Since this has been a hot topic on the board, I saw this episode dropped today. They have former Huskie Kicker, Chris Nendick, on as a guest, who now coaches a lot of top kickers across the country, and is really tuned into this across the college landscape.

Great listen. Chris starts around the 25 minute mark.

SPOTIFY
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3hwZWpM...D83gmvoODg

APPLE MUSIC
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ni...0798219925

I’m tired of bad coaching getting a pass. “I don’t suck at my job, I’m just poor!”

Weren’t we always out recruited by the big guys? I mean is this a change?

The coaching since Doreen has steadily declined to what is now. Worst staff in college football 2 years running.

(10-26-2026 05:10 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  I’m tired of bad coaching getting a pass. “I don’t suck at my job, I’m just poor!”

Weren’t we always out recruited by the big guys? I mean is this a change?

The coaching since Doreen has steadily declined to what is now. Worst staff in college football 2 years running.

You are not accounting for guys leaving. That is a change. Yes we rarely if ever beat a P4 team for players, but we got some hidden gems and developed them and got soe production from them. Recently we found those guys, developed them, and then lost them. It is ot the same landscape.

We can hope for and even expect better, but we can;t say it's "bad coaching" that has us in this position. There surely are things this staff could have done better in games this year, but there is little that they could have done realistically that would have this team above 500 at this point in the season. Again, I am not saying the staff has done a great job. I am just saying, it would not be fair to say we are losing "because of bad coaching." That would be like saying the Titanic sank because the Captain didn't load the lifeboats fast enough.

Why are we seemingly the only team in the nation with this problem? Other schools have a lower budget and less NIL funds, yet they seem to find a way to win games. I think whoever brought these players on board (whose initials may be TH) was a terrible evaluator of talent.

(10-26-2026 06:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Why are we seemingly the only team in the nation with this problem? Other schools have a lower budget and less NIL funds, yet they seem to find a way to win games. I think whoever brought these players on board (whose initials may be TH) was a terrible evaluator of talent.

Exactly this.

We aren’t the only team battling this. But we are the team with the worst staff battling this.

It’s the whoa is us attitude that permeates every level of the NIU administration.

(10-26-2026 08:00 PM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  It’s the whoa is us attitude that permeates every level of the NIU administration.

Seriously, what a joke. We have an AD surrounded by 250k+ NIU alumni and one of the richest corporate regions in America, and he repeatedly pats himself on the back for barely keeping NIU's "lights on", and "food in the fridge".

Lord he sucks. Praying the next AD up is an ass-kicker and name taker. Naming rights, suites tower, proper horseshoe enclosure, general fund raising increase.

I live in Charleston SC now. We have a chain of 2 "Chicago" sports bars called "Macs", I think it's the same owner as Mac's in Lincoln Park. Both locations agreed to hang an NIU flag if I bring them in. Need an AD that pumps out stupid Huskie energy, I likely did more this quarter to spread the NIU brand then our overpaid AD.

I think Nendick makes a lot of good points. It's sad the school hasn't capitalized at all on the previous success and can't raise any money. We can't even feed the kids a decent meal before the game

We are a directional school previously in the MAC. It was known as a suitcase school. Many students went home in week ends. Probably worse now. The actual alumni base that cares is small. Rich alumni don't care about NIU athletics. I have a friend from college. Worth $10s of millions. Probably hasn't been back since graduating.

(10-26-2026 06:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Why are we seemingly the only team in the nation with this problem? Other schools have a lower budget and less NIL funds, yet they seem to find a way to win games. I think whoever brought these players on board (whose initials may be TH) was a terrible evaluator of talent.

Because Rod Carey never left their Cupboards empty

I'm reposting this everywhere

We are to receive $34M over the course of the next 6 years.

• Signing Bonus: $1.5 million upfront.
• MAC Exit Fee Assistance: Up to $2.5 million covered by the Mountain West.
• Media-Rights Share: Starts at a 75% share in 2026, rising to an 85% share for full-member media value distribution in subsequent seasons.

While we offer
• Conference Entrance Fee: $2 million total, payable in six annual installments (approximately $333,333.35 per year), approved by the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees. This fee is funded through conference revenue distributions and guarantees rather than institutional operating funds.

And MOST importantly...
• Football Budget Requirements: NIU is required to scale its football budget to $13.5 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027.

So regardless of what we think the deal is, we get more money flowing in and we are supposed to spend more on our program. Thus forcing us to be competitive and giving us the ability to go out and get players, as well as a competent coaching staff.

If all these hold true, this is as bottom as it gets...at least financially

(10-27-2026 09:25 AM)NIU32 Wrote:  I think Nendick makes a lot of good points. It's sad the school hasn't capitalized at all on the previous success and can't raise any money. We can't even feed the kids a decent meal before the game

Who pays for the visiting team's meal? I saw the Hawaii kids were getting small ass burritos in a brown bag for their bus ride to the airport.

(10-27-2026 11:20 AM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  I'm reposting this everywhere

We are to receive $34M over the course of the next 6 years.

• Signing Bonus: $1.5 million upfront.
• MAC Exit Fee Assistance: Up to $2.5 million covered by the Mountain West.
• Media-Rights Share: Starts at a 75% share in 2026, rising to an 85% share for full-member media value distribution in subsequent seasons.

While we offer
• Conference Entrance Fee: $2 million total, payable in six annual installments (approximately $333,333.35 per year), approved by the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees. This fee is funded through conference revenue distributions and guarantees rather than institutional operating funds.

And MOST importantly...
• Football Budget Requirements: NIU is required to scale its football budget to $13.5 million in 2026 and $15 million in 2027.

So regardless of what we think the deal is, we get more money flowing in and we are supposed to spend more on our program. Thus forcing us to be competitive and giving us the ability to go out and get players, as well as a competent coaching staff.

If all these hold true, this is as bottom as it gets...at least financially

I don't think we have received our yearly share yet. Maybe at the end of the season. Remember we joined 4 months ago

(10-27-2026 11:24 AM)pjfleck82 Wrote:  

(10-27-2026 09:25 AM)NIU32 Wrote:  I think Nendick makes a lot of good points. It's sad the school hasn't capitalized at all on the previous success and can't raise any money. We can't even feed the kids a decent meal before the game

Who pays for the visiting team's meal? I saw the Hawaii kids were getting small ass burritos in a brown bag for their bus ride to the airport.

Was that you gunning for an autograph? I would have said hi. I was lucky to meet Timmy and Chris Brown...Timmy was my hero growing up.

I was talking to a Hawaii dad at the game, he told me they were going back to Naperville and could hang out for a few hours before they headed home the next day.

I have seen videos of other teams on game day, most teams have a team breakfast and food to go after the games. I would think NIU does the same now. Don't we have a dedicated nutrition center now?

(10-27-2026 11:24 AM)pjfleck82 Wrote:  

(10-27-2026 09:25 AM)NIU32 Wrote:  I think Nendick makes a lot of good points. It's sad the school hasn't capitalized at all on the previous success and can't raise any money. We can't even feed the kids a decent meal before the game

Who pays for the visiting team's meal? I saw the Hawaii kids were getting small ass burritos in a brown bag for their bus ride to the airport.

Seriously question the idea that "we can't even feed the kids a decent meal before the game" unless something has changed drastically.
In the past, football, men's or women's basketball, etc. the visiting school makes arrangements with a local restaurant for their food. Perhaps there are some of the P4s that incorporate that into the payout, but generally it is left up to the individual school.

(10-27-2026 11:10 AM)Klake1987 Wrote:  We are a directional school previously in the MAC. It was known as a suitcase school. Many students went home in week ends. Probably worse now. The actual alumni base that cares is small. Rich alumni don't care about NIU athletics. I have a friend from college. Worth $10s of millions. Probably hasn't been back since graduating.

We should stop being a directional school, I've made that point prior to some folks ire - it would be a great move, low cost, cut the directional marketing ball and chain off our leg permanently...

When Southwest Missouri State became Missouri State they said applications doubled with no other drastic marketing changes or spend.

Their whole name change cost 200k (mostly signage and legal), and employees used there old cards and letterhead until they ran out to be environmentally sound.

We can't go "State" obviously, but any non-directional name will immediately feel more like a brand to students, press etc..

As a for-instance - Prairie State college is really tight on cash and has downsized. We become Prairie State University, they become our satellite campus, state saves $ annually.

Let the complaints fly into the face of logic in 3...2....

I'd rather just rebrand to "Northern University"

(10-26-2026 07:09 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  

(10-26-2026 06:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Why are we seemingly the only team in the nation with this problem? Other schools have a lower budget and less NIL funds, yet they seem to find a way to win games. I think whoever brought these players on board (whose initials may be TH) was a terrible evaluator of talent.

Exactly this.

We aren’t the only team battling this. But we are the team with the worst staff battling this.

Frazier again yesterday blamed our problems on NIL. Didn't say enough about accountability. If he is really gone by next summer, maybe he doesn't care anymore?

The Nendick interview was a good listen.

You could tell he wanted to spew more details, but didn't and I'm sure he has some "insider" knowledge on most of the NIL and money issues at NIU.

(10-27-2026 02:56 PM)mustangfootball2004 Wrote:  

(10-26-2026 07:09 PM)BigChilla Wrote:  

(10-26-2026 06:07 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  Why are we seemingly the only team in the nation with this problem? Other schools have a lower budget and less NIL funds, yet they seem to find a way to win games. I think whoever brought these players on board (whose initials may be TH) was a terrible evaluator of talent.

Exactly this.

We aren’t the only team battling this. But we are the team with the worst staff battling this.

Frazier again yesterday blamed our problems on NIL. Didn't say enough about accountability. If he is really gone by next summer, maybe he doesn't care anymore?

Why do people keep assuming he’s going anywhere? His contract may be up, but contracts get extended. I don’t see where this keeps coming from other than wishful thinking. I’m not an STF fan, but there is zero reason to think he’s going anywhere.