A+ Effort

ZuluWarrior · Post by **ZuluWarrior** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:34 pm

As one who believes the final score is ALMOST the only thing that matters, the Falcons played a heckuva a game with MSU. Both lines wore down in the fourth quarter, but for three quarters we held tight with a Top Five Big 11 Team. There are some holes, but game prep, and 60 minute football appears to be back, along with a potentially top notch QB.
I also think the outcome would have been different at the Doyt.
I'm excited about the MAC season and if these first two games are any indication I will certainly and happily retract my calls for GB's job.
Well done Falcons.

BGSUFootballFan · Post by **BGSUFootballFan** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:37 pm

We did play super hard. Lets reward that for sure!

zeket10 · Post by **zeket10** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:46 pm

I would rather have a W than a hard played game any day.

FalconTurf · Post by **FalconTurf** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:56 pm

Played hard and found some things to work on. Kick coverage and we need to throw over the top to open the short routes back up. I thought they did well overall against a pretty good team. Another year or so we should see W's in games like this.

This team is heading the right direction and needs to keep chugging along. I can still see MAC East contender in this group.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:28 pm

zeket10 wrote:I would rather have a W than a hard played game any day.

We'd all rather have wins, obviously. But given the situation, opening with two Big Ten teams on the road, with a QB getting his first starts and a team that even some of it's most diehard fans weren't sure would total more than 3 or four wins all year to go out and win one against the B10 and be in the thick of it with another in the fourth (especially considering what MSU did to UAB), I'll take it. Get healthy heading into the bye week and show Temple that last year was a fluke.

zeket10 · Post by **zeket10** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:37 pm

I really have a problem with saying Minnesota is a Big Ten win they stink. I don't care if they were in the SEC Minnesota is horrible. The Big Ten is having a down year this year, and we beat a rookie coach, and a horrible defense. To me Sheehan did not play that well in the second half today because of the o-line. But you also finally got to see how he would react to a strong rush, and he did well sometimes but other times looked bad. Overall I think that not having a running game crippled the offense.

ZuluWarrior · Post by **ZuluWarrior** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:43 pm

I think the other point that needs to be reinforced is that the Falcons put up two straight strong efforts, on the road. Execution, tackling, smart offensive decisions were not strong points last year. If we can cover the blocking and tackling points to the game consistently in 2007 we will be in the thick of the MAC race.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:17 pm

I was real happy with how the defense defended against the run most of the game. They tackled pretty well and were all over the ball. The OL was putrid.

Bleeding Orange · Post by **Bleeding Orange** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:36 pm

The Michigan State fans were all very, very impressed with our team. And I do mean all of them. What a great time we had up there today! It kind of felt like being in Norman again, both on the field and off.

This is going to be a very, very special team, folks. You can get down on the O-line if you wish, but the problem wasn't their blocking in the second half. MSU stepped UP in the seconday and locked down our recievers. It was amazing to see players open all over the place in the first half, and then nothing in the second. I give MSU a lot of credit for the way they D'ed up and adjusted. Our O-line is going to be fine, and the running game will come. I don't really fault the coaches for not pushing the run more in these two games. You've got three running backs - a true sophome, a true freshman, and a JC transfer - there is no sense in throwing them into the teeth of a Big 10 defense and making them hesitant to hit holes or turn it up-field later in the year.

That was an absolutely fantastic effort by the Falcons today!

bgsufalcon24 · Post by **bgsufalcon24** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:09 pm

Bleeding Orange wrote:The Michigan State fans were all very, very impressed with our team. And I do mean all of them. What a great time we had up there today! It kind of felt like being in Norman again, both on the field and off.

This is going to be a very, very special team, folks. You can get down on the O-line if you wish, but the problem wasn't their blocking in the second half. MSU stepped UP in the seconday and locked down our recievers. It was amazing to see players open all over the place in the first half, and then nothing in the second. I give MSU a lot of credit for the way they D'ed up and adjusted. Our O-line is going to be fine, and the running game will come. I don't really fault the coaches for not pushing the run more in these two games. You've got three running backs - a true sophome, a true freshman, and a JC transfer - there is no sense in throwing them into the teeth of a Big 10 defense and making them hesitant to hit holes or turn it up-field later in the year.

That was an absolutely fantastic effort by the Falcons today!

Agreed 100%, on both the point of the Michigan State fans and our performance today. I think Michigan State is a great school for football, and they showed it today. Their fanbase is pretty classy for the most part (unlike a certain school about an hour north of EL that beat Turdledo today), and they are very knowledgable about football.

As for our performance, we played a very good first three quarters. I still think we should have gone for it on that 4th-and-1 from the 40 yard line late in the 3rd quarter. That was our last big scoring chance as it turned out. It probably wouldn't have led to a victory, but it would've been nice to keep that offensive momentum going. As for the O-Line, they didn't really come unglued until late in the 3rd quarter, and then really bad in the 4th. That won't happen against MAC teams, at least not nearly that bad. I am a little perturbed however, at the fact that we aren't throwing much downfield. Sheehan doesn't seem to be very accurate on deep throws, and the coaches don't call for deep passes much. I wonder if eventually this will cause teams to sink back into a short zone coverage at or just past linebacker depth like what MSU did in the 2nd half today.

All in all though, I'm thrilled with the effort of our first two games. We got the split, which was what I was hoping for. Now its two weeks until the home opener, and REVENGE!!!

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 11:51 pm

I don't doubt that the coverage was better in the 2nd half, but no doubt that was in large part because they were able to drop 7 & 8 into coverage, and were still getting good pressure. 7 guys should be able to cover 5 if you're only giving the QB less than 2 seconds to throw.

I'm not down on the OL, I think they'll be very good in the MAC season. I'm just saying that they had a very bad second half and were a large reason why our offense sputtered. No doubt that was in large part due to the talent they were going up against.

Falcon Fanatic · Post by **Falcon Fanatic** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 12:34 am

We also had quite a few MSU people stop us and tell us how impressed they were with our football team. It was sincere praise too. Very nice to hear!

GREAT EFFORT TODAY GUYS, YOU MADE US PROUD!!!
GO FALCONS!!!

BGFalconfromCincy · Post by **BGFalconfromCincy** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:40 am

zeket10 wrote:I really have a problem with saying Minnesota is a Big Ten win they stink.

They may stink, but there in the Big Ten, and we beat them, so it counts as a Big Ten win.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:44 am

BGFalconfromCincy wrote:
zeket10 wrote:I really have a problem with saying Minnesota is a Big Ten win they stink.
They may stink, but there in the Big Ten, and we beat them, so it counts as a Big Ten win.

Personally, I have a problem with people telling me the Earth is round. I mean, I haven't fallen off of it yet.

truth · Post by **truth** » Sun Sep 09, 2007 4:32 am

The thing that impresses me the most, and that i feel will take us far this year; is the defense. I have not seen anything like this since I became a falcon, fall of 2001. Both games this year I've seen helmets swarming to the ball, good pursuit angles, and a team that helps each other out.

Sure the run defense has some room to improve, but during MAC play we should be in good shape.

I really enjoyed the offensive explosiveness BG had while I was in college, but I look forward to a more balanced team with a much improved defense.

We owe Temple an a-z-z whoopin.