The Morning After: UWF falls on the Road 31-10
It was a tightly contested game for two quarters, with the Argos taking a 3-3 tie into the halftime break against #23 FAMU. But the Rattlers got things going immediately in the 3rd quarter, scoring three straight TDs and salting the game away before the fourth quarter started.
Offensive Struggles
I said it in my weekly preview but the Rattler front seven is legit and their DL in particular is very salty. UWF was going to have to come with their A game to make a dent in the Dark Cloud Defense, and unfortunately they just never got it going. The Argos only mustered 213 yards and a scant 3.3 yards per play, and only really had one sustained offensive drive, a TD scoring drive that spanned the 3rd and 4th quarter. A big part of the problem was the pressure up front, Peewee was sacked twice and pressured a staggering 14 times. He didn’t see a clean pocket for much of the first half, and couldn’t get his feet set to deliver anything on time. Hats off to the FAMU secondary as well, they kept guys covered up and didn’t allow Peewee to beat them off a scramble drill. It was a difficult night out for the Argonauts on offense, but this is the best defense they’re likely to face all season so hopefully they can bounce back next week.
Penalties a Killer, Again
Last week UWF was penalized to death but they were having their way most of the day so it didn’t end up mattering much. In a game where they needed to play their best and give FAMU no extra chances, the team just couldn’t avoid the penalty monster. West Florida finished the night with 13 penalties for 99 yards and when you only gain 213, that seriously hamstrings you. I’m sure it’ll be a major point of emphasis in practice this week, but GSC play starts on Saturday, and if the Argos want to repeat as champions they’re going to have to play more disciplined football. Penalties have historically been a bit of a problem for the Argonauts under Coach Shinnick, so it would be great to see the new staff curb this problem a little bit after two bad weeks.
One Quarter Made All the Difference
Score from 1st 2nd and 4th quarter 10-10
Score from 3rd quarter 21-0
I don’t believe in moral victories in football, you try your best and you win or you lose, but there was certainly a lot of positives to take from Saturday, especially on defense. UWF’s new look defense showed up and played EXCELLENT football in the first half. The Rattlers’ athletes just made some huge plays in the 3rd quarter, and that ended up being the difference of the game. In the 3rd the Argos were outgained 188-67, despite both teams running just 15 plays in the period. FAMU managed TDs of 27, 24, and 59 yards, and UWF was never able to find the response. The Argonauts have been methodical on offense up to this point, but they seemed to lack something that they could lean on in this game, whether the run or the quick passing game. Tons of credit to FAMU for shrinking down windows on defense, and finding their way on offense. West Florida will is going to have to get back on track quickly, with UWG coming to town this weekend.
