(10-09-2023 11:13 AM)Klake1987 Wrote:  Losing Rutk hurts.

So from previous seasons I think it’s a percentage of games missed would be the way for him to qualify for a medical redshirt right? So basically they need to get to a bowl game for him to have a chance at receiving the medical (if he wants it) or am I thinking the percentage is wrong?

(10-10-2023 08:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(10-09-2023 11:13 AM)Klake1987 Wrote:  Losing Rutk hurts.

So from previous seasons I think it’s a percentage of games missed would be the way for him to qualify for a medical redshirt right? So basically they need to get to a bowl game for him to have a chance at receiving the medical (if he wants it) or am I thinking the percentage is wrong?

Unfortunately the number is 30% of the games. Since that was Kasper's 6th game theres no way for him to get that medical waiver.

While he will certainly be missed I do think Barnes/Carter/Johnson can pick up the slack. I'd be curious as to what Rut's catch % was. They seemed to force a lot of balls his way that went incomplete. Understandable as Rudolph wasn't healthy and everyone else is new.

I’m waiting for BigRed and Rawdog10 to chime in, they kinda called the Akron win (in a fire hammock thread). They correctly countered my negativity.

But I will say..supposed to be a wet day and I can see us making like 3 turnovers, a pick, a punt muff (no RutK) and a fumble. But I still bet it’s a close game.

(10-10-2023 10:15 PM)NIU84 Wrote:  I’m waiting for BigRed and Rawdog10 to chime in, they kinda called the Akron win (in a fire hammock thread). They correctly countered my negativity.

But I will say..supposed to be a wet day and I can see us making like 3 turnovers, a pick, a punt muff (no RutK) and a fumble. But I still bet it’s a close game.

I definitely didn't think they'd curb stomp Akron like they did but, just looking at the schedule and seeing our defense as a giant advantage, it didn't seem preposterous for us to see a turn of fortune against a ridiculously easy schedule the rest of the way.

As for the Ohio game...I'm not sure. This is the one game against an actual decent/good team but a stifling defense can be a difference maker and we potentially have one. Our defense has its wrinkles (open field tackling is an issues from time to time) but if they play at the top of their game on Saturday, Ohio is going to have a hard time.

The rain probably plays into our hands defensively and potentially on the offensive side as well if we can get the run game going but Ohio has a good defense too.

I'm not predicting a win but it's definitely possible and more of a toss up game than many might think. It SHOULD be a low scoring affair as both team defenses suppress points and both team offenses struggle scoring points.

Which actually does more to highlight how terrible the MAC is. Neither Ohio nor NIU score a ton of ppg (24 to 25, respectively) but both have had massive offensive outputs in their two conference games (Ohio scored 38 against BG and 42 against Kent while NIU scored 33 against Toledo and 55 against Akron).

IMO, it'll be a low scoring affair with NIU coming out on top with the game coming down to the last possession.

(10-10-2023 09:35 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(10-10-2023 08:45 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(10-09-2023 11:13 AM)Klake1987 Wrote:  Losing Rutk hurts.

So from previous seasons I think it’s a percentage of games missed would be the way for him to qualify for a medical redshirt right? So basically they need to get to a bowl game for him to have a chance at receiving the medical (if he wants it) or am I thinking the percentage is wrong?

Unfortunately the number is 30% of the games. Since that was Kasper's 6th game theres no way for him to get that medical waiver.

While he will certainly be missed I do think Barnes/Carter/Johnson can pick up the slack. I'd be curious as to what Rut's catch % was. They seemed to force a lot of balls his way that went incomplete. Understandable as Rudolph wasn't healthy and everyone else is new.

That is a shame. Guess we would have to make the MACC and Bowl game to get close to that percentage and maybe they put it up for "appeal".

I do think we win this game, especially if it is wet/raining/windy. AB and Williams day again with Williams getting on track with some good yards. Field goal wins it for NIU in the closing seconds. 24-21 with rain.

38-31 If for some reason there isn't rain/wind. Either way NIU finds a way to win and go on a nice run for the rest of the season.

I don't think wind/rain will help. We haven't done well when our passing game wasn't a real threat.

Ohio played in very windy conditions against BG, where Kurtis went 14-16, and it was pretty windy last week in Athens with some rain where he threw for 300 yards. not saying the wind won't make things interesting but the guy throws some darts. Add constant rain and who knows. I always think that slippery conditions favor receivers getting wide open which can aid the passing game, whereas tailbacks don't have the grip they need to ground and pound like they might be used to. Which team's backs get to the second level where they can make cuts and pick up big yards could be the difference.

We don't have a history of passing the ball well in windy conditions from everything I've seen over the past few decades, despite the fact that we should be used to windy DeKalb. Seems like the opposing QB always handles the wind better.

(10-11-2023 07:39 AM)Big Red Wrote:  The rain probably plays into our hands defensively and potentially on the offensive side as well if we can get the run game going but Ohio has a good defense too.

I'm thinking rain plays into their hands better offensively since they have a QB who can run it or pitch it so they have more blockers. I don't see us running Lombardi a bunch of times or play option with him. Maybe we just do the wildcat with Brown and Williams lol.

(10-11-2023 02:21 PM)Roberto Gato Wrote:  Ohio played in very windy conditions against BG, where Kurtis went 14-16, and it was pretty windy last week in Athens with some rain where he threw for 300 yards. not saying the wind won't make things interesting but the guy throws some darts. Add constant rain and who knows. I always think that slippery conditions favor receivers getting wide open which can aid the passing game, whereas tailbacks don't have the grip they need to ground and pound like they might be used to. Which team's backs get to the second level where they can make cuts and pick up big yards could be the difference.

That doesn’t bode well for us. The Ohio BG game was over after 1 quarter (21-0) and 31-0 at half. We’ll know quickly if Rourke will kill us.

One more time…your team is as good as your QB, hard to win with a poor QB, hard to beat a really good QB. Come on Rocky, have a career day!!!

(10-11-2023 12:41 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  I don't think wind/rain will help. We haven't done well when our passing game wasn't a real threat.

I think so too. When everything gets condensed our running game has frankly been bad. Brown is special when he has space to reach the second level in that he takes what would be a 10-25 yard gain by an average RB, 50+ to the house.

Lombardi no longer being a running threat (so it appears) also hurts us. Rourke doesn't run a ton, but I have seen him look really dangerous when he does.

I don't think we can win unless Lombardi has a really good performance.

I never predict scores, so just a comment ... NIU lost by just two to Toledo, pounded an obviously weaker Akron team, and now needs badly to show itself and fans that it is in a solid upward pattern. This season will be so-so in total; that 1-4 is hard to overcome. But even a narrow loss (of course I hope for a win) would show the Huskies can play straight up with the best in the conference, which at present seem to be Toledo and Ohio. I hate the idea of "wait until next year" with six to play. I for one don't have a lot of "next years." Pretty selfish, huh.

Looks like it is going to by pretty dry by game time but windy.

Every game always feels big to me if I am honest, but the Huskies and the fan base need this game badly to restore confidence in the program. A solid win today and we have the makings to go on a nice little run and salvage the season. I know we have the horses, let’s punch them in the mouth early and get the W and get back to dominating at home. 7 losses in a row at home is downright awful, just cannot happen. Hoping today is the turnaround and we have allot of happy Huskie fans at 6 pm tonight. I will be there and cheering my ass off.

Let’s Go Huskies!

(10-14-2023 06:09 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  Looks like it is going to by pretty dry by game time but windy.

Every game always feels big to me if I am honest, but the Huskies and the fan base need this game badly to restore confidence in the program. A solid win today and we have the makings to go on a nice little run and salvage the season. I know we have the horses, let’s punch them in the mouth early and get the W and get back to dominating at home. 7 losses in a row at home is downright awful, just cannot happen. Hoping today is the turnaround and we have allot of happy Huskie fans at 6 pm tonight. I will be there and cheering my ass off.

Let’s Go Huskies!

I will add that a Huskie victory combined with a Ball State upset over Toledo would be icing on the cake.

I think a little too much Rourke. Unless we can have a big advantage in TOs, I'm going with:

Cats: 28
Dogs: 24

Hope I'm wrong. GO HUSKIES!!!!!

(10-14-2023 06:26 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(10-14-2023 06:09 AM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  Looks like it is going to by pretty dry by game time but windy.

Every game always feels big to me if I am honest, but the Huskies and the fan base need this game badly to restore confidence in the program. A solid win today and we have the makings to go on a nice little run and salvage the season. I know we have the horses, let’s punch them in the mouth early and get the W and get back to dominating at home. 7 losses in a row at home is downright awful, just cannot happen. Hoping today is the turnaround and we have allot of happy Huskie fans at 6 pm tonight. I will be there and cheering my ass off.

Let’s Go Huskies!

I will add that a Huskie victory combined with a Ball State upset over Toledo would be icing on the cake.

Ball State have been awful this year. 17.5 point underdogs. Crazier upsets have happened of course. Toledo do play Miami OH who are the 3rd MAC Team playing consistently well. But we definitely would need to win out and have Toledo slip up to a bad MAC Team and lose to Miami.

All a moot point if we don’t win today.

Toledo would need to have half their starters to come down with food poisoning and be left in Toledo for Ball State to have a shot. Ball State is pretty terrible this season and apparently they are putting in a new QB for this game who is mostly just a run threat.

We need Toledo to lose twice and we need to win out. Both of those scenarios are unlikely to happen. Only team with a shot of beating Toledo is Miami. Maybe BG because of the rivalry aspect and they will have nothing else to play for.

I think that Rocky is fine now that his thumb seems to be healed. That said I think that football is won or lost in the trenches and I fear that OU's O line is > NIU's D line and I think that OU's D line is > NIU's Oline.

Based on that I think that NIU will struggle mightily this game and I look for a blow out loss ... perhaps 38 to 10 ish. I sure hope that I am wrong!

(10-14-2023 10:11 AM)bikechuck Wrote:  I think that Rocky is fine now that his thumb seems to be healed. That said I think that football is won or lost in the trenches and I fear that OU's O line is > NIU's D line and I think that OU's D line is > NIU's Oline.

Based on that I think that NIU will struggle mightily this game and I look for a blow out loss ... perhaps 38 to 10 ish. I sure hope that I am wrong!

I used to play 10ish. Never could serve very well. I will be thoroughly disappointed if Rocky can only manage 10 points. If thats the case then this team never was going to be able to compete. So I really hope you are wrong.

(10-14-2023 10:11 AM)bikechuck Wrote:  I think that Rocky is fine now that his thumb seems to be healed. That said I think that football is won or lost in the trenches and I fear that OU's O line is > NIU's D line and I think that OU's D line is > NIU's Oline.

Based on that I think that NIU will struggle mightily this game and I look for a blow out loss ... perhaps 38 to 10 ish. I sure hope that I am wrong!

I have to disagree - I think the NIU d line is a high quality unit. Plenty of good quality kids to rotate. If NIU loses it’s not the D line.