Mid Season thoughts

[Virginia Redbird]

Well, first of all I don't think we can list altitude as a factor in the very poor performance against Southern. It is clear at this point in the season that the offense is not very good. While Kolbe has not played well the past few games and the O-Line we expected to have struggles, I don't think anybody expected this total lack of ability to move the ball against defenses that are not elite. One observation is it appears this Redbird team has a lack of speed almost across the board. Every play seems to be very slow developing and the opponents are flying to the point of attack before the Birds even get a head of steam going. The receivers just can not get open but is that a lack of speed or offensive strategy? I truly believe it is the latter. This team needs a real Offensive Coordinator, one with imagination and real experience. Our current Co-Coordinator system is lacking in both and neither can adapt during the game. Besides, the O-Line needs full time attention not a part time line coach.
Defense, there are still some really good players there and if you look at yesterday's game there were several times when they were in position to make a play but they did not make it. Our All American Corner is getting routinely burned every game now. Again maybe a speed thing because at NAU the receiver who ate him for lunch just ran past him with ease. Nothing but just pure speed on many routes. Of course part of that is the pass rush has dropped off significantly the past few games so the QBs have had time to knit a sweater in some cases while scanning the field. Yesterday it did not matter since several times the Saluki receivers were not being covered by an ISU defender anyway. If a player is that open over and over that is a coaching issue my friends. The defenders (particularly DBs) were confused and making mistakes over and over. They were not prepared and that is coaching not just a player making a bad play.
The coaching staff overall has done a solid job over the years at ISU so I am not calling to toss the bums out. Still the past two weeks this looks like a team that has no idea what the opponent is going to do and they opponent looks to be in the huddle with Kolbe. I am not calling for Dickens and Clark to be fired but I am calling for a demotion of both to focus on one things and for Coach Spack to hire an experienced Offensive Coordinator. On defense, Nowinsky and his staff need to look deep and figure it out. They have talent but the pass defense is horrendous. Of course when the offense is 3 and out all game long and the defense is playing virtually by themselves all game you cant hang that on the D.
The team was 2-4 last year after six games but that team actually played better i thought. They were in most games and you had the feeling they may have won some of those without a mistake or two during the game. The last two games they were not really even in the game. Embarrassing is the only word that really fits the Redbird's play the last two games.

 

[SgtHulka]

The Germans have bombed Pearl Harbor. Well see if it's over or not.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

Just a couple more thoughts. Obviously any changes in the coaching staff would be post season. Nothing much to be done now but try to right the listing ship.
The other thing I have wondered about is the impact of the back to back targeting penalties on the defense. The first few games the D was swarming and hard hitting. The past couple games they do not look to be the same aggressive type team. What impact does back to back targeting penalties have on the mental approach to the game by a very aggressive and hard hitting defense? I don't know if this is a factor or not but I would think to the players it has to be in the back of their minds after two teammates just lost a full game of play on back to back games. Teams also get reputations with referees. Do they start to call one team tighter than others because that team is getting targeting/unsportsman like behavior calls week after week? You know the coaches had to discuss it with players after the last two weeks. Does that make a defender hesitant going into a tackle or attacking the pocket and passer? I don't have an answer but it could be an factor. Just a seconds hesitation could be the difference at this level.
Okay, I am done...let's hope some changes are made for next week and the Birds get a win.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

The Germans have bombed Pearl Harbor. Well see if it's over or not.

Insightful. :lol:

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Just a couple more thoughts. Obviously any changes in the coaching staff would be post season. Nothing much to be done now but try to right the listing ship.
The other thing I have wondered about is the impact of the back to back targeting penalties on the defense. The first few games the D was swarming and hard hitting. The past couple games they do not look to be the same aggressive type team. What impact does back to back targeting penalties have on the mental approach to the game by a very aggressive and hard hitting defense? I don't know if this is a factor or not but I would think to the players it has to be in the back of their minds after two teammates just lost a full game of play on back to back games. Teams also get reputations with referees. Do they start to call one team tighter than others because that team is getting targeting/unsportsman like behavior calls week after week? You know the coaches had to discuss it with players after the last two weeks. Does that make a defender hesitant going into a tackle or attacking the pocket and passer? I don't have an answer but it could be an factor. Just a seconds hesitation could be the difference at this level.
Okay, I am done...let's hope some changes are made for next week and the Birds get a win.

Agree with your comments in your first post especially regarding the lack of speed on the ISU team which is so notable at the receiver position. Also agree that ISU receiver's are poor at creating separation from the defenders. But gotta call you out for suggesting that the back to back targeting penalties is part of the reason for ISU's demise. Wow is that deflecting from reality or some type of coping mechanism.

 

[Chi-bird]

I think the lack of speed is apparent.....especially with our offense and with our receivers. Our receivers are either:
1. Not very fast (relative)
2. Not playing very fast for some reason

In today's game of football, small adjustments and advantages can add up to blow out wins, depending on the week. Thus, I don't want to think that we are doomed. I will say that we don't seem to have any identity on offense. I also notice a body language if you will by our offense breaking out of the huddle. When you play a team like South Dakota, they are breaking out of the huddle and you can just see how eager they are to get the line and for that ball to snap. When you play a team like NDSU, you see them break out of the huddle with their chin up, chests out, and body language as if to say, "we are going to run this ball down your throat on this play (even if they pass)". These teams look like an army of robots, all on the same page and that they have complete confidence in what is about to unfold. When we break, we look like we're thinking and trying to absorb what play was just called. Everything is slow and every thing seems to be reactive. When the receivers are running routes, it's as if they are going in 2nd gear and not just playing.

That's at least how it appears to me.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

Agree with your comments in your first post especially regarding the lack of speed on the ISU team which is so notable at the receiver position. Also agree that ISU receiver's are poor at creating separation from the defenders. But gotta call you out for suggesting that the back to back targeting penalties is part of the reason for ISU's demise. Wow is that deflecting from reality or some type of coping mechanism.

I get your point ChiBird, but I was not suggesting the targeting calls were responsible for the two losses but just wondering if it gets into the head of the players and makes them a bit hesitant. I guess the team and particularly the D has dropped so far so quickly you begin to look for any reason why. I would have to think right now the team is not mentally in a good place. I don't have any idea what the speed of the Redbird players is across the board but the last two weeks it sure looked like the other team had more speed.

 

[fourthandshort]

answer to this problem ? I'm going with ..

"e. all of the above"

Historically, we've been able to count on players developing and emerging much more often than not. This season we can say for certain that as of TODAY, our OL and WR groups have not developed and emerged. I think between that and our OC inexperienc, this has proven to be far too much for Kolbe to handle and he has lost his confidence for now. Look back to MoST and InSU games as evidence when our run games started to falter as teams scouting reports on what we did well and poorly started to accumulate. Kolbe was able to overcome it against MoST and InSU. We could have easily been up 43 - 0 at half against InSU .. but were only 23-0 .. then whatever happened 3rd quarter happened, but we've not been right since.

Here is thought that hit me the last week, especially this morning .. Spack seems to focus his recruitment on body types, and is trying to build an FBS sized team. But if you look around the FCS and to lesser extent the FBS, the rosters are built to be able to play both in trenches and in space .. but more and more the latter.

Look at our RB and LB groups .. FBS bordering on NFL big. Look at how many OL we get out of HS, who are already approaching 300 lbs .. big. As isolated example look at 6'10" LT Himmelman .. we got enamored with his size and athleticism, for HIS size .. but not for THE LT position. If you hit someone with size and power, they're going to counter that with speed and strategy .. then suddenly, we can't run the ball. Then 2 weeks later, our WRs can no longer get open and Kolbe is feeling suffocated and let's pressure get to him trying to make plays he used to be able to make.

Defensively, Spack's recruitment and development site has worked well for most part. But now teams know the only way to beat our defense is the medium to deep ball. And they've done so knowing we teach our secondary to largely play the man, and almost never look for the ball .. need to teach situational pass defense techniques, so teams are more reluctant to throw to otherwise guarded receivers.

This team is better than we've played, but we have a few more holes than usual .. certainly more than we thought .... and it is snowballing at moment .. meaning, it has now gotten to us mentally and we are playing on our heels. But it all starts with OL and our play calling. To be fair to OC, it is much harder to open up playbook and call plays without a run game, and without receivers who create separation and play well in space. That said, I have doubts our current OC is the right guy for job. Literally a perfect storm of circumstances that led to this demise.

Again, I do not believe we are as bad as were are playing .. but starting to doubt we have the make up to overcome this snowballing situation .. I think the combination of Spack with this OC, and then our OL and WR groups, and QB ... teams have figured us out, and looks like we have little to no counter-plan.

Need to finish this season best we can .. which means playing thru and learning from mistakes. But these problems all start with OC and OL. Our new OL may yet develop .. hard to expect same from OC.

 

[fourthandshort]

Last observation .. Spack has usually been very realistic each season in his expectations in terms if his comments on where were at ... this is first season he was wrong overall. Again, a perfect storm of issues .. some could have been predicted, but some not. But he did warn us about WR group .. he has said several times dating back to August, "we need more everyday guys, not somedays guys." And we knew OL was big question mark .. but expected it to come together better than it has so far.

Perfect storm at moment .. have to get thru it .. maybe not in way that gets us playoff this year .. but think back to 2013 sitting 2-4 having given up 50+ points in 3 games at mid point is season .... that rebuild to 2014 Natty run began in week 7 of 2013 when we went 5-6. Sometimes it happens like that. Or 2016 when we started 2-4, but finished 6-5, made playoffs and nearly beat a #12 team on road to get to round of 16. Sometimes it happens like that.

I still have confidence Spack will turn this around .. just not sure when to expect it to happen. He has to learn from this too.

 

[MadBird]

A few thoughts, based mostly on NAU game and viewing first quarter of yesterday's mess. My NAU game thoughts got "lost" by bad keyboard stroke and I never redid them. Lots of good thoughts on this thread and the SIU wrap-up that I agree with.

Especially NAU, but a couple times yesterday that I recall, we got burned by "inside" pass defense, meaning mostly an LB failed to cover a tight end or someone over the middle. Cost us on third downs especially, but I know NAU got one fairly long gain on a TE up the middle pass. Gotta fix that.

I thought a couple of passes at NAU looked "bad", one or both even picked, but I was willing to chalk it up to a "miscommunication" between Kolbe and intended receiver. Once, Bair was on about the ten yard line and the pass was toward the inside but he turned out and the DB stepped in. Who knows where the pass was sposed to go, but Kolbe misread him or vice versa, whatever. There was another where Kolbe threw a mid-range out pass a little long - but did he expect the receiver to go deeper when the receiver went the sidelines instead? Either way, not good, but not the same as a bad pass, if you see what I'm driving at. Gotta know where your guys are going, but Kolbe might have thrown it right where he wanted to.

As an expert - - I've griped before about our DB's not "looking back for the ball", and I know it isn't necessarily taught, but (again at NAU especially) it might have helped to see the ball was coming and a breakup might have been pulled off. Of course, if the guy has blown by you and is catching it in stride, doesn't really matter.

Our DB play has been a concern, I don't know if its speed as has been mentioned, or schemes, or what, maybe confidence at this point, but we've been picked apart some the last couple weeks.

I have always been a fan of size at LB, and was very glad to see the size we have this year. I get the thinking that speed is desirable. I think we've got a decent mix - Kelly-Martin is really more of a speed guy, Horton has some quicks it seems to me. But you know, see above comments on LB pass coverage. fourthandshort is one of our most astute observers, and his comments about "situations" is right on. We don't have the right schemes, or techniques, or personnel, matched up to the situation. Something. And we've had success in the past, so hard to just blame the DB coach.

The "OC experiment" is in its second year, and the "experts" on the board, me included, are back at picking at the sore. It ain't working. Would it work with either one of the current guys installed as a single OC? Don't know, but don't think so. I agree with the thoughts that we need a fresh approach. Have no problem with Clark as OL coach, altho development this year has obviously not progressed as all had hoped. To me, jury is still out on Dicken.

The WR situation stumps me. For a team that historically has passed the ball a lot, and turned out some NFL WR's, why we don't have a "lead" receiver this year is a tough one. Seems like a JC fix for next year is in order?? Unless we have a FR on the bench who should have his RS peeled off and get some reps.

I also agree with the notion that this team looks spooked coming out, like they're waiting for the other shoe to drop. Don't know if they've lost confidence in Kolbe, or the coaches, or what. Maybe the OL needs a more vocal leader, they miss senior Helt, I don't know.

Its a tough road ahead. Let's hope it gets straightened out.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

answer to this problem ? I'm going with ..

"e. all of the above"

Historically, we've been able to count on players developing and emerging much more often than not. This season we can say for certain that as of TODAY, our OL and WR groups have not developed and emerged. I think between that and our OC inexperienc, this has proven to be far too much for Kolbe to handle and he has lost his confidence for now. Look back to MoST and InSU games as evidence when our run games started to falter as teams scouting reports on what we did well and poorly started to accumulate. Kolbe was able to overcome it against MoST and InSU. We could have easily been up 43 - 0 at half against InSU .. but were only 23-0 .. then whatever happened 3rd quarter happened, but we've not been right since.

Here is thought that hit me the last week, especially this morning .. Spack seems to focus his recruitment on body types, and is trying to build an FBS sized team. But if you look around the FCS and to lesser extent the FBS, the rosters are built to be able to play both in trenches and in space .. but more and more the latter.

Look at our RB and LB groups .. FBS bordering on NFL big. Look at how many OL we get out of HS, who are already approaching 300 lbs .. big. As isolated example look at 6'10" LT Himmelman .. we got enamored with his size and athleticism, for HIS size .. but not for THE LT position. If you hit someone with size and power, they're going to counter that with speed and strategy .. then suddenly, we can't run the ball. Then 2 weeks later, our WRs can no longer get open and Kolbe is feeling suffocated and let's pressure get to him trying to make plays he used to be able to make.

Defensively, Spack's recruitment and development site has worked well for most part. But now teams know the only way to beat our defense is the medium to deep ball. And they've done so knowing we teach our secondary to largely play the man, and almost never look for the ball .. need to teach situational pass defense techniques, so teams are more reluctant to throw to otherwise guarded receivers.

This team is better than we've played, but we have a few more holes than usual .. certainly more than we thought .... and it is snowballing at moment .. meaning, it has now gotten to us mentally and we are playing on our heels. But it all starts with OL and our play calling. To be fair to OC, it is much harder to open up playbook and call plays without a run game, and without receivers who create separation and play well in space. That said, I have doubts our current OC is the right guy for job. Literally a perfect storm of circumstances that led to this demise.

Again, I do not believe we are as bad as were are playing .. but starting to doubt we have the make up to overcome this snowballing situation .. I think the combination of Spack with this OC, and then our OL and WR groups, and QB ... teams have figured us out, and looks like we have little to no counter-plan.

Need to finish this season best we can .. which means playing thru and learning from mistakes. But these problems all start with OC and OL. Our new OL may yet develop .. hard to expect same from OC.

Frankly, the "were better than we've played" theory gets old.
We're what we are... an average team in a great conference.
Accept that fact and it makes life as a Redbird fan much less stressful.

 

[fourthandshort]

answer to this problem ? I'm going with ..

"e. all of the above"

Historically, we've been able to count on players developing and emerging much more often than not. This season we can say for certain that as of TODAY, our OL and WR groups have not developed and emerged. I think between that and our OC inexperienc, this has proven to be far too much for Kolbe to handle and he has lost his confidence for now. Look back to MoST and InSU games as evidence when our run games started to falter as teams scouting reports on what we did well and poorly started to accumulate. Kolbe was able to overcome it against MoST and InSU. We could have easily been up 43 - 0 at half against InSU .. but were only 23-0 .. then whatever happened 3rd quarter happened, but we've not been right since.

Here is thought that hit me the last week, especially this morning .. Spack seems to focus his recruitment on body types, and is trying to build an FBS sized team. But if you look around the FCS and to lesser extent the FBS, the rosters are built to be able to play both in trenches and in space .. but more and more the latter.

Look at our RB and LB groups .. FBS bordering on NFL big. Look at how many OL we get out of HS, who are already approaching 300 lbs .. big. As isolated example look at 6'10" LT Himmelman .. we got enamored with his size and athleticism, for HIS size .. but not for THE LT position. If you hit someone with size and power, they're going to counter that with speed and strategy .. then suddenly, we can't run the ball. Then 2 weeks later, our WRs can no longer get open and Kolbe is feeling suffocated and let's pressure get to him trying to make plays he used to be able to make.

Defensively, Spack's recruitment and development site has worked well for most part. But now teams know the only way to beat our defense is the medium to deep ball. And they've done so knowing we teach our secondary to largely play the man, and almost never look for the ball .. need to teach situational pass defense techniques, so teams are more reluctant to throw to otherwise guarded receivers.

This team is better than we've played, but we have a few more holes than usual .. certainly more than we thought .... and it is snowballing at moment .. meaning, it has now gotten to us mentally and we are playing on our heels. But it all starts with OL and our play calling. To be fair to OC, it is much harder to open up playbook and call plays without a run game, and without receivers who create separation and play well in space. That said, I have doubts our current OC is the right guy for job. Literally a perfect storm of circumstances that led to this demise.

Again, I do not believe we are as bad as were are playing .. but starting to doubt we have the make up to overcome this snowballing situation .. I think the combination of Spack with this OC, and then our OL and WR groups, and QB ... teams have figured us out, and looks like we have little to no counter-plan.

Need to finish this season best we can .. which means playing thru and learning from mistakes. But these problems all start with OC and OL. Our new OL may yet develop .. hard to expect same from OC.

Frankly, the "were better than we've played" theory gets old.
We're what we are... an average team in a great conference.
Accept that fact and it makes life as a Redbird fan much less stressful.

I'm good dealing with it all .. I enjoy the hunt, not just the kill.

 

[fourthandshort]

Lets remember how Dicken became OC.. he was OC at D-III IWU nd knew Spack from his QB days at Purdue. So he hires him as WR coach and within 2 years Beathard quits suddenly in June leaving us hanging and forced to promote from within. Obviously has not worked out well .. and presumably trying to work within Beathard system ? OC requires a lot of experience, ideas and savvy. Spack has made bad coordinator choices before and also recovered from them.

Still need to salvage this season best we can .. whatever that means with current roster versus future. Still want wins and competitive losses .. there's no draft pick at stake here. But there are recruits we don't want to scare away .. and maybe a future OC.

 

[Reggie Redbird]

A few concerns:

1.) If your OL is having a lot of trouble, does having a PT OL coach make sense if he is also focusing on the overall offensive strategy? I don't believe it does. I don't want Dicken calling the plays though. Perhaps the offseason is when we need to name a FT OC.

2.) Are we really suffering because we didn't bring in a transfer OL who could start for us, probably two? I believe we are. I think we had one or two guys in the pipeline who ended up not materializing. Spack has been able to bring in several stud OL that we have been able to plug in, and we just weren't able to this year.

3.) Our standard DB move seems to be to not play the ball. Deti has been here seven years. I'd like to hear from him and Spack as to why our DBs continue to do this. Are they being taught to? Could you give me the reason why?

 

[fourthandshort]

A few concerns:

1.) If your OL is having a lot of trouble, does having a PT OL coach make sense if he is also focusing on the overall offensive strategy? I don't believe it does. I don't want Dicken calling the plays though. Perhaps the offseason is when we need to name a FT OC.

2.) Are we really suffering because we didn't bring in a transfer OL who could start for us, probably two? I believe we are. I think we had one or two guys in the pipeline who ended up not materializing. Spack has been able to bring in several stud OL that we have been able to plug in, and we just weren't able to this year.

3.) Our standard DB move seems to be to not play the ball. Deti has been here seven years. I'd like to hear from him and Spack as to why our DBs continue to do this. Are they being taught to? Could you give me the reason why?

regarding your item 3 .. pass defense techniques. Only time you should play the man only is when you are beat by 2 steps or more. If you are within a step, you ought to teach them how/when to look for ball. Against NAU, their TE had medium post route .. Holm had him perfectly covered but ball sailed right by his head into TEs chest .. commentators marveled at how perfectly thrown the ball was .. and I'm thinking if Kolbe threw that exact same ball against NAU, it would have been picked. Reminded me of Richmond playoff game when everyone said how their QB shredded our DBs and our DBs couldn't cover .. I'm thinking, our DBs are covering .. they just aren't looking for ball.

At some point, our pass coverage needs to play the ball too in certain situations. Needs to be taught and allowed in right situations !!!!

 

[CaliRdBrd]

A few concerns:

1.) If your OL is having a lot of trouble, does having a PT OL coach make sense if he is also focusing on the overall offensive strategy? I don't believe it does. I don't want Dicken calling the plays though. Perhaps the offseason is when we need to name a FT OC.

2.) Are we really suffering because we didn't bring in a transfer OL who could start for us, probably two? I believe we are. I think we had one or two guys in the pipeline who ended up not materializing. Spack has been able to bring in several stud OL that we have been able to plug in, and we just weren't able to this year.

3.) Our standard DB move seems to be to not play the ball. Deti has been here seven years. I'd like to hear from him and Spack as to why our DBs continue to do this. Are they being taught to? Could you give me the reason why?

regarding your item 3 .. pass defense techniques. Only time you should play the man only is when you are beat by 2 steps or more. If you are within a step, you ought to teach them how/when to look for ball. Against NAU, their TE had medium post route .. Holm had him perfectly covered but ball sailed right by his head into TEs chest .. commentators marveled at how perfectly thrown the ball was .. and I'm thinking if Kolbe threw that exact same ball against NAU, it would have been picked. Reminded me of Richmond playoff game when everyone said how their QB shredded our DBs and our DBs couldn't cover .. I'm thinking, our DBs are covering .. they just aren't looking for ball.

At some point, our pass coverage needs to play the ball too in certain situations. Needs to be taught and allowed in right situations !!!!

A simple, but effective tip (and you have to be careful not to draw the flag), is to "gently" place your hand on the receivers' hip. When his hip turns, you know he's making a play for the ball and that's your cue to turn and do the same. Otherwise, you're just playing the man and face-guarding...which will almost always result in a flag or getting burned.
Either they're unaware of this tactic, and many others, or they're just not doing it.

 

[Source]

A few concerns:

1.) If your OL is having a lot of trouble, does having a PT OL coach make sense if he is also focusing on the overall offensive strategy? I don't believe it does. I don't want Dicken calling the plays though. Perhaps the offseason is when we need to name a FT OC.

2.) Are we really suffering because we didn't bring in a transfer OL who could start for us, probably two? I believe we are. I think we had one or two guys in the pipeline who ended up not materializing.

A new FT OC is needed, and yes, the 2 FBS transfers we were in on early went elsewhere.

 

[Total Red]

The thing that strikes me at midseason is the unpredictability of Redbird Football.

Last year we win at Northwestern and then drop the next two to EIU and Indiana St.
This year we start 4-0 and then get drilled by two unranked teams. Go figure.

Both seasons we were frustrated after six games. Last year we were sitting at 2-4 this year at 4-2.
Last year's team rallied to win 4 of the last 5 with a victory over a very good South Dakota St. team.

It will be harder to rally this year with the solid lineup of ranked opponents but who can say for sure?

Some guesses are better than others but no one can say for sure which players will develop over time or which player will have a great game on a given day or when the Redbirds will win again.

I can't do it. Coach Spack can't do it. Yes even fourthandshort is unable to do it. :shock:

So color me disappointed but not disinterested. How will Illinois State do as an underdog?
Can we shock the 'yotes of South Dakota? I'm intrigued and I'll be there to find out. Hope you will be too.

 

[chuckie1980]

TotalRed Stated it. I cannot understand the ups and downs of the Redbird team. To think a Big10 victory happened one year....then we lost a couple of games...and then we have 4 victories and then 2 losses...

Some of the current comments have me....flustered (which means LESS glistening). A couple of the reasons that the MoValley is the strongest conference in the FCS....is ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY and Coach Spack.

My gut is telling me that the Birds will produce some surprising victories...and the first one with be Homecoming. The good thing about the last half of the schedule...I cannot imagine any player looking further than the next game.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

The thing that strikes me at midseason is the unpredictability of Redbird Football.

Last year we win at Northwestern and then drop the next two to EIU and Indiana St.
This year we start 4-0 and then get drilled by two unranked teams. Go figure.

Both seasons we were frustrated after six games. Last year we were sitting at 2-4 this year at 4-2.
Last year's team rallied to win 4 of the last 5 with a victory over a very good South Dakota St. team.

It will be harder to rally this year with the solid lineup of ranked opponents but who can say for sure?

Some guesses are better than others but no one can say for sure which players will develop over time or which player will have a great game on a given day or when the Redbirds will win again.

I can't do it. Coach Spack can't do it. Yes even fourthandshort is unable to do it. :shock:

So color me disappointed but not disinterested. How will Illinois State do as an underdog?
Can we shock the 'yotes of South Dakota? I'm intrigued and I'll be there to find out. Hope you will be too.

Most every good team will lose a game they probably should have won during a season. NDSU is probably the best case in point in that regard. They have dropped a game that past couple of seasons but it was only ONE game. The second part is they did not get blown off the field doing it. The good teams, really good teams, may stumble but they are generally very consistent game in and game out. This Redbird team, a bit like last year, appears to be all over the place. I attended the SDSU game last year and even though I was hoping for a win in the only game I could see in person last year, SDSU was rolling and it did not look like the Redbirds could stay with them. What a great experience to be there for that game and a big win over the Jackrabbits. Can they Redbirds do it again this season. Sure they can but not if they continue as they have. I don't see the enthusiasm with the players either as many on this board have commented. Some is frustration I am sure but they also look to be unsure and unprepared. They definitely do not look confidant or have any swagger that the dominant teams display, at least not to me they don't.
I thought Clark did a great job getting the all Senior O-Line on track last season after a very shaky start. I have been thinking lately why did and experience, very good, all senior starting O-Line get off to such a terrible start in 2016. That O-Line should have been the anchor of that offense but they did not play very well until about 6 games into the season. Now looking back maybe it was a part-time O-Line coach and once he focused his entire attention on a failing unit that should have been the strength of the team they came around. This year with a very young O-Line they need a coach to give them full time attention. I just don't think you can have part time position coaches. I don't think it works.
Last year Coach Spack did not have many options. Beathard left suddenly at a time when a quality experienced O-Coordinator was not likely to be found. Coach Spack did what he could but it should have been adjusted for in the off season. Kolbe is not developing and the offense is stagnant. We have solid running backs that can not get out of their own backfield. Opposing defenses look like they have a copy of the ISU playbook and essentially they do. Offensive Coordinator is not a shared or part time job. It needs someone's full attention.
No organization that is effective splits responsibility and leadership at key positions like Offensive Coordinator. There has to be some one individual setting the offensive philosophy and the same person keeping everyone on track with that philosophy. Splitting leads to confusion and division. Who is calling the shots, who is responsible for what? It is just bad organizational structure.
Last but not least...don't be so certain that fourthandshort can not predict which players will develop over time or which player will have a great game on a given day or when the Redbirds will win again. With his vault stuffed full of a cornucopia stats, Massey ratings, I think he just may be able to!
Win or lose, I will be there watching next Saturday as long as the ESPN3 stream holds out (probably about 5 minutes or so).
My last thought...I went to one game last season (SDSU) since I was in Chicago for business and drove down for the game. I can not for the life of me figure out why Hancock is not full every week. A great level of football for next to nothing cost of tickets and a really improved physical environment at Hancock. I would be there every Saturday with season tickets if I still lived in Illinois. My schedule did not work out this year but I hope to be back for a game in 2018. Once a Redbird...always a Redbird! Go State!
(FYI, my wife did not go to ISU but thanks to ESPN3 she has been converted. Doing my part to build the fan base from Southeastern Virginia!)