(10-09-2021 07:02 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  

(10-09-2021 05:28 PM)mgm86huskiefn Wrote:  Have to ride with Rocky the whole way. It will be the hard way with the ups and downs but he seems to come thru at the end

They do need to give whoever is the back-up some reps as they are just one play away from being needed.

We need to blow somebody out for him to get an opportunity.

Hammock didn’t even play the backup against Maine. He is trying to avoid a QB controversy.

It’s Lombardi no matter what. And while he will drive us crazy at times we might as well just accept he is our best option. Rocky is not going to get more accurate. He hit 58% today. 57% on the season. This is him. Maybe getting Tucker and Joiner back will help. He seemed very in sync with Tucker.

We can win the west but Lombardi is going to need to have his best games when it matters. Like Childers did on the MACC.

Somehow BG lost to Akron, that's right Akron, today. I'm usually fairly optimistic, but I hope there's no letdown next week. With a young team, they can't afford to overlook anyone. They're all still learning by the moment.

Just gotta keep drilling the mechanics in practice. He’s overthrowing the deep passes and short arming the flats because he’s all upper body on his throws. Gotta push off the legs and his accuracy issues are solved. Get me up there. I’ll fix his azz!!!!

What ever it takes. I want to go to Detroit this year

(10-09-2021 09:43 PM)MGMFIN86 Wrote:  What ever it takes. I want to go to Detroit this year

Yes!

Tough road ahead.

4-2, so much better than any of us had a right to expect. It's a fun ride right now.

(10-09-2021 07:59 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  It’s Lombardi no matter what. And while he will drive us crazy at times we might as well just accept he is our best option. Rocky is not going to get more accurate. He hit 58% today. 57% on the season. This is him. Maybe getting Tucker and Joiner back will help. He seemed very in sync with Tucker.

We can win the west but Lombardi is going to need to have his best games when it matters. Like Childers did on the MACC.

I like his throws to Tucker, but he needs a check down receiver whether it's Ratkovitch or a TE. Someone to throw to so he doesn't force throws and throw more picks, because he throws too many picks right now.

(10-09-2021 09:43 PM)MGMFIN86 Wrote:  What ever it takes. I want to go to Detroit this year

If they do make it to Detroit, we will announce it as a Homecoming game.

After BG we have a rough road ahead. The best of the East and CMU and WMU. Three more wins would be great. Team is similar to the Childers /Sutton teams, but without a superstar like Sutton. if we had a superstar......

Longtime lurker - anyone beginning to get excited about the future prospects of the program under Hammock? I still think the coaches have a ways to go in regards to in game decisions, playcalling, etc. but I have been pleasantly surprised with how we have competed with how many underclassmen we have playing heavy snaps. The recruiting already seems lightyears ahead of what Carey was able to do as far as bringing talent to campus, and unlike Kill/Doeren it seems like we might have coaching stability.

(10-10-2021 01:29 PM)McG Wrote:  Longtime lurker - anyone beginning to get excited about the future prospects of the program under Hammock? I still think the coaches have a ways to go in regards to in game decisions, playcalling, etc. but I have been pleasantly surprised with how we have competed with how many underclassmen we have playing heavy snaps. The recruiting already seems lightyears ahead of what Carey was able to do as far as bringing talent to campus, and unlike Kill/Doeren it seems like we might have coaching stability.

Welcome!

Just remember that our recruiting can never be as good as Toledo’s, with their #1 nationally ranked recruiting classes. Anyone who watched the game yesterday could easily see the superiority of their recruiting classes. I for one was very impressed!!

(10-09-2021 10:44 PM)UnknownScout Wrote:  

(10-09-2021 07:59 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  It’s Lombardi no matter what. And while he will drive us crazy at times we might as well just accept he is our best option. Rocky is not going to get more accurate. He hit 58% today. 57% on the season. This is him. Maybe getting Tucker and Joiner back will help. He seemed very in sync with Tucker.

We can win the west but Lombardi is going to need to have his best games when it matters. Like Childers did on the MACC.

I like his throws to Tucker, but he needs a check down receiver whether it's Ratkovitch or a TE. Someone to throw to so he doesn't force throws and throw more picks, because he throws too many picks right now.

Need more TE throws. Usually effective for at least a 1st down.

(10-10-2021 01:29 PM)McG Wrote:  Longtime lurker - anyone beginning to get excited about the future prospects of the program under Hammock? I still think the coaches have a ways to go in regards to in game decisions, playcalling, etc. but I have been pleasantly surprised with how we have competed with how many underclassmen we have playing heavy snaps. The recruiting already seems lightyears ahead of what Carey was able to do as far as bringing talent to campus, and unlike Kill/Doeren it seems like we might have coaching stability.

Welcome. I agree with your post, including Hammock's ability to recruit and bring in talent. What I see right now is a young, but talented/athletic group of players (including depth). Hammock was hired as the HC on January 18, 2019. While he was a coach at several colleges (mainly as a RB coach) and then as the RB coach with the Baltimore Ravens, he has been a HC for a little over 2 1/2 years. IMO it takes time to learn how to be a HC (instead of a position coach), and the issues I see with Hammock & Co. regarding game decisions, play calling, etc. doesn't seem be be out of the ordinary with his experience. He seems to be learning and growing into being a HC (hopefully at NIU for a long time).

Hope to see a lot more posts from you.

(10-10-2021 02:00 PM)NILAW Wrote:  

(10-10-2021 01:29 PM)McG Wrote:  Longtime lurker - anyone beginning to get excited about the future prospects of the program under Hammock? I still think the coaches have a ways to go in regards to in game decisions, playcalling, etc. but I have been pleasantly surprised with how we have competed with how many underclassmen we have playing heavy snaps. The recruiting already seems lightyears ahead of what Carey was able to do as far as bringing talent to campus, and unlike Kill/Doeren it seems like we might have coaching stability.

Welcome. I agree with your post, including Hammock's ability to recruit and bring in talent. What I see right now is a young, but talented/athletic group of players (including depth). Hammock was hired as the HC on January 18, 2019. While he was a coach at several colleges (mainly as a RB coach) and then as the RB coach with the Baltimore Ravens, he has been a HC for a little over 2 1/2 years. IMO it takes time to learn how to be a HC (instead of a position coach), and the issues I see with Hammock & Co. regarding game decisions, play calling, etc. doesn't seem be be out of the ordinary with his experience. He seems to be learning and growing into being a HC (hopefully at NIU for a long time).

Hope to see a lot more posts from you.

I’m glad someone brought this up. Curious where people are at now in regards to hammock. I know a handful had seen enough after last year. I was in what I think was the majority that wanted to see things out another 1-2 years given how young we were. With that said I have always been and continue to be concerned about the actual coaching ability and play calling on both sides of the ball.

I would like to see us throw a bit more, I know Rocky has been inconsistent but the talent is there. If the coaches can continue to grow we’ll be in a great spot with the talent and depth they are seemingly bringing in.

Caoch's plan was to control the clock and keep the defense off the field. NIU's time of possession was 40 minutes.
It worked.

The offense is just a a few tweaks, like Rocky's passing accuracy, from being great. Credit to Richardson for nailing 5 field goals, but some of those should have been TD's.

(10-10-2021 03:57 PM)MiamiHuskie Wrote:  Caoch's plan was to control the clock and keep the defense off the field. NIU's time of possession was 40 minutes.
It worked.

The offense is just a a few tweaks, like Rocky's passing accuracy, from being great. Credit to Richardson for nailing 5 field goals, but some of those should have been TD's.

Sadly Rocky's passing accuracy was a problem at MSU and continues to be a problem at NIU. I doubt if it can be tweaked.

That said, I can see what the coaches like about him ... he is a great competitor, brings a great infectious attitude on each and every play, has running ability and is tough as nails. As an old timer he reminds me of Bobby Douglass when he played for Da Bears. That said there is a ceiling for teams with a QB that is ineffective in the passing game.

We won a MACC with Childers who was a master at the bounce pass when he had an exceptionally good game in Detroit so who knows history might repeat and I hope that it does.

(10-10-2021 01:29 PM)McG Wrote:  Longtime lurker - anyone beginning to get excited about the future prospects of the program under Hammock? I still think the coaches have a ways to go in regards to in game decisions, playcalling, etc. but I have been pleasantly surprised with how we have competed with how many underclassmen we have playing heavy snaps. The recruiting already seems lightyears ahead of what Carey was able to do as far as bringing talent to campus, and unlike Kill/Doeren it seems like we might have coaching stability.

It's easy to forget how incredibly young they are. I wasn't around for the early Novak days, but it's far and away the youngest team they've had since I began watching. They lost their second year freshman running back with an injury and he's been replaced by a first year freshman and another second year freshman.

There's no reason to be anything but thrilled about the future right now.