Edge Rock Report

North Texas

Well, it happened.  The thing we really kind of half-heartedly joked about all last week became a reality.  It was one of those where you go, “Yeah, we’ll be just fine, should be an easy one,” but in your mind you add, ” at least I hope.”

I’ll echo Alan’s thoughts earlier.  The better team won last night.  It wasn’t a matter of us giving them the game like we did last year in Detroit.  This was seriously a case of the better team won.  Let’s recap a bit on both sides of the ball.

Offense
I think we knew where this one was headed.  It was arrhythmic all game.  When you only get the ball for only 22 minutes, who can blame them?  MiQuale Lewis was the clear offensive star, but his limited touches proves that being the star last night didn’t mean a lot.  It’s been said before, but he should have seen more action.

That brings us to Kelly Page.  I see potential in this kid.  He had to scramble quite a bit, and he did it well.  Most of the passes were play action so that he at least had the option of getting outside the pocket and running if no one was open, which was frequently.

One thing that needs serious attention is his tendency to single out one receiver.  Passing plays are designed to get at least one man open, and if that man can’t get open, you have your second option.  Page didn’t play to that at all.  He knew who was supposed to be open, and I’ll be damned if he didn’t try to get it in despite double coverages.

In all, it was what we expected, and there’s reason to believe things will get better.  But if we have indeed lost Grant to a knee injury, that will be a big blow to this already challenged offense.

Defense
Shockingly bad.  There’s no excuse as to why we weren’t prepared for a no-huddle offense.  None.  And before anyone tries to say they were ready, you obviously weren’t paying attention last night.  North Texas would be seconds away from the snap while we were still looking to the sidelines to see what we needed to do defensively.  It would have almost been comical had it not been the team I was there to see.  All timeouts burned by 5:00 left in the second quarter?  Yeah, nice plan.

The secondary treated the wide receivers like they had freakin’ herpes or something.  They gave them so much space to take those 6-8 yard curl passes that we couldn’t keep them off the field.  North Texas was on the field a total of just over 37 minutes.  That, my friends, is inexcusable.

All in all, aside from Sean Baker’s great catch in the end zone, this defense needs a complete ass-chewing this week.  Coach Graber has a lot of work to do, and it could mean something as drastic as a rebuild.  Everything down to the tackling was ugly.  Seriously guys, your opponents aren’t bowling pins.  Just because you hit them hard doesn’t mean they’ll go down.

Once again, just terrible.

Special Teams
Ray Finkle.  Shoot me now.

Final Score
Ball State: 10
North Texas: 20

Performance: 1 Guitar

Why?
Because, it sucked. It was disappointing. Like seeing Iron Maiden with only one of their three lead guitarists. We all know three to five lead guitarists is the minimum to all bands that really know how to rock.

Soundtrack to the Game
Just go pick something disappointing. Like… when the girl who played Meadow Soprano released an album.  Or how about William Hung’s CD.  Oooh, the new Dylan Christmas album.  Yeah, it’s really happening and will be released on October 13.  Ah, the best yet – a Scott Stapp solo album. That should induce enough pain and nausea to match what last night was like.

Filed under: Ball State, Edge Rock Report |