Gridiron Report Card

Passing Game: A-

Sophomore quarterback Joe Licata looked good moving around the pocket and making passes on the move. Sometimes, though, he moved around too much in the pocket, stepping into a few sacks.

A few key drops limited the passing offense's effectiveness in the first half. Licata, however, caught fire in the second half. He finished the game 36 of 58 for a school record 497 yards and career-high four touchdowns.

The game dictated Licata needed to take over, and he did.

Run Game: B-

Toledo made senior running back Branden Oliver look human in the first half, holding him to 24 yards rushing. Oliver came back to life in the second half and finished with 102 yards - his sixth straight game with at least 100-yards rushing - and a touchdown.

He lost his first fumble of the year in the second half, which allowed Toledo to run the clock down and kick a field goal. He also tossed an errant lateral at the end of the first half, allowing Toledo to kick a field goal.

Receiving: B

The receiving core was the main reason the Bulls came back. Senior receivers Alex Neutz and Fred Lee each had long gains down the field.

Both Neutz and Lee finished with over 100 yards catching - 168 and 110, respectively.

The receiving core was also one reason the Bulls fell so far behind to start the game. Junior tight end Matt Weiser had two key drops and Neutz had a rare drop as well.

Neutz caught his 29th and 30th career touchdowns, moving into first place all by himself on the Buffalo career touchdown catches list.

Offensive line: C-

The offensive line got bullied by Toledo's defensive line on Tuesday night. It couldn't open any holes for Oliver, and Licata was constantly being flushed out of the pocket.

It wasn't entirely their fault. The Bulls' blocking schemes didn't change until late in the second quarter, when they started seeing some success in the run game. Also, Toledo's coverage was superb most of the game, forcing Licata to hold onto the ball.

Run defense: F

After being so dominant the last seven games, the run defense couldn't stop even Toledo's back up walk-on running back on Tuesday night. The 'D' allowed 103 rushing yards in the first quarter and Toledo finished with 317 yards and four rushing touchdowns on the night.

Toledo consistently opened up huge holes, which its running backs burst through and then used their speed to avoid the secondary.

This was the first competent offensive line the Bulls have faced since Baylor.

Pass defense: C+

After big run plays and a big pass play, the pass defense couldn't do much but sit back and allow Toledo to catch the ball in front of them.

The pass defense did have some big pass breakups, and once Toledo slowed down from its initial onslaught, the Bulls were able to knock quarterback Terrance Owens off his torrid pace. It also helped that Toledo barely threw the ball in the second half.

Special teams: B+

The Bulls tried three onside kicks, recovering one, which they turned into a touchdown. The Bulls had legitimate shots at all three.

Sophomore punter/kickoff specialist Tyler Grassman was solid all night with both kicking and punting duties. His highlight punting came on a punt in the first quarter. After the ball was snapped over his head, Grassman chased it back to the goal line and somehow got a kick off that rolled to Toledo's 30-yard line.

Coaching: F

The Bulls were entirely unprepared for the Rockets. Toledo scored 38 points before Buffalo scored one and the Bulls appeared out-coached in all facets.

They continually tried the same looks on offense and defense even though they weren't working. If the Bulls had scored even one touchdown in the first half, it could have been a totally different game.

Instead, with a chance to put some points on the board at the end of the first half, head coach Jeff Quinn tried a hook and ladder. An errant lateral allowed Toledo to recover and end the half with a field goal, increasing their lead to 31-0.

As we've seen in past seasons, the Bulls' coaching staff shows too much commitment to game plans even after they don't work.

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