We lost starting running backs, and starting offensive linemen to the transfer portal and the guys next up have not been well developed. It’s coaching. Why does our offense just not look ready? Coaching and development.

The line has definitely missed Cox and Z.

Brown is great if you give him a head start, which this line is not doing. He also benefitted from coming in after the D was tired from chasing Waylee around.

I watched the Nebraska game again and the entire interior O line got pretty much destroyed.

This is a crappy situation. Not only is coaching and preparing these players bad, but it doesn't look like we are even recruiting the right talent. I think it's a failure in every aspect of the offense - from recruiting, to coaching/upcoaching, to physical training, to game preparation, to in-game coaching.......and, ultimately, to stubbornness. Hammock needs to quickly surround himself with coaches who can determine what the hell is going on and figure this thing out. If this does not change, can you just imagine how many fans will be freezing their arses off on the cold metal seats in Huskie Stadium in November? If the attendance is in the hundreds, that may be overstating it.

(09-19-2023 10:02 AM)Dog Fan Wrote:  This is a crappy situation. Not only is coaching and preparing these players bad, but it doesn't look like we are even recruiting the right talent. I think it's a failure in every aspect of the offense - from recruiting, to coaching/upcoaching, to physical training, to game preparation, to in-game coaching.......and, ultimately, to stubbornness. Hammock needs to quickly surround himself with coaches who can determine what the hell is going on and figure this thing out. If this does not change, can you just imagine how many fans will be freezing their arses off on the cold metal seats in Huskie Stadium in November? If the attendance is in the hundreds, that may be overstating it.

Totally agree. I mean, this was a HC who had two DCs at the same time, and the one who stayed (Benedetto) coached the only moments the defense played well last season. OK, that seems to be fixed, so where is the weakness on the OC staff? I have a hard time believing that the OLine just withered and collapsed because 1-2 guys are no longer there. I was shocked when Waylee left ... who opened/pushed that door? Is Hammock looking for an RB clone? Why does next-man-up not apply to QBs? Loyalty is a good thing, but it it cannot be an excuse. IMO, NIU is 1-2 and should be 2-1. One o-o-c game left to show the fans the ship is steering the course. By the time "we need to get better" actually accomplishes something, the season will be over. If not, fans won't need cold metal seats for an excuse. And it will be harder to draw them back in 2024.

(09-19-2023 09:42 AM)BDB5yp Wrote:  We lost starting running backs, and starting offensive linemen to the transfer portal and the guys next up have not been well developed. It’s coaching. Why does our offense just not look ready? Coaching and development.

The portal affects every single team at all levels and is not something to complain about imo. It's the reality of the game and the guys you lose can be replaced. Many guys transfer out, give up a scholarship and then sign on as a non-scholarship walk-on at an FCS or lower school. Many of those guys are MAC level talent.

An argument can be made that we won the MAC in 2021 because of the portal yet no one complained about it.

Can't have it both ways.

Could Hammock have kept his RBs? I got the impression that Ducker was likely to be the #3 RB even after playing well as the starter when the others were injured. So I can see why he left. Why did Waylee leave? Is Hammock too enamored with Brown as he "looks the part" even though he hasn't shown much?

There must be somebody in the RB room that can either break tackles or make someone miss. Doesn't matter if they're small. In fact, if they're small they might have better acceleration to get through those all too brief holes in the defense.

Obviously the O-line is a big problem too but it doesn't end there.

(09-19-2023 10:43 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 09:42 AM)BDB5yp Wrote:  We lost starting running backs, and starting offensive linemen to the transfer portal and the guys next up have not been well developed. It’s coaching. Why does our offense just not look ready? Coaching and development.

The portal affects every single team at all levels and is not something to complain about imo. It's the reality of the game and the guys you lose can be replaced. Many guys transfer out, give up a scholarship and then sign on as a non-scholarship walk-on at an FCS or lower school. Many of those guys are MAC level talent.

An argument can be made that we won the MAC in 2021 because of the portal yet no one complained about it.

Can't have it both ways.

Agree to some extent, but there were a lot of people on this board that said all the transfers would not be missed just look at our depth. They were 100% wrong the Portal does giveth and taketh away - this year it has taken the season from NIU. Waylee started last week and played well at Texas and Cox is a starting LT in the SEC.

(09-19-2023 12:28 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 10:43 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 09:42 AM)BDB5yp Wrote:  We lost starting running backs, and starting offensive linemen to the transfer portal and the guys next up have not been well developed. It’s coaching. Why does our offense just not look ready? Coaching and development.

The portal affects every single team at all levels and is not something to complain about imo. It's the reality of the game and the guys you lose can be replaced. Many guys transfer out, give up a scholarship and then sign on as a non-scholarship walk-on at an FCS or lower school. Many of those guys are MAC level talent.

An argument can be made that we won the MAC in 2021 because of the portal yet no one complained about it.

Can't have it both ways.

Agree to some extent, but there were a lot of people on this board that said all the transfers would not be missed just look at our depth. They were 100% wrong the Portal does giveth and taketh away - this year it has taken the season from NIU. Waylee started last week and played well at Texas and Cox is a starting LT in the SEC.

If losing one guy on the line (COX) has caused them to become this bad, that player should be drafted #1 overall in the next draft.

They just look fundamentally bad this year and yes Big Z being out does hurt. Time to try some other guys on the line.

The hype that a lot of the guys had like Lippe and Nygra had does not seem like they are progressing like expected or how they were talked up.

(09-19-2023 12:28 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 10:43 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 09:42 AM)BDB5yp Wrote:  We lost starting running backs, and starting offensive linemen to the transfer portal and the guys next up have not been well developed. It’s coaching. Why does our offense just not look ready? Coaching and development.

The portal affects every single team at all levels and is not something to complain about imo. It's the reality of the game and the guys you lose can be replaced. Many guys transfer out, give up a scholarship and then sign on as a non-scholarship walk-on at an FCS or lower school. Many of those guys are MAC level talent.

An argument can be made that we won the MAC in 2021 because of the portal yet no one complained about it.

Can't have it both ways.

Agree to some extent, but there were a lot of people on this board that said all the transfers would not be missed just look at our depth. They were 100% wrong the Portal does giveth and taketh away - this year it has taken the season from NIU. Waylee started last week and played well at Texas and Cox is a starting LT in the SEC.

For one, I'd like to think Hammock has a better grasp of the depth than this board but...if he doesn't, just because the board thought we had the depth to cover the losses doesn't excuse him not identifying it.

And for both Waylee and Cox, there were replacements available in the portal of equal or better value.

(09-19-2023 01:05 PM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 12:28 PM)HuskieJ Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 10:43 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 09:42 AM)BDB5yp Wrote:  We lost starting running backs, and starting offensive linemen to the transfer portal and the guys next up have not been well developed. It’s coaching. Why does our offense just not look ready? Coaching and development.

The portal affects every single team at all levels and is not something to complain about imo. It's the reality of the game and the guys you lose can be replaced. Many guys transfer out, give up a scholarship and then sign on as a non-scholarship walk-on at an FCS or lower school. Many of those guys are MAC level talent.

An argument can be made that we won the MAC in 2021 because of the portal yet no one complained about it.

Can't have it both ways.

Agree to some extent, but there were a lot of people on this board that said all the transfers would not be missed just look at our depth. They were 100% wrong the Portal does giveth and taketh away - this year it has taken the season from NIU. Waylee started last week and played well at Texas and Cox is a starting LT in the SEC.

For one, I'd like to think Hammock has a better grasp of the depth than this board but...if he doesn't, just because the board thought we had the depth to cover the losses doesn't excuse him not identifying it.

And for both Waylee and Cox, there were replacements available in the portal of equal or better value.

Waylee isn’t elusive or powerful. He’s a hit-the-hole and go guy. With no hole he’d be struggling just like Brown. Cox is definitely missed but he’s a grad transfer.

This all gets back to Hammock’s inability to develop recruits. Outside of Ester and O’Malley he has failed to produce quality starters. Thomas to a degree and maybe Byrd if he keeps it up.

The portal is the portal. Yeah we lose some, but we also have the potential to gain some. Have to roll with the punches and accept the new dynamics of college football.

It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

I thought we kept the best one. But as it turns out, everyone on those guys could start and put in meaningful snaps somewhere else. And a lot of those guys like Creidle, Blakemore and Harry have proven they are capable. Either be a part of a 6 headed beast, or be a feature somewhere else. I don't blame them for wanting to show the world what they are made of. I think only Jay took a step back.

(09-19-2023 05:04 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

I thought we kept the best one. But as it turns out, everyone on those guys could start and put in meaningful snaps somewhere else. And a lot of those guys like Creidle, Blakemore and Harry have proven they are capable. Either be a part of a 6 headed beast, or be a feature somewhere else. I don't blame them for wanting to show the world what they are made of. I think only Jay took a step back.

Ironically I think Ducker would be the best back for our run game at this point. That guy did nothing but break tackles, and in this offense you are not getting in open lanes. You’re getting contact at or near the LOS

(09-19-2023 05:30 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 05:04 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

I thought we kept the best one. But as it turns out, everyone on those guys could start and put in meaningful snaps somewhere else. And a lot of those guys like Creidle, Blakemore and Harry have proven they are capable. Either be a part of a 6 headed beast, or be a feature somewhere else. I don't blame them for wanting to show the world what they are made of. I think only Jay took a step back.

Ironically I think Ducker would be the best back for our run game at this point. That guy did nothing but break tackles, and in this offense you are not getting in open lanes. You’re getting contact at or near the LOS

A reunion would benefit both of us.

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

Yea that's what I was thinking. You not only have to recruit guys, you have to keep them here. I wonder how many other capable backups left but would have stayed with a more deft handling of players.

(09-20-2023 08:52 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

Yea that's what I was thinking. You not only have to recruit guys, you have to keep them here. I wonder how many other capable backups left but would have stayed with a more deft handling of players.

The idea that a coach needs to keep their players isn't fair anymore. No coach can keep their players from the portal. Expecting a coach at a G5 school to somehow navigate that without losing players is unrealistic. It will happen and will continue to happen.

He got Williams in the portal but should have gotten at least one more as it seems like we have only 2 RBs right now. There were other experienced backs available. He just either didn't go after them or didn't convince them. And with the state of our RB position, seems like it would have been an attractive landing spot for a guy who believed in his talent.

(09-20-2023 10:46 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-20-2023 08:52 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

Yea that's what I was thinking. You not only have to recruit guys, you have to keep them here. I wonder how many other capable backups left but would have stayed with a more deft handling of players.

The idea that a coach needs to keep their players isn't fair anymore. No coach can keep their players from the portal. Expecting a coach at a G5 school to somehow navigate that without losing players is unrealistic. It will happen and will continue to happen.

He got Williams in the portal but should have gotten at least one more as it seems like we have only 2 RBs right now. There were other experienced backs available. He just either didn't go after them or didn't convince them. And with the state of our RB position, seems like it would have been an attractive landing spot for a guy who believed in his talent.

You aren't going to keep everybody obviously, but he lost practically the entire RB room.

(09-20-2023 11:15 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-20-2023 10:46 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(09-20-2023 08:52 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-19-2023 05:01 PM)7 Wrote:  It’s hard to argue that losing almost your entire RB room when your head coach is a running back coach is anything but very concerning

Yea that's what I was thinking. You not only have to recruit guys, you have to keep them here. I wonder how many other capable backups left but would have stayed with a more deft handling of players.

The idea that a coach needs to keep their players isn't fair anymore. No coach can keep their players from the portal. Expecting a coach at a G5 school to somehow navigate that without losing players is unrealistic. It will happen and will continue to happen.

He got Williams in the portal but should have gotten at least one more as it seems like we have only 2 RBs right now. There were other experienced backs available. He just either didn't go after them or didn't convince them. And with the state of our RB position, seems like it would have been an attractive landing spot for a guy who believed in his talent.

You aren't going to keep everybody obviously, but he lost practically the entire RB room.

He did. And that was probably a result of having a bunch of guys all in the same class who were all basically worthy of the top spot so they look elsewhere. Then a guy like Blakemore leaves after doing basically nothing and is doing well at ISU. Granted, ISU is a FCS school, but seems like something wasn't clicking here for some reason.

Nevertheless, there were about 200 running backs available in the portal.

Poor recruiting in the transfer portal.