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Posted on Sat, Oct 27, 2012 : 7:34 p.m.

EMU offense stutters as Eagles fall 24-3 to Bowling Green State

By AnnArbor.com Staff

After scoring 85 points in its previous six quarters, the Eastern Michigan offense stumbled Saturday scoring a meager three points in a 24-3 loss at Bowling Green State. With the loss EMU is now 1-7 (0-4 in MAC play) on the year. BGSU is now 6-3, 4-1 this season.

“When you play a team like this, that is a really sound defensive team. And they’re gonna drop eight in the box consistently and you can’t throw your way out, you’re gonna struggle and that’s what really happened today," said EMU head coach Ron English.

“We still did some good things in the running game, but you’re not going to just keep doing that and score points. Today our quarterback had to be good in the throwing game and he wasn’t. But he’ll learn from that and he’ll get better.”

The lone Eagles points came on a 42-yard field goal from Saline native Dylan Mulder in the first quarter.

After posting back-to-back weeks of 550 yards or more of offense, the Eagles were held to 178 yards of offense. Bronson Hill was held in check rushing for 57 yards on 13 carries.

“If you take the sacks out, we still ran the ball decently. Against that defense we still averaged well over four yards a carry, we just didn’t run it enough times,” English said.

Boxscore

Eastern quarterback Tyler Benz completed 11-of-24 passes for 114 yards and no touchdowns for the Eagles. He also threw an interception to go along with a fumble that was returned for a score by BGSU’s Chris Jones.

“Their front made our guy look like a rookie quarterback,” English said. “There were guys open, he couldn’t find them. He missed a lot of throws. I don’t’ think that they had as much of pressure on him early, but when they got ahead and we had to throw, then they got a lot of pressure on him.”

The Eagles once again were gashed on the ground, giving up 225 yards on the ground. BGSU’s John Pettigrew rushed for 136 yards on 24 carries to lead the Falcons.

Alex Bellfy led the Eagles defensively with 15 tackles on the day.

Bowling Green opened the scoring in the first quarter on a flea-flicker from Jordan Hopgood hit Shaun Joplin for 53-yard touchdown pass.

EMU has a short week ahead as the Eagles travel to Athens, Ohio for a Thursday night game against the Ohio Bobcats. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

Comments

Shelly

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 3:08 p.m.

duh! who do you tnk has been the QB for the last three yrs? gillett has pay attn!

perplexemu

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 12:02 p.m.

greg,.too where have you been? English has been throwing the QB under the bus since he's been at EMU.

Shelly

Sun, Oct 28, 2012 : 11:35 p.m.

let's face it they are poorly coached. they ran a neanderthal offense while gillett was in there continually putting him in 3rd an long. now they start running play action rolling the QB out and misdirection. that is what gillett is made for why didn't they do it befor? he is a playmaker just waiting for the chance to run that offense. he's a 3 yr starter who gave it his all an all they ever did was blame him for they're stupidity. it's not gonna get any better either. you folks enjoy english. i for one am happy it's almost over for me. these last 4 yrs of watching that mess was painful to say the least. what they did to gillett was disrespectful an disgraceful. he put up good nmbrs on one bad team

MRunner73

Sun, Oct 28, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.

There's no sugar coating this loss. Not sure what their future looks like but it is bleak. They do deserve better.

renee mulder

Sun, Oct 28, 2012 : 2:12 p.m.

There are problems with the team but bashing them and their coaches every week is not helping the situation. Reading all the negativity here in past weeks and on Facebook and twitter and blogs from others really makes it hard for the team to be positive. The game yesterday was hard enough on the players. As a parent of one of those players it is my job to be consoling and positive and encouraging and I am doing that. Instead of all the negativity try some encouragement for a change people. I'm pretty sure we couldn't do better out there on the field.

greg, too

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 4:45 a.m.

It's not bashing them. It is simply stating the facts. Ok, pure facts. They are 102nd out of 124 FCS teams in offense. They are 110 out of 124 FCS in defense. They are sixth in one of the worst mid major divisions in college football. That comes down to bad coaching and recruiting. As a former player, not at EMU, I am in no way knocking the players. They are out there trying and giving their all, but their coaches are failing them. Renee, I hope your son is on scholarship and that he is enjoying his collegiate life and making the best of his education and that he does well in his life. But if it impossible to miss that the coaching is subpar and needs to change before this program can accomplish anything.

greg, too

Sun, Oct 28, 2012 : 3:30 a.m.

"If you take the sacks out, we still ran the ball decently. Against that defense we still averaged well over four yards a carry, we just didn't run it enough times," If you take the sacks out? Really? We are now dealing in the hypothetical? And who cares that you averaged 4 yards a carry if you lost? And way to throw the QB under the bus. Good coaching there. Moral victories aren't actual victories. As long as English is the coach, that's all the 12 fans who attend EMU games will get.