Jarred Craft entered this game coming off a career game at Texas Tech with the Bulldogs pounding out 261 yards rushing against the Red Raiders.
MTSU's rushing defense came into the game ranked 103rd of 128 major college football teams giving up 209 yards per game. Rushing defense was one of MTSU's weaknesses that was discussed all week.
Louisiana Tech scores to take a 27-7 lead over Middle Tennessee with 9:15 remaining in the 3rd quarter. Tech has 107 rushing yards at this point with Craft averaging 4.3 yards per rush on 18 carries.
Tech should've been able to run the ball at will through MTSU's porous run defense and literally run out the clock on MTSU, right?
Wrong. After we led 27-7, Craft only had 2 rushes for 13 yards the rest of the game... TWO RUSHES! 2!
So what did Skip call on every single 1st & 10 for the remainder of the game? A PASS (!) ON EVERY SINGLE 1ST & 10 THE REST OF THE GAME!
1st and 10 at LT 29
(7:40 - 3rd) Ryan Higgins PASS incomplete to Marcus Gaines
-> 3 and out PUNT
1st and 10 at LT 25
(1:30 - 3rd) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Rhashid Bonnette for 6 yds to the LaTch 31
1st and 10 at LT 44
(1:30 - 3rd) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Trent Taylor for 8 yds to the MTnSt 48
1st and 10 at MTSU 44
(15:00 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Rhashid Bonnette for 6 yds to the MTnSt 38
-> Higgins falls on his own unforced fumble trying to throw the ball on 2nd down, then incomplete on 3rd, then PUNT
1st and 10 at LT 33
(11:11 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS incomplete to Trent Taylor, broken up by Shaquille Huff
-> 3 and out PUNT
1st and 10 at LT 18
(6:58 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Trent Taylor for 19 yds to the LaTch 37 for a 1ST down
1st and 10 at LT 37
(6:58 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Rhashid Bonnette for 9 yds to the LaTch 46
1st and 10 at 50
(6:58 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Jarred Craft for 30 yds to the MTnSt 20 for a 1ST down
1st and 10 at MTSU 20
(6:58 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Trent Taylor for 17 yds to the MTnSt 3 for a 1ST down
1st and Goal at MTSU 3
(6:58 - 4th) Kam McKnight RUN for 2 yds to the MTnSt 1
-> Kam runs in for a TD on the next play
1st and 10 at LT 35
(2:36 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS complete to Rhashid Bonnette for 28 yds to the MTnSt 37 for a 1ST down
1st and 10 at MTSU 37
(2:36 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS incomplete to Trent Taylor
1st and 10 at MTSU 22
(1:51 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS incomplete to Trent Taylor, broken up by Steven Rhodes
1st and Goal at MTSU 9
(1:51 - 4th) Ryan Higgins PASS incomplete to Rhashid Bonnette, broken up by Michael Minter
-> turnover on downs
Y'all, Skip called ONE 1st down rushing play the entire 2nd half after we took the 27-7 lead against one of the worst rushing defenses in the nation! And that ONE rush was on 1st and GOAL from the 3, and we scored on the very next play!
You can't make this stuff up! It felt like Skip was out to prove a point that Higgins is our QB so he was trying to pad his stats.
If we RUN THE DANG BALL in the 2nd half after we take a 27-7 lead against that terrible run defense, we win that ball game comfortably!
Skip has no one to blame for this terrible loss but his own asinine play calling. His refusal to run the ball is criminal!
And his last play calling sequence when we got 1st and goal with a chance to win the game is another story...