Flacco, Defense, Leads Towson Past Morgan State
BALTIMORE – The Towson Tigers took home “The Battle for Greater Baltimore” trophy once again with a 36-10 rout over the Morgan State Bears. The Tigers looked great on both sides of the ball. They stayed sound on defense and the offense was very effective. This is how the Tigers graded out.
Quarterback:
New addition Tom Flacco got the start in the game and he did not disappoint. Though Coach Ambrose has continued to state that the Tiger offense has two starting quarterbacks, Flacco showed that he can be THE guy, and if he can continue to play at this level, the Tigers can make some noise in the CAA. Flacco was brilliant in his passing efforts, finishing the game completing 18 passes on 28 attempts for 245 yards and 2 TDs. He did have one interception which was not really his fault as the defensive back made a huge play.
Grade: A-
Rushing:
Towson ran the ball effectively throughout the game, accumulating a total of 156 yards on the ground. The rushing attack was led by Kobe Young, a sophomore running back, Yeedee Thaenrat, a junior running back, and quarterback Flacco. The read option worked very well for Towson, which is something that they have not been able to do effectively in the past. Shane Simpson was also a good threat receiving out of the backfield, catching a touchdown pass. Young also got a rushing touchdown.
Grade: B
Receiving:
The wide receivers and tight ends were strong throughout the game, getting a lot of separation through the Bears defense. Shane Leatherbury was able to accumulate 93 yards receiving on 5 catches. Chris Clark, the UCLA transfer tight end, had 30 yards and made some big catches over the middle. Clark’s most impressive moment came on the goal line where Flacco threw him a jump ball. Clark made a catch over his head and came down with the pass. Overall a very effective outing for the receiving group.
Grade: B+
Defense:
The defense was stout and only surrendered a FG. The unit forced a big fumble and snagged an interception as well. In the last two meetings with Morgan State, the Tiger defense has surrendered only 3 points. The defensive line was getting a lot of good pressure as well.
Grade: A-
Special Teams:
The kicking game for the Tigers was good. Junior kicker Aidan O’Neill finished the game 4-4 on field goals. The major special teams blunder came on a punt return for the Tigers in the first quarter when the returner tried to field a bouncing ball on the 3-yard line. It was muffed and Morgan State was able to recover it in the end zone for the Bears lone touchdown of the day.
Grade: B-
Highlights: You can check out highlights of the game from Towson’s YouTube channel.
Next Week:
The Tigers travel to play a FBS opponent at Wake Forest. Towson will probably not fare well in the matchup, but it will be important to see how the team progresses. Coach Ambrose is excited about his team and from Saturday’s performance, it was clear to see why.
