MadBird
Well-known member
Maybe, hopefully, you answered your own question - Butler conversions due to "restricted" defensive playbook? At least in part?I honestly have no clue.. that Butler was able to convert on 9 of 18 3rd downs and 1 of 2 4th downs is very concerning to me. Plus just 1 sack and 3 TFLs ... we've got work to do on defense and WMU can put up points in MAC .. a conference we are only slightly better than, putting aside NDSU most years.
Being healthy and an underdog, plus using more of playbook on both offebse and defense will make a difference ... but still to many question marks for our Redbirds.
I can see higher scoring game in 30s even .. and yes, we can win a game like this, but ....
I go back to a previous point I tried to make - Butler had eleven drives, and 5 ended on punts, 2 on downs, 3 on interceptions. So, they may have converted 9 3rd downs, but only 1 drive ended up in a score. If my figgerin is right, they got 6 of their first downs on the one TD drive. Take those out of the picture, and they were 3 of 12 on 3rd down conversions? Much better?
Hopefully there are some tricks and stunts that weren't used vs. Butler that come out of the bag for WMU. And Hickox will maybe suit up, that could help some. Bryce has to step it up too, or at least not take a step back.