Birds tie for 35th

fdbird83

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fourthandshort

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So 9th in MVFC gets you 35th in all of FCS.

Hero does ok job usually, but they'll only dig so deep. Based on our bottom line results in Fall of 2021, and Spring of 2021, I think 7th or 8th would have been fair as predictions go,

What Hero won't know or be willing to bet on (compared to rest of MVFC) is how good and young our defense really was in Fall of 2021 .. our Q1-Q3 results were very high .. but then fell apart late due to offensive woes.. They possibly heard about our new OC and transfer QB, but even so .. are likely not willing to bank on these 2 to turn our offense around. Spack is getting bit of a bad rep in pass game .. for sure. And I think we were 4 and 11 in our last 2 seasons. So we have not been good of late at all.

Still I think 7th or certainly 8th would have been a reasonable prediction. The other thing they don't know is how deep we could be at RB position this fall. They'll know Cole Mueller, but I can't wait to see ore of Nigel White, plus we have others who could have big runs or games hear and there.

So my outsider objective pick is 8th.

My insider objective pick is 6th or 7th.

My insider pick with a "smallish" serving of redbird koolaid is 4th or 5th ... ugh, just pulled my hammy with that 4th place comment .... so 5th place it is .. pass the koolaid now.

1659475001476.png

Right now, the MVFC looks so stacked with MoST and SIU regularly getting ranked high the last couple seasons. Plus USD has moved up some of late as well ... MVFC is so good and so deep right now. Only 2 soft teams, ISUb and WIU .. #1 thru #9 are all tough as hell nationally. So iIMO, the MVFC playoff talk starts at 5, and most likely lands very solidly at 6 with a 7th team also in the bubble discussion.

That and 2 bucks will no longer get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks in downtown Chicago.

1. North Dakota State
2. South Dakota State
3. Missouri State
4. Southern Illinois
5. South Dakota
6. Northern Iowa
7. North Dakota
8. Youngstown State
9. Illinois State
10. Indiana State
11. Western Illinois
 
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fourthandshort

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And low an behold .. we move to 8th place in MVFC Coaches Poll ... now that's respect !!!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. much closer to 7th, then 9th at least.

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Dmills

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The passing game is definitely going to look a lot different than in past years. We also went from having two inexperienced play callers on offense to having a very experienced OC. The offense is going to look a lot different this year.

Our defense is going to be solid as always, that might honestly be where we are being underestimated. I feel our defense never receives proper respect, in the pre-season especially.

Like fourth said, our running back room is going to be very talented and intriguing. Mueller (2021 fall All-MVC newcomer team - 3 yrs eligbility), White (3 yrs eligibility), and Brown (2021 spring All-MVC newcomer team - 3 yrs eligibility) return who have all shown flashes of potential. Other backs include Wenkers Wright who may end up being RB2 (4 yrs eligibility), Rashad Lampkin (4 yrs of eligibility), Sean Allen (4 yrs of eligibility), and Lavarion Logan (probable RS this yr+4 yrs of eligibility).
 

redbirds2000

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Home games against SIU and SD will probably be the playoff make or break. That's assuming we hold ground with the games we should win.
 

Virginia Redbird

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Pre-season polls are fun to chat about but they mean absolutely nothing. Nobody has any idea how the Redbirds will do this year. I fully expect a more balanced offensive performance due to the new Offensive Coordinator and new QB. Yes, some receivers need to step up for that to happen but I would also comment that the absolute pathetic offensive plan with our rookie co-coordinators did nothing to help the receiving corps and a young QB shine. How this works out we will not know until we are a few games into the season. Pre-season polls are normally based on last season's production for the most part. I don't expect this Redbird team to the one we watched last season. I can't argue with an 8th place prediction but if the offense gets its act together I would not be surprised to see them end up higher. We will begin to find out how this offense looks pretty soon now.
 

DaveBird10

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Home games against SIU and SD will probably be the playoff make or break. That's assuming we hold ground with the games we should win.

This is my prediction based on the schedule the SIU game and SD game at home are really important its the difference in a 5-6 season or a 7-4 and playoff appearance. This team I think can surprise ppl as others have said just with Peterson at OC will improve the team. Look at what he did at Illinois and what did he have to work with there? Then at RB with Mueller, Wright, Brown, and White you are 4 deep there. Then you go to tight end with Deming and Taula, bc of them I would play a lot of 12 personnel with 1 RB, 2 TE and 2 WR. If our o-line can give Annexstad some protection and if Annexstad is as good as what i've heard we could surprise some people.
 

Total Red

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We haven't had a receiver average two catches per game since 2018. If a few WRs don't emerge from this current group, perhaps a playmaker RB will switch positions.
That's certainly a telling statistic regarding our passing game in recent years. We don't have a "go to" WR but if the quarterbacking improves then we might start finding quality receivers we didn't even know we had.
 

Total Red

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So 9th in MVFC gets you 35th in all of FCS.

Hero does ok job usually, but they'll only dig so deep. Based on our bottom line results in Fall of 2021, and Spring of 2021, I think 7th or 8th would have been fair as predictions go,

What Hero won't know or be willing to bet on (compared to rest of MVFC) is how good and young our defense really was in Fall of 2021 .. our Q1-Q3 results were very high .. but then fell apart late due to offensive woes.. They possibly heard about our new OC and transfer QB, but even so .. are likely not willing to bank on these 2 to turn our offense around. Spack is getting bit of a bad rep in pass game .. for sure. And I think we were 4 and 11 in our last 2 seasons. So we have not been good of late at all.

Still I think 7th or certainly 8th would have been a reasonable prediction. The other thing they don't know is how deep we could be at RB position this fall. They'll know Cole Mueller, but I can't wait to see ore of Nigel White, plus we have others who could have big runs or games hear and there.

So my outsider objective pick is 8th.

My insider objective pick is 6th or 7th.

My insider pick with a "smallish" serving of redbird koolaid is 4th or 5th ... ugh, just pulled my hammy with that 4th place comment .... so 5th place it is .. pass the koolaid now.

View attachment 761

Right now, the MVFC looks so stacked with MoST and SIU regularly getting ranked high the last couple seasons. Plus USD has moved up some of late as well ... MVFC is so good and so deep right now. Only 2 soft teams, ISUb and WIU .. #1 thru #9 are all tough as hell nationally. So iIMO, the MVFC playoff talk starts at 5, and most likely lands very solidly at 6 with a 7th team also in the bubble discussion.

That and 2 bucks will no longer get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks in downtown Chicago.

1. North Dakota State
2. South Dakota State
3. Missouri State
4. Southern Illinois
5. South Dakota
6. Northern Iowa
7. North Dakota
8. Youngstown State
9. Illinois State
10. Indiana State
11. Western Illinois
I'll agree on the depth/toughness of the conference and I'll go one more. I think Indiana St. will play people tough. I see Western as the one team doomed to struggle this year. While the conference is deep, I don't see North Dakota St. as the obvious cake topper this year. I would pick them #1 but it will be close. Lots of teams could beat them and I'll be surprised if NDSU goes undefeated in conference. They'll have tough road games at SIU and So. Dak. SDSU is always a big game for them and then we come in the next week. That's a good time to play them so give our Redbirds a shot at the upset. NDSU is fortunate not to play Missouri St. this year. Mo. St. could sneak in there and win the whole thing.
 

Redbird

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This will be Spack's 14th season here. We are picked 9th in our conference which means a losing record and no playoffs. You people don't want to hear this but if we finish any worse than 5th and/or don't make the playoffs then he should be gone. Only 1 playoff appearance in the last 5 seasons with a 27-25 (15-21) record. This team has been headed in the wrong direction since Trey and Marshaun left. Remember when we were a sleeping giant? Well we fell asleep again after the 2015 season.
 

redbirdfan04

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This will be Spack's 14th season here. We are picked 9th in our conference which means a losing record and no playoffs. You people don't want to hear this but if we finish any worse than 5th and/or don't make the playoffs then he should be gone. Only 1 playoff appearance in the last 5 seasons with a 27-25 (15-21) record. This team has been headed in the wrong direction since Trey and Marshaun left. Remember when we were a sleeping giant? Well we fell asleep again after the 2015 season.
Yes, fire him now. He has done nothing for Redbirds. Oh wait I thought this isn't a Muller post? My bad..... Since 2015 and take out the COVID year 2020 NDSU has won all but one title and that team is now FBS so every coach at the FCS level should be fired. Of the athletics at ISU the Football team has been very entertaining to watch since Spack took over. It is so easy to forgot what is what like before him. Of course we all want more winning but firing him, not the answer.
 
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RedbirdSoxFan

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This will be Spack's 14th season here. We are picked 9th in our conference which means a losing record and no playoffs. You people don't want to hear this but if we finish any worse than 5th and/or don't make the playoffs then he should be gone. Only 1 playoff appearance in the last 5 seasons with a 27-25 (15-21) record. This team has been headed in the wrong direction since Trey and Marshaun left. Remember when we were a sleeping giant? Well we fell asleep again after the 2015 season.
Not sure what his buyout would be, but his contract is through 2025. Don’t think he is going anywhere for at least a few more years.
 

Total Red

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This will be Spack's 14th season here. We are picked 9th in our conference which means a losing record and no playoffs. You people don't want to hear this but if we finish any worse than 5th and/or don't make the playoffs then he should be gone. Only 1 playoff appearance in the last 5 seasons with a 27-25 (15-21) record. This team has been headed in the wrong direction since Trey and Marshaun left. Remember when we were a sleeping giant? Well we fell asleep again after the 2015 season.
I don't really disagree with your post but if it's all the same to you I'd like to play the season first. The program has been in a tailspin. I'm sure various reasons could be listed but I'd say the main issue has been finding the right guy at QB. I think we've found him. I think we'll do a lot better than 9th and this team has the potential to make some noise in the playoffs. Let's talk again at the end of the season.

btw - "Well we fell asleep again after the 2015 season."

10-5 with 2 playoff victories. Six point loss to eventual National Champion North Dakota St. The smallest margin of victory they had in the playoffs.
That was 2019.
 

Virginia Redbird

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This will be Spack's 14th season here. We are picked 9th in our conference which means a losing record and no playoffs. You people don't want to hear this but if we finish any worse than 5th and/or don't make the playoffs then he should be gone. Only 1 playoff appearance in the last 5 seasons with a 27-25 (15-21) record. This team has been headed in the wrong direction since Trey and Marshaun left. Remember when we were a sleeping giant? Well we fell asleep again after the 2015 season.
I think we have had some good years since Trey and Marshaun departed. What I would agree on is that this team has been inconsistent since that time. Just my opinion but the big issue to me has been Coach Spack's handling of the offensive coordinator spot. Beathard is the best we have seen in the Spack era, again my opinion. Regardless of anyone's opinion on how he departed the second time it has been clear that Coach Spack has mismanaged this critical spot since Beathard's departure. Twice he went with Co-Coordinators and twice it failed. I think that the lack of stability and consistency of an offensive philosophy negatively impacted the QBs and receivers. Run the ball and hope for the best. It took two times and four essentially wasted seasons but it seems Coach Spack has discovered that in today's game, you can not win just by playing great defense and running the ball. Finally, he has gone out and hired an experienced O Coordinator. If this works out then there is no reason to move on to a new Coach. I don't expect an MVFC championship but I am expecting a much-improved offense and one that can actually make in-game adjustments and not wander the sidelines looking bewildered. I don't know Spack at all but my sense is he is very loyal and also very stubborn. It was obvious to everyone but him it seems that the last set of Co-Coordinators were way too inexperienced and in way over their heads. If the Birds don't balance the offense some and get a passing game going this season then maybe time to flush the whole thing. If there is progress this season and the offense picks up, I would be patient and wait at least one more season.
 

MadBird

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I have pointed this out several/many times before, I don't think Spack is opposed to "riding" the passing game. Spack has been HC for 13 years -- many ISU passing records have been set under Spack. 2 of the top 5 career passing yard leaders and career completions were under Spack. Top 2 passing yardage years were under Spack. 3 of top 5 career passing completion % leaders were under Spack. 3 of top 5 per game passing yardage leaders were under Spack. You get the picture. As Virginia points out, it's the inconsistency that sticks out. You have Matt Brown for 4 years, Tre for 2, Kolbe for one really good year and a half, Brady Davis, so so for two, but then Winkler for a not so good year and Bryce Jefferson for 2, and here you are. I agree with the theory that it's the lack of "connection" to an OC that has hurt the overall performance. Or, we've had some very decent QBs and teams, but for one reason or the other have lost some games they shouldn't have and ended up 6-5 instead of 7-4 or 8-3.

Also agree, 2025 is 4 seasons out - Spack will be something like 63 years old after the 25 season. If things don't pick up, he may be ready for a graceful exit. Been a great "program builder" for ISU.
 

Dmills

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The passing game is definitely going to look a lot different than in past years. We also went from having two inexperienced play callers on offense to having a very experienced OC. The offense is going to look a lot different this year.

Our defense is going to be solid as always, that might honestly be where we are being underestimated. I feel our defense never receives proper respect, in the pre-season especially.

Like fourth said, our running back room is going to be very talented and intriguing. Mueller (2021 fall All-MVC newcomer team - 3 yrs eligbility), White (3 yrs eligibility), and Brown (2021 spring All-MVC newcomer team - 3 yrs eligibility) return who have all shown flashes of potential. Other backs include Wenkers Wright who may end up being RB2 (4 yrs eligibility), Rashad Lampkin (4 yrs of eligibility), Sean Allen (4 yrs of eligibility), and Lavarion Logan (probable RS this yr+4 yrs of eligibility).
Another name to add with the running backs is Richard Cosey. Transferred from Millikin and was a member of the practice squad last year. Appears to have 2 years of eligibility. Hopefully he gets an opportunity to be on the field at some point this year.
 

fourthandshort

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I would not view our slump as a legit 2 year slump, since our 2019 quarterfinal run, where gave NDSU a tougher game than anyone else did in the playoffs ... and if not for the botched lateral/scoop and TD run call ... we might have won. That;s admittedly a weak point, since they were playing not to lose knowing our defense was on fire and our offense was .... not. So even if we score there, they would then start playing to win.

Back to my point ... For one, the Spring 2021 season was just a train wreck of season that never should have been played at all. I think ISU was harder hit by all of the pandemic fallout than most competitive programs. Plus, look at all the top programs in MVFC ... almost all have indoor football facilities. Preparing for a Feb 27th opener in Jan-Feb is just kind of rediculous.

And then all of this spilled into the Fall 2021 season, with so many key losses. So my point is, I view this as a one year slump with an asterisk.

Even still, we showed considerable promise on defense, and a lot young guys played a lot of meaningful reps. Let's see how much the young guys developed, and whether we will now have a respectable pass game with out new OC and QB.

Give Spack some credit for bringing in the experienced OC and getting the FBS transfer ... and now let them do their thing. Don't put them on such a sort leash, the QB plays looking over the shoulders like Kolbe did in 2017.

Regardless, Spack is our guy .. let's see if he can evolve a bit more on offense in terms of trusting his OC and QB.
 
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