There is plenty to be excited about this upcoming season. That said I am nagged about the defense and the uncertainty that goes with a first year coach. The defense should be tolerable enough, but we'll have to wait and see. Doeren doesn't inherit a whole lot on that side of the football, plus what he does inherit probably isn't the greatest fit for what he tries to do.
So I say 9-3. I do look for the offense to be prolific. Anything less than winning the MAC Championship game will be unacceptable, new coach or no new coach.
I voted 10-2. With the questions on defense I think that's pretty optimistic but still reasonable.
I also voted 10-2.
Do I think NIU has a chance to beat Wisconsin? Of course. But right, my gut tells me that one's a close loss. At this point I also think NIU could drop the Army game, just based on the fact that Army runs that triple option offense which can give a young defense fits.
As for conference play, I see NIU running the table again. The most difficult games will be against WMU and Toledo, but I actually think NIU has a bigger chance of losing to the Broncos than Toledo. The reason: other than Harnish, Alex Carder is the best QB in the conference and he nearly beat us last year without a running game. If WMU can find some way to get a consistent running game going, they'll be our chief opponent in conference instead of Toledo.
(08-05-2011 03:49 PM)7 Wrote: [ -> ]Other.
14-0.
9-3 sounds about right. We shouldn't beat Wisconson, and we will be underdogs to Kansas and Toledo. Probably win one of the two games (Kansas or Toledo) and lose a game in an upset somewhere along the line. We will win our bowl game in Detroit against our Sun Belt opponent to finish 10-3 overall.
I said 10-2 with a very close lose to Wisky and Toledo.
You can make a case for anything from 8-11 regular season wins. I think 7 is the floor if the team is healthy, and that's if there are serious transition/growing pains.
But hell, it's August, and optimism is fun. I voted 11.
(08-05-2011 03:46 PM)BarsemaBone Wrote: [ -> ]I also voted 10-2.
Do I think NIU has a chance to beat Wisconsin? Of course. But right, my gut tells me that one's a close loss. At this point I also think NIU could drop the Army game, just based on the fact that Army runs that triple option offense which can give a young defense fits.
As for conference play, I see NIU running the table again. The most difficult games will be against WMU and Toledo, but I actually think NIU has a bigger chance of losing to the Broncos than Toledo. The reason: other than Harnish, Alex Carder is the best QB in the conference and he nearly beat us last year without a running game. If WMU can find some way to get a consistent running game going, they'll be our chief opponent in conference instead of Toledo.
I'm really not sure what happened when you guys played WMU that it was so close. Toledo spanked WMU at WMU for 3 quarters last year. We were up 31-10 going into the 4th Qtr, but took our foot off the gas and only won 37-24. Carder was sacked 7 times and threw 4 INT's against Toledo. And Toledo's #2 target last year, RB Adonis Thomas, was hurt against WMU and only had 3 carries for 4 yards. The games he was healthy he was rushing for 150-200 yards a game, including against NIU. Our #1 target last year, Eric Page, had just 2 catches for 59 yards and 1 TD against WMU as well. We pretty much smoked them with our average players.
And we all know that NIU spanked Toledo like it wasn't anyone's business last year. It's just hard to believe that WMU was able to play such a good game against NIU. It's not like NIU only spanked Toledo last year.....you guys spanked most MAC teams you played before the Kill incident.
Maybe WMU will be better this year than I think, but I put them in a 3rd place battle with CMU. I really think CMU will be enough improved to battle for 3rd in the West and bowl eligibility.
lol "what happened" in a game we won.
1-11 with an upset of Wisconsin....Who later wins the Big10 and wins the Rose bowl 78-0 over Ohio who will go 13-1
(08-05-2011 10:31 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote: [ -> ]1-11 with an upset of Wisconsin....Who later wins the Big10 and wins the Rose bowl 78-0 over Ohio who will go 13-1
Uh...that doesn't make much sense.
...
oh wait, you're from
Toledo.
(08-05-2011 10:31 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote: [ -> ]1-11 with an upset of Wisconsin....Who later wins the Big10 and wins the Rose bowl 78-0 over Ohio who will go 13-1
Well that's great other than the Rose Bowl will not pick a non-AQ that AQs for the BCS. They feel dirty enough for being forced to invite TCU last year.
(08-05-2011 10:31 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote: [ -> ]1-11 with an upset of Wisconsin....Who later wins the Big10 and wins the Rose bowl 78-0 over Ohio who will go 13-1
Is there not at least one other literate Toiletdo fan you can have conversation with on your own ******* site ?!? Seriously.
(08-05-2011 10:43 PM)WhiskeyDick Wrote: [ -> ] (08-05-2011 10:31 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote: [ -> ]1-11 with an upset of Wisconsin....Who later wins the Big10 and wins the Rose bowl 78-0 over Ohio who will go 13-1
Is there not at least one other literate Toiletdo fan you can have conversation with on your own ******* site ?!? Seriously.
Brian is here quite a bit.
You two should PM, I'm sure you'd get along.
Uhm...where is 8-4?
8-5 is 13 games played.
(08-05-2011 11:51 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote: [ -> ]Uhm...where is 8-4?
8-5 is 13 games played.
Apparently NIU only makes a bowl game in this scenario...
Well done Whiskey.
(08-05-2011 11:53 PM)UofToledoFans Wrote: [ -> ] (08-05-2011 11:51 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote: [ -> ]Uhm...where is 8-4?
8-5 is 13 games played.
Apparently NIU only makes a bowl game in this scenario...
Well done Whiskey.
don't pick on Whiskey, after all he is a strategy and development director for a prominent company......(i.e. a meddling middle manager who thinks his sh*t doesn't stink)
(08-05-2011 10:12 PM)7 Wrote: [ -> ]lol "what happened" in a game we won.
That just shows how good NIU was last year.
I will go with 11-3 and finally capturing that elusive MAC championship. Losses vs Wisconsin, Army, and Western Michigan