NIU coaches 2-1 in this years bowls.
First time an NIU coach has won a major bowl.

(01-01-2020 04:25 PM)Huskiepower2003 Wrote:  NIU coaches 2-1 in this years bowls.
First time an NIU coach has won a major bowl.

A major bowl?

PJ Freakin Fleck Y’all!!! Pay that man! Go Huskies!!!

PJ Fleck is a coaching phenomenon with an incredible trajectory!

His first year he went 5-7.

Last year he went 7-5 with then big wins against unranked: rival Wisconsin and Georgia Tec.

This year 11-2 first time 11 wins since 1904.

PJ Fleck has beaten two top 12 teams in the Nation this year.
#10 Penn State
#12 Auburn ( first major SEC team).

Losses were against:
#8 Wisconsin
#16 Iowa

What an incredible performance in just his third year at Minnesota.

This is still a very young team composed of developing: Freshman and Sophomores.

Kudu's to PJ Fleck!

PJ Fleck's team should end up ranked in the top 15, maybe top 12.
A season ending best for any NIU coach.

If it was not for Wisconsin incredible recruitment so far, I would have predicted Minnesota to be better than Wisconsin.

Wisconsin are leading Oregon 17-14 in the Rose Bowl and if they win will improve their #8 ranking.

Could PJ Fleck who has taken Minnesota from 5-7, to 7-5 to 11-2 repeat the season with 11 wins next year?

How long will it take him to win the B1G West outright?

I am guessing that it is only a matter of time before that happens.
He will be around for many more years, maybe decades so bigger achievements are possible.

(01-01-2020 07:11 PM)Huskiepower2003 Wrote:  PJ Fleck's team should end up ranked in the top 15, maybe top 12.
A season ending best for any NIU coach.

If it was not for Wisconsin incredible recruitment so far, I would have predicted Minnesota to be better than Wisconsin.

Wisconsin are leading Oregon 17-14 in the Rose Bowl and if they win will improve their #8 ranking.

Could PJ Fleck who has taken Minnesota from 5-7, to 7-5 to 11-2 repeat the season with 11 wins next year?

How long will it take him to win the B1G West outright?

I am guessing that it is only a matter of time before that happens.
He will be around for many more years, maybe decades so bigger achievements are possible.

He absolutely will. Dude is something else.

Matt Simon promoted to Offensive Coordinator. This is a name to keep an eye on down the road! I expect big things out of him.

(01-03-2020 01:29 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  Matt Simon promoted to Offensive Coordinator. This is a name to keep an eye on down the road! I expect big things out of him.

Thanks for posting this.

He had an excellent game against Auburn!

For those on the board who do not remember, Matt Simon was a Wide receiver at NIU.

Here is a link to a great article on Matt Simon

http://www.startribune.com/gophers-inter...566641181/

(01-03-2020 01:29 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  Matt Simon promoted to Offensive Coordinator. This is a name to keep an eye on down the road! I expect big things out of him.

They mentioned him during the bowl game. Made analogy to his pedigree, career being similar to Fleck.

Looks like he may be a HC in due time.

Funny side note, if you Google Matt Simon the 1st thing that comes up as a Wiki entry for OC.....the 66 yr old at University of Delaware.

(01-01-2020 03:52 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(12-27-2019 08:29 PM)Jb 94 Wrote:  We always lined up well against Big 10 Teams, because coach Carey was astute enough to know where games were won..in trenches..we always had largest O line and D line ..works well against big 10 schools....same formula vulernable to big time schools who were athletic..

Sure could have used his trench expertise on 4th and inches at Ohio State and punting late in the game instead of going for a win. I still cannot believe how Carey approached the Ohio State game and Boston College game that year. That is when I realized NIU would never be a top 25 program under Carey.

Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

(01-05-2020 10:40 AM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-01-2020 03:52 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(12-27-2019 08:29 PM)Jb 94 Wrote:  We always lined up well against Big 10 Teams, because coach Carey was astute enough to know where games were won..in trenches..we always had largest O line and D line ..works well against big 10 schools....same formula vulernable to big time schools who were athletic..

Sure could have used his trench expertise on 4th and inches at Ohio State and punting late in the game instead of going for a win. I still cannot believe how Carey approached the Ohio State game and Boston College game that year. That is when I realized NIU would never be a top 25 program under Carey.

Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

That is the thing with Carey, Top 60 was his ceiling whereas previous coaches took NIU to the top 25

(01-05-2020 11:23 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 10:40 AM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-01-2020 03:52 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(12-27-2019 08:29 PM)Jb 94 Wrote:  We always lined up well against Big 10 Teams, because coach Carey was astute enough to know where games were won..in trenches..we always had largest O line and D line ..works well against big 10 schools....same formula vulernable to big time schools who were athletic..

Sure could have used his trench expertise on 4th and inches at Ohio State and punting late in the game instead of going for a win. I still cannot believe how Carey approached the Ohio State game and Boston College game that year. That is when I realized NIU would never be a top 25 program under Carey.

Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

That is the thing with Carey, Top 60 was his ceiling whereas previous coaches took NIU to the top 25

Top 60 is where NIU will be 9 of 10 seasons no matter the coach. Turner, Harnish and Lynch got NIU in the top 25. The Huskies will see a top 25 ranking the next time they have an all time NIU great player.

(01-05-2020 10:40 AM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-01-2020 03:52 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(12-27-2019 08:29 PM)Jb 94 Wrote:  We always lined up well against Big 10 Teams, because coach Carey was astute enough to know where games were won..in trenches..we always had largest O line and D line ..works well against big 10 schools....same formula vulernable to big time schools who were athletic..

Sure could have used his trench expertise on 4th and inches at Ohio State and punting late in the game instead of going for a win. I still cannot believe how Carey approached the Ohio State game and Boston College game that year. That is when I realized NIU would never be a top 25 program under Carey.

Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

Solid post !!! I for one cannot believe that somehow Rod Carey has won more football games then Kill, Doreen, and Hammock....guess your right, in hind sight he really set the program back.


Interesting, you thought we would be top 25 this year when so many on this board felt the cubbard was bare..guess Hammock, really under achieved, based on your expectations.


You also appear to be on the mark that NIU will be top 25 next year...based on all we saw, makes sense to me.


Keep up the good posts

(01-05-2020 01:00 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 11:23 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 10:40 AM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-01-2020 03:52 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(12-27-2019 08:29 PM)Jb 94 Wrote:  We always lined up well against Big 10 Teams, because coach Carey was astute enough to know where games were won..in trenches..we always had largest O line and D line ..works well against big 10 schools....same formula vulernable to big time schools who were athletic..

Sure could have used his trench expertise on 4th and inches at Ohio State and punting late in the game instead of going for a win. I still cannot believe how Carey approached the Ohio State game and Boston College game that year. That is when I realized NIU would never be a top 25 program under Carey.

Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

That is the thing with Carey, Top 60 was his ceiling whereas previous coaches took NIU to the top 25

Top 60 is where NIU will be 9 of 10 seasons no matter the coach. Turner, Harnish and Lynch got NIU in the top 25. The Huskies will see a top 25 ranking the next time they have an all time NIU great player.

Now your bringing logic and intelligence into this discussion and there is no place here for that :-)
Seriously though, every year there is about a dozen teams with a realistic chance of winning a national championship.
Most teams should have a goal of winning their conference championship.
Anything over and above that, should be considered icing on the cake.
Winning the MAC should be NIU's goal. It is a perfectly acceptable and rational goal.

NIU has never finished top 25 but they did win 31 games from 2013-2015. That's pretty impressive.

(01-05-2020 05:26 PM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 01:00 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 11:23 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 10:40 AM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-01-2020 03:52 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Sure could have used his trench expertise on 4th and inches at Ohio State and punting late in the game instead of going for a win. I still cannot believe how Carey approached the Ohio State game and Boston College game that year. That is when I realized NIU would never be a top 25 program under Carey.

Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

That is the thing with Carey, Top 60 was his ceiling whereas previous coaches took NIU to the top 25

Top 60 is where NIU will be 9 of 10 seasons no matter the coach. Turner, Harnish and Lynch got NIU in the top 25. The Huskies will see a top 25 ranking the next time they have an all time NIU great player.

Now your bringing logic and intelligence into this discussion and there is no place here for that :-)
Seriously though, every year there is about a dozen teams with a realistic chance of winning a national championship.
Most teams should have a goal of winning their conference championship.
Anything over and above that, should be considered icing on the cake.
Winning the MAC should be NIU's goal. It is a perfectly acceptable and rational goal.

NIU has never finished top 25 but they did win 31 games from 2013-2015. That's pretty impressive.

To say we have never finished in Top 25 is inaccurate.

(01-05-2020 05:50 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 05:26 PM)leguptopee Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 01:00 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 11:23 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(01-05-2020 10:40 AM)leguptopee Wrote:  Yes, Carey will never be like all those other NIU coaches who
attained top 25 status. I was shocked hammock did not do it
this year. I am sure he will have NIU top 25 next year.

That is the thing with Carey, Top 60 was his ceiling whereas previous coaches took NIU to the top 25

Top 60 is where NIU will be 9 of 10 seasons no matter the coach. Turner, Harnish and Lynch got NIU in the top 25. The Huskies will see a top 25 ranking the next time they have an all time NIU great player.

Now your bringing logic and intelligence into this discussion and there is no place here for that :-)
Seriously though, every year there is about a dozen teams with a realistic chance of winning a national championship.
Most teams should have a goal of winning their conference championship.
Anything over and above that, should be considered icing on the cake.
Winning the MAC should be NIU's goal. It is a perfectly acceptable and rational goal.

NIU has never finished top 25 but they did win 31 games from 2013-2015. That's pretty impressive.

To say we have never finished in Top 25 is inaccurate.

2013 22nd

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Novak gave NIU a BCS ranking at 9 or 10 I believe, it was halfway through the season, but still, to have NIU among the best 10 schools in the land at ANY point in the season is a feat like no other coach at NIU will probably ever accomplish again.

(01-05-2020 08:58 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Novak gave NIU a BCS ranking at 9 or 10 I believe, it was halfway through the season, but still, to have NIU among the best 10 schools in the land at ANY point in the season is a feat like no other coach at NIU will probably ever accomplish again.

BCS #8 is implanted in my head (no idea if accurate). I remember coming home from school and NIU being a PTI leading topic with Kornheiser/Wilbon debating if NIU could climb all the way.

Near as I can find out.

2003 week 8 10th in the BCS
2003 week 8 12th in the AP
2003 week 9 14th in the Coaches (they started week earlier)

GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!