Back From the Rubber Bowl

[Rollo83]

Falcons showed some character pulling out a 4th quarter win on the road tonight, To bad it had to come to that. We sleep walk through three quarters and somehow still win.

We were only a play away several times from being blown out of this game. But Akron let us hang around and it eventually cost them.


Couple of observations from the Rubber Bowl...

...Rubber Bowl is really in bad shape. I've been to several high school games there but first time in the daylight. Could see all the warts.

...Our field goal kicker is really struggling with confidence. He looks like he's try to steer the ball throught the uprights instead kicking through the ball. Maybe that last kick will get his head on straight.

...I was wondering why in our spread offense we never attack the middle of the field? Omar used to make his living in the middle on crossing routes. And I know it wasn't the spread but Eric White to Mark Sleyzic on a square-in route was so money. Maybe they are afraid of picks with Tyler? Finally tonight, on our last two drives the found Corey and Freddie down the middle for some nice gains.

...And here is a classic example of how we are a poorly coached team. Akron scores a TD to make it 33-28. The Akron offensive players don't celebrate but stayed on the field and were clearely instructed that they would be going for two if they scored. A two-point coversion would have pushed their lead to 7 points. The coversion failed and the score stayed 33-28.

BG goes right down the field and scores a TD to make it 34-33. After a celebration by the palyers, Vrvilo is sent out on the field for the extra point. Brandon suddenly realizes, or one of assistants tells him, that they should go for two...the right call. The extra point would make it a 35-33 game and a FG still beats you. But if we get a two point conversion, that makes it a 3 point game and they can only tie with a FG.

There was only 4:52 remaining in the game. Brandon has to burn a timeout to get his offense back on the field to try the two point conversion...which failed.

The point is Brandon wasn't thinking ahead of the game to realize they needed to go for two. As soon as they got into Akron territory, or at least in the red zone, he should have been telling his players that we go for two if we score a TD. Brookhart clearly did.

Sorry, but I saw an uninspired (for most of the game) and undisciplined team tonight that is poorly coached.

[MarkL]

Just got back, long long long day. Here's a bunch of my thoughts:

-The Rubber Bowl at one time was a great venue. Standing up on top of the bowl you can really see how big the stadium actually is. From what I understand, it was a pre-WWII economic revival project, and it seems like it hasn't been maintained at all since the 1930's. Bathrooms hadn't been cleaned, the whole stadium hadn't been cleaned since last game, all of the problems with the paint from two years ago still existed. Simply, they're giving up on it. Sad ... If the stadium is like that in their last game, the atmosphere won't be of celebration of the stadium but of good riddance.

-Once again, their fans proved themselves to be the most obnoxious d-bags in the conference. And ... they needed an MC to get them to cheer.

-The team again, like against Pitt, fought back from a bad deficit. Tyler took some shots downfield and found some success, some failure, but it proves that the coaches need to allow him to throw more that way.

-Marques Parks - WOW - nice TD catch!

-Too bad that 2 point conversion didn't work. That was some pretty imaginative playcalling, and a hell of a fun play to watch.

-Our defense does not stack up well against a big offensive line. Akron's OLine was huge.

-Our fans were much louder throughout the whole game and we really dictated the tempo of the atmosphere. Give some props to bringing a pep band.

[poorlycoachedbgsu]

Falcons showed some character pulling out a 4th quarter win on the road tonight, To bad it had to come to that. We sleep walk through three quarters and somehow still win.

We were only a play away several times from being blown out of this game. But Akron let us hang around and it eventually cost them.


Couple of observations from the Rubber Bowl...

...Rubber Bowl is really in bad shape. I've been to several high school games there but first time in the daylight. Could see all the warts.

...Our field goal kicker is really struggling with confidence. He looks like he's try to steer the ball throught the uprights instead kicking through the ball. Maybe that last kick will get his head on straight.

...I was wondering why in our spread offense we never attack the middle of the field? Omar used to make his living in the middle on crossing routes. And I know it wasn't the spread but Eric White to Mark Sleyzic on a square-in route was so money. Maybe they are afraid of picks with Tyler? Finally tonight, on our last two drives the found Corey and Freddie down the middle for some nice gains.

...And here is a classic example of how we are a poorly coached team. Akron scores a TD to make it 33-28. The Akron offensive players don't celebrate but stayed on the field and were clearely instructed that they would be going for two if they scored. A two-point coversion would have pushed their lead to 7 points. The coversion failed and the score stayed 33-28.

BG goes right down the field and scores a TD to make it 34-33. After a celebration by the palyers, Vrvilo is sent out on the field for the extra point. Brandon suddenly realizes, or one of assistants tells him, that they should go for two...the right call. The extra point would make it a 35-33 game and a FG still beats you. But if we get a two point conversion, that makes it a 3 point game and they can only tie with a FG.

There was only 4:52 remaining in the game. Brandon has to burn a timeout to get his offense back on the field to try the two point conversion...which failed.

The point is Brandon wasn't thinking ahead of the game to realize they needed to go for two. As soon as they got into Akron territory, or at least in the red zone, he should have been telling his players that we go for two if we score a TD. Brookhart clearly did.

Sorry, but I saw an uninspired (for most of the game) and undisciplined team tonight that is poorly coached.

example #500 of a poorly coached football team

[The Niz]

-I was pretty much ready to quit after the first half of play today. Thank goodness we didn't pack it in and head back to BG.

-The rubber bowl is now a dump.

-Everything about today's game seemed second-rate and low-rent from a visitor to Akron point of view. From Light up signs being powered by open car batteries, to an announcer on the field urging on the fans, to the schitty pyrotechnics in the pregame show. I didn't think it was possible for a school to have a worse PA system than the venus of BG but Akron pulls it off.

-Thank god they are building a new stadium, but what the hell are they going to do with it? If they run it anything like they do the rubber bowl, it will go from class of the M.A.C. to a toilet in two years.

-The Defense in the fourth quarter was awesome. The offense in the fourth quarter was awesome. What were they waiting for?

-Akron does not have a single original thought on anything they do. It is ALL 'lifted' from other venus. Extremely clear influences from OSU, MSU, UM, and even some extreme posage off of BGSU and Miami (Oh).

-BG fans were incredible in the second half. Can't really blame them for the lack of noise in the first. The one/two sections of us were MUCH louder than all of the rubber bowl in the fourth quarter.

-I can never tell what the hell Brandon is thinking. Maybe that's a good thing so far as a d coordinator might be on the same wavelength as me...

-quote of the game: from a tuba alluding to the microphone guy "I will kill a baby if you all don't do this cheer right now!"

[Falconfreak90]

Went down to the Beer Garden at halftime and was promptly greeted with "BG effin sucks" and"F BG". Some dude who was barely as tall as Mrs. Freak got in my face screaming "BG effin sucks!!!!!!" and it really took all my control not to Tae Bo cross punch the little sh*t. I just laughed it off, somehow. Funny, I didn't see that dude after the game.

I guess there were some players from Akron's ONLY MAC title team (2005) there and they had too much to drink...getting in Neal Dahlman's parent's faces to show their title rings. Real classy. Akron is only one step up from CMU and Buffalo fans.

The Rubber Bowl...it USED to be a great place to see a game. It is a wasteland now. The University actually bought it for one dollar from the City of Akron many years ago. UA got the bad end of the deal there.

BEAT MIAMI

[JohnnySwoop '85]

Why is everybody so surprised the Rubber Bowl looks like a dump...its been that way for years and years...

OK, Brandon bashers...how does the decision to kick a field goal with a few minutes left look this morning? Show Sinisa some confidence, and get the necessary point to force them to go to the end zone. If we chose to go for it, came up empty, they were in decent position to kick a winner....

I'd like to see more crossing routes than a 25 yard pass that is parallel to the line of scrimmage for a 2 yard gain.

Was it just me or was Briggs allowed to line up wherever he felt like on Akrons last drive ...and that was the only time we got consistent pressure on Jacquimain or whatever his name is.

Akron was pretty good at netting some big passes to our deep left zone, but good to see Antonio get the Big Mo changing pick.

And since the BAND was such a big topic lately, I thought they did a good job in helping match the noise from Akron's crowd. And another thing, how come so many were on here instead of at the game. For many of us, HOME games are 2.5 hours away...an AWAY game that is the same distance shouldn't be too much of a challenge. Hell you could've watched Toledo win on the Big10 and still made kickoff....and they were giving away free bags of chips too

[orangeandbrown]

What a bunch of horse's asses.

Went down to the Beer Garden at halftime and was promptly greeted with "BG effin sucks" and"F BG". Some dude who was barely as tall as Mrs. Freak got in my face screaming "BG effin sucks!!!!!!" and it really took all my control not to Tae Bo cross punch the little sh*t. I just laughed it off, somehow. Funny, I didn't see that dude after the game.

I guess there were some players from Akron's ONLY MAC title team (2005) there and they had too much to drink...getting in Neal Dahlman's parent's faces to show their title rings. Real classy. Akron is only one step up from CMU and Buffalo fans.

The Rubber Bowl...it USED to be a great place to see a game. It is a wasteland now. The University actually bought it for one dollar from the City of Akron many years ago. UA got the bad end of the deal there.

BEAT MIAMI

[kdog27]

-Too bad that 2 point conversion didn't work. That was some pretty imaginative playcalling, and a hell of a fun play to watch.

Could someone elaborate on that please? What did we try to do?

[TG1996]

-Too bad that 2 point conversion didn't work. That was some pretty imaginative playcalling, and a hell of a fun play to watch.

Could someone elaborate on that please? What did we try to do?

I only listened, but we threw a tackle-eligible pass to Brady Minturn. He caught it, but was brought down on the 1. I like the play call, but I think anytime you throw to a lineman, he's gotta run the route into the endzone.

[BGDrew]

I was only able to follow the game on my phone, so I really can't comment on too many things. It at least looked like Tyler was allowed to pass down field more, so that's a positive. I still would like to see a twin back formation with Tyler, Beam, and AT in the backfield.

While I'm sure people are disappointed we aren't 4-2, just remember that we're still tied with Michigan in the MAC standings.

[kdog27]

Thanks TG

[vwfalcon]

The two point play started off the exact same as the play we used to beat Minnesota last year... Tyler sold the fake to Freddy and threw basically a screen with no blockers over to Brady who turned it up field and dove for the pylon but was met by two Zip defenders knocking him down just shy of the goalline.

[Rollo83]

-Too bad that 2 point conversion didn't work. That was some pretty imaginative playcalling, and a hell of a fun play to watch.

Could someone elaborate on that please? What did we try to do?

I only listened, but we threw a tackle-eligible pass to Brady Minturn. He caught it, but was brought down on the 1. I like the play call, but I think anytime you throw to a lineman, he's gotta run the route into the endzone.

I thought the two-point conversion try when to Scheidler the tight end? I was at the game and thought the TE was the guy who got stopped at the 1? Either way it was a nice call. They looked like they were setting up a screen right and then turned and threw back to the left at the last moment.

[NY-BG-FAN]

This was the first game I was able to see in person this season, and what a great night. We may not have been perfect, and we still have some issues, but our resolve was impressive falling down 14-0 and 27-14. I was happy with our motor the whole game, especially the second half from behind; we really got after it. The defense struggled, but they got the big stops when they needed them in the fourth. I never criticize the coaching staff, and I understand things could be better at times, but at the end of the night it was just a great win being down on the road. It was just great to see BG football in person again, and I can't wait to go to the Miami game. Also, the BG crowd in the Rubber Bowl was just awesome, big and loud, especially for a road game the week after a bad loss. Fairweather fans may make the most noise on a message board, but they are certainly the minority.

Most importantly, I'm now 4-0 as an alum in person, counting Temple, WKU and @ Buffalo last season.

[TG1996]

The two point play started off the exact same as the play we used to beat Minnesota last year... Tyler sold the fake to Freddy and threw basically a screen with no blockers over to Brady who turned it up field and dove for the pylon but was met by two Zip defenders knocking him down just shy of the goalline.

I thought for sure they'd go to Freddie on the same play when they lined up. Interesting that they used it as a fake.