Maryland

[gmartin]

We were also outgained by 400 yards!!! 400 yards!!! Gave up 35 straight points.

[MarkL]

Blowout loss. Only had a halftime lead because of Maryland mistakes.
In front of an empty stadium and don't try to blame the rain. This is the Mike Jinks effect. He has killed all interest in the program.
2008: hosted Minnesota after beating Pitt. Packed house, so loud the band couldn't hear the drums playing
2009: hosted Boise State, after two straight years with wins over major programs. Packed house.
2014: hosted Indiana, a year after winning the MAC. Packed house that stayed packed the whole time, rewarded with a last second win
2018: hosted Maryland after winning just 6 games in two years in front of a quarter filled stadium, despite a valiant effort by the athletic department to have a packed white out.

Things may be pointed in the right direction but it will take years to rekindle interest. Jinks or not, it will be a long time until we see a packed Doyt again I fear.

[kdog27]

This is another 2-4 win team. There are a few individual talents but collectively this another bad team.

[gspointer]

Overall a result about equal to the talent on the field. Our offensive line is not very athletic and we need more playmakers.

Defense communicated well but needs more size to be competitive against big ten teams.

Overall I cannot fault coaching and think we are headed in the right direction. We have a lot of young players but need more talent on defense. That should’ve a focus area. This schedule came at the worst time for us. Brutal.

[cameron]

This team hasn't tackled well since Clawson left.

Also, for anyone who watched on ESPN+, do you agree that those announcers sucked the Big Ten's dick harder than you've ever seen?

Every 5th word out of there mouth was either Maryland, their coach's name (you'd think I would remember it for as many times as they said it), or "if you're a Terps fan then...."

I thought this was our TV deal. ESPN is garbage.

[MarkL]

This is another 2-4 win team. There are a few individual talents but collectively this another bad team.

Unfortunately that's my sense as well. When we started out slow in 2012, I knew there was good potential because of the play of the defense. Now, I can point to good individual play but not good unit or team play.
If it is another 2-4 win season, I think we have a new coaching staff next year.

[Falconwriter]

I do not see any improvement in the defense at all. None. That was some of the worst tackling I can ever recall seeing in any football game, at any level. Just horrible.

And yes, this is all the "Jinks Effect" -- and it has all but killed the program. I can certainly understand why students wouldn't want to attend games. Who wants to sit through that train wreck, especially when the weather is bad?

I do not see more than one more win the rest of the season. Pretty much any team with a faint pulse in their run game will be able to have its way with this defense. I might be a bit encouraged if I saw defensive players demonstrating decent tackling form, or if I felt the defense was putting itself in the right formations to be successful, but were just being battered. I don't. I see a profound lack of tackling skills, bad calls on the field that put them in bad positions too often, AND getting battered.

As for the announcing...it is ESPN+, which is the red headed step child of the ESPN conglomerate. Low level announcing talent all around. Plus, BG gave them very little to talk positively about even when they had a lead. It was obvious that Maryland's mistakes were the only reason BG was in the game.

So glad I enjoy watching college football all around, and there are many other choices that provide some enjoyment when watching BG play only brings me down.

[jpfalcon09]

About the result I expected. Maryland kept shooting themselves in the foot which kept the game closer than it should have been. Defense missed too many tackles, likely from fatigue. That's a big team with a lot of speed at the skill positions.

Offensively couldn't run the ball and Doege didn't do a thing after halftime. Team is only going to go as far as the offense carries them this season.

Not surprising the crowd sucked. BG fans never turn out if the weather is somewhat iffy. Doesn't help the program has lost its last six home games. Stadium changes blow and the gameday experience is still terrible.

I'm going to reserve final judgment for where the team is against more equal competition. The MAC looks suspect again this year so who knows what will happen.

[gspointer]

A lot of complaining about bad tackling. That was not the problem. We were overmatched. It was as simple as that.

[kdog27]

I'm more concerned with how inept the offense was. Bad defense and poor tackling is expected.

[zete]

A lot of complaining about bad tackling. That was not the problem. We were overmatched. It was as simple as that.

Yes, they were bigger and stronger than us....we look more like a Div II team stature wise.

[footballguy51]

I may be in the minority here, but I liked the seating switch. I had general admission tickets and sat on the west side (where my tickets were). The east stands looked the best I have seen for a game in a long time. Remember, that side is what is shown on TV. The students got to harass Maryland a bunch, the band played at the cameras (so they were probably heard on TV a lot easier), and our team was on TV on the sidelines instead of the visitors. What specifically did you all not like about the seating?

[cameron]

I also liked the team bench switch for all the reasons you mentioned. If we have to play on TV in a mostly empty stadium in November, we might as well show our team and fans on camera and make it appear full. You're right, I could definitely hear the band better on TV.

[MarkL]

Attendance stats:
2008 vs Minnesota: 23,184
2009 vs Boise State: 22,396
2014 vs Indiana: 23,717
2018 vs Maryland: 16,142

Heck, let's look at home openers against other competition.
2010 vs Marshall: 20,515
2011 vs Morgan State: 15,206
2012 vs Idaho. Yup, Idaho: 19,552
2013 vs Tulsa: 18,142
2014 vs VMI: 18,311
2015 vs Memphis: 21,178

So the Maryland game drew only more people than 2011 vs FCS Morgan State and was thoroughly outdone by another FCS and mid major opponents, including Idaho.
And lest we forget, the athletic department reports tickets sold, not physical attendance. Heavens knows how many people bought tickets and did not show.
Point is if the athletic department cares about fan and community interest in the program, white outs and promotions don't get the trick done. Only a good product on the field gets people to show. The only crowd outdone by MD was 2011, coming off a 2-10 season, and that was against a bad FCS team from Baltimore.

[hiway44]

Mark L you are now known as Mr. Negative! With the way the schedule is its difficult for our athletes to have a positive attitude when your lose your first 3 or four games of every season. That is where your coach comes into play. Jinks has too many excuses and nobody is buying it anymore. Going 1-3 or 0-4 is time to turn the page and change the culture of the program.