Game #8 - @ The Morehead Eagles

[usc4valpo]

this is looking like Baylor TCU. 

There are youngsters that are looking really good for the Crusaders in this year.  That is promising.

[valpotx]

What a big pickup on 3rd and 5 with Hutson!

[valpotx]

Morgan is a dynamic playmaker, glad to see that we are doing things for him!

[valpotx]

The clock should have been running there....

Just as I finish typing, Hall breaks to the outside with a clutch TD!  What a drive, eating up 6 minutes to give our D a rest!  I am loving Coach C's play-calling versus the previous regime's 10 play playbook.  Valpo 47-35.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

That was clutch. The old Crusaders would have folded their tents watching the lead slip away. 

Let's finish!

[valpotx]

If I'm on D for Valpo, I sit on the offensive player for an extra 2-3 seconds each time, to buy a few moments rest with how quick their no huddle is.

[valpotx]

I don't know if the video clock is synched with the field clock, but if so, the operator is stopping it when he shouldn't be...

[valpotx]

Valpo 47-42.  We don't need to be conservative when we get the ball with 3:12 left.  We need a few first downs, since MSU still has all 3 timeouts left.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

i...don't... believe that...

oh Lord.

[valpotx]

Damn.  We left too much space, and Hall misses on a dive attempt, with MSU getting it.  Need stops on 3rd and 4th down here!!!!

[valpotx]

WOW, huge INT!!!!!!

[LaPorteAveApostle]

THE PICK

GAME, BLOUSES

[valpotx]

Need 2 first downs to be safe.

[valpotx]

Good play-call, but they played it right.  Need one final stop, with MSU out of timeouts.

[valpotx]

No clue how that wasn't a block in the back there

[LaPorteAveApostle]

oh man.  ouch.

i hate life.

[valpotx]

How unfortunate.  A possession that should have started at their own 27 goes to their 42 because they didn't call that block in the back.  Leads to a TD to put MSU up 48-47.

[valpotx]

They actually helped us there by kicking it out of bounds, no time off the clock.  It is possible to get into FG range

[LaPorteAveApostle]

It should be said that this has nothing to do with the missed XP.  Sure, down 1, but if we had made it, they'd have just kicked their XP to still be up 1 instead of going for 2.

Also glad that that stupid squib kick turned fumble was erased by the INT.

Last week I said "giving up 10 points should be enough to win you 9 outta 10".  This week, "scoring 47 points should be enough to win you 9 outta 10".

This one squarely on the defense, late interception aside.  Last week on the offense.  Sigh.

[valpotx]

Just wow.  I didn't like that play-call.  Why try to get more space on the throw when you had plenty of time to stay in the pocket for 10-20 yd pass?  We needed two long plays, no point trying to get it on one play.  Just sad.  We should be 4-4 (2-2), but are 2-6 (0-4) now.

That non-call on their punt return was absolutely terrible.  I have no idea how a ref could miss that.

[valpochgo]

The announcer said it best "Valpo played not to lose instead of playing to win."   

[valpotx]

Not really, though.  We made the right call on that third down play, they just guessed correctly.  They were stacking the box all second half on the run, and we hadn't run the play-action pass since early in the third quarter.  Now, I wouldn't have called the QB sweep, but rather a pass to completely catch them off guard, but it was the right idea in general.

I believe that our games at home against Butler and Davidson are winnable, so even if we lose all the others outside of this, we end up 4-8 (2-6).  That is a pretty good year compared to the last 5-6 seasons, especially considering that we really could have 3 other wins (at Campbell with that GL INT late that would have put us ahead, at home against Drake with Lehman getting hurt leading to no offense, and this one). 

[usc4valpo]

they did not blow this game, did they?   I took a shower after Valpo got the INT thinking the game was done, and ...

[valpochgo]

When you have a 3rd and 3... I'm not running a QB sweep; I'm handing it to Hall and letting him run between the tackles.  Worst case he gets 2 yds and now you have 4 and 1 (or inches) vs. 4th and 7.  I'm not leaving the game in the hands of the defense when they've given up over 500 yds and the game is still in the 4th quarter.

[ole skol baller 2]

Wow