2 weeks ago, Bloomsburg traveled to Erie to take on Mercyhurst in the PSAC Championship. The result was
a 56-37 drubbing that favored Mercyhurst. This coming Saturday, Bloomsburg will return to Louis J. Tullio Field in Erie, PA to face Mercyhurst in the Super Regional 1 semifinals (
click here for bracket). Only this time, a spot in the Super Regional 1 finals is on the line. And the loser's season is over.
In the game 2 weeks ago, Mercyhurst annihilated Bloomsburg's normally stout pass defense. Mercyhurst QB Travis Rearick threw for 345 yards. Mercyhurst WR Travis Kennedy had one of the best games in Mercyhurst football history, catching 11 passes for 163 yards. That's the bad news. The good news is the Bloomsburg defense limited the Lakers to 40 rushing yards in 22 attempts. The damage was done with the passing game, defense and capitalizing on opportunities given to Mercyhurst on special teams. How bad was this from a historical perspective? The last time Bloomsburg gave up at least 56 points was in the 2000 National Championship game, which Delta State won 63-34.
But there is reason to believe that things will be different this time around. For starters coming into that PSAC Championship game, Mercyhurst averaged around 28 points per game. They more than doubled their average 2 weeks ago. Bloomsburg's past defense is normally a very good one and likely won't be replicating that piss poor defense. Provided of course, they decide to pay attention to Travis Kennedy. Secondly, Mercyhurst is a team that thrives on rhythm. Last Saturday was their first bye week since September 4. For a team that is used to playing in consecutive weeks and winning every Saturday since October 9, the week off they had last weekend could possibly disrupt their momentum. Finally, last game was played under fair skies. This game is forecasted to be played on the tail end of a lake effect snow storm that is forecast (and we all know these weather forecasts are NEVER wrong) to dump 8 inches of snow on Erie. Not to state the obvious, but this game is not being played at an NFL football stadium or top notch Division I facility. This is
Louis J. Tuillo Field. I have never been to Mercyhurst nor do I have any contacts up there, but something tells me that the field maintenance won't be the best. The surface is artificial so there is no mud problem, but I'll be shocked if this place has a heater, especially seeing as Mercyhurst is not a traditional Division II football powerhouse. In fact, this is their first Division II playoff game. I don't think their football team is used to something like this, and I am not confident at all that they have the personnel or resources to handle it.
If it is push comes to shove like that and both teams need to rely on the running game, I like Bloomsburg's chances a lot in this game, despite the blowout 2 weeks ago. Bloomsburg freshman running back
Franklyn Quiteh has been nothing short of a sensation. He is a finalist for the Harlon Hill Award, an award given to the most valuable player in Division II football. Consider it D2's version of the Heisman. But he was unable to finish the PSAC Championship game 2 weeks ago because of an injury he suffered early in the 2nd half, but with the 16 carries he did get, he rushed for 104 yards. Meanwhile as mentioned above, Mercyhurst got 40 rushing yards all game, with their best rusher being the QB Rearick, he mustered 30 yards on 5 rushing attempts. Their running back Gerald Anderson got 13 carries on 16 yards. Any other person who carried the ball only lost yards, as evidenced by the fact that Rearick and Anderson combined for 46 rushing yards, and Mercyhurst ended the game with 40. The good news for Quiteh is that he was able to return from injury and play against California last weekend, and once again, Quiteh ran for over 100 yards.
I mentioned this in last week's Cal-Bloomsburg preview, but QB Pat Carey threw 37 passes last week. According to Bloomsburg radio announcers Jim Doyle and Andy Ulicny, Carey's arm was getting tired at the end of the game, as he had to pass so damn much without his star RB because said RB was injured the 2nd half of that game and the Huskies needed to try and stay in a game that was not totally out of reach given the amount of points Bloomsburg was still able to score (Bloomsburg lost the game when they were unable to get a defensive stop). Carey is an efficient QB for a team whose strategy is run the ball, run the ball, play defense, and run the ball some more, but Carey is not a QB who can pass 66 times a game like West Texas A&M QB Taylor Harris did last week and still be an effective QB in the 2nd half. Hell, the 2nd half is when West Texas A&M scored 28 of their 35 points in their 55-35 defeat to Central Missouri. Basically the point I am dancing around is, while an efficient QB, Pat Carey is not a QB who can put a team on his shoulders, pass on every down, and win the football game. The running game must be established and must be effective if Bloomsburg wants to win this game. Because while I doubt that Mercyhurst will put up 56 again, they are capable of putting points on the board. And Bloomsburg will have to counter that. And the best way they can counter it is by creating turnovers, running the ball, and using that ground game to set up the pass from Carey, who does throw a decent deep ball.
If Bloomsburg successfully accomplishes that, I like their chances at avenging the PSAC Championship loss and advancing to the Super Regional 1 Finals on Saturday, December 4. If not, I fear I might be saying goodbye to the 2010 version of the Bloomsburg Huskies football game.
