(09-02-2013 08:33 PM)TimBuck2 Wrote:  Maybe could beat Purdue, just like in hoops!

I'm not buttering up our NIU poster, but NIU plays Purdue soon and if they beat Purdue (NIU should be a fav) then they (NIU) could be undefeated for a good run in this season.

Around week 6 it might be: "Can NIU go undefeated and challenge for a BCS at-large bid?"

And that, of course, could set up a real dog fight with the Rockets.

(09-03-2013 07:46 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear timxlydon,
Pennsylvania State's total offense was 353 yards. 278 in passing with two interceptions, and 75 yards rushing. Eastern had 210 yards passing with one interception, and Bronson Hill had 101 yards rushing himself.
Eastern has a much better offense than last year, and if, our defense improves, we will surprise some teams. Hopefully, this week against Pennsylvania State.

Dear Ken Barna,
What I find interesting is that you have said that you're sure Pennsylvania State did not want to show their hand too much against Syracuse. How can you really claim that one team's offense is better than another team's offense when you haven't seen it to it's full extent? Second, you said that until more games are played, no one knows how one team will play against another. How do you know that Eastern Michigan will surprise some teams this year? Wouldn't it seem enough games have not been played yet to make that statement?

(09-03-2013 08:17 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(09-02-2013 08:33 PM)TimBuck2 Wrote:  Maybe could beat Purdue, just like in hoops!

I'm not buttering up our NIU poster, but NIU plays Purdue soon and if they beat Purdue (NIU should be a fav) then they (NIU) could be undefeated for a good run in this season.

Around week 6 it might be: "Can NIU go undefeated and challenge for a BCS at-large bid?"

And that, of course, could set up a real dog fight with the Rockets.

Going undefeated is an extremely challenging thing to accomplish, so us Huskies fans our trying not to get ahead of ourselves. We expect the team to take it one game at a time and prepare for each team with the same level of respect. If NIU happens to be 6-0, let's talk about being 7-0 first before we talk about being 12-0.

(09-03-2013 09:41 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 08:17 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(09-02-2013 08:33 PM)TimBuck2 Wrote:  Maybe could beat Purdue, just like in hoops!

I'm not buttering up our NIU poster, but NIU plays Purdue soon and if they beat Purdue (NIU should be a fav) then they (NIU) could be undefeated for a good run in this season.

Around week 6 it might be: "Can NIU go undefeated and challenge for a BCS at-large bid?"

And that, of course, could set up a real dog fight with the Rockets.

Going undefeated is an extremely challenging thing to accomplish,

They may be true, but I believe Toledo and L'ville both have the most favorable schedules of any teams trying to go undefeated.

I see two tough games: BSU and then UT.

Remember what a grinder it is in the SEC, B1G, etc. (e.g., UofM has MSU, OSU, ND, etc. UGH!!).

(09-03-2013 10:02 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 09:41 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 08:17 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(09-02-2013 08:33 PM)TimBuck2 Wrote:  Maybe could beat Purdue, just like in hoops!

I'm not buttering up our NIU poster, but NIU plays Purdue soon and if they beat Purdue (NIU should be a fav) then they (NIU) could be undefeated for a good run in this season.

Around week 6 it might be: "Can NIU go undefeated and challenge for a BCS at-large bid?"

And that, of course, could set up a real dog fight with the Rockets.

Going undefeated is an extremely challenging thing to accomplish,

They may be true, but I believe Toledo and L'ville both have the most favorable schedules of any teams trying to go undefeated.

I see two tough games: BSU and then UT.

Remember what a grinder it is in the SEC, B1G, etc. (e.g., UofM has MSU, OSU, ND, etc. UGH!!).

I would think Toledo would have the toughest time of any team to go undefeated. Especially after they lost to Florida.

(09-03-2013 10:10 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 10:02 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 09:41 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  

(09-03-2013 08:17 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(09-02-2013 08:33 PM)TimBuck2 Wrote:  Maybe could beat Purdue, just like in hoops!

I'm not buttering up our NIU poster, but NIU plays Purdue soon and if they beat Purdue (NIU should be a fav) then they (NIU) could be undefeated for a good run in this season.

Around week 6 it might be: "Can NIU go undefeated and challenge for a BCS at-large bid?"

And that, of course, could set up a real dog fight with the Rockets.

Going undefeated is an extremely challenging thing to accomplish,

They may be true, but I believe Toledo and L'ville both have the most favorable schedules of any teams trying to go undefeated.

I see two tough games: BSU and then UT.

Remember what a grinder it is in the SEC, B1G, etc. (e.g., UofM has MSU, OSU, ND, etc. UGH!!).

I would think Toledo would have the toughest time of any team to go undefeated. Especially after they lost to Florida.

Sorry, typo. it should have obviously been NIU.

It should have been obvious that NIU's two toughest opponents down the stretch are BSU and UT.

The four games before them are easy.

Dear timxlydon,
You asked for statistics, so I gave them to you. You now take my words, to try and show that Eastern shouldn't necessarily think of beating anyone. You were not at the Howard game. We have a quarterback that can throw the ball as good as any other in the league, including yours. We have a stable full of very good running backs, that in any game could all get 100 yards in rushing. In the Howard game Eastern ran a very bland offensive scheme, only running from tackle to tackle, with maybe three sweeps around end.
You and the other Northern Illinois supporters can beat your chests with the win over Iowa, but from what I read it was fairly lucky. And, as you said, (taking my words) if Iowa ends up in the bottom of their division, that will have been a hollow victory.

I do agree with Ken that EMU showed almost nothing on offense. I saw one draw and one (?) screen.

That is why it is so HARD to judge a game like that.

Too many folks love to PROJECT OUT that game as that is what the offense would appear vs. say PSU, Rutgers or BSU. It won't.

Got to think outside the box here.

I mentioned before a 17 point fav game is about timing, working on bread and butter stuff, no injuries, not showing the playbook, etc.

NOW, last year vs Ball State that was different. That was a game to try everything to win the game.

But this year's game had completely different purposes...

Too bad our schedule isn't Howard, Army, and Ball State in that order.

(09-03-2013 10:45 AM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear timxlydon,
You asked for statistics, so I gave them to you. You now take my words, to try and show that Eastern shouldn't necessarily think of beating anyone. You were not at the Howard game. We have a quarterback that can throw the ball as good as any other in the league, including yours. We have a stable full of very good running backs, that in any game could all get 100 yards in rushing. In the Howard game Eastern ran a very bland offensive scheme, only running from tackle to tackle, with maybe three sweeps around end.
You and the other Northern Illinois supporters can beat your chests with the win over Iowa, but from what I read it was fairly lucky. And, as you said, (taking my words) if Iowa ends up in the bottom of their division, that will have been a hollow victory.

Dear Ken Barna,
I am only trying to follow your train of thought, so I wanted to see what stats you were basing your claim off of. I am not manipulating your words anyway at all. You said what you said and need to either live by it or admit you are talking out of both sides of your mouth, figuratively. I was not at either the Eastern Michigan game nor the Pennsylvania State game, I was at the Northern Illinois game. I don't understand your hostility towards me. I have said in the past I wish Eastern Michigan the best of luck and hope to see the program turn it around. NIU was 0-8 against Iowa all time, Saturday's victory will never be a hollow victory for us Huskies fans.

It will be interesting game watching Benz, against Howard he had success in throwing out in the flats where the receivers speed made a nice mismatch between the receiver and the LBs. I am assuming Penn State's linebackers may have more speed than Howard's so it will be an interesting chess match do we throw downfield more? more screens?

(09-03-2013 12:27 PM)emu79 Wrote:  It will be interesting game watching Benz, against Howard he had success in throwing out in the flats where the receivers speed made a nice mismatch between the receiver and the LBs. I am assuming Penn State's linebackers may have more speed than Howard's so it will be an interesting chess match do we throw downfield more? more screens?

One of my points in my 'synopsis' of the Howard game is that Benz will NOT be able to get away throw across the field on that passes 5 - 10 yard past the line of scrimmage.

If those passes take all day to get there the PSU LBs and Dbs might get their first by jumping the route.

Benz is going to have to stretch the PSU defensive backfield.

The good thing is that we aren't like last year where a team could load up the box.

EMU 2013 should be able to run up the middle, sweeps, throw short, throw deep, etc. One thing I need to do is re-watch part of the Howard game and see if Howard was really loading up the middle to stop the EMU run game (that makes sense, EMU runs the ball well).

I think Benz can keep PSU honest Saturday.

Dear timxlydon,
First I have every right to think what I want to about my school's team, and it doesn't have to be based on statistics or prognosticators, or trolls like yourself. In the future if you want statistics look them up yourself.
You don't understand my hostility towards you? Surely you jest, as someone once said. You come on our site with your self deprecating "I wish you the best" then proceed to tell me "How dare you think your team is good, or can beat anyone". Maybe you should direct your comments to others on this site, because in my eyes you are a persona non-grata.

(09-03-2013 03:04 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear timxlydon,
First I have every right to think what I want to about my school's team, and it doesn't have to be based on statistics or prognosticators, or trolls like yourself. In the future if you want statistics look them up yourself.
You don't understand my hostility towards you? Surely you jest, as someone once said. You come on our site with your self deprecating "I wish you the best" then proceed to tell me "How dare you think your team is good, or can beat anyone". Maybe you should direct your comments to others on this site, because in my eyes you are a persona non-grata.

Can't this wake until the week that we play them?

I will love to join in the teasing that goes along with MAC football..

I need to focus on Penn State and how we are going to beat them..

How this thread got hijacked by nonsense is beyond me....

Anyway - here's to hoping the 4th quarter effort from last week reflects EMU efforts at Penn State this Saturday - that may make for an interesting game.

(09-01-2013 02:49 PM)wolverineeagle Wrote:  

(09-01-2013 02:41 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear Friends,
As I said in my initial thread of the Howard game, Eastern did not want to show too many wrinkles with the offense for the Pennsylvania State scouts. Now on the other hand, I don't know if we will show something (like a reverse), or not, but I'm sure Pennsylvania State didn't want to reveal much either. My point? Well this will be a game to see where we really stand. Even with a loss, and a score of 24-17, I would say progress is being made, but if it is similar to what happened to Central this past week-end, it could be a long season.

I’m pretty sure that PSU wasn’t hiding anything from EMU. They don’t need to considering how poor of a defense Eastern has.

PSU needed their 'A' game and playbook to beat 'Cuse.

EMU, to me, played the game as if it were a April spring game. Work on timing, get units working together, try not to get injured, etc. but not much of the playbook.

By playbook I'm not talking a couple razzle dazzle plays. I'm talking sets, formations, motion, etc. etc.

I'll try to re-watch the game, looking for sets, formation, motion, trickery (if there were any), but I'll bet it looked more like a spring game than a full bore effort to score as much as possible (sorry, Super).

PSU should have fun preparing for this game. We have a new OC. We didn't need to show much to win 'going away.'

Hopefully we confuse PSU enough to make an entertaining game.

(09-03-2013 03:04 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear timxlydon,
First I have every right to think what I want to about my school's team, and it doesn't have to be based on statistics or prognosticators, or trolls like yourself. In the future if you want statistics look them up yourself.
You don't understand my hostility towards you? Surely you jest, as someone once said. You come on our site with your self deprecating "I wish you the best" then proceed to tell me "How dare you think your team is good, or can beat anyone". Maybe you should direct your comments to others on this site, because in my eyes you are a persona non-grata.

Dear Ken Barna,
I'm quite sure I never told you that you do not have a right to think what you want about anything, this is a free country. Also, I never said "How dare you think your team is good, or can beat anyone", as you quoted me saying. I came here to talk Eastern Michigan football, specifically against Pennsylvania State. It's a shame that you do not welcome people with opinions that differ form your own.

Actually the Howard game was good prep for our defensive line. Howard pretty much had a Div I size offensive line all over 300 pounds. I expect Penn State will have a similar size line, the difference being the speed factor.