No question that TCU will be the second best team NIU faces this year...i was impressed with the win over AFA.

What I noticed was that TCU blitzes a ton and runs lots of stunts. With that they still applied lots of pressure even with a 4 man rush...D-line apears quick...

What I did notice was that their were WR's open and a good mobile QB can makes some plays...given the quickenss od the D it seems to me misdirection might catch them overpursuing a bit..

As fars as offesnively....TCU score a ton....but the offense never appeared overpowering...could just be the competition...but I do like our D against your O

This will be a very good match-up...and I do beleive it will be close...NIU will have to use the pass to set up the run....NIU will have to spread the filed early in order to openb things up

If NIU D shows up and Nicholson is as good as we hope...NIU could pull this one out...no

Patterson likes to recruit speed on both sides of the ball. Our best DE Tommy Blake was a running back in high school as really has great speed for a DE. TCU also likes to blitz with a lot of different looks like you said. Jason Phillips as LB was a duel threat QB in high school who came into TCU running a 4.5 40 as a HS senior. He has probably slowed down a little as he bulked up to play LB, but he is still very quick.

Do any of yall have any online video of Nicholson, the only time I have seen him play was in last years MACC. What has he been like in action this season? Who are your receiving threats?

Last Saurday at Convo, Saint JoeN said with a point of emphasis:
TCU is a very, very, VERY good football team.

I believe, therefore, he thinks the Frogs are a very, very , very good football team.

I have not heard that many very , very, verys since OSU.

NIU will need to play its very, very, very best game of the season to have a chance to win.

NIU DE Ken West runs a 4.62 speed in the 40. Does anyone know what Larry English runs? I'm sure he's just as fast, if not faster.

BobL Wrote:No question that TCU will be the second best team NIU faces this year...

We'll be at least the 3rd best team TCU faces this year.

BobL Wrote:No question that TCU will be the second best team NIU faces this year...i was impressed with the win over AFA.

What I noticed was that TCU blitzes a ton and runs lots of stunts. With that they still applied lots of pressure even with a 4 man rush...D-line apears quick...

What I did notice was that their were WR's open and a good mobile QB can makes some plays...given the quickenss od the D it seems to me misdirection might catch them overpursuing a bit..

As fars as offesnively....TCU score a ton....but the offense never appeared overpowering...could just be the competition...but I do like our D against your O

This will be a very good match-up...and I do beleive it will be close...NIU will have to use the pass to set up the run....NIU will have to spread the filed early in order to openb things up

If NIU D shows up and Nicholson is as good as we hope...NIU could pull this one out...no

AFA runs the option, so the d played to stop what they do. D didn't really blitz all that much, just looked that way because the d-backs came up to stop the option.
You are far too modest when you say you like your D against our O. I love your D against our O. Check sarcasm meter now.

But I not sure we show, I mean heck, nobody can stop GW and your tenacious d will just be too too much for our O. Please. I think you guys are getting sucked in by comparative statistics. You really don't think anybody in MWC plays worth a darn and we just beat up on a bunch of really bad teams. Bottom line is we won three more games against virtually the same statistical sos kinda of teams.

HickoryFlameFrog Wrote:

BobL Wrote:No question that TCU will be the second best team NIU faces this year...i was impressed with the win over AFA.

What I noticed was that TCU blitzes a ton and runs lots of stunts. With that they still applied lots of pressure even with a 4 man rush...D-line apears quick...

What I did notice was that their were WR's open and a good mobile QB can makes some plays...given the quickenss od the D it seems to me misdirection might catch them overpursuing a bit..

As fars as offesnively....TCU score a ton....but the offense never appeared overpowering...could just be the competition...but I do like our D against your O

This will be a very good match-up...and I do beleive it will be close...NIU will have to use the pass to set up the run....NIU will have to spread the filed early in order to openb things up

If NIU D shows up and Nicholson is as good as we hope...NIU could pull this one out...no

AFA runs the option, so the d played to stop what they do. D didn't really blitz all that much, just looked that way because the d-backs came up to stop the option.
You are far to modest when you say you like your D against our O. I love your D against our O. Check sarcasm meter now.

But I not sure we show, I mean heck, nobody can stop GW and your tenacious d will just be too too much for our O. Please. I think you guys are getting sucked in by comparative statistics. You really don't think anybody in MWC plays worth a darn and we just beat up on a bunch of really bad teams. Bottom line is we won three more games against virtually the same statistical sos kinda of teams.

hmm, perhaps you ought to re-read my post.....seems to me i was giving props to TCU...

fact is NIU underachieved this year...they were real bad at times and real good others...I beleive the NIU D has really grown and the TCU offense did not OVERLY impress me...

I am anxious to see how NIU can run the ball agasint TCU...my belief is that NIU can pass on you...spread the D a bit and set up the run...I also would expect NIU to throw in some tricks...

Again TCU is the scond best team NIU will face and it will take a great game for NIU to win....that said....the NIU team that played the last two games can beat TCU..

Yes, NIU did underachieve...I had them winning the MAC or at least being in the title game...TCU underachieved this year too...BYU and Utah took the wind out of out sails...

As far as NIU being the third best team TCU will play...not sure about that...I would wager that Tech, BYU, Utah and Baylor would be favored over NIU...so maybe 4th to 5th best team...I also like Wyoming if the game was in Wyoming...

Not sure if too many teams could have beat the Frogs in the last 5-6 games of the Frogs season (much less NIU)...I would think if the BYU and Utah games were later in the season TCU would be in a BCS game...

Most likely:

TCU 28
NIU 17

Although if we play really well it could be:

NIU 24
TCU 21

BobL Wrote:

HickoryFlameFrog Wrote:

BobL Wrote:No question that TCU will be the second best team NIU faces this year...i was impressed with the win over AFA.

What I noticed was that TCU blitzes a ton and runs lots of stunts. With that they still applied lots of pressure even with a 4 man rush...D-line apears quick...

What I did notice was that their were WR's open and a good mobile QB can makes some plays...given the quickenss od the D it seems to me misdirection might catch them overpursuing a bit..

As fars as offesnively....TCU score a ton....but the offense never appeared overpowering...could just be the competition...but I do like our D against your O

This will be a very good match-up...and I do beleive it will be close...NIU will have to use the pass to set up the run....NIU will have to spread the filed early in order to openb things up

If NIU D shows up and Nicholson is as good as we hope...NIU could pull this one out...no

AFA runs the option, so the d played to stop what they do. D didn't really blitz all that much, just looked that way because the d-backs came up to stop the option.
You are far to modest when you say you like your D against our O. I love your D against our O. Check sarcasm meter now.

But I not sure we show, I mean heck, nobody can stop GW and your tenacious d will just be too too much for our O. Please. I think you guys are getting sucked in by comparative statistics. You really don't think anybody in MWC plays worth a darn and we just beat up on a bunch of really bad teams. Bottom line is we won three more games against virtually the same statistical sos kinda of teams.

hmm, perhaps you ought to re-read my post.....seems to me i was giving props to TCU... Ok. Thanks for the props.

fact is NIU underachieved this year...they were real bad at times and real good others...I beleive the NIU D has really grown and the TCU offense did not OVERLY impress me...underachieving is a fact of life and sports and even though the reasons are rational in the end they are excuses. You do or do not. I can empathize with NIU in what you are saying about how they are competitive and got better. Story time: Years ago in SWC TCU regularly got beat silly. Played ooc schedule against teams like NU, Alabama, USC, Miami, it was the days of unlimited scholarships and TCU just did not have the depth to stay with the big state schools or the big time private schools. TCU was a tough competitor, but by November injuries had taken their toll and without the depth we got hammered pretty bad by the likes of UT & TAMU. Now I used to argue in my younger days that TCU was just as good almost and if it were not for a few unfortunate breaks we coulda, we shoulda, well, we mighta. Now assuming you to be a reasonably inteligent fella I would think you could understand what I am saying. You do or you do not. Just that simple. TCU has had a great run since 1998. Five or six loses that coulda, shoulda, mighta been wins and who knows. Reality is TCU did not. Now here is where all the wanna bees come up short. They dwell on those few games and try to prove to the world how great they almost were. Well great teams just move on and get back to work. That is what TCU fans love about HC Patterson, he knows the quality of the teams at TCU are competitive with the best in the land. He knows that winning one game proves almost nothing. It is winning alot that counts. Winning for seven consecutive seasons is something. Winning 10 games five times in seven years is something. Play; win or lose: then move on, no excuses. As we say down here in Texas, "Cowboy up"

I am anxious to see how NIU can run the ball agasint TCU...my belief is that NIU can pass on you...spread the D a bit and set up the run...I also would expect NIU to throw in some tricks...your belief is you can pass, spread the D and set up the run. I will give you a little secret, but not really giving anything away. TCU corner backs are put on an island. During its winning streak, TCU has outscored its opponents 70-10 in the first quarter and 176-13 before halftime. Teams feel the need to pass to get back in the game and TCU is playing lots of folks to give the younger guys some experience. But to give NIU credit I will state that this game could be more like last years OU game.

Again TCU is the scond best team NIU will face and it will take a great game for NIU to win....that said....the NIU team that played the last two games can beat TCU..

If that happens you won't hear any excuses from me.