http://www.huskiewire.com/articles/2013/.../index.xml

I love this. I'm glad no one is happy with just being there and they are looking at this season as unfinished business.

Let's Go.

Goosebumps.

Jimmie Ward is an absolute badass. He's made plays from every position the coaching staff has placed him in. I think he's going to be among the best safeties in the country this year.

I'm glad that the players aren't settling for just an appearance in the OB. The last time we had "unfinished" business we had a great season and I think they want to make an example out of Iowa to start the season. Hope we destroy them.

(04-07-2013 05:08 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  I'm glad that the players aren't settling for just an appearance in the OB. The last time we had "unfinished" business we had a great season and I think they want to make an example out of Iowa to start the season. Hope we destroy them.

+1

Shoulda beat them last year, but it'll be even sweeter to do it in Iowa City!

I get the feeling #6 is going to go off in the opener.

(04-07-2013 07:20 PM)7 Wrote:  I get the feeling #6 is going to go off in the opener.

I hope so, he still needs to prove he can be "Jordan Lynch" against the big conference teams.

Jordan is an amazing competitor and he made our offense work last year by being superhuman. I hope that the rbs step it up this year and that Lynch's passing improves just a little bit. If these 2 things happen he will be even more dangerous and it will be difficult to key on him. It could be a special year for our offense.

I've been worried about our defense after reading spring practice stuff, but maybe it's just that the offense is ELITE.

How badass is it we are talking like this about our team? Just awesome guys, so cool we have A FOOTBALL TEAM!!!!!! Just unreal to me sometimes. We expect to win every game.

(04-07-2013 09:21 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  Jordan is an amazing competitor and he made our offense work last year by being superhuman. I hope that the rbs step it up this year and that Lynch's passing improves just a little bit. If these 2 things happen he will be even more dangerous and it will be difficult to key on him. It could be a special year for our offense.

We could be "bad ass" this year on offense, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. First, take care of business against Iowa.....then we'll go from there. I'm looking to see more production from the RB position, opening up things for the passing game and NOT relying on Lynch to carry the load. Also, let's see how things shake out with our LB position.

First of all, I just want to say how awesome those comments are. I was actually thinking about making a post on here about how we aren't the nice little story anymore. We're not the underdog, we're not the hunter. We are now the Yankees. 3 straight division titles, 2 straight conference titles, and a BCS bowl last year. If for Iowa and Purdue, we are a marquee game for them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if our opener against Iowa is the primetime national game on Big Ten Network. It's not a bad thing either. It's great, but the mentally has shifted for sure.

Second of all, I 100% believe this offense has the capability to be better than last years. Yes, the offense loses Tel and Ashford, but you're adding Charlie Miller and Deucee Turner. I could very easily make an argument those two guys are faster and more athletic than anybody who played on our offense last year. Not to mention the fact Akeem is 100 times more athletic than Settle (who got most of the carries the first half of last season). You could have Akeem, Charlie, Deucee, and Tommy all on the field at the same time. That is a ton of speed. Not to mention the fact Bob Cole has already said we want to play even faster than we did last year.

(04-08-2013 01:03 AM)7 Wrote:  First of all, I just want to say how awesome those comments are. I was actually thinking about making a post on here about how we aren't the nice little story anymore. We're not the underdog, we're not the hunter. We are now the Yankees. 3 straight division titles, 2 straight conference titles, and a BCS bowl last year. If for Iowa and Purdue, we are a marquee game for them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if our opener against Iowa is the primetime national game on Big Ten Network. It's not a bad thing either. It's great, but the mentally has shifted for sure.

Second of all, I 100% believe this offense has the capability to be better than last years. Yes, the offense loses Tel and Ashford, but you're adding Charlie Miller and Deucee Turner. I could very easily make an argument those two guys are faster and more athletic than anybody who played on our offense last year. Not to mention the fact Akeem is 100 times more athletic than Settle (who got most of the carries the first half of last season). You could have Akeem, Charlie, Deucee, and Tommy all on the field at the same time. That is a ton of speed. Not to mention the fact Bob Cole has already said we want to play even faster than we did last year.

7, you nailed it man. This offense has a higher ceiling than the offense of the past two years. Established QB, and probably the fastest set of skill guys we've had in a few years. The TD to touches ratio that TLL and Akeem have is crazy. Deucee will be a force come MAC play if he doesn't redshirt, and our O-Line I expect to be the best in the MAC. Expectations are high, and everyone on this team hates Iowa and want to give them the old beatdown . I like that Cole will be calling plays, and at a fast pace, keep the motion, get the ball to the variety of high level athletes we have. This is probably the best collective group of athletes we've had in a while that will see the field on offense. And I want to clarify, they may not be the best we've had at those positions, but what they can do once they get the football in their hands, we haven't had a collective group like that in some time. Big Season ahead for us.

(04-08-2013 01:03 AM)7 Wrote:  First of all, I just want to say how awesome those comments are. I was actually thinking about making a post on here about how we aren't the nice little story anymore. We're not the underdog, we're not the hunter. We are now the Yankees. 3 straight division titles, 2 straight conference titles, and a BCS bowl last year. If for Iowa and Purdue, we are a marquee game for them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if our opener against Iowa is the primetime national game on Big Ten Network. It's not a bad thing either. It's great, but the mentally has shifted for sure.

Second of all, I 100% believe this offense has the capability to be better than last years. Yes, the offense loses Tel and Ashford, but you're adding Charlie Miller and Deucee Turner. I could very easily make an argument those two guys are faster and more athletic than anybody who played on our offense last year. Not to mention the fact Akeem is 100 times more athletic than Settle (who got most of the carries the first half of last season). You could have Akeem, Charlie, Deucee, and Tommy all on the field at the same time. That is a ton of speed. Not to mention the fact Bob Cole has already said we want to play even faster than we did last year.

He is the one who I think is going to rip apart Iowa's D in August. They are going to focus on JL and will allow Akeem to have some long yardage plays IMO. Yes they are the Big Ten, but not Florida State. I will argue that FSU might have been the best overall team we've ever faced in NIU history.

(04-08-2013 09:46 AM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(04-08-2013 01:03 AM)7 Wrote:  First of all, I just want to say how awesome those comments are. I was actually thinking about making a post on here about how we aren't the nice little story anymore. We're not the underdog, we're not the hunter. We are now the Yankees. 3 straight division titles, 2 straight conference titles, and a BCS bowl last year. If for Iowa and Purdue, we are a marquee game for them. It wouldn't surprise me at all if our opener against Iowa is the primetime national game on Big Ten Network. It's not a bad thing either. It's great, but the mentally has shifted for sure.

Second of all, I 100% believe this offense has the capability to be better than last years. Yes, the offense loses Tel and Ashford, but you're adding Charlie Miller and Deucee Turner. I could very easily make an argument those two guys are faster and more athletic than anybody who played on our offense last year. Not to mention the fact Akeem is 100 times more athletic than Settle (who got most of the carries the first half of last season). You could have Akeem, Charlie, Deucee, and Tommy all on the field at the same time. That is a ton of speed. Not to mention the fact Bob Cole has already said we want to play even faster than we did last year.

He is the one who I think is going to rip apart Iowa's D in August. They are going to focus on JL and will allow Akeem to have some long yardage plays IMO. Yes they are the Big Ten, but not Florida State. I will argue that FSU might have been the best overall team we've ever faced in NIU history.

I could totally see this happening. Especially after FSU keyed in on JL, Carey could game plan accordingly and make Iowa very confused.

(04-07-2013 02:20 PM)clcfball11 Wrote:  Goosebumps.

Jimmie Ward is an absolute badass. He's made plays from every position the coaching staff has placed him in. I think he's going to be among the best safeties in the country this year.

Jimmie Ward is one of my favorite players. He is badass enough to play at the next level.

I have really high hopes for Huskie football this year. Can' t wait for the season to start BUT it goes too damn fast once it's here!

NIU played at Miami Hurricanes when they were no. 1 in the nation. We also played at Penn St and against some great Nebraska teams. They all were better than FSU.

(04-08-2013 02:50 PM)niu2222 Wrote:  NIU played at Miami Hurricanes when they were no. 1 in the nation. We also played at Penn St and against some great Nebraska teams. They all were better than FSU.

No. You're comparing different eras and different athletes. FSU's players were way more athletic than those teams.

I agree completely, Jimmy Ward is special player; he has NFL level talent. He alone covered up some mediocre LB play last year. I really like the Durante, Ward combination in the secondary.