#4 MSU at #3 EWU Game Thread

[Screamin_Eagle174]

This game appears to be very closely matched up. MSUs great rushing offense vs. our great rushing defense, MSU's poor passing offense vs. our poor pass defense. EWU's great passing offense vs. MSU's great passing defense, EWU's good rushing offense vs. their good rushing defense. Turnovers and stops before the red zone will be absolutely huge in this one. Can't wait. GO EAGS!

I'm not ready yet to proclaim our rushing defense as great.

In conference only stats it is. We're only giving up 9 more yards per game in conference than the conference leader, SUU who gives up 104.8 ypg.

I was plus 1 with kalm on this one, however; if we can get up 14+ early and make MSU take to the air our run defense should look pretty good.

Who is playing safety this week? I like all our young talent and think we match up athletically with any WR corps in the BSC at DB. Would like to let slip the dogs of war up front and make McGhee have to make a quick decision on the throw. MSU will make some plays, but will likely make some mistakes too.

Tonani, who is redshirting this season after surgery to both hips, was just the first of a recent epidemic of injuries at safety. Most recently, free safety Tevin McDonald was lost with a broken fibula, leaving a converted cornerback (Miles Weatheroy) and a walk-on redshirt freshman (Zach Bruce) to take over those positions.

 

[clawman1]

Teams are becoming so infatuated with double and even triple covering Cooper that our other great receivers, including tight ends and backs slipping out, will have a banner day Saturday.

 

[Seattle Eagle]

This game will come down to which defense decides to show up. We really need the D to have a banner day, despite all the injuries.

 

[celticcat]

The Cats are relatively healthy. We have two guys in the secondary with a club cast on their hands (S and CB), so that's never fun. Our 3rd string DB went down last week, who was a converted S because our original 3rd string DB transfer from Hawaii up and quit a few games into the season. I really don't know who the 3rd CB is going to be. It will either be Eryon Barnett, transfer from Texas who we moved to S in the offseason, won the starting job but has been having chronic stingers the last few weeks, but I think is cleared to play. Otherwise I am guessing it will be a walk-on sophomore from Frenchtown, MT... Flowers and Gords are solid cover corners, but Gords has a cast and Nelson was playing good in the 3rd spot before his injury last week.

Other than that we are pretty healthy. Our stud blocking/receiving TE went down last week as well, he will likely miss this week. He has been a huge part our of running game, he seals the edge as well as any TE I've seen in the last 10 years at MSU. He is athletic with great hands as well. He will be missed but we have serviceable backups.

McGhee has been a bit up and down this season since the injury, with last week being his worst performance of the year, but he hasn't needed to do much with the emergence of the running game. But McGhee isn't a guy who has a ton of 300+ yard games under his belt. He makes plays with his feet, has a good completion percentage, and moves the chains. We don't ask him to throw for 300 yards a game.

The questions are: can we stop Adams and Co., and can EWU stop Kirk and Co.? I like EWU's chances at stopping our ground game more than the Cats stopping Adams. But I also think those of you thinking McGhee can't beat you with his arm are underestimating McGhee. But the teams that have beaten the Cats have stifled our run game, pinned their ears back and gotten after McGhee. All the attention generally goes to McGhee but the Cats are a running team, something like 65% of our playcalls have been runs this year.

Our OL is much better than last year, but still have a long ways to go.

This is shaping up to be a heck of a game, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Eags run away with it either.

 

[luckyintheorder]

BOBCATNATION.COM
BIG SKY CAPSULE: No. 3 Eastern Washington (11-4)

BILLINGS GAZETTE
Eastern vs. MSU: The stage is set (11/2)
Spotlight on: Eastern Washington WR Cooper Kupp (11/5)

SR article:
http://www.spokesman.com/eagles/stories/2013/nov/06/top-five-matchup-first-in-big-sky-since-1994/

Weatheroy's Highlight video circa 2010 #4. Nice tackler, big hitter. see what EWU liked about him and played for one of the better HS in Oregon (Jesuit).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLZoNsIzND8[/youtube]

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

The Cats are relatively healthy. We have two guys in the secondary with a club cast on their hands (S and CB), so that's never fun. Our 3rd string DB went down last week, who was a converted S because our original 3rd string DB transfer from Hawaii up and quit a few games into the season. I really don't know who the 3rd CB is going to be. It will either be Eryon Barnett, transfer from Texas who we moved to S in the offseason, won the starting job but has been having chronic stingers the last few weeks, but I think is cleared to play. Otherwise I am guessing it will be a walk-on sophomore from Frenchtown, MT... Flowers and Gords are solid cover corners, but Gords has a cast and Nelson was playing good in the 3rd spot before his injury last week.

Other than that we are pretty healthy. Our stud blocking/receiving TE went down last week as well, he will likely miss this week. He has been a huge part our of running game, he seals the edge as well as any TE I've seen in the last 10 years at MSU. He is athletic with great hands as well. He will be missed but we have serviceable backups.

McGhee has been a bit up and down this season since the injury, with last week being his worst performance of the year, but he hasn't needed to do much with the emergence of the running game. But McGhee isn't a guy who has a ton of 300+ yard games under his belt. He makes plays with his feet, has a good completion percentage, and moves the chains. We don't ask him to throw for 300 yards a game.

The questions are: can we stop Adams and Co., and can EWU stop Kirk and Co.? I like EWU's chances at stopping our ground game more than the Cats stopping Adams. But I also think those of you thinking McGhee can't beat you with his arm are underestimating McGhee. But the teams that have beaten the Cats have stifled our run game, pinned their ears back and gotten after McGhee. All the attention generally goes to McGhee but the Cats are a running team, something like 65% of our playcalls have been runs this year.

Our OL is much better than last year, but still have a long ways to go.

This is shaping up to be a heck of a game, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Eags run away with it either.

Thanks for the info catbob... pretty fair assessment. McGhee can most definitely beat you with his arm, but he hasn't been his usual self since the shoulder injury, correct? How close is he to 100% do you think? Regardless, with the injuries EWU has sustained in the secondary, I would be shocked if Ash and company didn't air it out more and try to take advantage.

 

[celticcat]

Well, since his return at UND:

UND - 13/18 194 yards in a little over 2 quarters of play. Rushed 4 times for 20 yards.
NAU - He was just 7/18 for 72 yards and an INT. 8 Rushes 36 yards and a TD. Cats rushed for 276 yards.
Weber - After the bye week, he came back and threw for 313 yards and 3 TDs on 20/29 passing. Just 11 rushing yards.
Davis - 15/20 230 yards and 2 TDs, 10 rushes 51 yards.
UNC - 16/27 for 140 and a TD. 7 rushes -20 yards, and he fumbled once.

He hasn't been quite the same since the injury but has shown flashes. I am hoping he gets back into the grove, but the game against UNC was pretty awful. He was throwing high, looked uncomfortable, took some big sacks and didn't hold onto the ball well. His receivers had a couple drops but that doesn't make up for it.

I'm not sure which DMac will show up honestly.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Curious, I was reading the SR article and a thought came to me. Are Schmedding and Best the only two EWU graduates on the staff? If so, that has to be an all-time low for EWU grads on the Eastern staff. This program has been so good at turning out coaches that it seems almost unheard of to have so few EWU guys on the sidelines.

 

[ewueagle2010]

Curious, I was reading the SR article and a thought came to me. Are Schmedding and Best the only two EWU graduates on the staff? If so, that has to be an all-time low for EWU grads on the Eastern staff. This program has been so good at turning out coaches that it seems almost unheard of to have so few EWU guys on the sidelines.

I thought I heard that Nicholas Edwards is now back on staff...

 

[eaglesfootball]

The Cats are relatively healthy. We have two guys in the secondary with a club cast on their hands (S and CB), so that's never fun. Our 3rd string DB went down last week, who was a converted S because our original 3rd string DB transfer from Hawaii up and quit a few games into the season. I really don't know who the 3rd CB is going to be. It will either be Eryon Barnett, transfer from Texas who we moved to S in the offseason, won the starting job but has been having chronic stingers the last few weeks, but I think is cleared to play. Otherwise I am guessing it will be a walk-on sophomore from Frenchtown, MT... Flowers and Gords are solid cover corners, but Gords has a cast and Nelson was playing good in the 3rd spot before his injury last week.

Other than that we are pretty healthy. Our stud blocking/receiving TE went down last week as well, he will likely miss this week. He has been a huge part our of running game, he seals the edge as well as any TE I've seen in the last 10 years at MSU. He is athletic with great hands as well. He will be missed but we have serviceable backups.

McGhee has been a bit up and down this season since the injury, with last week being his worst performance of the year, but he hasn't needed to do much with the emergence of the running game. But McGhee isn't a guy who has a ton of 300+ yard games under his belt. He makes plays with his feet, has a good completion percentage, and moves the chains. We don't ask him to throw for 300 yards a game.

The questions are: can we stop Adams and Co., and can EWU stop Kirk and Co.? I like EWU's chances at stopping our ground game more than the Cats stopping Adams. But I also think those of you thinking McGhee can't beat you with his arm are underestimating McGhee. But the teams that have beaten the Cats have stifled our run game, pinned their ears back and gotten after McGhee. All the attention generally goes to McGhee but the Cats are a running team, something like 65% of our playcalls have been runs this year.

Our OL is much better than last year, but still have a long ways to go.

This is shaping up to be a heck of a game, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the Eags run away with it either.

thanks for the info catbob. looks like both of our secondaries are pretty depleted.

 

[nevadacat]

Eagle Fans in or visiting Las Vegas:

Join us Bobcat Fans on Saturday, November 9, at Buffalo Wild Wings, 4280 S. Hualapai in southwest Las Vegas to watch the game. Game time is noon Pacific Standard Time.

 

[luckyintheorder]

Coulter on the Cat site has some good stats on how teams have fared running the ball against the Cats.

EWU should have a big day

From Cats board:

Monmouth: Julian Hayes ran for 135 yards and a TD on 22 carries. Liberty, Lehigh, Holy Cross, Saint Francis PA and Sacred Heart all held him to less, but he has 889 yards and four TDs this season.

SMU: K.C. Nlemchi ran for 54 yards and a TD on just 8 carries. He's rushed for 74 yards since.

Colorado Mesa: Jake Cimolino 92 yards on 15 carries. Black Hills State, New Mexico Highlands and Colorado Mines, but he has 919 yards and seven TDs on the season.

Stephen F. Austin: Gus Johnson 157 yards 3TDs on 26 carries. Weber State (110), Sam Houston State (135), Texas Tech (15), McMurry (102), Southeastern Louisiana (106), Nichols State (99) all held him to less. Only powerhouse Prairie View A&M gave up more, allowing Johnson to run for 179 yards. He's got 885 yards and 10 TDs this season.

North Dakota — Jake Miller had 93 yards on 17 carries, including 101 yards on 14 carries in the first half before losing yards in the second. He rushed for 31 yards on Montana and South Dakota State, 66 on Idaho State, 33 on EWU, 15 on Sac State, 44 on Portland State, and 2 against Northern Arizona. He's got 424 yards this year.

Northern Arizona: Inexplicably, the best running back MSU has faced this season is Zach Bauman and he had the least success. NAU couldn't get anything going because of unbelievably sub-par quarterback play. A little more flow and Bauman probably gets more touches. Still, holding the 7th-leading rusher in the conference 26 yards on nine carries is impressive. NAU employs a lot of stretch and cut-back run plays, which cater to MSU's strengths on the perimeter. Bauman has 1,137 yards and 8 TDs this season.

Weber State: Bo Bolen rushed for 124 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries, including 99 yards before halftime. Bolen had 85 against SFA, 30 against Utah, -2 against Utah State, 90 against McNeese, 66 against Sac State, 9 against EWU, 15 against Cal Poly and 10 against Portland State. He's got 427 yards and 4 Tds this year, so more than 1/4 of his stats came against the Cats.

UC Davis: Gabe Manzanares rushed for 179 yards and a TD on 27 carries. He had 91 against South Dakota, 0 against Nevada, 40 against NAU, 32 against Portland State, 208 against Idaho State, 175 against Southern Utah, 60 against Montana, 135 against Northern Colorado, and 141 against Cal Poly. He's got 1,031 yards and six TDs this season.

Northern Colorado: Tromaine Dennis rushed for 88 yards on 25 carries and a TD. He rushed for 0 against Langston, 102 against CSU-Pueblo, 48 against Wyoming, 71 against Northern Iowa, 34 against Southern Utah, 26 against Sac, 65 against Idaho State and 135 against UC Davis.

In synopsis, teams featured tailbacks have carried the ball 154 times for 948 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns this season. Miller, Bolen and Nlemchi had their best days of the season against Montana State. Dennis, Manzanares, Johnson and Hayes had their second-best days. Bauman had his worst. The common thread has been zone-style runs between the tackles and poor tackling by Montana State. Expect every opponent Montana State plays to do the same thing until it gets shored up.

 

[luckyintheorder]

The Sports Network article MSU v EWU today:

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/...cfoot2/writers/infcshuddle_lawrence/index.htm

 

[Rjones61]

The Sports Network article MSU v EWU today:

http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/...cfoot2/writers/infcshuddle_lawrence/index.htm

Just PM'd this to Screamin Eagle. Here is the Sports Network's final prediction, if anyone missed it. It's pretty far down the thread.

No. 4 Montana State (7-2, 5-0 Big Sky) at No. 3 Eastern Washington (7-2, 5-0)

Kickoff: 3:10 p.m.

What to know: There is no understating the importance of this game from a Big Sky Conference standpoint. The winner will have sole possession of the conference lead with two weeks of the regular season remaining.

There are so many things each team does well, especially on offense. The Bobcats have turned into a run-first team with Cody Kirk and Shawn Johnson dominating touches and scores from the line of scrimmage. And since his return from a shoulder injury, senior quarterback DeNarius McGhee has been efficient. Not great, but efficient.

The Eagles counter with Walter Payton Award candidate Vernon Adams under center. Adams has enjoyed a monster sophomore season, and is coming off a five-touchdown performance against Idaho State. He, receiver Cooper Kupp and running back Quincy Forte make up the three-headed monster of the Eastern Washington offensive attack.

Neither team is likely to make a costly mistake in this contest, and this could be a preview of things to come in the postseason. Give the edge in this one to the slightly more high-powered offense and the team used to playing on the burning red turf.

Prediction: Eastern Washington 36, Montana State 32

 

[luckyintheorder]

Links off SR article MSU v EWU:

Bozeman Daily
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.co...cle_e645d1ae-46af-11e3-af2c-0019bb2963f4.html

Billings Gazette
http://billingsgazette.com/sports/c...cle_bf717402-4740-11e3-88c6-0019bb2963f4.html

Great Falls Trib
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/ar...ebook-Big-game-Cheney?gcheck=1&nclick_check=1

 

[walkon79]

This game appears to be very closely matched up. MSUs great rushing offense vs. our great rushing defense, MSU's poor passing offense vs. our poor pass defense. EWU's great passing offense vs. MSU's great passing defense, EWU's good rushing offense vs. their good rushing defense. Turnovers and stops before the red zone will be absolutely huge in this one. Can't wait. GO EAGS!

MSU's poor passing offense??

Maybe statistically, but we still have DeNarius.

 

[56n92]

I have butterflies already for this game. I can't imagine what the players and coaches are going through (both sides). Throw all the stats out the window, they don't matter. It will be one hell of a show. I really think the winning team will be the coaching staff that keeps there team the most focused and even keeled. Both teams have good coaches but we're in good hands with BB & Company. I'm predicting a relatively low scoring game because both teams have probably been game planning for this for a long time. At the beginning of the season everyone knew the Big Sky race would come down to this. I think the mighty EAGS rush for over 200 to grind it out for the first three quarters then open up the air attack in the fourth. I know that goes against the traditional wisdom and stats but this one will be about game planning and keeping DM on the bench is as important to us as keeping Big Play VA on the bench is to them. The "Hammer" has a big day and our young secondary comes up big when it counts (remember Tonani last year). Eagles win but we'll all have more gray hair by Sunday.

 

[walkon79]

I got absolutely -0- done today at work!! Time for a beer!!

Hey Eagles be nice to the MSU kids coming over tonight and tomorrow. One of them is mine although at 6'4" and 270, he can probably fend for himself!!

 

[grizhunter]

I have to say that this last week on both this site and BN have been very dynamic about football and the players without all of the Bsh!t, thanks Eagle fans! :clap:

 

[56n92]

I'm glad I'm not the only one Walkon79. I would like to think all Eagle fans are respectful to your players and vice versa. MSU football has earned my respect. It will be an honor to have you guys be second place