How bad was Skip's play calling in the 2nd half against the MUTS?

[Dawg06]

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...

[PawDawg]

I've seen him chew Higgins out several times this year. He did it at least 3 times last night. Not sure what that means, but he never did it with our last two QBs.

How much time were we running off the play clock when we had the leads late in the game? Incomplete passes and running out of bounds does stop the clock right?

[HogDawg]

We had first and goal inside the MUTS 5- yd line TWICE, and came away with no points both times. Once in the first half and once in the second. That's just criminal.

And why is Skip so hell bent on throwing the low percentage "fade pass" play when we're close to the goal line anyway? He tried to run that stupid play 3 times on our last drive against MTSU. That pass is never caught, and is never thrown to our best receiver (Taylor). We haven't completed a "fade pass" at Louisiana Tech since Denny Duron was our QB in the early 1970's.

[T1]

Our fan base needs to learn to critique defense like we do offense. 2013 was a good year to critique offense... poor line, poor receivers, poor QBing, poor play calling, lots of turnovers and few points. We are having a lot of success on offense this year... just not good enough to bail out the bad defense.

[PawDawg]

...and some of our fan base needs to recognize poor play calling when they see it. Last night's second half is an example.

Why are we paying an OC to sit up in the box and talk to HCSH?

[HogDawg]

Our fan base needs to learn to critique defense like we do offense. 2013 was a good year to critique offense... poor line, poor receivers, poor QBing, poor play calling, lots of turnovers and few points. We are having a lot of success on offense this year... just not good enough to bail out the bad defense.

But Higgins is doing EXACTLY what I warned you all about before the season even started: HE CAN'T SCORE!!! He moves the ball at will between the 20's, but he can't cash it in. This is EXACTLY what I warned us all about.

[T1]

Up 27-7 (should have been 34-7) in the 3rd quarter, with close to 500 yards of offense is poor play-calling? Tough crowd.

[PawDawg]

Up 27-7 (should have been 34-7) in the 3rd quarter, with close to 500 yards of offense is poor play-calling? Tough crowd.

Yes, up 27-7 against a HORRIBLE run defense. Pass the ball, conserve the clock, have the players run out of bounds...

[T1]

Yes, up 27-7 against a HORRIBLE run defense. Pass the ball, conserve the clock, have the players run out of bounds...

Their game plan was to stop our run and force us to throw. It worked pretty well... we didn't have the success other teams had on them. I'm done talking about the offense though. This is a top 25 group.... covering receivers and tackling is what's killing us this year.

[Blue Dawg]

We could have had 10,000 yards last night but that's not what win games. Points win games.

[arkansasbob]

Their game plan was to stop our run and force us to throw. It worked pretty well... we didn't have the success other teams had on them. I'm done talking about the offense though. This is a top 25 group.... covering receivers and tackling is what's killing us this year.

second half drives:
(20-7 lead) 6 rushes on a scoring drive
(27-14 lead) 1 rush for 9 yards, 3 and out, punt
(27-17 lead) all passes, punt
(27-24 lead) 1 rush for 4 yards, punt
(27-31 trailing) 1 rush for 4 yards, two rushes on the goal line, touchdown
(34-38 trailing) all passes, no score, end of game

how can you claim that they were successful in stopping the run? we stopped the run by our own decision. bad play calling.

that doesn't excuse the terrible defense, though.

[Geaux Dawgs]

Our defense killed us. We can not tackle or cover anyone. It was sad to watch. Our offense is 85% good, though if we are going to run a fade, why not to Smith? Conner and Trent catch EVERYTHING......

[JAMROB]

On the last series I would have been as disappointed if we run four times and don't get it (although we don't have clock for that), but that would have been higher percentage than what we did.

1. Bonnette on the SLANT !!! 2. If you're determined to run the fade go with Watts, ONCE. 3. McKnight off right tackle out of the T-Bone 4. Craft, right flat outlet pass. I would have been satisfied with that series.

What we did was uncharacteristic of Skip, very uncreative, low percentage, and very disappointing. Felt like a program killer last night, we'll survive. Only thing hurt is my pride.

You know there are other considerations first and goal from the seven. Subbing different packages without getting a delay penalty was a legitimate concern.

Also, the PI on CNL ? Somebody should ask Antee about that one. Nobody in the stadium or on TV saw it.

One other sore spot for me is lining up a linebacker on their best slot receiver on third and eleven two weeks in a row. Who do you think they're going to on that one ?

[T1]

second half drives:
(20-7 lead) 6 rushes on a scoring drive
(27-14 lead) 1 rush for 9 yards, 3 and out, punt
(27-17 lead) all passes, punt
(27-24 lead) 1 rush for 4 yards, punt
(27-31 trailing) 1 rush for 4 yards, two rushes on the goal line, touchdown
(34-38 trailing) all passes, no score, end of game

how can you claim that they were successful in stopping the run? we stopped the run by our own decision. bad play calling.

that doesn't excuse the terrible defense, though.

Here's every run play:

1st half:
3 yards Craft
0 yards Higgins
6 yards Craft
-2 yards Holly (fumble)
16 yards Higgins
3 yards Henderson
1 yard Craft
-2 yards Higgins
2 yards Craft
3 yards Craft
22 yards Craft
2 yards Higgins

12 carries for 54 yards (10 for 16 yards; 2 big gains for 38 yards)

2nd Half
1 yard Craft
4 yards Craft
4 yards Craft
1 yard Craft
2 yards Higgins
5 yards Craft
2 yards Craft
9 yards Craft
0 yards Higgins (on 3rd and 1)
4 yards Craft
4 yards McKnight
2 yards McKnight
1 yard McKnight (TD)
3 yards Higgins

14 carries for 42 yards, long of 9 this half.

So 26 carries for 96 yards. Take out the 2 longs (22 and 16), you are looking at 24 carries for 58 yards. (2.4 yards per carry)

At the same time we are struggling to run, we are passing for 500 yards. Tech fans are pissed that we passed too much.

[sportdawg]

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!

I felt the same thing. We ran the ball straight down their throat (labg) in the first half. Why stop?!?

Like you said, we at least run 30 seconds off the clock with a 20 point lead. Make the game shorter!