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It was awful. Playcalling and execution. 18/24 in the first half and we hold the ball for 8 minutes to start the second half and only throw 2 balls in that 8 minutes. Looked a lot like last years playcalling.

I'm betting that PJ didn't/won't address that criticism (conservative play calling) in his remarks. He probably doesn't see it that way. We'll see.

I, for one, wondered why no Corey Davis for much of the second half? Was he injured? Did they feel he was too well covered?

Does Western have depth issues that slows their second half production? The last 4 games they've scored 112 first half points vs only 30 second half points. Was at the game and met several real nice Bronco fans. But was trying to figure out what the second half difference was. The way the first half went, if someone had bet me that NIU would pitch a second half shut-out, I would have given 100-1 against that happening.

I don't think it is depth issues. More due to injury and game circumstances.

Franklin got hurt late against EMU. We were up so big at half that we just ran clock and didn't really try to run it up in the second half. Didn't need to.

At CMU, it was just more of a rivalry game thing - less scoring, more defense and a hobbled Franklin. Broncos outscored CMU 32 - 6 after the first quarter.

Even today, it is obvious to those who have watched Franklin that he was nowhere near 100%. Lacked explosiveness, couldn't cut or accelerate. But today, I put more of it on offensive play calling - way too conservative in the second half. Against a decent team, you can't sit on leads. I credit NIU's defense, as well in the second half. Much better effort.

Franklin pretty much proved he was 70% of our offense when he's healthy. Incredible recruit. Like nothing I have seen before at WMU.

(11-28-2014 05:54 PM)DesertBronco Wrote:  Franklin pretty much proved he was 70% of our offense when he's healthy. Incredible recruit. Like nothing I have seen before at WMU.

Great Analysis, you are right on the money!

My thoughts, that drive to start the half obviously intended to eat clock. 8 minutes was more than 25% of the second half. Got to think we will score at least once in the second half. Odds favor WMU.

Also the Fleck idea from a video, "you have to take their will". And if we could have completed the initial drive there we would probably have done that. Came within a hair of doing it.

Then we got in a bad field position problem and Franklin was burned out. Things went downhill. That's the thing about being experienced with knowing how to win. They have that we don't.

Still, I would have taken the field goal there. To not get the points was arrogant, got to walk before you run.

Still, a decent season. Hope the bowl is fun. The kids deserve a reward.

Basically this game could have been over at half. If Franklin doesnt fumble at the goal line and Fleck takes the FG it's 31-11. Then he can sit on a lead.

Not that I blame him, but our OC had so little respect for NIUs offense that he thought he could run out the clock. Even with a crap team like NIU, you can't let them hang around.

And don't be fooled by their record. They've had more breaks come their way this year than most teams get in a decade. I simply refuse to see NIU for anything but what it is; a crap team.

(11-28-2014 06:56 PM)Dirty Ernie Wrote:  Still, I would have taken the field goal there. To not get the points was arrogant, got to walk before you run.

I was pissed at Cubit whenever he did that (go for it on 4th instead of taking the points) and I don't agree with PJ on today's decision. YOU DON'T leave points on the field. PJ is usually aggressive (and so was Cubit) and believes in his offense. Sometimes it backfires and it has several times over the past 5 years against NIU. Of course, when they go for it and get the TD, we all forget about it quickly and nobody brings it up. LOL

I was texting with 83 at the time, told him that we went for it and got stuffed, predicted it would hurt us. It did so fast, they rallied on that, drove, made it 21-17 and all of a sudden we were in a war. We never recovered from that.

(11-28-2014 07:30 PM)DesertBronco Wrote:  I was texting with 83 at the time, told him that we went for it and got stuffed, predicted it would hurt us. It did so fast, they rallied on that, drove, made it 21-17 and all of a sudden we were in a war. We never recovered from that.

Granted it was a key moment.

In sports the best team doesn't always win. In NIUs case the best team didn't win on several occasions this year.

I kind of agree we should of kicked it, Fleck had NO confidence in Haldeman after once again we can't convert an Extra Point. Special Teams this year has been AWFUL. Can't blame Fleck for going for it.

(11-28-2014 05:35 PM)Field Turf Wrote:  Does Western have depth issues that slows their second half production? The last 4 games they've scored 112 first half points vs only 30 second half points.

Good observation. Yes, we are still about a dozen scholarships short of having a completed roster. Scary.

(11-28-2014 07:38 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:30 PM)DesertBronco Wrote:  I was texting with 83 at the time, told him that we went for it and got stuffed, predicted it would hurt us. It did so fast, they rallied on that, drove, made it 21-17 and all of a sudden we were in a war. We never recovered from that.

Granted it was a key moment.

In sports the best team doesn't always win. In NIUs case the best team didn't win on several occasions this year.

(11-28-2014 07:04 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  Basically this game could have been over at half. If Franklin doesnt fumble at the goal line and Fleck takes the FG it's 31-11. Then he can sit on a lead.

Not that I blame him, but our OC had so little respect for NIUs offense that he thought he could run out the clock. Even with a crap team like NIU, you can't let them hang around.

And don't be fooled by their record. They've had more breaks come their way this year than most teams get in a decade. I simply refuse to see NIU for anything but what it is; a crap team.

Lololololol

(11-28-2014 08:49 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:38 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:30 PM)DesertBronco Wrote:  I was texting with 83 at the time, told him that we went for it and got stuffed, predicted it would hurt us. It did so fast, they rallied on that, drove, made it 21-17 and all of a sudden we were in a war. We never recovered from that.

Granted it was a key moment.

In sports the best team doesn't always win. In NIUs case the best team didn't win on several occasions this year.

What are you laughing about. UT played you to a squeaker using a wide receiver at QB. CMU lit you up, wasn't even a game. You blew no one out. Eeeked out wins over Miami, EMU, Kent and Ohio.

Your the Dumb Luck Huskies this year. Nobody buys that garbage as a good team.

(11-28-2014 10:36 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 08:49 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:38 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:30 PM)DesertBronco Wrote:  I was texting with 83 at the time, told him that we went for it and got stuffed, predicted it would hurt us. It did so fast, they rallied on that, drove, made it 21-17 and all of a sudden we were in a war. We never recovered from that.

Granted it was a key moment.

In sports the best team doesn't always win. In NIUs case the best team didn't win on several occasions this year.

What are you laughing about. UT played you to a squeaker using a wide receiver at QB. CMU lit you up, wasn't even a game. You blew no one out. Eeeked out wins over Miami, EMU, Kent and Ohio.

Your the Dumb Luck Huskies this year. Nobody buys that garbage as a good team.

(11-28-2014 11:59 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 10:36 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 08:49 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:38 PM)Chipdip2 Wrote:  

(11-28-2014 07:30 PM)DesertBronco Wrote:  I was texting with 83 at the time, told him that we went for it and got stuffed, predicted it would hurt us. It did so fast, they rallied on that, drove, made it 21-17 and all of a sudden we were in a war. We never recovered from that.

Granted it was a key moment.

In sports the best team doesn't always win. In NIUs case the best team didn't win on several occasions this year.

What are you laughing about. UT played you to a squeaker using a wide receiver at QB. CMU lit you up, wasn't even a game. You blew no one out. Eeeked out wins over Miami, EMU, Kent and Ohio.

Your the Dumb Luck Huskies this year. Nobody buys that garbage as a good team.

Not sure why that's funny. Those are some good points (in bold). Wish WMU had that kind of luck.

You make your own luck. When it happens repeatedly, it's not luck btw.

Wmu1-10at Wmu02WESTERN MICHIGAN
.Wmu1-10at Wmu02FRANKLIN, J rush for 2 yards to the WMU4 (DURANTE, Dechan)
.Wmu2-8at Wmu04FRANKLIN, J rush for 2 yards to the WMU6 (MAYS, Boomer).
Wmu3-6at Wmu06FRANKLIN, J rush for 1 yard to the WMU7 (FORD, Perez).

This was the drive that bothered me below we were up by 4 at this point. What happened to our screen game? Throw Davis something other than a slant. All three runs up the middle.

Scoreboard is all that matters in the end. Jubbas point was that we got way too conservative in the second half. The one series when we got stuck on our own 10 we ran the same play 3 times right up the middle and Werner forced to punt and give them good field position. We didn't go for the throat which was our problem early in the season but I thought we had gotten over that.

We reverted back to the lack of imagination that was one of our problems last season on offense. If you watched the Iron Bowl after the first drive of the second half Alabama was down and they got aggressive getting the ball to their best player and scored 5 straight tds. Davis was thrown the ball 3 times in the second half with one being caught. If memory serves they were all slants. If we saw them jumping his routes why not a sluggo? We just didn't go for it. I would have taken the points the drive we ran down their throats and didn't convert on 4th down but I like the aggression but not the play call, let Terrell read that and he would have given it or give him a routine n pass option. Where was that cut throat attitude after that drive?

Good season given the expectations but VERY disappointing ended to the regular season. Hopefully this was a learning experience for PJ and staff. They had not been in this situation before and have learned from past mistakes. This is a game you know PJ wanted badly which is why I was so confused by the second half. We didn't see that extra wrinkle we seem to have added each week. We could have used a gadget play or something to ignite the team when we got down but instead we went into a shell.

You have to take the good with the bad, love him or hate him he is our guy and I hope he takes this game to heart.