Saturday is Cap on Cancer Day at Bobcat Stadium
BOBCAT FOOTBALL GAME DAY NOTEBOOK #8: Cats Host Explosive Eagles
10/22/2016 11:15:00 AM | Football
MSU faces challenge of slowing down prolific Eagles offense
While so many are ogling Eastern Washington's eye-popping, FCS-leading passing stats, there is something else going on in the Eagles offense.
"Their running game is very effective," Bobcats coach Jeff Choate said of trying to contain a less-heralded yet supremely effective segment of EWU's offense. The stats definitely don't jump off the page the way rolling up and down the field to the tune of 400-plus passing yards a game might. EWU rushes for 132.0 yards a game, just a portion of its league-leading 567.7 total yards average.
Quarterback Gage Gubrud leads the Eagles in rushing with 354 yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season. It's not enough to crack the Big Sky's top 10, but it's more than enough to slow down opposing pass rushes. "You try to leverage the edge on the pass rush and he leaks out on the run and makes you pay," Choate said.
Choate said that while the Eagles use the run-pass option effectively, there's nothing unusual in the way EWU's run game is structured. "Quarterback power read, that's their best run play," Choate said. "They get to it in a variety of ways."
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While the Bobcats continue to tweak personnel to address evolving needs based on injuries and a number of other situations, one move expected to be permanent was made this week. Ben Folsom moved from quarterback to safety, and will wear number six for the remainder of the season. He isn't likely to appear on defense, but his role on special teams expands beginning today, Choate said.
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Eastern Washington has scored at least 50 points in three straight games against Montana State, and this year's Eagles team may be the most explosive edition in recent memory.
Choate believes MSU's best weapon against Eastern's fast-paced, high-scoring offense may be the play clock. "We're going to let that thing run down as far as possible" on most possessions, he said.
But he indicated there may be times when playing at tempo is effective. "There are always times when you can get into tempo to take advantage of certain things," he said, "and that's worked for us at times this year."
* * * * *
There was much less suspense surrounding the quarterback situation this week. Chris Murray is the starter, as the 'or' was removed from this week's depth chart, his first publicly-declared start.
Choate says that – like every quarterback across the nation and every player on the Bobcats squad, mistake elimination and consistency were primary messages in Murray's preparation this week. "You look at four or five plays and think, 'Wow, we've got a chance with him.' Then you look at four or five other plays and think, 'What is he doing?' He's a freshman, he just turned 18. He just needs reps, needs practice time, but he has a chance to do some special things in our program."
"Their running game is very effective," Bobcats coach Jeff Choate said of trying to contain a less-heralded yet supremely effective segment of EWU's offense. The stats definitely don't jump off the page the way rolling up and down the field to the tune of 400-plus passing yards a game might. EWU rushes for 132.0 yards a game, just a portion of its league-leading 567.7 total yards average.
Quarterback Gage Gubrud leads the Eagles in rushing with 354 yards and four rushing touchdowns on the season. It's not enough to crack the Big Sky's top 10, but it's more than enough to slow down opposing pass rushes. "You try to leverage the edge on the pass rush and he leaks out on the run and makes you pay," Choate said.
Choate said that while the Eagles use the run-pass option effectively, there's nothing unusual in the way EWU's run game is structured. "Quarterback power read, that's their best run play," Choate said. "They get to it in a variety of ways."
* * * * *
While the Bobcats continue to tweak personnel to address evolving needs based on injuries and a number of other situations, one move expected to be permanent was made this week. Ben Folsom moved from quarterback to safety, and will wear number six for the remainder of the season. He isn't likely to appear on defense, but his role on special teams expands beginning today, Choate said.
* * * * *
Eastern Washington has scored at least 50 points in three straight games against Montana State, and this year's Eagles team may be the most explosive edition in recent memory.
Choate believes MSU's best weapon against Eastern's fast-paced, high-scoring offense may be the play clock. "We're going to let that thing run down as far as possible" on most possessions, he said.
But he indicated there may be times when playing at tempo is effective. "There are always times when you can get into tempo to take advantage of certain things," he said, "and that's worked for us at times this year."
* * * * *
There was much less suspense surrounding the quarterback situation this week. Chris Murray is the starter, as the 'or' was removed from this week's depth chart, his first publicly-declared start.
Choate says that – like every quarterback across the nation and every player on the Bobcats squad, mistake elimination and consistency were primary messages in Murray's preparation this week. "You look at four or five plays and think, 'Wow, we've got a chance with him.' Then you look at four or five other plays and think, 'What is he doing?' He's a freshman, he just turned 18. He just needs reps, needs practice time, but he has a chance to do some special things in our program."
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