Monmouth routs Tigers 42-23 in home opener

[mat1992 2,235]

https://towsontigers.com/news/2023/9/9/towson-football-falls-in-home-opener-42-23-against-monmouth.aspx

[mat1992 2,235]

Before I get to Pete's quotes, let me say this. For those critiquing the program after this horrible loss, it's well-deserved. For those scratching their heads about this hire? Give it a minute. It's his second game. 

I've said this all off-season. You take over a program that went 6-5 last season. That's fine. You retain most of the key players that had eligibility left. Ok. They added a QB in the portal that they won't play and we're using a former walk-on as the starting QB. We're also using the same two running backs as RA used last season. Hunter is pretty dynamic but he's limited due to his size. He's an exceptional returner. Matthews had a nice 23-yard run and then there's an illegal procedure and the team is held to a short FG.

The seven penalties and four turnovers are inexcusable against an explosive offense. Say what you will about Monmouth, but they have a great FCS running back and a pretty good offensive line. Not great, because he can make them better, but they opened up a hole when they were at their own one-yard line and who wasn't surprised when he ran for 10 on the first play?

This offense just can't play with explosive teams right now. Last season, they actually could as Piggy arguably had his best game in that shootout. We had a guy named Isaiah Perkins, now Zay. He caught 30 passes as a freshman with a pretty inaccurate QB. Now he's M.I.A. in this offense as Nathan Kent has focused on DK James and tonight Lukkas Londono who had a bizarre game. Londono was mainly a punt returner last season and the former HS QB has some pretty good hands. But unfortunately, he fumbled the punt return from that rugby-style kicker and then in the only trick play of the game, he threw a pick on an option pass at the one. I didn't mind the play overall, but we're moving the f-ing ball. We didn't need a big play there. Just needed to score. That was devastating and you can say the Kent fumble was devastating as well. 

I've watched 30+ seasons of Towson football. This has to mark extremely high in disappointing home openers that I've seen though I can't say I had high expectations or low ones. I didn't really know what to think after the first week. We actually tackled better against Maryland (save for the QBs), than we did against Monmouth. Our secondary still has issues even with a pretty good pass rush (5 sacks). When a QB had time on 3rd and long, it appears we nearly always give up the first down. 

Kent is a game-manager. In a game like that, you need a gunslinger. The Air Raidish offense ain't happening with him. But why not run the ball more with Kent? 

To make matters worse, Mason Woods appeared to suffer an arm injury. I like some of the LBs off the bench, but I don't love this 3-3-5 defense. They went to 4 linemen on that long TD run, so that didn't work. A lot of things didn't work on offense, defense and special teams. But I'll have patience or at least try in this first season. 

Also, and this goes to OC Sheppard or maybe it's Pete on the calls on 3rd and 8 when you run the ball it's kind of defeatist to me. We're basically saying we can't complete a 10-yard pass. Against a team like Monmouth, you can't be that conservative. 

[mat1992 2,235]

Pete opening comment

"We have to play better football. I have to coach better football. We have to do a better job across the board. We didn't handle adversity very well. We had momentum swings. We did not put ourselves in a situation that we needed to. We turned the ball over on a punt return. Throw an INT at the one-yard line. We had two 3rd-and-8s where we jumped off-sides and give them third-and-short. That's bad football. I liked our energy for awhile. Monmouth did a very good job of taking our momentum away from us. We're right there at 28-23 with a chance. We have to do a better job to put our guys in a better situation."

On penalties

"We have to be strong enough to overcome a five-yard penalty. If we can't overcome lightning, we're going to face harder circumstances throughout the season. As a team, we have to grow through this and figure out who we're going to be. It's going to keep coming at us. Our guys really need to dive in when we get to those situations. You get a 5-yard penalty, you have to overcome it. D'Ago keeps us in games through special teams. We have to capitalize on his excitement."

On passing game

"We can do better. Everything, we can be better at. We have to protect better. We missed 2 or 3 protection calls. We have to get the ball out. We were at a place where we are hit-or-miss. We are disappointed that we did not keep the momentum where we had it. We need more."

On explosive plays

"We had two big passes. A longer run. We were able to get pressure with five sacks. We should have had eight. You are going to need every time of momentum swing in this type of game. I love what we were doing early. They changed their protection a little bit. Gave us some different looks. We just need more sacks and explosive plays."

On Mason Woods' injury

"He had looked out. Don't have any new information. Get some x-rays to see where he was at."

On Crowd

"Was looking at that early. We didn't know when we were going out. Credit our fans for being there and coming back. Sounded great. We want to get more bodies in the stand."

On defending the run

"I think if you take away a 66-yarder. They gave him the ball 33 times and he averaged 4.4 ypc. He's one of the top rushers in the country. It was when they went to the one-back and snapped it to him on the 66-yarder. That killed us. Take away that one and we're right where we needed to be. We have to gap that up better. We went with our jumbo package on that long run. That should never happen or take place. We have to contain that. On the last TD, we needed a guy in that gap. They were a really good football team and we needed to play well. Not enough to get the victory."

[Blounge 521]

Would Rob have won this game?

[mat1992 2,235]

Towerlight recap 
https://t.co/QNEnE7zCn1

[mat1992 2,235]

16 minutes ago, Blounge said:

Would Rob have won this game?

He won it last year and I assume he’d have a different QB because Kent was a third stringer under him. Defense would be just as bad if not worse.

[DHM 3]

Towson definitely should have won that game!  We need work on defense and turnovers..inexcusable.  Playoffs I don’t see if we play like this this season.  A mobile QB would be nice. Defense needs to step up and make plays…they looked better last week vs this week.  They bullied us on their 4th down conversions because they knew they could get the first downs because they didn’t fear us…not good!!  Run game I thought was pretty good and as far as RB he didn’t use Hunter as much as he could of but don’t let his size be an issue he has a chip on his shoulder and will give you what you need when his name is called.  His size only limits those that think about his size vs his ability.   No one else should be receiving punt returns but Hunter ..you see what happened when that didn’t happen with the turnover. A few plays  in on crucial downs Gibbs wasn’t even out there…the commentators also noticed that.  Not sure the direction coaches are going but man it’s only going to get tougher each game we play if the game plan is like this. What games do you see us winning this season?  Monmouth was definitely one I didn’t have us losing.

[TuTigers2012 1,071]

6 hours ago, mat1992 said:

Before I get to Pete's quotes, let me say this. For those critiquing the program after this horrible loss, it's well-deserved. For those scratching their heads about this hire? Give it a minute. It's his second game. 

I've said this all off-season. You take over a program that went 6-5 last season. That's fine. You retain most of the key players that had eligibility left. Ok. They added a QB in the portal that they won't play and we're using a former walk-on as the starting QB. We're also using the same two running backs as RA used last season. Hunter is pretty dynamic but he's limited due to his size. He's an exceptional returner. Matthews had a nice 23-yard run and then there's an illegal procedure and the team is held to a short FG.

The seven penalties and four turnovers are inexcusable against an explosive offense. Say what you will about Monmouth, but they have a great FCS running back and a pretty good offensive line. Not great, because he can make them better, but they opened up a hole when they were at their own one-yard line and who wasn't surprised when he ran for 10 on the first play?

This offense just can't play with explosive teams right now. Last season, they actually could as Piggy arguably had his best game in that shootout. We had a guy named Isaiah Perkins, now Zay. He caught 30 passes as a freshman with a pretty inaccurate QB. Now he's M.I.A. in this offense as Nathan Kent has focused on DK James and tonight Lukkas Londono who had a bizarre game. Londono was mainly a punt returner last season and the former HS QB has some pretty good hands. But unfortunately, he fumbled the punt return from that rugby-style kicker and then in the only trick play of the game, he threw a pick on an option pass at the one. I didn't mind the play overall, but we're moving the f-ing ball. We didn't need a big play there. Just needed to score. That was devastating and you can say the Kent fumble was devastating as well. 

I've watched 30+ seasons of Towson football. This has to mark extremely high in disappointing home openers that I've seen though I can't say I had high expectations or low ones. I didn't really know what to think after the first week. We actually tackled better against Maryland (save for the QBs), than we did against Monmouth. Our secondary still has issues even with a pretty good pass rush (5 sacks). When a QB had time on 3rd and long, it appears we nearly always give up the first down. 

Kent is a game-manager. In a game like that, you need a gunslinger. The Air Raidish offense ain't happening with him. But why not run the ball more with Kent? 

To make matters worse, Mason Woods appeared to suffer an arm injury. I like some of the LBs off the bench, but I don't love this 3-3-5 defense. They went to 4 linemen on that long TD run, so that didn't work. A lot of things didn't work on offense, defense and special teams. But I'll have patience or at least try in this first season. 

Also, and this goes to OC Sheppard or maybe it's Pete on the calls on 3rd and 8 when you run the ball it's kind of defeatist to me. We're basically saying we can't complete a 10-yard pass. Against a team like Monmouth, you can't be that conservative. 

Oh there’s been worse home openers. See this and raise you central Connecticut state. 3000 shows you were we are as a program. That’s likely what was sold and ones who made it in before the storm. Yikes  
running on 3rd and longs was just embarrassing 

[TuTigers2012 1,071]

4 hours ago, Blounge said:

Would Rob have won this game?

Lol who knows. That’s a moot point. Ned Flanders did not win 

2 hours ago, DHM said:

Towson definitely should have won that game!  We need work on defense and turnovers..inexcusable.  Playoffs I don’t see if we play like this this season.  A mobile QB would be nice. Defense needs to step up and make plays…they looked better last week vs this week.  They bullied us on their 4th down conversions because they knew they could get the first downs because they didn’t fear us…not good!!  Run game I thought was pretty good and as far as RB he didn’t use Hunter as much as he could of but don’t let his size be an issue he has a chip on his shoulder and will give you what you need when his name is called.  His size only limits those that think about his size vs his ability.   No one else should be receiving punt returns but Hunter ..you see what happened when that didn’t happen with the turnover. A few plays  in on crucial downs Gibbs wasn’t even out there…the commentators also noticed that.  Not sure the direction coaches are going but man it’s only going to get tougher each game we play if the game plan is like this. What games do you see us winning this season?  Monmouth was definitely one I didn’t have us losing.

Playoffs?! Playoffs?! We are more like to go 0-11 than make the playoffs.  If we don’t beat Norfolk state in a few weeks, might not get one at all. 

There are way more questions and issues than answers now. That goes for everything, including the same issues we have: dumb Towson things, safe, announcers. Etc 

[Blounge 521]

This is a big wake up call for Dr. E. This is the state of towson football. Can’t draw a crowd, can’t throw the football, can’t beat Monmouth(which I think we all thought would be a win when the schedule first came out) 

Ambrose is at Bateman’s smiling with a beer and a crab pretzel rn thinking “haha those idiots thought they could do better than me!” 

…where do we go from here? Double down and invest more in football? Disband the program? Do nothing and accept mediocrity for 100 years?

if we lose to Norfolk State that makes us a poverty franchise

if we lose to Morgan State it will invigorate the battle for greater Baltimore(on the Morgan side) so this will help us sell more tickets to Morgan students next year. 

Is it time for a change at quarterback?

New Hampshire almost beat Central Michigan, so I’m not looking forward to our trip up there to get shit pumped in the great white north 

I’m glad I couldn’t bet on us last night cause it would have been throwing money in an incinerator! I didn’t even lose money and I’m still mad about how bad we looked!

Welcome to the FCS coach shinnick! It’s not D2. This is D1 football. Wake up call as to how hard it is to win at this level. Gonna need to step it up