We escape with an ugly win. Where's my defibrillator?

I'll take it. A win is a win and better than a loss. No style points are awarded.

thegeneral Wrote:A SAFETY WOULD BE HUGE HERE

How about a hold in the endzone?

The last two NIU possessions, I counted at least four holds that weren't called. Blatant ones.

But hey, we won. Barely.

Bring on Prairie View A&M.

yessssssssssss! go broncos!!!!

Aside from the one 50 yd bust out, NIU did not run the ball effectively. To their credit, the "new" QB did an admirable job of the little things like stepping up in the pocket, allowing his receivers to create some separation getting clean looks to pitch and catch.

I too noticed the lack of a pass rush, after Davidson almost removed their QB's noggin on a legit sack. Double teaming on Cielinski and other interiors gave #15 some time. When we blitzed they did a good job of picking it up.

On our series that ended with a missed FG, by a whisker to the right, I wish we had not tried throwing inside the 5. We were moving them off the line, our backs were running down hill, keep smash mouthing it and stuff it in for 6. We throw so much more effectively, as anyone would, between the 20's with alot of crossing patterns and such where we can ran after the catch. Simmons is good, but you can bet that D's are going to lean that direction knowing BC's desire to throw.

All in all NIU played with alot of emotion, they had a good Homecoming turnout and their QB played well over expectations. I liked that we did not shoot ourselves in the foot. The pooch punts were both great calls and executed to perfection.

Take away their reverse and throw, our not running it in prior to the missed FG we win 24-6

Quote:Take away their reverse and throw, our not running it in prior to the missed FG we win 24-6

No doubt. If only, if only, if only. But we've been playing flat almost all year. After awhile, you have to make your own magic.

We have a lot of talent on our team, but not enough leadership. We need someone to go out and take charge of the game when things are on the line. Someone who goes for the jugular and makes the scores happen.

4 times inside their 30 yard line in the second half and we don't come up with a single point? That's totally unacceptable, sorry.

Unless it is an insurmountable blow out you can always attribute a what if.

WMU has it's warts, as most teams. There are certainly some areas that need to be tightened up. What, is the season 1/2 over? With the new coaches, new D system, etc. you can't nor would want your team to be peaking.

I'm not trying to be an optimist, just a realist.

This is the first and likely only time I will see the boys not in highlights. My snapshot takeaway is:
Pluses:
Hiller's arm and decision making.
Bonds and West go about it differently but both are effective.
Tight ends. Enough of them you may want to split Ledbetter out and go with another one in there.
Duclo and the hitting by the back line.
Negatives:
Middle of D line did not get a good push up front.
Speed (athleticism) by the D front 6-7.
Scoring threat at WR outside our top dog.

Those of you who would know football better than I could answer me this: Have our blockers, as they appeared to me today, had trouble getting out of the way of our ball carriers?

In other words, I saw repeatedly, whether a run off tackle or that wide out screen, our blockers appear to not be able to finish a block, or move on to the next level of D and our ball carrier seemed to run up our blockers backsides being slowed up then gang tackled by pursuit.

If I were a NIU fan, I would like what I saw. Credit to Novak and his staff for preparing to play hard. MHB pointed out in an earlier thread that the NIU board has been

Quote:Negatives:
Middle of D line did not get a good push up front.
Speed (athleticism) by the D front 6-7.
Scoring threat at WR outside our top dog.

You're not allowed to express negative opinions in this forum, GB. General Lee no like.

Lets all be happy instead!

While I have my issues with the defense, it is the scheme not the talent that I have an issue with. For all the criticism, the defense yielded only 45 yards of offense in the second half. To me that points to the DC making adjustments in the schemes. I only wish those adjustments would come a little sooner, and we'd gamble on defense a little more.