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7 Games down, 5 to go...


Redux

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That one felt good. After losing to Minnysoda two years in a row, we needed that. More importantly, this team needed that to wash the sour taste of defeat out of their mouths. The taste has to be familiar at this point. We got used to losing via blowouts, we forgot how much heart-breakers truly feel. Karma decided to smack the hell out of us this year.

 

So here we are, 3-4. Northwestern is reeling and faces a jacked up Nebraska in Lincoln next week. I like our chances to win this one and reclaim the rights to call ourselves the real NU. They will undoubtedly give us a fight and it could easily be a last second tilt in either teams favor. Lady luck has to start favoring us at some point. If we can get to 4-4 all we have to do is knock off a mismanaged Rutgers and a better than they should be Purdue, we can make a bowl game this season. Granted we didn't want to make a bowl by finishing 6-6 or 7-5. But the road to recovery has to start somewhere.

 

The future looks brighter than it has the last couple weeks. Taking the pain out of this season thus far, one has to imagine what we would be capable of with a skill guy here or there that fully buys into the current system. So many plays we have seen break down or fall apart because our personnel looked confused or out of place. Next season you have to think we look much crisper. I like the direction, it hasn't been easy. Finish this year out the way the team deserves coach Riley, and you will have my support. I imagine I'm not alone. Go Big Red.

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Yes, I agree with your sentiments Redux! I felt this game was the critical 'watershed' game of the season. If we blew this one, we had to punt the rest of them and play the young guys for experience, etc. Now, we can play next week. Assuming we play our very best game, we can win that one as well. Suddenly we are back to even and still have some hopes for a 'winning' season record and maybe a bowl game near Christmas time in a warm place. That gives us a bunch more practice time and the chance to build for the future. We also can keep the recruits and fish for a few more. The future can be quickly restored and optimism flows from there. But, there remains many very tough games left. Wins are going to be hard to come by - but this team did not fold and remained confident enough and played with more focus and effort than we have seen really. We didn't have a total 'waste' of a quarter of the game today. A couple 5 minute spells were crappy but we are shortening those spells. A good sign. If we can play 4 quarters complete next week, we have a chance to finish the season on a very positive note and with some momentum for 2016. We can avoid a blow out and finish just about 15 points from being undefeated on the score board. Now we all know we have a LONG way to go to get to where we want to go, but I think the kids will get more faith that Riley can get it done. We MUST make dramatic improvement in pass defense immediately. We need a dime package or something. Maybe play a couple LBs on the DE spots and play our fastest DTs up front and bring more safeties out there. We must get better coverage of the 10 or `15 yard passes.

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Yes, I agree with your sentiments Redux! I felt this game was the critical 'watershed' game of the season. If we blew this one, we had to punt the rest of them and play the young guys for experience, etc. Now, we can play next week. Assuming we play our very best game, we can win that one as well. Suddenly we are back to even and still have some hopes for a 'winning' season record and maybe a bowl game near Christmas time in a warm place. That gives us a bunch more practice time and the chance to build for the future. We also can keep the recruits and fish for a few more. The future can be quickly restored and optimism flows from there. But, there remains many very tough games left. Wins are going to be hard to come by - but this team did not fold and remained confident enough and played with more focus and effort than we have seen really. We didn't have a total 'waste' of a quarter of the game today. A couple 5 minute spells were crappy but we are shortening those spells. A good sign. If we can play 4 quarters complete next week, we have a chance to finish the season on a very positive note and with some momentum for 2016. We can avoid a blow out and finish just about 15 points from being undefeated on the score board. Now we all know we have a LONG way to go to get to where we want to go, but I think the kids will get more faith that Riley can get it done. We MUST make dramatic improvement in pass defense immediately. We need a dime package or something. Maybe play a couple LBs on the DE spots and play our fastest DTs up front and bring more safeties out there. We must get better coverage of the 10 or `15 yard passes.

Yeah it puts a bowl game back in the conversation. and 48 pts against this Minnesota defense is worthy of praise. Still a ways to go but at least on the offensive side on the ball the coaches made the right adjustments. 25 pts vs Minnesota is too much though.

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Here is how I think it plays out.

 

Purdue and Rutgers W

Mich St L

NW and Iowa- 1W, 1L

 

6-6 which I think makes us bowl eligible yes?

 

Although I hoped we'd be better staying bowl eligible is all I really thought was fair to expect this year. I think some people really underestimate the effects of a coaching change like this.

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While finishing 6-6 would suck, it would still be better than the 4-8 finish I envisioned after losing to the fighting....Bill Cubits. Holding out hope for 7-5 finish and a favorable bowl game matchup.

im sticking with my 9-4. I refuse to waiver. 3 of our 4 losses are losses i expected. I said a 2-2 start. 9-4.
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Rutgers is the scariest team remaining on our schedule in my opinion.

 

Their receiver Carroo, he may have the game of his life with our secondary. However we have 3 games before we worry about that. I have to believe the defense continues to improve.

 

NW - Win

Purdue - Win

Michigan St - Win (This is Riley's Giant slayer game)

Rutgers - Loss

Iowa - Win (The rate they are going with losing RB's, they can't continue to hold up.)

 

7-5

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