Final EWU 52 @ Montana State 51 Game 4 Who knew?

[Counter Assault]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

 

[marceagfan5]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

Eastern doesn't tend to Blitz often, but I think its coming this weekend. We will try to make Prukop beat us with his arm and make quick decisions. I think Wadood snags a pick or two in this one...

 

[celticcat]

UCA certainly made a game of it lat, but a vast majority of UCA's yard and points where when the game was already pretty much over, added with a couple boneheaded MSU plays. We effectively stuffed their running game so in the 3rd and 4th they pretty much passed the entire time, and did find some success. They threw the ball 59 times.

One of their big scoring drives was against a lot of our 2nd string defense, whom were in the game a little prematurely... we were up 37-13 but it was still early in the 4th quarter.

They scored, and it was 37-19. The ensuing possession Prukop threw an int into triple cover over the middle on our side of the field, and then it was 37-25. The ensuing kickoff our return man caught it on the 3 running backwards, and took a knee in the endzone for a "safety" (questionable call). So in a span of two minutes, they scored 2 TDs, forced an INT and we gave them a safety.

We drove down and scored a TD, 43-27 at this point. We hold on defense, then drive all the way down to the 7 yardline and then Johnson fumbles on a spin move where he would've scored, but the ball came flying out. It should have been 50-27 at this point, but then UCA had a 95 yard drive to score with :45 seconds left to bring the game to 43-33.

We got conservative in the 3rd and 4th quarters defensively (but no offensively which is a huge change for MSU, usually we let off the gas). We had 2nd stringers in, and played a prevent defense all of the 4th quarter. Offensively we turned it over and then special teams gave them a safety. It was a weird, weird 4th quarter which included a TD from UCA where the guy was CLEARLY down but somehow the refs let him get back up and run it in for a TD while the entire Bobcat defense was standing around thinking the play was over.

 

[ewueagle2010]

I believe that EWU is a much better team. MSU is good, and I'll admit better than I thought coming into the season. But, I also believe EWU is the best team in this conference this year by a fairly wide margin, even with a highly suspect defense.

I think EWU shows some defensive improvement in this one and the offense doesn't miss a beat from UW and SHSU. D gets a turnover on a pick in the 2nd half and EWU moves to 3-1.

EWU - 49
MSU - 28

 

[LDopaPDX]

What's up with Bigskytv.org missing so many games this year? I wasn't able to watch either Montana or Montana State last week, but both played at home. In every year previous, any game at a Big Sky university would be featured on bigskytv. I don't get some of the backwoods cable channels that these are televised on, and it isn't worth the ridiculous hassle of frontrow.

Strangely, two teams who's backwood channels I do get in Portland are North Dakota and NAU. Weird.

 

[EWURanger]

What's up with Bigskytv.org missing so many games this year? I wasn't able to watch either Montana or Montana State last week, but both played at home. In every year previous, any game at a Big Sky university would be featured on bigskytv. I don't get some of the backwoods cable channels that these are televised on, and it isn't worth the ridiculous hassle of frontrow.

Strangely, two teams who's backwood channels I do get in Portland are North Dakota and NAU. Weird.

In terms of the Montana and MSU games this past weekend, both were carried on Altitude, which I believe is a Colorado based network. I was able to watch both games because that channel is carried with DIRECTV (now if they could just get the PAC-12 Network). I am guessing that any games that another network owns the rights to (ROOT, Altitude, ESPN, etc.) won't be carried by BSTV. The caveat to that apparently being SWX in Spokane...but that could be because it's a local broadcast that's streamed through BSTV. I think with anything broadcasted regionally or nationally, people will be shit out of luck as far as BSTV goes.

 

[RedRaptor]

I was able to watch both games via SWX and what I saw of the scats concerns me. I am so hoping (as I have for the last several years) that the D has some answer for a mobile quarterback who isn't afraid to tuck the ball in and head downfield. I was fortunate to attend the Cal Poly game last year and it seemed we did fairly well against the option they ran so am hoping the same will happen this weekend. We just can't assume that the offense will never have an off or mediocre game and need the D to step up and get some stops. I think this is the weekend for the D to come into its own.

EWU 34

Cats. 21

 

[EWURanger]

I was able to watch both games via SWX and what I saw of the scats concerns me. I am so hoping (as I have for the last several years) that the D has some answer for a mobile quarterback who isn't afraid to tuck the ball in and head downfield. I was fortunate to attend the Cal Poly game last year and it seemed we did fairly well against the option they ran so am hoping the same will happen this weekend. We just can't assume that the offense will never have an off or mediocre game and need the D to step up and get some stops. I think this is the weekend for the D to come into its own.

EWU 34

Cats. 21

The thing is, I don't think MSU is really running a true read-option type offense. Sure, there are some designed read-option plays, but it's not their base offensive system. I think where Prukop has gained most of his yards are through extending plays, rolling out of the pocket, etc. when his receivers are covered. Much like Adams. It's difficult to defend when the QB is pretty much the only player on the field unaccounted for by the defense. I wonder if we will try to spy him...or if that would even work. The biggest thing is that our DE's cannot break contain on the edge. Hopefully Ebukam will be back on the field. He is definitely the fastest end we have and can chase guys down as well as get into the backfield on pass rush.

I think we have to make him beat us with his arm. I.E...keep him in the pocket.

 

[cats25061]

I was able to watch both games via SWX and what I saw of the scats concerns me. I am so hoping (as I have for the last several years) that the D has some answer for a mobile quarterback who isn't afraid to tuck the ball in and head downfield. I was fortunate to attend the Cal Poly game last year and it seemed we did fairly well against the option they ran so am hoping the same will happen this weekend. We just can't assume that the offense will never have an off or mediocre game and need the D to step up and get some stops. I think this is the weekend for the D to come into its own.

EWU 34

Cats. 21

The thing is, I don't think MSU is really running a true read-option type offense. Sure, there are some designed read-option plays, but it's not their base offensive system. I think where Prukop has gained most of his yards are through extending plays, rolling out of the pocket, etc. when his receivers are covered. Much like Adams. It's difficult to defend when the QB is pretty much the only player on the field unaccounted for by the defense. I wonder if we will try to spy him...or if that would even work. The biggest thing is that our DE's cannot break contain on the edge. Hopefully Ebukam will be back on the field. He is definitely the fastest end we have and can chase guys down as well as get into the backfield on pass rush.

I think we have to make him beat us with his arm. I.E...keep him in the pocket.

True that he makes quite a few yards after the play breaks down but in addition to the read option some of his biggest gains have been on designed QB runs. While Mcghee tended to extend the play and look for a receiver, Prukop will take the yardage if there is open field.

UCA had a spy on Prukop almost every play

 

[LDopaPDX]

I was able to watch both games via SWX and what I saw of the scats concerns me. I am so hoping (as I have for the last several years) that the D has some answer for a mobile quarterback who isn't afraid to tuck the ball in and head downfield. I was fortunate to attend the Cal Poly game last year and it seemed we did fairly well against the option they ran so am hoping the same will happen this weekend. We just can't assume that the offense will never have an off or mediocre game and need the D to step up and get some stops. I think this is the weekend for the D to come into its own.

EWU 34

Cats. 21

I agree with everything you write, except if the O/U is 55, I'm taking the over. I'm very confident the offense can score enough to earn a win. The question will be whether the D can make stops. The D were able to make enough stops again Sam Houston to win despite a rough outing, but not against UW. I feel pretty good about our chances of winning anytime the opp is held to 30 or under. And truth be told, 30 points is a lot and should leave a healthy margin of error.

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

C. Ass, we're not UCA.

 

[cats25061]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

C. Ass, we're not UCA.

Yep, You defense isnt as good as UCA's :thumb:

 

[Rjones61]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

C. Ass, we're not UCA.

Yep, You defense isnt as good as UCA's :thumb:

We'll see about that one.

 

[56n92]

I hate the Big Sky because the worst team can beat the best at any time. I'm not too concerned about our defense because we have a boat load of talent that will get it together (although, I'm not convinced they have played all that bad i.e. first game hiccups, playing everyone on the roster, playing superior athletes). I'm more worried about our guys reading the paper and hearing the news and thinking they're unbeatable. In the Big Sky, nobody is unbeatable. I will be nervous from this point forward for every single game. MSU will be very ready to play and I expect this game to be very physical. They will play with a chip on their shoulder big time. If we can match or exceed their aggressiveness, we'll win by a good margin but the margin won't be out of reach until the 4th quarter. If we can't match their aggressiveness, we'll be in trouble. Crowd won't be a factor.
Prediction: Eagles win a blood bath (huge respect for MSU :notworthy: ) but I have no idea how the game will unfold so no score prediction. We'll just find a way to get it done. :thumb:

 

[tomq04]

We don't always play defense, but when we do... our offense still scores 49.

 

[marceagfan5]

In the Big Sky, nobody is unbeatable. I will be nervous from this point forward for every single game.

I agree with your entire post but...

We play ISU and UNC at home... EWU will be unbeatable in those games....

 

[56n92]

Not so fast. A couple years ago we won narrowly at UNC. Last year ISU gave us all we could handle and by all accounts, we should not have won the PSU game. On paper we're unbeatable but because we are marked on every teams calendar....... That's why you play the game. We'll roll a few teams but we will encounter a couple that will unexpectedly be a handful.

 

[EWURanger]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

C. Ass, we're not UCA.

Yep, You defense isnt as good as UCA's :thumb:

Hmm, I don't know about all of that.

 

[EWURanger]

We don't always play defense, but when we do... our offense still scores 49.

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

EWU 56 - 42 MSU

I think the final margin could be 21 for EWU though, if our D can force Prukop into some rookie mistakes.

Beags, just to point out Prukop made 4 rookie mistakes last week and we still scored 40 points.

C. Ass, we're not UCA.

Yep, You defense isnt as good as UCA's :thumb:

I'm amazed you came out of your hole. I thought you would've waited until this game was decided to make a decision. Gonna be a little embarrassing to crawl back in after only one game.