Are the Purples starting to put it together or still pulling it apart?

Fair question I think with a slim 7-0 win at (1-1) Pleasure Ridge Park last Friday night.  But never can I think of a game where I came away with such positivity from such a sluggish performance and small margin of victory.  Yes, the BG defense earned its strips again pitching a shutout when a shutout was needed.

The BG offense sputtered again in the first half gaining what looks like around 70 yards with 6 penalties, 3 sacks, and 4 3-and-outs.  Heavens!  However, in the middle of that came a new wrinkle.  On BGs only scoring drive of the game in the first quarter, SR DT Jeremiah Lightfoot was inserted into the backfield and carried the rock for BG and their only TD on the night.  Memorable!

In the second half, Bowling Green decided to make a change at QB with about 2 minutes to go in the 3^rd Quarter and FR Deuce Bailey entered the game and immediately sparked the Purples.  Although no points were put on the board, a TD catch likely should have happened and his 52-yard dash in the fourth quarter on 3^rd and 10 basically ran the game clock out.  Hopefully, we will see more chances for the young QB.

Finally, want to point out that PRP is a really physical team.  You know when you’ve been in a game with them.  BG had a couple injuries it appeared but none like last year, thank goodness.  And the BG coaching staff should really be commended in this game.  Why?  The amount of players they ran in and out of this game and adjusted for guys playing both ways was really a testament to their coordinated efforts and their coaching staff.  Well done.

 

Bowling Green now comes home to unveil their new, state-of-the-art home stadium with a new turf field, stands (on both sides) and new press box.  The home opening game opponent – 4A Hopkinsville (1-2) an old foe.  Other than Owensboro and Paducah Tilghman, I believe Hopkinsville is BG’s 3rd longest played rival with a record of 28-33-4 in favor of Hopkinsville.  These two last played in 2014 when Hopkinsville was in 5A in the second round of the 5A playoffs when the Purples put a 50-burger on the Tigers the game before the memorable 7-0 home loss to Graves County .  Hopkinsville’s last win in this series dates back to November 2003 in the 2^nd round of the 3A playoffs, as the Tigers would come to Bowling Green and leave with a 20-13 win over a previously undefeated Purples squad.  And guess who coached that Hopkinsville team … current Tiger Head Coach Craig Clayton.

Coach Clayton has scheduled a difficult schedule this year for the Tigers in hopes of battle-hardening his players for a longer playoff run than last seasons semi-final loss at Boyle County.  Hopkinsville has scored 3 points each in its first 2 games against 6A Ballard and 2A Mayfield before breaking out a bit against 2A Caldwell County last Friday 34-14 earning Coach Clayton his 300th all time coaching win!  Terrific Accomplishment!!! 

In the Caldwell County game, JR Mr. Everything Daisjaun Mercer recorded a 65 yard TD run, a 50 yard TD catch and a 37 yard pick 6!  WOW!  So the Purples need to know where Mr. Mercer is at all times!

Looks to be a great game and atmosphere!  What are your keys to the game?  Who comes out on top? 

I think Bowling Green is the heavy favorite this game, especially with the Tigers Starting QB Jefferson status with the team still in limbo. Jefferson, who started all 10 games for the Tigers last year, was not on the field or in uniform for Hopkinsville 34-14 win over Caldwell County. The Tigers have an extremely solid defense and will try to keep the game within striking distance and see if their playmakers can make a few big plays. They led Louisville Ballard 3-0 at the half and trailed Mayfield 7-3 at half so they have proven to be able to keep their offense in the game. 
 

Anxious to see whether BG gives the QB keys to the Purple Kingdom to Bailey this game or if they maybe go with an early QB rotation then ride the hot hand. 
 

In the end the BG Defense, especially the BG DL will just be too much for the Tigers whether they have their Starting QB or not. 
 

BG 24

Hopkinsville 3. 

I'll go with Hopkinsville to shock the Purples. It will be close with both offensives struggling, but think Hopkinsville wins 14-10.

I am also going Hopkinsville. The Purples don't seem right so far. 21-14 Tigers. 

Great post as ever @Purple88

BG is and should be the heavy favorite. I don't see H-Town being a threat at all.

I think BG's offense will go one of two ways.

1. Bailey is the starter going forward in which case BG offense will pick up and they will score against H-Town. I would pick the score as 30-0

2. Newman still starts, but Bailey gets some series in. I guess the only positive to it would be it would take some of the pressure off of a freshman QB if he wasn't playing all the series. In this case I would see a 17-0 BG win.

 

BG has had to just gut out wins with this offense. I think the offense could be a completely different animal with Bailey as full-time QB. And it would be an offense that would improve game to game.

Either way I don't think BG will have to gut this one out. There is just too much of a talent gap between H-Town and BG this year. This game will never be in doubt. 

Looking forward to the first game in the new BG stadium. 

38 minutes ago, Killowatt59 said:

Great post as ever @Purple88

BG is and should be the heavy favorite. I don't see H-Town being a threat at all.

I think BG's offense will go one of two ways.

1. Bailey is the starter going forward in which case BG offense will pick up and they will score against H-Town. I would pick the score as 30-0

2. Newman still starts, but Bailey gets some series in. I guess the only positive to it would be it would take some of the pressure off of a freshman QB if he wasn't playing all the series. In this case I would see a 17-0 BG win.

 

BG has had to just gut out wins with this offense. I think the offense could be a completely different animal with Bailey as full-time QB. And it would be an offense that would improve game to game.

Either way I don't think BG will have to gut this one out. There is just too much of a talent gap between H-Town and BG this year. This game will never be in doubt. 

Looking forward to the first game in the new BG stadium. 

I agree BG is the favorite. I don’t see them scoring 30 though unless there are some TD’s or short fields supplied by the BG Defense which is possible. Bailey is the better QB and this would be a good game to split reps with the previous starter. I just don’t think Hopkinsville can score enough to win this Friday. 

Just now, WKY_Football said:

I agree BG is the favorite. I don’t see them scoring 30 though unless there are some TD’s or short fields supplied by the BG Defense which is 100% possible. Bailey is the better QB and this would be a good game to split reps with the previous starter. I just don’t think Hopkinsville can score enough to win this Friday. 

Yeah 30 is a lot, but that's just my prediction if Bailey plays all the snaps. And BG defense is capable of getting points at any moment.

5 minutes ago, Killowatt59 said:

Yeah 30 is a lot, but that's just my prediction if Bailey plays all the snaps. And BG defense is capable of getting points at any moment.

Bailey definitely bring more upside to the BG offense. What has taken so long to give him reps? Freshman earning his stripes I guess?

I like BG because of defense. I think BG possibly will shut Hopkinsville out. BG offense just needs to not turn ball over giving Hopkinsville extra chances.

37 minutes ago, WKY_Football said:

Bailey definitely bring more upside to the BG offense. What has taken so long to give him reps? Freshman earning his stripes I guess?

BG's coaches have a history of being stubborn at times when it comes to seniority, especially at the QB spot.  They were like that with Conner Cooper too, not just when he was freshman either. 

I get it to an extent. Turning over a QB 1 spot to a freshman at a program like BG's is hard decision. 

Saw Hopkinsville play McCracken county in a scrimmage, and they won the game before they diverted to a controlled scrimmage after 2 quarters. Hopkinsville is like Paducah Tilghman with speedy playmakers on both sides of the ball. But their usual culprit is being undisciplined. 

BG playing their freshman QB gives them a running element at the position that they don't have with the the senior QB.  The senior QB is a much better thrower simply because of age and experience.  The bigger issue with the BG passing game isn't who plays QB, it's the WR group other than Kibawa.  The freshman may give them a spark.   But with the teams that BG plays, the scouting report will get out to stop the QB run game and then the freshman can't throw it well enough or have the receivers to beat you.  The biggest positive to playing the freshman is you will get experience for a special player for the next 3 years.

In terms of this game, Hopkinsville scored 6 points total against Ballard and Mayfield.  They had a senior QB in those games. Now they are starting a sophomore and expect to score against a BG defense that is much better than either one of those teams?  BG 24-7

2 hours ago, BillNye said:

BG playing their freshman QB gives them a running element at the position that they don't have with the the senior QB.  The senior QB is a much better thrower simply because of age and experience.  The bigger issue with the BG passing game isn't who plays QB, it's the WR group other than Kibawa.  The freshman may give them a spark.   But with the teams that BG plays, the scouting report will get out to stop the QB run game and then the freshman can't throw it well enough or have the receivers to beat you.  The biggest positive to playing the freshman is you will get experience for a special player for the next 3 years.

In terms of this game, Hopkinsville scored 6 points total against Ballard and Mayfield.  They had a senior QB in those games. Now they are starting a sophomore and expect to score against a BG defense that is much better than either one of those teams?  BG 24-7

I would completely disagree with a lot of this assessment in terms of BG's offense 

19 minutes ago, Killowatt59 said:

I would completely disagree with a lot of this assessment in terms of BG's offense 

Do tell...what do you disagree with?  

6 minutes ago, BillNye said:

Do tell...what do you disagree with?  

Hopefully you'll see where you are wrong on Friday night.