Actually as much as I disparage the "Toledo Tough" hype, last night I thought the team showed a lot of character in the fourth quarter. After suffering multiple self-inflicted wounds in the 3rd quarter they hung in there to tie the game and took care of business in OT, thereby allowing WMU the opportunity to make the last mistake of the night and thus forfeit an error filled game played under horror weather conditions (PS---hats off to the few, the proud, the die-hard frozen & drenched fans who were in the stands---personally I have never been so grateful to not be at a game in person as I was last night).

What the Rockets did was eke out an ugly win in a bizarre game and thus keep the West Championship clearly in their sights---and championship caliber teams (by definition) have to win those sorts of games. So now this is shaping up as yet a 5th straight year where the winner of the NIU/UT game will most likely be going to Ford Field to play for the MACC. It is way too soon to be counting one's chickens but as it stands at this moment, IF UT is able to defeat NIU, they will have the luxury of going to Ford Field even if they lose one of their other MAC games---i.e. ---UMass, Kent, Eastern or BG---and I like the odds of winning at least three of those four games (of course beating NIU for the first time in 5 years is the BIG "IF" here).

Wishful thinking perhaps, but if (just maybe) the Rockets managed to get all of their mistakes for the rest of the season out of their system last night maybe they can now start playing close to error free ball the rest of the way (including winning a few turn-over battles for a change). If they can do that then they have a good chance to replicate the 2004 season------one that started out horribly and was not particularly memorable or outstanding EXCEPT for the fact that the Rockets won the MACC that year.

Like 2004, this is not going to go down as a GREAT Rocket team so at this point what happens at Iowa State is pretty much irrelevant, but the situation in DeKalb on November 11 will determine if the Rocket season is a memorable one or just another disappointing year of missed opportunities (it is coming down to yet another important "eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" situation---certainly not as memorable as the original but important to Rocket fans nonetheless).

Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

Western did a nice job with its short passes/screens and the blocking required to make those plays successful. We haven't figured out how to block for those plays in recent years, which is why they tend to max out at a 3 yard gain for us, but at least it seems like we haven't done them as often this year, especially yesterday. There were also some impressive throw & catch plays by Terrell and his receivers on plays that I felt were well covered. And, some that were not so well covered, of course--that TD in overtime was absolutely inexcusable.

There were aspects of the game that both teams were able to figure out and make work in these conditions but I think the difference in the game was in our tackling on defense. It was very solid and a huge improvement over 2 weeks ago with the Ball State game. They really limited the yards after contact and it kept WMU out of the end zone for the most part, forcing them out of their comfort zone by bringing in their FG unit.

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

That's the other "positive" that I'll take from this win. BG has had 2, close, come-from behind, win at the end games, and Northern just survived a close one. If either of our games against BG or the Huskies become tight, back-and-forth, 4 quarter games, then it may help that we had been in one ourselves.

ROCKET 3 AND 0 IN THE MAC SECOND STRING QB SECOND STRING RB !!!!!!!! WHAT TIME IS IT???????? ITS ROCKET TIME!!!! GO GET IT DONE

(10-04-2014 08:45 PM)RocketJeff Wrote:  That's the third fumble by our coaches. They just suck.

I think I agree with this assessment

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

I wouldn't judge NIU (or UT) by just one game. However having said that, the entire top of the MAC is down this year and that is why, after last night's win, I am giving the Rockets a reasonable shot at a MACC this year (as good as any other team's chances and better than most).

(10-05-2014 10:43 AM)T-Town Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

I wouldn't judge NIU (or UT) by just one game. However having said that, the entire top of the MAC is down this year and that is why, after last night's win, I am giving the Rockets a reasonable shot at a MACC this year (as good as any other team's chances and better than most).

If the Rockets get better week after week. And have a healthy Hunt. Maybe get some defenders healthy.
Then I see nothing wrong with your assessment T-Town

They completed passes because our backs play off everyone and they ran 20 screens. We also would have made that total worse if they had counted our sacks where they didnt have time to throw. It was tough to throw bottom line... But it is this toledo db system where people make it easy.

(10-05-2014 07:06 AM)rockytop Wrote:  It is getting hard for me to read some of the negative posts. 3-0 and still in the MAC race sounds pretty good to me. Wasn't pretty, actually, down right ugly, but UT (players and coaches) found a way to win. Hats off to the loyal Rocket fans who made the trip and stayed to the end. Go Rockets!

I understand having high expectations and lofty dreams. I understand questioning some coaching decisions. I understand the disappointment when things don't go the way we want. What I don't understand is the notion that the program is in a tailspin, heading in the wrong direction, and that for all the gobs of money we pay Matt Campbell, he should be undefeated, that we shouldn't have a single penalty, and every offensive play we run should go for positive yardage while every defensive play should go for negative yardage. (sarcasm on)Who's responsible for this horrible hire? Maybe along with firing Campbell, we should fire O'Brien.(sarcasm off) Just because a pass play doesn't work, it doesn't mean that you were correct that we should've had a run. Pinkel didn't win a MACC in his first four years. In fact his third season we were 4-7. I'd prefer we wait until the end of the season before we judge the direction of our program. I've been critical of our defense because of the cushion we give receivers. It seems like we play with four safeties, but I've seen other teams that seem to play with four cornerbacks and that doesn't work so well either. A few things I know: our defense could be much worse because I've seen it and changing the DC every year won't help the situation.

So?

If it's not pollyanna, you object?


I actually liked most of our defensive decisions. They took on the toughest part of WMU's O and won convincingly. Given the weather conditions, it made sense to make WMU prove they could compete through the air. For the most part, our secondary did play tight. Unfortunately, WMU was up to the challenge. That and our uncharacteristic crashes in the red zone kept the game close.

We are very deep and skilled at the skill positions and have one of the most experienced and recognized lines in the country and we're struggling to complete a game. I can see that as a relative "tailspin." It certainly doesn't seem like improvement over the previous years.

I don't see any controversy in saying there's been under achievement even leaving out one of the highest salaries in the conference. Last night's game pitted two coaches of comparable experience, one with a much less experienced team.

The team toughed it out but I don't feel bad in saying we lost the coaching game. Might not happen in best of three but last night, we did on the offensive side of the ball.

(10-05-2014 12:52 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  So?

If it's not pollyanna, you object?

actually, I was saying the opposite.

Quote:I actually liked most of our defensive decisions. They took on the toughest part of WMU's O and won convincingly. Given the weather conditions, it made sense to make WMU prove they could compete through the air. For the most part, our secondary did play tight. Unfortunately, WMU was up to the challenge. That and our uncharacteristic crashes in the red zone kept the game close.

We are very deep and skilled at the skill positions and have one of the most experienced and recognized lines in the country and we're struggling to complete a game. I can see that as a relative "tailspin." It certainly doesn't seem like improvement over the previous years.

I suppose we have different definitions of "tailspin" but I would define it as notable - if not rapid - decline in performance. I'm not seeing that. We knew going in that Campbell was inexperienced. I didn't expect him to come in like Amstutz and be in 3 MACC in his first 4 years with 2 victories but I also don't expect to finish the next 3 seasons with 5-7, 5-7, 3-9, accademic probation, scholarship reductions, player arrests.... that's a tailspin.

Quote:I don't see any controversy in saying there's been under achievement even leaving out one of the highest salaries in the conference. Last night's game pitted two coaches of comparable experience, one with a much less experienced team.

The team toughed it out but I don't feel bad in saying we lost the coaching game. Might not happen in best of three but last night, we did on the offensive side of the ball.

At least our coach had our kicker ready to make fieldgoals and extra points. Fleck should've known his kicker couldn't make that extra point in overtime and gone for two instead. They surely would've made it since they missed the field goal.

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

Their win against Northwestern looks pretty good

(10-05-2014 02:07 PM)RocketJeff Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 12:52 PM)eastisbest Wrote:  So?

If it's not pollyanna, you object?

actually, I was saying the opposite.


At least our coach had our kicker ready to make fieldgoals and extra points. Fleck should've known his kicker couldn't make that extra point in overtime and gone for two instead. They surely would've made it since they missed the field goal.

Given his persona, kind of wondering why Fleck didn't go for two on general principles but yes, particularly considering the difficulties their kicking game was having.

(10-05-2014 12:20 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  WMU has the biggest a$$ hole fans ive ever met. Every single one said f. Toledo and even when prompted to talk by "good luck" from my ut buddies.

I remember the WMU game back when Ira Singleton played. Bunch of drunk students were yelling at the Rockets as they came off the field at halftime when they had to block off a walkway so the visiting team could get to the locker room. One fat dufus of a kid was yelling at Rocket players as they came past and one got too close to Singleton with his big mouth. Singleton looked at him, cocked his arm and pumped faked a punch. The dufus turned and fell down trying to get out of the way of the punch that never came. Looked like a turtle on his back trying to get his fat a$$ up off the ground. Gets up and just walks away in the other direction while his own buddies are laughing at him.

If I were to rank the worst conference fans I've ever seen - it would be in order - Marshall, Marshall, Marshall, Western, Central. You have bad fans everywhere, but when you start to have some success, then the bandwagon idiots show up..

(10-05-2014 02:26 PM)owen Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

Their win against Northwestern looks pretty good

I'll let MBG speak for himself, but I interpreted his post to mean that we have as good a shot at the MACC as anyone else because no one is clearly superior in the conference this year. If NIU is 5-0(MAC) going into our game, I'd assume they will be favored because it's their home game. But you know what, we'll still play the game. I'm not ready to write it off as an auto-loss.

(10-05-2014 03:14 PM)RocketJeff Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 02:26 PM)owen Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

Their win against Northwestern looks pretty good

I'll let MBG speak for himself, but I interpreted his post to mean that we have as good a shot at the MACC as anyone else because no one is clearly superior in the conference this year. If NIU is 5-0(MAC) going into our game, I'd assume they will be favored because it's their home game. But you know what, we'll still play the game. I'm not ready to write it off as an auto-loss.

We sure as hell had better figure out how to stop their offense. Looks like Hare is performing like Lynch with high QBR and also a fair amount of rushing yards. In the little bit of the game I watched yesterday, his runs came on designed QB draws and the Kent defense looked like ours - nobody near the line of scrimmage and nobody made contact with him until he gained about 10 yards.

(10-05-2014 03:08 PM)MotoRocket Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 12:20 AM)UofToledoFans Wrote:  WMU has the biggest a$$ hole fans ive ever met. Every single one said f. Toledo and even when prompted to talk by "good luck" from my ut buddies.

I remember the WMU game back when Ira Singleton played. Bunch of drunk students were yelling at the Rockets as they came off the field at halftime when they had to block off a walkway so the visiting team could get to the locker room. One fat dufus of a kid was yelling at Rocket players as they came past and one got too close to Singleton with his big mouth. Singleton looked at him, cocked his arm and pumped faked a punch. The dufus turned and fell down trying to get out of the way of the punch that never came. Looked like a turtle on his back trying to get his fat a$$ up off the ground. Gets up and just walks away in the other direction while his own buddies are laughing at him.

If I were to rank the worst conference fans I've ever seen - it would be in order - Marshall, Marshall, Marshall, Western, Central. You have bad fans everywhere, but when you start to have some success, then the bandwagon idiots show up..

Success seems to bring out the worst in some fans and there hasn't been a MAC campus I've visited that I haven't gotten the "f - Toledo" cheer. Thankfully, most aren't like that and I can't say that any school is worse than the others.

(10-05-2014 03:23 PM)MotoRocket Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 03:14 PM)RocketJeff Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 02:26 PM)owen Wrote:  

(10-05-2014 09:00 AM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  Again - NIU BARELY squeaked by an 0-5 Kent St! What makes them look MAC Championship caliber?!?

Their win against Northwestern looks pretty good

I'll let MBG speak for himself, but I interpreted his post to mean that we have as good a shot at the MACC as anyone else because no one is clearly superior in the conference this year. If NIU is 5-0(MAC) going into our game, I'd assume they will be favored because it's their home game. But you know what, we'll still play the game. I'm not ready to write it off as an auto-loss.

We sure as hell had better figure out how to stop their offense. Looks like Hare is performing like Lynch with high QBR and also a fair amount of rushing yards. In the little bit of the game I watched yesterday, his runs came on designed QB draws and the Kent defense looked like ours - nobody near the line of scrimmage and nobody made contact with him until he gained about 10 yards.

If we run the same defense as Kent State and they held NIU to 17 points, I like our chances!

I sat thru the soaking cold rain.....

Like I've posted before, the kicking game will win or lose you 1 to 2 games a year. This time WMU's kicking game did it to them.

Overall. An Atta Boy to the defense. They won the game. only gave up 13 point in regulation. I'll take that every week!!!!!!!!! A lot of W's come with that point total.

My only gripe about the D is on the screen play our outside man CB or DB fights to the inside and then gets hooked and the receiver bounces it outside with no contain. Stay outside and hope for help from the outside linebacker and that will help stop the screen plays.

The running game worked all night and it looked like Swanson was 1/2 a step away from breaking it all night.

Offense should have scored more points, win by 1 or win by 100 but........

Just Win Baby!!!!!! Just Win!!!!!!!!!