Now that this season is officially in the tank, I can honestly say I can't remember a more disappointing year. Coming off a bowl game and many of the pieces in place this team consistently underperformed. A wasted year and a wasted opportunity. Many questions need to be answered and nobody is immune.

I don't have the answers, just a lot of frustration.

It certainly was a disappointing season. My son (also an alum) and I went to the EMU-Army game this year. Fun trip. I really thought we wold win that game and we came close. We had a lot of close but no cigar games this year.

I am taking the long view on this. Maybe last year was a season too soon. I think if our boys had the results from this year and last year’s results this year we would have a been happy. Instead, we got the opposite results. Last year, if we had lost 6 games by a total of 24 points we would’ve seen it as progress. That it happened after last year’s record it looks like regression.

The fact is, this program is on an upward trajectory. We have better athletes. We’ve lost 7 games by s total of 36 points. That is a long way from where the program was when Coach Creighton took over. That is positive. I don’t know if Coach Creighton is the coach to take us to a MAC championship but he is a good man and EMU needed a good man to change everything about the program.

Yes, I am disappointed with this season but I am pleased, overall, with what Coach Creighton has done with our football program. Despite our losses, we are no longer the laughing stock of the MAC and we can never be counted out of any game.


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The 2012 season, following an encouraging 6-6 year in 2011, where we appeared to have a competent football team, was incredibly disappointing as well. However, I think this year takes the cake, if only because we can make a case for winning every single game we played this year, as opposed to getting blown out every game (and losing to an FCS team) in 2012. That proved the prior season was an aberration, where this year's group was a talented bunch that couldn't completely put it together.

I still can't quite believe the sheer amount of boneheaded coaching decisions/player decisions/weird luck that cost us games this season. I can't even decide which one stands out the most. Is it Dieuly's block in the back against WMU? Is it slowing the game down and putting it in Fricano's hands (feet?) at NIU? Is it Antoine Porter letting a routine catch go through his hands for an INT at Toledo? Roback's awful pick 6 against Ohio? Roback's awful pick 6 against CMU? Any various punting mishap? It's sad that we can probably add even more to that long list!

If any two or three of those plays go differently, look how much our outlook on the season would change. We'd be getting excited about another bowl bid instead of wondering what happened to such a promising team. That's how quickly a season can go downhill though, and quite frankly, it has to fall on Creighton. I love the guy, but he didn't put us in the best positions to succeed this year. The offense was a mess, and it didn't seem like we did much to try and fix it. Brogan has been throwing the same out routes and deep balls since day one, with very few attempts to mix in slants, RB screens, etc. Hopefully we mix up the offense next year with a new QB, so we don't waste what will surely be a very stout defense again.

Sorry for the long rant.

Next year is very simple...........QB/OC.

I think we've really seen enough of Keen to know he's not the answer. You watch the running game last night and I think we have 4 or 5 plays, that's it. Nearly the identical 1st down run up the gut every single time, for 1-3 yards. Come on, just sad. If Creighton doesn't try to upgrade that position in the offseason, that will be a very big red flag.

The MAC is a QB league. Unfortunately, because of our recruiting, our QB position next year is a complete unknown. My guess is we'll pretty much be putting all our eggs in the Grissom basket, and crossing our fingers. Watch what Ohio did to Toledo last night and you realize what a difference a true dual-threat QB can be. We need our own Nathan Rourke.

Add in the fact that we need a complete offensive overhaul, and our odds of putting together a really productive offense are long (but not impossible).

At least we'll have a lot to speculate about prior to next year, haha.

(11-09-2017 11:50 AM)EagleTough Wrote:  Next year is very simple...........QB/OC.

I think we've really seen enough of Keen to know he's not the answer. You watch the running game last night and I think we have 4 or 5 plays, that's it. Nearly the identical 1st down run up the gut every single time, for 1-3 yards. Come on, just sad. If Creighton doesn't try to upgrade that position in the offseason, that will be a very big red flag.

The MAC is a QB league. Unfortunately, because of our recruiting, our QB position next year is a complete unknown. My guess is we'll pretty much be putting all our eggs in the Grissom basket, and crossing our fingers. Watch what Ohio did to Toledo last night and you realize what a difference a true dual-threat QB can be. We need our own Nathan Rourke.

Add in the fact that we need a complete offensive overhaul, and our odds of putting together a really productive offense are long (but not impossible).

At least we'll have a lot to speculate about prior to next year, haha.

I can't really judge an OC. He doesn't block, throw passes, catch passes or carry the ball.

I love our defense yet on offense we have problems. Roback is talented but erratic. The OL is not top tier. Receivers are okay, but not top tier.

We blame this and that for the offensive failures, but truth be told all of our real star, impact players are on defense, not offense.

(11-09-2017 01:11 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-09-2017 11:50 AM)EagleTough Wrote:  Next year is very simple...........QB/OC.

I think we've really seen enough of Keen to know he's not the answer. You watch the running game last night and I think we have 4 or 5 plays, that's it. Nearly the identical 1st down run up the gut every single time, for 1-3 yards. Come on, just sad. If Creighton doesn't try to upgrade that position in the offseason, that will be a very big red flag.

The MAC is a QB league. Unfortunately, because of our recruiting, our QB position next year is a complete unknown. My guess is we'll pretty much be putting all our eggs in the Grissom basket, and crossing our fingers. Watch what Ohio did to Toledo last night and you realize what a difference a true dual-threat QB can be. We need our own Nathan Rourke.

Add in the fact that we need a complete offensive overhaul, and our odds of putting together a really productive offense are long (but not impossible).

At least we'll have a lot to speculate about prior to next year, haha.

I can't really judge an OC. He doesn't block, throw passes, catch passes or carry the ball.

I love our defense yet on offense we have problems. Roback is talented but erratic. The OL is not top tier. Receivers are okay, but not top tier.

We blame this and that for the offensive failures, but truth be told all of our real star, impact players are on defense, not offense.

Sure you can judge an OC. What have your eyes told you all year about the effectiveness, and creativity, and play calling on that side of the ball? There was plenty of talent on our offense to be much more effective than they ended up. That's on the coaching.

My eyes told me we were very predictable and vanilla. The GOOD NEWS is that we can burn the whole thing down and start over with a new QB and new system.

The first place Creighton should look, and turn on the film, is over at Ohio with Nathan Rourke running that offense. The kid is a dual-threat, sophomore Juco transfer, and their O is on a roll right now. Totally destroyed Toledo and kept them guessing all day. Only threw 7/15 for 139 yards, but also rushed 14 for 115. The dual threat keeps defenses guessing, generally keeps the O ahead of the chains and out of 3rd and longs, and allows for a much more efficient red zone play calling.

Glass half full here. Neathery fixed the nations worst defense, quickly. We should be able to fix this offense as well. Build the system around your players and their talent, not the other way around. That's good coaching. We'll see if they can get it done.

We're gonna have Eriksen, Vann, Turner, Grissom, and Jackson in that backfield next year, plus 5-7 experienced Olinemen, plus Aristilde, Daugherty, Holder and Sexton at WR ............. figure it out.........no excuses.

Dear Friends,
I am a different era. One where if football players screwed up, you were taken out of the game for a play or a series, with the coach talking to you about what you did wrong. I just don't get not keeping Roback out for a series, and let him think about what he screwed up with. Yes, you could say the coaches talked to him while the defense was on the field, and I'm sure that happened, but when the offense goes back onto the field Roback doesn't. This should have occurred after the second interception, and certainly no later than the third. Seeing someone besides yourself on the field, really makes one think about what you have to do to get back out there.

On a positive note, this was the best team defense that I’ve seen in the almost 20 years I’ve been following EMU Football.

(11-09-2017 05:02 PM)KPJ Wrote:  On a positive note, this was the best team defense that I’ve seen in the almost 20 years I’ve been following EMU Football.

Absolutely.

I can make a similar statement for 25 years.

(11-09-2017 05:33 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-09-2017 05:02 PM)KPJ Wrote:  On a positive note, this was the best team defense that I’ve seen in the almost 20 years I’ve been following EMU Football.

Absolutely.

I can make a similar statement for 25 years.

But you cannot make a similar statement for 30 years.

(11-09-2017 08:14 PM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-09-2017 05:33 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-09-2017 05:02 PM)KPJ Wrote:  On a positive note, this was the best team defense that I’ve seen in the almost 20 years I’ve been following EMU Football.

Absolutely.

I can make a similar statement for 25 years.

But you cannot make a similar statement for 30 years.

I don't think anyone was trying.

Come on KPJ, you know how the clown operates. Has to try to throw some type of shade toward one of the best defenses in EMU history.

(11-09-2017 11:11 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Come on KPJ, you know how the clown operates. Has to try to throw some type of shade toward one of the best defenses in EMU history.

They cannot compare to the 1987 MAC champs and Cal Bowl winners who basically SAVED the program. They were WINNERS and will never be forgotten.

I'm disappointed this season, the question marks at the beginning of the season were special teams with Barnes departure, a new long snapper and holder, the offensive line. I believe I predicted 4-8 or 5-7 with a tough schedule. Those did cause us trouble. I could not have predicted the penalties and stupid plays. The defense exceeded even the rosiest of expectations. The running game took way too much time to become productive. Oop forgot TE-zero production most of the year

Next year the biggest ? QB, WR and getting a pair of productive TEs either from on the roster or incoming.

(11-10-2017 08:35 AM)emu79 Wrote:  I'm disappointed this season, the question marks at the beginning of the season were special teams with Barnes departure, a new long snapper and holder, the offensive line. I believe I predicted 4-8 or 5-7 with a tough schedule. Those did cause us trouble. I could not have predicted the penalties and stupid plays. The defense exceeded even the rosiest of expectations. The running game took way too much time to become productive. Oop forgot TE-zero production most of the year

Next year the biggest ? QB, WR and getting a pair of productive TEs either from on the roster or incoming.

"Zero TE production." BAM!!! I said before the season started that losing Nigel Kilby was a Huuuuuuge loss. I got the cliche' "next man up" bulls***. When you lose a NFL prospect TE and replace him with basically nothing, the team suffers. No more "Next man up" nonsense. They are backups for a reason.

(11-10-2017 08:40 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-10-2017 08:35 AM)emu79 Wrote:  I'm disappointed this season, the question marks at the beginning of the season were special teams with Barnes departure, a new long snapper and holder, the offensive line. I believe I predicted 4-8 or 5-7 with a tough schedule. Those did cause us trouble. I could not have predicted the penalties and stupid plays. The defense exceeded even the rosiest of expectations. The running game took way too much time to become productive. Oop forgot TE-zero production most of the year

Next year the biggest ? QB, WR and getting a pair of productive TEs either from on the roster or incoming.

"Zero TE production." BAM!!! I said before the season started that losing Nigel Kilby was a Huuuuuuge loss. I got the cliche' "next man up" bulls***. When you lose a NFL prospect TE and replace him with basically nothing, the team suffers. No more "Next man up" nonsense. They are backups for a reason.

NFL prospect? Hey how's Raven doing in the NBA Bob? Oh that's right he's not there. Leaving the scouting to the pros and the digs to the pipeline companies.

(11-10-2017 08:13 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-09-2017 11:11 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Come on KPJ, you know how the clown operates. Has to try to throw some type of shade toward one of the best defenses in EMU history.

They cannot compare to the 1987 MAC champs and Cal Bowl winners who basically SAVED the program. They were WINNERS and will never be forgotten.

Whether you believe that Kilby is an NFL prospect or not, MOST athletic 6'8" 250 pounds guys with great hands are, but to each their own, doesn't erase the fact that he was a great player at EMU and would have been a great player this year, so regardless, he was a terrible loss for Roback and the team. Huge loss.

https://247sports.com/Player/Nigel-Kilby-46047782

(11-10-2017 08:43 AM)emu79 Wrote:  

(11-10-2017 08:40 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-10-2017 08:35 AM)emu79 Wrote:  I'm disappointed this season, the question marks at the beginning of the season were special teams with Barnes departure, a new long snapper and holder, the offensive line. I believe I predicted 4-8 or 5-7 with a tough schedule. Those did cause us trouble. I could not have predicted the penalties and stupid plays. The defense exceeded even the rosiest of expectations. The running game took way too much time to become productive. Oop forgot TE-zero production most of the year

Next year the biggest ? QB, WR and getting a pair of productive TEs either from on the roster or incoming.

"Zero TE production." BAM!!! I said before the season started that losing Nigel Kilby was a Huuuuuuge loss. I got the cliche' "next man up" bulls***. When you lose a NFL prospect TE and replace him with basically nothing, the team suffers. No more "Next man up" nonsense. They are backups for a reason.

NFL prospect? Hey how's Raven doing in the NBA Bob? Oh that's right he's not there. Leaving the scouting to the pros and the digs to the pipeline companies.

"losing Kilby was a huge loss".........wow, that was some really deep, special Bob insight!

This guy has to come here and take verbal abuse because nobody else will even speak to him. The guy that everyone rolls their eyes at when he interrupts any sports conversation. The guy that clears the room when anyone sees him coming. Disliked by his own therapist.

Special Bob, haha.

(11-10-2017 10:26 AM)EagleTough Wrote:  

(11-10-2017 08:13 AM)Bob Wickersham Wrote:  

(11-09-2017 11:11 PM)EagleTough Wrote:  Come on KPJ, you know how the clown operates. Has to try to throw some type of shade toward one of the best defenses in EMU history.

They cannot compare to the 1987 MAC champs and Cal Bowl winners who basically SAVED the program. They were WINNERS and will never be forgotten.

You have no link to EMU athletics and in 2 years you will be gone. THANK GOD. Run along stage dad.