Last year we beat Ball St in OT, UCF on a last sec FG and SIU by them not getting the 2 pt conversion with I think no time left. Those games go the other way and we are 6-5. This year, we are about 2 plays from being 3-1. It shows that we are still a fragile program and there is a fine edge in winning and losing. Until that building goes up, I am afraid we will continue to be fragile. Remember nothing has changed for Coach Novak in 10 years as far as facilities. So he is still hanging in there with bailing wire and duct tape and doing a pretty good job. But when you start winning, losing a game becomes harder. I feel much better going into the Miami game then going into the Akron game. And it is nice to play a home game.
Great post, GCD.
I really disagree with that post.
While it may seem we are fragile, you have to realize that winning in college football usually goes in cycles. Especially if your team is a winner, and you have a lot of seniors(look at our D's vs now). When we kept graduating starters we kept getting better up until last season we had a bowl win and great team. NOw this year with all the new starters we have to start back down, the 4 year cycle is over. But the key here is to look at where you start the cycle. If we have a decent year and go 7-4, or even 6-5, our cycle starts just about where it did last time. But if we are lucky enough to go 8-3, this cycle is starting above where we were.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
Ohio State, look at last year, the first year of their new cycle, they weren't so great, this year...they are....
USC is in the last year of theirs....they are pretty good.
Miami Fl. They had their dorsey years...then went down, now are coming back up, Same with FSU. Even penn state had a bad cycle!
Michigan....Ect.
The fact is that teams go up and down, but the good ones stay down for a season. It will be interesting to see where we go next year.
I think you're both right.
Another thing to look at, At the end of this 4 year cycle our seniors will be:
English
Brown
Allen
McCarthy
Griffin
Moore
adonnis
Turner
Simon
Perez
Rice
Pruitt
Davis
Nicholson
Clanton
Brost
ect....
That is going to be a scary group.
I think the point GCD is trying to make is that without the facility upgrades, we haven't been able to build a lot of depth into the program, and thus are still fragile if injuries hit (like in '03).
Recent winning has helped this, and the promise of the endzone facility will continue to help this. But depth can help you get past certain issues.
I do agree that true excellence is usually cyclical, and that has been shown over time.
Here's what I think that building will do. I think we will be able to recruit at least 5 sure thing big time recruits per year. After a 4 year cycle that 20 big timers in your program along with the other very solid recruits. I also, don't disagree with Willy, there are cycles where the senior leadership is less. We are still in a place where we have to project on kids and that can be a crapshoot as we see in the Phil Horvath class. The building will help reduce the guesswork. Everyone remember, a lot of football yet to be played.
HuskieDan Wrote:I think the point GCD is trying to make is that without the facility upgrades, we haven't been able to build a lot of depth into the program, and thus are still fragile if injuries hit (like in '03).
Recent winning has helped this, and the promise of the endzone facility will continue to help this. But depth can help you get past certain issues.
I do agree that true excellence is usually cyclical, and that has been shown over time.
Didn't we go 10-2 in 2003. I guess the injuries weren't that bad!
HuskieDan Wrote:I think the point GCD is trying to make is that without the facility upgrades, we haven't been able to build a lot of depth into the program, and thus are still fragile if injuries hit (like in '03).
Recent winning has helped this, and the promise of the endzone facility will continue to help this. But depth can help you get past certain issues.
I do agree that true excellence is usually cyclical, and that has been shown over time.
I thought the point was this:
In 2002, NIU was a few plays away from a 10-1 season.
in 2003, NIU was about 5 minutes of game time away from a 7-5 season.
Last year, as GCD said, NIU was a few plays from a 6-5 season..
There really can be thin line between winning and losing..a few breaks here and there...can make or break an entire season. This year we are on the down side of that. We have not been blown out.
This team, while the D struggles, is as prepared as any, to enter the MAC play.
2005 MACC will be the end result.
gcd Wrote:Here's what I think that building will do. I think we will be able to recruit at least 5 sure thing big time recruits per year. After a 4 year cycle that 20 big timers in your program along with the other very solid recruits. I also, don't disagree with Willy, there are cycles where the senior leadership is less. We are still in a place where we have to project on kids and that can be a crapshoot as we see in the Phil Horvath class. The building will help reduce the guesswork. Everyone remember, a lot of football yet to be played.
Could you give us your definition of big time recruite and any examples of current or former college players who fill the mold you're describing?
Thats exactly right. I think some top MAC teams are going to lose along the way. We just can't look ahead. If you look at our D, it really is in line with the way D is being played throughout the country. O is way ahead of D these days. I think our D will be much better if we improve on one area- TACKLING. Since we don't scrimmage in fall camp to prevent injuries, our tackling can be expected to be a little ragged the first couple of games, but we now have to get better and tackle with an attitude.