SEASON predictions

[Total Red]

I think we've had a number of posters that have already made predictions for our record this season but many of those were months ago when we had a different starting QB so you are welcome to weigh in again with the most recent developments.


I'll take 8-3 regular season and 9-4 overall.

 

[Adunk33]

I like your prediction. I think the team will lose one they aren't "supposed to" and win one they aren't "supposed to. For example, drop one to a team like WIU at home (like last season), and then pick up a win on the road at UNI.

I look forward to the game Saturday, regardless of the opponent.

 

[fourthandshort]

I've been stuck on 7-4 with usual +/- 1 game for a while .. mainly due to question marks on defense. But now leaning towards 8-3 .. so count me in at 8-3 reg season, and 9-4 overall. Let's do this again once we see our defense after EIU and CSU .. i see more upside than downside sitting here today.

Just feeling more optimistic about defense coming together .. like the physical profiles and skills of our new lineup. I also like the fresh ideas/voices with new coaches on both side of ball. It just feels like the team feels invigorated with all the new coaches. Spack said in episode 2 of Next Step, the vibe was starting to feel stale .. assuming so, that's good for at least 1 win .. if not more.

Lot of us criticized Spack for the co-OC decision, including me .. but he was backed into a corner giving timing issue .. so i accepted it under circumstances. I always liked Coach Clark, but not Coach Dicken. Now we see if this big reset with coaches proves to make a difference ... feels right so far.

 

[Birdswin]

I agree with the 8-3 - with an outside chance at 9-2 if we get a few good bounces and stay away from crucial injuries.

The four week stretch of SIU, NDSU, SDSU, and UNI - is crucial - 2-2 is reasonable - anything better is icing on the cake, anything worse is disappointing. Take care of the rest - at least one, if not two home playoff games. One game at a time - cannot have a "flat" game at Mo State or home vs WIU - the rest will take care of itself.

 

[crazzymark]

11-0 and make it to the championship game and win.....(need a little bison belief and exceptions is needed) that is what that should be expected...I think Davis is going to really make the difference and run game will lead the nation...depending on the WR and BIG TE play will make a huge impact. LET'S GO REDBIRDS AND WIN..THIS...GAME!!!

 

[Chi-bird]

https://redbirdfan.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=910

That said, with Davis getting the nod at QB, I feel a little better about our chances of making the playoffs.

 

[StLRedbird]

I'm buyin' into this 8-3 thing too. Must not lose at Hancock and pick up a couple road wins in Springfield and Terre Haute. Anxious for the start of the season against Eastern...

W STX
W EIU
L @CSU
W @MSU
W WIU
W SIU
L @NDSU
W SDSU
L @UNI
W @ISU
W YSU

 

[Adunk33]

I'm buyin' into this 8-3 thing too. Must not lose at Hancock and pick up a couple road wins in Springfield and Terre Haute.

:text-+1: Spack mentioned the importance of winning at home during the seniors meeting in this week's episode of The Next Step. He said they are going to once again reinforce the importance of winning at home. then picking up the two you mentioned on the road would be big and put us where we need to be.

 

[chuckie1980]

I Believe in Spack and Redbirds....and the new coaching staff....ELEVEN - ZIP.

 

[Phantom]

Hoping for 8-3 or better. Definitely do not want to be stuck with a bunch of other teams at 7-4 and have this dumbass SXU game keep us out of the playoffs.

 

[StLRedbird]

Spack mentioned the importance of winning at home during the seniors meeting in this week's episode of The Next Step. He said they are going to once again reinforce the importance of winning at home. then picking up the two you mentioned on the road would be big and put us where we need to be.

If there's a defining characteristic to our back-to-back 6-5 seasons, it's failing to defend Hancock. Two home losses in both those seasons and that's gotta stop in 2018. In Spack we trust.

 

[DannyCooksey]

Hoping for 8-3 or better. Definitely do not want to be stuck with a bunch of other teams at 7-4 and have this dumbass SXU game keep us out of the playoffs.

100%

 

[fourthandshort]

Hoping for 8-3 or better. Definitely do not want to be stuck with a bunch of other teams at 7-4 and have this dumbass SXU game keep us out of the playoffs.

yeesh .. where you been ? Good to have you back !!

p.s. offseason is just an expression .. no one is ever really off .. you can post !

 

[Total Red]

Hoping for 8-3 or better. Definitely do not want to be stuck with a bunch of other teams at 7-4 and have this dumbass SXU game keep us out of the playoffs.

yeesh .. where you been ? Good to have you back !!

p.s. offseason is just an expression .. no one is ever really off .. you can post !

If we knew he was here all the time he wouldn't be a Phantom now would he? :shock:

 

[fourthandshort]

Hoping for 8-3 or better. Definitely do not want to be stuck with a bunch of other teams at 7-4 and have this dumbass SXU game keep us out of the playoffs.

yeesh .. where you been ? Good to have you back !!

p.s. offseason is just an expression .. no one is ever really off .. you can post !

If we knew he was here all the time he wouldn't be a Phantom now would he? :shock:

.. now you're just trying to spook me .. please stop ray:

 

[saxman210]

I'm buyin' into this 8-3 thing too. Must not lose at Hancock and pick up a couple road wins in Springfield and Terre Haute. Anxious for the start of the season against Eastern...

W STX
W EIU
L @CSU
W @MSU
W WIU
W SIU
L @NDSU
W SDSU
L @UNI
W @ISU
W YSU

If we do any worse than this, I will be disappointed.

 

[Total Red]

Chi-Bird wins the season prediction thread. I missed badly by expecting 8-3 but almost every else did too except for a couple of Kool-Aid addicts.

Anytime I miss a season prediction by 2 games it becomes a self-requirement that I get at least 12 hours of seclusion and meditation designed to facilitate analysis and greater awareness. Having returned from the mountain top with new insights and understanding I am ready to give testimony to what has been revealed.

I remember being bullish on the team after August camp because the young defense was showing signs of being better than I expected. Since I had previously thought that the defensive unit would be the weaker sister I was anticipating a balanced and dangerous team.

I saw the offense as a very strong unit with a punishing running game led by Robinson and Smith. I thought the rushing attack was so good that opposing teams would need to focus all their efforts there leaving things wide open for the pass. We did see glimpses of that in the EIU and SIU games. We simply had more offensive weapons than they could handle. But the rushing attack bogged down against some of the better defenses and even when the rushers put up good numbers it didn't always lead to wide open receivers. The breakdowns were a mixture of everything. Receivers not getting open, QB and receiver not on the same page (ball thrown one direction, receiver goes another), bad pass, passes into coverage, pass protection breaks down, penalty negates play - you name it. It's not rocket science. We simply need to get better in all phases and at all positions but WR will need immediate help with the loss of Schnell.

Also Davis needs to pick up on where he left off. He had a couple of good runs against YSU. He'll never be a big designed run QB but we need him to be a threat to take off and run when he drops back to pass. That puts a lot of pressure on the defense. If the D-Linemen pin their ears back and rush hard they risk going by him and leaving an opening for him to take off. There are few things more demoralizing for a defense than getting good coverage and a good pass rush only to have the QB slip through for a 10 yard gain. Davis has the quick feet to get it done. It's mostly a matter of him picking the right times to do it. I'd also like to see him add about 10lbs in off season to absorb hits for those times he can't get to the ground in time.


We'll have another strong rushing attack in '19. Quite possibly better than this year. We need the passing game to improve and most of the pieces are in place for that to happen. Davis flashed some of IT this season. Next year we need IT all.