I was looking for some Huskie Football news and ran in to this article. I thought it was well done. I can't wait for tomorrows game. GO HUSKIES

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/2022...redictions

(08-31-2022 10:05 PM)142niu Wrote:  I was looking for some Huskie Football news and ran in to this article. I thought it was well done. I can't wait for tomorrows game. GO HUSKIES

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/2022...redictions

Season's over, everyone should just forfeit because Toledo is unstoppable.

Apparently 2021 was all luck and close wins will be replaced by close losses and we won’t convert our 4th downs.

I tend to think NIU’s punishing ground game wears down opposing defenses and leads to pulling out close games in the 4Q. I also think Rocky’s focus and effort on 4th downs is/was special. Maybe I’m biased.

People underestimate that our wins were so close because our defense was so bad. We were among the very worst in defensive sacks and defensive turnovers. If we get to middle of FBS in those categories that would be a substantial improvement. Our defense only had one INT in the first 12 games last year...ONE! How can we not improve upon such a terrible stat??

(09-01-2022 06:22 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  People underestimate that our wins were so close because our defense was so bad. We were among the very worst in defensive sacks and defensive turnovers. If we get to middle of FBS in those categories that would be a substantial improvement. Our defense only had one INT in the first 12 games last year...ONE! How can we not improve upon such a terrible stat??

yep. What he said. Slight defensive improvement will help A TON!
(And I do think we saw improvement on defense over the course of last season. I expect it to continue.)

(09-01-2022 08:13 AM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(09-01-2022 06:22 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  People underestimate that our wins were so close because our defense was so bad. We were among the very worst in defensive sacks and defensive turnovers. If we get to middle of FBS in those categories that would be a substantial improvement. Our defense only had one INT in the first 12 games last year...ONE! How can we not improve upon such a terrible stat??

yep. What he said. Slight defensive improvement will help A TON!
(And I do think we saw improvement on defense over the course of last season. I expect it to continue.)

I have a feeling that we will see a big improvement in the defense. Hammock saw the same things we did, and I know he could not have been happy with it. Changes were made, and I think we may be surprised this year.

(09-01-2022 08:13 AM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(09-01-2022 06:22 AM)epasnoopy Wrote:  People underestimate that our wins were so close because our defense was so bad. We were among the very worst in defensive sacks and defensive turnovers. If we get to middle of FBS in those categories that would be a substantial improvement. Our defense only had one INT in the first 12 games last year...ONE! How can we not improve upon such a terrible stat??

yep. What he said. Slight defensive improvement will help A TON!
(And I do think we saw improvement on defense over the course of last season. I expect it to continue.)

Defense helped win MACC but not so much in bowl loss.

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I'm still concerned about short yardage situations this year. Rat had a ton of tough TDs and short yardage gains last year. Who replaces him. I asked Hammock and he said he has a wealth of backs who will.

I know Rocky can do it as he is the size of LBers but I don't want him injured.

That would be the slide back that COULD occur. Otherwise the team was prepared to go for it on 4th down and extremely successful (until the last 1 in the bowl game).

This team is better and I bet they play less close games and won't need to try 4th down plays. We may see the punter on occasion.


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(09-01-2022 08:20 AM)Teamduh Wrote:  Defense helped win MACC but not so much in bowl loss.

True for both games. They played well in MACC and got two interceptions on defense. Then they got zero interceptions in bowl game and got torched. Then again, our offense destroyed Coastal's defense too.

I think the MACC shows what defensive turnovers can do. If we get more of them we pull ahead in games and put more pressure on the other team to score, which may result in more turnovers committed by the opposition.