(04-07-2012 08:55 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 10:03 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 09:55 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  How long's it been since we played in Florida? Answer - 2002. Yet, we have 10 Florida players on the roster and 3 incoming freshmen. So we're doing just find recruiting Florida without playing a game there in the last 10 years. We don't have to play a game in Florida or anywhere else for recruits to see us. Having our games on ESPN gives us exposure to recruits nationwide.

We need opponents that will put butts in the seats at Huskie Stadium and I think BYU would do that. FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM? Not so much.

The FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM opponents would be in place of scheduling a FCS team.

If we schedule FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM in place of our annual FCS game, those teams are gonna want a Home and Home series. So, we're gonna be giving up a home game every other year. Doubt if Compher wants to do that.

2010 & 2013 we did/will only host 1 OOC game.

I believe that AD Compher would not do this type of scheduling.


As I said this is just how I would schedule...

1. Schedule a series at HS vs an AQ for a 1-1 or 2-1. The goal is to have an AQ team AT Huskie Stadium every 3 years. Improving the odds we should open up our OOC schedule from the first 5 weeks to all weeks up to the last Saturday in October. If our game is not first in the 1-1 or game 1/2 in the 2-1 then the buyout would be 1.5mil for canceling the game at HS after the first game is played with 3+ years notice and 2mil for less than 3 years notice.

2. Schedule a 1-1 with an non-AQ.

3. Schedule 1 AQ team away for a paycheck (per year) and the hopeful TV exposure

4. Fill the remaining holes with an additional non-AQ 1-1 or even pay to have them come to HS with no return game.

5. If there are any openings after all of this THEN schedule a FCS team as a last resort. Preference goes to hosting an instate team or UNI who would brings some fans. Losing to the #1 FCS team is still losing to a FCS team so schedule the easiest cupcake since that is what everyone else will think of the game anyways.

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  AD Compher is fully against scheduling OOC games past week 5 AND he also seems to be against playing teams that are not within the MAC footprint OR within 400 miles of Huskie Stadium.

Then why did Compher sign a contract for a home and home with Idaho, which is 1800+ miles from DeKalb, last year?

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  We are also (verbally) limited by ESPN/MSV to have all of our OOC games BEFORE November. I think until we get a new AD and TV contract this will not change.

How could we be "verbally" and not contractually limited?

(04-07-2012 11:50 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  2010 & 2013 we did/will only host 1 OOC game.

I believe that AD Compher would not do this type of scheduling.


As I said this is just how I would schedule...

1. Schedule a series at HS vs an AQ for a 1-1 or 2-1. The goal is to have an AQ team AT Huskie Stadium every 3 years. Improving the odds we should open up our OOC schedule from the first 5 weeks to all weeks up to the last Saturday in October. If our game is not first in the 1-1 or game 1/2 in the 2-1 then the buyout would be 1.5mil for canceling the game at HS after the first game is played with 3+ years notice and 2mil for less than 3 years notice.

2. Schedule a 1-1 with an non-AQ.

3. Schedule 1 AQ team away for a paycheck (per year) and the hopeful TV exposure

4. Fill the remaining holes with an additional non-AQ 1-1 or even pay to have them come to HS with no return game.

5. If there are any openings after all of this THEN schedule a FCS team as a last resort. Preference goes to hosting an instate team or UNI who would brings some fans. Losing to the #1 FCS team is still losing to a FCS team so schedule the easiest cupcake since that is what everyone else will think of the game anyways.

I think that's a pretty good approach overall. I don't think you'd get anybody to agree to those buyout figures in #1 (they're too high, doubt schools would agree to them), but I think playing an AQ school in Huskie Stadium every few years is definitely doable. And the rest of the scheduling you proposed (1 non-AQ, 1 away AQ, then 1 other filler), to me, is how NIU *should* be scheduling.

NIU and BYU can play a neutral site game at Soldier Field and BYU legend and Punky QB Jim McMahon can be there for a pre-game ceremony.

I'm sure his appearance fee wouldn't be much more than a 12-pack of Coors.

(04-07-2012 05:20 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  AD Compher is fully against scheduling OOC games past week 5 AND he also seems to be against playing teams that are not within the MAC footprint OR within 400 miles of Huskie Stadium.

Then why did Compher sign a contract for a home and home with Idaho, which is 1800+ miles from DeKalb, last year?

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  We are also (verbally) limited by ESPN/MSV to have all of our OOC games BEFORE November. I think until we get a new AD and TV contract this will not change.

How could we be "verbally" and not contractually limited?

LOL I have no idea about Idaho...he either knows the AD when he was at Washington OR they were/are really cheap.

AD Compher said in one of the chats that we need to keep our OOC games early in the season. It would make sense that ESPN does not want the MAC to have ANY OOC games in November. They want all of the conference product available for weeknight games that month. There have been exceptions to this which is why I say that it is not contractual and just a request from ESPN and the conference.

(04-08-2012 09:28 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 05:20 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  AD Compher is fully against scheduling OOC games past week 5 AND he also seems to be against playing teams that are not within the MAC footprint OR within 400 miles of Huskie Stadium.

Then why did Compher sign a contract for a home and home with Idaho, which is 1800+ miles from DeKalb, last year?

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  We are also (verbally) limited by ESPN/MSV to have all of our OOC games BEFORE November. I think until we get a new AD and TV contract this will not change.

How could we be "verbally" and not contractually limited?

LOL I have no idea about Idaho...he either knows the AD when he was at Washington OR they were/are really cheap.

AD Compher said in one of the chats that we need to keep our OOC games early in the season. It would make sense that ESPN does not want the MAC to have ANY OOC games in November. They want all of the conference product available for weeknight games that month. There have been exceptions to this which is why I say that it is not contractual and just a request from ESPN and the conference.

The series with Idaho is a real head-scratcher to me. They're a mediocre team with no name recognition that has had one good year (2009) in the last 10 years. The travel expenses to play out there are HUGE. As far as our home game with them in 2014, they won't be any kind of draw at Huskie Stadium. Our game against them in 2009 proved that. Why are we scheduling Idaho at all? Let's go for someone better like Fresno State or Nevada.

Nothing you have said shows me that we're limited by ESPN as far as playing non-conference games in November. It might require some negotiation with ESPN and the MAC, but it could be done.

(04-08-2012 10:24 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  The series with Idaho is a real head-scratcher to me. They're a mediocre team with no name recognition that has had one good year (2009) in the last 10 years. The travel expenses to play out there are HUGE. As far as our home game with them in 2014, they won't be any kind of draw at Huskie Stadium. Our game against them in 2009 proved that. Why are we scheduling Idaho at all? Let's go for someone better like Fresno State or Nevada.

The only thing I can think of is that he's "greasing the wheels" with the fans and "big-wigs" of the State of Idaho who may have connections to the MAC bowl game in their state in an attempt make any potential future decisions lean in NIU's favor.

(04-08-2012 10:24 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  Nothing you have said shows me that we're limited by ESPN as far as playing non-conference games in November. It might require some negotiation with ESPN and the MAC, but it could be done.

I agree. As I mentioned earlier, BYU has a TV deal with ESPN so if getting NIU scheduled (and televised) in November helps BYU, it helps ESPN. I think ESPN would be quite fine with a weeknight "MACtion" game that featured the Cougars of BYU. I cannot see the MAC turning down that level of League exposure and it may be able to parlay it into better coverage for one of the other weeknight MAC vs. MAC games or get an additional game on ESPN out of it. Something would be worked out.

I encourage anyone here with a direct line to Compher to make a phone call, write an e-mail, or text a bunch of XOXO's and LOL's to him about making this happen.

(04-08-2012 10:47 AM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

(04-08-2012 10:24 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  The series with Idaho is a real head-scratcher to me. They're a mediocre team with no name recognition that has had one good year (2009) in the last 10 years. The travel expenses to play out there are HUGE. As far as our home game with them in 2014, they won't be any kind of draw at Huskie Stadium. Our game against them in 2009 proved that. Why are we scheduling Idaho at all? Let's go for someone better like Fresno State or Nevada.

The only thing I can think of is that he's "greasing the wheels" with the fans and "big-wigs" of the State of Idaho who may have connections to the MAC bowl game in their state in an attempt make any potential future decisions lean in NIU's favor.

I'd say that's a stretch, but nothing about this series makes much sense. I've also heard that Jeff is friends with the Idaho AD. I don't know if that's true or not, but Jeff was an Asst. AD at the University of Washington.

(04-08-2012 10:47 AM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

(04-08-2012 10:24 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  Nothing you have said shows me that we're limited by ESPN as far as playing non-conference games in November. It might require some negotiation with ESPN and the MAC, but it could be done.

I agree. As I mentioned earlier, BYU has a TV deal with ESPN so if getting NIU scheduled (and televised) in November helps BYU, it helps ESPN. I think ESPN would be quite fine with a weeknight "MACtion" game that featured the Cougars of BYU. I cannot see the MAC turning down that level of League exposure and it may be able to parlay it into better coverage for one of the other weeknight MAC vs. MAC games or get an additional game on ESPN out of it. Something would be worked out.

I encourage anyone here with a direct line to Compher to make a phone call, write an e-mail, or text a bunch of XOXO's and LOL's to him about making this happen.

+1. This would be a very positive development as far as our non-conference scheduling.

(04-08-2012 11:25 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-08-2012 10:47 AM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

(04-08-2012 10:24 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  The series with Idaho is a real head-scratcher to me. They're a mediocre team with no name recognition that has had one good year (2009) in the last 10 years. The travel expenses to play out there are HUGE. As far as our home game with them in 2014, they won't be any kind of draw at Huskie Stadium. Our game against them in 2009 proved that. Why are we scheduling Idaho at all? Let's go for someone better like Fresno State or Nevada.

The only thing I can think of is that he's "greasing the wheels" with the fans and "big-wigs" of the State of Idaho who may have connections to the MAC bowl game in their state in an attempt make any potential future decisions lean in NIU's favor.

I'd say that's a stretch, but nothing about this series makes much sense. I've also heard that Jeff is friends with the Idaho AD. I don't know if that's true or not, but Jeff was an Asst. AD at the University of Washington.

That may be explanation enough.

I agree that it makes very little sense and I hope that NIU is done with it after the 2013/14 series. Will Idaho even be FBS in 2014? Maybe NIU should look into switching the home date to 2013 and just buyout the 2014 game (or claim a breach) if Idaho is forced to drop to FCS by then.

Screw the conference - they have done us no favors and never will. We need to do what's best for us. If we want to play BYU in November, so be it. Make the conference deal with it.

(04-08-2012 10:24 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-08-2012 09:28 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-07-2012 05:20 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  AD Compher is fully against scheduling OOC games past week 5 AND he also seems to be against playing teams that are not within the MAC footprint OR within 400 miles of Huskie Stadium.

Then why did Compher sign a contract for a home and home with Idaho, which is 1800+ miles from DeKalb, last year?

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  We are also (verbally) limited by ESPN/MSV to have all of our OOC games BEFORE November. I think until we get a new AD and TV contract this will not change.

How could we be "verbally" and not contractually limited?

LOL I have no idea about Idaho...he either knows the AD when he was at Washington OR they were/are really cheap.

AD Compher said in one of the chats that we need to keep our OOC games early in the season. It would make sense that ESPN does not want the MAC to have ANY OOC games in November. They want all of the conference product available for weeknight games that month. There have been exceptions to this which is why I say that it is not contractual and just a request from ESPN and the conference.

The series with Idaho is a real head-scratcher to me. They're a mediocre team with no name recognition that has had one good year (2009) in the last 10 years. The travel expenses to play out there are HUGE. As far as our home game with them in 2014, they won't be any kind of draw at Huskie Stadium. Our game against them in 2009 proved that. Why are we scheduling Idaho at all? Let's go for someone better like Fresno State or Nevada.

Nothing you have said shows me that we're limited by ESPN as far as playing non-conference games in November. It might require some negotiation with ESPN and the MAC, but it could be done.

I agree with your Idaho comments.

I will see if I can get a real answer about OOC games in November...but back to the original thing about BYU having a hard time scheduling late games...I think they would be content with a late October series vs NIU.

(04-06-2012 09:55 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 09:39 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 08:11 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  I wouldn't mind seeing that game but there are better teams that would be more beneficial for the program...


If I were AD...
I would try to schedule one team from FL, AL, TX & LA (in that order) every year. This would be for the purpose of scheduling a 1-1...I don't even care if its FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM.
The home game would be early because the southern teams would not agree to play in DeKalb in late October.

The away game would be late in October to give a bit of a recruiting help for those Southern kids that are worried about playing in the cold in DeKalb.

The home game would give an opportunity to host a non-FCS opponent that wouldn't kill us if we lost to them if we were having a down year.

Playing FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM would be more beneficial for our program than playing BYU? Please explain.

Playing in FL, AL, TX of LA is more beneficial for recruiting than playing BYU home or away...especially if the Southern game was played late in October. For getting seats in the seats then yes playing BYU at home would be better than playing FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM.

I do not view BYU above playing Army or Navy. If we were some how able to set up a late October 1-1 with then I definitely wouldn't complain.

Again I just think we need to play Southern teams in the South. I don't care who they are. Since 2003 when we played @ Alabama we have only had one game in the "South" @ Tennessee and that was only because President Peters wants us to play them...and we don't even recruit Tenn that hard.

How long's it been since we played in Florida? Answer - 2002. Yet, we have 10 Florida players on the roster and 3 incoming freshmen. So we're doing just fine recruiting Florida without playing a game there in the last 10 years. We don't have to play a game in Florida or anywhere else for recruits to see us. Having our games on ESPN gives us exposure to recruits nationwide.

We need opponents that will put butts in the seats at Huskie Stadium and I think BYU would do that. FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM? Not so much.

I agree with your overall premise, but we played UCF in Orlando in 2004 fwiw.

(04-09-2012 08:50 AM)sarasotahuskie Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 09:55 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 09:39 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 08:11 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 05:27 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  I wouldn't mind seeing that game but there are better teams that would be more beneficial for the program...


If I were AD...
I would try to schedule one team from FL, AL, TX & LA (in that order) every year. This would be for the purpose of scheduling a 1-1...I don't even care if its FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM.
The home game would be early because the southern teams would not agree to play in DeKalb in late October.

The away game would be late in October to give a bit of a recruiting help for those Southern kids that are worried about playing in the cold in DeKalb.

The home game would give an opportunity to host a non-FCS opponent that wouldn't kill us if we lost to them if we were having a down year.

Playing FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM would be more beneficial for our program than playing BYU? Please explain.

Playing in FL, AL, TX of LA is more beneficial for recruiting than playing BYU home or away...especially if the Southern game was played late in October. For getting seats in the seats then yes playing BYU at home would be better than playing FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM.

I do not view BYU above playing Army or Navy. If we were some how able to set up a late October 1-1 with then I definitely wouldn't complain.

Again I just think we need to play Southern teams in the South. I don't care who they are. Since 2003 when we played @ Alabama we have only had one game in the "South" @ Tennessee and that was only because President Peters wants us to play them...and we don't even recruit Tenn that hard.

How long's it been since we played in Florida? Answer - 2002. Yet, we have 10 Florida players on the roster and 3 incoming freshmen. So we're doing just fine recruiting Florida without playing a game there in the last 10 years. We don't have to play a game in Florida or anywhere else for recruits to see us. Having our games on ESPN gives us exposure to recruits nationwide.

We need opponents that will put butts in the seats at Huskie Stadium and I think BYU would do that. FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM? Not so much.

I agree with your overall premise, but we played UCF in Orlando in 2004 fwiw.

Good catch...I was only looking at our OOC schedule.

I think more of our OOC focus should be on teams in TX, AL & LA since we do well with recruiting in FL already.

(04-09-2012 08:50 AM)sarasotahuskie Wrote:  

(04-06-2012 09:55 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  How long's it been since we played in Florida? Answer - 2002. Yet, we have 10 Florida players on the roster and 3 incoming freshmen. So we're doing just fine recruiting Florida without playing a game there in the last 10 years. We don't have to play a game in Florida or anywhere else for recruits to see us. Having our games on ESPN gives us exposure to recruits nationwide.

We need opponents that will put butts in the seats at Huskie Stadium and I think BYU would do that. FAU, UAB, UNT or ULM? Not so much.

I agree with your overall premise, but we played UCF in Orlando in 2004 fwiw.

I posted this earlier in the thread. Link

(04-07-2012 11:15 AM)huskiebob Wrote:  You are correct sir! Forgot about the UCF game. I've got that game on disc; should have remembered that one!

(04-09-2012 08:22 AM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Screw the conference - they have done us no favors and never will. We need to do what's best for us. If we want to play BYU in November, so be it. Make the conference deal with it.

I can get on board with that.

(04-09-2012 10:55 AM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

(04-09-2012 08:22 AM)DiehardHuskie Wrote:  Screw the conference - they have done us no favors and never will. We need to do what's best for us. If we want to play BYU in November, so be it. Make the conference deal with it.

I can get on board with that.

LOL I would be fine with that too.

(04-09-2012 08:27 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  I will see if I can get a real answer about OOC games in November...

Any word?

(04-09-2012 07:43 PM)Howl-n-Prowl Wrote:  

(04-09-2012 08:27 AM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  I will see if I can get a real answer about OOC games in November...

Any word?

I haven't gotten to it yet.

Living in Utah and flying the Huskie Red I would love to see this game, finally shut up some of these BYU fans. Bring it.

(04-10-2012 08:59 AM)MileHighHuskie Wrote:  Living in Utah and flying the Huskie Red I would love to see this game, finally shut up some of these BYU fans. Bring it.