This was yet another tough one to watch. It's quite simple, it all starts at the top. I've been in the military a long time and the one thing you learn early on is the leader sets the tone for their unit or organization. I'm not pinning this all on Carey and the other coaches but the team is a reflection of the leadership. This also means leaders on the team, like the seniors, need to set the example. Continuous penalties, missed blocks or dropped balls by seniors is unacceptable. The question now is whether the leaders will dig deeper, work harder and coach or play better. I for one would like to look at this team in early December and say they are truly a team that overcame adversity when it mattered the most. Go Huskies!

Kind of interesting juxtaposition but exactly the opposite....'11 we had an unbelievable QB and offense and an atrocious defense. This year we have a really good defense and a struggling offense (never thought I'd say that).

So the difference is that with an elite QB you can usually find ways to win in this league...that was 2011. D will keep us in games not With Hare even being a game manager will give us a shot since we can't run the ball effectively.

Play calling, mental mistakes and Hare are going to have to make huge improvements really fast.

Will be interesting to see what kind of resolve this group has.

(10-03-2015 07:15 PM)scottiep12 Wrote:  Kind of interesting juxtaposition but exactly the opposite....'11 we had an unbelievable QB and offense and an atrocious defense. This year we have a really good defense and a struggling offense (never thought I'd say that).

So the difference is that with an elite QB you can usually find ways to win in this league...that was 2011. D will keep us in games not With Hare even being a game manager will give us a shot since we can't run the ball effectively.

Play calling, mental mistakes and Hare are going to have to make huge improvements really fast.

Will be interesting to see what kind of resolve this group has.

+1

Its not like Hare was making bad throws and throwing INTs. He had issues holding onto the ball in cold, wet weather. Did anyone on the coaching staff think once, hey we need to get some gloves on his hands because he's having difficulty gripping the ball???

2011? We're headed for 2007.

(10-03-2015 07:25 PM)NIUTrekker Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 07:15 PM)scottiep12 Wrote:  Kind of interesting juxtaposition but exactly the opposite....'11 we had an unbelievable QB and offense and an atrocious defense. This year we have a really good defense and a struggling offense (never thought I'd say that).

So the difference is that with an elite QB you can usually find ways to win in this league...that was 2011. D will keep us in games not With Hare even being a game manager will give us a shot since we can't run the ball effectively.

Play calling, mental mistakes and Hare are going to have to make huge improvements really fast.

Will be interesting to see what kind of resolve this group has.

+1

It is the opposite...but man, hard to have much faith after what we saw today. If you're trying to be super optimistic, you could say we had a handle on the game for 3 of the 4 quarters, but just a terrible 7 or 8 minutes in the 3rd Q. But, that's just BS'ing, that was awful today.

And not because CMU is a bad team, they're not. But we lost because of turnovers, plain and simple. Who to blame the turnovers on? That will be argued, but you can't turn it over that much.

No, this team is bad. Quarterback can't even hang on to the ball. This is more 2007 then 2011. Sorry

(10-03-2015 08:07 PM)pjfleck82 Wrote:  No, this team is bad. Quarterback can't even hang on to the ball. This is more 2007 then 2011. Sorry

It's not 2007...come on folks. If you want say 2008? 2009? 2006? sure. 2007? no.

Run play at the goal line on 4th and 1 was bad. How about a pass out to the tight end like the first two games. It would have been wide open. To lose 4 yards is unheard of.

(10-03-2015 09:33 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Run play at the goal line on 4th and 1 was bad. How about a pass out to the tight end like the first two games. It would have been wide open. To lose 4 yards is unheard of.

I feel like there's quite a few play callers in the football world that call a run play on 4th and 1...I actually think the run play on 4th and longer was dumb compared to that (but that one worked!). Let's at least be smart folks.

(10-03-2015 10:28 PM)17Huskies Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 09:33 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Run play at the goal line on 4th and 1 was bad. How about a pass out to the tight end like the first two games. It would have been wide open. To lose 4 yards is unheard of.

I feel like there's quite a few play callers in the football world that call a run play on 4th and 1...I actually think the run play on 4th and longer was dumb compared to that (but that one worked!). Let's at least be smart folks.

I think the bigger question on that series is when it was first in goal why isn't Bouagnon in the game. You ride him all the way down to first and goal and then pull him for the smaller back Huff. It was like last week against BC when NIU was driving in the third but pulls Bouagnon out on 3rd and 1 and tries to a pass to endzone. The end result was a missed FG and no points. Today was a stuff on 4th at the one and no points. I think Huff definitely needs more reps but I don't really understand the running back rotation at all. CMU is giving up chunks of yards on the ground and you pull the horse that is moving the chains just before you punch it in and ultimately come away with nothing.

That is why I thought for sure they would throw versus Huff up the middle.

1 yard line? I would put a 320 lb. defensive lineman it at RB and run it through their intestines. Or, at the very least, use him as a decoy for a short throw into the end zone.

(10-03-2015 10:39 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 10:28 PM)17Huskies Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 09:33 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Run play at the goal line on 4th and 1 was bad. How about a pass out to the tight end like the first two games. It would have been wide open. To lose 4 yards is unheard of.

I feel like there's quite a few play callers in the football world that call a run play on 4th and 1...I actually think the run play on 4th and longer was dumb compared to that (but that one worked!). Let's at least be smart folks.

I think the bigger question on that series is when it was first in goal why isn't Bouagnon in the game. You ride him all the way down to first and goal and then pull him for the smaller back Huff. It was like last week against BC when NIU was driving in the third but pulls Bouagnon out on 3rd and 1 and tries to a pass to endzone. The end result was a missed FG and no points. Today was a stuff on 4th at the one and no points. I think Huff definitely needs more reps but I don't really understand the running back rotation at all. CMU is giving up chunks of yards on the ground and you pull the horse that is moving the chains just before you punch it in and ultimately come away with nothing.

Thanks 22 for summarizing this "specific" and perfect example of the mind-boggling substitution/play-calling that has been a significant part of this 2 game train wreck. ( Ranks #3 after Turnovers at #1 & Penalties at #2.)

How ACRB was on the sidelines for that 3rd & 1 at BC just boggles.

Take a look at the carries last year and they were much more balanced (when Stingily & Akeem were healthy.)

If ACRB=Stingily, who is our Akeem Daniels? Turner has similar skills and is arguably our speediest player on offense. Where are his touches??? It defies logic that we can't put the ball in his hands. He's rarely even on the field for gawds sake!

I've pounded the table for Huff and while he may not be what I thought he would be, he certainly deserves more touches. (The Turner thing is still more glaring though.)

Further, I could have sworn on Opening night the first couple plays had ACRB, Huff & DJ Brown in the backfield which I thought was a new wrinkle for opposing defenses. Haven't seen it since.

We were all giddy about all the offensive "weapons" we had for 2015.
Some of the best have been watching from the sidelines.

(10-04-2015 09:36 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 10:39 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 10:28 PM)17Huskies Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 09:33 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Run play at the goal line on 4th and 1 was bad. How about a pass out to the tight end like the first two games. It would have been wide open. To lose 4 yards is unheard of.

I feel like there's quite a few play callers in the football world that call a run play on 4th and 1...I actually think the run play on 4th and longer was dumb compared to that (but that one worked!). Let's at least be smart folks.

I think the bigger question on that series is when it was first in goal why isn't Bouagnon in the game. You ride him all the way down to first and goal and then pull him for the smaller back Huff. It was like last week against BC when NIU was driving in the third but pulls Bouagnon out on 3rd and 1 and tries to a pass to endzone. The end result was a missed FG and no points. Today was a stuff on 4th at the one and no points. I think Huff definitely needs more reps but I don't really understand the running back rotation at all. CMU is giving up chunks of yards on the ground and you pull the horse that is moving the chains just before you punch it in and ultimately come away with nothing.

Thanks 22 for summarizing this "specific" and perfect example of the mind-boggling substitution/play-calling that has been a significant part of this 2 game train wreck. ( Ranks #3 after Turnovers at #1 & Penalties at #2.)

How ACRB was on the sidelines for that 3rd & 1 at BC just boggles.

Take a look at the carries last year and they were much more balanced (when Stingily & Akeem were healthy.)

If ACRB=Stingily, who is our Akeem Daniels? Turner has similar skills and is arguably our speediest player on offense. Where are his touches??? It defies logic that we can't put the ball in his hands. He's rarely even on the field for gawds sake!

I've pounded the table for Huff and while he may not be what I thought he would be, he certainly deserves more touches. (The Turner thing is still more glaring though.)

Further, I could have sworn on Opening night the first couple plays had ACRB, Huff & DJ Brown in the backfield which I thought was a new wrinkle for opposing defenses. Haven't seen it since.

We were all giddy about all the offensive "weapons" we had for 2015.
Some of the best have been watching from the sidelines.

Maybe ACRB was winded after getting so many tough carries that drive? I don't know...you can disagree with it, but it's not hard to come up with a potential reason...

(10-04-2015 12:04 PM)17Huskies Wrote:  

(10-04-2015 09:36 AM)thxjoenovak Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 10:39 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 10:28 PM)17Huskies Wrote:  

(10-03-2015 09:33 PM)huskie1stdown Wrote:  Run play at the goal line on 4th and 1 was bad. How about a pass out to the tight end like the first two games. It would have been wide open. To lose 4 yards is unheard of.

I feel like there's quite a few play callers in the football world that call a run play on 4th and 1...I actually think the run play on 4th and longer was dumb compared to that (but that one worked!). Let's at least be smart folks.

I think the bigger question on that series is when it was first in goal why isn't Bouagnon in the game. You ride him all the way down to first and goal and then pull him for the smaller back Huff. It was like last week against BC when NIU was driving in the third but pulls Bouagnon out on 3rd and 1 and tries to a pass to endzone. The end result was a missed FG and no points. Today was a stuff on 4th at the one and no points. I think Huff definitely needs more reps but I don't really understand the running back rotation at all. CMU is giving up chunks of yards on the ground and you pull the horse that is moving the chains just before you punch it in and ultimately come away with nothing.

Thanks 22 for summarizing this "specific" and perfect example of the mind-boggling substitution/play-calling that has been a significant part of this 2 game train wreck. ( Ranks #3 after Turnovers at #1 & Penalties at #2.)

How ACRB was on the sidelines for that 3rd & 1 at BC just boggles.

Take a look at the carries last year and they were much more balanced (when Stingily & Akeem were healthy.)

If ACRB=Stingily, who is our Akeem Daniels? Turner has similar skills and is arguably our speediest player on offense. Where are his touches??? It defies logic that we can't put the ball in his hands. He's rarely even on the field for gawds sake!

I've pounded the table for Huff and while he may not be what I thought he would be, he certainly deserves more touches. (The Turner thing is still more glaring though.)

Further, I could have sworn on Opening night the first couple plays had ACRB, Huff & DJ Brown in the backfield which I thought was a new wrinkle for opposing defenses. Haven't seen it since.

We were all giddy about all the offensive "weapons" we had for 2015.
Some of the best have been watching from the sidelines.

Maybe ACRB was winded after getting so many tough carries that drive? I don't know...you can disagree with it, but it's not hard to come up with a potential reason...

Maybe. And maybe that's a good spot for a TO as TD's were so hard to come by in a clearly low-scoring affair.

(10-03-2015 05:29 PM)BobL Wrote:  This team is not as bad as it showed today. 2011 started 2-3 with a loss to cmu. Keep the faith.

Back to the initial point of this thread. I remember 2011 well, staring off 2-3 (including losing to CMU) and then running the table, winning the MAC and then beating the snot out of Fresno State on the blue turf in the Humanitarian Bowl! I also remember that the defense was horrible and Dave Doeren made significant changes to the defense. Of course, I remembered Jimmy Ward becoming a starter. I had to refresh my recollection as to all the changes and came across an article titled “A guide to NIU's defensive personnel changes” which you can read at http://www.redandblackattack.com/2011/10...ve-changes if you like.

The point is that the 2011 turnaround did not just happen; Doeren made the changes to the defense and the offense kept playing great. The turnaround in 2015 is not just going to happen; Carey needs to make changes to the offense. Of course, Doeren did not coach the Huskies in the Humanitarian Bowl since he got $1.8 million/year from N.C State!

Doeren was not even the coach yet. He watched that Bowl Game on TV. He had just been hired by NIU.

(10-04-2015 06:46 PM)dekalb222 Wrote:  Doeren was not even the coach yet. He watched that Bowl Game on TV. He had just been hired by NIU.

My bad; Got my years mixed up. The Humanitarian Bowl was in 2010 after Jerry Kill left for Minnesota. Doeren was hired by NIU in December 2010, and won the MAC and the GoDaddy.com Bowl over Arkansas State in 2011. We won the MAC again in 2012 and Doeren did not coach the Orange Bowl as he was hired by NC State on December 1, 2012. The point remains that Doeren made the changes to the defense to turnaround the 2011 season.

(10-03-2015 05:43 PM)PrideinthePack Wrote:  There's no chance Toledo is ranked.

By any chance PrideinthePack, did you see this week's rankings? Is that a misprint at No. 24?