Don’t let the record fool you – unless something miraculous happens with the Morgan State offense, there is no way the Bears will contend for a MEAC football championship.
The 5-1 record is something to be proud of, but we’ve seen this before. We’ve seen the Bears schedule middle-of-the-road competition in the early part of the season, watched the defense take advantage of ill-prepared offenses, and watched the Bears’ running game take advantage of tired-out defenses in the fourth quarter.
But in the second half of the season, you can count on the Bears to break down at the will of strong teams in the conference, and limp their way to a .500 or worse record on the year.
On paper, the Bears have all the look of a championship caliber team. Their quarterback is a D-I transfer, the running back a former all-conference standout, and the defense one of the top units in the FCS in seasons’ past. But take a close look at the team statistics, and you realize that the Bears aren’t nearly as good as their record would indicate.
MSU is last in total offense in the MEAC, generating just over 200 yards per game. They are third-to-last in total defense, allowing just over 312 yards per contest. They don’t have many takeaways (5 INTs), they are undisciplined (first in the MEAC in penalty yards with a 61.2 per game average, but still more than eight a game), and don’t run the ball well.
In short, how in the heck did they get to the top of the MEAC heap?
Winston-Salem State, Towson University, Bethune-Cookman University, North Carolina A&T, and Howard. The Bears are the pillagers of the bottom of the MEAC and parts unregarded.
This isn’t to say that Morgan State couldn’t go on and win it all, but it is to say that the stats and performances of the past betrays the Bears. And if they are to fall apart for yet another season, it may not be a betrayal Morgan fans can easily forgive.
threeputt 2:32 pm on October 21, 2009 Permalink
You might be right but you really need to understand how to read all of the stats first!
Penalties? Undisciplined? Morgan’s yards penalized per game (61.2) is the BEST in the MEAC. (in the category low number is GOOD) Does that now make them the most disciplined?
Also you failed to mention 1 very important stat: Morgan is # 1 in scoring defense! Who really cares if they only score 16 points per game – so far they only allow the opponents to score 14.
The great thing about it all will be that the record and the record only will decide the end of season championship not satistics and past history.