Nothing to be ashamed about

JimmyZ11381 · Post by **JimmyZ11381** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 3:29 pm

I'm proud of our team today. We battled all day and without Corey Partridge. Had he played this may have been even closer. Great Job Falcons! I'm looking forward to a couple home games and then BC.

zeket10 · Post by **zeket10** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:14 pm

The Falcons won't want BC if they don't get their running game strait.

JimmyZ11381 · Post by **JimmyZ11381** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 4:47 pm

zeket10 wrote:The Falcons won't want BC if they don't get their running game strait.

Sorry, I've been viewing your posts in other discussions. WHO CARES ABOUT BC right now. Must you be so pessimistic. 1-1 after these first two games is great. Enjoy the fact that its a new year and we have some things to look forward to. I honestly could give a crap about BC, bring on the MAC

JWEIII · Post by **JWEIII** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 5:40 pm

Let's not forget that the slow running game was against two Big 11 teams.

Throwing the ball was our best obtion against B11 D-lines. All due respect, we were not going to do too well running between the tackles against either one. So I would asssume that they didn't try to do too much on the ground and used the short pass instead. I could be wrong.

But I would wager that the ground game really picks up in MAC play. Again, I could be wrong.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:05 pm

zeket10 wrote:The Falcons won't want BC if they don't get their running game strait.

I agree with TG1996: If someone took a leak in your Wheaties, throw 'em out.

Obviously, we all wanted a win, but I feel pretty good about what I saw, under the circumstances. Probably the biggest positive is that the Falcons found a way to stop Michigan State's running game, by and large. That was impressive. In fact, it may reflect decent coaching. Earlier in the week, Brandon and the players were saying they saw things on film they thought they could correct. This team definitely did better against the run, overall.

It would seem that Sheehan was unable to get deep throws off and this might, in part, reflect the fact that our offensive line was only able to offer limited protection. That said, Sheehan was 32 for 50.

I'll repeat that. Sheehan was 32 for 50. It's hard for me to be that angry at the O-line after a day like that. Sure, it was brutal right at the end, but overall, it wasn't a horrible day at all.

As far as running the ball: I don't think it would have been there. On the few occasions they did run, they weren't getting much. It seemed like the dink and dunk passing game was there all afternoon. I think the coaches did the right thing keeping the ball in the air.

So: I sure we we would have won this game, but I feel like we have a pretty decent team together. The East looks like it could be rough, but I do think we will be in the thick of things. And considering how little we expected out of this team -- and how young it still is -- I'm in a good mood right now.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 6:38 pm

That's how I feel about the day, too, Schad. And not just because you agreed with me, either.

MichState04 · Post by **MichState04** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:12 pm

Frankly I thought that BG came to play today. I said all along that MSU would not be suprised by BG and we weren't. I know we got your best shot and you got ours. If I could pick one thing that I was suprised about it was BG's ability to slow MSU's running game. We had a good day on the ground, but not a great day. It was obvious that you guys made adjustments since Minny.

Very classy program and fans, it was a pleasure to have BG in the house today!

rc_ziggy84 · Post by **rc_ziggy84** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:14 pm

MichState04 wrote:Frankly I thought that BG came to play today. I said all along that MSU would not be suprised by BG and we weren't. I know we got your best shot and you got ours. If I could pick one thing that I was suprised about it was BG's ability to slow MSU's running game. We had a good day on the ground, but not a great day. It was obvious that you guys made adjustments since Minny.

Very classy program and fans, it was a pleasure to have BG in the house today!

Thanks MichState. I think the thing that surprised us the most was your D-line's job against our O Line. They were constantly pressuring Sheehan in the 2nd half and was a big factor in the win for you guys.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:29 pm

MichState04 wrote:it was a pleasure to have BG in the house today!

You're just sayin that 'cause we let you win.

J/K. Thanks for stopping by this week. I couldn't make it up there, but I'm sure your assistance was huge for some of the Falcons that did. Good luck the rest of the way. (Until hockey season!)

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:31 pm

Schadenfreude wrote: I'll repeat that. Sheehan was 32 for 50. It's hard for me to be that angry at the O-line after a day like that. Sure, it was brutal right at the end, but overall, it wasn't a horrible day at all.

In the second half, especially the 4th quarter, the OL was terrible. Was it just fatigue, or some adjustments MSU made, I don't know, but they were bad. MSU was dropping 7 & 8 into coverage and getting tons of pressure with just their 3 or 4 man lines. You just cannot run a spread offense against that many covermen downfield...you just won't find the openings.

We still had some issues with dropped passes, but on the whole I was happy with the way the team played. It was disappointing to see the OL (which I thought would be our best unit) be part of the downfall.

Honestly, this game had 2 turning points that we couldn't overcome, in my mind.

1) In the 2nd quarter we go up 14-7 and force a quick 3 & out. We've got all the momentum in the world, and somebody lets a pass go off their hands and it's picked off. MSU promptly goes in and ties it up. The rest of the half was back and forth nothing, but that was a chance to take control of the game, and we blew it.

2) I still cannot believe we punted from the 39 yard line on 4th & 4 in the late 3rd early 4th (forget which). I think we were still only down a TD at the time, and that was our last chance to really get back into the game. Very questionable call to punt, IMO.

Those were the two moments in the game where we had a chance to seize some momentum and try to take control/get back into the game, and we blew it on both occasions. We just aren't good enough to beat a Big 10 team with those 2 big opportunities going by the wayside. In the end it was still a hard fought game, and I'm VERY encouraged about how this defense will play against the MAC. That was a big time running attack that we did a good job of bottling up today.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:44 pm

hammb wrote: 2) I still cannot believe we punted from the 39 yard line on 4th & 4 in the late 3rd early 4th (forget which). I think we were still only down a TD at the time, and that was our last chance to really get back into the game. Very questionable call to punt, IMO.

It was 4th and 1 from the MSU 40, about 4 min left in the third. (Thanks final stats!

) But I thought the same thing at the time. Not that it was a bad call, but that it went against what this team has been about in the past 5 or 6 years, and looked like it was coming back to this year. The "our offense can get a yard anywhere, anytime, you're going to have to stop us". We were down 21-14 at the time, and while it didn't really hurt us that much, since we got the ball back and got a FG out of the next drive, a first down there would have kept momentum in their end of the field and possibly tied it up right then and there.

Can't *really* fault them for punting with the as well as our defense had been playing, but it didn't seem very "BG" to me.

Speaking of the defense, John Haneline played totally balls out today. His name was called all over the place.

dstubb · Post by **dstubb** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 7:54 pm

The PI call against Antonio and then the missed PI call late in the 4th quarter really ended the game for us. In the first case, the contact was incidental and the ball was uncatchable. In the second case, it prevented an interception that would have stopped the last MSU drive and given us some momentum to march down the field and tie it up or go ahead. I was at the game so I will need to see it on replay (I have a tape coming from a friend), but I'm pretty sure I saw what I saw. Overall I thought the officiating was pathetic (MSU fans can say the same, they got screwed out of a fumble).

That said - the endzone crowd of BG fans was AMAZING. I met a lot of cool people and we cheered hard for our falcons! What a fun day!

Is everyone else as sunburned as me???

P.S. If you've never been to MSU it is a gorgeous campus. This is the first time I've been up here and I think it is just a beautiful place. The MSU fans were cool and some told us about the various traditions, etc.

TG1996 · Post by **TG1996** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:00 pm

Re: the PI call/non-call...

On the flag on Antonio, he chucked the receiver off the line, which was all kinds of legal, except that the ball was coming that way. Had he not hit the guy, the ball was probably more on target, but I don't think it was all that illegal given the spot it happened. He chucked and released, but it was a quick throw... I'm not totally sure on the rule in that situation. The flag was late and a day, too.

On the second, I think the WR got a hand in to break it up, but his other hand looked to be pulling back on AS's back shoulder. Probably should have been called. (Or maybe they could have at least reviewed it. I mean, they reviewed everything else today!!!

)

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:25 pm

TG1996 wrote:Re: the PI call/non-call...

On the flag on Antonio, he chucked the receiver off the line, which was all kinds of legal, except that the ball was coming that way. Had he not hit the guy, the ball was probably more on target, but I don't think it was all that illegal given the spot it happened. He chucked and released, but it was a quick throw... I'm not totally sure on the rule in that situation. The flag was late and a day, too.

There is no 5 yard rule in college football. So long as the DB is further from the LOS than the WR he can hit (not hold) him, until the ball is thrown.

After the ball leaves the QBs hands the WR is off limits.

I thought it looked pretty ticky-tack to me, but Big 10 teams get that call all the time.

hutchirish · Post by **hutchirish** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 8:46 pm

Frankly I thought that BG came to play today. I said all along that MSU would not be suprised by BG and we weren't. I know we got your best shot and you got ours. If I could pick one thing that I was suprised about it was BG's ability to slow MSU's running game. We had a good day on the ground, but not a great day. It was obvious that you guys made adjustments since Minny.

Very classy program and fans, it was a pleasure to have BG in the house today!
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i hate MSU b/c of my days playing hockey, but I appreciate the classy comments. It is easier to watch MSU now with your new coach. He seems to have better perspective on that program and turning it around, as well as recruiting more quality individuals. Good luck to MSU in the Big 11 this year...God knows that league is up for grabs with UM in shambles and OSU managing 20 points agains CrAkron...