Green Loses Third Straight Game Against Louisville | (Off The Leash | 10/1/22)
The Bulldogs descend into a losing record in close matchup against the Louisville Leopards.
Having lost 2 games in the last 2 weeks, the Green Bulldogs wanted to get their season back on track with a road win against the 1-5 Louisville Leopards. Unfortunately, this did not happen. The Bulldogs fell behind late in the 4th quarter and weren’t able to get a score in before the game ended, making a final score of 27-23 Leopards. There were many expectations of this Bulldogs team after Green’s magical playoff run last year, and I believe living up to those expectations with such a young cast can prove challenging.
Yesterday, Green's main issue was Louisville's run game. Leopards RB Jacob Davide (#9), who ran for 113 yards, was a big problem. Having the power to push past opposing defenders frequently. The other problem on the run was the Leopard’s own QB, Charlie Roberts (#17), who often chose to run the ball instead of finding an open receiver. Roberts was the main culprit of Louisville 3rd down conversions, usually exploding through the tight spaces of Green’s defense.
It's important to note that Green's current roster is young. To quote Bulldogs Head Coach Mark Geis, "We’re rolling out there with either a lot of young kids that haven’t played or old kids that haven’t played. Maybe a couple [of] experienced guys." Green still has 3 games left, and they have to win 2 of them in order to have a winning record and a chance at the playoffs. There is still a lot of football to be played, as evidenced by Green's last two games. Here’s what I notice: Green starts their games off strong, usually being the first ones on the scoreboard. Then, they keep their lead intact by one score, eventually losing the lead in the 2nd half. I stand by the phrase “Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern”. Cracks are starting to show, and opposing offenses are starting to see where our defense struggles.
There isn’t much to say besides the fact that Green lost, unfortunately that’s just how it is. Green will go on to face Perry next week in their last game at home. Look out for the preview for that game out this Wednesday, and follow the new Facebook page for updates!
Note from Aiden: Sorry for the 2 week absence, just took a short break from writing due to burnout. You can expect your regularly scheduled articles as normal again!