a back to back trip for NIU to a BCS bowl mean for that program and for the MAC.

I think NIU could easily end up in the Top 12 again.  They are far from out of the woods--they have to play Ball and UT and those will be very tough games.  Having said that, they certainly appear to be a very, very good team.  A second straight trip to a BCS bowl would be great for #MACtion and maybe NIU would be able to do the unexpected in their second game.  They played the game tough last year, so maybe with a year under their belt, they could make it happen.  Either way, good for the MAC.

2 - Miami has cast Treadwell to the side half way through year three while Ron English is in year five and just survived the "Quinn Reaper". Buffalo has been limping along with Quinn since 2010 and in fact gave him an extension last season.

Is a big part of the problem for the poor performing MAC football schools tied to their expectations?

I don't believe so.  I mean, if Treadwell loses his job at 3-2 we have an expectation problem but at 0-5?  That's a performance problem.  I believe that every program can expect a coach to make the team competitive in the MAC.  Since 2000, 6 current MAC members have won the conference and 5 additional teams have played in the title game.  That is 11 out of 13--and UMass is new, so it is 11 out of 12.  There is no place n the MAC where having a competitive team is not a realistic expectation--least of all Miami.

3 - Off all the games coming up this week in the MAC which one should give us the best indication of how each division, and the conference will play out.

The conference schedule this week suck's a dog's ass.  Frankly, I don't think any game this week will tell us very much.

BG In National and Conference Rankings

Unlike some previous years. BG is actually showing up in conference and national rankings.  Eliminating the dumb ones ("leading the conference in not having blocked punts" for example), here are some of the highlights.  Note, also, that BG has not had a bye week, which impacts some of the categories not measured in % or average.

#1 in the MAC, #29 in FBS in 3rd down conversion %.
#1 in MAC and #16 in FBS in 4th down conversion defense
#1 in MAC and #133 in FBS in completion percentage
#1 in MAC in first down defense
#1 in MAC and #16 in FBS in 4th down conversion defense
#1 in MAC and #4 in FBS in first downs
#1 in MAC and #24 in FBS in passes had intercepted
#1 in MAC and #9 in FBS in punt returns
#1 in MAC and #2 in FBS in red zone defense
#1 in MAC and #15 in FBS in scoring defense
#1 in MAC and #28 in FBS in passing efficiency
#1 in MAC and #2 in FBS in time of possession
#1 in MAC and #29 in FBS in total defense
#1 in MAC and #5 in FBS in fewest turnovers lost

The Blade on BGSU Injuries

The Blade has the latest from BG practice as it relates to injuries and the news is pointing in the right direction.  Almost everyone is back, and if BG can emerge from Mississippi State healthy, they should be ready for UT, especially with the bye week.

Ted Ouellette, Charlie Walker, Ryan Burbrink and Paul Senn are all listed as probable.

Only reserve S Josh Pettus is expected to be out, in addition to the players we have already discussed who were lost for the year.

BG continues to be relatively healthy.

Clawson Presser

Coach Clawson had his presser yesterday.  Not too much news...Mississippi State is good, we have to play well, players are amped, etc.

Two things of note.

First, Coach said that BG still has to get better to reach its goals.  I think a lot of people feel that way.  No one is complaining as the Falcons are 5-1, but the performances have been far from bullet proof and the toughest games are on the way.  I think it is good to hear Coach Clawson acknowledge that the team's play can be better, even as we are winning.

Second, Coach told a story.  Apparently he had a shot to hire a young assistant at Fordham.  Highly promoted guy, hard worker, football junkie, etc.  Didn't hire him.  That man's name is Dan Mullen.  Given he know earns more than the entire BGSU staff (probably) it was probably the best thing that ever happened to him.

And now you know the rest of the story.

International Centre for Special Teams Research, UMass edition

BG has now had 6 straight positive games...with +8 BG had against UMass, which was the second best game of the season...at least based on our system. (The whole dumb thing is explained here.)

For the second straight week, BG did not have any negative plays. BG did not have any big special teams plays, either. BG had 3 touchbacks on kickoffs, buried a punt and a kickoff return, while UMass finished up +3...being hauled down by two bad punts and a bad kickoff return

BG Positive Plays: (+8)
Punt inside 20 (+1)
Punt inside 10 (+2)
MA KO return to 18 (+1)
BG KO TB (+1)
7 yd PR makes 23 net (+1)
BG KO TB (+1)
BG KO TB (+1)

BG Negative plays
Nuh-uh

MA Positive Plays (+6)
MA KO TB (+1)
MA 55 yard net punt (+1)
Punt inside 20 (+1)
Punt inside 10 (+2)
MA KO TB (+1)

AU Negative Plays (-3)
MA KO return to 18 (-1)
23 yard net punt (-1)
18 yard net punt (-1)

Benchmark Report--UMass edition

So, here are the benchmarks for the UMass game.

A few notes.

As noted in the game review, the offensive numbers look better than they did in live action.  BG had nice yardage totals, strong running (and stronger when sack-adjusted) and excellent yardage totals , even with the 3 sacks deducted.  BG had no turnovers and really only struggled on 3rd down and by giving up 3 sacks on not that many pass attempts.

Also, BG's one red-zone failure was at the end of the game, where BG went into victory formation.

On defense, UMass had some decent running yards, but the passing numbers were really bad. In fact, so bad that even trailing by a lot the Minutemen kept running the ball. Beyond that, the defense was dominant.  No red zone trips, above average third down %.  A very nice game.

Chris Jones Records First NFL Sack!

In fact, the Falcon MVP and MAC Defensive Player of the Year finished the game against the Bungles with 2 tackles, 2 tackle assists and 1.5 sacks.  With Wilfork out, he's seeing some real playing time on the Patriot line, and he's getting results a lot sooner than people expected he might.  Belichek likes football players and that's what Jones is.  (Click here to see a watermarked photo of Jones bringing Dalton down).

Great Job Chris!!