It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Nice job.

Nice analysis! To piggy back on your last paragraph though, I hate to say it, but 3rd place prediction is a bit of respect for past decade accomplishment. If you look at what talent NIU is returning both player wise and coaching wise, I am hard pressed to not have them 4th or 5th. When a year is looking as bleak as this one, you have to be able to take something out of it positive. NIU needs to know what type of talent they have at QB, if Graham starts vs BC, I just will be speechless about the state of this program. You are right though weird things can happen so who knows. Obviously if Woodside were to get injured, the playing field becomes nearly leveled. Toledo is the clear favorite right now, but I don't think they are better than MAC West preseason favorites in year's past, the conference is just in for a down season this go around.

(07-28-2017 02:58 PM)Dtownboys Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Nice job.

Good write-up. You're value is about to go up, especially since we're lacking coverage of NIU football

Very cool.

(07-28-2017 03:19 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Nice analysis! To piggy back on your last paragraph though, I hate to say it, but 3rd place prediction is a bit of respect for past decade accomplishment. If you look at what talent NIU is returning both player wise and coaching wise, I am hard pressed to not have them 4th or 5th. When a year is looking as bleak as this one, you have to be able to take something out of it positive. NIU needs to know what type of talent they have at QB, if Graham starts vs BC, I just will be speechless about the state of this program. You are right though weird things can happen so who knows. Obviously if Woodside were to get injured, the playing field becomes nearly leveled. Toledo is the clear favorite right now, but I don't think they are better than MAC West preseason favorites in year's past, the conference is just in for a down season this go around.

Lack of talent at the QB and WR position? Yes. Everywhere else? No. NIU's O-line is going to be strong. The back 7 of the defense should be the best it has been in years. Saying they have no talent returning is just a generalization based off the departure of Kenny and no set QB. There's plenty of talent in other areas. Many of them on preseason award watch lists. (Ex: Lurry, Sharping, etc.)

(07-28-2017 05:47 PM)JoeNovak Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 03:19 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Nice analysis! To piggy back on your last paragraph though, I hate to say it, but 3rd place prediction is a bit of respect for past decade accomplishment. If you look at what talent NIU is returning both player wise and coaching wise, I am hard pressed to not have them 4th or 5th. When a year is looking as bleak as this one, you have to be able to take something out of it positive. NIU needs to know what type of talent they have at QB, if Graham starts vs BC, I just will be speechless about the state of this program. You are right though weird things can happen so who knows. Obviously if Woodside were to get injured, the playing field becomes nearly leveled. Toledo is the clear favorite right now, but I don't think they are better than MAC West preseason favorites in year's past, the conference is just in for a down season this go around.

Lack of talent at the QB and WR position? Yes. Everywhere else? No. NIU's O-line is going to be strong. The back 7 of the defense should be the best it has been in years. Saying they have no talent returning is just a generalization based off the departure of Kenny and no set QB. There's plenty of talent in other areas. Many of them on preseason award watch lists. (Ex: Lurry, Sharping, etc.)

I'd even add that the WR group does have talent. And Plenty. In fact, the two highest rated WRs this school has ever landed(tears .86, Wesley .839) will be on the field. That doesn't automatically translate into production, but it does mean talent. It seems like I'm the only one who thinks this could be a strength, but line up Blake, Beebe, Tears/Wesley and Wimann? That's pretty bad ass. It's going to be a group success. Parchment and Robinson give you height. Beebe and Brown are quick, smaller WRs. Wesley and Tears have deep speed. I think people are sleeping on this group. Not one big star here, but a really diverse group.

Don't forget Ezra Saffold was hurt last year and should be back this year. Early on he was Tommy Lee's understudy.

Sent from my SM-N910V using CSNbbs mobile app

Probably the best receiving core was Napalm, Martel Moore and Perez Ashford. The combination of the three was, in my opinion, better than one NFL caliber WR.

Sent from my SM-N910V using CSNbbs mobile app

Thank you for doing that analysis. I found it very interesting.

Appreciate the support guys! It will be interesting to see what receivers emerge in fall camp. My guess the depth chart will be 1. Christian Blake. 2.Weasley 3. DJ Brown (slot) 4. Beebe 5. Tears

But I really have really no idea.

(07-28-2017 08:26 PM)NIUTrekker Wrote:  Probably the best receiving core was Napalm, Martel Moore and Perez Ashford. The combination of the three was, in my opinion, better than one NFL caliber WR.

Sent from my SM-N910V using CSNbbs mobile app

Agree, that was a very good and underrated trio.

(07-28-2017 10:20 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 08:26 PM)NIUTrekker Wrote:  Probably the best receiving core was Napalm, Martel Moore and Perez Ashford. The combination of the three was, in my opinion, better than one NFL caliber WR.

Sent from my SM-N910V using CSNbbs mobile app

Agree, that was a very good and underrated trio.

Those guys were FOOTBALL PLAYERS!

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Looks like the Huskies will win the West this year!The last four times Toledo was picked to finish first, NIU actually did, so I'm choosing to believe that will happen again.

(07-28-2017 10:50 PM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Looks like the Huskies will win the West this year!The last four times Toledo was picked to finish first, NIU actually did, so I'm choosing to believe that will happen again.

Sounds good!

(07-29-2017 04:09 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 10:50 PM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Looks like the Huskies will win the West this year!The last four times Toledo was picked to finish first, NIU actually did, so I'm choosing to believe that will happen again.

Sounds good!

For mental health purposes I just hope the Huskies are watchable, whenever a season goes downhill like many fans I look to the next team/season to look forward to, and as a Sox/Bears/Bulls/NIU fan that might be 2020 White Sox. Biggest sports drought I can ever remember. Maybe I need to adopt a local minor league baseball team.

(07-29-2017 05:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 04:09 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 10:50 PM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Looks like the Huskies will win the West this year!The last four times Toledo was picked to finish first, NIU actually did, so I'm choosing to believe that will happen again.

Sounds good!

For mental health purposes I just hope the Huskies are watchable, whenever a season goes downhill like many fans I look to the next team/season to look forward to, and as a Sox/Bears/Bulls/NIU fan that might be 2020 White Sox. Biggest sports drought I can ever remember. Maybe I need to adopt a local minor league baseball team.

The Cubs bandwagon is still taking passengers FYI. Good for your mental health.

(07-29-2017 05:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 04:09 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 10:50 PM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Looks like the Huskies will win the West this year!The last four times Toledo was picked to finish first, NIU actually did, so I'm choosing to believe that will happen again.

Sounds good!

For mental health purposes I just hope the Huskies are watchable, whenever a season goes downhill like many fans I look to the next team/season to look forward to, and as a Sox/Bears/Bulls/NIU fan that might be 2020 White Sox. Biggest sports drought I can ever remember. Maybe I need to adopt a local minor league baseball team.

Some would argue that ship has already sailed.

(07-30-2017 09:31 AM)StevenNIU Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 05:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(07-29-2017 04:09 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 10:50 PM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  

(07-28-2017 02:42 PM)NIUCOF12 Wrote:  It seems like Toledo is announced to win the MAC West every year. So I decided to do the research and find out how often they're actually picked. I went back as far as 2008 and looked at the Preseason Polls and what the predicted standings are and what the results actually were the end of the season.

Check it out!


http://huskieunleashed.com/2017-mac-foot...ason-poll/

Hope you find it at least a little interesting.

Looks like the Huskies will win the West this year!The last four times Toledo was picked to finish first, NIU actually did, so I'm choosing to believe that will happen again.

Sounds good!

For mental health purposes I just hope the Huskies are watchable, whenever a season goes downhill like many fans I look to the next team/season to look forward to, and as a Sox/Bears/Bulls/NIU fan that might be 2020 White Sox. Biggest sports drought I can ever remember. Maybe I need to adopt a local minor league baseball team.

Some would argue that ship has already sailed.