My three concerns in order of importance as we play our next two and hopefully three games: 1. The running game, especially when it needs to be physical between the tackles; 2. The softness of our coverage in the secondary; and 3. The nagging inconsistencies in all phases of the kicking game. If those three areas don’t hurt us, I think we’re in a decent position to win out and get our first OOC FBS win in more than a decade.
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2 and 3 are the worst for me. BG could’ve had 5 yards on almost every passing play if they wanted. Quick outs and because we’re so far off, it would’ve been super easy. You could see the uneasiness on the extra point. I can give you slippery field, but the way that was a complete prison break, well that certainly shouldn’t be happening. And the punting to which many folks have mentioned is slow to get off and the average seems to be going as the season progresses. Let’s get that fixed and win out.
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There’s a weird thought that defenses are schemed to stop every type of play and that’s just not how it works. Defenses are built around what they’re willing to give up. A 5 yard out is a tough throw for NFL QBs, let alone MAC QBs. We just watched a former P5 QB struggle to hit it consistently. When your ends are consistently getting pressure on the outside, it’s what gives the most sense to give up. Miami has the second best defense for passing efficiency in the MAC because they mostly give up short throws on the outside. Nobody lost giving up short out routes. Teams have lost because they can’t stop the run and give up chunk plays.
So again, tell me how easy it is to throw a 5 yard out route, which is ~25 yards (assuming no drop from the shotgun and the ball spotted in the middle of the field) in the air, over the head of Kam Butler, who is consistently beating the tackle. Sweet, you got 5-7 yards. Now do it consistently enough to sustain a drive.
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Totally agree with King Jive. We stop the run while trying not to give up monster plays in the pass game. That’s what we want to do.
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We’re averaging 18.3 points allowed in conference play. Other than the Ohio debacle, we’re averaging 15.5 points allowed in conference play (with 2.3 of that coming from the two garbage time TDs the backups gave up against Akron). The defense has been very good this season.
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Yeah, besides a few notable debacles (OU game, big plays against Army, not getting a stop against Minnesota when we needed it) they’ve looked as good as I’ve seen Miami defense since I started following us in 2012. They blew against UC as well, but I’m not gonna begrudge them too much against a top ten team on the road when the offense was doing nothing either.
We would be the challenge for NIU’s running game. Here are the stats for Miami’s rushing defense in conference games
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Interesting that we have the fewest rushing attempts against us.
Is that because teams other conference teams have decided to not run against us because it is not working?
Is it because they think our pass defense is weaker?
Is it because of time of possession and have had fewer plays overall?
Is it because no one we have played in conference with exception of OU was able to sit on a lead and run the clock?
I think all of those are valid reasons
We have the second best passing efficiency defense in the MAC. It’s not like it’s easy to pass against us. The defense doesn’t give up long plays and it’s a slog to get down the field. And why would you run against a team averaging 2.99 ypc against? We have the second lowest yards per completion against and in spite of all the talk of how soft our coverage is, completion percentage against is still 5th best. We have the second best defense and the difference between us and third is massive (Toledo 5.0 ypp, Miami 5.1, two teams at 5.8). The difference in overall rushing yards between us at #1 and the #2 is 50% (661 to 999).
And they’ve done it with no Ryan McWood and two safeties playing out of position.
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We can post gifs now?
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Kent isn’t going to wear these hideous yellow jerseys against us next week, are they? I don’t want to look at that mess for 3.5 hours.
A few decent chances for home winning streaks above ours to fall today (Clemson vs Wake though the Tigers are up early, Liberty vs Louisiana, UC versus SMU).
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Kent’s not getting any physical challenge from the Zips today - up 22 zip with 10 to play in the 2nd quarter. A big 250 pound running back just beat Akron for a 20 something yard run TD. Flashes went for two on PAT and got it.
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Wake out gained 178 to 10 in first quarter but only down 10.
Ohio St. looks good. Up 42-0 on Michigan St in 2Q. Same as Georgia v. Charleston Southern. Would like to see OSU offense v. Georgia defense. Which immovable force wins out?
While Kent game today means absolutely nothing as it all comes down to the game next week, it sure would have been for them to lose to Akron. Have them dragging ass so to speak coming into the game against us. But not to be.
Bailey Zappe has 340 yards and 4 TDs at halftime for WKU against FAU. Assuming they make the C-USA championship game, he’s on pace for 6,013 yards and 61 TDs this season. The FBS single season records for those stats are 5,833 yards (BJ Symons, 2003) and 60 TDs (Joe Burrow, 2019).
I didn’t want them to lose today because that would mean they would be playing for absolute survival - bowl eligibility - next Saturday. That exigency is now off the table.