Promised there wouldn't be a let down, but it was clear in the first quarter that wasn't the case. We looked tired and slow and that set the tone. We were never even in this game. As I mentioned after the Western game this was my biggest fear about this game.

Bottom line is Memphis looked better prepared, played better and frankly had a better team tonight. Congrats to Memphis. You guys are obviously improved. Sorry we didn't give you guys much of a test tonight.

(09-20-2014 09:11 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Promised there wouldn't be a let down, but it was clear in the first quarter that wasn't the case. We looked tired and slow and that set the tone. We were never even in this game. As I mentioned after the Western game this was my biggest fear about this game.

Bottom line is Memphis looked better prepared, played better and frankly had a better team tonight. Congrats to Memphis. You guys are obviously improved. Sorry we didn't give you guys much of a test tonight.

If things don't improve dramatically from tonight's effort this is not a bowl team.

(09-20-2014 09:16 PM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(09-20-2014 09:11 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Promised there wouldn't be a let down, but it was clear in the first quarter that wasn't the case. We looked tired and slow and that set the tone. We were never even in this game. As I mentioned after the Western game this was my biggest fear about this game.

Bottom line is Memphis looked better prepared, played better and frankly had a better team tonight. Congrats to Memphis. You guys are obviously improved. Sorry we didn't give you guys much of a test tonight.

If things don't improve dramatically from tonight's effort this is not a bowl team.

That's an over reaction. We played as bad as I have seen us play over the past three seasons. It happens. There are eight more to go.

Thanks for the kind words...Best of luck in conference

(09-20-2014 09:18 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  

(09-20-2014 09:16 PM)Blue Raider Dave Wrote:  

(09-20-2014 09:11 PM)ThreeifbyLightning Wrote:  Promised there wouldn't be a let down, but it was clear in the first quarter that wasn't the case. We looked tired and slow and that set the tone. We were never even in this game. As I mentioned after the Western game this was my biggest fear about this game.

Bottom line is Memphis looked better prepared, played better and frankly had a better team tonight. Congrats to Memphis. You guys are obviously improved. Sorry we didn't give you guys much of a test tonight.

If things don't improve dramatically from tonight's effort this is not a bowl team.

That's an over reaction. We played as bad as I have seen us play over the past three seasons. It happens. There are eight more to go.

We will have to concede we got BOATRACED ON THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI!!!!!!! Time to Regroup! Memphis is pretty damn good!

We should have been prepared and rested. We were coming off a bye week. I know this is a tough one, but I really think that Memphis is a tough well coached team.

(09-20-2014 09:28 PM)Halfcourt Wrote:  We should have been prepared and rested. We were coming off a bye week. I know this is a tough one, but I really think that Memphis is a tough well coached team.

Yeah, I agree. Not in a bragging way, but all the players were going up to Fuente. This is a team.

Both teams will benefit from tonight.

Memphis is clearly improved and we clearly haven't. Our defense needs some help. We weren't getting to the QB at all. What the hell happened to the 3rd down blitz? We barely used it. If they are going to get 1st downs and score anyway, go for it...You've got nothin' to lose.

We must have watched different games. I thought the D handled itself pretty well considering short fields and short rest. Offense had 97 yds halfway through the third qtr. Special teams gave the ball back twice. Just sloppy all the way around. D did all you could ask. Heck they setup the one score in the first half with a short field on the pick. Hats off to Memphis. They out played us in every area.

This win is almost as gratifying as our close loss to UCLA. Close loss over UCLA still better though.

(09-20-2014 11:17 PM)TeKERaider Wrote:  We must have watched different games. I thought the D handled itself pretty well considering short fields and short rest. Offense had 97 yds halfway through the third qtr. Special teams gave the ball back twice. Just sloppy all the way around. D did all you could ask. Heck they setup the one score in the first half with a short field on the pick. Hats off to Memphis. They out played us in every area.

These were my comments on the AAC board about tonight's game. I also thought that the Blue Raider defense played well; as well as any we've faced this year.

Quote:Here's oldtiger's take on the one big difference in the game and a couple of other observations.

1. I think that the biggest difference in the game by far was that we contained Grammar. There were multiple times that he had all day to find a receiver and that was because, with pretty rare exception, the DL and LBs stayed at home and pinched him into uncomfortable situations instead of charging full speed and letting him dart all over the field. I think that made a huge difference.

2. In many ways, I thought that this game was a complete reversal of last year's game. Last year we couldn't get a break from the officials or the bounce of the ball. All of that reversed in the first half this year, and to a lesser degree in the second half. I suppose it's true that if you play long enough; calls and bounces of the ball even up.

3. With just how good UCLA is still being a question mark, the Blue Raiders' defense looked as good as UCLA's to me.

4. Speed kills, and at times I thought that there was a noticeable difference in the speed of the 2 teams, particularly at DB/WR.

5. MTSU is a good football team. That team should win a good number of games, especially since most future opponents won't have 2 weeks to prep for containing Grammar.

Yeah just getting to 2-5 can't be all that satisfying.