Let's get a positivity thread going for NIU football.

The defense - After being pretty bad for the last four years they have done a good job after two games. After two games they've given up 19 ppg. The players and new coaches deserve kudos for stepping up and getting that side of the ball improved. 3rd down defense has been much improved. We need to generate more turnovers but hard to do when all the SIU offense did was run short WR screen passes to the sidelines.

Kacper - He's been the best WR by far so far this season. That leaping catch he made in the middle of the field to convert a 3rd & 8 was crucial and was the drive we finally put some points on the board (third FG try is the charm!). He also scored our only TD.

MAC season - We dropped a non-conference game and still have rest of MAC play ahead of us. It is what it is. No one in the MAC is undefeated or significantly better than us. So we still have a chance to do well in conference play. I don't think we win the MAC but we could go 6-2 or 7-1 if we get our offense going.

(09-10-2023 12:04 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  Let's get a positivity thread going for NIU football.

The defense - After being pretty bad for the last four years they have done a good job after two games. After two games they've given up 19 ppg. The players and new coaches deserve kudos for stepping up and getting that side of the ball improved. 3rd down defense has been much improved. We need to generate more turnovers but hard to do when all the SIU offense did was run short WR screen passes to the sidelines.

Kacper - He's been the best WR by far so far this season. That leaping catch he made in the middle of the field to convert a 3rd & 8 was crucial and was the drive we finally put some points on the board (third FG try is the charm!). He also scored our only TD.

MAC season - We dropped a non-conference game and still have rest of MAC play ahead of us. It is what it is. No one in the MAC is undefeated or significantly better than us. So we still have a chance to do well in conference play. I don't think we win the MAC but we could go 6-2 or 7-1 if we get our offense going.

Good idea.

Rocky had some rough games early in 2021 before he got it going. Who remembers the 38 passing yards against a bad Bowling Green team?

We actually outgained SIU by 141 yards.

I was sitting there and it was a nice, engaged crowd on the West Side. A player on the D did a good job firing up the crowd on a few of those late 3rd down stops, it noticeably impacted SIU.

Fun time tailgating before the game, absolutely beautiful day in DeKalb

- The weather was beautiful. Couldn’t be better.

- The defense was decent.

- The offense did not tire itself scoring and should be fresh for the next game.

On more. Good job by the bands. My kids really enjoyed the halftime show, plus when they came up to play right by us in the stands.

The back 7 have been much better than expected.

The only thing positive about the offense is the units playing badly have a track record that says this is a fluke. We know Brown can run the rock. We know this O-line can be solid. We know Rocky can carry a team when he is on.

Chris Carter is a good pass catcher.

Mission III is maybe the MAC'S best mascot.

(09-10-2023 01:41 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  Mission III is maybe the MAC'S best mascot.

There is no “maybe” about this……

The better team didn't win yesterday......

(09-10-2023 02:10 PM)HuskieDave Wrote:  

(09-10-2023 01:41 PM)Boca Rocket Wrote:  Mission III is maybe the MAC'S best mascot.

There is no “maybe” about this……

Zippy' s pretty good. My kids vote for Mission III.

We have more QBs w/experience, if they choose to go that way. That's usually not the case.

Even if AB is somewhat limited, there are other RBs available who look ok.

We play Tulsa, who played Arkansas Pine Bluff this week, which I think is a municipal golf course and the team is made up of caddies. So maybe they are not exactly world beaters and we have a good shot at them! 2-2 after the OOC schedule would be sweet.

No one threw a shoe at Coach Ham, and there were hot dogs available at the end of the 3rd quarter.

Hard to be very positive after that game but I would say Gumbs is a pleasant surprise at D-end. He will help.

Rocky is not inaccurate .... when making good decisions on good play calls. His interceptions this year (at least most that I remember) were for "throwing the ball up and giving the receiver a chance to make a play." That is what Cade McClown used to do for the bears. That's an ok strategy when your received is outstanding ala Kenny Golladay or Megatron... it's NOT a great strategy when your receivers are untested, inexperienced, and not physically imposing (oh, and double teamed!)

So, yeah... that's a good thing. If someone can point that out to Rocky and figure a better scheme to move the ball on offense.

Our defense looks much improved and played good enough to win Saturday. I’m sure it has been said but 2 missed FGs and 3 interceptions tells the entire story. SIU had a good gameplan on defense to sell out and stop the run - they did. Rocky actually threw for a good amount of yards but three giveaways, one right before halftime which should’ve ended up with at least 3 more points. Also, SIU is a good team. Especially their defense. I’ll give them credit

I’m not going to overreact. I thought 2-2 was a very possible non Conf. I’m
Not overly optimistic for Saturday now but our performance will tell us a lot. Tulsa basically becomes a must win game. Not to mention, our MAC goals are still right in front of us.

Breathe people…

Go Huskies !

The defense looks incredibly competent, however I am comparing them to the defenses of recent years. It's no Sutton Smith/Shawun Lurry type of defense, but it finally looks D1 worthy.

Kacper is explosive, we are going to have a lot of fun watching them. Chris Carter looks like a good target who can go up there, get the ball and move the chains.

Lastly, the new black jerseys look really cool. Too bad we didn't play to them. I hope SIU wins the FCS natty.

(09-11-2023 02:06 PM)HawaiiToNIU Wrote:  The defense looks incredibly competent, however I am comparing them to the defenses of recent years. It's no Sutton Smith/Shawun Lurry type of defense, but it finally looks D1 worthy.

Kacper is explosive, we are going to have a lot of fun watching them. Chris Carter looks like a good target who can go up there, get the ball and move the chains.

Lastly, the new black jerseys look really cool. Too bad we didn't play to them. I hope SIU wins the FCS natty.

IIRC, we have not played well in all black. As soon as I saw those on Saturday, I told my wife that it was going to be a rough day ending in a loss.

Why can't they just stick with, you know, the school colors, black and red? Especially at home.

(09-11-2023 02:21 PM)NIU007 Wrote:  Why can't they just stick with, you know, the school colors, black and red? Especially at home.

Funny you say that. Before the SIU game I told my son, “uh oh…we are probably going to lose because every time we sport the all black uniforms we play like garbage”

Agree with the overall thought…can we just stick with a home and an away uniform?

I feel bad for the players having to wear all black. That sun was blazing hot and there was barely a cloud in the sky.