Well, some of us may still be basking in the euphoria of last season's MAC championship and that great bowl win. But what can we expect this coming Fall?

From where I sit, I see three critical areas: 1) Offensive Line (no surprise here) 2) Linebackers 3) Kicking game

Obviously, the offensive line will have a whole new look. Who will step up in spring practice? WIll the new faces come together to protect Lynch and open up some holes for the running game?

At linebacker, will Tyrone Clark and Devon Butler be ready after a one year layoff? What about Jamal Bass? Will he be there to lay down the law on the field?

Kicking game: this one really concerned me last year......have we improved?

This much I know, we have a fantastic group of wide receivers and our defensive backfield grew up last year.

My prediction: 9-3 record or possibly 8-4.

What say youse guys??

Yes, the old Al Michaels call from the Olympics really fits here.  Let's face it, we were outplayed by EMU and dodged numerous bullets.  Their tight end dropped 2 TD passes.  Our DB's looked lost on several throws.  EMU's quarterback made some big plays, especially on 3rd down....thankfully, he forgot to throw it away on their final drive and was sacked for huge losses.

Look out for EMU next year.  They have some talent and I'm impressed with Ron English (except for that 2 pt. conversion call).

Harnish had an off day and we still won.  Now on to the Motor City.  I expect a totally different performance from our offense and Harnish.

After seeing this weekend's MAC results, my mind wandered back to an old John Mayer tune, "Gravity".  And the lyrics almost seem to cry out about the current state of affairs in MAC football.

I've taken the liberty of rewriting some of the lyrics.....call it my own sports adaptation.  Here goes:

 Oh Parity, stay the hell away from me

Parity is working against me.

And parity wants to bring my team down.

Oh, I'll never know what makes this team

With all the skills that a coach can stand

Dream of ways to throw it all away.

Oh Parity, please stay the hell away from me.

Well. I knew our defense was very suspect heading into the season, but I never in my wildest dreams thought I would see this.

Our D is embarrasing, plain and simple.  CMU was run over by W. Michigan - I believe they scored 17 pts against the Broncos.

The real concern I have is heading into next season......how much can we expect this defense to improve?  And keep in mind we lose a healthy number of offensive weapons.  I know we have some real strong Freshmen recruits on the O side of the ball, but what is there on the D side?

There will be no MAC championship, or West Division title or Bowl game.  Best case scenario for this squad is a 6-6 season.

Yours truly was at Soldier Field and witnessed the one-sided victory by the Badgers.  Make no mistake about it, Wisconsin is for real.  Having said that, NIU has a lot of work to do on the defensive side of the ball.  In my opinion, this will not be a one year makeover.  We've got holes to fill on the D line and linebacker.  Fortunately we have a head coach with strong defensive credentials.

I was really disappointed in our offensive performance, but I did some evaluation after the game.  We don't have a Wolffe or Spann in the backfield to help open up the passing game.  Hopkins has speed and moves, but I have my doubts about Womble....time will tell.   Harnish certainly has running skills, but the Badgers shut that down.

Bottom line:  this team is a "work in progress" and combine that with a whole new coaching staff.  This may require some patience from the Huskie Nation.

Just noticed where only 35,000 tickets have been sold for this Saturday's game. I really thought the Badger faithful would show for this one. Especially since there is no TV coverage. Apparently they are underwhelmed with the matchup, after seeing our defensive showing agsinst KU. I certainly hope Rashaan Melvin is ready to play....we need him badly. From what I've seen in early games, Wisconsin has a couple of "stud" running backs, and their new QB is big and athletic. I hope we can hang with them, but I have my doubts. I'll be there cheering on the HUSKIES

I really believed that given the Huskies offensive muscle, they would come away with at victory at KU.  Unfortunately the defense was a "no show".  The game really became a track meet.  And what I thought was a poor passing attack, shreded the NIU defense for serious yards - where was the secondary?  You could certainly see a weakness in the linebacking group, but this game really exposed NIU's overall defense.

Now comes Wisconsin.....hold on Huskie fans, this one could be ugly.

Wow, this is really impressive......12 pts. in the first half!  Are you kidding me?  Who the hell is Seattle? 

This program ( I'm using the word loosely) has reached a new low as far as I'm concerned.  How can you expect to recruit some quality talent when you see these types of games?  Please help me out here, why would any decent player even consider NIU as a basketball destination?

Then I ask the question: How can you not fire Patton? then immediately another raises it's ugly head - what coach wants this job?

This is a real train wreck.

Just check out those Oregon socks in tonight's bowl game - what a gaudy fashion statement.  What's next?  how about glow in the dark footballs....and let's brighten up those ref's jerseys.  Let's go with some real sparkly helmets, and forget about green turf - it's time for multi-colored venues.....if it's good enough for Boise and Eastern Washington, it's good for everyone.

Tradition?  who needs it?  That's just soooooo old school

Well, just take a look at those Oregon socks. Is this what we can expect in the future? A move to the more "gaudy" look. O.K., the Oregon uniforms were already pretty damm ugly, but this takes it to a whole new level. What's next "glow in the dark" footballs? How about tweaking those referee shirts? that's right, something really bright and sparkly Whatever happened to TRADITION? What's next? a RED football field.....oh, wait a minute, Eastern Washington already has one in place.

Well, just noticed where the Huskies lost to a "depleted" Iowa State team.  And I see where Jake Anderson posted 16 pts. against his former teammates.

Where is this program going?  Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?  First, Rob Judson.....then Ricardo Patton.  I'd like to say I see a glimmer of hope, but that would be a lie.

It's pretty sad when I sit here and can't wait for Spring football practice and news of signed football recruits.  NIU basketball has pretty much become an "empty basket", a clunker, an air ball.  It's just SAD.

Well, what have we here?  Pitt University hires Haywood away from M of O just two and a half weeks ago.  Now, he's not their new coach, he's their fired coach.  What a PR nightmare!  A domestic violence charge against Haywood.

And, if you read deeper into the story you wonder about the whole "hurry up" mode that their AD was under to replace Wannstedt.  Oh, and read a little bit deeper, and you see where the AD made a previous stop at Nebraska, where he hired Bill Callahan......we all know how that selection worked out.

What a soap opera!  A real trainwreck, but it makes me feel better about the coach hiring and selection process that has been going on at NIU. 

 

Did anyone notice the difference in this Huskie team as they dominated the Bulldogs?  A little change from the players that showed up in Detroit on Dec. 3rd?  I saw a Huskie team that was pumped, excited and ready to have some FUN!  Coach Tuke set the tone for this game and these players.  I believe this team's performance was the best of the year....a close second might be the win over W. Michigan.

Heading into next year we have some talented young players to blend in with experienced guys.  I see a bright future for this program, and definitely not a "one and done" .

Well, the latest report out there is that Al Golden is moving on to Miami U.  The MAC is under attack.....coaches are on the move, along with their assistants and coordinators.

I guess the conference should feel good about  itself, considering that several big conferences value the head coaches in the MAC.  It's seems that we're the real "stepping stone" when you look at mid major conferences.

However, the MAC commissioner and the league AD's might feel a little better after viewing the turmoil in the WAC conference.  The latest team to exit is Hswaii.  The WAC has taken a pretty good hit over the past couple of months.  Their new additions include Texas State, UT- San Antonio and Denver U. (they don't have a football team).  Just one man's opinion, but that seems like a step back.

The college landscape continues to change and "loyalty" seems to be a forgotten word.

That being said, we have some talented, skilled and motivated players on this HUSKIE squad.  I see this bowl game as a real opportunity for our players and program to show the rest of the country what we are made of.

We suffered a disappointing loss to M of O last Friday, but our players and coaches can come together and make a statement.  I see this as a time for NIU to shine.  I'm proud of what this team has accomplished this year.  Let's finish this season on a HIGH note!

promoted from the fanposts - MB

M of O shut down our running game.  Spann was not a factor at all....he was taken out of the game.  We still tried to stuff it down their throats in the 3rd quarter, and that wasn't happening. That really made us more one dimensional.

Where were the intermediate routes on passing downs?  It seemed that we were going for the "long one" on most pass plays.  Believe me, I know we hit a couple of big ones early in the game, but just didnt' understand some of the pass play calls in the second half

Also, keep in mind we were facing a redshirt freshman at QB......I thought he played a smart game. 

You have to give credit to the M of O coaching staff and their game plan.  That's why I say we were outcoached tonight.

Another glaring factor in tonight's contest:  the KICKING game......field position is important, and they set us back deep several times, near our own end zone..  Going forward, NIU needs to address this part of the game.

This loss is a disappointment, but hopefully we come out of this with a quality bowl game.

I expected a real competitive game tonight, but Temple really didn't show anything.  All the credit goes to Coach Solich and Ohio.  I know the weather was a factor, but give me a break, the Temple team never really looked like they were in the game.

OK, Bernard Pierce went down early, but this was a guy set up as a potential Heisman candidate.

Here's the one BIG GLARING THING I saw tonight......NIU has much more conditioned athletes than the rest of this conference. Hats off to our conditioning program!!  Hey, no excuses guys, go out and kick Ball State's ass!

Well, here we are, a big game staring the Huskies in the face.  A weak start at the beginning of this season, but this team has continued to grow up as the season progressed.  The Temple win was big step and that 4th quarter performance against W. Michigan was a real statement about the character of this team.  Harnish has shown that he can produce the big play when needed.  Our receivers (Moore, Clark, Cox and Palmer) have shown big play potential and pressured defenses.  The running game led by Chad Spann has allowed us to control the clock and keep our defense off the field;  and keep them fresh.

This is a defining moment for the Huskies.....making a statement about our program and where we are headed.

Now it's time to show Toledo, the rest of the MAC conference, and a national TV audience what NIU is made of.  A team that is focused on winning the West Division, then moving on to win the MAC Championship.  Then capping it off with a bowl win!

GO HUSKIES!   BEAT TURDLEDO!

This NIU team showed some real heart in the late stages of the fourth quarter.  That last offensive drive with under five minutes to go was pretty impressive.....great athletic catches by our receivers and Harnish really showed something when it counted.  We needed that two point conversion and the skill players made it happen.

The defense did bend, but they didn't break when it counted.  That interception in the red zone was huge.

Our receiving corp is really stepping up when it counts.......Willie Clark, Martel Moore and Nathan Palmer all contributed.  That has to put pressure on any defense when you have several guys who can go up and get the ball.  And the balance we have offensively with the running game (Spann is the man) makes it even more difficult for the opposition.

Now it's time to get ready for the battle with Toledo.  I see where they have a new QB, Terrance Owens, who came into today's game and put up some strong numbers.

I really like the chemistry on this Huskie team, and the fact that we rotate players to keep them fresh.

Let's pack the stadium on Nov 9th and create some noise and excitement.  This team deserves it!!

The Huskies have produced at home over the last three games.  But we seem to be a second half team....ramping it up after a slow start.  The next two games present a challenge.  Western Michigan on the road can be a real test.  The Broncos are putting up some pretty strong offensive numbers.  The stats I've looked at over the past couple of games seem to indicate a QB that is on a roll and a receiver (Juan Nunez) who put up outrageous numbers in their last game.  OK, I understand it was against Akron, but they seem to have their "mojo working".

I'm a little afraid of a letdown game as we look forward to the big matchup with Toledo.  Our running game looks to be in solid shape (Cameron Bell another weapon in our arsenal), but I'm looking for Harnish to produce with his arm in this road game.

The bottom line:  it's all right there for the Huskies, we just need to execute

The first half was on the UGLY side, but the Huskies stepped it up in the second half.  Harnish comes back from a shaky start and makes plays when it counted.  Chad Spann is still "the man" at RB, but Crider can produce when needed.

I really like what I continue to see from our receivers.  Landon Cox was expected to be the key guy, but Willie Clark, Martel Moore and Nathan Palmer all seem to have grown up this year.  There are a lot of young players on this team that have already contributed.....guys like Kareem Daniels, Jimmy Ward (are you kidding me, another blocked punt?) and Jordan Lynch (he looks like the QB for the future).

Coach Kill and his staff really seem to have a handle on mixing in young and veteran guys to get the job done. 

And equally important, the students showed up for this one (21,000).  That's a good sign - I hope it continues.  This team has a real solid shot at going undefeated in the MAC and moving on to the championship.

GO HUSKIES!!

Promoted from the FanPosts -MB

A great effort by the Huskies against the Temple Owls.  A balanced offense that really challenges the defense.  Harnish was at his best.  Spann and Crider produced when the Huskies needed it.  The receiving corp has really stepped up.....Willie Clark and Landon Cox stepped up to the plate; and Martel Moore is looking better each week.

I really like the way Coach Kill is getting several players involved in the offense.  The defense seems to be getting stronger each week.  Overall the players seem to be buying into Coach Kill's strategy and game plan.

BUT, what about the fan base?  The attendance figure for this game was just over 14,000?  Are you kidding me?  This team deserves a much stronger turnout.....and don't give me the BULL about an early start time.  When I went to NIU it was pretty much a "suitcase college".....students going home on weekends.   Is that still the case?

The campus is under a flood watch.  Many of the players are helping sandbag their practice facilities.  A tough break for the Cyclones.  They're in a "watch and wait" mode.  Latest report states that the football stadium has not been affected as yet.  The administration sent many staff members home so they wouldn't be stranded.  A number of players never made it to campus because of increased flooding.

What a frustrating situation for both players and coaches.  Hopefully they will see a break in the weather pattern.

What a disappointment tonight.  Kent State creates 23 turnovers and comes up with 18 steals.......nuff said.  Things were starting to look up five games ago; that's no longer the case.

Is this a team that has just given up? or is there just that much of a talent gap?  I would anticipate a shakeup in the lineup; something to energize this team.

NOTE: I just saw a stat online that showed a Huskies home record of 43-44 since the Convo opened for business.  That makes it awfully tough to build a winning season.

After watching NIU vs. South Florida and Central Michigan vs. Troy, I can see a definite hole in the MAC conference:  it's called SPEED.  Both of these games illustrated what speed at a couple of positions can do to an opponent.  At the college level it shows itself very quickly, not so in the NFL.  

The MAC conference will go winless in this bowl season.  Central Michigan was basically burned by 2 skill players for Troy, an RB and WR (guy named Jernigan).  I hope that the coaching staff at NIU is going out on the recruiting trail and looking for athleticism and speed.  It seems that they have solid prospects at the QB position, but what about the RB and WR spots?

The bottom line:  The conference seems to have hit a wall when it comes to level of play.  I am hoping that NIU will step it up a notch in their recruiting efforts