(10-03-2013 11:34 AM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:34 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:29 AM)Digi368 Wrote:  Just bear with me but this game might be more evenly matched than you might think. Marshall and UTSA are both 1 and 2 in CUSA in offensive yards per game. Defensively, Marshall is #1 and UTSA is # 6 but UTSA has also played the Big 12, Pac 12, MWC, AAC and CUSA while Marshall has played only 1 P5 school in V-Tech and also played an FCS school in Garner Webb. There other two contests were from the MAC.

Full disclosure, I think Marshall will win but I'm not sure it would be a huge upset if UTSA pulled out the W

Yes....yes it would.

Yeah you may have a lot of faith in your team which is great, but if we lose to you guys it would be an upset. You have played two really awful teams in New Mexico and UTEP so that helps your stats out. Sure we have too but Marshall is deeper and more talented than UTSA and was picked to contend for the title this year in CUSA. Losing to UTSA would be a terrible loss for us. You may not see that but it would be.

Don't think it can't happen. I'd give UTSA a 35-40% chance of winning this game. That means y'all should win... but it wouldn't be a total shock if UTSA wins. And yes, I agree... every team that has lost to UTSA has considered it their worst loss... with fans coming just short of disowning their team. It is expected when we win, and quite frankly, we love it!

Marshall wins big. UTSA defense isn't there yet.

(10-03-2013 11:05 AM)HerdZoned Wrote:  And FIU destroys helpless Monken and his Golden Iggles.

I could be totally wrong, but I can't see no way in Hell that a team that asked for a running clock; that has scored 23 points for the entire season so far; that lost to Bethune-Cookman; that is at the bottom or near the bottom of a lot of national offensive and defensive rankings; is all of a sudden going to rise up and win a road game.

the USM players are chomping at the bit to end the streak.

(10-03-2013 11:34 AM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:34 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:29 AM)Digi368 Wrote:  Just bear with me but this game might be more evenly matched than you might think. Marshall and UTSA are both 1 and 2 in CUSA in offensive yards per game. Defensively, Marshall is #1 and UTSA is # 6 but UTSA has also played the Big 12, Pac 12, MWC, AAC and CUSA while Marshall has played only 1 P5 school in V-Tech and also played an FCS school in Garner Webb. There other two contests were from the MAC.

Full disclosure, I think Marshall will win but I'm not sure it would be a huge upset if UTSA pulled out the W

Yes....yes it would.

Yeah you may have a lot of faith in your team which is great, but if we lose to you guys it would be an upset. You have played two really awful teams in New Mexico and UTEP so that helps your stats out. Sure we have too but Marshall is deeper and more talented than UTSA and was picked to contend for the title this year in CUSA. Losing to UTSA would be a terrible loss for us. You may not see that but it would be.

Agreed.

I'd say if ECU, Marshall, MTSU, or Rice lost to UTSA it would be a TERRIBLE loss. I think UTSA has the offense to keep it close for a quarter, maybe even the first half. But if Cato & that offense get rolling... they may keep scoring TD's into Sunday morning.

Anything can happen thats for sure. We are not good enough just to show up and play. We'll have to stay mistake free and be able to get off the field on defense. Frankly, our pass defense concerns me.

USM will beat FIU - mark it down.

(10-03-2013 10:37 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  Winning in Nashville would be another big hurdle we have to clear.

I'll guarantee ECU doesn't win in Nashville this weekend.

(10-03-2013 12:55 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:37 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  Winning in Nashville would be another big hurdle we have to clear.

I'll guarantee ECU doesn't win in Nashville this weekend.

You're 100% right. Reminds me of "Canadian Bacon"... we're going to the capital of Canada! Toronto!!

Id give UTSA a fighting chance IF Marshall wasn't coming off a bye week...they will be well prepared our offense....UTSA will fight and claw for a couple quarters because they play with heart. Utep and UNM are just not very good, Marshall is.

I just want our guys to get through without any injuries, we have only lost one key player through this first brutal stretch of 5 games, I honestly expected more at this point. Get back home from this game healthy and we have a legit shot at beating anyone left on the schedule. Bye week before the UNT game is huge for us.

(10-03-2013 10:37 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:17 AM)ShoreBuc Wrote:  UTSA beating Marshall would be an upset. ECU losing on the road after a nice win is par for the course. We beat WVU, South Carolina, Duke and #9 Miami only to lose to UAB on the road and blow our CUSA Championship before. I would also say MTSU is going to be pumped up and ECU will have to play a good game to win

None of that has anyhing to do with the 2013 season. ECU fans "past results paranoia" has always been strange to me.

Not paranoid at all, just been watching ECU for 25yrs and simply stating I would not be shocked to lose a road game in which we are only favored by 7pts. I would be pissed if we lost the game because we are set up for a beautiful run over the next 6 games. A 6 game win streak going into the NCST and Marshall games would be awesome and I think this team is fully capable of doing just that.

The Logan Era was famous for winning huge games against ranked teams and other P5 schools only to choke in CUSA. The Skip Holtz Era as pointed out was marked by more than a few chokes and as pointed out we lost two terrible road games to Rice and Marshall that cost ECU 4 consecutive trips to the CUSA Championship.

We don't have much of a sampling during the Ruffin McNeil Era to determine whether he will close the deal on road games we should win and make it to the last opportunity to win CUSA

(10-03-2013 10:29 AM)Digi368 Wrote:  Just bear with me but this game might be more evenly matched than you might think. Marshall and UTSA are both 1 and 2 in CUSA in offensive yards per game. Defensively, Marshall is #1 and UTSA is # 6 but UTSA has also played the Big 12, Pac 12, MWC, AAC and CUSA while Marshall has played only 1 P5 school in V-Tech and also played an FCS school in Garner Webb. There other two contests were from the MAC.

Full disclosure, I think Marshall will win but I'm not sure it would be a huge upset if UTSA pulled out the W

I agree with a lot of your poinits here. Marshall's defensive stats have been against an FCS program which only averages 19.6 points per game; a really bad FBS program (Miami of Ohio which has only scored 35 points in the entire season for an 8.75 point per game average); Ohio; and then VT, which is not good on offense.

UTSA on the other hand averages 25.8 points per game on offense and those scores have come agains Okie State, Houston, Arizona, UTEP and New Mexico. So I suspect that this game will be closer than many think, but if UTSA cannot control Cato; then UTSA will not win.

The X factor is Doc Holliday v. Larry Coker. If UTSA holds it close; and the game comes down to a coaching decision: advantage UTSA.

Like I posted in another thread. This game comes down to one person and one person only. Bill Legg. If he actually plays with the pedal down for the entire game like we did last season and we have at times this season we will run UTSA out of the stadium. We would easily hit 60. However Legg has gotten it in his head he needs to prove to everyone that we can win games by running the ball and slowing it down. That isn't what our players do best. Cato is at his best when we are in no huddle and he gets in a rhythm. Even VT players said they had no answer for our no huddle, hurry up offense.

I know you have to be able to run the ball to win games. We ran the ball pretty well last season. We were 54th, at years end using 3 freshman that didn't start playing until week 4, and Grooms was CUSA Freshman of the Year. This new attitude from the staff towards the offense has cost us in our two losses. Especially seeing how Grooms hasn't been able to play.

If Legg puts the pedal down and lets Cato do his thing: Marshall 58, UTSA 23
If Legg starts to implement the slow down run first offense: Marshall 42, UTSA 28

I still feel that we are more talented at almost every position and we are definitely deeper at every position that UTSA. Grooms is supposed to ready to go and Brandon Sparrow will be back at DT. I would like to get Baxter back but there is talks he will get a RS this season. But we should be able to wear down UTSA by mid 3rd quarter when depth becomes an issue. Look no further than UTSA's game last week against Houston. It was tied at half but in the second half UTSA was outscored 31-7 with 28 points coming from Houston in the 4th.

I am not trying to be disrespectful to UTSA but they are just not at the same level as the top teams in CUSA or really any good team in FBS because they do not have a deep enough roster to be able to contend wire to wire. I read their rivals site the other night and their own breakdown talks about how bad their DBs are and that is a bad deal when facing our offense. As long as we dont give the game away like at OHIO this game never should be in doubt.

(10-03-2013 01:45 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:29 AM)Digi368 Wrote:  Just bear with me but this game might be more evenly matched than you might think. Marshall and UTSA are both 1 and 2 in CUSA in offensive yards per game. Defensively, Marshall is #1 and UTSA is # 6 but UTSA has also played the Big 12, Pac 12, MWC, AAC and CUSA while Marshall has played only 1 P5 school in V-Tech and also played an FCS school in Garner Webb. There other two contests were from the MAC.

Full disclosure, I think Marshall will win but I'm not sure it would be a huge upset if UTSA pulled out the W

I agree with a lot of your poinits here. Marshall's defensive stats have been against an FCS program which only averages 19.6 points per game; a really bad FBS program (Miami of Ohio which has only scored 35 points in the entire season for an 8.75 point per game average); Ohio; and then VT, which is not good on offense.

UTSA on the other hand averages 25.8 points per game on offense and those scores have come agains Okie State, Houston, Arizona, UTEP and New Mexico. So I suspect that this game will be closer than many think, but if UTSA cannot control Cato; then UTSA will not win.
The X factor is Doc Holliday v. Larry Coker. If UTSA holds it close; and the game comes down to a coaching decision: advantage UTSA.

Against OkSt, UTSA score 7pts in the first quarter and 28pts in the fourth quarter which at that point was 42-7. At that point OkSt was playing deep in its roster and were already pulling back a considerable bit.

Houston they were outscored 31-7 in the second half.

UTEP is an atrocious team at this point in time. A team that has given up 38.5 points per game. Giving up 42 to a 1-3 New Mexico and 59 to a 2-3 Colorado St team that was 1-3 coming in and averaging 23.5 points per game. With their only win coming against an 0-5 New Mexico State.

Arizona State they could only score one TD and gave up 38 points.

(10-03-2013 02:42 PM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 01:45 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:29 AM)Digi368 Wrote:  Just bear with me but this game might be more evenly matched than you might think. Marshall and UTSA are both 1 and 2 in CUSA in offensive yards per game. Defensively, Marshall is #1 and UTSA is # 6 but UTSA has also played the Big 12, Pac 12, MWC, AAC and CUSA while Marshall has played only 1 P5 school in V-Tech and also played an FCS school in Garner Webb. There other two contests were from the MAC.

Full disclosure, I think Marshall will win but I'm not sure it would be a huge upset if UTSA pulled out the W

I agree with a lot of your poinits here. Marshall's defensive stats have been against an FCS program which only averages 19.6 points per game; a really bad FBS program (Miami of Ohio which has only scored 35 points in the entire season for an 8.75 point per game average); Ohio; and then VT, which is not good on offense.

UTSA on the other hand averages 25.8 points per game on offense and those scores have come agains Okie State, Houston, Arizona, UTEP and New Mexico. So I suspect that this game will be closer than many think, but if UTSA cannot control Cato; then UTSA will not win.
The X factor is Doc Holliday v. Larry Coker. If UTSA holds it close; and the game comes down to a coaching decision: advantage UTSA.

Against OkSt, UTSA score 7pts in the first quarter and 28pts in the fourth quarter which at that point was 42-7. At that point OkSt was playing deep in its roster and were already pulling back a considerable bit.

Houston they were outscored 31-7 in the second half.

UTEP is an atrocious team at this point in time. A team that has given up 38.5 points per game. Giving up 42 to a 1-3 New Mexico and 59 to a 2-3 Colorado St team that was 1-3 coming in and averaging 23.5 points per game. With their only win coming against an 0-5 New Mexico State.

Arizona State they could only score one TD and gave up 38 points.

UTSA has actully played 5 games to Marshall's 4 games; and UTSA has had a more difficult schedule (average RPI of 76.8) than Marshall (average RPI of 92). Against FBS competitino Marshall's defense gives up 24.67 points per game, which is pretty close to what UTSA averages on offense against FBS competition (25.8 ppg). This might end up being a pretty good game.

(10-03-2013 12:55 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:37 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  Winning in Nashville would be another big hurdle we have to clear.

I'll guarantee ECU doesn't win in Nashville this weekend.

Don't y'all claim that metro?

(10-03-2013 03:09 PM)PGPirate Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 12:55 PM)MTPiKapp Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:37 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  Winning in Nashville would be another big hurdle we have to clear.

I'll guarantee ECU doesn't win in Nashville this weekend.

Don't y'all claim that metro?

We're part of the DMA yes, but we're a city of 110k+ people 30+ miles from Nashville.

ECU will crush MT end of discussion.....







actually, I have seen to many let down games in my 30 years of being a Pirate fan; hopefully, Ruff will be the coach to change that legacy.

(10-03-2013 01:45 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  The X factor is Doc Holliday v. Larry Coker. If UTSA holds it close; and the game comes down to a coaching decision: advantage UTSA.

100% this.

(10-03-2013 02:42 PM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 01:45 PM)PirateMarv Wrote:  

(10-03-2013 10:29 AM)Digi368 Wrote:  Just bear with me but this game might be more evenly matched than you might think. Marshall and UTSA are both 1 and 2 in CUSA in offensive yards per game. Defensively, Marshall is #1 and UTSA is # 6 but UTSA has also played the Big 12, Pac 12, MWC, AAC and CUSA while Marshall has played only 1 P5 school in V-Tech and also played an FCS school in Garner Webb. There other two contests were from the MAC.

Full disclosure, I think Marshall will win but I'm not sure it would be a huge upset if UTSA pulled out the W

I agree with a lot of your poinits here. Marshall's defensive stats have been against an FCS program which only averages 19.6 points per game; a really bad FBS program (Miami of Ohio which has only scored 35 points in the entire season for an 8.75 point per game average); Ohio; and then VT, which is not good on offense.

UTSA on the other hand averages 25.8 points per game on offense and those scores have come agains Okie State, Houston, Arizona, UTEP and New Mexico. So I suspect that this game will be closer than many think, but if UTSA cannot control Cato; then UTSA will not win.
The X factor is Doc Holliday v. Larry Coker. If UTSA holds it close; and the game comes down to a coaching decision: advantage UTSA.

Against OkSt, UTSA score 7pts in the first quarter and 28pts in the fourth quarter which at that point was 42-7. At that point OkSt was playing deep in its roster and were already pulling back a considerable bit.

Houston they were outscored 31-7 in the second half.

UTEP is an atrocious team at this point in time. A team that has given up 38.5 points per game. Giving up 42 to a 1-3 New Mexico and 59 to a 2-3 Colorado St team that was 1-3 coming in and averaging 23.5 points per game. With their only win coming against an 0-5 New Mexico State.

Arizona State they could only score one TD and gave up 38 points.

Well we were also playing backups in the 2nd half vs Okst. Our backups scored the last TD

Houston's 2nd half was almost exclusively caused by turnovers. UTSA had 5 turnovers in the 2nd half. They also had a block FG attempt returned for a TD which could be seen as turnover 6

Arizona whipped us in their house plain and simple. There defense was faster than any other team we have seen

(10-03-2013 02:32 PM)BleedsGreen33 Wrote:  I know you have to be able to run the ball to win games. We ran the ball pretty well last season. We were 54th, at years end using 3 freshman that didn't start playing until week 4, and Grooms was CUSA Freshman of the Year. This new attitude from the staff towards the offense has cost us in our two losses. Especially seeing how Grooms hasn't been able to play.

Whatever your OC does he better not try and run heavily at UTSA and should simply let Cato play an up tempo pass heavy game. UTSA does one thing defensively very well...stop the run

UNM's Carrier was a top rusher last year and UTSA held him under 60 yards. Next week he ran for 300 yards vs UTEP

OkSt #1 RB was held to 2.8 average

Arizona's Carey (#1 rusher last season) came into the game with 8 straight 150 yard + performances. That record was broken after UTSA

UTEP’s freshman phenom RB Jones only mustered 28 yards on 10 carries.

Houston's Jackson had a similar number of carries vs both UTSA and Rice. Versus Rice Jackson had 87 yards with a 4.6 average and against UTSA he rushed for 68 yards and a 3.8 average

Nobody is scared of 2-2 Marshall