What We Saw: Middle Tennessee

FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Heading into the game, Jay Norvell and his staff attempted to simplify the game for his team, break it down to the basics.

Winning one-on-one battles. No scoreboard, no time, just play-by-play results. In a 34-19 loss where the Rams were down 34-0, they didn't win enough of them, especially early.

"I told our kids, we want to see guys win one-on-one battles," Norvell said. "We wanted to simplify this game. We wanted to take the result out of their minds and winning the one-on-one battles, of winning the block, of defeating a block, making a tackle, covering one-on-one. So, we'll look at the film and we'll see that. I told them that's simply how they're going to be evaluated. We'll look at that. We've got to have more collective leadership in some certain areas. We have to have some certain position groups really pull their guys together and get a better response."

In the first half, the offense didn't have a drive of longer than five plays. The first play of the game was an interception returned for a touchdown, followed by four punts and then two fumbles before another punt ended the half. The three turnovers led directly to 17 Middle Tennessee points, and then the Blue Raiders scored again coming out of the locker room in the second half.

The Rams came together after that, scoring on all three drives, each finishing with a touchdown pass to Tory Horton. The defense continued to hold up; the offense couldn't find a way back on the board.

After this loss, looking at the film will and should be telling, the players said.

"It always is. If you didn't win your one-on-ones, it gets spotlighted, and that's a good thing," linebacker Dequan Jackson said. "Sometimes some guys respond to getting called out. I'm sure there were some guys out there winning their one-on-ones. We have to look at the tape and we have to be real with ourselves. We have to look ourselves in the mirror. We have to be better."

The third quarter was an in-game response. The Rams need another as it prepares to play Washington State (2-0) on the road.

Norvell said preparation goes beyond just practice, and he's not sure his team is conditioned enough to remain focused for four quarters, not from what he's seen. He talked about getting enough sleep and eating right. He mentioned watching game film and knowing the plan inside and out. They also have to do it collectively and hold each other accountable.

"I think we're all teammates. We want to get better and we're all fighting toward the same goal," Jackson said. "I think guys are going to continue to attack and support each other. There's not going to be finger pointing going on. I think guys need to push guys more. There are no buddy systems around here. Going forward, we'll continue to be supportive. We'll have a good turnout. I'm not discouraged at all. We all look ourselves in the mirror and we have to go harder. We're not good enough."

Hold the Line

After giving up seven sacks against Michigan, one of the top priorities of the week was addressing the issue. The task became tougher before the game began as both starting tackles were injured during the week.

Brian Crespo-Jaquez was informed his knee injury was a season-ending one after making his first career start the week before. Right tackle Dontae Keys tried to go after spraining a knee ligament but couldn't make it after the first couple of possessions. Veteran backup Ches Jackson started in place of Crespo-Jaquez, and Owen Snively replaced Keys. In the end, the Rams allowed nine sacks.

Not all of the sacks are on the group, but the Rams now have a deeper concern.

"Today wasn't the best. The tackles didn't have too much experience with the interior, and that showed today," center Jacob Gardner said. "It affects sets and things like that. I wish we could have been better, but we learned a lot. That's how we need to see it. We can't dwell on this for too long, because progress needs to be made, and that can't be done if we're down from what happened today."

Norvell hinted at a changing of personnel to help at tackle, and without naming names, Gardner is an easy conclusion to draw.

He was recruited to Nevada as a center, and line coach Billy Best thinks that's where he belongs and will thrive, but he has also earned honorable mention All-Mountain West honors twice as a left tackle, starting there as a true freshman.

"If the team needs it, I'll do it. I want to win; that's what I'm here to do," Gardner said. "If that means me going out to tackle like the past two years, I'll do it. No doubt."

Here and There

The Rams went from zero penalties against Michigan to eight for 72 yards against Middle Tennessee. They were split up evenly on offense and defense, and a few of the defensive flags helped the Blue Raiders extend scoring drives … The 70 yards in losses on sacks led to the Rams rushing for -10 yards in the game. It is the lowest rushing total for the program since gaining 1 yard against Miami (Ohio) on the road in 2010. … Washington State is 2-0 and coming off a road win against No. 19 Wisconsin.

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Brian Crespo-Jaquez

Jacob Gardner

Tory Horton

Dequan Jackson

Dontae Keys

Owen Snively

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