fb 2019 Game #14: 12/7/19 - 3:00PM @ #5 Montana State [FCS Playoffs Round 2]

[DanesRGood]

Thanks to the Cats fans who signed up.  Good to have you here. 

Didn't get a chance to post during the game because we were having a party here and I'm still in a bit of a fog from a little too much bourbon. I knew this outcome was possible but I honestly thought it would be a closer and more competitive game. I don't mean this as a slight to MSU but more a compliment to our team..... I did not see a HUGE difference in overall talent on the teams.  In a few spots yes but overall I don't think we are that much worse of a team and just didn't play well. MSU is a really good team but I think Albany is also! 

I was very surprised at how well they passed the ball. I was really surprised with the special teams mistakes and long returns that truly killed us early in the game. Our kick coverage has been good all season. I was really surprised that we didn't throw the ball more and with more success.  

Oh well, it was a great season overall and hopefully something to build on.  Undercuffler with another year under his belt, some nice young players need to continue to grow and hopefully the new crop of kids coming in will be good and they will have another successful season next year.  

 

[jimbo]

Our D did a pretty good job against the run. Held them well below their season avg per carry. It really was the Oregon transfer, #10, that had the big runs. He was quite a speedy and elusive guy. The punt coverage was atrocious. #70, young guy, supposed to be good....he was completely lost yesterday from what I saw. There’s lots of holes to plug for 2020, but some good players returning. 

[Cledus]

On 12/8/2019 at 10:14 AM, DanesRGood said:

Thanks to the Cats fans who signed up.  Good to have you here. 

Didn't get a chance to post during the game because we were having a party here and I'm still in a bit of a fog from a little too much bourbon. I knew this outcome was possible but I honestly thought it would be a closer and more competitive game. I don't mean this as a slight to MSU but more a compliment to our team..... I did not see a HUGE difference in overall talent on the teams.  In a few spots yes but overall I don't think we are that much worse of a team and just didn't play well. MSU is a really good team but I think Albany is also! 

I was very surprised at how well they passed the ball. I was really surprised with the special teams mistakes and long returns that truly killed us early in the game. Our kick coverage has been good all season. I was really surprised that we didn't throw the ball more and with more success.  

Oh well, it was a great season overall and hopefully something to build on.  Undercuffler with another year under his belt, some nice young players need to continue to grow and hopefully the new crop of kids coming in will be good and they will have another successful season next year.  

I agree about the talent.  Throughout the season, MSU was able to wear down defensive lines as the games wore on.  Even though we had a few good runs, the Danes stood tall the entire game and didn't get gassed.  I was impressed.  You guys held our best back, Isaiah Ifanse, to something like 39 yards on 16 carries.  It was a ridiculously small number and even smaller yards per carry.

The short fields and interceptions at the worst possible times were too much for you guys to overcome.  I don't feel like the final score was the greatest indicator of the amount of talent the Danes have and the fight they put up.

We were surprised at how well we passed the ball, too (believe me).  I'm one of the few people who have believed in Rovig all along.  He's looked like a world beater against vastly inferior competition and struggled against better teams.  I think he just has a steeper learning curve than most other starting quarterbacks at this level.  This isn't to suggest the Danes are inferior competition.  He's been making incremental progress with every start.  Without his good performance this past week, the game would have been much closer.

I'm glad our fans have been able to be friendly and cordial.  I'll definitely be following you guys in the years to come.

Merry Christmas!

 

[DanesRGood]

13 minutes ago, Cledus said:

 

Thanks for the response Cledus and also being cordial as well. I'm not sure why but I'm still pissed about the way we lost that game.  I watched the replay yesterday and there was just a perfect storm of $iena for UA early in the game. Long TD run, blocked punt for safety, the punt returns sometimes deep into our territory.  Just stuff you don't see very often happen in that short of a time span in a game. Best of luck the rest of the way.  

[Clickclack]

1 hour ago, Cledus said:

 

Likewise, enjoy this weekend. Will check in on the game is schedule allows. 

[Eli]

Ya'll so polite. After the comment by one of their fans calling our kids scumbags (likely a MASSIVE over reaction/exaggeration), I hope they get crushed by 50. Or better yet, I hope they make the title game only to face CAA powerhouse JMU and get absolutely OBLITERATED to smithereens on NatTV.

[Clickclack]

3 minutes ago, Eli said:

Ya'll so polite. After the comment by one of their fans calling our kids scumbags (likely a MASSIVE over reaction/exaggeration), I hope they get crushed by 50. Or better yet, I hope they make the title game only to face CAA powerhouse JMU and get absolutely OBLITERATED to smithereens on NatTV.

It's one idiot...not gonna judge the entire fan base based on one moron. 

[DanesRGood]

26 minutes ago, Clickclack said:

It's one idiot...not gonna judge the entire fan base based on one moron. 

Agree with Click.  Eli, don't be our version of that one fan! 😉

So, when I watched the replay I watched closely to see where UA players were being "scumbags".  I would say it was a total overreaction by that poster.   There was one instance I saw where I think Mencer pulled the ball out from the guy right after the tackle, which was dumb but not a dirty play. There was definitely a lot of jawing going on but on both sides, which I have never liked but that went both ways. Their guys were getting in our faces after plays just as much as ours.  One was called and another on a WR screen was not called but should've been.  Yes, refs missed a couple facemask calls, one on them. So that poster was disillusion and I won't hold that against what seems to be a good and dedicated fan base.

 

[Cledus]

4 hours ago, DanesRGood said:

Thanks for the response Cledus and also being cordial as well. I'm not sure why but I'm still pissed about the way we lost that game.  I watched the replay yesterday and there was just a perfect storm of $iena for UA early in the game. Long TD run, blocked punt for safety, the punt returns sometimes deep into our territory.  Just stuff you don't see very often happen in that short of a time span in a game. Best of luck the rest of the way.  

I've never seen a game like that, where MSU was getting seams on every single return.  Once or twice in a game, maybe.  But not every single time.

In the post game, our coach brought up the punt returns.  He wondered if it was the ball getting extra carry due to the elevation change.  The elevation in Bozeman is something like 4,800 feet.  In other words, he thought your punter was out kicking the coverage.  We played a couple other teams at sea level (Cali teams) and Southeast Missouri State (about 450 feet) and none of them served up meatballs right down the chute.  Maybe your coverage just broke down at the worst possible time.

[UAalum72]

Punting was about 5-6 ypk over his season average, probably not enough to make that much difference.

[UAalum72]

After Oedekoven made ESPN’s Too Ten for the second week in a row last week

https://m.timesunion.com/sports/article/UAlbany-s-Oedekoven-makes-SportsCenter-Top-10-14873910.php?

Juwan Green makes #2 on “You Got Mossed” before MNF tonight

https://m.timesunion.com/sports/article/UAlbany-football-player-makes-ESPN-s-You-Got-14894350.php?

[catbob]

Good games guys, sorry for the delayed response.  Biggest thing to me in this game was coaching, and of course special teams.  Albany will take a ton away from this game and wouldn't be surprised to see Albany in the playoffs again next year with a guy like Undercuffler at the helm.  Was impressed with how Albany contained our run game, but like I've been saying to anyone who will listen in the last 2-3 weeks, Tucker Rovig isn't a guy you want winning games for you but the man can throw a football and he stepped up and delivered his best game of the year, which is a huge sign for us as we continue in the playoffs.

Good luck next season! Thanks for the conversation here, it was fun talking some football.

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by catbob

[nysteve661]

I see Montana St beat Austin Peay 24-10 yesterday and now get NDSU in a semi-final.  NDSU did not look great in a 9-3 win Friday.  

[Eli]

2 hours ago, nysteve661 said:

I see Montana St beat Austin Peay 24-10 yesterday and now get NDSU in a semi-final.  NDSU did not look great in a 9-3 win Friday.  

Another reason why Undercuffler should have won the Jerry Rice. Other guy had no picks but Jeff blew him away in almost all other stats. Thundercuffler got completely robbed. 

[alum73]

He managed an undefeated season.  He didn't need to throw as much as we did.