Inside Slant - Warhawks
This time there was no fourth-quarter rally for
ULM.
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After falling behind by four touchdowns
through three quarters, the Warhawks, who had
come from behind in each of their three
victories, went quietly at Middle Tennessee,
giving up another score in a 38-10 defeat.
Though quarterback
Kolton Browning topped the 200-yard mark
passing for a fourth consecutive game, the
Warhawks struggled to move the ball. They
had only 269 yards total offense and were a net
four yards in the role rushing, in part because
of sacks, but mostly because of an overall
ineptness on the ground.
Tailbacks
Jyruss Edwards,
Frank Goodin and
Centarius Donald combined for only 13 yards
on 11 carries. Backup quarterback
Zach Rhodes had more than that, 14 yards, on
one carry.
Browning was sacked six times and threw two
interceptions among his 43 passes.
"I think it's a function of everything,"
coach Todd Berry said. "I think it's a function
of us needing to get in the weight room. I
think it's a function of Kolton not knowing
where to go with the football sometimes, and I
think it's a function of receivers and running
backs not running good routes."
The loss dropped the Warhawks to 3-4 this
season, 2-2 in the Sun Belt Conference.
They are back home to face defending league
champion Troy in their next game, but then have
two more road tests at Florida International and
LSU.
NOTES, QUOTES
• With the Warhawks only 3-of-18 in
converting third downs, P
Aaron Munoz was a busy man at Middle
Tennessee. He had 10 punts for a 39.5 average.
The Warhawks went for it on fourth down twice,
converting once, and kicked a field goal after
another third-down failure. They had
interception on the two other third-down plays.
• Redshirt freshman QB Kolton Browning
passed for 232 yards, his sixth consecutive game
with more than 200 yards passing. Browning, who
was 25-of-43, is the first Louisiana-Monroe
quarterback to do that since Raymond Philyaw in
1995. Robert Cobb had seven consecutive 200-yard
games in 1993.
• ULM's defense had an interception
and a fumble recovery, giving the Warhawks 34
turnovers in 19 games under coordinator Trey
Reffett. They have come up with a turnover in
all but two games under Reffett.
Game Ball Goes To: WR
Luther Ambrose-A junior, Ambrose had nine
receptions, a career high, for 66 yards against
Middle Tennessee State. His eight-yard reception
in the fourth quarter gave the Warhawks their
only touchdown of the game. It was his fourth
touchdown reception of the season and the ninth
of his career.
Keep An Eye On: DE
Keavon Milton-The sophomore starter came up
with his first career interception in the second
quarter at Middle Tennessee. He had three
tackles and was credited with one quarterback
hurry.
Quote To Note: "That's kind of where
we are right now. We can't push anybody off the
football right now, so we can't run it, so we've
kind of got to take our shots, because throwing
is the only thing we've got right now."-Coach
Todd Berry, in the Monroe News-Star, after his
Warhawks wound up with minus-four yards net
rushing at Middle Tennessee.
STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL
Looking Good: QB Kolton Browning was
25-of-43 passing (58.1 percent) for 232 yards
and a touchdown despite being harassed and
sacked six times. WR Luther Ambrose had nine
catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. P Aaron
Munoz averaged 39.4 on 10 punts, with four
downed inside the Middle Tennessee 20-yard line,
against only one touchback.
Still Needs Work: The ground attack
was largely ineffective, even taking into
consideration the 39 yards lost on six sacks.
The Warhawks grossed only 49 yards and wound up
with a net minus-four total. The defense,
meanwhile, gave up 244 yards rushing to the Blue
Raiders.
Roster Report:
• RT
Jon Fisher became the eighth true freshman
to start for the Warhawks this season and the
second in the offensive line, with C
Josh Allen the other.
• LB
Theo Smith, who started his 19th consecutive
game, led the Warhawks with eight tackles,
including two for losses, one a sack.
• WR
Anthony McCall had only two receptions, but
they were good for 65 yards, second to WR Luther
Ambrose's 66.