The Upside (Central Michigan)

[SWC75]

- We were 1-0 and didn’t feel like it. Now we’re 2-0 and boy do we feel like it! Now we are dreaming of a battle of unbeatens with Notre Dame or this generation’s Nebraska game vs. Florida State. (But first we have to take care of Maryland.)


- This team had something to prove after the Villanova game and they played like it. They spent two weeks hearing about how much they stunk against Villanova and didn’t deserve to win. Well, today they deserved to win big and did.


- Terrel Hunt in particular had something to show in this game and he did. He was sharp with his passing, ((20- of 30 for 175 yards and a score), and used his big body but nifty footwork to run for 93 yards and 3 scores on 13 carries, (a 7.1 average). More impressive was this, (from Syracuse.com’s article on the game): “Midway through the fourth quarter, Central Michigan defensive lineman Louis Palmer got into Hunt's face. Hunt just pointed to the scoreboard, 33-3 at the time, and exchanged helmet taps with Palmer after the drive.”


- Adonis Ameen-Moore has risen from the dead. He looked like Jerome Bettis today in bulling for 106 yards on 9 carries, except Bettis might have made it to the end zone on that 53 yarder. His career had been such a disappointment to date you have to love that he’s getting his chance and so far is making the most of it. I remember some people thought he might start as a freshman.


- Freshman Erv Phillips came in in the second half and played like a feature back, rushing for 55 yards in 9 carries. With Gulley, DeVonte MacFarlane, George Morris, Moore and Phillips, we are blessed at running back. Wouldn’t it be nice if two of them were in the backfield at the same time so the defense wouldn’t know who to key on?


- The defense was totally dominant in this game. After a disappointing opening drive that led to a field goal, they gave up 59 yards and no points in the last 54:48 of the game. They not only kept giving the ball back to the offense, they did it in good field positon. We weren’t always starting deep in our own territory, as we did against Villanova.


- We out-rushed them 289-34. You aren’t going to lose a game like that.


- Find some wood to knock on, (if there isn’t any, use your head). Two games: no turnovers. And we forced two of them in this game and got two scores out of it as well as a safety. We also stuffed a fourth down attempt, which is the equivalent of a turnover.


- Riley Dixon punted three times for a 39.3 average. So what? Well, he’s the first kicker we’ve had in memory who knew how to kick to the “coffin corner”. He’s a master of it. CMU got the ball on their 3, their 9 and their 8 yard line. One of them set up the safety, another a touchdown. That’s what.


- Eleven different guys caught Hunt’s passes. He has a lot of options.


2-0 with 10+ to go


LET’S GO ORANGE!!!!

 

[SUskibum]

I can sense your excitement in the post and I like it!

I would add to that, the offensive line played like we thought they would play and not coincidentally were much improved in the red zone

 

[SWFLCUSE]

The defense was totally dominant in this game. After a disappointing opening drive that led to a field goal, they gave up 59 yards and no points in the last 54:48 of the game. They not only kept giving the ball back to the offense, they did it in good field position.

This stat is pretty remarkable no matter who we are playing. Essentially we gave up a yard per minute which obviously doesn't yield many points for the opponent.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I'm not a big fan of punting because I think in general it's a bad probability play, especially the strategy of trying to pin the ball deep. That said, Dixon might actually be good enough to swing those probabilities. That's a rare asset for an NFL team, let alone a college team. I'd still like to see us think more in terms of advancing the ball on offense than field position for the defense, but Dixon is really unique - not many guys can bobble the snap and still get a kick off that lands for a fair catch at the ten yard line.

 

[TheCusian]

I'm not a big fan of punting because I think in general it's a bad probability play, especially the strategy of trying to pin the ball deep. That said, Dixon might actually be good enough to swing those probabilities. That's a rare asset for an NFL team, let alone a college team. I'd still like to see us think more in terms of advancing the ball on offense than field position for the defense, but Dixon is really unique - not many guys can bobble the snap and still get a kick off that lands for a fair catch at the ten yard line.

This is an amazing moment in board history . We salute you, Riley Dixon.

 

[suloyalfan]

- We were 1-0 and didn’t feel like it. Now we’re 2-0 and boy do we feel like it! Now we are dreaming of a battle of unbeatens with Notre Dame or this generation’s Nebraska game vs. Florida State. (But first we have to take care of Maryland.)


- This team had something to prove after the Villanova game and they played like it. They spent two weeks hearing about how much they stunk against Villanova and didn’t deserve to win. Well, today they deserved to win big and did.


- Terrel Hunt in particular had something to show in this game and he did. He was sharp with his passing, ((20- of 30 for 175 yards and a score), and used his big body but nifty footwork to run for 93 yards and 3 scores on 13 carries, (a 7.1 average). More impressive was this, (from Syracuse.com’s article on the game): “Midway through the fourth quarter, Central Michigan defensive lineman Louis Palmer got into Hunt's face. Hunt just pointed to the scoreboard, 33-3 at the time, and exchanged helmet taps with Palmer after the drive.”


- Adonis Ameen-Moore has risen from the dead. He looked like Jerome Bettis today in bulling for 106 yards on 9 carries, except Bettis might have made it to the end zone on that 53 yarder. His career had been such a disappointment to date you have to love that he’s getting his chance and so far is making the most of it. I remember some people thought he might start as a freshman.


- Freshman Erv Phillips came in in the second half and played like a feature back, rushing for 55 yards in 9 carries. With Gulley, DeVonte MacFarlane, George Morris, Moore and Phillips, we are blessed at running back. Wouldn’t it be nice if two of them were in the backfield at the same time so the defense wouldn’t know who to key on?


- The defense was totally dominant in this game. After a disappointing opening drive that led to a field goal, they gave up 59 yards and no points in the last 54:48 of the game. They not only kept giving the ball back to the offense, they did it in good field positon. We weren’t always starting deep in our own territory, as we did against Villanova.


- We out-rushed them 289-34. You aren’t going to lose a game like that.


- Find some wood to knock on, (if there isn’t any, use your head). Two games: no turnovers. And we forced two of them in this game and got two scores out of it as well as a safety. We also stuffed a fourth down attempt, which is the equivalent of a turnover.


- Riley Dixon punted three times for a 39.3 average. So what? Well, he’s the first kicker we’ve had in memory who knew how to kick to the “coffin corner”. He’s a master of it. CMU got the ball on their 3, their 9 and their 8 yard line. One of them set up the safety, another a touchdown. That’s what.


- Eleven different guys caught Hunt’s passes. He has a lot of options.


2-0 with 10+ to go


LET’S GO ORANGE!!!!

The only things I want to add is that the defense forced 2 fumbles on the opening drive and CMU also converted a 4th down, so it's not like CMU even had much success that drive either...