Virginia Redbird
Well-known member
There were some low points to the 2019 Redbird Football season. The first NDSU game and YSU come immediately to mind. Brady Davis had an up and down year but I thought he was improving and the offense was getting better before his knee injury. He gave a threat of a passing game and was hampered by injuries to the receivers. The receiving corps was the walking wounded this year. Edgar was hurt but returns later on, Grimes is injured and gone for the season, a true Freshman WR, Rutkiewicz, steps up and showed some flashes of being an exciting player but is injured for the Quarter Final playoff game. QB position is pretty much a total mess across the board at ISU. Davis I mentioned above but the only backups were a true Freshman and RS Freshman neither with any significant playing experience. When the starter went down there really was no replacement that brought a passing threat.
The high points though were substantial. A big win over SDSU and escaping the 6-5 pit that the team had fallen into in previous seasons. The best running back in FCS (regardless of the Payton voting) gave the Redbird fans a great season and playoff run. Robinson virtually took this team on his back offensively and carried it along with the ball throughout the playoffs. Amazing when you figure with the loss of Proctor he had to do it all by himself, with every opponent targeting him in every game and with no real passing attack. Kudos as well to the O-line that blocked for him and opened holes. The O-line was inconsistent early on but in the playoffs I thought they were very good. Jefferson I thought played well in the playoffs staying within the game plans the coaching staff gave him. The coaching staff I also thought was inconsistent during the year. The decision to start Baltz against YSU was abysmal and blew up in their face. They had him all season and should have known he was not close to ready by the last game of the season. They made the right decision saving his Redshirt, since he needs development, and benching him for the playoffs. Moving into the playoffs with Jefferson I thought the coaching staff put together game plans that worked for the talent they had. The playoff run was great. The defense was so very good this year and it is a young group overall. The RZ Defense…there was no better in FCS. I expect that group to be solid next year as well. Even with the loss to NDSU last weekend I am feeling pretty good about the 2019 season and looking forward to 2020.
To the Seniors departing...thanks for your efforts on the field and representing the University so well. We may complain and b***h on this forum but we are all behind the team and wish you well. I will be watching a couple of you in the Shrine Bowl. The early signings look to be a good group. Time will tell but welcome to Illinois State and Redbird Football. As for 2020 and the returning players…yep, we will complain, b***h, and maybe even whine but we will be tuned in or in the stands every week bleeding Red & White while we watch. We all wish the best for all of you, coaches, players and staff.
To my fellow Redbird fanatics on this forum, we disagree, argue and debate. Some of us hate NIU (well at least one of us does), can’t understand why the Birds are not a Power 5 team, hate the play calling, love the play calling, love Spack, do not think Spack can get us over the hump, love the EIU rivalry, want to see the EIU rivalry ended, and on, and on and on…
Still, we can all agree that we want a great ISU football program and more W’s than L’s at the end of the season. A National Championship would be nice…but I am not complaining about a 10-5 season and a solid playoff run. Have a happy and safe holiday season Redbirds! Talk to all of you again in 2020.
What the hell, we may as well start it up now…GO REDBIRDS BEAT U of I … WIN THAT GAME! :clap:
The high points though were substantial. A big win over SDSU and escaping the 6-5 pit that the team had fallen into in previous seasons. The best running back in FCS (regardless of the Payton voting) gave the Redbird fans a great season and playoff run. Robinson virtually took this team on his back offensively and carried it along with the ball throughout the playoffs. Amazing when you figure with the loss of Proctor he had to do it all by himself, with every opponent targeting him in every game and with no real passing attack. Kudos as well to the O-line that blocked for him and opened holes. The O-line was inconsistent early on but in the playoffs I thought they were very good. Jefferson I thought played well in the playoffs staying within the game plans the coaching staff gave him. The coaching staff I also thought was inconsistent during the year. The decision to start Baltz against YSU was abysmal and blew up in their face. They had him all season and should have known he was not close to ready by the last game of the season. They made the right decision saving his Redshirt, since he needs development, and benching him for the playoffs. Moving into the playoffs with Jefferson I thought the coaching staff put together game plans that worked for the talent they had. The playoff run was great. The defense was so very good this year and it is a young group overall. The RZ Defense…there was no better in FCS. I expect that group to be solid next year as well. Even with the loss to NDSU last weekend I am feeling pretty good about the 2019 season and looking forward to 2020.
To the Seniors departing...thanks for your efforts on the field and representing the University so well. We may complain and b***h on this forum but we are all behind the team and wish you well. I will be watching a couple of you in the Shrine Bowl. The early signings look to be a good group. Time will tell but welcome to Illinois State and Redbird Football. As for 2020 and the returning players…yep, we will complain, b***h, and maybe even whine but we will be tuned in or in the stands every week bleeding Red & White while we watch. We all wish the best for all of you, coaches, players and staff.
To my fellow Redbird fanatics on this forum, we disagree, argue and debate. Some of us hate NIU (well at least one of us does), can’t understand why the Birds are not a Power 5 team, hate the play calling, love the play calling, love Spack, do not think Spack can get us over the hump, love the EIU rivalry, want to see the EIU rivalry ended, and on, and on and on…
Still, we can all agree that we want a great ISU football program and more W’s than L’s at the end of the season. A National Championship would be nice…but I am not complaining about a 10-5 season and a solid playoff run. Have a happy and safe holiday season Redbirds! Talk to all of you again in 2020.
What the hell, we may as well start it up now…GO REDBIRDS BEAT U of I … WIN THAT GAME! :clap:
