NAU Game (9/21/19)

[Total Red]

NAU 0
Birds 28

seriously chuckie ... zero ?

Hey he didn't say it was a prediction. Maybe it was a wish. Either way that's a game I'd like to see but I wouldn't mind having the 44 pts DannyC is putting on the table either

 

[SoCalRedbird]

We lost in Flagstaff because their QB threw bombs over our entire secondary all game.

Birds win this one though.

ISU 37, NAU 23

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[fourthandshort]

Here is NAU drive chart for 2017 game

Drive Started Drive Ended Consumed
1st half
Spot Time Obtained Spot Time How Lost Plays-Yds. TOP
NAU 1st NAU25 15:00 KO NAU34 13:41 PUNT 3-9 1:19
NAU 1st NAU37 12:17 INT NAU30 11:14 PUNT 3-(-7) 1:03
NAU 1st NAU20 06:16 PUNT NAU10 04:54 PUNT 3-(-10) 1:22
NAU 1st NAU44 03:26 PUNT NAU45 02:00 PUNT 3-1 1:26
NAU 1st NAU46 00:07 PUNT ILS12 11:52 FG 12-42 3:15
NAU 2nd NAU23 10:14 PUNT NAU10 08:46 PUNT 3-(-13) 1:28

first 6 drives, 27 plays for 22 total yards ... five 3 and outs, 1 short drive for FG .. then things started to slip ayway, partly because our offense could do very little, and the defense kept having to go right back out onto the field. At some point, the elevatation had to become a factor.

NAU 2nd NAU25 05:46 KO ILS24 03:28 FG 5-51 2:18
NAU 2nd NAU25 01:31 KO ILS00 00:29 TD 7-75 1:02

2nd half
Spot Time Obtained Spot Time How Lost Plays-Yds. TOP
NAU 3rd NAU20 12:56 PUNT ILS00 11:22 TD 5-80 1:34
NAU 3rd NAU12 07:57 DOWNS ILS00 06:39 TD 4-88 1:18
NAU 3rd NAU14 04:56 KO NAU38 03:09 PUNT 3-24 1:47
NAU 3rd NAU14 01:36 PUNT ILS16 13:59 FG 11-70 2:37

next 6 drives, 35 plays for 388 yards .. wheels fell off before last 4 drives, when they probably got more conservative with a lead

NAU 4th NAU09 12:01 INT NAU17 10:32 PUNT 3-8 1:29
NAU 4th NAU17 08:06 KO NAU20 05:59 PUNT 3-3 2:07
NAU 4th ILS48 05:07 DOWNS ILS00 02:49 TD 5-48 2:18
NAU 4th ILS45 01:53 INT NAU47 00:21 PUNT 3-(-8) 1:32

Point being, this years defense is better, and were at home, and were not at 6,000 foot elevation. We had them on their heels, but couldn't keep them there long enough last time.

Assuming we get our run game going this time, our defense should be much better rested further into game .. plus we're better and deeper on defense IMO.

 

[TIMMY]

That elevation gets to you by the middle of the second half. Look at the Bears game in Denver. The Bears kicked the crap out of them but were sucking wind in the 4th, 4th. See how I did that.

I've been to Denver a few times. I didn't realize how much altitude gets to you until I foolishly walked up Pike's Peak. That second day wiped me out. Thank god we took the train back down.

 

[Chi-bird]

I wonder how weather may impact the NAU passing game? As of now calling for showers in the evening on Saturday.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I think the rain might affect our secondary as much as or more than their passing game. The wind might be a big help, though.

That can swing either way ... but with a QB that good, it probably helps offense more than defense simply because offense knows where their going, defense has to react. But it will throw off their timing some.

We just have have to get to the QB often to throw off their timing even more.

I just keep going back in my mind to the home opener vs. D2 Central Missouri in 2010. The conditions were rainy and wet, and Central Missouri threw for 542 yards on us, nearly upset us - putting up 54 points.

Wet grass can be particularly difficult for the offense. Wet turf can be particularly difficult for the defense.

 

[Chi-bird]

I think the rain might affect our secondary as much as or more than their passing game. The wind might be a big help, though.

That can swing either way ... but with a QB that good, it probably helps offense more than defense simply because offense knows where their going, defense has to react. But it will throw off their timing some.

We just have have to get to the QB often to throw off their timing even more.

I just keep going back in my mind to the home opener vs. D2 Central Missouri in 2010. The conditions were rainy and wet, and Central Missouri threw for 542 yards on us, nearly upset us - putting up 54 points.

Wet grass can be particularly difficult for the offense. Wet turf can be particularly difficult for the defense.

 

[redbirdfan04]

Here is NAU drive chart for 2017 game

Drive Started Drive Ended Consumed
1st half
Spot Time Obtained Spot Time How Lost Plays-Yds. TOP
NAU 1st NAU25 15:00 KO NAU34 13:41 PUNT 3-9 1:19
NAU 1st NAU37 12:17 INT NAU30 11:14 PUNT 3-(-7) 1:03
NAU 1st NAU20 06:16 PUNT NAU10 04:54 PUNT 3-(-10) 1:22
NAU 1st NAU44 03:26 PUNT NAU45 02:00 PUNT 3-1 1:26
NAU 1st NAU46 00:07 PUNT ILS12 11:52 FG 12-42 3:15
NAU 2nd NAU23 10:14 PUNT NAU10 08:46 PUNT 3-(-13) 1:28

first 6 drives, 27 plays for 22 total yards ... five 3 and outs, 1 short drive for FG .. then things started to slip ayway, partly because our offense could do very little, and the defense kept having to go right back out onto the field. At some point, the elevatation had to become a factor.

NAU 2nd NAU25 05:46 KO ILS24 03:28 FG 5-51 2:18
NAU 2nd NAU25 01:31 KO ILS00 00:29 TD 7-75 1:02

2nd half
Spot Time Obtained Spot Time How Lost Plays-Yds. TOP
NAU 3rd NAU20 12:56 PUNT ILS00 11:22 TD 5-80 1:34
NAU 3rd NAU12 07:57 DOWNS ILS00 06:39 TD 4-88 1:18
NAU 3rd NAU14 04:56 KO NAU38 03:09 PUNT 3-24 1:47
NAU 3rd NAU14 01:36 PUNT ILS16 13:59 FG 11-70 2:37

next 6 drives, 35 plays for 388 yards .. wheels fell off before last 4 drives, when they probably got more conservative with a lead

NAU 4th NAU09 12:01 INT NAU17 10:32 PUNT 3-8 1:29
NAU 4th NAU17 08:06 KO NAU20 05:59 PUNT 3-3 2:07
NAU 4th ILS48 05:07 DOWNS ILS00 02:49 TD 5-48 2:18
NAU 4th ILS45 01:53 INT NAU47 00:21 PUNT 3-(-8) 1:32

Point being, this years defense is better, and were at home, and were not at 6,000 foot elevation. We had them on their heels, but couldn't keep them there long enough last time.

Assuming we get our run game going this time, our defense should be much better rested further into game .. plus we're better and deeper on defense IMO.

Play charts only give part of the story from that game. They pumped in noise which caused chaos for our offense. They were so much faster than we were. There team speed killed us all game long. We we bigger and stronger but that speed came out on top. The play calling was lacking. That was the first game that Kolbe looked uncomfortable in the pocket. He had plenty of time to throw but between receivers dropping balls, bad routes, and bad throws in was recipe for a loss. Our defense played ok. Yes we hit the QB but he still was able to get the ball off to his receivers. Earlier that season Western went in and beat them pretty good. Western controlled the clock and ran all over them. Western pounded us in the second half that year also. They also scored two TDs on trick plays that game.

 

[Virginia Redbird]

Play charts only give part of the story from that game. They pumped in noise which caused chaos for our offense. They were so much faster than we were. There team speed killed us all game long. We we bigger and stronger but that speed came out on top. The play calling was lacking. That was the first game that Kolbe looked uncomfortable in the pocket. He had plenty of time to throw but between receivers dropping balls, bad routes, and bad throws in was recipe for a loss. Our defense played ok. Yes we hit the QB but he still was able to get the ball off to his receivers. Earlier that season Western went in and beat them pretty good. Western controlled the clock and ran all over them. Western pounded us in the second half that year also. They also scored two TDs on trick plays that game.
[/quote]

I watched that game but all I really remember now is it seemed that we were chasing them all day. Probably not a very accurate recall but I agree their speed killed the Birds!

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Considering our passing game, if we get behind, we're screwed.

Get the lead early and run, run, run...

 

[Redbirds100]

I have trouble predicting with the Bird Pass game, it will improve....
I remember the 2nd half of the last game, with the Lumberjacks lighting it up on the score board...

Close Game
Redbirds 21
Lumber Jackers 17 - but they did score 41 against Arizona which is a concern.........

 

[mtjack]

NAU's passing offense has been somewhat impressive to start the season. Cookus is putting up solid numbers is his senior+ year. I expect NAU will put up points against ISU but won't be able to run the ball or consistently stop ISU's run game. Add that to NAU's record the past 5 years of 10-20 on the road and I don't feel that confident in their chances of winning against a solid team after a road trip half way across the country.

I spent 3 days in Bloomington/Normal last June attending Midwest Punkfest. Loved the local brewery scene and enjoyed my interactions with the locals. Wish I had the time and finances to make the trip up for the game this weekend. Cheers.

 

[StLRedbird]

NAU's passing offense has been somewhat impressive to start the season. Cookus is putting up solid numbers is his senior+ year. I expect NAU will put up points against ISU but won't be able to run the ball or consistently stop ISU's run game. Add that to NAU's record the past 5 years of 10-20 on the road and I don't feel that confident in their chances of winning against a solid team after a road trip half way across the country.

I spent 3 days in Bloomington/Normal last June attending Midwest Punkfest. Loved the local brewery scene and enjoyed my interactions with the locals. Wish I had the time and finances to make the trip up for the game this weekend. Cheers.

Absolutely spot on analysis, mtjack! Particularly given the conclusions you reached. I, for one, sure wouldn't mind seeing this H&H recur sometime in the future. Flagstaff is in a very special part of the world.

 

[fourthandshort]

NAU's passing offense has been somewhat impressive to start the season. Cookus is putting up solid numbers is his senior+ year. I expect NAU will put up points against ISU but won't be able to run the ball or consistently stop ISU's run game. Add that to NAU's record the past 5 years of 10-20 on the road and I don't feel that confident in their chances of winning against a solid team after a road trip half way across the country.

I spent 3 days in Bloomington/Normal last June attending Midwest Punkfest. Loved the local brewery scene and enjoyed my interactions with the locals. Wish I had the time and finances to make the trip up for the game this weekend. Cheers.

Welcome to Redbird Nation ... glad to have you on our forum. No need to tell us about your QB .. we have very painful memories from last time ... the dude can throw it. Got to believe at 6'4" he has NFL scouts following him closely.

Anyway, you should see fuller effort from our defense this time, especially playing at home and at sea level !! Big question is our pass game ... maybe we should merge teams and knock the Bison off their perch!!!

What's with the small interior OL ... is that by design for some reason ?

 

[MadBird]

Am very sorry I'm going to miss this one - been doing some "winterizing" at the cabin in MInnesota (temps have been in the 80's!) and this wasn't a weekend to be able to get "south". Too bad, but our seats will be filled by another ISU alum. Had great plans two years ago to get to Flagstaff and stay for a few days in Sedona, but that didn't work out either. This H&H hasn't worked out so good for me.

Anyway vs. EIU I overestimated our offense and underestimated our defense. NAU put up 41 vs. Arizona! 37 vs. our conference mate Mo.State. So they are gonna put some points on the board, you'd think we can count on that. They were down 41-13 at half to AZ, so maybe we can also assume they put up lots of points on the second team. So maybe not totally as impressive as the numbers might show (Cookus threw a TD pass at 7:12 of the 4th Q, so he was still in when AZ most likely had the backups in).

So we'll see if our D is for real, or how real our D is. As others have pointed out, it will be good for us to get a lead and not have to play from behind. Many of us like our D back field, and this will be a game for them to step up and shine. Need our beefy D front seven to put the heat on Cookus and make it a long night for him.

NAU held MoState to 43 yards rushing, but gave up 289 through the air. Our game plan surely assumes we can rush for more than that, and I'll say we do. Wouldn't it be nice for Davis to get 200-250 yds passing Saturday?

So I'll call it:

Birds - 27
Jacks- 24

Will be a tough one, but if we belong in the top dozen FCS teams, we'll find a way to win.

 

[mtjack]

Welcome to Redbird Nation ... glad to have you on our forum. No need to tell us about your QB .. we have very painful memories from last time ... the dude can throw it. Got to believe at 6'4" he has NFL scouts following him closely.

Anyway, you should see fuller effort from our defense this time, especially playing at home and at sea level !! Big question is our pass game ... maybe we should merge teams and knock the Bison off their perch!!!

What's with the small interior OL ... is that by design for some reason ?

NAU has a new coaching staff. Only two coaches retained from last year were the offensive coordinator (Aaron Pflugrad) and his dad, assistant head coach (Robin Pflugrad.....former U of Montana head coach). Like every head coaching change, it led to a lot of players transferring/quitting and that hit the offensive line. NAU OL Malik Noshi died over the summer as well. Add all that together and you have a really young, light and inexperienced OL that is struggling with creating a consistent run game. The offense doesn't seem to consistently run a speed up offense but it serves their purposes at home when the opposition is huffing and puffing at 7,000 feet.

I used to live in Fargo as well and a good number of my mom's family are boosters/alumnus of NDSU. Hope you don't hold that against me, Redbird fans.

Hoping NAU keeps it competitive at least tomorrow. Cheers!

 

[fourthandshort]

Mtjack .. very sorry to hear about one of your players passing, must have been difficult for the team to deal with.

Should be interesting game given differing strengths.

 

[StLRedbird]

Had great plans two years ago to get to Flagstaff and stay for a few days in Sedona, but that didn't work out either. This H&H hasn't worked out so good for me.

Thanks for the Sedona recommendation, MadBird. We stayed there for the first NAU game and have been back three times since. The more I see of the western half of this country, the more blessed I feel. High desert, low desert, red rocks, gray rocks, wooded mountains, raging rivers, we have it all.

 

[StLRedbird]

This is the week we put it together. Remember the EWU playoff game in 2014? Gonna be kinda like that. BN elevation? 869 ft.

I-wear-high-heels-but-thats-okay's 28
Redbirds 49

 

[MadBird]

Had great plans two years ago to get to Flagstaff and stay for a few days in Sedona, but that didn't work out either. This H&H hasn't worked out so good for me.

Thanks for the Sedona recommendation, MadBird. We stayed there for the first NAU game and have been back three times since. The more I see of the western half of this country, the more blessed I feel. High desert, low desert, red rocks, gray rocks, wooded mountains, raging rivers, we have it all.

NIce! :text-+1:

NIce part of the country, that's for sure.

 

[Reggie Redbird]

Doesn’t a wet environment help our running game versus their passing game? As much as I’d like to come home relatively dry, I have rain gear and am more than happy to sit through rain if it helps us win.

I figure NAU will stack the box against JR. If he can break through that, he should run for long distances. If not, Davis is going to have to hit guys.