FOOTBALL INSTANT ANALYSIS: Middle Tennessee earns victory over Tennessee Tech behind final drive

[Shayne_Pickering]

GoMiddle: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Football & Basketball Recruiting - Middle Tennessee's late push earns 32-25 victory over Tennessee Tech

Middle Tennessee secures a 32-25 victory over Tennessee Tech on the game's final drive.

middletennessee.rivals.com

 

[Hop45]

2nd half was awful, other than last drive.

 

[blueboro007]

GoMiddle: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Football & Basketball Recruiting - Middle Tennessee's late push earns 32-25 victory over Tennessee Tech

Middle Tennessee secures a 32-25 victory over Tennessee Tech on the game's final drive.

middletennessee.rivals.com

Left at halftime. That safety and dropped pick 6 near end of the first half totally changed the game dynamic

 

[TrueBlueFB_23]

Left at halftime. That safety and dropped pick 6 near end of the first half totally changed the game dynamic

Not to mention not having our playmakers in the game & airing it out when they stick 8 in the box. Vattiato could have had a heyday with a mefiocre line. What happened to taking what the defense gives you & playing to our strengths? It’s not a balanced approach with your best hands not in the game.

 

[Shayne_Pickering]

Not to mention not having our playmakers in the game & airing it out when they stick 8 in the box. Vattiato could have had a heyday with a mefiocre line. What happened to taking what the defense gives you & playing to our strengths? It’s not a balanced approach with your best hands not in the game.

This is why I think they were holding back on what they wanted to show. Jake and I talked about this on the Blue Raider Pod episode that comes out tomorrow, but they opened up the passing attack with some nice plays early to get a 3 score lead (even then only using those plays on 3rd downs) and then was forced into using them on that final drive

 

[TrueBlueFB_23]

The plays vs Tech don’t matter it’s more the personnel. If Willis isn’t at TE any play he needs to be at WR. Point is he needs to be on the field. It changes everything. Even the QB confidence knowing he’s there. This isn’t upward league.

 

[TrueBlue147]

This is why I think they were holding back on what they wanted to show. Jake and I talked about this on the Blue Raider Pod episode that comes out tomorrow, but they opened up the passing attack with some nice plays early to get a 3 score lead (even then only using those plays on 3rd downs) and then was forced into using them on that final drive

They may have been holding back at first but what why they continue to do that when TN Tech came back and eventually went ahead? Also, that's just the offense. What was the defenses excuse?

I'm not concerned that much as I figured this first year was a throw away year and 6-6 or better was gonna be a surprise for me. Didn't Mason start slow at Vanderbilt before he got things going relatively well?

 

[Shayne_Pickering]

They may have been holding back at first but what why they continue to do that when TN Tech came back and eventually went ahead? Also, that's just the offense. What was the defenses excuse?

I'm not concerned that much as I figured this first year was a throw away year and 6-6 or better was gonna be a surprise for me. Didn't Mason start slow at Vanderbilt before he got things going relatively well?

That’s the question I have as well

 

[sWiley]

Because they weren't holding back. That is an absolute myth. There is a game plan that is installed during the week and the game plan is executed on game day. There's no hiding or saving plays unless they weren't installed during the week. And if they weren't installed during the week it's not a good idea to run them anyway.


They definitely made some questionable subs trying to get the second string some PT but they were not holding any plays back.

 

[MTFAN61]

I like your theory & you guys may be right. Masking our best players & plays for the upcoming Ole Miss game is a good theory & may have been the plan. Unfortunately when it comes to Kiffen it probably won't matter. Furman is a perennial FCS contender. They went 10-3 last year before losing in OT to Montana in the FCS playoffs last year.
Ole Miss put them down 76-0. No coach in America relishes destroying their opponent more than Kiffen.
Predicting we'll be a little closer than Furman in score, but not by much.
Ole Miss: 63
MT: 10

 

[Hop45]

I'm thinking it was vanilla play calling to save it for WKU, not Ole Miss. Don't want too much getting out there before conference starts.

 

[MT01]

We were beaten in literally every phase of the game except the final score. Give me some of what y’all are having.

 

[mtfblue]

I like your theory & you guys may be right. Masking our best players & plays for the upcoming Ole Miss game is a good theory & may have been the plan. Unfortunately when it comes to Kiffen it probably won't matter. Furman is a perennial FCS contender. They went 10-3 last year before losing in OT to Montana in the FCS playoffs last year.
Ole Miss put them down 76-0. No coach in America relishes destroying their opponent more than Kiffen.
Predicting we'll be a little closer than Furman in score, but not by much.
Ole Miss: 63
MT: 10

Furman is no where near what they were last year, they are a new team and all those seniors are gone. They will finish mid pack in the Socon if they are lucky.

 

[mtfblue]

It's not vanilla play calling, it's not saving for your best players for Ole Miss and WKU, it's basically a new team, that hasn't played anyone but themselves, now you have actual game film to coach from and you see how players reacted with the lights on. You can now coach and fix issues, TTU had transfers that could play and new staff, so you had no film to get ready for, and it almost bit MT in the ass. Everyone has played a game, so you have film now with what teams want to do.

 

[sWiley]

We were beaten in literally every phase of the game except the final score. Give me some of what y’all are having.

Exactly.

TTU faced the same problems we did with a brand new coach and bringing in transfers at key positions. They also lost their starting QB and had to roll with the backup. They had to sit around for 2.5 hours with a weather delay also.

Zero excuses. We got outplayed for a good portion of the game and barely escaped with a W. It is not a good sign anyway you try to rationalize it.

 

[jbblueraider]

I think it's more appropriate to show some respect to Tennessee Tech. They came prepared and they're a good team. We were able to finish though and a win is a win. We're 1-0. Relax!