bpcats wrote:Fun matchup to watch this weekend.
Griz - Loaded with talent on the defense and their UW transfer DT Tyrone Duncan has had the impact that all Griz fans have been waiting for. The Griz also probably have the fastest set of linebackers in the conference, and the most experience returning at the cornerback position with Trumaine Johnson and Wilson. You can't argue with their results so far being 1st against the pass, 1st in total defense , #1 in interceptions etc.. etc. Tag that with top scoring offense, top passing offense, most dangerous set of receivers with Sambrano, Gratton and Moutron, and KR/PR weapon in Ngyuen and the Griz are just as dangerous as ever.
However there are some chinks in the armor of the Griz and they can be taken advantage of in the Big Sky as Cal Poly did who I thought played a solid game but didn't think they were much better than some of the teams in the Big Sky. The Griz are dead last in the conference in running ball averaging 76 yards per game. 8th in the Conference in punting at 26yds, average 8.5 penalties a game and are dead last in time of possession. So they are a quick strike team with a great defense who have also will probably be switching quarterbacks (Payton award candidate Selle), and have taken the ball out of their other Payton award candidate Reynolds. Glanville wish he had this team the last few years..
Eagles - As much hype as their new field has garnered (and I'm glad its gathered support of EWU football program that at one time was talked about as being in danger of being shut down) it cannot play the game for the Eagles and Central Washington almost made it their new home field. The Eagles do have Taiwon Jones who is an offense all unto himself averaging 278 yards a game. The problems with the Eagles team this year so far is that Meyers or Nichols aren't playing qb and Mitchell has not been able to fully click with his receivers, yet. The Eagles are also dead last in passing defense, 8th in rush defense (won't matter against the Griz), defense is allowing 40 points a game, dead last in total defense. The only thing they have done really well is kept penalties down.
Do the Eagles have the talent to beat the Griz..yep. But so far they have not shown it in their play, and if they don't put it together this week the score could get ugly. As far as timing goes, the Eagle have the best shot at beating the Griz before the team from Missoula gets it all figured out going into the playoffs.
Prediction - Griz 38 - Taiwon Jones 17...(TJ hold the ball for the kicker)
Good write-up, but another point for you. I've been following EWU football since the early 90's and I have never heard any sort of serious discussion about dropping the program. That was pure conjecture on the part of a few Montana fans last year after we had those BS NCAA sanctions put on us. There has never been anything mentioned by the school that would suggest dropping football. The administration is committed to making the program a national contender in FCS, and you'll see that with the amount of effort that will be put forth in the facility improvements, etc. over the next few years as well as the team's performance on the field. Yes, we'll continue to have to schedule the yearly body-bag games to make ends meet, but most FCS schools have to do that.
Looking forward to this one. You may not be too far off on the score. Keys to win for EWU will be slowing down Montana's passing attack (something we've struggled with thus far this year), good special teams play (another area that needs improvement), being on the + side of the turn-over battle........and lastly, we will need our QB and receivers to step up and make some big plays. We're going to have to connect on a couple long balls to open up the run game for TJ and Beaumonte. Montana will undoubtedly be keyed in on Jones, so unless we get our pass game going early, I don't see our offense spending a lot of time on the field.
There's also been some mention of possibly seeing true Freshman Mario Brown in this game - really excited about that. For those of you that don't know, this guy was a highly-touted player out of the Bay Area that had some ridiculous numbers in HS. He is very explosive and could be as fast as TJ, although he's on the smaller side.
Let's hope for a good, clean game with *NO* injuries and *NO* BS calls from the officiating crew. Too big a game to be decided by the refs. Get it right this time, fellas, for both teams.
Are were seriously going to turn this into a "Montana to the WAC" thread? Save it for Egriz man and let's talk about the game.