CMichFan
Moderator
Posts: 7,672
Joined: May 2002
Reputation: 19
I Root For: CMU
Location: SE Michigan
|
Both teams might start a relative newcomer at QB: Andy Roesch for Ball State and Kent Smith for CMU. Vickers will have to earn the starting role this week...
...when CMU has the ball, we should be successful at what we do best: pounding the ball upfield :D . BSU has a smallish DL and a smaller LB corp (Rover: 5'11", 190lb; Hawk: 6'3", 198lb; MLB: 5'11", 193lb; WLB: 6'2", 210lb.), but the unit is reportedly fast. The secondary is also small. IMO, stay away from the outside runs, keep it between the tackles, and force them to stop us. I'd run Mixon and Jackson about equally. If Vickers or Kent can victimize a Ball State D stacked against the run even a couple times early, we'll be in business. I look for us to hit the TEs over the middle at least a couple times against the smaller defenders. Ball State is #8 in the MAC in scoring defense, as opposed to the #1 UT squad we just faced, so expect a good outing on this side of the ball. B)
Defensively, since Ball State has a worse passing offense than CMU, we should be able to focus on stuffing Merriweather. With our pass rush looking respectable and Ball State yielding 2.4 sacks/contest, our secondary just needs to play decently, and we should be OK. Ball State averages just under 330 yards/game...
Does anyone know how healthy Anthony Tyus and Darvin Lewis are? They're still listed at #2 on the two-deep. How about Bill Brookshire?
CMU is favored by 3 1/2, or was this morning, and the last two games have been close, with Testicle Tech winning both contests 38-34. This is the season we get over the hump against these guys... :saber:
|
|
11-14-2002 01:15 AM |
|
SON OF CHIPPEWA ENEMA
Special Teams
Posts: 903
Joined: Jun 2002
Reputation: 0
I Root For:
Location:
|
Sit Vickers. Start Kent. End of discussion.
|
|
11-15-2002 10:05 AM |
|
rocketfootball
Legend
Posts: 26,853
Joined: Jun 2002
Reputation: 18
I Root For: Toledo
Location:
|
Good luck. I hope you kick around BUGS like a dirty sock!
I agree, Kent is the future.....Give him the experience now and CMU will be in the race in 2003.
|
|
11-15-2002 10:46 AM |
|
CMichFan
Moderator
Posts: 7,672
Joined: May 2002
Reputation: 19
I Root For: CMU
Location: SE Michigan
|
Oops! :o My title line should say CMU versus Ball State. Don't know what I was thinking there... :rolleyes:
<!--EDIT|CMichFan|Nov 15 2002, 12:56 PM-->
|
|
11-15-2002 12:49 PM |
|
CMichFan
Moderator
Posts: 7,672
Joined: May 2002
Reputation: 19
I Root For: CMU
Location: SE Michigan
|
RF: you're not the first Toledo person to say they liked what they saw in Kent Smith. I did, also. There's a lot of raw ability there and the possibilities are exciting. Honestly, whoever has the best week of practice should start, as a .500 season would be a balm for the program. However, if Vickers starts and falters, we definitely have to pull the trigger quickly! Ball State is among the conference leaders in TOP, so we can't allow them to hog the clock and get Merriweather rolling... I think either QB will suffice, though, as we've scored 34 points against BSU two years straight. With our improved run defense against a run-oriented team, I expect good things to happen... :D
|
|
11-15-2002 12:56 PM |
|