<p>Interesting game. I expected more from our offense and slightly more from our defense, but the defense did create enough opportunities tto score 14 points and the offense did not turn the ball over. I think we were getting in a groove by the time the game was called off. I tthink we would have dominated the 4th quarter had we played it. Let us hope that the we really do see the biggest improvement in the second game, but for now, I will remain cautiously optimisitic.</p>
<p>Our offense only ran five series and scored on three of them, each time driving all the way across the field. I’d say our offense did all right. They just didn’t have enough opportunities to show off what they can do.</p>
<p>Next game is gonna be interesting. The Notre Dame team will be coming in really ****ed.</p>
<p>I thought we were suppose to have this awesome under center, no need to hurt Denard offense. It felt like we were running with Denard most of the time and were always in the shotgun. I am fine with us using mostly shotgun (they are probably still easing Denard into being under center). </p>
<p>It seemed like for those first few drives though we were hardly using a HB and instead were running Denard between the tackles on 3rd and short. Maybe I am being overly cautious and I know you need to run with Denard some to keep the D honest but I don’t want to see the guy go down. Later in the game though we hit a groove and handing it off to the HBs was working. I don’t think Hoke wanted to run Denard like that early but I guess he didn’t have a choice.</p>
<p>Denard also made some sketchy throws, and they were even sketchier when it rained (to be expected). </p>
<p>Our D needs to improve too. I love the turnovers and points but we should have WMU driving down the field on us.</p>
<p>Denard was under center for a lot of the snaps but the talent is essentially the same as last year and Hoke is smart enough to know he has to work with what he has. A lot of the plays looked like RichRodball out of the pro formation. The defensive talent, unfortunately looks much the same. They are still giving up the conversions on third and long. Unless there is a significant improvement on the defensive side, it could be another long season while we wait for reinforcements to arrive next year.</p>
<p>On an unrelated note, I think a lot of credit goes to the Western AD for allowing the game to end. There was no way that ND was going to call the game when it was on the losing end and it took hours and a fan struck by lightning before Marshall was willing to call them game while losing to WVU by three touchdowns. It’s not easy to put a game in the loss column even if it is the right thing to do for players and fans.</p>
<p>I don’t know how you can say you felt like we were running Denard most of the time. He had 8 carries. Our running backs took some of the load off his back</p>
<p>He had a lot of those carries early when we needed yards. This was also in 3/4 a game and one where we had less time of possession than WMU do to turnovers</p>
<p>And res ispa, I read that the report about a fan getting struck by lightning wasn’t true. The police in the area confirmed no one was struck by lightning and in fact the stadium got struck instead. But ur right, props to the WMU AD. The student section did not want to leave</p>