I like NIU's chances to upset the Cyclones if Harnish is healthy. I'm just a little leary of anyone else at QB. Iowa State should blitz a ton and he's got the experience and pocket presence to not turn the ball over.

http://themacdaily.com/index.php?news&nid=512

Iowa State beat Nebraska last year in Lincoln and return 4 of 5 Starting OL, QB and a RB that rushed for 1,200 yards. These guys are going to be tough to handle. We better put points on the board....like 31 to win. We have a UPHILL battle on the road. I remain concern about our OL. This is a better Ia State than the last -2- Ia State teams we have faced/

Easy, NIU loses as Iowa State doesn't have a losing record.

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Doesn't have to do with Iowa State, but for the Illini game. They just lost starters Supo Sanni for the season and Terry Hawthorne (who is a crazy good athlete) for 3-6 weeks with a screw inserted into his bone. That game is looking more and more like a huskie W!

Hey Huskie fans-

Just dropping by to wish you guys luck this year. I think you'll have a solid team and knock off 2 of the 3 BCS teams you play. (hopefully Minn. and Illinois)

Just a little more background on Iowa State:

Offense- Very solid group on the Oline, held Iowa and Nebraska Dlines in check for the most part last year (I think that tells you something). 3 starters return and 1 player with a start and solid PT comes back too. This is a seasoned group that benefits from great coaching. I think the Offensive trenches (for ISU) will be where the game is won or lost.

The backfield should be fantastice for the Cyclones. Underrated RB Alexander Robinson returns after notching 1000+ yards last year, after missing a number of games. Austen Arnaud is a 3 yr starter in his 3rd system in 4 years, this is his first consecutive season in the same offese so we are expecting his numbers to improve. He is a load to bring down in the open field.

Receiving corps has some definite talent but has yet to run fully on the same page as Arnuad. We are hoping a second year in Tom Herman's offense will cure this and add consistency.

Defense:

I'll start with the strength. Defensive backfield, although our best player, SS David Simms won't be playing. The corners are very talented and have had solid playing time for a full two years now. The safeties are dependable but without Simms are exploitable.

The Linebackers are a very young and inexperienced group but they do have talent and got some decent PT last year. (mostly on special teams) I think the first string is a solid group on par with many of our Big 12 brethern but the depth is abysimal. One injury and this group will be in serious trouble. True freshman are slated as backups.

Lastly the Dline. This is a bit of a wildcard as they plug holes well and did a decent enough of a job to contain teams with solid running games. They lose a decent DE and a servicable DT that were starters but I don't expect much of a talent drop off. The key for ISU has been getting pressure on the QB from the outside, which hasn't happed consistently in years. They do have some nice talent and hardworkers in the DE spots, albeit a bit undersized.

NIU's keys to the game imo will be to establish a short and medium passing game to loosen up the middle and then attack with Spann. The 7 upfront will no doubt key in on him so it will be on the shoulders of Harnish/Grady to make the first plays in order to open things up.

Imo, this will be a great battle for both teams to open up the year. I have no doubts that ISU is better than Minny and Illinois this year so it will be a good barometer of NIUs sucess after Thursday.

I think it will be close the whole way but ISU will pull it out by a touchdown. ISU's Oline will be the deciding factor much like USF wore out the Huskies into the 4th in the Int'l bowl.

The wildcard is how the Iowa State defense gels in the first couple of series. If they let a few quick scores past then it could be a different story.

Quick questions regarding NIU:

How is the passing game progressing, or will the weight of the offense fall on Spann's shoulders?
Other than Bell, any players out due to injury or otherwise?

Again, good luck to you guys and I hope those of you that make the journey to Ames enjoy it!

Thanks for the note, that's a good analysis.

For the two questions:

- we keep hearing that the passing game will be improved and that they are going to open up the playbook, I'm not sure anyone knows until Thursday what the actual plan is though

- the defense backfield has two questionable players going into Thursday in George (CB) and Sobol (CB)...if both don't play, that would hurt NIU's secondary a good bit


Others probably have more to add in, just my opinions

Here is what I have learned thru the ages re: predicting and watching college games and NIU football and in particular early season games.

How else can one explain games such as NIU vs Purdue followed by NIU hosting Idaho last year? WHAT a contrast of games within seven days.

Games more often than not have the outcome Vegas foresees. While the spread is to attract wagers, the eventual bottom line of W's and L's holds up well. Yes, there are always weekly surprises.

Every game develops its own rhythm and tone and few are alike.

The way a game unfolds rarely matches forecasts - especially with so many unknowns entering a new season.

When you expect alot of scoring there isnt much. When you expect a defensive low scoring head bangar, one team often busts away from the other.

NIU had played well for the most part in opening games in recent years but not gotten over the hump. I'm NOT seeing any marquee game breakers for NIU like a wolfe, sheldon, fleck or turner taking the field TH nite. I am NOT seeing the automatic FGs of past kickers. Neither of those bodes well for the Huskies.

It will take the Huskies to play a near flawless game at their highest high level and with consistensy and precision to win at ISU.

Impossible? NO.
Unlikely? Yes.

Field position and mistakes made during games often determines the winner. So very many things go into both those variables it's near impossible to foresee those advantages - especially with no history to predict patterns in prior games.

The mistake made on D at Wisky on their first possession set the tone for the next 50 minutes. It was a game not unklike the failed comeback vs CMU at home two years ago or Idaho last yr. Too little too late. You simply cannot dig yourself a huge hole after 30 minutes and expect miracles to unfold the second half. I sense and fear such a rough start at ISU before dawgs grow some legs on O.

Are these the same old - same old hole digging Huskies of recent past referenced above or will they make a statement and get out of the gate early?

None of us knows for certain including the coaches.

I agree that if the NIU offense is basically the same or marginally imrpoved from last year, NIU may not have a gamebreaker to win this game. However, maybe Landon takes a step forward or one of the WR speedsters. If there's not a good-size improvement at QB or WR, it will be tough.

That would mean the D would have to be tremendous, which is possible, but hard to do for 4 Q's.

Cybes.. this is ISU. They will not have to be flawless by any means to win this game. Will they have to play well? Sure, but this isn't Wisconsin. They are a decent team, but at the end of the day, they aren't that great. Either are we of course, but it's the first game of the season, both teams will most likely make plenty of mistakes.

As it almost always does in football, I think it will come down the line play. If our rebuilt OLine can keep the quarterback safe and give Spann a little room, and our DLine doesn't tire out we should have a good game on our hands.

Exceptional performances by Cox , Palmer, Harnish and/or Grady are the keys to earning a W. Spann is a given and marked man on the field.

YEP. The new and juiced O - like with the Bears thus far - needs to show up.

As far as the kicking game...both teams will likely struggle. The ISU kicker is a career 30/45 and they list two punters, a true freshman and a senior who was the backup last year. Do we know anything about our kicking game?

I guess an unknown is better than a known that's bad. NIU has a decent history of field goal kickers, I guess it's possible that ends with Kill, but I think he seems to really understand the value of special teams. I don't think he'd let us go into the season with a huge hole there.

It sounds like the U of I transfer will probably kick-off....but I haven't heard anything that says Kill is comfortable with the field goals. Just put it in the endzone instead :)

If I were ISU I would put my entire defense within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage and focus almost entirely on stopping the run just like South Florida did. Until we prove we can get someone open downfield and hit them why not?

NOTHING replicates what a kicker does in a game vrs practice.

The premier kicker in NFL left soldier field saturday pointing to himself for being a step out of sync and missing an everday chip shot for Gould.

Inexperienced college kickers face a steep learning curve before becoming reliable in big games and during big moments.

It's not like Kill can bring in a needed replacement this season and truly know what he has.

ISU fans shouldn't get too confident about their O line out lasting in the trenches like what happened with SFU. NIU's D line is finally heathy & complete (9 deep). That's not to say they match up well with ISUs O Line, but they aren't going to be measurably less effective later in the game.

As for the kicker, he will be young and untested. No one, including Kill knows exactly what to expect. It's that clear.

(08-30-2010 01:16 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  If I were ISU I would put my entire defense within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage and focus almost entirely on stopping the run just like South Florida did. Until we prove we can get someone open downfield and hit them why not?

You're asking for Daniels or Moore to run right by you.

(08-30-2010 08:03 PM)7 Wrote:  

(08-30-2010 01:16 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  If I were ISU I would put my entire defense within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage and focus almost entirely on stopping the run just like South Florida did. Until we prove we can get someone open downfield and hit them why not?

You're asking for Daniels or Moore to run right by you.

But you are asking for Harnish or Grady to be able to hit them.

(08-30-2010 10:24 PM)Field Turf Wrote:  

(08-30-2010 08:03 PM)7 Wrote:  

(08-30-2010 01:16 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  If I were ISU I would put my entire defense within 7 yards of the line of scrimmage and focus almost entirely on stopping the run just like South Florida did. Until we prove we can get someone open downfield and hit them why not?

You're asking for Daniels or Moore to run right by you.

But you are asking for Harnish or Grady to be able to hit them.

I have more faith in Harnish then most on this board.

I'm with 7 on this one.. I don't see a reason to believe Harnish wouldn't hit the WR's if he's given time. While healthy he's been pretty solid. If Grady takes the job, I can only assume that means he's even better than Harnish, so I have to think we'll be fine either way.