(12-02-2014 09:50 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Roback did play this year, and looked awful against Old Dominion in a VERY winnable game. He also had plenty of starts last year. Bell showed more in two games than Roback showed me in 7 or 8. It's pretty much a no-brainer to go with Bell moving forward, at least in my opinion. He had some rough games, but he also had two insane performances that no other EMU QB has ever done. As a freshman. You go with that and hope he gains some consistency in the coming seasons.

Roback also bailed out EMU against Morgan St when Bell wasn't getting it done. Wasn't it raining at ODU? Hard to hold that against a QB. ODU struggled offensively in that game too.

For every good run Bell had he also had a fumble. Not sure that he's physically equipped for D1 FB. Not many 170 lb QB's out there. He did show a nice touch on passes though.

(12-01-2014 07:21 PM)holybovine Wrote:  I've tried a few times to get my wife to join me for a game. She has declined, calling Rynearson's gameday atmosphere "unrelentingly depressing".

She's not an alum, and she's never been one to sugarcoat things...

I'm lucky, my wife is not an EMU alum, but loves going with me to football and men's hoops games, I also took her to the Big House once just for the experience.

(12-02-2014 10:22 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(12-02-2014 09:50 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Roback did play this year, and looked awful against Old Dominion in a VERY winnable game. He also had plenty of starts last year. Bell showed more in two games than Roback showed me in 7 or 8. It's pretty much a no-brainer to go with Bell moving forward, at least in my opinion. He had some rough games, but he also had two insane performances that no other EMU QB has ever done. As a freshman. You go with that and hope he gains some consistency in the coming seasons.

Roback also bailed out EMU against Morgan St when Bell wasn't getting it done. Wasn't it raining at ODU? Hard to hold that against a QB. ODU struggled offensively in that game too.

For every good run Bell had he also had a fumble. Not sure that he's physically equipped for D1 FB. Not many 170 lb QB's out there. He did show a nice touch on passes though.

It what I said in the Morgan State game Bell is very high risk high reward.

(12-03-2014 09:22 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(12-02-2014 10:22 PM)TheWoodenNickle Wrote:  

(12-02-2014 09:50 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  Roback did play this year, and looked awful against Old Dominion in a VERY winnable game. He also had plenty of starts last year. Bell showed more in two games than Roback showed me in 7 or 8. It's pretty much a no-brainer to go with Bell moving forward, at least in my opinion. He had some rough games, but he also had two insane performances that no other EMU QB has ever done. As a freshman. You go with that and hope he gains some consistency in the coming seasons.

Roback also bailed out EMU against Morgan St when Bell wasn't getting it done. Wasn't it raining at ODU? Hard to hold that against a QB. ODU struggled offensively in that game too.

For every good run Bell had he also had a fumble. Not sure that he's physically equipped for D1 FB. Not many 170 lb QB's out there. He did show a nice touch on passes though.

It what I said in the Morgan State game Bell is very high risk high reward.

He looked lost in the Morgan State game. It was also his first career game and first career start. I was all for Roback back then. But Bell improved after that. He still had some poor games, but the good outweighed the bad moving forward for me. Roback had chances and never showed that kind of potential.

I agree Bell did improve but interceptions, fumbled handoffs, fumbles also need to fit into the evaluation. I figure those were mistakes he will work to eliminate. But the question about what happens if Roback leaves in terms of backup is valid. Bell's style of play will result in injuries. I said this before look at Andy Schmitt when he was named starter, he ran as well until injuries took their toll, then he became more of a classic in the pocket QB.

This story went up on Hustle Belt today. A summary of how NIU went from the doormat of the conference in the 90s, including a three-year stretch with only three wins, to the top of the MAC.

"A program not constructed out of financial windfalls or some misplaced sense of bravado, but rather a belief that something cast aside and left to die can be reborn into something important and impactful." That has to give you at least a little hope, doesn't it?

It Wasn't Always This Way: The Northern Illinois Dynasty

While I'm at it, here's a video from inside the UAB locker room as the President Watts address the team, nearly all of whom were in tears. Some very moving stuff. There are serious consequences to cutting a football program, especially for the 105 guys who just lost a team and lost a scholarship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvSuQEh6lI#t=47

(12-03-2014 01:09 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  While I'm at it, here's a video from inside the UAB locker room as the President Watts address the team, nearly all of whom were in tears. Some very moving stuff. There are serious consequences to cutting a football program, especially for the 105 guys who just lost a team and lost a scholarship.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvSuQEh6lI#t=47

I was just about to post that, unfortunately that is the reality of life - people on the bottom always get hit the most when things like that occur. On the other side I SURE HOPE that every single guy in that room got their scholarship honored until they graduate with a degree. If not - shame on the people up top.

(12-03-2014 02:42 PM)realistEagle Wrote:  I was just about to post that, unfortunately that is the reality of life - people on the bottom always get hit the most when things like that occur. On the other side I SURE HOPE that every single guy in that room got their scholarship honored until they graduate with a degree. If not - shame on the people up top.

I believe they'll all be able to transfer without sitting out a year, so hopefully they'll still get to play ball under a scholarship. But, yeah, what UA is putting them through is awful.

(12-03-2014 02:53 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  

(12-03-2014 02:42 PM)realistEagle Wrote:  I was just about to post that, unfortunately that is the reality of life - people on the bottom always get hit the most when things like that occur. On the other side I SURE HOPE that every single guy in that room got their scholarship honored until they graduate with a degree. If not - shame on the people up top.

I believe they'll all be able to transfer without sitting out a year, so hopefully they'll still get to play ball under a scholarship. But, yeah, what UA is putting them through is awful.

I don't understand how you can even attempt to pull off a move like this without making sure these guys stay on their scholies