Week 6 - BYU: The Mormon Conquest

Week 6 - BYU:  The Mormon Conquest

Although the game was a yawner, it was good to get a comfortable win.  The Bulldogs needed the win.  True enough they didn't do much to impress anyone, but I guess their most important victim, LSU, has done that by beating Florida and Auburn on consecutive Saturdays.  To me any win is a good one ... remember I come from an era when State's beating a woeful team was anything but a foregone conclusion.  I'll never turn my nose up at victory, even if the victim of the drubbing was 1-5 coming into the game.

As with any game, there was good news and bad news.  Let's start with the good because there was more of it:

  • Aeris Williams was a real workhorse, remniscent of some of Vick Ballard's performances.  He ran hard and fought for yards.  A couple of his most impressive runs were when he got hit in the backfield and still fought forward for a couple of yards.  He caught the ball well all but one time too.
  • Nick Gibson and Kylin Hill both looked quick and strong.  We have excellent depth at RB.
  • The offensive line, which struggled with some of the big Polynesian sumo wrestler-looking D linemen from BYU at first, just kept plugging away and wore them down.  They were as effective as they were in those other 3 wins.
  • The receivers were improved.  Yes, there were still a few drops, but Gray made a tough catch for his TD, and Couch got behind his man on the long TD.  
  • Dez Harris played one of his better games as a Bulldog.  He made tackles all over the field, and when he hit someone, he went down.
  • Erroll Thompson just keeps impressing me.  He almost looks like the old NG mold, but he is quick, and he brings it when he hits someone.  
  • Grant Harris and Tre Brown were dominating in the 2nd half.  The overall depth in the D line depth has been encouraging.
  • J. T. Gray missed one play, but he made so many against both the run and the pass.  Like Dez, he was everywhere.
  • Brandon Bryant let one guy get behind him for a long play, but he generally played like he did 2 seasons ago.  He came up fast and hard and really hit people.
  • Although Fitz wasn't at his sharpest passing, his competitiveness continues to shine through.  He ran hard, just bulldozing some big boys on those TD runs.  I loved how he also wasn't going to let the BYU DB get past him on the INT return (the ball which skipped off Aeris's hands and into those of the DB).

And the bad news ...

  • It seems to continue to be in State's DNA to give up big plays.  It worries me because we're talking about a trifling offense for BYU ... and if they can do it, imagine what some of the high octane offenses we'll face down the line might take advantage of us.  It could be the difference and winning and losing some key games down the road.
  • Fitz's passing was inconsistent.  He only made one really poor decision that I recall, but he was just off, especially in the first half.  I still worry about how effective we can be passing when the running game isn't trampling teams.
  • Our two highly touted defenders, Simmons and Lewis, were not dominant.  Simmons made some plays, but he didn't dominate as he had in the La. Tech and LSU games.  
  • Stupid penalties hurt us, especially the back to back 15 yarders vs. Montez and Leo.

Given how the early season trilogy of LSU, UGA, and AU turned out, now the season defining game looms this coming weekend.  UMass should be another given, as BYU was.  aTm looks steadily more formidable; Arky steadily less so.  TSUN consistently proves itself to be a team with an explosive passing game and a porous defense.  I won't mention the UAT game again until it's over.  But UK is a huge game.  They have a good running back, quality receivers, and a very good TE (typically an effective weapon against 'Dog teams).  Their QB is mobile, and while an erratic passer, can buy time and scramble for key yardage.  Their defense has been hot and cold, as has their offensive line.  I think it will come down, as most games do, as to which team's line can whip the others'.  If we are truly a quality team this season, we absolutely have to win this game.  Let's do it!

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