Bowling Green needs more Morris to beat Miami

9/21/2018
BY JEREMY SCHNEIDER
BLADE STAFF WRITER
  • SPT-BGFB09-46

    Bowling Green's Quintin Morris has been the hot hand in the last two games, and the Falcons need to keep feeding him Saturday against Miami.

    BLADE PHOTO

    • Bowling Green won just its fourth game since the start of the 2017 season, and its first game at home since 2016. Miami is off to its third 0-3 start in six seasons.

    If there were ever two teams which desperately needed to win a game, it’s BG and Miami.

    Here are three keys to help the Falcons win their second straight game and keep the RedHawks winless.

    1. More Morris. These last two weeks have shown why more schools should have been knocking on Quintin Morris’ door. He’s totaled 13 catches for 178 yards and three touchdowns against Maryland and Eastern Kentucky, and if the Falcons want to back up the win over EKU with another, Morris needs to be heavily involved. Quarterback Jarret Doege would agree — nearly one-third of his completions and half of his yards over these last two weeks have gone to Morris. It’s a developing relationship in Bowling Green that needs to be cultivated and utilized.

    2. Don’t let Miami believe. The RedHawks are shoved in a corner with a 0-3 start, and from their end, what better to stop the bleeding than a game against a similarly downtrodden program? BG has to remind the RedHawks that they’re 0-3 and struggling, and no better way to do that than showing no mercy. Score early, score often. Hit hard on defense. Don’t give Miami any quarter or room to believe it has any chance at all to win the game.

    WATCH: Falcons look back at scare vs. EKU 

    Miami, Ohio, running back Davion Johnson, middle, rushes between Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) and Minnesota defensive back Antonio Shenault in Saturday's game in Minneapolis.
    Miami, Ohio, running back Davion Johnson, middle, rushes between Minnesota defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. (11) and Minnesota defensive back Antonio Shenault in Saturday's game in Minneapolis.

    3. Stiffen up against the run. The Falcons run defense has been soft, giving up an average of 365 yards per game. In last week’s win over Eastern Kentucky, the Colonels pounded out 439 and five touchdowns on the ground. Granted, EKU only attempted 16 passes compared to 60 rushes, but the Colonels still gained more than seven yards per carry when everyone at Doyt Perry Stadium knew what they were going to do. The quickest way to winning games is to play solid defense, and the Falcons have yet to do that this season.

    Contact Jeremy Schneider at jschneider@theblade.com, 419-724-6082, or on Twitter @j1schneider.