Since 2016

[fdbird83]

We are 21-18 overall and 11-14 in conference.

 

[DannyCooksey]

We are 21-18 overall and 11-14 in conference.

That’s a gut punch

 

[StLRedbird]

And yet we beat NU and manhandled Colo St during that time frame. Confounding.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Redbirds sports...

Celebrating mediocrity since...well, forever.

 

[jamminjamarsmiley]

Basically Tre/Coprich/James/meridith carried spack and Isu for a couple years there. Outside of that spack has been the complete definition of mediocre. At what point do people in the administration start to expect more?

 

[Total Red]

Redbirds sports...

Celebrating mediocrity since...well, forever.

So we shouldn't celebrate victories. We should just show up after losses and rip. Yeah that will help :roll:

 

[Total Red]

Basically Tre/Coprich/James/meridith carried spack and Isu for a couple years there. Outside of that spack has been the complete definition of mediocre. At what point do people in the administration start to expect more?

Of course we want more. Coach Spack brought those players in. Isn't it possible that he could do it again?

I've seen some losing seasons in basketball and a lot of losing seasons in football in my many years as a fan.
I want championships but I don't take a 6-5 football season or any winning basketball season for granted. It means you're within striking distance of where you want to be and competitive.

On the basketball side some of the worst seasons we've had came with Porter Moser. Ok he's gone. And then he got some diamonds in the rough and went to the Final Four. Most seasons Redbird football and certainly basketball are just a couple of key players away from being really good. More so in basketball since just 5 players play at a time and they play both ways. It's always a challenge to find those players but I think both Coach Spack and Coach Muller give us a chance.

 

[chuckie1980]

Thanks, TotalRed!! I no longer feel the need to comment. I agree 100%.

Another thing that struck me watching the game yesterday...it is easier for a football team to be blown out than a basketball team.

 

[fourthandshort]

2012 team made round of 8 .. might have gone further had our RB group not been riddled with injuries.

2015 team made round of 8 after losing bunch of studs from 2014 team (not just Meredith and Oshaughnessy) and Roberson playing with broken bone in throwing hand most of the regular season.

Last 3+ years have been frustrating .. some top 8 level highs, where we beat and clearly outplayed very good teams ... 2015 UNI, 2016 Northwestern, 2016 SDSU, 2017 USD, 2017 YSU .... followed pr preceeded by just as many lows. The inconsistency seems to be the main issue ... in particular in the pass game, only occassionallky in other phases. But we usually put very competitive teams on the field defensively and in run game.

Might be time for a change in OC .. I thought Beathard was the guy based on what he did with Roberson in both 2014 and 2015. Maybe planets aligned ... but we need a guy who can not only play call, but one that also cann attract and develop better QBs our of HS. Our track record for recruiting HS QBs that turn into reliable play makers is our main issue. I also wonder if Spack isn't part of the the problem in terms of what he demands of his OC and QB ... it may in fact be the main issue. He doesn't want his QB to lose the game, which makes sense to a point. But the QB shouldn't play to not lose .. needs to play smart, sure. But they also need to make plays.

I actually though Davis was trying to make plays yesterday .. unlike his first 3 games where it really looked like he didn't want to throw the ball. So my gut says, Davis actually took a step forward yesterday even though he played poorly ... I thought he hung tough. I plan to watch replay of game just to see what it looked like from TV angles.

Anyway, season is not over. I said same thing in 2016 when we were sitting 2-4. So it sure as hell isn't over because we collapsed against the best FCS program in FCS history ans sit here at 3-2. It is one game, one loss. So now we get ready for the next game.

As for idea that Spack can't recruit enough talent ... just nonsense, outsside of the QB position. But where he may beed to evolve is in his belief he has to be bigger everywhere. We stuffed NDSU a lot yesterday, but there were just enough big plays in the open field where we looked slow or out of position. Spack seemed to go smaller with his latest FR class .. more athletes, even undersized for their position. So maybe he is starting to realize you can't over power everyone .. especially not the Bison ... and they play fast with this current team, both side of ball and all over th field.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Redbirds sports...

Celebrating mediocrity since...well, forever.

So we shouldn't celebrate victories. We should just show up after losses and rip. Yeah that will help :roll:

You do your thing, I’ll do mine.

 

[Reggie Redbird]

So this year, we’ve beaten the teams we were supposed to beat and lost to the teams we were supposed to lose to? I think people could have easily put us as 3-2 through 5 games.

I have been disappointed in our losses that we didn’t show up better. If we play like we did in the 2nd half against NAU, we can make the playoffs. We may not be playing like a Final 4 teams but can still make it to the dance. We’ll see what happens this weekend at SIU and then at Macomb. If we’re 5-2 going into Homecoming, the NDSU game will be long forgotten as we turn to the Trees.

It’s going to take a lot of fight to win in Carbondale. Hopefully the guys can put Saturday behind them and focus on getting revenge there. Another week for our inexperienced receivers to step up and another week for Edgar to get healthy, if he is brought back. If his injury is closer to 6 weeks, they may have to evaluate where we are in the season.

 

[fourthandshort]

Redbirds sports...

Celebrating mediocrity since...well, forever.

So we shouldn't celebrate victories. We should just show up after losses and rip. Yeah that will help :roll:

You do your thing, I’ll do mine.

sounds like you are acknowledging his point

 

[fourthandshort]

And yet we beat NU and manhandled Colo St during that time frame. Confounding.

this in a nutshell, but still more ups than downs .... it's not easy playing in the best conference in FCS (+ an FBS game). The last 3 years have been a roller coaster.

As I said in earlier post, the one positive on offense ... we ran ok at times against an elite defense, but more importantly, I think Davis showed he could weather a very tough game and keep hanging tough in pocket. he didn't play well, but it looked like he played tough and hung in there trying to make plays .. nothing like the first 3 games. Let's get Edgar back and continue developing the young receiver group.

Most people thought we would be 3-2 at this point .. and we are. Season is not over because we had a bad day against best team in FCS ... FCS history.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

So we shouldn't celebrate victories. We should just show up after losses and rip. Yeah that will help :roll:

You do your thing, I’ll do mine.

sounds like you are acknowledging his point

Maybe. It’s pointless arguing though.
I mean, we all want success for ISU Athletics...that’s why we’re on this board.
I’m just very tired of mediocrity. I really didn’t expect us to win, and those that did were more hopeful than realistic. However, that showing, in front of a full house, was a chance to make a statement and in typical Redbird fashion, we crapped all over ourselves. It just gets old....

 

[fourthandshort]

You do your thing, I’ll do mine.

sounds like you are acknowledging his point

Maybe. It’s pointless arguing though.
I mean, we all want success for ISU Athletics...that’s why we’re on this board.
I’m just very tired of mediocrity. I really didn’t expect us to win, and those that did were more hopeful than realistic. However, that showing, in front of a full house, was a chance to make a statement and in typical Redbird fashion, we crapped all over ourselves. It just gets old....

I'll grant you we lost badly this time, but we usually play NDSU tougher than most teams .. even while losing, which 95% of teams do lose, most going down easily. So that was the discouraging part this time.

I think they out game planned us and then made just enough big plays the first 2.5 qtrs in order to build that lead 23-3 lead ... because it was not like they were marching up and down the field on us. The first 8 drives, they averaged just 30 yards per drive ... granted 2 of the 8 drives were on shorter field (our fumble and their kick return), one after the KR where we held them to FG. It wasn't until game was out of hand mid Q3 that they started marching down the field on us .. with 3 drives averaging 70 yards per drive. So while the game was on the line during those first 8 drives, the defense was holding them other than a few big play breakdowns. Give them credit for making those big plays, but our defense was playing them tough until the last 3 drives. At some point, we have to get more help from the offense .. we should a little spark in Q3 passing the ball ... good play pace and passing, that was why i was somewhat encouraged by QB Davis's play ... even in a game he played poorly .. I thought he gutted out a bad game. I think this will help us next time out against a lesser opponent. NDSU plays very smart football in all phases, and their current defense plays very fast. It was just too much for us and we didnt get any real breaks.

Bad game, but something to build on.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

You do your thing, I’ll do mine.

sounds like you are acknowledging his point

Maybe. It’s pointless arguing though.
I mean, we all want success for ISU Athletics...that’s why we’re on this board.
I’m just very tired of mediocrity. I really didn’t expect us to win, and those that did were more hopeful than realistic. However, that showing, in front of a full house, was a chance to make a statement and in typical Redbird fashion, we crapped all over ourselves. It just gets old....

:text-+1: ISU sports culture mentality (ad admin and fans) is d3 Vs d1 , IMO. Why is puzzling to me. I would guess it is due to the lack of winning going back decades. What is acceptable winning for a contingent of loyal ISU football fans at the FCS level of play says a lot to me esp when one starts to analyze what universities are in FCS football division. There is not a lot of competition to make the playoffs, IMO and comparing it to the challenge of making the men’s ncaa basketball tourney is delusional, IMO.

Edit..adding that the expected level of success is the major reason why ISU results are what they are..there is no pressure or need to do any or perform any better

 

[Total Red]

Edit..adding that the expected level of success is the major reason why ISU results are what they are..there is no pressure or need to do any or perform any better

Really? I've seen 4 head football coaches fired during my time as a Redbird Football fan. They can all attest to the fact that there is indeed pressure to perform.

 

[ChiRedbirdfan]

Edit..adding that the expected level of success is the major reason why ISU results are what they are..there is no pressure or need to do any or perform any better

Really? I've seen 4 head football coaches fired during my time as a Redbird Football fan. They can all attest to the fact that there is indeed pressure to perform.

Yep hose coaches were awful but mediocre is ok

 

[Jon99]

sounds like you are acknowledging his point

Maybe. It’s pointless arguing though.
I mean, we all want success for ISU Athletics...that’s why we’re on this board.
I’m just very tired of mediocrity. I really didn’t expect us to win, and those that did were more hopeful than realistic. However, that showing, in front of a full house, was a chance to make a statement and in typical Redbird fashion, we crapped all over ourselves. It just gets old....

:text-+1: ISU sports culture mentality (ad admin and fans) is d3 Vs d1 , IMO. Why is puzzling to me. I would guess it is due to the lack of winning going back decades. What is acceptable winning for a contingent of loyal ISU football fans at the FCS level of play says a lot to me esp when one starts to analyze what universities are in FCS football division. There is not a lot of competition to make the playoffs, IMO and comparing it to the challenge of making the men’s ncaa basketball tourney is delusional, IMO.

Edit..adding that the expected level of success is the major reason why ISU results are what they are..there is no pressure or need to do any or perform any better

Just not true.. In DI basketball, we are certainly in the top half of all D1 programs and top tier of FCS football..

Now, can and should we be doing better??? Yes, should be making runs in FCS about every year or in FBS making it to bowl games over 50% of the time.. And in basketball, in the NCAA tournament 2-4 times a decade and winning games on occasion.. Obviously we have that capability based on the overall success of the university, just need to find the right people ti guide the ship

 

[Total Red]

Really? I've seen 4 head football coaches fired during my time as a Redbird Football fan. They can all attest to the fact that there is indeed pressure to perform.

Yep hose coaches were awful but mediocre is ok

So all of our coaches have been awful or medicore and you would fire them all even though the current coach is the one guy that has taken us to the National Championship game level. Rinse. Repeat.

I hope you understand that this isn't the best HC gig in FCS football. We've got some advantages here but also some disadvantages. Did you notice that all 7 D-I teams in Illinois lost this past weekend (NIU, SIU, EIU, WIU, Illinois State, Ill, Northwestern)? If you fire coaches that have performed well by the historical standards of the program they are at you'll soon be looking at "mediocre" performance as the good old days.