MGN Dynasty: Year Two Mid Season Update

It's A Rough One

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Last we left you coach MGN MeanGreenNation won a bowl game over Ball State and went 9-4 on the year. We were ranked and started the next season ranked 22nd in the nation. Good times. My offseason recruiting went … okay. I finished 2nd in the league, but I really didn’t upgrade the offensive or defensive lines that well. We have guys, but they are not ready to play. The secondary is solid, and the QB situation is Cash McCollum.

I spend time loading up the recruiting board with guys that will fill needs. There is a 5-star QB that is interested, and a 4-star also. I add them. I am going light on the board and heavy on game-changing talent to start.

We had two weeks of byes to start before Western Michigan on the road. I immediately was worried as I could not stop their run game — line is too light — and my offensive line is a sieve. I give up 422 yards of offense including 154 on the ground. Meanwhile I throw for 384 and six scores with the new QB. I am excited about that. I lose 45-42 in a nailbiter. After another bye I get Washington State in Denton who proceeds to destroy me 42-20. Same issue but this time against better talent. I have another 418 yard day including 387 through the air. Sides has 202 yards receiving on 8 grabs and a score but the defense is getting rocked. Antother 400+ yard day.

Finally I get a win over South Alabama 38-31 with the same kind of game but this time with a slightly better defensive performance. A couple of interceptions help my defense even if McCollum throws his first two of the year as well. He’s killing it with 14 and 2 TD:INT ratio in three games.

Against Syracuse I drop another game, this time on the road in New York. My offense was not as explosive, and the defense improving enough to keep things close but not really win things. I simply cannot get pressure on their QBs when they spread, nor can I stop a run that isn’t sideline-to-sideline.

I sooth any concerns with a big win over Army and score 22 points in the 2nd quarter. They manage some easy scores late in the 4th to make it look a little better than it was. Turns out there are worse teams than us. I put up 496 of offense against their 303. This would be a bigger blowout if I had better lineman.

The losses have hurt my recruiting but winning a league game boosts my Championship Contender rating a bit more so I’m in contention for a few 4 and 5-stars. I throw 3 interceptions in this one as I was frustrated with recent play. Trying to force the ball down the field is not a good thing, folks.

I follow this up with a big win in Philadelphia vs Temple. Victor Aderungbuye catches 10 on shallow crosses for 155 and 2 scores. I win 37-27 with 14 of their points coming in the 4th. Again, our defense is struggling to stop some easy things.

This puts us at 3-3 and 2-0 in the league before we travel to ECU. I expect to dominate proceedings and then get smacked in the mouth by the computer. I get an early stop as my pass rush works vs this weak ECU line, but theirs works vs me as well. Sack/fumble for a score for them. Forced punt after a drop. It’s 10-3 them. I score before half to make it 17-24. We are held scoreless in the third but I grab 21 points including a go-ahead in the fourth quarter on a toss to Sides deep along the left side. There are only 20seconds remaining but they manage to do a Memphis on me and throw a hail mary-like pass for a score over my best safety. I go to OT and miss a field goal. It doesn’t matter as they bully ball me on two run plays and score from 10 yards out. I am upset.

3-4 on the year and 2-1 in conference. I host UTSA next. They are ranked 13th but don’t look super intimidating. I cannot be too high and mighty however as I did just lose to ECU 44-38.

So UTSA in Denton. My defense is flawless. I use more 3-5-Split to get guys closer to the line and go all-in on putting more corners and more DEs in the packages. I get stops and go up 21-3. We trade some scores and it is 28-17 entering the 4th. I grind clock and add a field goal but they drive and score. I have to hold them off as I’m forced to punt and my defense comes up big. NT wins 31-24 over 13 UTSA.

The problem is my offense was entirely the pass game. 10 yards rushing on 12 attempts. 310 passing and 4 scores from Cash.

Now we are 4-4, 3-1. Cash is at 2,773 (346 per game) 26 TDs and 8 interceptions. We’ve been sacked 14 times — I think that’s bad but ECU has been sacked 29. Oof.

Sides has 850 yards on the year (106.3 per game) and 10 scores. He also is 2nd in the league in drops at 5.

Recruiting wise I have one 4-star wideout commit and was beat out for the RG, DT, DE and QBs I wanted by Texas and others. The one that really hurt was the OLB commit who choose SMU over me. It was me, SMU, and TAMU at the end. I have a couple of 4-star guys I’m hopeful of, and some 3-star guys I am leading the race for. I also have some flyers out. My team is really young and I will lean into the transfer portal more in this coming offseason. I am hopeful I can cause some kind of noise here the rest of the way.

I’m tied for 2nd in the league at 3-1 behind 4-1 Charlotte. Tulane fell all the way off and is 1-3. UTSA had dropped some other game and is 3-2 and ranked 24th still??? I can probably back my way into the title game as long as I can keep firing up 300 yard pass games and getting enough stops from the defense. I have Tulsa and Tulane away followed by home dates vs Memphis and Florida Atlantic.

Next time: the rest of the season.