Season 3, Game 6:vs Colorado State
Colorado State Rams (5-0, #17) vs Milwaukee College Penguins (3-2, #68)
In the pre-season, the Colorado State Rams were ranked at #54. Coming into today's game, which would be broadcast regionally, they have risen up to #17 in the AP poll on the strength of their perfect record. No injuries on either side of the field made sure this was the game that we had agreed to in the pre-season.
I'm told that Lee Corso, who was calling the game for the regional broadcast, said "You could forget about this one, because it's going to get ugly. Why am I even here?!"
For the first defensive play of the game, from the 3-4 formation I called a Thunder Green blitz as a nod to the gods, and was rewarded by K Anderson (SS #26) sacking their QB.
On our first offensive possession, I introduced my new plan: the two-headed quarterback. I gave senior Root (QB #5) the start, but, on third-and-8, I called a 5-wide receiver set ... with sophomore Koch (QB #22) taking the snap. Why? With the threat of five wideouts occupying the six defensive backs, and All American Bogner (LT #52) and Leplae (LG #69) blocking the leftside, Koch was given the room to run. Koch got the first down, and dutifully left the field so Root could finish off the drive. 7-0.
Multiple mistakes by me and my team cost us more points, though. There was Chi (K #40) not being able to hit a 50-yard field goal (okay, that's not so much a mistake but we could've got him in closer); there was Root throwing an interception into the endzone.
We trade touchdowns to go 14-14 into the half. But it should've been 17-14 in our favor, except for mistake #3. With the ball on the 15-yard line with just 6 seconds left in the half, I send Koch out there with the five wide instead of calling for the field goal and he throws a completion but there's not enough time to line up for the kick. I have to manage my time better!!
--
The second half was insane. After we score a FG on our opening drive, the Rams score a touchdown but miss the extra point. I tell you, the winds off Lake Michigan can really wreak havoc on poor kickers. 20-17 in their favor. (It should've been 20-20 had I not make Mistake #3.)
Mistake #4. Straka, doing his usual excellence on a punt return, fumbles the ball for the first time all year. It's recovered by the Rams on the 41 yard line. Our defense stands firm, but, given the good field position Straka had us at, I would say that's at least another 3 points lost.
Early in the 4th quarter, their wide-receiver scores another long touchdown pitch-and-catch. 27-17, making it two scores to win the game.
On our next position, Root throws another INT. Mistake #5, but our defense stands firm and when our offense re-takes the field, I give the reins to Koch. Sorry, Root, but I was pissed more at myself than at you. Okay, a little at you. Koch gamely runs and throws until the drive stalls on the 15-yard line. But Chi hooks the field goal attempt left. Mistake #6.
Our defense bails us out again. Sort of. They get down to the 41 yard line. By running the ball, they run down the clock to less than 4 minutes. Koch in command again, running for the first down. He would finish with over 80 yards running, but he wouldn't finish the game. Tackled while throwing, Koch re-injures something and has to leave the game with an abdominal strain.
A chastened Root comes in with 2:32 left on the clock. 41-yard pass to Morgan (WR #88), followed a by a 13-yard touchdown throw to Columbus (WR #82). 27-24. Had I not made those earlier mistakes, we would've had some kind of a lead.
2-minutes left and our defense gets another three-and-out. Stuffing the run. Using a time-out. Stuffing the run again. Letting the clock run. On third-and-6, their QB throws an incomplete pass, stopping the clock with 90 seconds left. Plenty of time. We get the ball back near the 50 yard line.
Long throw to Franklin. Almost intercepted. 14-yard pass to Franklin. Now we're on the 39. Then, the play of the year. Trips Left. The play is called "Destroy." Root scrambles but the pocket holds. She heaves it down towards Morgan. The ball gets tipped by their cornerback, and into Morgan's little hands. Her momentum carries her the five yards into the end zone. We assume the lead with 50 seconds left.
Now that's a lot of time on the clock, especially with three timeouts. They get down to the 30 yard line, but a field goal won't win it for them. 31 seconds left. Walton, their QB, heaves it but my brother, Umali (CB #3) is covering his guy too well. The next play, my bro makes me proud by getting a sack. It's our fifth and perhaps most important sack of the day. Back to the 40 yard line. Anderson deflects a pass (which should've been an interception), and finally, Bennett does the same to end the game.
Root kneels a couple of times. Penguins over Rams.
STATS: CSU - MKE
score: 27-31
first downs: 13-25
total offense: 467-479
rushes - yards: 22-54 --- 37-149
comp-att-TD: 15-33-4 --- 22-47-3
passing yards: 413-330
sacked: 2-5
turnovers: 2-3
fumbles - lost: 1-0 --- 1-1
intercepted: 2-2
top: 12:55 -- 19:05
KEY PLAYERS (Offense)
Root (QB #5) 124.6 rating, 13-25 for 185 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Koch (QB #22) 113.9 rating, 9-22 for 145 yards, 1 TD; 7-80 rush
Wetzel (HB #47) 21-69 rush, 1 TD
Franklin (WR #81) 6-142 (23.6 avg)
Buccheri (RG #59) 13 pancakes
KEY PLAYERS (Defense)
Conti (MLB #72) 8 tackles (1 for loss)
Straka (CB #1) 5 tackles, (2 for loss)
Division (ROLB #39) 3 tackles
K Anderson (SS #26) 3 tackles (1 for loss), 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 pass deflect
Bennett (CB #10) 2 tackles (2 for loss), 1 INT, 3 pass deflects
NOTES: 8-16 converting third downs. Koch should be back for the next against (against Southern Mississippi University), so expect to see the same game plan.
In the pre-season, the Colorado State Rams were ranked at #54. Coming into today's game, which would be broadcast regionally, they have risen up to #17 in the AP poll on the strength of their perfect record. No injuries on either side of the field made sure this was the game that we had agreed to in the pre-season.
I'm told that Lee Corso, who was calling the game for the regional broadcast, said "You could forget about this one, because it's going to get ugly. Why am I even here?!"
For the first defensive play of the game, from the 3-4 formation I called a Thunder Green blitz as a nod to the gods, and was rewarded by K Anderson (SS #26) sacking their QB.
On our first offensive possession, I introduced my new plan: the two-headed quarterback. I gave senior Root (QB #5) the start, but, on third-and-8, I called a 5-wide receiver set ... with sophomore Koch (QB #22) taking the snap. Why? With the threat of five wideouts occupying the six defensive backs, and All American Bogner (LT #52) and Leplae (LG #69) blocking the leftside, Koch was given the room to run. Koch got the first down, and dutifully left the field so Root could finish off the drive. 7-0.
Multiple mistakes by me and my team cost us more points, though. There was Chi (K #40) not being able to hit a 50-yard field goal (okay, that's not so much a mistake but we could've got him in closer); there was Root throwing an interception into the endzone.
We trade touchdowns to go 14-14 into the half. But it should've been 17-14 in our favor, except for mistake #3. With the ball on the 15-yard line with just 6 seconds left in the half, I send Koch out there with the five wide instead of calling for the field goal and he throws a completion but there's not enough time to line up for the kick. I have to manage my time better!!
--
The second half was insane. After we score a FG on our opening drive, the Rams score a touchdown but miss the extra point. I tell you, the winds off Lake Michigan can really wreak havoc on poor kickers. 20-17 in their favor. (It should've been 20-20 had I not make Mistake #3.)
Mistake #4. Straka, doing his usual excellence on a punt return, fumbles the ball for the first time all year. It's recovered by the Rams on the 41 yard line. Our defense stands firm, but, given the good field position Straka had us at, I would say that's at least another 3 points lost.
Early in the 4th quarter, their wide-receiver scores another long touchdown pitch-and-catch. 27-17, making it two scores to win the game.
On our next position, Root throws another INT. Mistake #5, but our defense stands firm and when our offense re-takes the field, I give the reins to Koch. Sorry, Root, but I was pissed more at myself than at you. Okay, a little at you. Koch gamely runs and throws until the drive stalls on the 15-yard line. But Chi hooks the field goal attempt left. Mistake #6.
Our defense bails us out again. Sort of. They get down to the 41 yard line. By running the ball, they run down the clock to less than 4 minutes. Koch in command again, running for the first down. He would finish with over 80 yards running, but he wouldn't finish the game. Tackled while throwing, Koch re-injures something and has to leave the game with an abdominal strain.
A chastened Root comes in with 2:32 left on the clock. 41-yard pass to Morgan (WR #88), followed a by a 13-yard touchdown throw to Columbus (WR #82). 27-24. Had I not made those earlier mistakes, we would've had some kind of a lead.
2-minutes left and our defense gets another three-and-out. Stuffing the run. Using a time-out. Stuffing the run again. Letting the clock run. On third-and-6, their QB throws an incomplete pass, stopping the clock with 90 seconds left. Plenty of time. We get the ball back near the 50 yard line.
Long throw to Franklin. Almost intercepted. 14-yard pass to Franklin. Now we're on the 39. Then, the play of the year. Trips Left. The play is called "Destroy." Root scrambles but the pocket holds. She heaves it down towards Morgan. The ball gets tipped by their cornerback, and into Morgan's little hands. Her momentum carries her the five yards into the end zone. We assume the lead with 50 seconds left.
Now that's a lot of time on the clock, especially with three timeouts. They get down to the 30 yard line, but a field goal won't win it for them. 31 seconds left. Walton, their QB, heaves it but my brother, Umali (CB #3) is covering his guy too well. The next play, my bro makes me proud by getting a sack. It's our fifth and perhaps most important sack of the day. Back to the 40 yard line. Anderson deflects a pass (which should've been an interception), and finally, Bennett does the same to end the game.
Root kneels a couple of times. Penguins over Rams.
STATS: CSU - MKE
score: 27-31
first downs: 13-25
total offense: 467-479
rushes - yards: 22-54 --- 37-149
comp-att-TD: 15-33-4 --- 22-47-3
passing yards: 413-330
sacked: 2-5
turnovers: 2-3
fumbles - lost: 1-0 --- 1-1
intercepted: 2-2
top: 12:55 -- 19:05
KEY PLAYERS (Offense)
Root (QB #5) 124.6 rating, 13-25 for 185 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT
Koch (QB #22) 113.9 rating, 9-22 for 145 yards, 1 TD; 7-80 rush
Wetzel (HB #47) 21-69 rush, 1 TD
Franklin (WR #81) 6-142 (23.6 avg)
Buccheri (RG #59) 13 pancakes
KEY PLAYERS (Defense)
Conti (MLB #72) 8 tackles (1 for loss)
Straka (CB #1) 5 tackles, (2 for loss)
Division (ROLB #39) 3 tackles
K Anderson (SS #26) 3 tackles (1 for loss), 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 pass deflect
Bennett (CB #10) 2 tackles (2 for loss), 1 INT, 3 pass deflects
NOTES: 8-16 converting third downs. Koch should be back for the next against (against Southern Mississippi University), so expect to see the same game plan.
posted by Cumulonimbus @ 9:53 AM
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