1 Avoid a sluggish begin on offense. This subject haunted the Bulls of their earlier two video games. Of UB’s seven first-half drives in a 23-20 additional time victory at then-No. 23 Northern Illinois on Sept. 21, just one lasted greater than three performs and concluded with factors (Upton Bellenfant’s 42-yard area aim). Of its eight first-half drives on Sept. 28 in a 47-3 defeat at Connecticut, just one lasted greater than 5 performs and concluded with factors (Bellenfant’s 47-yard FG). UB’s offense requires manufacturing on the bottom and should stabilize its passing recreation – UB has averaged 120.6 speeding yards and 133 passing yards, however its passing recreation has been mediocre at finest and unproductive at worst.
2 Safeguard the cross and safeguard it successfully. In Toledo, UB encounters a second consecutive opponent that may cross the ball nicely. The Bulls gave up 280 passing yards and three landing passes at Connecticut. Toledo possesses the MAC’s high passing offense (251.4 yards per recreation), averages 12.8 yards per completion, and 14 of its 23 touchdowns have been by the air. The Rockets are one in every of seven groups that began the week tied for thirteenth within the nation in passing touchdowns (Miami leads the nation with 21 landing passes). After its bye week, UB’s protection is allowing opponents a median of 207.6 passing yards per recreation and a median of 36.4 passes per recreation. The solely crew permitting extra cross makes an attempt per recreation? Toledo (37).
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3 Enhance third-down conversions. This doesn’t merely imply changing on third-and-8 or third-and-long, which has turn out to be a problematic space for the Bulls within the final two seasons. It additionally means dealing with and executing in first- and second-down conditions – to generate extra manageable short-yardage conditions on third down, moderately than scrambling to achieve yards on third-and-9, as an illustration. UB was 1 for 14 on third-down conversions at Connecticut – Messiah Burch accomplished the one such conversion within the fourth quarter – per week after going 2 for 15 at Northern Illinois. UB is 15 for 68 (22.1%) this season, eleventh within the MAC, solely forward of Kent State (17.5%) and 132nd of 134 groups nationally.
4 Ensure MAC video games depend. UB’s nonconference schedule is up to now, and the Bulls had per week off to relaxation, recuperate, and regroup after being dismantled and held in verify at UConn. Now the Bulls transition absolutely into their MAC schedule, a stretch over the subsequent three weeks that features Toledo, a rising Western Michigan crew, and a highway recreation at Ohio. These video games carry weight due to the MAC’s new championship construction, the place the highest two groups based mostly on convention successful proportion safe spots within the MAC championship recreation on Dec. 7 in Detroit. The Bulls are additionally pursuing bowl eligibility. Teams want a minimal of six wins to partake within the postseason, which means UB should safe no less than three victories in its closing seven video games.
