(12-24-2014 01:06 AM)7 Wrote:  Huff was sent home earlier in the week because he was sick.

So you were talking about trying to beat Marshall pretty much without Daniels, Huff, Beebe, Tommy, and Saffold on offense.

Good to know. On TV it looked like Loos was sick too. I wonder if the flu was floating around the team. That may help explain the outcome of the game. Don't get me wrong, I don't think NIU was a play or two away from winning, but something just did not seem right with the team today.

There was a pic floating around of Loos puking on the field. Feel bad for the guy but he is pretty tough.

(12-24-2014 01:11 AM)Cowboy95 Wrote:  

(12-24-2014 01:06 AM)7 Wrote:  Huff was sent home earlier in the week because he was sick.

So you were talking about trying to beat Marshall pretty much without Daniels, Huff, Beebe, Tommy, and Saffold on offense.

Good to know. On TV it looked like Loos was sick too. I wonder if the flu was floating around the team. That may help explain the outcome of the game. Don't get me wrong, I don't think NIU was a play or two away from winning, but something just did not seem right with the team today.

Losing Daniels and Beebe key to me to keep this game close as they were critical all year to maintain possession on 3rd downs. All the credit in the world to a fine Marshall team, but allot of those fade passes are a bit tougher it a tight game than a game with some wiggle room

(12-23-2014 10:59 PM)Flying Corn Wrote:  

(12-23-2014 10:47 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  I think many of us are thankful and proud of our Huskies, me included. It does seem however, that we can't seem to get over the hump to get unquestioned due respect in the college football landscape. We are so damn close to hitting a new level, but have not kicked the door in.

True, but this wasn't the year or team to do it. They overachieved just to win the MACC, and honestly, stepping up into a better bowl with a tougher opponent probably wasn't the right call this year.

With the benefit of hindsight, I wonder if just playing Ark St in the GoDaddy bowl wouldn't have been a better choice with this team...

Agreed 100%%%

Always tough to handle a big loss but the future is bright. You always want to play the best team possible and the young guys will learn and bounce back. I keep focusing on this. The future is bright.

YOUTH MOVEMENT: Heading into the 2014 season, the Huskies rank as one of the youngest teams in the nation. As camp broke in early August, 73 of the 105 players on the roster were either freshmen or sophomores - a whopping 69.5 percent of the entire team. That number puts NIU fifth nationally and first in the Mid-American Conference for the country's youngest roster. Among the other most youthful rosters: Pittsburgh (78.6 percent), Penn State (72.4 percent), North Carolina State (70.5 percent), Wake Forest (70.5 percent) and Purdue (69.3 percent).

I have to admit that I was nervous seeing the guys in the ocean and thought to myself "I hope they don't get sick." No excuse though. Even if you are under the weather, you can play at a high level.

having TLL back next year is obviously going to be huge. He's a difference maker. I'm expecting great things from the Huskies and the MAC. The conference looks to be trending up as a whole.

(12-25-2014 12:12 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  having TLL back next year is obviously going to be huge. He's a difference maker. I'm expecting great things from the Huskies and the MAC. The conference looks to be trending up as a whole.

TLL will only be a big threat if we have a QB that can get him the ball in stride. Hare has yet to show that he can do that with any NIU receiver. Perhaps we have the coaches that can help him grow and perhaps not. I honestly do not know, but I do know that Drew needs to improve his passing ability or we will not repeat as MAC champs next season.

(12-25-2014 08:54 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  

(12-25-2014 12:12 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  having TLL back next year is obviously going to be huge. He's a difference maker. I'm expecting great things from the Huskies and the MAC. The conference looks to be trending up as a whole.

TLL will only be a big threat if we have a QB that can get him the ball in stride. Hare has yet to show that he can do that with any NIU receiver. Perhaps we have the coaches that can help him grow and perhaps not. I honestly do not know, but I do know that Drew needs to improve his passing ability or we will not repeat as MAC champs next season.

I think TLL will get his. In 2013 he averaged 8.3 yards per catch with 86 catches, which is really low for a receiver, so while he does have that top end speed he's going to get yards on those little bubble screens, just about the only throw Hare can make on a consistent basis.

You can't count on TLL the whole year.

(12-25-2014 08:54 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  

(12-25-2014 12:12 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  having TLL back next year is obviously going to be huge. He's a difference maker. I'm expecting great things from the Huskies and the MAC. The conference looks to be trending up as a whole.

TLL will only be a big threat if we have a QB that can get him the ball in stride. Hare has yet to show that he can do that with any NIU receiver. Perhaps we have the coaches that can help him grow and perhaps not. I honestly do not know, but I do know that Drew needs to improve his passing ability or we will not repeat as MAC champs next season.

Please tell us how you know that. Or, is it that you think P.J. and WMU will be invincible next year?

(12-25-2014 11:10 PM)huskiebob Wrote:  

(12-25-2014 08:54 PM)bikechuck Wrote:  

(12-25-2014 12:12 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  having TLL back next year is obviously going to be huge. He's a difference maker. I'm expecting great things from the Huskies and the MAC. The conference looks to be trending up as a whole.

TLL will only be a big threat if we have a QB that can get him the ball in stride. Hare has yet to show that he can do that with any NIU receiver. Perhaps we have the coaches that can help him grow and perhaps not. I honestly do not know, but I do know that Drew needs to improve his passing ability or we will not repeat as MAC champs next season.

Please tell us how you know that. Or, is it that you think P.J. and WMU will be invincible next year?

It's a safe bet though.

(12-23-2014 10:10 PM)imagambler Wrote:  Other than Ohio St. all games next year are winnable.

Next year will come down to what we do in the MAC which hardly anybody on here respects outside of Toledo.
Wins over UNLV and Murray State, then losses at Ohio State and Boston College, followed by whatever we do versus league opponents.

I feel the Huskies will beat Boston College.

Boston College had a pretty decent team this year. Beat USC, NC State, nearly beat FSU. I wouldn't call it a for sure loss, but it won't be an easy game to win.

Addazio is a really good coach, so he'll have them ready to play. That game will be tough, but at this moment, it's winnable.

Mark my words, WMU will be the preseason favorite in the West, the media is completely smitten with PJ and won't care that they have to play at Huskie Stadium and at the Glass Bowl. NIU could very easily be picked to finish 3rd in the division next year.

I don't think that Toledo is ranked ahead of NIU next year. WMU will be the media favorite. They do have a lot of people returning

(12-26-2014 08:44 PM)NIUSAE Wrote:  I don't think that Toledo is ranked ahead of NIU next year. WMU will be the media favorite. They do have a lot of people returning

Toledo will be ranked ahead of us. The media gets a bone for Toledo at prediction time. Based on the results the past couple years, I wouldn't want it any other way.

I believe Hare will be better next season with the deep ball after getting some instruction in the spring....the guy has an arm but no accuracy on deep balls. We will definitely have some skill players on offense, but I really wonder about our new O line - who will step up? On the D side of the ball, we should be looking pretty good.
Not sure about our kicking game......
non conference games? loss to O State, a possible win against Boston C.

Toledo will be the overwhelming preseason favorite next year, WMU/NIU will be a close call and interchangeable at 2nd and 3rd.