Things are trending up big time. Hard not to be excited about what Hammock is building.

(10-20-2021 08:08 PM)NILAW Wrote:  I saw a few times 3 guys holding themselves out as experts on you tube videos, and 1 in particular kept repeating that Hammock was a bad hire/coach and NIU is a bad team (in essence because of that). It always strikes me funny what makes these 3 guys (and others like them) experts. Anyway, I would love to see what they say now! I can’t find the videos now, although I didn’t look very hard.

Let’s not forget that there were a few posters here basically saying the same thing about Hammock and the team. I notice it has been crickets by those posters this year!

I always really liked the hire. Hammock has now shown that he was a good hire and he is a good coach. IIMO he is classy, is a very good representative of the University and he seems to have a very good connection with the players. The jury would seem to be out about how good Hammock ultimately turns out to be. However, those who said he was a bad hire/coach are definitely wrong. I doubt we’ll hear that admitted by the anti-Hammock posters!

I saw a similar video on Youtube, might have been the same one. On this one they talked about the over/under for wins being 3.5 games, and seemed to agree they would be under. The guy kept saying it was a bad hire, have no idea what he was basing that on. Hammock didn't have any HC or coordinator experience, that would be the only thing. Still, he would have to have a crystal ball at that point, basing his opinion on a year plus 1/2 year of the Covid season, especially with how young the team was (pretty sure they had no idea that was the case).

I loved watching Hammock as a player at NIU. Too bad his playing career got cut short. He is doing a good job at NIU building a team that I still believe was heading down since Carey took over. The number of wins was diminishing and I am so glad Temple took him off our hands.

Hammock has slowly developed his coaching style under some very good coaches (college and pro's) and one of the things I like about him is he tells it like it is. He let's you know what he thinks and what he believes. He appears to be a players coach. He will ride you if your slacking and he will promote you if your performing. I love his mantra of practice like you perform. I tough high school marching band as well as drum and bugle corps. Practice like you perform is what I taught the kids when they were learning and rehearsing. That proved to be a difference maker as the season progresses. Anyway, I am really hoping that this team continues to grow and be a place where students want to come and play. So far, it seems like the players are buying into Hammocks approach.

It sure is nice to be winning again. I don't ever want to relive the late 80's or early 90's ever again. I don't count last year as much of anything but an asterisk in a history book.

I love Hammock. While I've said in the past during his first two seasons that him and his staff needed to improve some of their in-game management and coaching- they have. They have gotten better as a staff just like the players have improved. He's doing it the right way, the hard way. Couldn't be more proud of where this program is now and where it is going.

Beat Central Michigan! THE HARD WAY.

If the Huskies finish out strong and they fulfill expectations next season, Hammock is gone. I'm enjoying the heck out of this year but if he finishes big, the BIG TEN might come calling this year. If not definitely next year. Sorry if I'm being a wet blanket.

I don't see anybody stealing Hammock away this year no matter what happens. Small chance of next year but that's getting way ahead of ourselves.

I love his enthusiasm for NIU and his focus on developing good young men. His coaching abilities are starting to shine.

(10-21-2021 09:56 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  I don't see anybody stealing Hammock away this year no matter what happens. Small chance of next year but that's getting way ahead of ourselves.

Totally agree on not getting ahead of ourselves. Heck, we don't even know what the expectations are this year yet. I know what the hope is, but that may drastically change in about 50 hours.

Hammock is not going anywhere soon. He needs at least two to three years more of recruiting and seeing this current class through.

Rod had fairly solid success and he was here for seven or eight years.

Hammock isn’t going anywhere for several years unless He pulls off a 13-1 type season. And even then I’m not sure. Look at Jamey Caldwell at coastal. He took an FCS team to a ranked FBS team in 4 years. He also took them from the bottom to the very top of recruiting classes in the SBC. Hammock took over a perennial Mac winner and in year 3 we are hoping we will start being that perennial winner again. Plus NIUs recruiting is still 4-5th in the Mac. That hasn’t improved.

Hammock is perfect for NIU. He will be here for another 4+ years. Long term he will become an all time favorite coach of the program.

(10-21-2021 11:10 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  Hammock isn’t going anywhere for several years unless He pulls off a 13-1 type season. And even then I’m not sure. Look at Jamey Caldwell at coastal. He took an FCS team to a ranked FBS team in 4 years. He also took them from the bottom to the very top of recruiting classes in the SBC. Hammock took over a perennial Mac winner and in year 3 we are hoping we will start being that perennial winner again. Plus NIUs recruiting is still 4-5th in the Mac. That hasn’t improved.

Hammock is perfect for NIU. He will be here for another 4+ years. Long term he will become an all time favorite coach of the program.

Ah, yes......we can only dream of being the top recruiter like Toledo.

(10-21-2021 11:10 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  Hammock isn’t going anywhere for several years unless He pulls off a 13-1 type season. And even then I’m not sure. Look at Jamey Caldwell at coastal. He took an FCS team to a ranked FBS team in 4 years. He also took them from the bottom to the very top of recruiting classes in the SBC. Hammock took over a perennial Mac winner and in year 3 we are hoping we will start being that perennial winner again. Plus NIUs recruiting is still 4-5th in the Mac. That hasn’t improved.

Hammock is perfect for NIU. He will be here for another 4+ years. Long term he will become an all time favorite coach of the program.

But if he does get us back to the perennial winner.....the 3 previous coaches left for P5 jobs/Temple.

(10-20-2021 09:45 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:08 PM)NILAW Wrote:  I saw a few times 3 guys holding themselves out as experts on you tube videos, and 1 in particular kept repeating that Hammock was a bad hire/coach and NIU is a bad team (in essence because of that). It always strikes me funny what makes these 3 guys (and others like them) experts. Anyway, I would love to see what they say now! I can’t find the videos now, although I didn’t look very hard.

Let’s not forget that there were a few posters here basically saying the same thing about Hammock and the team. I notice it has been crickets by those posters this year!

I always really liked the hire. Hammock has now shown that he was a good hire and he is a good coach. IIMO he is classy, is a very good representative of the University and he seems to have a very good connection with the players. The jury would seem to be out about how good Hammock ultimately turns out to be. However, those who said he was a bad hire/coach are definitely wrong. I doubt we’ll hear that admitted by the anti-Hammock posters!

I saw a similar video on Youtube, might have been the same one. On this one they talked about the over/under for wins being 3.5 games, and seemed to agree they would be under. The guy kept saying it was a bad hire, have no idea what he was basing that on. Hammock didn't have any HC or coordinator experience, that would be the only thing. Still, he would have to have a crystal ball at that point, basing his opinion on a year plus 1/2 year of the Covid season, especially with how young the team was (pretty sure they had no idea that was the case).

Which is wrong! Hammock was Co Offensive Coordinator in Minnesota and Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at Wisconsin. So, they are just wrong!

(10-21-2021 11:31 AM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 09:45 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(10-20-2021 08:08 PM)NILAW Wrote:  I saw a few times 3 guys holding themselves out as experts on you tube videos, and 1 in particular kept repeating that Hammock was a bad hire/coach and NIU is a bad team (in essence because of that). It always strikes me funny what makes these 3 guys (and others like them) experts. Anyway, I would love to see what they say now! I can’t find the videos now, although I didn’t look very hard.

Let’s not forget that there were a few posters here basically saying the same thing about Hammock and the team. I notice it has been crickets by those posters this year!

I always really liked the hire. Hammock has now shown that he was a good hire and he is a good coach. IIMO he is classy, is a very good representative of the University and he seems to have a very good connection with the players. The jury would seem to be out about how good Hammock ultimately turns out to be. However, those who said he was a bad hire/coach are definitely wrong. I doubt we’ll hear that admitted by the anti-Hammock posters!

I saw a similar video on Youtube, might have been the same one. On this one they talked about the over/under for wins being 3.5 games, and seemed to agree they would be under. The guy kept saying it was a bad hire, have no idea what he was basing that on. Hammock didn't have any HC or coordinator experience, that would be the only thing. Still, he would have to have a crystal ball at that point, basing his opinion on a year plus 1/2 year of the Covid season, especially with how young the team was (pretty sure they had no idea that was the case).

Which is wrong! Hammock was Co Offensive Coordinator in Minnesota and Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator at Wisconsin. So, they are just wrong!

I thought he was just RB coach. In the video they never said why they thought it was a bad hire.

(10-21-2021 11:30 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 11:10 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  Hammock isn’t going anywhere for several years unless He pulls off a 13-1 type season. And even then I’m not sure. Look at Jamey Caldwell at coastal. He took an FCS team to a ranked FBS team in 4 years. He also took them from the bottom to the very top of recruiting classes in the SBC. Hammock took over a perennial Mac winner and in year 3 we are hoping we will start being that perennial winner again. Plus NIUs recruiting is still 4-5th in the Mac. That hasn’t improved.

Hammock is perfect for NIU. He will be here for another 4+ years. Long term he will become an all time favorite coach of the program.

But if he does get us back to the perennial winner.....the 3 previous coaches left for P5 jobs/Temple.

If Hammock strung together 3 consecutive 11 win seasons or something, yeah, good teams will come calling. But if it’s a mix of 8-5 & 9-4 I dont think he will get a big enough offer to leave NIU. He obviously loves it here.

(10-21-2021 11:44 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 11:30 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(10-21-2021 11:10 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  Hammock isn’t going anywhere for several years unless He pulls off a 13-1 type season. And even then I’m not sure. Look at Jamey Caldwell at coastal. He took an FCS team to a ranked FBS team in 4 years. He also took them from the bottom to the very top of recruiting classes in the SBC. Hammock took over a perennial Mac winner and in year 3 we are hoping we will start being that perennial winner again. Plus NIUs recruiting is still 4-5th in the Mac. That hasn’t improved.

Hammock is perfect for NIU. He will be here for another 4+ years. Long term he will become an all time favorite coach of the program.

But if he does get us back to the perennial winner.....the 3 previous coaches left for P5 jobs/Temple.

If Hammock strung together 3 consecutive 11 win seasons or something, yeah, good teams will come calling. But if it’s a mix of 8-5 & 9-4 I dont think he will get a big enough offer to leave NIU. He obviously loves it here.

Sounds about right.

I loved the Hammock hire, because of his reputation as a Ravens' RB coach (my favorite pro football team). As well as all of his accolades as a RB coach in college, from here to Minnesota and Wisconsin. The first season was acceptable, but I questioned being so tough on a MAC championship team. I will admit, all the losing and transferring made me lose faith.

But he is building what he said he would, a team that was going to win the MAC and more. This team is still very young, if he keeps recruiting and building on what we have even more, I can very well see him getting President Freeman the new Orange Bowl sweater he promised in Oak Brook.

(10-21-2021 09:15 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  I loved the Hammock hire, because of his reputation as a Ravens' RB coach (my favorite pro football team). As well as all of his accolades as a RB coach in college, from here to Minnesota and Wisconsin. The first season was acceptable, but I questioned being so tough on a MAC championship team. I will admit, all the losing and transferring made me lose faith.

But he is building what he said he would, a team that was going to win the MAC and more. This team is still very young, if he keeps recruiting and building on what we have even more, I can very well see him getting President Freeman the new Orange Bowl sweater he promised in Oak Brook.

Lets hope President Freeman has moved on by then, even if that sweater is purchased in the next 3 seasons...

I thought Freeman was well received. What's going on with her?

(10-22-2021 01:26 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  I thought Freeman was well received. What's going on with her?

A safe placeholder after a few bad hires. A lot of spin, but not much result. NIU needed something dynamic and game changing, and she is not it. If she can get enrolment up to 18k with more on campus students, cut Admin spending, get the upcoming Capital campaign to some level of success, and somehow find a way to improve campus infrastructure - I will sing her praises. Just not seeing it right now. ISU and SIU have raised a ton of money lately. NIU grads are just as successful from when the campus was hopping. Let's see if she can tap it.