As bad as this schedule looks we need to support our players as much as possible this year. Knocking off Iowa & Utah would be a great start to the season!
Hopefully we’re a much improved team. We’re going to need to be, to get through this gauntlet.
https://www.google.com/amp/amp.daily-chr...fd863e25e/
Hope SPRINGS eternal.
Reality will bite.
Dwags biting off more than they can chew.
Not that I wouldn't love to see us win both of those games (as I am going to make the 2000 mile trek), but if our QB play does not improve 100%, we may not qualify for a bowl game again. The OOC schedule is one of the toughest I have seen for NIU. Assuming we lose all 4 games, that leaves us CM, Toledo and WM not to mention a few others that have to beat.
Of the 4 OOC, I think BYU may be the best chance. But, we will be on the road for that one. So, who knows.
I hope I am completely wrong, but I do not have high expectations for this upcoming season. Maybe someone will rise up at QB. I would love to be surprised.
(02-27-2018 09:39 AM)Splooie99 Wrote: [ -> ]Not that I wouldn't love to see us win both of those games (as I am going to make the 2000 mile trek), but if our QB play does not improve 100%, we may not qualify for a bowl game again. The OOC schedule is one of the toughest I have seen for NIU. Assuming we lose all 4 games, that leaves us CM, Toledo and WM not to mention a few others that have to beat.
Of the 4 OOC, I think BYU may be the best chance. But, we will be on the road for that one. So, who knows.
I hope I am completely wrong, but I do not have high expectations for this upcoming season. Maybe someone will rise up at QB. I would love to be surprised.
I’m hoping to see significant progress from Childers next season. The experience he gained has to have made him better. I’m assuming Donte Hall will share snaps with him as well regardless of who starts.
I would assume Anthony Thompson would play before Hall.
Maybe Ryan Graham will start. :)
NIU should respect but not fear Iowa, Utah and BYU. FSU is most likely the biggest challenge, but with the change in coaches could be disrupted for a bit. I can easily envision a 2-2 OOC record and even 3-1. 4-0 might be asking too much.
(02-27-2018 05:03 PM)NIUSAE Wrote: [ -> ]NIU should respect but not fear Iowa, Utah and BYU. FSU is most likely the biggest challenge, but with the change in coaches could be disrupted for a bit. I can easily envision a 2-2 OOC record and even 3-1. 4-0 might be asking too much.
Wow, that is a strong ask. You do realize we are coming off a season where we did not beat a team with a winning record, and our best games were the Nebraska W and the BC and SDSU losses. Childers is the key; Carey put all his eggs in that basket. He is the face of the franchise now. Next season will prove Carey right or wrong.
(02-27-2018 05:03 PM)NIUSAE Wrote: [ -> ]NIU should respect but not fear Iowa, Utah and BYU. FSU is most likely the biggest challenge, but with the change in coaches could be disrupted for a bit. I can easily envision a 2-2 OOC record and even 3-1. 4-0 might be asking too much.
I agree with you, but I don’t think we overcome speed at FSU. I think we can compete with Iowa, I think we can beat Utah at home, and BYU is a tough tough place to play, but we can win. This is all predicated on QB play, and the D really living up to the hype we have for them this year. I do think QB play will improve, how much...not sure yet, but long ball will (should) be better.
(02-27-2018 05:03 PM)NIUSAE Wrote: [ -> ]NIU should respect but not fear Iowa, Utah and BYU. FSU is most likely the biggest challenge, but with the change in coaches could be disrupted for a bit. I can easily envision a 2-2 OOC record and even 3-1. 4-0 might be asking too much.
I don't know what you are smoking or ingesting, but, wow, I'd sure like some!
- Iowa is coming off of a good season, but lose a huge chunk of their defense (Josey Jewell, Bo Bower, Ben Niemann, Josh Jackson, Jake Gervase, Parker Hesse, etc.). NIU has performed well against B10 opponents. I think we should be very optimistic about this game.
- Utah only beat two teams with winning records last season (Arizona and West Virgina), but they were pretty young on both sides of the ball. PAC-12 teams have really struggled recently. I don't think anyone really has a clue what to expect in this game. I lean towards this being a good game regardless of outcome, however, option offenses have had NIU's number for a long time.
I'd like to realistically see 2-2 during non-conference play, but it's way to early to have any kind of expectation right now.
(02-27-2018 06:50 PM)Dog Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (02-27-2018 05:03 PM)NIUSAE Wrote: [ -> ]NIU should respect but not fear Iowa, Utah and BYU. FSU is most likely the biggest challenge, but with the change in coaches could be disrupted for a bit. I can easily envision a 2-2 OOC record and even 3-1. 4-0 might be asking too much.
I don't know what you are smoking or ingesting, but, wow, I'd sure like some!
It's the beat Utah/Iowa Kush.
0-4, 5-7 overall. Keep pushing that hard OOC schedule morons.
(02-28-2018 08:10 AM)NIUfrank Wrote: [ -> ]0-4, 5-7 overall. Keep pushing that hard OOC schedule morons.
I agree that we have a good chance of going 0-4. But, you have to realize that the OOC record means absolutely nothing to Athletics. They are scheduling the big away games - and will continue to do so - for the financial payout. If we win, great. If we lose, they are fine with it as long as the cash register rings. It's pretty simple.
I truly enjoy the big payout games. This year, we may catch FL St as they lost several players and a coach. But, I am not expecting much in that game. I do completely agree that Childers needs to grow a ton from last season to this year. He was young, kept on a fairly short least and really wasn't ready. Maybe we get lucky and he improves 30 percent. Then again, maybe not. Graham never really improved. We need a Harnish type QB to run this offense. A decent arm and a little running ability. We also need a little more speed at wide out. I think the D will be good, especially our front 7.
I liked our punter last year and I expect our special teams will be OK.
I cannot remember the linebackers name who got hurt early in the season, but he was good. Hopefully, he is back.
(02-28-2018 09:12 AM)Splooie99 Wrote: [ -> ]I truly enjoy the big payout games. This year, we may catch FL St as they lost several players and a coach. But, I am not expecting much in that game. I do completely agree that Childers needs to grow a ton from last season to this year. He was young, kept on a fairly short least and really wasn't ready. Maybe we get lucky and he improves 30 percent. Then again, maybe not. Graham never really improved. We need a Harnish type QB to run this offense. A decent arm and a little running ability. We also need a little more speed at wide out. I think the D will be good, especially our front 7.
I liked our punter last year and I expect our special teams will be OK.
I cannot remember the linebackers name who got hurt early in the season, but he was good. Hopefully, he is back.
Pugh
Aside from going 0-4, which is very real, my fear is how healthy we come out of that stretch of games. A few key injuries and we're looking at a 3, 4 win season. .
(02-28-2018 07:40 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote: [ -> ]Aside from going 0-4, which is very real, my fear is how healthy we come out of that stretch of games. A few key injuries and we're looking at a 3, 4 win season. .
lol ... it's the last day of FEB.... you may be a diehard Diehard but you are bring me down.
(02-28-2018 09:49 PM)prairiedawg Wrote: [ -> ] (02-28-2018 07:40 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote: [ -> ]Aside from going 0-4, which is very real, my fear is how healthy we come out of that stretch of games. A few key injuries and we're looking at a 3, 4 win season. .
lol ... it's the last day of FEB.... you may be a diehard Diehard but you are bring me down.
In the spirit of Cub fandom eternal hope, anything above 0-4 is possible, but Diehard is a realist (as am I). The realist sees that we have a brutal OOC schedule, a QB who can't pass, and a coach who is too predictable.....except for his boneheaded play calls. For the realist, 0-4 is a very real possibility, if not probability. Of course, we hope for more (even 4-0), but in the real world, we know better.
(02-28-2018 09:49 PM)prairiedawg Wrote: [ -> ] (02-28-2018 07:40 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote: [ -> ]Aside from going 0-4, which is very real, my fear is how healthy we come out of that stretch of games. A few key injuries and we're looking at a 3, 4 win season. .
lol ... it's the last day of FEB.... you may be a diehard Diehard but you are bring me down.
Sorry about that, Prairie. The alternative is thinking about basketball.
