(08-12-2015 02:49 PM)Jack Bauer Wrote:  I voted wku pulling a western and losing to A few games we shouldn't.

hell. i have us pulling a western in the first 3. you can't out pull a western with me. i'll always have us in disaster.

What will really be pulling a western is us beating vandy (getting hopes up) then falling flat on our faces to la tech and Indiana. That's what I see happening and until we actually do it I will be in that mindset. We have a chance to have a really special season, but I just can't believe till it happens

I voted for Western Kentucky to finish third. I feel certain that the offense will be good this year but how much can that defense really improve over last year? A couple off nights offensively against teams like FIU or Rice on the road and a rivalry game against Middle Tennessee as well as games against Tech and Marshall, could be 4 conference losses in there. I think that would put them in third behind Marshall and Middle Tennessee.

(08-12-2015 01:41 PM)LaTechBanjo Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 01:26 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 01:12 PM)LaTechBanjo Wrote:  WKU has been consistently inconsistent.

Southern Miss will return.

Really? Now you are just throwing out something to see if it sticks..

2011-7 and 5
2012-7 and 6
2013-8 and 4
2014-8 and 5

Pretty consistent to me you think?

I agree we need to take the next step up this season but since going FBS in full in 2010, not bad for such a young FBS school...A lot of you throwing stones at WKU have done much worse to start your FBS history...

I was intending to say that WKU hasn't been able to get over the hump and get the big signature wins despite the hype. Inconsistent in that they'll drop some truly weird games they should win, and can't seem to beat the P5s not named Kentucky.

Not a knock. Tech has a very similar issue.

Well if that's the case then you are talking Inconsistent in OOC games?

Western has the best record in CUSA in OOC games over the last 3 years...

2012
Loss to #1 Bama beat FCS, S. Miss, uk

2013
Loss to UT, beat uk, FCS, Navy, Army

2014
Loss to Ill, beat BG, Navy, Army, CMU

So, yeah, you are correct, Western is only 2-3 in OOC game vs P5 schools
2-0 vs Navy
2-0 vs Army
2-0 vs MAC
2-0 vs FCS

10-3 OOC

Western is going on year number 6 of FBS...if anything Western has been Inconsistent in conference play over the last 3 years.

Going back to 2011 Western won 7 out of the last 8 with that loss coming to #1 LSU. So since Oct 1st 2011 Western has been the most consistent school. But if you ask any Western fan most would say the most impressive win in the short WKU FBS history would be last year...beating a rank Marshall team not beating a P5 and it would still be the case if that listed included Ill or UT

(08-12-2015 03:10 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  I voted for Western Kentucky to finish third. I feel certain that the offense will be good this year but how much can that defense really improve over last year? A couple off nights offensively against teams like FIU or Rice on the road and a rivalry game against Middle Tennessee as well as games against Tech and Marshall, could be 4 conference losses in there. I think that would put them in third behind Marshall and Middle Tennessee.

I believe I read where Tech gave up 38ppg in 2012 and 26ppg in 2013... a difference of 7ppg last year would have put Tech playing Western for the conference championship

But I wouldn't argue against Western choking and finishing 3rd but then again everything you pointed out against Western one could easily say for S.Miss not winning 6 games....

So I say the odds are just as good for both happening since S. Miss has games @Neb @Tech @Marshall @Rice, vs Miss St @Texas St all games they will be underdogs in

(08-12-2015 04:37 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 03:10 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  I voted for Western Kentucky to finish third. I feel certain that the offense will be good this year but how much can that defense really improve over last year? A couple off nights offensively against teams like FIU or Rice on the road and a rivalry game against Middle Tennessee as well as games against Tech and Marshall, could be 4 conference losses in there. I think that would put them in third behind Marshall and Middle Tennessee.

I believe I read where Tech gave up 38ppg in 2012 and 26ppg in 2013... a difference of 7ppg last year would have put Tech playing Western for the conference championship

But I wouldn't argue against Western choking and finishing 3rd but then again everything you pointed out against Western one could easily say for S.Miss not winning 6 games....

So I say the odds are just as good for both happening since S. Miss has games @Neb @Tech @Marshall @Rice, vs Miss St @Texas St all games they will be underdogs in

I don't really know what the 2012 and 2013 Tech teams that played in the WAC have to do with a 2015 Western Kentucky team. I'm not biased against Western Kentucky in any way, I've just witnessed first hand how a terrible defense can derail the number 2 all time best college football offense from winning a conference championship. I just think y'all have a better chance of ending up third in the East than USM has going bowling this year. Nothing personal against the Hilltoppers.

(08-12-2015 12:11 PM)WKUFan518 Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 12:03 PM)MT FAN Wrote:  Which is more likely to happen?

Your obsession with WKU is beyond remarkable I must say....

You guys are "expected" to win CUSA and Southern Miss is "expected" to have a big turn around this season. Those are two of the bigger story lines heading into this season in CUSA. I thought it would be interesting to see which scenario people thought was more likely to play out. If that is obsession with Western Ky. I guess I am obsessed.

(08-12-2015 04:49 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 04:37 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 03:10 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  I voted for Western Kentucky to finish third. I feel certain that the offense will be good this year but how much can that defense really improve over last year? A couple off nights offensively against teams like FIU or Rice on the road and a rivalry game against Middle Tennessee as well as games against Tech and Marshall, could be 4 conference losses in there. I think that would put them in third behind Marshall and Middle Tennessee.

I believe I read where Tech gave up 38ppg in 2012 and 26ppg in 2013... a difference of 7ppg last year would have put Tech playing Western for the conference championship

But I wouldn't argue against Western choking and finishing 3rd but then again everything you pointed out against Western one could easily say for S.Miss not winning 6 games....

So I say the odds are just as good for both happening since S. Miss has games @Neb @Tech @Marshall @Rice, vs Miss St @Texas St all games they will be underdogs in

I don't really know what the 2012 and 2013 Tech teams that played in the WAC have to do with a 2015 Western Kentucky team. I'm not biased against Western Kentucky in any way, I've just witnessed first hand how a terrible defense can derail the number 2 all time best college football offense from winning a conference championship. I just think y'all have a better chance of ending up third in the East than USM has going bowling this year. Nothing personal against the Hilltoppers.

I just pointed out that a defense can improve from year to year...

even a bad one. Using Tech as the example.

I don't think Western needs to have the 32% improvement that Tech had from 2013-2012. A 15% improvement from Western would have been enough to won the east last year. I really don't think that's asking too much from a team that returns just about everyone. Plus a keY UAB starter...

along with those returning players getting bigger, stronger, faster :) isn't that what all fans say?

(08-12-2015 05:03 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 04:49 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 04:37 PM)WKUYG Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 03:10 PM)RonBurgundy Wrote:  I voted for Western Kentucky to finish third. I feel certain that the offense will be good this year but how much can that defense really improve over last year? A couple off nights offensively against teams like FIU or Rice on the road and a rivalry game against Middle Tennessee as well as games against Tech and Marshall, could be 4 conference losses in there. I think that would put them in third behind Marshall and Middle Tennessee.

I believe I read where Tech gave up 38ppg in 2012 and 26ppg in 2013... a difference of 7ppg last year would have put Tech playing Western for the conference championship

But I wouldn't argue against Western choking and finishing 3rd but then again everything you pointed out against Western one could easily say for S.Miss not winning 6 games....

So I say the odds are just as good for both happening since S. Miss has games @Neb @Tech @Marshall @Rice, vs Miss St @Texas St all games they will be underdogs in

I don't really know what the 2012 and 2013 Tech teams that played in the WAC have to do with a 2015 Western Kentucky team. I'm not biased against Western Kentucky in any way, I've just witnessed first hand how a terrible defense can derail the number 2 all time best college football offense from winning a conference championship. I just think y'all have a better chance of ending up third in the East than USM has going bowling this year. Nothing personal against the Hilltoppers.

I just pointed out that a defense can improve from year to year...

even a bad one. Using Tech as the example.

I don't think Western needs to have the 32% improvement that Tech had from 2013-2012. A 15% improvement from Western would have been enough to won the east last year. I really don't think that's asking too much from a team that returns just about everyone. Plus a keY UAB starter...

along with those returning players getting bigger, stronger, faster :) isn't that what all fans say?

I really do hope Western Kentucky is a great team this year, it'll only help make the conference as a whole look better. Hope y'all go 12-2 with two losses to Tech and smash someone in a bowl game.

USM bowl more likely than a WKU tank.

WKU disappoints this season. And USM fails to go bowling too.

I'm just not sold on the "USM turnaround" yet. I'm not saying USM can't make it to a bowl in 2016 or 2017, but USM just doesn't have the talent that it used to have. IMO, it will take a couple more recruiting classes for USM to have bowl talent at every position. I see 4 to 5 wins for USM this year.

Hog, we hope all the schools are thinking like you and are overlooking us. We have always done better this way....

I"m putting more faith in USM reaching Bowl level performance. Maybe it's just wishful thinking for USM to get back to pre-eminence in the conference, but I think it will happen. I'll also think that WKU will perform pretty much as expected if their defense has improved at all.

(08-12-2015 11:06 PM)HogDawg Wrote:  WKU disappoints this season. And USM fails to go bowling too.

I'm just not sold on the "USM turnaround" yet. I'm not saying USM can't make it to a bowl in 2016 or 2017, but USM just doesn't have the talent that it used to have. IMO, it will take a couple more recruiting classes for USM to have bowl talent at every position. I see 4 to 5 wins for USM this year.

I agree, but there are some very weak teams on our schedule this season. We may eek out 6 wins.

Talent, while better than years past, still isn't where it needs to be.

What we are hoping for this season is that the team learns how to win. The team is full of players who haven't won much at all.

(08-13-2015 10:16 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 11:06 PM)HogDawg Wrote:  WKU disappoints this season. And USM fails to go bowling too.

I'm just not sold on the "USM turnaround" yet. I'm not saying USM can't make it to a bowl in 2016 or 2017, but USM just doesn't have the talent that it used to have. IMO, it will take a couple more recruiting classes for USM to have bowl talent at every position. I see 4 to 5 wins for USM this year.

I agree, but there are some very weak teams on our schedule this season. We may eek out 6 wins.

Talent, while better than years past, still isn't where it needs to be.

What we are hoping for this season is that the team learns how to win. The team is full of players who haven't won much at all.

Exactly. USM gets a FCS team, UTSA & ODU at home then Charlotte on the road. No reason that couldn't be 4 wins.

(08-12-2015 11:06 PM)HogDawg Wrote:  WKU disappoints this season. And USM fails to go bowling too.

I'm just not sold on the "USM turnaround" yet. I'm not saying USM can't make it to a bowl in 2016 or 2017, but USM just doesn't have the talent that it used to have. IMO, it will take a couple more recruiting classes for USM to have bowl talent at every position. I see 4 to 5 wins for USM this year.

I don't think fans of the other schools in CUSA realize how much talent we've brought in since the end of last season. Writer for the local paper, that sees every practice, was asked who wins if the 2014 and 2015 teams played. His response was the 2015 team wins by four touchdowns.

(08-13-2015 10:16 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 11:06 PM)HogDawg Wrote:  WKU disappoints this season. And USM fails to go bowling too.

I'm just not sold on the "USM turnaround" yet. I'm not saying USM can't make it to a bowl in 2016 or 2017, but USM just doesn't have the talent that it used to have. IMO, it will take a couple more recruiting classes for USM to have bowl talent at every position. I see 4 to 5 wins for USM this year.

I agree, but there are some very weak teams on our schedule this season. We may eek out 6 wins.

Talent, while better than years past, still isn't where it needs to be.

What we are hoping for this season is that the team learns how to win. The team is full of players who haven't won much at all.

Shifty, have you made out to any of the fall practices? I was able to make it out to a practice, and the talent level has increased tremendously since last year. Many more athletes on the field, and much more depth. It is very obvious on the DL and at LB.

(08-13-2015 12:36 PM)Eagleholic Wrote:  

(08-13-2015 10:16 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  

(08-12-2015 11:06 PM)HogDawg Wrote:  WKU disappoints this season. And USM fails to go bowling too.

I'm just not sold on the "USM turnaround" yet. I'm not saying USM can't make it to a bowl in 2016 or 2017, but USM just doesn't have the talent that it used to have. IMO, it will take a couple more recruiting classes for USM to have bowl talent at every position. I see 4 to 5 wins for USM this year.

I agree, but there are some very weak teams on our schedule this season. We may eek out 6 wins.

Talent, while better than years past, still isn't where it needs to be.

What we are hoping for this season is that the team learns how to win. The team is full of players who haven't won much at all.

Shifty, have you made out to any of the fall practices? I was able to make it out to a practice, and the talent level has increased tremendously since last year. Many more athletes on the field, and much more depth. It is very obvious on the DL and at LB.

I'm not questioning the talent level increasing but I always wondered how anyone could tell this by watching players going against teammates.

If one player is looking good then it must mean someone else is getting beat and isn't it a lot easier to standout against less talented players?

I think Southern Miss will be bowl bound this year. I look forward to seeing them come to Charlotte.

If WKU doesn't beat both Vandy and Indiana, I'll be very disappointed. Where are these games played?