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NIU1981 Offline
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Post: #1
Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
A disappointing loss since that game was there for the taking. Like all close games a few key plays made the difference, three in particular:

1. Spotting Vandy 14 points by not coming out ready to play. Gave up some big plays, had to burn timeouts early, etc.

2. Getting no points after reaching first down at the Vandy 22 yard line with 8 minutes left in the second quarter. The next three plays: lose six yards on a stretch play to Nettles where a lineman missed his block; Bowers runs out of bounds and loses two more yards instead of throwing it away; sack for loss of 12.

3. That ridiculous double pass call at the end. That play call made zero sense since we were gashing them with the run at that point and didn't want to score quickly anyway.

Other observations:

-Cox played the whole game at left tackle. I thought he did better although he still has troubles with pass blocking. Our left guard position did not have a good game, regardless of who was in there. That's a problem since we have a developmental guy at left tackle. I would be interested to see if Starr can play left guard. Or maybe move Patton back to left guard where he played last year and try to find somebody for right guard.

-Lorbeck only played a play or two after the middle of the first quarter, not sure what's up with him. Cam Mattox played a lot and did well I thought, especially for a true freshman. He has a chance to be pretty good.

-Antwain Walker played most of the second half and did pretty well. Haney was having a lot of trouble tackling anybody, really needs to work on that. It might have been Walker who just missed the pick six early in the third quarter. Not sure since that play was during the Jerry Stackhouse interview so the announcers didn't say who made the play.

-Bad luck for Cole on the targeting, penalized for making a good football play.

-Overall this is looking like a pretty average MAC team. The defense is now merely good instead of great with the loss of Pugh. The difference without him is really substantial. Lots of big plays given up that wouldn't be. The offense is not good. Bowers makes some plays but misses quite a few too, the left side of the O-line is weak as noted above, the receivers struggle to get separation. I see this team going 5 - 3 in the MAC at best. Hope they prove me wrong of course but I just don't see this group going to Toledo, Miami and Ohio and winning, and EMU and WMU are going to be tough and Ball State is improved.

-Positives: They fought to the end at Vandy, Nettles, Crawford, Heflin and Richardson have stood out.
09-29-2019 12:35 PM
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Trekker41 Offline
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Post: #2
Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
I don't dispute most of your assessment but the run game was vastly improved and receivers/QB did a much better job in the second half. Additionally, the defense played fairly well after the first quarter schwacking.

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(This post was last modified: 09-29-2019 01:01 PM by Trekker41.)
09-29-2019 12:59 PM
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NIU05 Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
Felt we were ready but Vandy took the foot off the pedal. Mattox? Agree, he Flashed. OLine is improving.Cox is going to be solid to very good. Play calling gets a little cute at times.(double pass). Harbison not showing quicks, Ritchie in comparison to SEC speed looks average. We seem to be missing a game breaker, Fr on defense hard to be effective.
09-29-2019 02:25 PM
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HuskiePride12 Offline
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Post: #4
RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
Really need lorbeck to start showing up. Hasn’t done much this season
09-29-2019 03:17 PM
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houstonhuskie Offline
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Post: #5
Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
The cole hit was blatant targeting and just stupid. Turn your head out and hit with shoulder. Vandy obviously understood that. The hit on tucker and the hit on the screen were both hard and clean. Goes to coaching. You have to train that out of then and good teams do that.

I question the logic on this board sometimes. We get mad the call is being made against us so often instead of why we are guilty of doing it so often.


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09-29-2019 04:31 PM
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Rabid Squirrel Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-29-2019 04:31 PM)houstonhuskie Wrote:  The cole hit was blatant targeting and just stupid. Turn your head out and hit with shoulder. Vandy obviously understood that. The hit on tucker and the hit on the screen were both hard and clean. Goes to coaching. You have to train that out of then and good teams do that.

I question the logic on this board sometimes. We get mad the call is being made against us so often instead of why we are guilty of doing it so often.


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College does have a defenseless receiver rule. Did Tucker have time to defend himself?
09-29-2019 04:56 PM
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houstonhuskie Offline
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Post: #7
Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
The defenseless receiver rule in college still refers to hits to the head. (Just shoulder led) on a receiver not yet ready to become a runner. The tucker hit was in the body (shoulder to chest) and therefore legal.


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09-29-2019 05:50 PM
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NIU007 Offline
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Post: #8
RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
That targeting call at Utah was bad though. Nothing the NIU player could do.
09-29-2019 06:16 PM
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JoeNovak Offline
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Post: #9
RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-29-2019 06:16 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  That targeting call at Utah was bad though. Nothing the NIU player could do.

How that call was upheld was beyond me. One of the worst targeting calls I’ve ever seen. He was diving at his legs!
09-29-2019 06:59 PM
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DiehardHuskie Offline
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Post: #10
RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
Aggravating game. Should have been a win.

No excuse for the team coming out so lifeless.
Pretty underwhelmed by Eidness so far.
Punting the ball with 3+ minutes left was pretty dumb call.
We need to quit wasting timeouts.
Cole Tucker is one tuff dude.
Ritchie needs more touches.
Brinkman and Crawford continue to be so solid.

I know Vandy was 0-3 coming in, but man, that was one of the sorriest game day atmospheres I've ever seen.

Had an awesome weekend in Nashville. Kudos to all the Huskie fans that made the trip. It's always a blast going on the road and running into Huskie fans all over the town we're in.
09-29-2019 08:50 PM
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MaddDawgz02 Offline
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Post: #11
RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-29-2019 12:35 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  A disappointing loss since that game was there for the taking. Like all close games a few key plays made the difference, three in particular:

1. Spotting Vandy 14 points by not coming out ready to play. Gave up some big plays, had to burn timeouts early, etc.

2. Getting no points after reaching first down at the Vandy 22 yard line with 8 minutes left in the second quarter. The next three plays: lose six yards on a stretch play to Nettles where a lineman missed his block; Bowers runs out of bounds and loses two more yards instead of throwing it away; sack for loss of 12.

3. That ridiculous double pass call at the end. That play call made zero sense since we were gashing them with the run at that point and didn't want to score quickly anyway.

Other observations:

-Cox played the whole game at left tackle. I thought he did better although he still has troubles with pass blocking. Our left guard position did not have a good game, regardless of who was in there. That's a problem since we have a developmental guy at left tackle. I would be interested to see if Starr can play left guard. Or maybe move Patton back to left guard where he played last year and try to find somebody for right guard.

-Lorbeck only played a play or two after the middle of the first quarter, not sure what's up with him. Cam Mattox played a lot and did well I thought, especially for a true freshman. He has a chance to be pretty good.

-Antwain Walker played most of the second half and did pretty well. Haney was having a lot of trouble tackling anybody, really needs to work on that. It might have been Walker who just missed the pick six early in the third quarter. Not sure since that play was during the Jerry Stackhouse interview so the announcers didn't say who made the play.

-Bad luck for Cole on the targeting, penalized for making a good football play.

-Overall this is looking like a pretty average MAC team. The defense is now merely good instead of great with the loss of Pugh. The difference without him is really substantial. Lots of big plays given up that wouldn't be. The offense is not good. Bowers makes some plays but misses quite a few too, the left side of the O-line is weak as noted above, the receivers struggle to get separation. I see this team going 5 - 3 in the MAC at best. Hope they prove me wrong of course but I just don't see this group going to Toledo, Miami and Ohio and winning, and EMU and WMU are going to be tough and Ball State is improved.

-Positives: They fought to the end at Vandy, Nettles, Crawford, Heflin and Richardson have stood out.

I didnt have a problem with the double pass call, especially since if it was just executed normally, it was an easy TD.
09-29-2019 11:46 PM
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Teamduh Offline
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Post: #12
RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-29-2019 04:31 PM)houstonhuskie Wrote:  The cole hit was blatant targeting and just stupid. Turn your head out and hit with shoulder. Vandy obviously understood that. The hit on tucker and the hit on the screen were both hard and clean. Goes to coaching. You have to train that out of then and good teams do that.

I question the logic on this board sometimes. We get mad the call is being made against us so often instead of why we are guilty of doing it so often.


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Agreed. There is a lot to pin on the teaching aspect that has been missing this year. This team needs to stop targeting. No more excuses.

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09-30-2019 12:35 AM
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Teamduh Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-29-2019 04:56 PM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  
(09-29-2019 04:31 PM)houstonhuskie Wrote:  The cole hit was blatant targeting and just stupid. Turn your head out and hit with shoulder. Vandy obviously understood that. The hit on tucker and the hit on the screen were both hard and clean. Goes to coaching. You have to train that out of then and good teams do that.

I question the logic on this board sometimes. We get mad the call is being made against us so often instead of why we are guilty of doing it so often.


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College does have a defenseless receiver rule. Did Tucker have time to defend himself?
Nope.

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09-30-2019 12:36 AM
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cosine4 Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-29-2019 12:35 PM)NIU1981 Wrote:  -Overall this is looking like a pretty average MAC team. The defense is now merely good instead of great with the loss of Pugh. The difference without him is really substantial. Lots of big plays given up that wouldn't be. The offense is not good. Bowers makes some plays but misses quite a few too, the left side of the O-line is weak as noted above, the receivers struggle to get separation. I see this team going 5 - 3 in the MAC at best. Hope they prove me wrong of course but I just don't see this group going to Toledo, Miami and Ohio and winning, and EMU and WMU are going to be tough and Ball State is improved.

The talent is there if they can stop making stupid mistakes. Yes, if they come out and make those same mistakes against the best of the MAC it will likely end in disappointment. But mistakes can be corrected, let's hope that is a major focus in practices to come.
09-30-2019 07:38 AM
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NIU05 Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
Vandy is just better. We did not come out flat, Vandy took their foot off the gas. Brinkman is our best offensive player. Let's see a little more discipline out of the Huskies in up coming games. See if have a RB that can bust one. Our LBs are what they are depleted.
09-30-2019 09:46 AM
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Rabid Squirrel Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-30-2019 09:46 AM)NIU05 Wrote:  Vandy is just better. We did not come out flat, Vandy took their foot off the gas. Brinkman is our best offensive player. Let's see a little more discipline out of the Huskies in up coming games. See if have a RB that can bust one. Our LBs are what they are depleted.

I don't believe in things like "coming out flat". I also don't believe teams "take their foot off the gas". And no team has ever taken their foot off the gas only 6 minutes into the first quarter. NIU out gained Vandy 395 to 262 for the remaining 54 minutes. Also 20 to 12 in first downs in that time. We had some backups in who probably played a little slower due to lack of experience. It allowed big plays. Thats not flat. Thats just the price of playing back ups. Vandy is in no way better than the Huskies.
09-30-2019 10:47 AM
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
There’s no doubt the defense has taken a step back, but the offense is better than it was last year. Bowers averaging 250 yards a game against 3 P5 teams should bode well for MAC play. The lack of depth at LB is pretty scary right now.

It’s going to be similar to last year where Ohio, Miami, WMU, Toledo, Ohio are all going to come down to making key plays in close games.
09-30-2019 11:23 AM
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HuskiePride12 Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-30-2019 11:23 AM)7 Wrote:  There’s no doubt the defense has taken a step back, but the offense is better than it was last year. Bowers averaging 250 yards a game against 3 P5 teams should bode well for MAC play. The lack of depth at LB is pretty scary right now.

It’s going to be similar to last year where Ohio, Miami, WMU, Toledo, Ohio are all going to come down to making key plays in close games.

Need one of the young guys to step up. The last few seasons I've actually thought the recruits at the LB position were pretty good on paper. Especially with Jennings/Bonds/Parker. Now have to show it on the field and someone to step up.

If someone steps up and can come close to what Pugh did, we will be fine the rest of the year IMO. AJD & Cole are a damn good combo.
(This post was last modified: 09-30-2019 12:42 PM by HuskiePride12.)
09-30-2019 12:38 PM
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Rabid Squirrel Offline
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
(09-30-2019 11:05 AM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  
(09-30-2019 10:47 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  
(09-30-2019 09:46 AM)NIU05 Wrote:  Vandy is just better. We did not come out flat, Vandy took their foot off the gas. Brinkman is our best offensive player. Let's see a little more discipline out of the Huskies in up coming games. See if have a RB that can bust one. Our LBs are what they are depleted.

I don't believe in things like "coming out flat". I also don't believe teams "take their foot off the gas". And no team has ever taken their foot off the gas only 6 minutes into the first quarter. NIU out gained Vandy 395 to 262 for the remaining 54 minutes. Also 20 to 12 in first downs in that time. We had some backups in who probably played a little slower due to lack of experience. It allowed big plays. Thats not flat. Thats just the price of playing back ups. Vandy is in no way better than the Huskies.

Except of course on the scoreboard which is really all that matters. This board really loves moral victories.

No one said Vandy didn’t deserve the win. But you can evaluate teams beyond the scoreboard. If they played 10 times you’re saying Vandy would win all 10? The teams are pretty equal. You don’t have to jump off a bridge when the team loses. Look for positives to build on and negatives to eliminate.
09-30-2019 12:40 PM
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RE: Vanderbilt Game Thoughts
That was a good, competitive college football game on Saturday. Demoralizing loss for NIU as we had a great chance with the ball and driving towards the end. The botched trick play and ensuing 20 yard loss killed us. Surprised we didn't go for it on 4th and 10? ... we didn't get the ball back after that. While I love Hammock, the coaching staff has been BAD so far this season. Wasting timeouts to get the punt formation in order, self-inflicted penalties, wasting timeouts because the play clock is running out etc... all falls on the coaching. The coaching simply needs to be better. I thought the running game got going a little bit on Saturday which was encouraging and our D stepped up after a terrible start. That game we let get away but we can't dwell on it...

BEAT BALL STATE!!!!
10-01-2019 09:54 AM
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