Memphis Gameday Thread

[footballguy51]

Kickoff returns - I wish I had stats to back it up but it seems that every end zone kickoff should be a kneel. No way is the average start better than 25 (or 30 in the 1 case today when refs screwed up and gave us 5 yards).

The refs didn't screw up. There were two kickoffs where Memphis was flagged for offsides, and that was one of them. The other was when they also kicked it out of bounds, so we started at the 35 that time.

As for the game, there were a lot of frustrating plays. At the end, I watched us do a hook and ladder on a 3rd and 21. If we just take the catch, it leaves us with 4th and 10 and allows us to utilize a decent amount of our playbook. Instead, we fumble it around and end up with 4th and 18 (I think) and leaves us with more or less no chance.

Memphis dug into the trick play bag a couple times to beat us. That tells me we were probably the better team today. In fact, I know we were. Penalties, special teams (KO return and field goal kicking specifically), and trick plays killed us. Memphis is one hell of a team. We can beat Purdue and we'll finish the non-conference 2-2 with a strong chance to finish the season 10-2. Not bad at all.

[gspointer]

I never have liked Greene as a back. I think Givens or Coppet would have had similar numbers with equal PT. He was horrible at pass protection yesterday. II mean BAD. I think it is time for Coppet to get reps with Greene being more of a situational back.

[Falconfreak90]

We let this one slip away. Memphis is a damn good team and we had them on the ropes. I remember at the start of the season saying if we can go 2-2 in non conf, I'd be a pretty happy Falcon. This team is much better than Purdue and I expect a win.

[Falcon137]

Memphis went cover 0 in much of the 4th when the offense just bogged down. The final drive (except for 4th and 17) they played without any safety help and dared BG to throw 9 routes from the left hash to the right sideline.

The feast or famon offense continues as well. BG had 7 non scoring offensive drive. 1 was a missed field goal. 4 were 3 and outs, 1 was the 5 and out that ended the game. The other drive was an 8 play 23 yard drive.

Of the 4, 3 and outs. Memphis took the ball and scored 17 points. The D got a stop and the ball back to the offense with 3 minutes, after BG'S 4th, 3 and out.

The offense was obviously good yesterday. But, man. It continues to put the defense in really tough spots.

[Rollo83]

I never have liked Greene as a back. I think Givens or Coppet would have had similar numbers with equal PT. He was horrible at pass protection yesterday. II mean BAD. I think it is time for Coppet to get reps with Greene being more of a situational back.

Yeah, Travis Greene is horrible...

2014 - 949 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns (despite missing two games to injury)

2013 - 1,594 rushing yards (school record), 1,749 all-purpose yards (2nd most ever at BG), 13 touchdowns, 9 100-yard rushing games (school record for a season)

Yes, the kid got beat late yesterday on a couple of blitzes that were key. Both Babers and Johnson said in the post-game presser that those one-on-one situations come down which player wants it more. Unfortunately, Travis wasn't able to make those plays.

Yes, Coppet is a great change of pace to Travis with his power running. But, to say Travis isn't a very good back in this offense is just reinventing history.

[kdog27]

Until this team stops getting in their own way they won't be a good team. Plenty of talent but they lack the fine tuning and discipline needed to be better.

When the offense is on it is on. The problem is when their rhythm is broken they struggle to get it back. Fake punt was big but I thought a key point in the game was on 3rd and 7 and MJ thought he had a free play and just threw the ball up. I'm not certain when that happened but it seemed like we did nothing after that. It definitely should have been offsides, but you have to bounce back from plays like this. It's not always going to go your way. Suck it up and get back out there.

I know it's ridiculous to some but I share the opinion of Hammb this year now that we have a great QB. The offense should have won yesterday's game. They had a chance to put a foot on their throat in the 3rd quarter and effed up a trick play. Then in the fourth they had plenty of chances to win or at least take the lead back and did nearly nothing the last 10 minutes of the game.

The offense is the strength of this team littered with talent and veterans. They should be winning games like this and putting away teams when they build a lead not squandering it with 3 and outs.

[gspointer]

I never have liked Greene as a back. I think Givens or Coppet would have had similar numbers with equal PT. He was horrible at pass protection yesterday. II mean BAD. I think it is time for Coppet to get reps with Greene being more of a situational back.

Yeah, Travis Greene is horrible...

2014 - 949 yards rushing, 12 touchdowns (despite missing two games to injury)

2013 - 1,594 rushing yards (school record), 1,749 all-purpose yards (2nd most ever at BG), 13 touchdowns, 9 100-yard rushing games (school record for a season)

Yes, the kid got beat late yesterday on a couple of blitzes that were key. Both Babers and Johnson said in the post-game presser that those one-on-one situations come down which player wants it more. Unfortunately, Travis wasn't able to make those plays.

Yes, Coppet is a great change of pace to Travis with his power running. But, to say Travis isn't a very good back in this offense is just reinventing history.

Did not say he is not a good back. I really just think we have better options there Sometimes you say no to a good thing to get something better.

[jpfalcon09]

Just a few observations since I had a busy weekend and couldn't comment on the game:

- Memphis has an outstanding offense and really dominated the line of scrimmage. Their misdirection gave the BG D fits all game and there was really no answer for it. They also used that option play to their advantage on multiple occasions and had much success with it.

- I felt the play calling on offense in the second half really did us in. Offense wasn't able to sustain possession time, especially in the 4th quarter and it put the defense in a really tough spot. OL did a poor job in run blocking as well as Greene and Coppet were only able to break off a couple medium runs. Five carries for Coppet is also way too few for a guy who can be a home run threat.

- Memphis made major adjustments in the second half defensively and won the game on that. Their decision to go press man coverage and blitz in the 4th was genius and their coach should be commended on that. Don't be shocked if other teams pick up on this the rest of the year when BG goes to an empty, 5-WR set.

- 76 plays for this offense is too few and really hurt late in the game. The defense ended up getting wore down and really had no answer for the Tigers offense.

- Lewis had a monster game and it was funny that Memphis kept playing man coverage on him throughout the game. He made their corners look silly. I wish some other guys would have been more involved offensively, namely Coppet, Dieter and Rhodes.

- Defensively, the secondary is a mess and there's no coverage in the middle part of the field. I also felt BG didn't blitz enough to force Lynch to feel some pressure. As a result, he basically picked us apart little by little and then hit BG for big gains late.

- As mentioned already, the special teams gaffes are too numerous and happen at inopportune times of the game. Three weeks now makes me believe it's more of a personnel issue than coaching, but this must be cleaned up in time for the MAC schedule.

I was proud of the way the team played, but Babers got outcoached in the 2nd half of the game and had no answer for Memphis' adjustments on both sides of the ball. BG has a good team, but until they can piece together every phase of the game, they'll struggle to win close games like this where it comes down to who makes the fewest mistakes.