First, I want to say how proud I am of what EMU has done the past couple of weeks. Coming back from that wipeout at Toledo to down CMU and WMU has made this old Huron very happy, and I tip my hat to Coach English and especially the players.

Sitting at 5-3 is not something I expected. Talking bowl game was also not something I anticipated this season. It feels good to be in the conversation, doesn't it? But after three decades of having the roof cave in, I want to be a bit cautious yet.

Yes, our schedule sets up nicely with a bye and then games against seemingly winnable foes like Ball State, Buffalo, Kent State before ending the season against NIU. But these are not pushovers or gimmes. Buffalo almost knocked off NIU and Ball State has defeated Indiana and Army. It will still take a tremendous effort to win these games. But they are winnable.

Also, a word about the Michigan MAC trophy. I see we have several new posters (great!) who may not know the history behind it. This was actually the brainchild of EMU head coach Jeff Genyk who was the first to ever utter the words "Michigan MAC championship" during a time when EMU had little to play for and needed something tangible to aim for during the season. He wanted a trophy, so Jim Starks of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame commissioned one and now it has become a nice traditional trophy. Glad to see it back in Ypsi where it belongs!

I have been trying to figure an angle to get my employer to send me to cover EMU in a bowl game, but here in Oklahoma that's a tough sell. But, either way, I will be there ... and I can't even imagine how cool it would be to be a fan cheering for EMU in a bowl game. It's been 24 years since I covered EMU against San Jose State in the Cal Bowl and wouldn't mind having to attend a bowl game as a fan!

Go HURONS!

Buffalo didn't beat NIU. Should have, but didn't.

(10-24-2011 01:44 PM)HuronDave Wrote:  First, I want to say how proud I am of what EMU has done the past couple of weeks. Coming back from that wipeout at Toledo to down CMU and WMU has made this old Huron very happy, and I tip my hat to Coach English and especially the players.

Sitting at 5-3 is not something I expected. Talking bowl game was also not something I anticipated this season. It feels good to be in the conversation, doesn't it? But after three decades of having the roof cave in, I want to be a bit cautious yet.

Yes, our schedule sets up nicely with a bye and then games against seemingly winnable foes like Ball State, Buffalo, Kent State before ending the season against NIU. But these are not pushovers or gimmes. Buffalo just knocked off NIU and Ball State has defeated Indiana and Army. It will still take a tremendous effort to win these games. But they are winnable.

Also, a word about the Michigan MAC trophy. I see we have several new posters (great!) who may not know the history behind it. This was actually the brainchild of EMU head coach Jeff Genyk who was the first to ever utter the words "Michigan MAC championship" during a time when EMU had little to play for and needed something tangible to aim for during the season. He wanted a trophy, so Jim Starks of the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame commissioned one and now it has become a nice traditional trophy. Glad to see it back in Ypsi where it belongs!

I have been trying to figure an angle to get my employer to send me to cover EMU in a bowl game, but here in Oklahoma that's a tough sell. But, either way, I will be there ... and I can't even imagine how cool it would be to be a fan cheering for EMU in a bowl game. It's been 24 years since I covered EMU against San Jose State in the Cal Bowl and wouldn't mind having to attend a bowl game as a fan!

Go HURONS!

Wow HuronDave,

Reading this is humbling, but is a great posting and I hope someone here can get this to Coach English so he can read this and maybe post it for the whole team to read for encouragement and motivation going forward..

I'm glad some Mature-Fans are enjoying the season.. Pass it along to others who may not be aware of the magic that is here.

(10-24-2011 01:56 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  Buffalo didn't beat NIU. Should have, but didn't.

Oops! Fixed.

Given the history of this program and the long parade of assistant coaches who have failed here you can be forgiven for being skeptical about this season. Hey the professionals who get paid to do these predictions and most fan estimates were in the 4-6 win range for this season. You've been a long time fan through all the bad times so lets enjoy the better times of this program.

One major difference between Genyk and English is that English is winning the close ones. In fact many of the MAC West games have been very close contests that could have gone either way.

That being said I think the offensive line and running game have major surprises this year as it being much better than last year and the LBs have improved over what we had last year which improves the entire defense. Ron English finally got some impact JUCOs on the defense side of the ball.

And I believe English has the best conditioned EMU FB team in its history.

In the MAC the difference between a 5 - 3 team and a 3 - 5 team isn't too much (and some of it is scheduling - some EMU schedules were 'unwinnable').

I also think this is the best coaching staff (top to bottom) in EMU history (and yes Genyk didn't have the dollars for staff that English does).

EMU is 'all in' for football and it is paying off in the 3rd year.