PonyFans.com

Sterling Moore. Different game with him in there. The one time they did challenge him he swatted the ball away. We will miss him next year.

very true. Great job sterling! We will miss you!

Moore is far and away the most important piece of this D. With his side locked down this D plays infinitely better.

YES. After Moore knocked down that early pass attempt, I think many people in the stands heaved a great sigh of relief, after cheering that exceptional play. Anyone else on that assignment and Marshall would have had an easy 7 to tie things up. Whole different ball game.

However, I hope the rest of the pass D will take a close look at the rest of the game video from today - they will see that they could have read the QB's head on just about every pass play that came to the west side of the stadium. There was that one series in the second half where he only looked that way, and fired off three quick 10 yarders. I was beginning to wonder when they would catch on that it was working for them. Lucky for us they didn't.

b_caesar wrote:YES. After Moore knocked down that early pass attempt, I think many people in the stands heaved a great sigh of relief, after cheering that exceptional play. Anyone else on that assignment and Marshall would have had an easy 7 to tie things up. Whole different ball game.

However, I hope the rest of the pass D will take a close look at the rest of the game video from today - they will see that they could have read the QB's head on just about every pass play that came to the west side of the stadium. There was that one series in the second half where he only looked that way, and fired off three quick 10 yarders. I was beginning to wonder when they would catch on that it was working for them. Lucky for us they didn't.

Was that the series where they basically were completing all those passes on Crawford until he finally stepped up and knocked away the pass in the endzone? If I was there coach, I would have told my QB to look that way every play, too. I don't think it was so much a matter of their QB only looking to one side as it was us not being able to defend against it.

Big Hoss wrote:

b_caesar wrote:YES. After Moore knocked down that early pass attempt, I think many people in the stands heaved a great sigh of relief, after cheering that exceptional play. Anyone else on that assignment and Marshall would have had an easy 7 to tie things up. Whole different ball game.

However, I hope the rest of the pass D will take a close look at the rest of the game video from today - they will see that they could have read the QB's head on just about every pass play that came to the west side of the stadium. There was that one series in the second half where he only looked that way, and fired off three quick 10 yarders. I was beginning to wonder when they would catch on that it was working for them. Lucky for us they didn't.

Was that the series where they basically were completing all those passes on Crawford until he finally stepped up and knocked away the pass in the endzone? If I was there coach, I would have told my QB to look that way every play, too. I don't think it was so much a matter of their QB only looking to one side as it was us not being able to defend against it.

I think so - they were moving South to North in the 3Q with the wind. And they went his way at the end of the game, too, going the other way but Crawford was paying attention that time and took it away in the endzone.

Crawford is getting two season's-worth of experience this year and actually seems to be improving because of it. It's been a scary progression but I think he's be pretty good next year.

SMUer wrote:Crawford is getting two season's-worth of experience this year and actually seems to be improving because of it. It's been a scary progression but I think he's be pretty good next year.

I hope so. He's certainly gotten better this season. He has always seemed to be in the right position when defending longer passes, just needed to get turned around to better deflect it or take it away (as he did twice last week). My only other issue with him is that on short passes, he seems to give a little too much room. But better to be burned short than long, I say.