(11-26-2023 06:39 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 06:27 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 05:55 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 05:39 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  From Here on out I can honestly say my expectations will be much lower. I bought what Ham was selling for a couple years. Bought into Lombardi. I’m now selling all of that for the reality I see in the field. 5 to 7 wins a season while Ham is coaching.

I'd lower them more than that. Without Lombardi we went 3-9 last season and we need a QB next year. We definitely can't expect a top 25 defense every year. It's been nice the defense has played well this season, but after 4 years of bad defense I think we need to wait and see if they can replicate the success on defense. After all, we certainly haven't been able to replicate 2021 season.

This year the team won in spite of rocky. As long as the DC stays I think the team will be improved.

I was thinking about all the drops of late and how if Rut stayed healthy we probably have 2 more wins. Him and Rudolph playing like he is now would have been a big difference maker. TH needs to get 2 WR this off-season that can step in and play IMO. Johnson should be nothing more than the 4th/5th WR unless he marries a jugs machine this off-season.

Johnson can’t catch, which can be said for most of the WR.

Thing is - and I feel this 100% - Rocky throws a weird ball most of the time. The spiral isn’t super tight and those are hard to catch when thrown with the heat Rocky throws them with.

He has to have some kind of throwing hand injury or something…he throws a bad ball. So I give the inexperienced WRs some wiggle room.

When Rocky is gone I bet we see some random WR really step up. I just want a qb who can throw a nice ball. The quality of WR we have need the balls to be as easy to catch as possible.

We have found 3 receivers who can catch now- Barnes,Partridge Thomas. Partridge and Thomas we found out late, but will be big contributors going forward. I saw Thompson caught a baal yday, anyone have a feel for him? He has some speed.

(11-26-2023 06:57 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  We have found 3 receivers who can catch now- Barnes,Partridge Thomas. Partridge and Thomas we found out late, but will be big contributors going forward. I saw Thompson caught a baal yday, anyone have a feel for him? He has some speed.

If Rudolph stays I think he and Pardridge can be very similar to he and Rutkiwicz. I see Barnes as more as a niche player. He has some skills but not as an every down WR. And as always we have a need for a #3 wr.

Did Rocky complete one deep go route for a TD this season?? I know they tried multiple times with Johnson and Barnes. They tried last week with Thomas and I’m sure he tried a couple with Rudolph and Rut. For a QB who is suppose to have “big arm” and good deep ball, I swear I don’t recall one deep pass completed where the WR caught the ball in stride and ran into the end zone.

(11-26-2023 07:07 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 06:57 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  We have found 3 receivers who can catch now- Barnes,Partridge Thomas. Partridge and Thomas we found out late, but will be big contributors going forward. I saw Thompson caught a baal yday, anyone have a feel for him? He has some speed.

If Rudolph stays I think he and Pardridge can be very similar to he and Rutkiwicz. I see Barnes as more as a niche player. He has some skills but not as an every down WR. And as always we have a need for a #3 wr.

Did Rocky complete one deep go route for a TD this season?? I know they tried multiple times with Johnson and Barnes. They tried last week with Thomas and I’m sure he tried a couple with Rudolph and Rut. For a QB who is suppose to have “big arm” and good deep ball, I swear I don’t recall one deep pass completed where the WR caught the ball in stride and ran into the end zone.

Pretty sure the SIU game he hit Rut on one that was a nice ball.

We should start hearing some leaks on bowl games in the next day though. My guess is we will know before the MACC.

(11-26-2023 07:16 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 07:07 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 06:57 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  We have found 3 receivers who can catch now- Barnes,Partridge Thomas. Partridge and Thomas we found out late, but will be big contributors going forward. I saw Thompson caught a baal yday, anyone have a feel for him? He has some speed.

If Rudolph stays I think he and Pardridge can be very similar to he and Rutkiwicz. I see Barnes as more as a niche player. He has some skills but not as an every down WR. And as always we have a need for a #3 wr.

Did Rocky complete one deep go route for a TD this season?? I know they tried multiple times with Johnson and Barnes. They tried last week with Thomas and I’m sure he tried a couple with Rudolph and Rut. For a QB who is suppose to have “big arm” and good deep ball, I swear I don’t recall one deep pass completed where the WR caught the ball in stride and ran into the end zone.

Pretty sure the SIU game he hit Rut on one that was a nice ball.

Trying to recall, was that a deep ball or a nice catch and run?

(11-26-2023 07:25 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 07:16 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 07:07 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 06:57 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  We have found 3 receivers who can catch now- Barnes,Partridge Thomas. Partridge and Thomas we found out late, but will be big contributors going forward. I saw Thompson caught a baal yday, anyone have a feel for him? He has some speed.

If Rudolph stays I think he and Pardridge can be very similar to he and Rutkiwicz. I see Barnes as more as a niche player. He has some skills but not as an every down WR. And as always we have a need for a #3 wr.

Did Rocky complete one deep go route for a TD this season?? I know they tried multiple times with Johnson and Barnes. They tried last week with Thomas and I’m sure he tried a couple with Rudolph and Rut. For a QB who is suppose to have “big arm” and good deep ball, I swear I don’t recall one deep pass completed where the WR caught the ball in stride and ran into the end zone.

Pretty sure the SIU game he hit Rut on one that was a nice ball.

Trying to recall, was that a deep ball or a nice catch and run?

I think it was a crossing route. It was a very nice pass but it wasn't a deep ball.

https://www.espn.com/college-football/ga.../401532397

One of the deepest TD all season I think. 62 yards

(11-26-2023 08:49 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  https://www.espn.com/college-football/ga.../401532397

One of the deepest TD all season I think. 62 yards

That’s legit. Wasn’t the pass I was thinking of.

I just hope we don’t get matched up with James Madison.

Latest from ESPN, Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, AL, Sat. 23-Dec-23, 11:00 AM CST) or Cure Bowl (Orlando, FL, Sat. 16-DEC-2023, 3:30 EST))

Several others predict the 68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile, AL, Sat. 23-Dec-2023, 6:00 PM CST)

So far, all predictions on a Saturday.

(11-26-2023 06:43 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 06:39 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 06:27 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 05:55 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(11-26-2023 05:39 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  From Here on out I can honestly say my expectations will be much lower. I bought what Ham was selling for a couple years. Bought into Lombardi. I’m now selling all of that for the reality I see in the field. 5 to 7 wins a season while Ham is coaching.

I'd lower them more than that. Without Lombardi we went 3-9 last season and we need a QB next year. We definitely can't expect a top 25 defense every year. It's been nice the defense has played well this season, but after 4 years of bad defense I think we need to wait and see if they can replicate the success on defense. After all, we certainly haven't been able to replicate 2021 season.

This year the team won in spite of rocky. As long as the DC stays I think the team will be improved.

I was thinking about all the drops of late and how if Rut stayed healthy we probably have 2 more wins. Him and Rudolph playing like he is now would have been a big difference maker. TH needs to get 2 WR this off-season that can step in and play IMO. Johnson should be nothing more than the 4th/5th WR unless he marries a jugs machine this off-season.

Johnson can’t catch, which can be said for most of the WR.

Thing is - and I feel this 100% - Rocky throws a weird ball most of the time. The spiral isn’t super tight and those are hard to catch when thrown with the heat Rocky throws them with.

He has to have some kind of throwing hand injury or something…he throws a bad ball. So I give the inexperienced WRs some wiggle room.

When Rocky is gone I bet we see some random WR really step up. I just want a qb who can throw a nice ball. The quality of WR we have need the balls to be as easy to catch as possible.

With the extra practices, I hope the receivers and their coaches can get together and overcome whatever mental / physical obstacles are and able to make easy - to - tough catches in the games. Throw footballs at them while they're catching, hit them with padded sticks, make them catch one-handed. Make the practices harder than the games so they can actually perform. These are obvious things but for some reason, they don't seem to be getting it done.

Make it like the kickers, if the receivers drop passes punish the entire team. Franks and beans instead of Italian food, cheese sandwiches instead of pizza, practice outdoors instead of indoors, school buses instead of coach. Something better be done to fix this...

I’ve also seen in AZ vs Fresno St.

Brett McMurphy projects NIU vs Georgia Southern in the Famous Toastery Bowl, which is the relocated Bahamas Bowl held in Charlotte this year.

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/coll...nship-week

So everyone is predicting a different bowl. Any reason to believe that this is more than just guessing?

McMurphy is more plugged in than just about anybody. And the ESPN guys might be worth listening to because ESPN will be operating a lot of these bowls. I have no reason to think anyone else has a clue.

Cure Bowl please

(11-27-2023 01:17 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  So everyone is predicting a different bowl. Any reason to believe that this is more than just guessing?

There are a lot of moving pieces that affect more than just NIU eing 6-6.

Word is that the Bahamas bowl game that is playing in Charlotte really wants NIU in their game. But nothing is concrete with bowls being shuffled around and we won't know where we are going until probably late this week.