Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
1-2
Rutgers
2-1
Eastern Stalled by Big Plays at Rutgers
9/14/2013 4:13:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
EMU out-gains Rutgers, 373 to 274
| Box score. | Photo Gallery. | Coach English Postgame Audio. | Tyler_Benz Postgame Audio. | Matt and Rob Recap the Game. |
PITSCATAWAY, N.J. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team dropped its second-straight road contest to Rutgers University Saturday, Sept. 14, at Highpoint Solutions Stadium in Piscataway, N.J. The Eagles (1-2) fell, 28-10, despite out-gaining RU, 373 to 274.
Tyler Benz (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine Township South) led the Eastern offense by throwing of 335 yards on 24-of-40 passing, with a touchdown and an interception. The 24 completions were the most in his career as the senior had completed 19 passes twice previously, most recently against Howard, Aug. 31, 2013. The Eagles out-gained Rutgers by nearly 100 yards offensively. Bronson Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Catholic Central) led the EMU rush attack with 30 yards, while Ryan Brumfield (Chester Springs, Pa.-Owen J. Robert) added 21. Tyreese Russell (Chicago, Ill.-Walter Lutheran) had nine receptions for 84 yards and Dustin Creel (Industry, Pa.-Western Beaver) pulled in four passes for 77 yards. Brumfield's only catch was a 43-yard touchdown catch on a double pass.
James Paul led the Rutgers offense with 192 rushing yards and all three of the offensive touchdowns for the Scarlet Knights. Chas Dodd was 4-of-9 passing, while Gary Nova went a perfect 4-for-4. None of the Rutgers' receivers had more than two catches or totaled more than 30 yards receiving.
Defensively, Mycal Swaim (Chico, Calif.-Pleasant Valley (Butte C.C.)) led EMU with eight total tackles, while Ike Spearman (Saint John, Ind.-Lake Central), Donald Coleman (Detroit, Mich.-Orchard Lake St. Mary's (North Carolina State)) and Great Ibe (Hanover, Md.-Meade (Concordia)) each totaled six tackles. Kalonji Kashama (Brampton, Ontario, Canada-Brampton) and Pat O'Connor (Chicago, Ill.-Saint Rita) each added a sack.
For Rutgers, Steve Longa totaled 12 tackles, including two sacks to head the Scarlet Knights' defense. Lew Toler added 10 tackles while Marcus Thompson and Quentin Gause each had eight. Thompson also posted 1.5 sacks on the day. The only turnover came when Lorenzo Waters forced Benz to toss an interception.
After receiving the opening kick, the Scarlet Knights traveled down the field to take a quick 7-0 advantage. Rutgers took eight plays to jaunt 87 yards down the field for a touchdown score. RU used an untimely penalty of roughing the passer to get inside EMU territory to set up a score as Paul James scampered 13 yards into the south endzone for the score just three minutes and 51 seconds into the game.
In the following Eastern possession, Benz led the EMU offense 53 yards down the field, including going 3-for-6 for 52 yards, to the 29-yard line of Rutgers before being forced into a fourth down situation. Mulder setup for a field goal, just the second time the field goal team took the field this season. Mulder knocked a 39-yarder straight through the uprights, good for the third-longest of his career making it 7-3 in favor of the Scarlet Knights with 7:36 left on the clock.
The scoring did not come to a halt after the field goal. Quron Pratt took the ensuing kickoff 99 yards from the Rutgers' one-yard line to the house, putting RU up, 14-3, with 7:22 remaining in the opening quarter of play at Highpoint Solutions Stadium.
After being pinned deep in its own territory, Eastern was forced to punt from its own nine yard line. A 21-yard punt gave Rutgers the ball at the EMU 30-yard line, setting up a short field for the Scarlet Knights. Strong EMU defense held at the 30 before an illegal forward pass penalty was enforced, pushing Rutgers back to the Eastern 34-yard line. The Scarlet Knights attempted a 51-yard field goal but the kick was wide right, giving the Green and White the ball at the 34.
Eastern got back on the board nearly 15 minutes after the last score. The Eagles drove down the field for 85 yards in just five plays. EMU started at its own 15-yard line, and Benz threw for 80 of the 85 yards in that drive. After getting down to the Rutgers' 43-yard line, a double pass in which Brumfield slung the ball over to Benz, who return-fired back to Brumfield, giving him open space to dash down the field and score the second touchdown of the day for Eastern to make it 14-10, where the in favor of Rutgers with 7:25 remaining in the first half. It was just Brumfield's third reception and longest of his career. The play was also EMU's longest offensive play and the most yards allowed in a single play by Rutgers this season.
Benz went 9-for-15 in throwing attempts, tossing for 166 yards and a score. Brumfield's one reception for 43 yards was the longest play of the half and the most total receiving yards in the first 30 minutes. Dustin Creel had one reception for 31 yards, while Demarius Reed, Jay Jones and Tyreese Russell each nabbed a pair of passes. Eastern led Rutgers in total yards by 98 in the first half, 215-117, including a 92 yard edge in the passing game, 166-74.
Spearman and Ibe led the defense in the first half with five tackles each, while O'Connor and Kashama both had a sack. Kashama also forced a fumble for EMU.
The Eagles received the opening kick of the second half but were stumped by the Rutgers defense. After EMU punted, the Scarlet Knights needed just three plays to finish the series 80 yards down the field. James took a handoff from Dodd at the Eastern 45-yard line and dashed outside to the sideline scurrying 55 yards for his second score of the game, giving Rutgers a 21-10 lead with 11:03 left in the third quarter.
Defense ruled the majority of the second half however the Scarlet Knights got on the board another time when James struck again in the fourth quarter. With 8:29 on the clock, Rutgers used three plays to go 58 yards for another score. RU moved the ball from the its own 42 and got to the 48 before James took the ball the last 52 of the field for a score, his third of the contest, making it 28-10 with just over seven minutes remaining in the game.
Eastern started the next series at their own 11-yard line and used the passing game to move the ball down to the Rutgers' 24. The Eagles, however could not push the ball beyond that point and failed to come any closer in the game and the score remained, 28-10.
The Eagles are in action again when they return to Rynearson Stadium Saturday, Sept. 21. EMU welcomes Ball State University to Ypsilanti, where the Green and White and the Cardinals will square off in the annual homecoming matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Ron English, Eastern Michigan Head Coach
Overall impression of Rutgers:
"They won the game. We had a chance to win the game and we didn't win the game. My impression of Rutgers is they did what they had to do to win the game."
On defending Rutgers' Paul James:
"He did a good job. He had the long run and had some good gains. I think he's a good running back and I thought he did a good job."
On the Rutgers defense:
"Hard to run the ball. We couldn't run the ball. I thought we moved it obviously. We had 80 offensive plays, but no points. You miss field goals and it destroys the momentum of your team. We can't miss field goals like that, but we did."
On wind affecting the EMU kick game:
"I think if you are not a guy who has not done that a lot, it can affect you mentally. You know how some of these kickers are, some of them are fragile. Obviously our guy was fragile. He shanked a couple punts in there and then we missed two field goals. Not a good performance by the specialists."
On missing field goals:
"I think they all hurt. It affects everybody because they work so hard to get down there and then you don't cash in. It's human nature. No one wants to work and not get paid. "
On only allowing one third down conversion in back-to-back games:
"What is disappointing is not the rushing yardage total. I didn't like the two runs they hit. There were 19 rushes for under 100 yards. I'll take that all day long. That's the thing though; you can't take out these big plays. I pride myself on being able to teach run defense. If we don't give up these two big runs, we play good run defense. We have to do better against the run and cannot not give up big plays. To give up 21 points, we shouldn't give up 21 points."
Tyler Benz, Quarterback
On how he thinks the team did after seeing the stat sheet:
"We didn't win the game. We needed to play a little better."
On how the missed field goals hurt the team:
"It's just something we need to fix."
On the EMU touchdown with Ryan Brumfield on the lateral:
"It was new to our offense this year. We practiced it in practice and it worked. It was the first time we tried it this year."
On what it was about the RU defense that wouldn't let EMU get into the endzone:
"They have a pretty good defense and make good plays."
Team Stats
EMU 0, RU 7
RU - JAMES,Paul 13 yd run (FEDERICO,Kyle kick), 8 plays, 87 yards, TOP 3:51
EMU 3, RU 7
EMU - MULDER, Dylan 39 yd field goal 10 plays, 53 yards, TOP 3:33
EMU 3, RU 14
RU - PRATT,Quron 99 yd kickoff return (FEDERICO,Kyle kick)
EMU 10, RU 14
EMU - BRUMFIELD, Ryan 43 yd pass from BENZ, Tyler (MULDER, Dylan kick) 5 plays, 85 yards, TOP 1:57
EMU 10, RU 21
RU - JAMES,Paul 55 yd run (FEDERICO,Kyle kick), 3 plays, 80 yards, TOP 1:34
EMU 10, RU 28
RU - JAMES,Paul 52 yd run (FEDERICO,Kyle kick), 3 plays, 58 yards, TOP 1:25
