People have said this was a bad matchup for NIU. It's always going to be that way unless we are playing a Sunbelt team. South Florida, TCU, Marshall, Utah ST and FSU we just are not at that level. We are the best of the MAC and that's it! That's going to have to be good enough until we get more money! It's all about the money and NIU has none.

(12-24-2014 08:04 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  People have said this was a bad matchup for NIU. It's always going to be that way unless we are playing a Sunbelt team. South Florida, TCU, Marshall, Utah ST and FSU we just are not at that level. We are the best of the MAC and that's it! That's going to have to be good enough until we get more money! It's all about the money and NIU has none.

The last two year NIU would have beaten Marshall.
Some teams like Marshall have a great bowl record.
When you have a very weak yearly schedule, you are less likely to experience injuries and more likely to save your best for last.

A beat up SEC team with injuries could easily lose to a team from a weaker conference at full strength.

Bowl records have to be combined with OOC regular schedules to compare conferences.

Quote:

(12-24-2014 10:11 AM)BobL Wrote:  

(12-24-2014 10:02 AM)NIU1981 Wrote:  Give Marshall their props, especially Cato. Dude was lights out last night. He reminds me of Joe Montana. Same scrawny build, same ridiculous accuracy. Many of those completions were well-covered and he hit them anyway.

Here are some halftime stats from last night. NIU leads in first downs 17 to 9, total yards 275 to 217, time of possession 20:03 to 9:57 and we're 7 for 13 on third down. Score: Marshall 24 NIU 13. The kickoff return and ineptitude in the red zone did us in. We probably should have been up something like 24 to 17 at half.

I felt like our guys played without passion last night and I kind of expected that. After playing 8 do-or-die games in a row to win the conference championship it was natural for there to be a little letdown. We had to play at our max to beat an excellent team like Marshall and we did not.

But, I love this team and thoroughly enjoyed the season. Great job by everyone and thanks very much to the seniors who brought us so many thrills over the years. Our team has a chance to be awesome next year, really looking forward to spring ball. Go Huskies!!

Had not really considered that before, but that is a great point.

So hang on, you mean to tell me NIU is the only school that had to play do or die games? What about Marshall? What about pretty much every team that is in conference title contention.

What an indictment against Coach Carey! With a month to prepare for this game, his team played with no passion. That is the most telling thing I've read so far that indicates precisely why NIU can't win a big game.

What do you mean NIU would've beaten Marshall. NIU lost with Lynch to a average Utah St team, in last years bowl. Utah St had to use a back-up freshman QB in that game.

(12-24-2014 12:55 PM)BarsemaBone2 Wrote:  I think something we can all agree on is that of the 5 teams that have won the West, this was the least talented of the bunch. QB play has something to do with it, but across the board this team just wasn't as good as the last 4.

Going by points scored plus/minus for the 5 teams:

2010: +255
2011: +112
2012: +262
2013: +204
2014: +82

I also think next year's team will be better.

Also, and feel free to pile on me if you disagree, but I'm exciting about the prospect of getting a new special teams coach next year. Kane was a really good LB coach, but special teams the last 2 years have left a lot to be desired.

This team definitely didn't play as well as probably any team since the end of the Novak era, I agree with you on that. However, I do think some of the reason for the lower point differential is the team played good defense for the most part - turning games into low scoring ball control affairs and the team didn't have a Lynch or Harnish that could light it up and overwhelm the really weak MAC teams with blowout scores.

Special teams, amen to improving that area. I like to blame Coach Carey for most everything, but I give him a pass on the Matt Sims thing. It was strange how he went from so good to so bad so quickly. Not like this is the NFL where you could waive a kid and sign another one in the middle of the season. I do wish Carey and his staff would have addressed the kicking situation going into the 2014 season, but maybe the punter looked good as the placekicker during the offseason, who knows? It would be nice if they have this addressed for next year. I don't think any of us are sold on the new kid they brought in.

The special teams across the board could use a boost, so I'm with you, Barsema, that it is good news if there is a fresh perspective on that area.

As promised, here are still shots of the "uncatchable" ball to Brown.

(12-25-2014 01:44 AM)VegasHuskie Wrote:  

(12-24-2014 12:55 PM)BarsemaBone2 Wrote:  I think something we can all agree on is that of the 5 teams that have won the West, this was the least talented of the bunch. QB play has something to do with it, but across the board this team just wasn't as good as the last 4.

Going by points scored plus/minus for the 5 teams:

2010: +255
2011: +112
2012: +262
2013: +204
2014: +82

I also think next year's team will be better.

Also, and feel free to pile on me if you disagree, but I'm exciting about the prospect of getting a new special teams coach next year. Kane was a really good LB coach, but special teams the last 2 years have left a lot to be desired.

This team definitely didn't play as well as probably any team since the end of the Novak era, I agree with you on that. However, I do think some of the reason for the lower point differential is the team played good defense for the most part - turning games into low scoring ball control affairs and the team didn't have a Lynch or Harnish that could light it up and overwhelm the really weak MAC teams with blowout scores.

Special teams, amen to improving that area. I like to blame Coach Carey for most everything, but I give him a pass on the Matt Sims thing. It was strange how he went from so good to so bad so quickly. Not like this is the NFL where you could waive a kid and sign another one in the middle of the season. I do wish Carey and his staff would have addressed the kicking situation going into the 2014 season, but maybe the punter looked good as the placekicker during the offseason, who knows? It would be nice if they have this addressed for next year. I don't think any of us are sold on the new kid they brought in.

The special teams across the board could use a boost, so I'm with you, Barsema, that it is good news if there is a fresh perspective on that area.

Had a good time in Fla, PGA a great place to sray. 11-3, great year for what I thought was a retooling year. Have to score TDs can't leave points on the field. Would like to get a home and home with Marshall. Nice stadium but too many seats in the endzone, not enough washrooms and too much furniture in the walway areas. Seeing the players in the hotel close up you really see how big we are. I do believe we will be better next year. One can nitpick but it was a great week. Huskie football is alive and well

(12-24-2014 11:33 AM)scottiep12 Wrote:  7 great post as always.

Your point on Hare never having full reps is HUGE. All this kids issues are solved by more drills, reps and film study. Once the game slows down for him he has real potential. He has the physical skillset which is the more limiting piece from an upside standpoint. It could get nutty if he makes huge strides.

1) footwork drills...set, plant and throw. Needs to get out of the crow hop.

2) eye drills...gotta train the brain to look off wr's and move through the progression. More reps and film study should help.

3) accuracy. More reps will be huge here. Gotta Learn how to throw guys into out routes and digs. Gotta learn how to put more air under the ball and give his a chance to run underneath it.

4) eyes down field. If and when he can get comfortable sitting in the pocket and/or escaping the pocket we could become unstoppable with our weapons on secondary routes. Think about TLL and Duecee breaking off routes...not a DB in the country to handle that. Scramble drill, scramble drill, scramble drill.

You want to hear something funny?
I read that list, and it ALL applies to Cutler! hahaha
Especially the bolded one.