Smaug's $0.02
UAB 28
Charlotte 7
The Blazers check a box in the Circle the Calendar games.
Gratifying, dominant performance. The better team was patently obvious. Charlotte is better than they were last year, and so are we. Did you ever think you'd live long enough to see the day we'd have a home field advantage at Legion Field? Now imagine the Blazer Thunder wrapping around the field when we move uptown. We have the power to make that a very difficult place to play. Us. Neat, huh?
Anywho, on to the observations.
A Tale of Two Halves
Charlotte's run defense was stout and we struggled to find any footing. Only 116 yards. Meanwhile we were able to protect AJ and it showed. 13 of 16 to eight different receivers. Not to belabor the point, but we went into the locker room up 5 minutes in time of possession. Charlotte finished the game up 7. That's a 12 minute swing in one half of football. I shall refer to this as "the third quarter".
Our play-calling was aggressive and fun in the first half. In the second half, not.
I'm against running up the score and humiliating other teams, but I'm for putting them away as early as you can.
If, during a quiet moment early in the 4th quarter, you heard a hoarse shout rise up from Section 9, "Keep your foot on the gas, Coach!" that was me.
We seemed to be trying to run the clock out the entire half, right up until they scored, which is a shame because...
There is a D in Blazers
The D was fantastic last night. We held Charlotte to 271 yards. That's it.
271. 4 of 13 on third down (and zero for whatever in the first half). Forced 2 turnovers. Defensive depth is huge. We played a lot of guys. An amazing 18 different guys recorded at least one tackle. In a conference full of pinball offenses, the team that plays D may just win the damn thing.
Okay, getting ahead of ourselves here, but specifically...
Who the hell was THAT guy?
#27 Chris Woolbright. Linebacker. LaFayette High School. Brooklyn, NY. 8 tackles, 6 solo, 2 for loss, and a sack. Something about Charlotte must've really pissed him off. Seriously, though, he has quietly become a real destructive force this year. Should have known we were getting a baller when he played ball at a high school named after the Marquis.
Honey, it's that man again!
#99 Jamell Garcia-Williams. Senior. Defensive End. Las Vegas, NV. Yeah, I know. I've mentioned him before and I like to spread the love, but when a dude keeps making plays, I don't have much choice. 3 tackles. 2 solo. 2 for loss and 2 more sacks. Speaking of...
Southside Sack Exchange
Our D was pretty good last year, but a real shortcoming was our inability to get after the quarterback. So, here's your jaw-dropping stat of the day: we have put the opposing quarterback on his ass ELEVEN times in the last two ball games. 6 against Tulane and another 5 last night. What's the old scouting report? "Does not throw well from flat on his back"?
Speaking of...
Upright and all right
AJ made great throw after great throw last night, and I think the difference is (aside from another two weeks in this offense under his belt) our ability to protect him. He's been a consistent, if unspectacular, presence. A year and change in and we still don't know if he can put a team on his shoulders and win a game. Given our style of play, that's been okay so far, though.
How many times last night did you see him drop back and have time to think, "Wow, he's got all day back there"? For me, it was a lot. In the first half and that final drive, anyway. Okay. I said I wouldn't belabor the point.
The Good
Praise Jesus for 6 o'clock kickoffs before October. It wasn't surface of the sun hot like the Tulane game, but I still sweated through my clothes.
Those ribs. They made my lips burn, but in a good way. Solid work as always, my friend.
I've already mentioned the D.
The Bad
I said I wouldn't belabor it.
The Ugly
Jebus, the exploding laundry truck! Would you believe me if I told you Charlotte had more penalties for more yards than us? I wouldn't have until I looked at the box score. Charlotte 7 for 76 yards, Dragons 5 for 72. A lot of drive-extenders in that 5 again this week. It's hard to be too grumpy about it, though, because we have become a very aggressive defense.
So, what does this mean, Barbara?
It's big. All conference games are big. Think it's not big? You'd like to get last year's game with them back, wouldn't you? 1-0. Tied for first in the West. We've got Tech next week, and you know damn well it's circled on their calendar. They knocked off UNT on the road yesterday, which puts more weight on this one, if we're entertaining thoughts of winning the West.
They are very good, but we will see.
That's all I got. For now. I think.
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