The one thing I would have like to have seen against Nebraska is what would have happened if Quin Harris had been able to come up with the interception in the endzone at the end of the first half and we’d have gone into halftime down 14-10 with all the momentum.
How deep into the second half could Tech have kept that game within one score with that one play? Into the 4th quarter? Could it have been a game at the end?
In many games against Top 25 teams in the I-A era, the difference between many good Tech teams being in the game at the end vs. being blown out hinged on one play in the first half.
In many instances when that one play went against us, we played catch-up mode. We threw on virtually every down. When it didn’t work, the defense would be on the field far too long in the second half. On top of it all, our coaches would play a base defense to not show anything to future opponents, which just make the blowouts worse.
In watching the game and talking to a few people who were there, that’s almost exactly what happened against Nebraska. Despite the fact we are two deep at many positions, our young defense was on the field for 84 plays. And we barely ran the ball in the second half.
There are numerous examples from our past, but here are two of them:
- In 1999, in the opener against Florida State, we were tied 7-7 deep into the second quarter against the No. 1 team in the country. Up to that point we played a fantastic first half. After catching what could have been a touchdown reception that might have given us the lead at the half, Sean Cangelosi was hit really hard, fumbled, and FSU recovered. It changed the entire momentum of the game. We spent the entire second half in catch-up mode, the defense was on the field way too long. We left with a 41-7 defeat.
The important thing for our team to remember is that some very good Tech teams have been in the position they’re in today. It doesn’t mean we don’t have talent or depth. It doesn’t mean our breakdowns on defense can’t be corrected. Our 1999 team was in this same position nearly 7 years ago today.
- 1n 2004, against Fresno State, we were down 13-0 in Ruston to a Top 15 team and were struggling with their power running game. Then early in the 2nd quarter, Jemelle Cage blocked a Fresno field-goal attempt. It completely changed the momentum of the game. Behind Ryan Moats, our offense began to move the football. We scored points, and it kept our defense off the field. Instead of playing a base defense, we threw every look at them known to man. We won the game 28-21.
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Originally Posted by The Historian
