I would like to start off by saying I am optimistic for the 2014 season, have a ton of faith in Frazier and his new staff (including a capital improvement assistant), and believe we can compete once again for a trip to the MACC. Though it was a disappointing end, we should all continue to support the Huskies and build our fan base as good times are still ahead.
As for the end of the 2013 season, it was a collapse and choke.
What is the difference between a loss and a choke?
A choke: is when you lose in a fashion that is not representative of your accomplishments, talent, and competitive level that was shown during the regular season. These hurt much more than normal losses because everyone who has followed the team all season knows we are better than what was brought to the field. The game differences are due to self inflicted errors and non-execution.
A loss: is when you lose in a competitive game by giving your best effort and preparing for a game in which you are beaten by a better opponent. These losses hurt, but at least we know we ran into a better opponent and the ball bounced their way a few more times.
The MACC was a choke, in which our defense was completely unprepared and gave up huge plays that very well could have been schemed against and prevented. Blown coverages were the main factor. The half time adjustments were sub par or non-existent.
The Bowl game was a choke, in which our offensive play calling was horrible and we missed opportunity after opportunity to drive and score in which we would have if the same effort and game planning was committed as was the regular season games. As other posters have mentioned, the OC calls the same 10 plays and when they don't work we still call them. What about some slant patterns? Throw to the TE like we did in Q1? Run the Bruiser RB Stingley? We were playing vs a 3rd string freshman QB, we gave up the fewest points all season, and scored the fewest all season!!! The half time adjustments were sub par or non-existent.
The bridge between the "morons" and the "non-emotional grateful followers" is these 2 games were chokes and NIU fans wanted a more competitive ending to a remarkable 12-0 season. If the Heisman ceremony was this weekend, Lynch wouldn't have been invited to NY with the resume including Detroit and San Diego.
You can sit here and say the playcalling sucked (and it times it did), but Utah State was playing man outside, doubling Tommy, and putting everyone in the box. The WRs weren't getting open. There's only so much coaches can do. Players gotta make plays. Utah State was better yesterday.
The oh no we lost blame the coaches routine gets old.
Oh geez! Really? Don't some of the folks on this forum have something more productive too do?
Both the coaching and the playing sucked on offense. JL had some bad passes, and Carey had some dumb calls. I still can't believe that on the 4th & 3 that they just had JL run up the middle when the defense was stuffing the box.
They've ran that play 1000 times the last two years and it works 95% of the time.
The Huskies don't play top 10 defense 95% of the time, though. Know your enemy.
(12-27-2013 05:18 PM)7 Wrote: [ -> ]They've ran that play 1000 times the last two years and it works 95% of the time.
They had 8 in the box. We were coming out of a timeout. You have to have a Plan B (AUDIBLE) when you see that.
(12-27-2013 05:20 PM)timxlydon Wrote: [ -> ]The Huskies don't play top 10 defense 95% of the time, though. Know your enemy.
So they shouldn't have done anything they're good at? By this logic they should have spent the game in the wishbone
(12-27-2013 05:38 PM)DogTracks Wrote: [ -> ] (12-27-2013 05:20 PM)timxlydon Wrote: [ -> ]The Huskies don't play top 10 defense 95% of the time, though. Know your enemy.
So they shouldn't have done anything they're good at? By this logic they should have spent the game in the wishbone
Way to jump to conclusions. They're also good at screen passes and jet sweeps, which are good plays when the defense loads the box.
(12-27-2013 05:41 PM)timxlydon Wrote: [ -> ]Way to jump to conclusions. They're also good at screen passes and jet sweeps, which are good plays when the defense loads the box.
Didn't we run a jet sweep on third and two right before that and lose a yard? I may be confusing drives but I'm not sure. Love the third/fourth and shorts when Stingily isn't even on the field though.
(12-27-2013 05:05 PM)NIUSox10 Wrote: [ -> ]I would like to start off by saying I am optimistic for the 2014 season, have a ton of faith in Frazier and his new staff (including a capital improvement assistant), and believe we can compete once again for a trip to the MACC. Though it was a disappointing end, we should all continue to support the Huskies and build our fan base as good times are still ahead.
As for the end of the 2013 season, it was a collapse and choke.
What is the difference between a loss and a choke?
A choke: is when you lose in a fashion that is not representative of your accomplishments, talent, and competitive level that was shown during the regular season. These hurt much more than normal losses because everyone who has followed the team all season knows we are better than what was brought to the field. The game differences are due to self inflicted errors and non-execution.
A loss: is when you lose in a competitive game by giving your best effort and preparing for a game in which you are beaten by a better opponent. These losses hurt, but at least we know we ran into a better opponent and the ball bounced their way a few more times.
The MACC was a choke, in which our defense was completely unprepared and gave up huge plays that very well could have been schemed against and prevented. Blown coverages were the main factor. The half time adjustments were sub par or non-existent.
The Bowl game was a choke, in which our offensive play calling was horrible and we missed opportunity after opportunity to drive and score in which we would have if the same effort and game planning was committed as was the regular season games. As other posters have mentioned, the OC calls the same 10 plays and when they don't work we still call them. What about some slant patterns? Throw to the TE like we did in Q1? Run the Bruiser RB Stingley? We were playing vs a 3rd string freshman QB, we gave up the fewest points all season, and scored the fewest all season!!! The half time adjustments were sub par or non-existent.
The bridge between the "morons" and the "non-emotional grateful followers" is these 2 games were chokes and NIU fans wanted a more competitive ending to a remarkable 12-0 season. If the Heisman ceremony was this weekend, Lynch wouldn't have been invited to NY with the resume including Detroit and San Diego.
Yup. While game analysis on what actually happened may be pretty accurate, it's the why. Never give another team credit I guess. Top 10 defense and a top 20 back to back games.Never has nothing to do with matchup. Never think your team isn't as good as you think, or at least not as good as it was earlier in the season due to injuries to key players. I mean the DB were great all season, and should have played well as they did vs a "3rd string QB" last night. What 300yrds offense, 80 on last drive, forced 2 to, 2 int. Maybe reasons they didn score more wasnt all coaching. Maybe the most important guy to a team in the country being off, hurt...K being bad after injury. Not one play, one reason, one coach, one player loses a game, at least yesterday and MACC. It's a combination. And yes, opponent has something to do with it, as well as your teams talent and ability on a given day.
Choke. What a great term. I guess that's why were such big favorites in these 2 games. Or did the experts know we, with all this advantage would "choke".
(12-27-2013 05:07 PM)7 Wrote: [ -> ]You can sit here and say the playcalling sucked (and it times it did), but Utah State was playing man outside, doubling Tommy, and putting everyone in the box. The WRs weren't getting open. There's only so much coaches can do. Players gotta make plays. Utah State was better yesterday.
The oh no we lost blame the coaches routine gets old.
The playcalling sucked for about 85 percent of the game. The defense was playing us tough but I'm pretty sure that's only because they knew what we were going to do...because we kept trying the same damn thing over and over again.
(12-27-2013 05:18 PM)7 Wrote: [ -> ]They've ran that play 1000 times the last two years and it works 95% of the time.
Wrong. Go back and count 'em.
To be honest, Utah State played us tough and I give them credit for being prepared and knowing what we do well and stopping it. I take my hat off to them.
Now, with that being said, a couple posters DO have valid points. The game of football is complex, especially when it comes to offensive and defensive assignments and execution. BUT....it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what a defense is gonna do to defend your offense, and vice versa. I saw the Bears do the same damn thing in STL a few weeks back. Even further back then that against Detoilet at home! When they were dropping 8 guys in the box, why the hell would you call that play? THEY were waiting for it. It's times like these that you're SUPPOSED to toss the defense a curve. This is a bowl game! I understand sticking with what got you here and all but for heaven sakes, you're going up against a top defense in the last game of the year!
So they stack the box and leave the DBs on an island. You see how Eakes was getting open? He was making a living underneath. People don't understand the importance of a TE nowadays. He was averaging just under 10 ypc! The LB that was on him couldn't stay with him. Eakes COULD'VE had over 100yds IF we would have kept him in the plan. Eakes opened up the middle for that limited amount of time.
What I saw was us run the same plays with different guys. When the jet sweep was run with TLL, he wasn't getting much. So we ran it with DB? Why in Gods name did we try to toss a swing pass out to Stingily and make him TRY to make someone miss? HELL, Lynch got some of his best runs by dropping back, looking downfield and THEN the middle opened up. I watched this game twice now. Could've just come out in 3-4 WR sets and acted as though we were gonna pass and wait for the middle to open then hit that $hit! I'm just judging from what I saw so far but read option was well READ by the defense. Lynch had an average of 2-3 seconds when he dropped back. You can make a lot of things happen with 2-3 seconds when your receivers aren't getting open. Someone mentioned why not run some slants. They were giving/daring us to take the slants all night!!! Yet we were trying to out and screen them to death. The middle was open!! The LBs had committed to stopping the run of Lynch. Eakes could've packed a lunch or ordered take out and planted himself in the middle all night long. WE HAVE PLAYS for over the middle! I've seen them! I know they exist! I'm pretty sure other posters saw the middle wide open too. I remember posters jumping down somebody's throat in another thread because they said we should include the TE more. They said we don't have the personnel for it! No? For reals? Eakes looked like a decent enough target to average 9.7 yards a catch!
Listen, I'm not trying to say the coaches need to be canned! I never said that at all. But what I AM saying is our coaches need to hit the game film a little harder. The decision making needs to be sharper. Adjustments need to be made better and more precise. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO 'EFFIN' WAY that we shouldn't have finished that game with double the amount of points we had....missed FGs aside. I'm sorry, but the way USU was playing us, they were begging for us to score on them! How the hell could I see that and our coaches couldn't? And I was watching it on a television broadcast!!! LMAO!!
It's not like they've never adjusted before! Look at the games we've had where we've kept teams out of the endzone in the 2nd half. Nothing new! Eakes was key last night and we failed to use him enough. Even Desroy could've caught a couple more. Sneak him out of the backfield and right behind the LOLB who totally left him alone a couple plays! Uggggh......missed opportunities! *shrugs shoulders* but oh well. Still a Husky for life though.
There are MANY ways to beat a defense that stacks the box....it's just that it seemed like we didn't know how OR we didn't want to? It was like driving our "turbo charged" Camaro and playing chicken with a freight train! If we do THAT 1000 times....well I think you know the odds on that one.
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I hate that 4th and 3 call. Why we never use the middle of the field is beyond me. We never test the middle linebacker in pass coverage.
And I'm giving Lynch the benefit of the doubt. He MAY have been hurt and probably couldn't go vertical like we had in the past....Lord knows he's taken a beating the past couple years! But you don't need much strength (especially in college, let alone the MAC) to toss a few (or dink and dunk a few) over the middle. He tossed a nice one right out to Spencer but he got lit up like a traffic flare as soon as the pass got to him. But the throw was right on the money. Lynch made some bad throws, I'll give him that. But damn, if you can't do what we've been doing all year because he was hurt OR the defense was on to you, CHANGE IT UP! That's all I'm saying, nothing else but that!
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Not sure how the bowl game was a choke when we weren't favored at game time.
(12-28-2013 11:08 AM)niusfactuary Wrote: [ -> ]Not sure how the bowl game was a choke when we weren't favored at game time.
....nor did NIU blow a big lead or anything. Maybe it was a letdown, but I don't think most think of the freaking Poinsettia Bowl as an event where the pressure gets to you and you wilt.
I question some of the playcalling, but it's hard when the WRs aren't getting open even 1 on 1. This was not a choke, it was a good defense, we made a couple too many errors. I think the defense got deflated after we missed the 2nd chip shot field goal.
The Bowling Green game was a choke, probably with some significant overconfidence mixed in. I just think the Utah State game was a loss. I don't think the team played it's best football on Thursday by any means, and I still think we're a better team than than Utah State, but that stuff happens in losses. A choke is a total implosion, which isn't a description that fits what happened the other night.