Well one of the bottom lines is - you give up 42 and 45 point you are going to lose and probably deserve so. That’s not an offense thing other than putting your D on the field more than desired.
Granddaughter’s third bday in the afternoon so hard to follow via espn updates. Seemed like everytome I checked we were in third and long or third and really long or with poor field position or committed another penalty to extend a drive ( or put us in third and very long). Don’t know how much led to run dominated play calling. End of half was very Weber-like. Hopefully a post bye week hangover-> have seen it a lot in recent years.
By the way I have two box seats available for poly. 45 yard line with me and agalum and wife’s. If interested and promise to be loud contact me via private message
I'm befuddled by our Off play calling. JW had 11 carries early in the game w little success. Our one successful 1st half drive we went to the air with DOMINANCE. Uptempo & passing perfect combo. Then we go back to the ground. We get 2 sacks, an INT, Cookus off day / 45% passing, have a 100 yard return, and Maier completes 70%, sounds like a W. 4 of 16 on 3rd down is killer. If our O line was challenged, why not a delayed draw, dink over the middle, short passes into the flat.
Half a dozen Sophs got lots of PT on D, did we have more than 1 ejection? 15 penalties, several targeting calls. Breakout game for SOs Jamison (8 tackles) and DL Rodgers. RF Connor Airey also studs out, RF Andrew Wilson sees PT. They blew up 2 screens?, shut down the Fly. No expert here, but the fly w / LM seems to struggle, and Modise seems to get perpetually tripped up before he turns the corner. TThomas, who played well against EWU, had 2 big runs late in the game. Two red zone opportunities during attempted comeback net 3 points.
We never gave up and played hard. WR Marks is a beast. When NAU struggles in the 1st quarter you have to capitalize.
Well it was a hard game to watch. I agree with movie that the play calling was highly suspect going from tried and true passing game to a very lame running attack. I suspect that the OC will say defensively that “you cant always throw the football, you need to mix it up.” But if you have one of the best QBs in the league passing wise and the best WR, it is a sin of neglect not to use that advantage all of the time. YES, PASS THE BALL ALL THE TIME! When you have no real running game. Playing a real game is not the time to play practice with your running backs who have not as of yet proven themselves on the field. I know that the analogy is not very exact, but Patton in WW2 always led his army with the very best units at the tip of the spear of the attack. Not some unit that “needed some work or to confuse the enemy”. He won his battles on this belief. Hawk needs to take over the offense. Enough to said.
Problem was that their defense was able to stop either run or pas at critical times. 4 for 16 on third down. Stopped on fourth and inches on one running play and then again on 4th down when running back dropped the pass.
On the other side we gave up a running play that went up the middle for 43 yards and I think that was third and long. They converted too many third and long situations.
The big plays against us are our major problem.