(04-13-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJWN Wrote:  

(04-13-2013 10:03 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  Looks like we're SOLID at WR position. Still wondering about our LB's. I'm putting my money on Hare for backup QB. I'm looking for Bowers to step it up at RB.

I'm gonna disagree with these. Steve Nitz sees more of NIU football than any of us and he seems to think highest on Williams of the three behind JL. I think McIntosh is still going to the 2 this year and then Williams then Hare, I just don't think Hare gets the same type of reps as the others. Bowers time will be minimal once Akeem and Harris are back. With 2 other RBs coming in at fall camp and another 'athlete' in Turner a possible back I don't see the room. Plus, IMO Stingily has looked better than Bowers.

Including today I've been to 4 practices this year and I've seen nothing that would put Williams over Hare. Although I thought Pat Schiller wasn't any good at NIU so what do I know.

I agree with you on the Schiller thing, I don't understand them bagging you on that. I've only been to 2 practices including today but I have just got a feel from last season, things media says, and seeing Williams is a better runner those indications point to him. But you guys are saying Hare has looked real good and I thought he managed well and handles things appropriately, but I don't see the ceiling that the more athletic guys might have. I could be wrong and he could be the back-up but I tend to take what Nitz says at face value just because he has a little more info than us.

You're right, it really depends on what kind of QB they want. I think we can all agree Lynch may not be the greatest passer in the world, but with the system we run he was still very productive through the air. Maybe they feel like they can sacrifice some arm for some athleticism, in which case McIntosh might have the upper hand because I think he's the best athlete of the bunch.

(04-13-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJWN Wrote:  

(04-13-2013 10:03 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  Looks like we're SOLID at WR position. Still wondering about our LB's. I'm putting my money on Hare for backup QB. I'm looking for Bowers to step it up at RB.

I'm gonna disagree with these. Steve Nitz sees more of NIU football than any of us and he seems to think highest on Williams of the three behind JL. I think McIntosh is still going to the 2 this year and then Williams then Hare, I just don't think Hare gets the same type of reps as the others. Bowers time will be minimal once Akeem and Harris are back. With 2 other RBs coming in at fall camp and another 'athlete' in Turner a possible back I don't see the room. Plus, IMO Stingily has looked better than Bowers.

Certainly Akeem is our primary back, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Bowers get some playing time. Stingily is a big dude......would he be the short yardage guy, especially at the goal line?

(04-13-2013 10:32 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  

(04-13-2013 10:15 PM)HuskieJWN Wrote:  

(04-13-2013 10:03 PM)bigdhuskie Wrote:  Looks like we're SOLID at WR position. Still wondering about our LB's. I'm putting my money on Hare for backup QB. I'm looking for Bowers to step it up at RB.

I'm gonna disagree with these. Steve Nitz sees more of NIU football than any of us and he seems to think highest on Williams of the three behind JL. I think McIntosh is still going to the 2 this year and then Williams then Hare, I just don't think Hare gets the same type of reps as the others. Bowers time will be minimal once Akeem and Harris are back. With 2 other RBs coming in at fall camp and another 'athlete' in Turner a possible back I don't see the room. Plus, IMO Stingily has looked better than Bowers.

Certainly Akeem is our primary back, but I wouldn't be surprised to see Bowers get some playing time. Stingily is a big dude......would he be the short yardage guy, especially at the goal line?

Ya, most likely. I mean a lot depends on what they think of Bougnan, spelling, and Jordan Huff in the fall, Bougnan is bigger than Huff so they might like him for short yardage. But I'm assuming they redshirt both those guys. Akeem will be the feature guy, Harris sort of a scat back, he's real similar to Akeem so that puts him at a disadvantage as far as getting a package with two different types of backs. I think Akeem carries the load, Harris gets serviceable reps, and Stingily gets some touches in full house backfield. I don't think they redshirt Turner so it will be interesting with him coming in. Simply put as far as reps/touches go this is what I'm expecting. The list goes in order of most touches to least.
Akeem, Keith Harris, Turner will line up everywhere, Bowers more reps less touches, Stingily less reps but when he's out there he will touch it and most likely those will be goal line scenarios, even though we have a bruiser by the name of Lynch

Last week the first O-line was Brown, Volk, Ness, Conlon and Krempel left to right and the second team was Husain, Battaglia, Gegner, Pitt and Ruka left to right. Any differences today?

I thought Hare looked really good!

Based on what I saw today, it seems to me that Hare could take the 2nd string position away from Mcintosh. Mcintosh just didn't look good today, lots of poor decisions and mis-thrown balls. Was not impressed.

Hare, on the other hand, had great decision making, and really only had one poorly thrown ball that I could remember. Only concern is his arm strength; balls seemed to be thrown a bit slow and didn't see anything deep come out of him (but this may come with time, Jordan used to be the same).

Jordan looked GREAT. I can't wait to see what this season has in store for us.

The only other takeaway I had was related to the secondary...... I was not impressed with the speed of our secondary. Maybe it's just our stellar receivers, but I really thought the secondary was leaving way too many guys open, and a few times it seemed like we didn't even have a safety. I really hope this can get better.

The secondary won't be much of an issue. I sense Dechane and Jimmie practice somewhat at half-ass. That's the best duo of safeties in the MAC. Don't worry too much about that. Corners may be an issue, but Faustin, Evans, and Moore have proven more times than not they are all skilled corners.

The safeties are great, but I think people don't understand how much Melvin allowed NIU to cheat in coverages last year. If you go back and watch the Iowa game he was playing man by himself nearly the entire game. Moore, Evans, Faustin all looked good playing opposite of Melvin because Melvin allowed coverage to do so.

The tent was really nice but it seemed like a poor turnout.
Music inside the tent was too loud for my son so we didn't stay for long.

I was surprised to find they had several items up for auction...likely they would have gotten more bids if they announce that there was going to be a silent auction.

#87 jersey signed by Turner, Harnish, Diem, Palmer & one other...Schiller?
NIU football signed by the same as above
The same watch that the players received as a gift for the Orange Bowl
Go Daddy watch
Orange Bowl ring
Purdue package for 4 included transportation and tickets (Valued at $500)
NIU orange bowl bag
NIU football cooler
Orange Bowl jewelry case
Orange Bowl leather travel bag


The raising of the OB flag was sort of awkward and anti climatic.

The sound system was acting up also...good thing we are getting a new system.

I think that it would be better next time to have the pregame stuff including the tent & music before the Huskie Bowl.

I wasn't there, but this is a Buddy's summary... the Oline outplayed the Dline by a wide margin. At LB, Bass looks bigger and was active on D; Santa and Gorrell were impressive, both making plays, but Santa was playing mostly with the 2nd unit. Don't expect much from Cotton; he struggled yesterday. The DB's did not look good, a too many blown coverages. We have some good depth at WR (Sebastiano looked great) RB and QB...Offense appears ahead of the defense; the team is talented but a bit unorganized.

I didn't actually get to watch much but that AJ grab was amazing.

Have we ever gotten a Sunday article in the Trip the day after our spring game?

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2013-...son-opener

Sad to see a TON of benchback seats available for season tickets.

(04-14-2013 08:01 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  The tent was really nice but it seemed like a poor turnout.
Music inside the tent was too loud for my son so we didn't stay for long.

I was surprised to find they had several items up for auction...likely they would have gotten more bids if they announce that there was going to be a silent auction.

#87 jersey signed by Turner, Harnish, Diem, Palmer & one other...Schiller?
NIU football signed by the same as above
The same watch that the players received as a gift for the Orange Bowl
Go Daddy watch
Orange Bowl ring
Purdue package for 4 included transportation and tickets (Valued at $500)
NIU orange bowl bag
NIU football cooler
Orange Bowl jewelry case
Orange Bowl leather travel bag


The raising of the OB flag was sort of awkward and anti climatic.

The sound system was acting up also...good thing we are getting a new system.

I think that it would be better next time to have the pregame stuff including the tent & music before the Huskie Bowl.

Not really a reason to have a "spring game" which wasn't really much of a game, and then a Huskie bowl, but I agree, put the pregame stuff before the Huskie bowl. You're probably right about the silent auction, I had no idea they would have one. Turnout was definitely hurt by the cold weather.

While Carey did not commit to a backup QB, he sounded impressed with Hare's performance. I believe he has moved up to challange McIntosh.

Yeah I wish they would have announced the silent auction beforehand. It could only help the turnout

(04-14-2013 08:01 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  The tent was really nice but it seemed like a poor turnout.
Music inside the tent was too loud for my son so we didn't stay for long.

I was surprised to find they had several items up for auction...likely they would have gotten more bids if they announce that there was going to be a silent auction.

#87 jersey signed by Turner, Harnish, Diem, Palmer & one other...Schiller?
NIU football signed by the same as above
The same watch that the players received as a gift for the Orange Bowl
Go Daddy watch
Orange Bowl ring
Purdue package for 4 included transportation and tickets (Valued at $500)
NIU orange bowl bag
NIU football cooler
Orange Bowl jewelry case
Orange Bowl leather travel bag


The raising of the OB flag was sort of awkward and anti climatic.

The sound system was acting up also...good thing we are getting a new system.

I think that it would be better next time to have the pregame stuff including the tent & music before the Huskie Bowl.

This should have been done at the first home game in the fall when there would actually be people there. Unless they plan something for doing it again this fall...

(04-14-2013 09:11 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  Sad to see a TON of benchback seats available for season tickets.

Benchbacks = old folks
Not to sound cold & callous, but maybe they're starting to die or are becoming unable to attend due to health issues and the seats are opening up?

I am "old enough" to need a back on my seat....however we will never need benchbacks because we bring our own stadium seats that have backs on them.

(04-13-2013 10:16 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(04-13-2013 08:07 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Gotta get this off my chest.... Who were the clowns sitting in the west stands ripping on kids on the sideline, especially the kid in the Alabama sweatshirt.

Hey a*******, those were recruits - and potential future Huskies - at our scrimmage.

They weren't within earshot of the kids I hope?

I was standing next to the kid. The jackasses in the stands were right above us.