MGN Dynasty: Week 4
After fake UNT beat fake TTU in Lubbock, the fake MGN Podcast was all like “I’ve always said that NT could have been Tech if NT was in the same conference with Texas for 40 years. That was a gusty win and I am a fan of this new coach with the weird name”
In real life the challenge after a big upset is keeping all your players down to earth and preparing the way you always prepare so they don’t get clipped at home vs a Wyoming. I prepare for the Cowboys coming to DATCU by playing a quick exhibition game (this whole endeavor is on Heisman, mind you) and I can see a DT that is a beast.
I quickly played a half — again just to get a sense of what kind of offense they run etc. Call it scouting. I am concerned. We have no run game to speak of. The first couple of weeks we ran well enough, but Morris has been too good. The circumstances also presented themselves to us in a way that we had to toss it more than ever (Ahem that FCS near-loss). We will run the ball this week, folks. What is one defensive tackle? He cannot be everywhere. Besides, we are grown men football-playin’ sumbitches. We will run the ball. I show the team some Cobbs highlights. Some Dunbar highlights. We will run the ball, folks.
We did not run the ball (well).
More on that in a second.
Recruiting Update
Chandler Morris is carrying us right now, and there isn’t much behind him that we have a lot of faith in. So we are recruiting a few QBs, looking to find someone to take the job next season. Top on our list is Jaleel Finnerty, a 4★ QB from Keller, TX. Much like the real NT, who is offering fast DB/WRs from Texas who want to play in front of family and friends, we are doing the same. Come to NT, and throw for 500 yards per game, my dude.
We are sending the house. We also are looking to get depth at corner, linebacker, the defensive line, and offensive line as well. The Cantwell kid is still looking likely, and we are making in-roads on a right guard. ‘Crootin’ is happening.
The Game
Kickoff at Apogee DATCU is rainy, and they receive. Our little scouting report shows a team that likes heavy formations, will try to run, but relies on their QB a ton. He’s a big ol’ dude at 6'5" and 230+ lbs. They were whooped by BYU and only have the one FCS win to their name against two losses. We should do well if we don’t hurt ourselves.
We take a page out of the Texas Tech playbook and decide we aren’t going to sit back and defend, but instead we will bring heavy pressure. It works, as we get in the QB’s face and force an INT to start. They go heavy, in a tight look (WRs close to the formation) and they try to throw a quick pass. Our safety who wears 87 for some reason — some player named Dante Goodson — grabs the interception. We are golden.
I said we will run the ball this week and goddawgit we lined up and ran. Yes, we ran away from that monster DT because we aren’t stupid but we ran the ball. It went well enough until we had to kick it. We are up 3. I had a drop a the goal line (TE) and I chalk it up to the rain. I notice the stands are still kind of empty and think about how the marketing team must have dropped the ball. We beat Tech in Lubbock and we can’t fill the home side? Come on boys. I know I nearly was beat by FCS Midwest aka SFA but cut me some slack. 3-0!
Anyway, we are up a field goal and looking to dominate again. We bring pressure. We get a big sack on 3rd down. They had our freshman corner beat again, but overthrew him. So it goes. Our ball. Time to score. Except we don’t. A theme throughout this game is that we have no time to throw the ball. We can’t run. Bertagnole is abusing the right guard and getting into my face too quickly. Coverage sack.
We force a punt. Defense doing well with the pressure and Brown is getting into the backfield from the Mike spot. It’s all working. I hit them with a Sides WR screen, he shrugs off a tackle and races to the endzone. We are up 10-0. I feel good.
We get more good defense and get a coverage sack. Having taken play-calling duties from the DC, I am feeling very good about myself. (I use the formations instead of going with his suggestions). The DC suggested a prevent defense on first and ten inside the 20 when they had 2 WRs. I oughta have fired the guy right then and there. What kind of nonsense …
Anyway, we have to punt. I am getting frustrated. We cannot run effectively. I am able to find some screen actions, but they aren’t breaking into space. So they are coming up to make tackles before the first down marker, setting up 3rd and 4th and short.
As my QB was hitting his plant foot they were in my face. I was either hit as I threw or had to scramble or throw the ball away. They are also sitting in a zone so I need time for these dudes to get open1. I don’t love that my guys are running through the zone instead of sitting and getting open like you are taught in real life. So it goes.
Adding to this problem is the dropsies. Sides has dropped a couple. So has Conwright. He was quiet in this one. I moved him around but couldn’t get a good matchup or a good moment.
The game, as they say, is cheating. Anyway, we get a pick six! We are sitting tight in a zone and they bunch everyone. We show blitz and settle into a zone blitz. Wyoming tosses it right to our safety. We house it. We are hyped. 17-0 and even though I’m frustrated with our offense we can feel good about this.
We have them pinned back deep. I bring a big blitz. They throw it quick over the middle. I control Brown but I am out of position. Pass complete. I come over with Young but I dive too early. Rookie mistake. They bring it to the five. Then beat my iffy corner. It’s fine. I understand our mistakes.
We are eating up more yardage but are stalled by another coverage sack. It’s 4th and 2. I am skittish on calling another run after three weeks of getting stopped. I throw it. It comes up short. I wanted Sides on a WR middle screen. He caught it but was caught just short.
They score. It’s 17-14. I hadn’t changed my defensive approach but they are hitting the throws now. Big chunk yards, now. I imagine the tiny crowd at DATCU is squirming.
We drive. Screens, short stuff. Nothing to let the pass rush get to Morris. Also scrambling for some yards when it breaks down. We are moving the ball well but we have another hit-as-we-throw situation. It’s 4th-and-5. We dial up a slant. We throw incomplete. I probably could have scrambled but I saw Ward breaking open (I thought). The Wyoming safety comes over and knocks it away.
We hold them to a FG. It is tied.
Then, a drop. Then that DT on a mission.
So we throw another screen, and get some yards but are called for holding. I punt. I want to keep my job. I can’t deal with another 4th down non-conversion while deep in my own territory. So we’ll flip the field with this punt. First and ten, we get into the backfield and force a 2-yard loss. They are called for holding. We accept. 1st and 20 and we get them for another 2-yard loss. Love it. It’s 2nd and 22. They convert. A little play-action and a toss to the side of the field (I am matching up corners based on overall now so it should be lessened but it’s not solved) and they get the necessary yardage in two plays. TD Wyoming on this drive. More of the same.
So this is it, eh? We beat Tech in Lubbock but will concede a game to Wyoming at home? This is our fate, my friends? Ugh. We start it right by hitting Carnes for 44. We’ve had success by stretching the field horizontally but I’m still wary of that line getting pressure. It holds up enough to find Carnes on a deep crosser. He catches and gets about 15 after the completion. Then we look to Ward on a slant. Then a 7-yard run to Ragsdale on HB Draw from doubles. Then we toss the ball into the stands as the DT did a spin move right into the scramble lane and cut off our run. Then we call another set of slants. Nothing doing, and we run left with Morris for 13 yards to the 1. He’s hurt! Oh man I hope there is no OT as we will be severely limited.
We decide to run right at the dude (well I was mostly concerned about the QB and didn’t see they swapped the DT to the left side). I put the zoom all the way in as we were running all the way baby. Ragsdale breaks a tackle as he leans forward for the score. NT tied. The tiny crowd celebrates.
Morris is done with a hurt quad. His day: 268 on 24/38 for a score and 43 yards rushing. He also had 4 drops. Those were the official ones.
Alright so we need a stop. We have had some good moments defensively in this one, but are susceptible to big plays. We sit in a little cover-3 zone, and I decide to change up the pressure by swapping between backers that will rush. It works on the first couple of plays but they do get a first down. I brought too much pressure, it was handled, and they get a catch-and-run to the 50. I slide my line more, as I’ve had success with Rod Brown against their guards. They throw right, and … pick six!
Now that didn’t quite seal the game as they had 44 seconds left but we got a sack (Rod B) and sealed it. I’ll count it as 4-games, 4-picks to win it.
Fake coach quote about it:
“That was a hell of an effort by the defense in that one. They carried us. Three interceptions, including the one by Goodson to win it. Incredible stuff. We wanted to run the ball better but we couldn’t get much done there. We did get the ball to Zach and Rags (10 for 93 yards catching) so we feel good about that but this was the defense all the way. Proud of those guys.”
Who is next up? Honestly I don’t want to even check on it. We have got to get our QB healthy or it doesn’t matter.
One drop in the screen shot is Sides on a comeback. That is the like fourth option on the RB -crosses play. Wyoming must have been scouting me as they didn’t allow one completion on that one in this game.