CSNbbs

I've picked Sam Hurd as the preseason player to watch on O the last two years to no avail. Anybody think he'll have a big senior year? Is there a sleeper out there like a Danny S. was that will have a breakout year?

I worry about both Sam Hurd and Shatone Powers. Hopefully, there is somebody else ready to step up if these two aren't up to the task. The success of Phil Horvath and our running game are depending on it.

I'm pulling for Turner and Perez. After Hurd and Powers academic snafu before the SIU game, I lost some respect for them.

NIURedBlack Wrote:I'm pulling for Turner and Perez. After Hurd and Powers academic snafu before the SIU game, I lost some respect for them.

Ditto. I think that the folks on this board indicated that Turner looked like he was fulfilling his potential and Perez could be the next Sheldon, right?

Turner looked good in the spring game, but I only saw him play towards the end, and that wasn't against our top secondary. Anyone with inside information know how good he actually is ? I'd pick Perez though as the guy to break out also though.

Powers and Hurd are both reliable receivers. Hurd, does dissappear sometimes in the offense though. I never thought we threw to Powers enough, to really see what he can do. He has the best hands on the team, and I have seen him make some unbelievable catches in practice, and a few in games - the Tenn. Tech game catch surrounded by 3 defenders and the Eastern Mich. hail mary at half time come to mind.

Now with Fleck and Sheldon gone, a new go to guy has to emerge. I think Shatone has a chance to be that guy. But Perez needs to be the guy that stretches the defense. If we don't show that we have a legitimate deep threat, our offense could struggle some this year against better teams.

Perhaps Joe Novak will weave the running backs, particularly A.J. Harris, into the passing game. Phil Horvath is going to need some outlet valves, and I'm just not sure who they are going to be. Josh Haldi was blessed with PJ Fleck and Brad Cieslak in terms of very reliable possession oriented outlets. Can Harris be a guy that comes out of the backfield in motion and nabs 30-40 passes? I hope so, because I am not convinced of our quality at either tight end or wide receiver right now. This is precisely the reason why people are going to have to be careful when the examine Phil Horvath's performance. He is starting out with more question marks around him than Haldi ever had to contend with.

Alum not sure about Harris, but Wolfe lined up at WR a few times early in the season if im not mistaken (like something USC does w/ Reggie Bush) If you have Harris at RB and put Wolfe out at WR once in awhile thats a lot of weapons on the field.

Anyone know who has the better hands ? Or if either of them can catch well enough to make that something they do regularly ?

niu85alum Wrote:Perhaps Joe Novak will weave the running backs, particularly A.J. Harris, into the passing game.  Phil Horvath is going to need some outlet valves, and I'm just not sure who they are going to be.  Josh Haldi was blessed with PJ Fleck and Brad Cieslak in terms of very reliable possession oriented outlets.  Can Harris be a guy that comes out of the backfield in motion and nabs 30-40 passes?  I hope so, because I am not convinced of our quality at either tight end or wide receiver right now.  This is precisely the reason why people are going to have to be careful when the examine Phil Horvath's performance.  He is starting out with more question marks around him than Haldi ever had to contend with.

I don't know if they'll put Harris in motion, but I can see him being used as an oulet on screen passes out of the backfield and letting him create something. I haven't heard anything about Brandon Davis. Did he see any action on the spring game? If I recall, he would play the X position, similiar to Keith Perry when he was here.

HuskieFan84 Wrote:Alum not sure about Harris, but Wolfe lined up at WR a few times early in the season if im not mistaken (like something USC does w/ Reggie Bush) If you have Harris at RB and put Wolfe out at WR once in awhile thats a lot of weapons on the field.

Anyone know who has the better hands ? Or if either of them can catch well enough to make that something they do regularly ?

Novak mentioned somewhere this will be in the gameplan.

I look for Davis to be looking for Wolf quite a bit.

Old Style Wrote:

niu85alum Wrote:Perhaps Joe Novak will weave the running backs, particularly A.J. Harris, into the passing game.  Phil Horvath is going to need some outlet valves, and I'm just not sure who they are going to be.  Josh Haldi was blessed with PJ Fleck and Brad Cieslak in terms of very reliable possession oriented outlets.  Can Harris be a guy that comes out of the backfield in motion and nabs 30-40 passes?  I hope so, because I am not convinced of our quality at either tight end or wide receiver right now.  This is precisely the reason why people are going to have to be careful when the examine Phil Horvath's performance.  He is starting out with more question marks around him than Haldi ever had to contend with.

I don't know if they'll put Harris in motion, but I can see him being used as an oulet on screen passes out of the backfield and letting him create something. I haven't heard anything about Brandon Davis. Did he see any action on the spring game? If I recall, he would play the X position, similiar to Keith Perry when he was here.

I think the "X" was a one year thing tailored around Perry's ability (TE body with WR type speed). Last year we had more prototypical TE's so we had the "R" position. I like how Joe and Co. have adapted their offense around their player's ability, as opposed to the other way around. It will be interesting to see how they get AJ more involved in the offense while still giving G-Dub a heavy workload.

If I had to bet, I would bet we'll try and get AJ isolated against LB's in pass plays more than we will G-Dub.

I like our TE Jake Nordin. Hopefully Powers and Hurd will step up because they don't have Sheldon or Fleck as the primaries. Its all up to them. I think Powers probably always thought they he has been under utilized, now is his chance

Jarrett Carter will contribute.

I think Greg Turner will be a surprise. Coming out of HS he was not heavily recruited yet he put up huge numbers. He will prove everyone wrong. Perez will have another year under his belt. He will be great. Powers and Hurd seem to inconsistant to me. If they play to their potential, we will have outstanding wide receivers. Tight End will be strong also. We have recruited a lot of talent there in the past few years. Time to see if they are as good as advertised.

Britt Davis will have a lot of quality targets and will put up huge numbers.

BobL Wrote:I look for Davis to be looking for Wolf quite a bit.

I like it!

niu85alum Wrote:Perhaps Joe Novak will weave the running backs, particularly A.J. Harris, into the passing game. Phil Horvath is going to need some outlet valves, and I'm just not sure who they are going to be. Josh Haldi was blessed with PJ Fleck and Brad Cieslak in terms of very reliable possession oriented outlets. Can Harris be a guy that comes out of the backfield in motion and nabs 30-40 passes? I hope so, because I am not convinced of our quality at either tight end or wide receiver right now. This is precisely the reason why people are going to have to be careful when the examine Phil Horvath's performance. He is starting out with more question marks around him than Haldi ever had to contend with.

I think this is pretty accurate, we are going to see our RBs involved in the passing game more than at any other point in the Joe Novak era, and I say good for that because our best playmakers are at RB and those are the players you have to have touching the ball. Sam Hurd showed so much promise early but he really has to step it up and Im tired of saying that every year but I really hope he ends his career with a big year.

if britt throws like 3-4 int's in a game everyone will be calling for his head

armour248 Wrote:if britt throws like 3-4 int's in a game everyone will be calling for his head

With talk like this I am calling for your head. Dont ever mention Britt and INT in the same sentence again!!!!!

Hurd and Powers will both have a big year (if they want any shot at being a Free Agent in the NFL)

I would think this year that Nicholson is going to be looking more for AJ out of the backfield. GW is more of a shifty back who is quick, not fast. AJ is a fast back who is not as shifty or quick as GW. It would be better to put him in motion trying to get one on one with a linebacker. Once out in the flat, it is a mismatch. The only thing is will Nicholson be getting the play called to get the ball to him.

If we have a strong passing game this year, look out!!!!!