Lost among all the hysteria following BG’s dramatic comeback victory against Buffalo Tuesday night was the stout play of BG’s defense in the second half.
In my two stories after the game, I briefly touched on this point, but after reading over them in print yesterday, I realized I did not give the Falcon defense the proper credit it deserves – and based on all the conversations among students I heard about the game, no one really did.
In reality, Falcon fans should be very excited about that half because if the defense plays that close to its full potential the majority of the time the rest of this season, just imagine the momentum the nine returning starters (including Keith Morgan) will take into next season.
With the momentum of that second half leading into a fairly easy remaining schedule, Falcon fans may be on the verge of seeing a defense with nine first-year starters for most of the season that has finally gelled together. As a graduating senior, I am jealous.
And I whole-heartedly agree with first-year coach Dave Clawson, who said the defense played its best football of the season during the second half Tuesday.
‘The whole key to this game was how well our defense played in the second half,’ Clawson said. ‘The defense really stepped up in the second half and really played their best half of football.’
That half was in stark contrast to the first half, in which the Falcons allowed 21 points and the majority of UB’s rushing yards. But at halftime, Clawson said he challenged his defense after they were forced to stay on the field for almost 20 of the first 30 minutes of the first half because of simple mistakes such as missed tackles.
‘At halftime, we really challenged our defense,’ Clawson said. ‘We said, ‘We’re tired of it. It’s been nine games. We’re not hitting our gaps, we’re not making tackles … We have enough good players here, at what point is someone going to step up and start making plays?”
In the first half, Buffalo was clicking on offense, manufacturing three touchdown drives that totaled 32 plays for 241 yards in 14:40. Those drives took a toll on the Falcons, but they were not to be denied, taking Clawson’s most defining statement as a Falcon seriously after halftime.
With 9:12 remaining in the third quarter, junior Willie Geter misfielded a punt, giving the Bulls the ball on the BG 5-yard line, resulting in a touchdown five seconds later. Buffalo rubbed it in with a two-point conversion, leaving the score 29-16.
After that, the defense responded with vengeance, earning four straight three-and-outs, shifting the momentum to BG’s side, but more importantly, allowing the Falcon offense back on the field to do what they do best – score touchdowns.
Was it all perfect? No, the team allowed its seventh 100-yard rushing in Jeffvon Gill – a fifth-string running back – but for the first time since the season-opener, they showed their ability to shut down a team’s offense by allowing 101 offensive yards in the second half.
‘We have not stopped the run well all year,’ Clawson said. ‘But in the second half, we played our best half of football on defense, and I’m proud of those guys.’
So remember the comeback; it will live in BG lore if the Falcons earn a postseason berth.
Remember Clawson’s bold halftime speech.
But more importantly, remember the defensive effort from that night, because the comeback never would have happened without it.’
