EMU is ranked 37th in scoring defense in the nation after four games. Two of those games were against Michigan and Penn State. Michigan is ranked 19th and PSU 33rd. Michigan has one of the top offenses in the nation. PSU has an outstanding running attack.
Against both, EMU did -- not great -- but a credible job.
Eliminate the turnovers, and EMU would have made both reasonably close.
So, I continue to maintain that Eastern is PROBABLY in the top half (which is the top 60, not the top 50 of D1 teams).
Give us back Scherer, let RE continue to work on discipline, concentration, football IQ, and this is going to be a good football team.
I agree. Regardless of the numbers, you can really see the difference between this year and last year's defense. It is early yet, but thus far, the improvement is nothing short of amazing. The upgrade in talent is noticeable, but more importantly, the character of this team is so much better. The guys are buying in and are competing for 4 quarters. We could have laid down against Michigan and Penn State and things could have gotten ugly but there was no quit at all. With Cudworth, LThomas, Ohrman, MEnglish, Pollard, etc, they won't allow it. It is great to see.
(09-28-2011 03:29 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote: [ -> ]I agree. Regardless of the numbers, you can really see the difference between this year and last year's defense. It is early yet, but thus far, the improvement is nothing short of amazing. The upgrade in talent is noticeable, but more importantly, the character of this team is so much better. The guys are buying in and are competing for 4 quarters. We could have laid down against Michigan and Penn State and things could have gotten ugly but there was no quit at all. With Cudworth, LThomas, Ohrman, MEnglish, Pollard, etc, they won't allow it. It is great to see.
Agree.
I've had people tell me privately months and months ago to watch the improvement in the defense and the team.
I was hearing the bigger, stronger, bought in, more talented, faster, etc. from these folks.
These are folks who have followed this team on a year-by-year basis and they could tell the difference. It wasn't just rhetoric.
I posted on a CMU site which did an evaluation of positions for each MAC team. I distinctly indicated that the EMU defense would be much improved especially in the back seven. Hope no one thought I was short a few bricks.
I just hope we can get the offense going so that the defense doesn't have to carry the team.
Let's hope the offense, defense and special teams share together in the improvement on the field.
And I think both Snow and English deserve MUCH CREDIT.
There was criticism how two coaches with sterling resumes could coach a defense which was so bad in '10.
I thought it was simply a matter of getting better talent at the back seven.
(09-28-2011 04:31 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (09-28-2011 03:29 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote: [ -> ]I agree. Regardless of the numbers, you can really see the difference between this year and last year's defense. It is early yet, but thus far, the improvement is nothing short of amazing. The upgrade in talent is noticeable, but more importantly, the character of this team is so much better. The guys are buying in and are competing for 4 quarters. We could have laid down against Michigan and Penn State and things could have gotten ugly but there was no quit at all. With Cudworth, LThomas, Ohrman, MEnglish, Pollard, etc, they won't allow it. It is great to see.
Agree.
I've had people tell me privately months and months ago to watch the improvement in the defense and the team.
I was hearing the bigger, stronger, bought in, more talented, faster, etc. from these folks.
These are folks who have followed this team on a year-by-year basis and they could tell the difference. It wasn't just rhetoric.
I posted on a CMU site which did an evaluation of positions for each MAC team. I distinctly indicated that the EMU defense would be much improved especially in the back seven. Hope no one thought I was short a few bricks.
I just hope we can get the offense going so that the defense doesn't have to carry the team.
Let's hope the offense, defense and special teams share together in the improvement on the field.
And I think both Snow and English deserve MUCH CREDIT.
There was criticism how two coaches with sterling resumes could coach a defense which was so bad in '10.
I thought it was simply a matter of getting better talent at the back seven.
Right you are. I also think a guy who is getting overshadowed but who is really doing a nice job is Blake Poole. Is there a better linebacking unit in the MAC? Maybe so, but I like ours a lot. Too bad we won't get a chance to see what Sean Kurtz can do this year, he looks like a twin of Cudworth.
I will be watching our offense very closely saturday. I think this game is going to shed alot of light on how the season will go for us this year.
(09-28-2011 05:02 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote: [ -> ] (09-28-2011 04:31 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (09-28-2011 03:29 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote: [ -> ]I agree. Regardless of the numbers, you can really see the difference between this year and last year's defense. It is early yet, but thus far, the improvement is nothing short of amazing. The upgrade in talent is noticeable, but more importantly, the character of this team is so much better. The guys are buying in and are competing for 4 quarters. We could have laid down against Michigan and Penn State and things could have gotten ugly but there was no quit at all. With Cudworth, LThomas, Ohrman, MEnglish, Pollard, etc, they won't allow it. It is great to see.
Agree.
I've had people tell me privately months and months ago to watch the improvement in the defense and the team.
I was hearing the bigger, stronger, bought in, more talented, faster, etc. from these folks.
These are folks who have followed this team on a year-by-year basis and they could tell the difference. It wasn't just rhetoric.
I posted on a CMU site which did an evaluation of positions for each MAC team. I distinctly indicated that the EMU defense would be much improved especially in the back seven. Hope no one thought I was short a few bricks.
I just hope we can get the offense going so that the defense doesn't have to carry the team.
Let's hope the offense, defense and special teams share together in the improvement on the field.
And I think both Snow and English deserve MUCH CREDIT.
There was criticism how two coaches with sterling resumes could coach a defense which was so bad in '10.
I thought it was simply a matter of getting better talent at the back seven.
Right you are. I also think a guy who is getting overshadowed but who is really doing a nice job is Blake Poole. Is there a better linebacking unit in the MAC? Maybe so, but I like ours a lot. Too bad we won't get a chance to see what Sean Kurtz can do this year, he looks like a twin of Cudworth.
I will be watching our offense very closely saturday. I think this game is going to shed alot of light on how the season will go for us this year.
Unfortunately with a really banged up OL, the offense may not be hitting on all cyclinders.
We haven't had many really serious injuries, but Kurtz was definitely one.
The good thing is that he'll still have two years left and can replace I'd guess English next year.
We could have 3 starting LBs next year from So. Cal.
English and Snow did one helluva job getting those kids out of California.
One bow each for Cudworth, Poole and Kurtz.
And I remember reading their vitaes. Some were kids who with breaks could have gone Pac-10, etc. They did not look like reaches to me.
(09-28-2011 04:31 PM)emu steve Wrote: [ -> ] (09-28-2011 03:29 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote: [ -> ]I agree. Regardless of the numbers, you can really see the difference between this year and last year's defense. It is early yet, but thus far, the improvement is nothing short of amazing. The upgrade in talent is noticeable, but more importantly, the character of this team is so much better. The guys are buying in and are competing for 4 quarters. We could have laid down against Michigan and Penn State and things could have gotten ugly but there was no quit at all. With Cudworth, LThomas, Ohrman, MEnglish, Pollard, etc, they won't allow it. It is great to see.
Agree.
I've had people tell me privately months and months ago to watch the improvement in the defense and the team.
I was hearing the bigger, stronger, bought in, more talented, faster, etc. from these folks.
These are folks who have followed this team on a year-by-year basis and they could tell the difference. It wasn't just rhetoric.
I posted on a CMU site which did an evaluation of positions for each MAC team. I distinctly indicated that the EMU defense would be much improved especially in the back seven. Hope no one thought I was short a few bricks.
I just hope we can get the offense going so that the defense doesn't have to carry the team.
Let's hope the offense, defense and special teams share together in the improvement on the field.
And I think both Snow and English deserve MUCH CREDIT.
There was criticism how two coaches with sterling resumes could coach a defense which was so bad in '10.
I thought it was simply a matter of getting better talent at the back seven.
Special teams have been fabulous, especially punting and KO.
We will only get better with our overall SP team because of depth on the team. If anyone would has told you that the EMU defense would had been ranked where it is after 4 games (including against good BT teams) most would had lost our shirts. I must say I was shocked after reading and verifying these facts.
I am sure the other MAC schools are taking notes and using this to motivate their players to not take us sitting down. I agree that we need to get the offense going. This is a team sport and everyone need to handle their areas on the team..
I am hearing from ex players this team is soooooo close to getting over the hump and start winning more games. Everyone is seeing us as a 6-6 team this year now...
I am still on 8-4 (no i don't do drugs but I drink Eagle Kool-Aid
