PROS:
1. Eastern won, and winning ugly is a LOT better than losing with style.
2. Brandon Kaufman is a total game-changer at this level. The kid just finds everything up in the air and catches it. Without him, Eastern could conceivably be winless.
3. Like in 2010, Eastern managed to do everything right when their back was to the wall.
4. Adams made a few mistakes, but generally played fantastic.
5. Onside kicks are ridiculous to convert, and Jimmy Pavel did it brilliantly.
6. The offensive line generally had a bad night, but seemed like men possessed in the final two offensive series.
7. Watching the Griz walk off the field dejected was priceless. This isn't total payback for all the times they fucked us in Missoula, but a nice start... see 1986, that was still the worst refereeeing in history of football. :lol:
CONS:
1. Straight up, Eastern isn't tough enough and it is rearing it's ugly head again. Too many injuries, too much wearing out over the course of the game, too much intensity lost from start to finish.
2. Eastern's offensive gameplan goes to shit when they get behind. We went from being fairly successful running the ball in the first half to abandoning it when the Griz got momentum in favor of heaving it downfield. This was especially troubling because Montana stopped crowding the box in the second half and actually GAVE US FREE YARDS on the ground by going to a deeeeeeep cover 2.
3. The LB corp looks dubious at best. Seriously, how many times did a Griz ball carrier make one cut in the hole and go untouched for 10 yards? When you're strategy is to put these guys one-on-one with the ball carrier, they need to make contact and at least put a shot on the runner.
4. There's no reason not to stack the box and press on the outside against a team like Montana (or North Dakota). Playing guys deep is meaningless, because their threat is running all over the field on us, not throwing it over the top. If you get beat by a big play, whatever, let the corners play it man up. For God's sake, though, fight these running teams by hitting back.
All in all, a LUCKY win as Montana worked us over for the most part. But again, we got the W and didn't cheat to do it. So credit the winner.
1. Eastern won, and winning ugly is a LOT better than losing with style.
2. Brandon Kaufman is a total game-changer at this level. The kid just finds everything up in the air and catches it. Without him, Eastern could conceivably be winless.
3. Like in 2010, Eastern managed to do everything right when their back was to the wall.
4. Adams made a few mistakes, but generally played fantastic.
5. Onside kicks are ridiculous to convert, and Jimmy Pavel did it brilliantly.
6. The offensive line generally had a bad night, but seemed like men possessed in the final two offensive series.
7. Watching the Griz walk off the field dejected was priceless. This isn't total payback for all the times they fucked us in Missoula, but a nice start... see 1986, that was still the worst refereeeing in history of football. :lol:
CONS:
1. Straight up, Eastern isn't tough enough and it is rearing it's ugly head again. Too many injuries, too much wearing out over the course of the game, too much intensity lost from start to finish.
2. Eastern's offensive gameplan goes to shit when they get behind. We went from being fairly successful running the ball in the first half to abandoning it when the Griz got momentum in favor of heaving it downfield. This was especially troubling because Montana stopped crowding the box in the second half and actually GAVE US FREE YARDS on the ground by going to a deeeeeeep cover 2.
3. The LB corp looks dubious at best. Seriously, how many times did a Griz ball carrier make one cut in the hole and go untouched for 10 yards? When you're strategy is to put these guys one-on-one with the ball carrier, they need to make contact and at least put a shot on the runner.
4. There's no reason not to stack the box and press on the outside against a team like Montana (or North Dakota). Playing guys deep is meaningless, because their threat is running all over the field on us, not throwing it over the top. If you get beat by a big play, whatever, let the corners play it man up. For God's sake, though, fight these running teams by hitting back.
All in all, a LUCKY win as Montana worked us over for the most part. But again, we got the W and didn't cheat to do it. So credit the winner.
