I know it's a little early but thought we could start with some insane predictions which I am sure will change once we find out some nominal information like who the starting qb is, projected starters, etc...

I think we will be decent regardless of qb due to our extensive RB collection(assuming RC learns that Stingly gaining 6yds/carry will win you games).

I am torn... I have us at 9-3...though i can't decide which games we will lose..
Wins: Presby, EMU, Kent, CMU, Miami, WMU
Toss Ups:

UNLV: Bobby Hauck is a program builder, so this game scares me a little especially after last year with Idaho). But they lost their qb and rb

NU: Will depend on who is QB, they were terrible last year..as close to a toss up as you can get

Arkansas: They seem pretty bad proving Bielema is terrible outside of camp randall.. Probably a loss due to SEC talent differential

Toledo: Always a tough game but loses of Owens, Fluellen and Reedy will be tough. Think we win

Ball St: Wenning is gone but Lembo still wants a better job so he will have to prove he can continue building..Think we win

Ohio: again replacing Tettleton...Think we win


I see another MAC championship game(which great because i love detroit, no seriously i think it is great, easy to get to with Amtrak, Hilton is just down the street and Greek town is as walkable as it gets)..with a loss to Bowling Green Again..and some strange bowl game is Montana


Favorable schedule says Hustlebelt.. http://www.hustlebelt.com/2014/2/28/5458...e-schedule

Not going to make a prediction until the summer. We don't know enough about this team to make an accurate assessment at this time.

Yeah but it is fun to make a prediction now, then make another one after we find out more about the team... For instance I am at 9-3 now but after the seeing who is starting and how the qb plays... I could either go 11-1 or 6-6.... purely entertainment

Ohio might be better without Tettleton....He just never seemed to get better with experience.

To early for me to make a prediction, still can't get Utah State out of my mind....

(03-03-2014 10:58 AM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  To early for me to make a prediction, still can't get Utah State out of my mind....

For me, it's the BGSU TE...........

(Fun Fact: JL and him are actually training at the same place prepping for the Draft.)

Prediction range for 2014 Huskies - sight unseen and based solely on how schedule is laid out.

Worst case scenario 7-5.

Best case scenario 9-3.

I'm close with cyber on his best case and worst case. I got 7-5 or 10-2 Considering worst case is 7-5 with a new QB and a revamped defense, it shows how far NIU has come.

The schedule may be favorable for the teams on the schedule and to get some momentum going, but almost the entire back stretch of the season is on the road.

Wins: Presbyterian, EMU, WMU, Miami, and Kent State. I think these are all 75% or higher win percentages

I honestly think the rest of the season is toss up games. Some are obviously higher percentage than others, but I don't think any of the teams as currently formulate are locks to beat the Huskies. That being said, I'm going to guess 8-4, but wouldn't be shocked if I saw 10-2.

Somewhere at 8-4 or 9-3. I'd say worst case is probably 7-5 and best case is 10-2.

Again, it all comes down to who is starter and if drop off from last 5 years is minimal. If one of the QBs steps in and performs well, we can will another MAC West title.

9-3, with losses against Arkansas, Northwestern, and 1 MAC team (Toledo or Ohio most likely).

I predict 8-4 with losses to @NU, @Arkansas, Toledo, and @Ohio.

Going bold... 10-2. Loss to Arkansas and Toledo

Our D line and Dbacks are big question marks. We should be fine on offense.

At D tackle we have Donovan Gordon, Mario Jones, William Lee and ????? We need to find one or two more guys there. At D end it will be huge if Ben Compton can play. With him, Jason Meehan and Perez Ford that would give us three pretty solid guys and we'll only need one or two more. I still think Mike Ippolito would be better moved back over to end but maybe he's bulked up to tackle size now.

At corner Paris Logan and Marlon Moore took their lumps last year but they were only sophomores. We need them to take a step forward. Hopefully some of the new guys can help but you can't count on true freshmen no matter what kind of recruit they were. At safety Durante didn't have the greatest year last fall and we need a replacement for Jimmie Ward. Mycial Allen was on a steep learning curve last fall and behind him is no one with any playing experience. Our best case may be that some of the freshman corners are such studs that we're able to move Logan or Moore to safety.

Like I said, lots of questions on defense.

IMO every position on D except weak-side LB (Bass) and maybe strong safety (Durante) should see an open competition this spring and summer. If one of the true freshmen or younger guys outplays the upper-classmen, let 'em start. There should be no guarantees when the D played as poorly as it did at times last season.

(03-03-2014 03:44 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  Our D line and Dbacks are big question marks. We should be fine on offense.

At D tackle we have Donovan Gordon, Mario Jones, William Lee and ????? We need to find one or two more guys there. At D end it will be huge if Ben Compton can play. With him, Jason Meehan and Perez Ford that would give us three pretty solid guys and we'll only need one or two more. I still think Mike Ippolito would be better moved back over to end but maybe he's bulked up to tackle size now.

At corner Paris Logan and Marlon Moore took their lumps last year but they were only sophomores. We need them to take a step forward. Hopefully some of the new guys can help but you can't count on true freshmen no matter what kind of recruit they were. At safety Durante didn't have the greatest year last fall and we need a replacement for Jimmie Ward. Mycial Allen was on a steep learning curve last fall and behind him is no one with any playing experience. Our best case may be that some of the freshman corners are such studs that we're able to move Logan or Moore to safety.

Like I said, lots of questions on defense.

Forgot about Dunbar

Every game is winnable. I do not think the offense will lose a step without Lynch. All the other tools remain. They may even be tougher, as opponents will not be able to key on the QB anymore. I have seen McIntosh run the ball, and I would compare his running skills to Harnish.

Toledo comes to DeKalb, and BSU has a new QB too. If the Huskies lose, it will be because another MAC team snuck up on them. Who?

WMU, Kent or Ohio.

I will confidently say 11-1.

I'll go with 11-1 since we haven't even had the Spring Game yet. Undefeated in conference with a loss to Arkansas in a close one and OOC wins at UNLV and NU and the Blue Hose of Presbyterian College at home. I wouldn't be surprised to see anything from 8-4 to 12-0, but anything less than 8 wins would be a shock. It sure would be great if we could get more than five home games one of these years, though. I know, no one wants to come to DeKalb (and who could blame them with our record), but it's been eleven years since 2003.

Everyone keep saying "it depends on who the starter is". If I told you Hare was the starter, would that help people make up their mind's? To me, that means just as much as McIntosh starting, or Root starting. How does this have an impact on your vote? Rod Carey, and his Staff are going to pick who they see as the the best athlete at that position. Knowing that much, shouldn't we be able to come to a conclusion on our guess?

I'm going with 8-4 worst case scenario, 10-2 best case scenario with a loss to Toledo, and Northwestern. I really hope I'm wrong, though.

Edit: I have no reason for choosing Northwestern and Toledo as losses - I just get a 'feeling' that NIU will lose to them.

9-3 MAC champs