Welcome everyone to another edition of #4Downs! In this edition, I’ll be breaking down the Cajuns deflating loss to the Akron Zips.
1st Down: Cajuns run game shut down
Typically one of the more effective parts of the Cajuns offensive game is it’s running game. And the Zips, who through four games is ranked 20th in run defense, held the Cajuns to 112 yards and kept McGuire to 83 yards and a score. With the Cajuns offense being largely centered around the run game, this hindered the Cajuns game throughout.
2nd Down: Haack forced to scramble
Throughout Saturday’s contest, Brooks Haack was constantly under pressure and had to get out of the pocket and throw. This caused a lot of problems for him, going 8-of-17 with an interception for 77 yards. The offensive line buckled against the Zips, and looked like the complete opposite team that many people saw in the thriller against Kentucky. On the other hand, Nixon looked OK in his performance going 11-for-20 with an interception and a TD late in the game. Coach Mark Hudspeth stated during the postgame press conference that the starting quarterback position was back open after Saturday’s poor showing.
3rd Down: Way Too Many Flags
Normally, I’d criticize a particular team for committing too many penalties, in the case of this game though, it was just too much laundry on the field. The amount of penalties for both teams combined was 22. In the case of the Cajuns, there were several penalties that extended drives like the defensive pass interference on third and long and add that with the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that followed with Hudspeth being livid about the call. The Cajuns gave the Zips too many second chances and Akron capitalized on the opportunities.
4th Down: APC to Blame?
During Hudspeth’s postgame press conference, he came straight out the gate and stated that the new Athletic Performance Center being opened, and all of the tours going on were an issue, and he saw it coming a mile away. I can somewhat understand it being a distraction, but the team should be trying it’s hardest to stay focused regardless of so-called distractions. Hudspeth went on to say that the tours of the APC are now over, and that this was a wake up call that was desperately needed. But the big question is if you saw this coming a mile away, why didn’t you try to somewhat control the situation?
-Clint Domingue