09-19-2010, 12:19 PM
The Richmond Register
Register Sports Editor Register Sports Editor Sun Sep 19, 2010, 01:04 AM EDT
Chattanooga â After watching his teamâs defense get shredded for a stunning 548 yards, including 375 yards passing, in a 42-24 loss Saturday at Finley Stadium, Eastern Kentucky University coach Dean Hood had a hard time putting a positive spin on a disappointing result.
âI look up there (at the scoreboard) and see 548 yards of total offense and 42 points and donât see anything positive about that,â Hood said. âIf you give up 548 yards and 42 points, then you are not very good anywhere.â
There were some positives.
T.J. Pryor returned from a groin injury and provided a spark for an offense that had been rather mediocre through the first two games of the season. The Colonels (0-3) got another big play on special teams (a blocked punt for a touchdown) and had a season-high 21 first downs.
Still, it wasnât enough to overcome a record-setting offensive performance by Chattanooga (1-2).
B.J. Coleman threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns and Joel Bradford had a school-record 254 yards receiving on 11 catches, including a touchdown. Erroll Wynn also finished with 122 yards rushing as the Mocsâ offense averaged 7.6 yards a play.
Bradfordâs 254 yards receiving were the fifth-most in Southern Conference history.
âWe needed that win so badly,â Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman said. âThey were pretty happy in the locker room. We had to have it. Our kids knew we had to have that win. Iâm so proud of them.â
The loss was the sixth straight for EKU, matching the schoolâs longest losing streak since 1963.
The Colonels had allowed 388 yards of total offense in losses to both Louisville and Missouri State, but the Mocs had 295 yards and 14 first downs in just the first half as they raced out to a 28-9 lead.
Bradford had seven receptions for 166 yards in the first half, highlighted by an 80-yard touchdown reception.
Coleman was 13-of-17 in the opening half for 222 yards and three touchdowns.
âWe are 0-3 and there were two games where the defense was probably good enough to get a W,â Hood said. âAnd tonight we probably played well enough on offense to get a win, but we were horrendous on defense. Weâve won the special teams battle every game weâve played.â
Chattanooga had big fourth-quarter leads in each of its first two games of the season only to see two top-ranked teams â No. 3 Appalachian State and No. 5 Jacksonville State â rally for come-from-behind victories.
The Mocs didnât let that happen this time around.
Chattanooga put together a 9-play, 91-yard drive to open the second half, which was capped by a 14-yard TD pass to Sloan Allison.
EKU answered right back with a 7-play, 57-yard drive, which included a 10-yard TD pass from Pryor to Orlandus Harris. The Colonels got back to within 11 points (35-24) when Marcus Williams blocked a punt, which Shawn Shupperd returned 25 yards for a touchdown with 7:13 left in the fourth.
The Mocs had the answer once again, getting a 3-yard TD run from Keon Williams with 2:30 left that all but sealed the victory.
âWe told the guys at halftime, that even though we made some mistakes and gave up some points, this was a team that in the second half had given up leads,â Hood said. âWe **** in there and kept plugging and it looked like it was going to turn. But to their credit, they made plays when they had to just to keep it from turning.â
The Mocs scored on their first two possessions of the game (Bradford TD passes to Allison and Bradford) and had a 14-0 lead with 5:51 left in the first. The Colonels got on the board when Yameen Thomas sacked Bradford in the end zone, resulting in a safety.
EKU then put together a 9-play, 65-yard drive that Pryor finished with a 6-yard pass to Tyrone Goard just a minute and a half into the second quarter that cut the Chattanooga lead to 14-9.
âIt wasnât good enough offensively,â Pryor said. âIt might have been a good day, but it wasnât good enough.â
The Mocs then scored 21 straight points to take a commanding lead.
Pryor completed 27-of-41 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Harris had a team-high 77 yards on 10 catches, Goard had five catches for 48 yards and Chris Moore had four catches for 35 yards.
Senior wide receiver Shannon Davis suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.
The Colonels had just 58 yards rushing, lead by H.B Banjomanâs 21 yards.
EKU is off next week and will return to action Oct. 2 at home against Kentucky State.
Register Sports Editor Register Sports Editor Sun Sep 19, 2010, 01:04 AM EDT
Chattanooga â After watching his teamâs defense get shredded for a stunning 548 yards, including 375 yards passing, in a 42-24 loss Saturday at Finley Stadium, Eastern Kentucky University coach Dean Hood had a hard time putting a positive spin on a disappointing result.
âI look up there (at the scoreboard) and see 548 yards of total offense and 42 points and donât see anything positive about that,â Hood said. âIf you give up 548 yards and 42 points, then you are not very good anywhere.â
There were some positives.
T.J. Pryor returned from a groin injury and provided a spark for an offense that had been rather mediocre through the first two games of the season. The Colonels (0-3) got another big play on special teams (a blocked punt for a touchdown) and had a season-high 21 first downs.
Still, it wasnât enough to overcome a record-setting offensive performance by Chattanooga (1-2).
B.J. Coleman threw for 375 yards and four touchdowns and Joel Bradford had a school-record 254 yards receiving on 11 catches, including a touchdown. Erroll Wynn also finished with 122 yards rushing as the Mocsâ offense averaged 7.6 yards a play.
Bradfordâs 254 yards receiving were the fifth-most in Southern Conference history.
âWe needed that win so badly,â Chattanooga coach Russ Huesman said. âThey were pretty happy in the locker room. We had to have it. Our kids knew we had to have that win. Iâm so proud of them.â
The loss was the sixth straight for EKU, matching the schoolâs longest losing streak since 1963.
The Colonels had allowed 388 yards of total offense in losses to both Louisville and Missouri State, but the Mocs had 295 yards and 14 first downs in just the first half as they raced out to a 28-9 lead.
Bradford had seven receptions for 166 yards in the first half, highlighted by an 80-yard touchdown reception.
Coleman was 13-of-17 in the opening half for 222 yards and three touchdowns.
âWe are 0-3 and there were two games where the defense was probably good enough to get a W,â Hood said. âAnd tonight we probably played well enough on offense to get a win, but we were horrendous on defense. Weâve won the special teams battle every game weâve played.â
Chattanooga had big fourth-quarter leads in each of its first two games of the season only to see two top-ranked teams â No. 3 Appalachian State and No. 5 Jacksonville State â rally for come-from-behind victories.
The Mocs didnât let that happen this time around.
Chattanooga put together a 9-play, 91-yard drive to open the second half, which was capped by a 14-yard TD pass to Sloan Allison.
EKU answered right back with a 7-play, 57-yard drive, which included a 10-yard TD pass from Pryor to Orlandus Harris. The Colonels got back to within 11 points (35-24) when Marcus Williams blocked a punt, which Shawn Shupperd returned 25 yards for a touchdown with 7:13 left in the fourth.
The Mocs had the answer once again, getting a 3-yard TD run from Keon Williams with 2:30 left that all but sealed the victory.
âWe told the guys at halftime, that even though we made some mistakes and gave up some points, this was a team that in the second half had given up leads,â Hood said. âWe **** in there and kept plugging and it looked like it was going to turn. But to their credit, they made plays when they had to just to keep it from turning.â
The Mocs scored on their first two possessions of the game (Bradford TD passes to Allison and Bradford) and had a 14-0 lead with 5:51 left in the first. The Colonels got on the board when Yameen Thomas sacked Bradford in the end zone, resulting in a safety.
EKU then put together a 9-play, 65-yard drive that Pryor finished with a 6-yard pass to Tyrone Goard just a minute and a half into the second quarter that cut the Chattanooga lead to 14-9.
âIt wasnât good enough offensively,â Pryor said. âIt might have been a good day, but it wasnât good enough.â
The Mocs then scored 21 straight points to take a commanding lead.
Pryor completed 27-of-41 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns, but was intercepted three times. Harris had a team-high 77 yards on 10 catches, Goard had five catches for 48 yards and Chris Moore had four catches for 35 yards.
Senior wide receiver Shannon Davis suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and did not return.
The Colonels had just 58 yards rushing, lead by H.B Banjomanâs 21 yards.
EKU is off next week and will return to action Oct. 2 at home against Kentucky State.