Endangered Species?
It's impossible to question the historical pedigree of the UW-LaCrosse Eagles football program. Two National Championships (1992 and 1995), 11 NCAA D3 playoff appearances, and 33 WIAC/WSUC Championships speak for themselves. However, the Eagles have fallen on hard times in the recent past. What follows is a look at the current struggles of the UW-L football team, which has left the program as the biggest question mark in the WIAC as conference play commences in full this weekend.
On September 29, 2007 Jeff Schebler lined up a 41 yard field goal. His Warhawks trailed the UW-La Crosse Eagles 28-10, an 18 point deficit with 11 minutes to play. Schebler made the kick, cutting the UW-W deficit to 28-13. What happened during that 11 minutes of football in LaCrosse, appears to have had a lasting effect on the Eagles' program.
The mighty UW-LaCrosse Eagles walked onto the field that September afternoon with a record of 41-23 since 2000. They were 2-0 in the current 2007 season and coming off a 9-2 season in 2006. The Eagles' appeared poised to re-claim the position as top dog in the conference and determined to stop the UW-W Stagg Bowl run at two.
UW-Whitewater delivered a mighty blow to the Eagles on that September afternoon, outscoring their rival 25-0 in the fourth quarter to take home a 35-28 victory. Something beyond that football game appears to have happened in those fateful 11 minutes. The Warhawks went on to win their first National Championship that season. The Eagles went just 3-3 the rest of the 2007 season, losing games by 2,3, and 3 points.
In 2008, while UW-W was making it's fourth consecutive Stagg run, The Eagles started off 0-5 and finished the year 3-7.
In 2009, while UW-W earned their fifth consecutive Stagg Bowl and second national championship, the Eagles finished 5-5, losing their last four games.
So far in 2010, while UW-W sits at 3-0, the Eagles are 0-3, running their losing streak to seven games. On the dawn of the 2010 WIAC season, perhaps no team is a greater mystery than the Eagles.
The Streak
Much has gone wrong for UW-L during their seven game losing streak. Below is a brief capsule of each game and turning points that ultimately sealed the Eagles' fate in each game.
1. October 24, 2009 UW-Stevens Point 26 UW-LaCrosse 14
Reid Oldenberg scored on a 2 yard run, capping a 91 yard drive to draw the Eagles to within 19-14 with 10 minutes left in the game. However, Colton Zimmerman returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to the UW-L 40. On the next play, Pointers' QB Jared Beckwith hit Anthony Aker for 39 yards to the Eagles' 1. Point scored two plays later to expand the lead to 26-14. UW-L never got closer than the UW-SP 47 the rest of the game.
2. October 31, 2009 UW-Stout 35 UW-LaCrosse 28
With the score tied 14-14, the Eagles had a first and goal on the UW-S 4 yard line late in the first half. After three plays netted only two yards, the Eagles then missed a FG with 6 seconds left in the half and the teams went into the locker room tied. Stout began the second half with a 65 yard TD drive. After the Eagles' ensuing drive stalled at the Blue Devil 34, Christian Hallingstad's punt was downed at the Stout 1. However, the Blue Devils drove 99 yards to give themselves a 28-14 lead. After the Eagles, pulled to within 28-21, they gave UW-S a short field as Carlos Concepcion returned the ensuing kickoff to the UW-L 46. The Blue Devils turned the short field into points as they scored 5 plays later to take a commanding 35-21 lead.
3. November 7, 2009 UW-Eau Claire 27 UW-LaCrosse 17
Holding a 10-0 lead in the 2nd quarter, the Eagles drove from their own 4 yard line all the way to a first and goal on the Blugolds' 3. However, two plays later, QB Nick Anker was sacked and fumbled, giving the ball back to Eau Claire. On the next play, QB Kyle Paulson hit David Goodman for a 93 yard TD pass, making the score 10-7, as opposed the 17-0 possibility of moments earlier. With just under 2 minutes left in the first half, the Eagles had a 4th and 5 at the Blugolds' 11. UW-L elected to go for it, but Anker's pass fell incomplete. UW-EC scored TD's on their first two possessions of the second half to take a 20-10 lead. Early in the fourth quarter, the Eagles scored to narrow the gap to 20-17. However, with just under 3 minutes to play, the Blugolds sealed the win by scoring on a fake-punt 45 yard TD pass.
4. November 14, 2009 UW-Whitewater 58 UW-LaCrosse 21
This was the only game in the streak in which the Eagles had no shot. They were outgained by over 300 yards and committed 3 turnovers.
5. September 4, 2010 East Texas Baptist 33 UW-LaCrosse 20
The Eagles opened the 2010 season by losing to ETB, whom they had beaten 28-13 in 2009. ETB scored on TWO runs from scrimmage of at least 95 yards (95 and 98). UW-L held a 14-13 lead and faced a 4th and 2 on the ETB 37 with 1:30 left in the first half. Nick Anker's pass was intercepted and returned 55 yards to the UW-L 13. ETB scored on the next play to take a 20-13 lead into the locker room. The score was still 20-14 when ETB blocked a UW-L punt and recovered on their 23 yard line. The short field led to another TD and, after missing the PAT, the score was was 26-14. The Eagles scored (and also missed the PAT) to draw within 26-20. However, the next two times UW-L got the ball they turned it over. Then, with 25 seconds left in the game, Sed Harris scored on a 98 yard run to provide the final margin.
6. September 11, 2010 Mary Hardin-Baylor 24 UW-LaCrosse 19
The Eagles had a 4-0 takeaway advantage and a 19-0 lead 3rd quarter lead, but found a way to lose. Special teams played a key role in the UMHB win. Down 19-0, Darius Wilson returned a kickoff to the 43. The Cru then drove 57 yards to make it 19-7. They then held the Eagles to a "3 and out". Geoff Myles returned the ensuing punt 37 yards to the UW-L 40, leading to another short field TD drive, making the score 19-14. After another "3 and out" and a net 22 yard punt, the Cru took over on their own 43. Once again, they took advantage, driving to a 21-19 lead. The Cru added a FG for the final margin. All total, once UMHB scored its first TD, the Eagles responded with 4 consecutive "3 and out" series, a series that ended on downs at the UMHB 25, and "4 and out" series.
7. September 25, 2010 Missouri S & T 31 UW-LaCrosse 24
This might well have been the most disheartening loss of the seven game losing streak for the Eagles. This is a team they destroyed 48-0 in 2009. The Eagles held a 10-0 lead with 2 and a half minutes left in the first half. UW-L then gave up 3 huge plays in the next 3 and a half minutes of play. With 2:24 left in the first half, Miner's QB Steve Watson hit Chad Shockley for a 77 yard TD pass, to make the score 10-7. UW-L then went 3 and out before Watson found Shockley again, this time from 47 yards out with 1:02 left in the half for a MST 14-10 lead. Then in the first minute of the 3rd quarter, Jordan Ashley of MST recovered UW-L QB Nick Anker's fumble and returned it 36 yards for a TD and a 21-10 Miner's lead. UW-L battled back and took the lead 24-21. This was the first time during the streak that they had re-taken the lead after losing it. MST kicked a field goal to tie the game at 24-24 with 8:30 left in the game. However, UW-L stalled and then a 4 yard punt gave MST the ball on the Eagles' 46 yard line. The Miner's took advantage driving to a TD and a 31-24 lead with 3:24 to play. With their final shot to end the losing streak, the Eagles drove all the way to the Miner's 9 yard line. However, Anker's 4th down pass fell incomplete with 38 seconds remaining and the Eagles' streak moved to seven.
What's the problem?
A statistical analysis of the Eagles' seven game losing streak would reveals flaws to be sure. The Eagles' running game is very inconsistent. So is their ability to defend the pass. Their special teams coverage units are below average at best. However, in looking at the seven games in the current losing streak, UW-L had the ability to win six of them, flaws and all. Here are some themes that run consistently through the streak:
1. When UW-L had the lead, they failed to show the killer instinct required to build on a lead and finish off an opponent.
2. When things began going wrong, the Eagles did not respond well.
3. The Eagles offense often completely shut down after they had given up the lead.
4. UW-L made key mistakes or gave up big plays in the most crucial of situations.
UW-L opens WIAC play Saturday when they travel to UW-Oshkosh. They have the opportunity to operate from a clean slate and re-establish themselves as a power in the WIAC. However, they will have to recapture the confidence and the swagger that seemed to have been taken from them on that September Saturday in 2007.
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