Western game thread

[Rightupinthere]

Can we get an "our QB sucks" exemption from the NCAA so Nicholas can play now?

Baylor had a bad outing from their QB and went down against WVU.

I guess this is why I'm not a huge fan of Dino-ball; the QB needs to have a good outing every game or the plan simply falls apart. The pass sets up the running game. When the keystone of the offense has a bad day (which will happen with a younger QB) you will have ugly outings resulting in losses.

I'm over this game; it's time for some hockey.

[60yearsofsicsic]

This team is going to go 6-6.... Kent St. Is a win but there isn't another one on the schedule... Especially if Ronnie more is out

[MarkL]

We lost a game. Commence AZZ freakout mode.

[Flipper]

So far as the tendencies go...we definitely need to disguise the screen better. Teams are on that like they called it. The thing with Knapke's performance that surprises me is the lack of "learning"...they're blitzing you on just about every down, James. Make the mental adjustment, stand in there and make them pay.

If Johnson comes back healthy next year...you have to wonder where James will fit on the depth chart. Johnson, Callaway, Nicholas...if he signs here, Morgan. The next four weeks are going to be huge in deciding if Knapke is going to be a QB or a guy with a clipboard

[Flipper]

We lost a game. Commence AZZ freakout mode.

It's not the loss...it's the circumstances. Our QB is getting worse week by week and seems to have problems dealing with blitzes, our coach is stubborn and seems unaware that the other guys study our film and know our offense so we have to make those adjustment things to keep them guessing.

[BGSU33]

This team is going to go 6-6.... Kent St. Is a win but there isn't another one on the schedule... Especially if Ronnie more is out

We can't take anyone for granted as a win, not even Kent State. We blew a big opportunity to put ourselves in a really good position today. We just got tossed back into the mix with a few other East teams again and we're gonna have to fight our way out of it. But you could feel this coming for weeks. It nearly happened at UMass, it should have happened vs Buffalo, and today it did vs WMU.

[kdog27]

You have a QB that can't throw accurately in an offense that relies heavily on accurate passes to moving WR....you might have a slim chance with the freshman QB...you have no chance with Knapke out there

I agree with you to a point. Knapke is off his game today,. Also, pretty clearly, he is still our No. 2 quarterback. He isn't as accurate as Johnson.

Today he tried his best. He was a gamer today. But he didn't have what we needed to beat Western Michigan. That's why we lost. Dino and his team called some good plays. The offense couldn't execute.

Where I disagree is on Calloway. The coaches have seen Calloway in practice all week. They know better than we do whether than Calloway is ready to step in there. They decided he wasn't ready, and that a gimpy Knapke was better than going with the No. 3 guy. I have to respect that decision. I won't second guess that.

Babers doesn't give the backup any reps in practice so throwing Callaway in would've been a disaster. You can't go into games only having one QB ready and assume it's going to work out for the best. It's obvious Knapke was hurt and as a result the offense completely collapsed. It's a learning experience for Babers.

which honestly is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard beyond JV football.

[MarkL]

Upsets all over the place today. We lost, Akron lost to Ohio who we thumped last week, CMU lost to Ball State, NIU barely won, and Kent beat Army.

I didn't get a chance to watch our game but I'll catch a replay next week. Seems by the stats Knapke didn't force the ball down field enough. Also I heard Moore got hurt? We've got two and a half weeks to review and heal. I'd like to see the offense play all game at a faster pace because the running game works best when FalconFast works. Once I watch the game I'll know better but by stats every problem looks correctable.

[zete]

Just thinking back to last year and the Mississippi State game and the directions the two programs have gone...We lose our coach and are wondering if we can beat Kent while MSU is visiting the #1 slot.

[BGSU33]

To me this game turned and was decided on the sack/facemask play. BG was ahead 14-13 in the third quarter and WMU looked like it was going to be facing 3rd and 23 from its own 7, but got the first down on the facemask and three plays later scored the 66-yard TD pass on another third down. The game turned and was decided on that series IMO.

[footballguy51]

I swear the play calling was screen, screen, incomplete fly route, punt. Screen, screen, incomplete fly route, punt. Screen, run up the middle, screen, punt.

It's not hard to defend a team that runs a screen for half of its plays. Roger Lewis was getting jammed at the line constantly, and honestly we should have been doing that when we had them in 3rd and long.

Clearly, screen plays weren't working. Yes, we ran multiple screen plays (middle screens, bubble screens), but if you need to move the ball it helps when the receiver is catching the ball past the line of scrimmage. Obviously we weren't hitting the long passes, but are we incapable of throwing the slant, out, drag, and square routes? For some unknown reason, we only throw screens and fly routes. If that is our new offensive philosophy, that's not that hard to stop.

[BGSU33]

Upsets all over the place today. We lost, Akron lost to Ohio who we thumped last week, CMU lost to Ball State, NIU barely won, and Kent beat Army.

I didn't get a chance to watch our game but I'll catch a replay next week. Seems by the stats Knapke didn't force the ball down field enough. Also I heard Moore got hurt? We've got two and a half weeks to review and heal. I'd like to see the offense play all game at a faster pace because the running game works best when FalconFast works. Once I watch the game I'll know better but by stats every problem looks correctable.

Akron lost but was playing without starting QB Pohl and the Zips fumbled late to set up Ohio's FG then threw a pick after that. Yes, Moore got hurt and never came back. Looked like a leg/knee injury. They appeared to be looking at his knee on the field.

[Flipper]

Western was never ahead 14-13...we were ahead 14-13 when that penalty happened. The play thtatturned the game was that s**t throw on 4th and goal from the 2 by Knapke. We didn't come close to scoring after that

[BGSU33]

I swear the play calling was screen, screen, incomplete fly route, punt. Screen, screen, incomplete fly route, punt. Screen, run up the middle, screen, punt.

It's not hard to defend a team that runs a screen for half of its plays. Roger Lewis was getting jammed at the line constantly, and honestly we should have been doing that when we had them in 3rd and long.

Clearly, screen plays weren't working. Yes, we ran multiple screen plays (middle screens, bubble screens), but if you need to move the ball it helps when the receiver is catching the ball past the line of scrimmage. Obviously we weren't hitting the long passes, but are we incapable of throwing the slant, out, drag, and square routes? For some unknown reason, we only throw screens and fly routes. If that is our new offensive philosophy, that's not that hard to stop.

Our play calling was poor and predictable, but so was our execution. Days like this really makes you wish you had a QB who could also run when he can't get it done with his arm like WMU's QB did. Babers said WMU was blitzing all over the place but we never made them pay. But boy did they sure make us pay on the pass we blitzed on.

[BGSU33]

Western was never ahead 14-13...we were ahead 14-13 when that penalty happened. The play thtatturned the game was that s**t throw on 4th and goal from the 2 by Knapke. We didn't come close to scoring after that

Right, I meant BG was ahead. That entire four plays we ran starting from first and goal from the 7 were poor. What sucks is Coppett almost scored on the run before the play before we had starting first and goal.