Breakdown of Each Offensive Drive

[JoeB]

Watching the game, I was pissed at our Offensive output, so I decided to re-watch the game and examine each drive individually.  After the review, I wasn't as upset.  Considering the 4 turnovers, our offense played fairly well.  We punted a total of 6 times.  We did miss some more opportunities either at midfield or in FAU territory, and this is the most glaring problem after 5 games.  Five out of the six punts were after 3rd and at least 8 situations.  Its obvious to me, we can't get in long down and distances or our offense becomes very average.  Here are the drives:

1st Quarter

1-  1 first down earned

    Fumble by Cedric Hill on 1st Down @ the USF 45

2-  2 first downs earned

    3rd Down Incomplete pass to Hester (wide open downfield); Punt from FAU 46

3-  3 first downs earned

    TD by Ben Williams

End of Quarter;  7 points scored;  6 first downs earned;  1 turnover

2nd Quarter

1-  1 first down earned

    3rd Down Incomplete pass to Hester; Punt from USF 38

2-  0 first down

    Fumble on 2nd Down by J. Taylor @ the USF 34

3-  0 first downs

    3rd & 12 Complete for 8 yards to Mitchell; Punt from USF 34

4-  1 first down earned

    Interception by Grothe on 1st down @ USF 38, returned to USF 10

5-  1 play;  Halftime

End of 2nd Quarter; 0 points scored;  2 first downs earned;  2 turnovers

3rd Quarter

1-  5 first downs earned

    TD by Ben Williams

2-  0 first downs

    3rd & 9, Grothe run for 5 yards;  Punt from USF 46

3-  2 first downs earned

    TD by Matt Grothe

4-  1 play, end of Quarter

End of 3rd Quarter; 14 points scored; 7 first downs earned; 0 turnovers

4th Quarter

1-  2 first downs earned

    Fumble by Ben Williams on 1st down run @ FAU 30

2-  1 first down earned

    Turned over on Downs, 4 & 1 @ FAU 31

3-  1 first down earned

    TD by Ben Williams

4-  0 first downs

    3rd & 10 Incomplete; Punt from USF 45

5-  0 first downs

    3rd & 3 Incomplete; Punt from FAU 37

6-  1 first down earned

    TD by Ben Williams 

End of 4th Quarter; 14 points scored; 5 first downs earned; 1 turnover

Final ;  35 points scored; 20 first downs earned; 4 turnovers

[MikeG]

at quick glance-- the real problem with this game was 4 turnovers. Otherwise-- we ran the ball very well and Williams had a career game (4TDs-- one for 54 yards)

[Velcro]

Fumblitis really killed us.

[MikeG]

to be fair-- FAU caused those fumbles with some big hits

[Velcro]

to be fair-- FAU caused those fumbles with some big hits

Certainly.  They did to us, what we did to WVU.

And to be fair to Taylor... his ankle was almost broken during that play where he fumbled.  Pretty tough to hold onto the ball. Play probably should have been called dead sooner than it was.

[JoeB]

Yep, all 3 fumbles were caused by good FAU hits.  The only turnover I had a real problem with was Grothe's interception.  If you watch the replay, he tries to throw over a DB (he eventually picked it off), when he had a receiver wide open underneath.  I think the DB that picked it, left his guy and baited that throw.  That was also going into the wind, and that didn't help either.  Grothe has to learn to not force things.  He gets us in real trouble when he tries to force throws.  It basically cost us 7 points as the DB ran it back to the 10, and they scored 3 plays later.  Huge momentum killer going into half.

[MikeG]

I was just watching Tailgate overtime and noticed a few mistakes

Whit Watson said FAU got a penalty after that long TD that hurt them while going for two--- wrong, the penalty was assessed on the kickoff.

Chris Doering said that Ben Williams had 186 yards and three TDs---  not sure about the yardage but he had 4 TDs

[snarling Bull]

ON several of our offensive plays, I thought there were some very late whistles blown.

[Paul Wall]

yeah we have been having a lot of fumbles lately... more then I am used to seeing. What's the deal, do our players not know how to hold the ball, to grasp the ball, to know if they let go, they let go of the game. you hold that rock like its your baby.

[Bullpride08]

at quick glance-- the real problem with this game was 4 turnovers. Otherwise-- we ran the ball very well and Williams had a career game (4TDs-- one for 54 yards)

So did spots too.  That 4th and 1 in the fourth quarter was the worst spot in modern history.  As good as a turnover.  That should have given us the ball, first down inside FAU's 31, we would have easily walked away with a FG.

sometimes teams like FAU throw all their efforts and ability to stop one aspect of the game so good teams must rely on other aspects like running.  I still don't understand why we didn't come out and immediately establish the run, especially when we saw them dropping so many in the 1st half.