UTEP Game

[champion110]

A few things...

UTEP got several favorable spots. We got ZERO.

Pass interference continues to be inconsistent with these horrible CUSA refs.

The illegal formation call was BS. If that was illegal formation, the CUSA refs should call it on almost every offensive play.

So tired of reading here and hearing the announcers say, "if UTEP had kicked field goals..." If UTEP had kicked a FG on the first possession, they would not have had us backed up to give them the short field the second or third times. Which leads to this...

HCSC said several times during the week that our QB must stop forcing the ball to create turnovers. That is what was happening in the 3rd quarter when our offense was stalling deep in our own territory. Nobody can run on UTEP in that situation. Bottom line is our QB did not make a mistake and our HC didn't allow him to. HCSC did what he said he was going to do. We won by not giving up a TD in the third quarter.

Fans still complain about defense giving up yards. Those two UTEP RBs will be running over 180 lb DBs and 230 lb LBs for the rest of the year.

VERY accurate post on every single thing you stated.

[b00mer1]

I concur

[johnnylightnin]

Defense had some lapses especially after the O stalled, but losing Grubbs and still getting the job done was a big deal.

[PawDawg]

UTEPs QB woefully inaccurate, bailing out our D frequently.

He also hit some clutch 3rd down passes.

The refs bailed didn't bail them out though.

They ignored the same "close coverage" that UTEP played on our receivers.

[Bulldog Tom]

As others have stated, that was an ugly game and we only won because their coaching is actually worse than ours!

All I know is we are 1-0 in conference and are still in the running for the championship game!!!! 4 more wins and we get to a bowl game. Potentially, two more televised games to watch the dawgs! As I get older, this is very important to me

True we beat a bad football team last night. The good news we have a few more of those types of teams on the schedule. Starting this week at North Texas. The lines are coming out now, I expect we will be slight underdogs, like +2 or +2.5 because NT is the home team. Like you said all of our goals are still in reach. Go Dawgs!

[Tech52]

We won because our QB play limited mistakes. It makes a huge difference. It may have caused the stalling in the 3rd quarter, but it worked in the end. Our field position was terrible and they made sure not to give UTEP the ball back there. Then they worked out of that little slump when they needed to in the 4th.

[b00mer1]

True we beat a bad football team last night. The good news we have a few more of those types of teams on the schedule. Starting this week at North Texas. The lines are coming out now, I expect we will be slight underdogs, like +2 or +2.5 because NT is the home team. Like you said all of our goals are still in reach. Go Dawgs!

Nicely said Bulldog Tom. We did got lucky last night though.,,,,,

[Rama Jama]

I was at the game from kickoff to the final 00.

This team does not quit. Major difference from immediately previous years. Yes, the offense cooled off in the 3rd, but we rallied and sealed the win.

UTEP adjusted during halftime and came out full ground game and was able to march the ball down the field. What did they see that other teams will exploit?

Refs were a gang of control freaks who clearly were not calling it equally. One of their ball spots was so egregious in giving UTEP a 1st down, the whole west side spontaneously booed. At least that 4’8” midget ref who has to stop play continuously was absent.

Parker was much improved which reflects on good coaching and good use of the bye.

Tre Harris will play in the NFL. I believe Griffin Hebert can too. I really wish they would call Griffin’s number more. Kid is a gritty gamer.

I see us improving every week. I believe we will have a winning season, go bowling, and play for a conference championship. The reason I say this is that we don’t quit…

[dawg80]

The reason I say this is that we don’t quit…

It helps that CUSA sucks.

[PawDawg]

The reason I say this is that we don’t quit…

It helps that CUSA sucks.

They’ve been bad for the last several years. Nothing new. None of the G5 conferences will send a team to a Jan 1 game. It’s possible one or two end up ranked, but there’s no money in being ranked unless it is done year after year.

[Blue Dawg]

We won a game while playing badly and getting lucky. That's invaluable experience. The lucky get luckier.

[sharky]

I may be the only Bulldog fan in the dark about this, but so be it. Can anyone share with me why UTEP had 915 on their helmets?

[sportdawg]

I may be the only Bulldog fan in the dark about this, but so be it. Can anyone share with me why UTEP had 915 on their helmets?

El Paso area code. It'd be like the Dawgs having 318 on their helmets.

[FriscoDawg]

El Paso area code. It'd be like the Dawgs having 318 on their helmets.

Copying UTSA's 210.

Marketing to a single area code limits your reach if you ask me.

[HogDawg]

-- I thought Parker McNeil (18 of 27, 266 yds, 4 TD's, 0 INT's) played a very good game. Any time an FBS QB throws 4 TD passes in a game and has zero INT's, it's a good game for the QB. And usually for the team too. I think McNeil is capable of throwing 35 to 40 completions a game without an INT. That should be our target playbook for him. Even though McNeil is a 5th yr guy, he's still new as a starter. He should continue to get better every game.

-- Trey Harris (5 receptions for 126 yds & 1 TD) is a really good receiver. The Tech coaches need to get him the ball more often.

-- Griffen Hebert (6 receptions for 76 yds and 0 TD's) played well, but also needs more opportunities.

-- Smoke Harris (4 receptions for 45 yds and 2 TD's) looked better than he has all year. He looked faster, and had the most exciting play of the night until the refs reviewed it, and said he had stepped out of bounds on a great "would be" TD run after catch.

-- Marcus Crosby (14 carries, 75 yds, 5.4 yd avg, 0 TD's), and Charvis Thorton (5 carries for 30 yds, 6 yd avg) combined for 105 of Tech's 114 net yds rushing. That's a mildly adequate run game. Greg Garner (8 rushes for 17 yds, 2.1 yd avg) continues to struggle, and just can't seem to get the ball out of the backfield. Garner's lack of progress has probably been my biggest disappointment offensively this season. I expected better than we've seen from him, season to date.


Offensively, Tech showed some offensive firepower capability against UTEP. But the offense can't continue going to sleep for an entire 3rd quarter. That was a huge mistake. UTEP ran 32 offensive plays in the 3rd qtr compared to LA Tech's 6. That's right, 32-6. It's a miracle that our defensive players could still walk after playing 32 plays in the 3rd Qtr without hardly any rest.