Ready, Set, FAIL
I'm not going to go on about how UB had a great effort, even though for many players it was, nor am I going to point out that WMU is a pretty good team, even though they are, finally I am not going to say the season is not over, even though we have unofficially crossed into a rebuilding year. This loss captures nearly everything bad about 2009 UB football.
- Bad Turnover's
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Bad Special teams - A Defense you can't count on
Earlier this week I had asked if UB was ready for another sprint to the finish, the answer was no. Time to finish strongly enough to avoid backsliding and start preparing 2010 (might I suggest finding a good kicker).
There is an outside shot at a bowl but what has UB done to impress a bowl selection committee? Pounded Gardner Webb, struggled against Akron and UTEP? This is not a moment for false optimism, sometimes it darkest just before it goes pitch black.
Quarterbacks (B-): No matter what you do in terms of yardage, completion percentage, or rallying the team (Maynard did a lot towards those ends) two terrible passes coast us *at least* ten points. He would get a C as a pocket passing QB but he did put down a couple of nice runs and evaded more than a couple of sacks.
Running Backs (A): The running game is day and night with Ike, you have to wonder where this season would be if he had broken out this spring, or late summer. On the long touchdown run he showed why he is such a good back. He read the defense, waited for the hole, and had enough speed to keep the defense from catching him... Diving for 5 yards through the air was pretty impressive.
Receivers (B): Nice numbers don't tell the whole story, while the receivers put up some decent numbers some key drops (like Racks in overtime) and some mistakes running after the catch (like Roosevelt driving late) pull down the grade a bit. Despite the few miscues the receivers were not our problem today, nor was the offense.
Offensive Line (A-): Only one sack allowed, several bad throws due to pressure applied but aside from those few plays Maynard had a ton of time and Ike piled up the yards. This unit has really come together through adversity.
Play Calling (C) : And you're lucky to get that. The worst thing a team can do in OT is put a goose egg up when going first. You have no field goal game beyond 35 yards so priority 1 needs to be getting to the 17-18 yard line. Why in the world were you taking deep shots?!?
Defensive Line (C-): Gave up 150+ yards on the ground, gave up 350 in the air. How do you let a guy drop back 56 times and only get to him one time! Its as if all the advancement we have seen the past two weeks went away when we needed it the most.
Line Backers (C-): Tackling was better but the pursuit was lacking, as was any effectiveness from blitzing backers. During the last WMU drive in regulation we might as well have had two down linemen and 9 defensive backs in the game. No pressure at the line (on the pass or the run) and the defense tackled backwards instead of standing people up.
Defensive Backs(C-): If this is what you could manage against a WMU team which was missing 66% of their starting receivers I am really afraid of what Bowling Green and Barnes will do to us.
Defensive Coaching(C): For much of the third and a part of the 4th I was very impressed with the play of the defense but UB's offense is not good enough to win if you only give them a half game.
Special Teams(F):
How bad is it when the kicker connects with an extra point and I feel like calling my friends about it. It's Special-Ed teams bad and its what we have been looking at all season.