I will give a few positive and negative notes. Let me start out by saying that this Towson team is decently talented for an FCS team. They returned 4 starting OL, that stud RB, a solid TE with size and some athletes on offense and this transfer QB from Oregon.
Not a bad little offense they've got and their coaches seemingly came to win...foolishly too, because they went for it on 4th down 7 times and had a fake punt and on-side kick-off.
With all that being said our defense held their stud RB to like 72 yards on 24 carries...and held their running game to just over 100 yards... That is a big deal. We got consistent pressure, and lots of TFL despite they have decent size and great experience at OL and TE. We also rotated a ton of quality DL....we were fresh by the 4th quarter.
Positives on defense:
1. We've got athletes and size coming out of our ears. Malik Dixon, Jaymon Thomas, Harris (he had redemption for a poor 2015 season), Awoleke is s stud, Love played inside and out well, Bronson was good, Nichols played well.
2. We are fast on defense.
3. We are deep....they were rolling in guys on the 2nd team at every position.
Negatives in defense:
1. A couple of missed assignments on the safeties early gave them a big play or 2.
2. Lots of athletes but no one quite wanting to make a play for a while. Last year we had play makers in Lee, Byrd, and Hill. Who would step up this year? In the first half for a while no one seemed to want to step up. By the second half Harris, Nichols, Malik Dixon, and Love seem to decide to step up and make plays. We need more of that.
3. I like Auggie but man his field recognition in coverage is horrible. If I see one more receiver or TE that catches a ball right next to him I will scream. He needs to recognize the threats in his zone much better. It is not his athleticism it is the fact he gets lost in space...not comfortable in space and it leads to simple completions for the opposition.
4. Lots of pressure in the run defense but we need more pressure on pass defense.
Positives on offense;
1. The weapons are incredible...MVS is everything they bragged him to be...better passing tonight and he has 5 catches for 100+ yards and 2 TD....Mack is explosive as ever...Tice and DJ again both bring so much to the table. Adams is Adams...a freakishly great athlete...the end arounds he ran in the 2nd quarter to get a TD...impressive and just as impressive were the blocks DJ laid to get him those extra yards. Flowers with his feet...freaky good...arm...well.
2. Today the OL passed with flying colors. Physically dominant at times. Towson had two solid returning DT's with size but our interior OL whipped them...Towson had no real edge rushers to challenge Norman and Amichia which is good...give Norman time to bulls confidence.
3. Play calling was solid. Lots of variety to get play makers the ball. Flat out in space and the ball.
4. Our TE's are studs. Dillon blocked well today! Wilcox even better both are receiving nightmares for opponents...they were open all night. Wilcox should have had a TD earlier out running a safety!!! If Flowers threw a better ball...thankfully Kean and the coaches did get Wilcox his first TD later! What athletes we have at TE!!
Negatives:
1. Flowers has to relax and get his mechanics back in order.
2. Careful with Mack...
3. Looked good a few missed passes and this was a bigger blowout early.
Another negative:
1. Kick-off coverage. I love seem Awoleke and big guys running down, but the negative is they relish blowing up blockers and then stop. We were better late when they put smaller guys in there that were willing to avoid blockers and make tackles. They've got to get that cleaned up in a hurry. Up until they took those guys out Towson was getting the ball up to 30 or beyond and got a big return because the returner just ran right by the big boys who were more proud about blowing up blockers then making tackles. Can't keep giving teams big returns.
2. Towson coaches going for a fake punt down 49-17. They got their starting QB hurt trying to get a token FG. They better hope he isn't hurt for long and that hurts their season going for some token points.
Not a bad little offense they've got and their coaches seemingly came to win...foolishly too, because they went for it on 4th down 7 times and had a fake punt and on-side kick-off.
With all that being said our defense held their stud RB to like 72 yards on 24 carries...and held their running game to just over 100 yards... That is a big deal. We got consistent pressure, and lots of TFL despite they have decent size and great experience at OL and TE. We also rotated a ton of quality DL....we were fresh by the 4th quarter.
Positives on defense:
1. We've got athletes and size coming out of our ears. Malik Dixon, Jaymon Thomas, Harris (he had redemption for a poor 2015 season), Awoleke is s stud, Love played inside and out well, Bronson was good, Nichols played well.
2. We are fast on defense.
3. We are deep....they were rolling in guys on the 2nd team at every position.
Negatives in defense:
1. A couple of missed assignments on the safeties early gave them a big play or 2.
2. Lots of athletes but no one quite wanting to make a play for a while. Last year we had play makers in Lee, Byrd, and Hill. Who would step up this year? In the first half for a while no one seemed to want to step up. By the second half Harris, Nichols, Malik Dixon, and Love seem to decide to step up and make plays. We need more of that.
3. I like Auggie but man his field recognition in coverage is horrible. If I see one more receiver or TE that catches a ball right next to him I will scream. He needs to recognize the threats in his zone much better. It is not his athleticism it is the fact he gets lost in space...not comfortable in space and it leads to simple completions for the opposition.
4. Lots of pressure in the run defense but we need more pressure on pass defense.
Positives on offense;
1. The weapons are incredible...MVS is everything they bragged him to be...better passing tonight and he has 5 catches for 100+ yards and 2 TD....Mack is explosive as ever...Tice and DJ again both bring so much to the table. Adams is Adams...a freakishly great athlete...the end arounds he ran in the 2nd quarter to get a TD...impressive and just as impressive were the blocks DJ laid to get him those extra yards. Flowers with his feet...freaky good...arm...well.
2. Today the OL passed with flying colors. Physically dominant at times. Towson had two solid returning DT's with size but our interior OL whipped them...Towson had no real edge rushers to challenge Norman and Amichia which is good...give Norman time to bulls confidence.
3. Play calling was solid. Lots of variety to get play makers the ball. Flat out in space and the ball.
4. Our TE's are studs. Dillon blocked well today! Wilcox even better both are receiving nightmares for opponents...they were open all night. Wilcox should have had a TD earlier out running a safety!!! If Flowers threw a better ball...thankfully Kean and the coaches did get Wilcox his first TD later! What athletes we have at TE!!
Negatives:
1. Flowers has to relax and get his mechanics back in order.
2. Careful with Mack...
3. Looked good a few missed passes and this was a bigger blowout early.
Another negative:
1. Kick-off coverage. I love seem Awoleke and big guys running down, but the negative is they relish blowing up blockers and then stop. We were better late when they put smaller guys in there that were willing to avoid blockers and make tackles. They've got to get that cleaned up in a hurry. Up until they took those guys out Towson was getting the ball up to 30 or beyond and got a big return because the returner just ran right by the big boys who were more proud about blowing up blockers then making tackles. Can't keep giving teams big returns.
2. Towson coaches going for a fake punt down 49-17. They got their starting QB hurt trying to get a token FG. They better hope he isn't hurt for long and that hurts their season going for some token points.
