WMU Game Thoughts
Bare (hi huskiebob) with me because I'm posting from my iPhone so who knows what this is going to look like.
At some point during the Ball State game, I started to oddly enjoy the struggle of this team. I think the reason is because of how hard they always seem to be playing. There's never been a point this year where they've appeared to be going anything but balls out. The balls theyve shown time and time again this year is something that deserves a lot of credit. Talent only takes you so far. The character of this team is something that started when Kill was here. They always have been an easy team to root for with players who are genuinely like able. Does that help you win games? Maybe, maybe not. But I will say if there's ever an example of a team winning games on character it's this one.
Now does this team have a horse shoe stuck up its ass a little? Absolutely. But anybody who has been forced to watch the Cardinals the last decade knows that good teams are the one that genuinely get the breaks. After spending a long time having the breaks go against them, over the last half decade the tables have turned in their favor. Lucky? Somewhat. But fortune favors those who are in the right spot.
I'm not even sure what to sit here and say about the first half. It was ugly, yes, but it was really ugly on both sides. Hare was god awful in the first half, but beyond that and the infamous punt from the 31 (God that was bad) there really isn't anything for me to sit here and complain about. When was the last time you saw an NIU center snap the ball that high? The Akeem fumble was bad but it happens. Credit to the team overal for making enough plays to keep it only at 11.
Give Hare and credit company though. He/them always seem to make the plays when they need to.
If you want to kill NIU, you better do it when they give you the chance. WMU didn't and we saw the result.
What the hell was with WMU's play calling in the second half? It felt like all they were doing was running the same play to Franklin over and over.
As has been pointed out in other threads, the Rock/Marlon stop of Terrell on 4th down (Peej should have kicked the FG) and whoever stripped Franklin going into the endzone were the plays of the game.
I think a couple performances this year have really caused people to overlook how damn solid the defense has been the entire year. The defense was the main reason NIU beat NU, Kent State, Ohio, and WMU. When was the last time you could say an NIU defense won 4 games for them?
Those boys on defense were out there playing with emotion in the second half too. Everyone one of them. When they got some confidence going you could just feel like they knew somebody was going to make the next play. Incredibly fun to watch.
Paris Logan's improvement from the start of conference play until now is remarkable. He's gone from a liability to a rock solid corner.
How about some of the young guys stepping up to make plays? Turner, ACRB, Smalls, Lurry, Folliard, Lee, Mayes, and Glasper (not a bad time for your first career catch) all had gigantic plays. Not a junior among them.
Switching to the 34 was a stroke of genius by Niemann and the rest of the stuff. How fun was it watching them boys rush the passer in the second half against NU and today? They were flat out unblockable.
Man it felt good to win that game after all the trash the WMU fans had been talking for the better part of two weeks.
I mentioned it in another thread, but go watch Folliard's game winning sack fumble. He beats both the LG and the RB. Those are championship type plays.
I think WMU's inexperience (not of being young, but not having played in these games) showed up when they got hit by the Avalanche in the second half. They never could really stop the bleeding.
The fact NIU ended up with more yards than WMU despite being out TOP'd 41-19 is amazing, hilarious, terrifying, and awesome.
Been rooting for this team for 12+ years now, not sure I've ever been more proud than today. A truly gutsy and team victory. Not the most talented team I've ever seen, but might be the most ballsy.
Let's go get another ring in Detroit. We got some revenge to hand out.
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