https://niuhuskies.com/documents/2023/11..._-_ALL.pdf

No change. Z is listed as backup at RG. CJ Brown is not listed on depth chart. Has anyone who follows defense closely know how Jalonnie Willams is playing at DT/DE? I noticed him playing at DE at crucial time and wrong time last week. He's listed at 286lbs, but isn't fast enough on the edge and Qb ran around him. Seems like he may be ready inside next year.

What's the over/under on NIU's turnovers?

(11-13-2023 08:32 PM)NIU05 Wrote:  https://niuhuskies.com/documents/2023/11..._-_ALL.pdf

No change. Z is listed as backup at RG. CJ Brown is not listed on depth chart. Has anyone who follows defense closely know how Jalonnie Willams is playing at DT/DE? I noticed him playing at DE at crucial time and wrong time last week. He's listed at 286lbs, but isn't fast enough on the edge and Qb ran around him. Seems like he may be ready inside next year.

I was watching him, seems “OK”. He holds up, and seemed to get a little bit of push - he’d probably be fine off the edge if they keep him there. I don’t always worry about a qb putting a move on a DE, that would happen to most DEs out there.

Here’s a compliment to Hammock, have we ever had a roster where at Corner you feel good about your TOP 4? I feel like all 4 of the listed corners can be starters and I would feel good about it. I’m not sure that has ever happened at NIU. Plus it’s a real testament to Byrd, and the coaches, working to get him back to playing quality football like he did as a freshman. I rip on Hammock a lot but he deserves credit here.

The defense is not the problem. The offense which has so much successful experience has turned into a dumpster fire. Rocky, unfortunately, has been the root cause. We need to find the next All-MAC (NFL level) QB somewhere to get the offense going. We're certainly not developing them.

(11-14-2023 08:48 AM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  The defense is not the problem. The offense which has so much successful experience has turned into a dumpster fire. Rocky, unfortunately, has been the root cause. We need to find the next All-MAC (NFL level) QB somewhere to get the offense going. We're certainly not developing them.

The defense is definitely not the problem....but they're also not the solution. They've done well but have played 4 of the bottom 5 offenses in the MAC to pad those stats. When they've played offenses in the top half of the MAC they've surrendered 35+ points (CMU, Tol). WMU is #2 in offense so I'd expect them to give up 28-35 tonight.

Haven't been following closely, but reading up here and there, kinda surprised hearing Rocky's been ID'ed as the root cause of your offensive struggles. He seemed to be the key spark in previous seasons.

Do you think he's kinda burned out on college ball and looking forward to "retirement" (so to speak)?

Of course I hope he struggles tonight. But he's always come across as a great, friendly guy - and I'll always appreciate him beating scUM when he was at MSU - and hopefully he goes on to do good things post-college.

The "senior salute" section talks about Brown and his career in finality

(11-14-2023 09:52 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Haven't been following closely, but reading up here and there, kinda surprised hearing Rocky's been ID'ed as the root cause of your offensive struggles. He seemed to be the key spark in previous seasons.

Do you think he's kinda burned out on college ball and looking forward to "retirement" (so to speak)?

Of course I hope he struggles tonight. But he's always come across as a great, friendly guy - and I'll always appreciate him beating scUM when he was at MSU - and hopefully he goes on to do good things post-college.

Motown---flat out he never has fully recovered from the injury. We were up 14 points on Vandy, made a stupid coaching decision (go for it on 4th down in our own territory), Rocky blows a flat tire (leg) and he has not been the same. His non-threat of being a runner has inhibited him greatly and we just never recovered---for over a year.

He injured his thumb in game one this year and we lost at least two others (SIU, Tulsa) because he was a zero dimensional player (couldn't run or throw) and just never recaptured the magic of year one here.

(11-14-2023 09:52 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Haven't been following closely, but reading up here and there, kinda surprised hearing Rocky's been ID'ed as the root cause of your offensive struggles. He seemed to be the key spark in previous seasons.

Do you think he's kinda burned out on college ball and looking forward to "retirement" (so to speak)?

Of course I hope he struggles tonight. But he's always come across as a great, friendly guy - and I'll always appreciate him beating scUM when he was at MSU - and hopefully he goes on to do good things post-college.

Im surprised how well WMU has played this year considering the massive losses in the portal. That's a really good sign for Bronco football going forward.

(11-14-2023 09:52 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Haven't been following closely, but reading up here and there, kinda surprised hearing Rocky's been ID'ed as the root cause of your offensive struggles. He seemed to be the key spark in previous seasons.

Do you think he's kinda burned out on college ball and looking forward to "retirement" (so to speak)?

Of course I hope he struggles tonight. But he's always come across as a great, friendly guy - and I'll always appreciate him beating scUM when he was at MSU - and hopefully he goes on to do good things post-college.

Rocky injured a leg last year-- not sure the exact injury actually. But he looks like he favors it and is just not right. He's not the same. And add on top of that a sudden propensity to fumble! And then receivers that ... let's just say don't help a lot.

I agree, he was a great player, and we thank him for what he did in the past. (And maybe he has a sudden resurgence for 2 or 3 more games!)

(11-14-2023 02:00 PM)chihuskie Wrote:  

(11-14-2023 09:52 AM)Motown Bronco Wrote:  Haven't been following closely, but reading up here and there, kinda surprised hearing Rocky's been ID'ed as the root cause of your offensive struggles. He seemed to be the key spark in previous seasons.

Do you think he's kinda burned out on college ball and looking forward to "retirement" (so to speak)?

Of course I hope he struggles tonight. But he's always come across as a great, friendly guy - and I'll always appreciate him beating scUM when he was at MSU - and hopefully he goes on to do good things post-college.

Rocky injured a leg last year-- not sure the exact injury actually. But he looks like he favors it and is just not right. He's not the same. And add on top of that a sudden propensity to fumble! And then receivers that ... let's just say don't help a lot.

I agree, he was a great player, and we thank him for what he did in the past. (And maybe he has a sudden resurgence for 2 or 3 more games!)

There was mention earlier in the season, can't remember if it was Hammock, and they said they weren't sure if Rocky would ever be able to play football again. Must have been something serious.

(11-14-2023 09:52 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-14-2023 08:48 AM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  The defense is not the problem. The offense which has so much successful experience has turned into a dumpster fire. Rocky, unfortunately, has been the root cause. We need to find the next All-MAC (NFL level) QB somewhere to get the offense going. We're certainly not developing them.

The defense is definitely not the problem....but they're also not the solution. They've done well but have played 4 of the bottom 5 offenses in the MAC to pad those stats. When they've played offenses in the top half of the MAC they've surrendered 35+ points (CMU, Tol). WMU is #2 in offense so I'd expect them to give up 28-35 tonight.

Agree on the D. Expect that our offense will need to put significant points on the board and eliminate or greatly reduce turnovers or we get blown out. D is majorly improved this year, but not able to shutdown a good offense.

(11-14-2023 05:22 PM)Lynchpin Wrote:  

(11-14-2023 09:52 AM)Rabid Squirrel Wrote:  

(11-14-2023 08:48 AM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  The defense is not the problem. The offense which has so much successful experience has turned into a dumpster fire. Rocky, unfortunately, has been the root cause. We need to find the next All-MAC (NFL level) QB somewhere to get the offense going. We're certainly not developing them.

The defense is definitely not the problem....but they're also not the solution. They've done well but have played 4 of the bottom 5 offenses in the MAC to pad those stats. When they've played offenses in the top half of the MAC they've surrendered 35+ points (CMU, Tol). WMU is #2 in offense so I'd expect them to give up 28-35 tonight.

Agree on the D. Expect that our offense will need to put significant points on the board and eliminate or greatly reduce turnovers or we get blown out. D is majorly improved this year, but not able to shutdown a good offense.

If it’s not windy I’d expect this to be a 38-33 type game. WMU has crap D, good O.

Predicting NIU is like rolling a die and pretending you know what number will come up. It seems to be completely random as to which NIU team will show up. One of the few teams we've played in the MAC that has a pretty good offense and that's the one we shut out? After giving up tons of points to CMU and then shooting ourselves in the foot against Ball State? Crazy.

(11-15-2023 08:45 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  Predicting NIU is like rolling a die and pretending you know what number will come up. It seems to be completely random as to which NIU team will show up. One of the few teams we've played in the MAC that has a pretty good offense and that's the one we shut out? After giving up tons of points to CMU and then shooting ourselves in the foot against Ball State? Crazy.

Exactly what happens with average/mediocre teams. The inconsistency will drive you nuts, but, it is what happens with middle-of-the-road teams.

Glad NIU shut them out, WMU's coach seems like a jerk. His pre-game speech was annoying but now seems pretty funny.