(11-10-2014 02:37 PM)emu79 Wrote:  It appears that Bell's status is still unclear and I think Roback is cleared. Bell continues to go through the concussion protocol. Maybe not as important but it appears Hurcombe, Wylie and Terrell are out for this game according to the depth chart. It also appears that Spearman is not ready to go yet, really think he's going to be up for a medical redshirt for this year with only two more games to play. Barring more severe injuries the only true frosh I've seen this year are K Jones, Harris and Beck in terms of playing time, likely most of the true frosh class were redshirted which I view as a positive.

Interesting I looked at the 2-deeps and read it to mean that Bell will start at QB. (with the caveat below)

http://www.emueagles.com/documents/2014/...df?id=3562

I'm listening to CC's interview and it appears that Bell is progressing through the concussion protocol and that Roback will be ready.

As CC is explaining the protocol is that it isn't like meeting a specific goal, but it is meeting the individual criteria (criterion) which must be met each day.

The point spread is now up to 25.5 as reported by ESPN.

I think that's too high. Oh, wouldn't surprise me if WMU won by 30. But it also be LESS surprising if WMU won by 17.

IMO, a fair/expected spread would be 20 pts.

In today's MAC Teleconference Creighton made sure to mention that Roback is cleared and will be ready to play on Saturday. It seems to me that he was hinting that he will get some reps if Reggie isn't healthy.

(11-10-2014 04:40 PM)FrankAnderson Wrote:  In today's MAC Teleconference Creighton made sure to mention that Roback is cleared and will be ready to play on Saturday. It seems to me that he was hinting that he will get some reps if Reggie isn't healthy.

I believe I heard CC mention that he might have 3 QBs can play. I don't remember the exact words, though.

Quote:Such a huge turnaround in only a year. They lost to Nicholls State last year. Nicholls State. Now they're rolling and are a far cry from that 1-11 squad of 2013. For as much as we made fun of Fleck last year, you have to give him credit now. Very impressive.

Yep. When people (including no shortage of die-hard WMU fans) were making fun of Fleck -- much of it was because he pumped everyone up -- and our team turned out terrible. His passion & desire expressed makes winning more real & amplified -- but also makes losing more real & amplified too.

I believed he was going to be a mediocre at worst coach -- I believed he could be a great coach -- just needed time to get situated. Now, I didn't believe we'd be THIS good -- like legitimate good. I am very impressed.

We have good DBs so we can play man-to-man while allowing guys to help stop the run. Our D increased Very Well mid-season. We have a good passing attack + rushing attack.

Our cons are that our O can get cold on some drives and is prone to mistakes here and there... and our FG kicking game is not reliable even though it should be more reliable than it is now.

[quote='toddjnsn' pid='11358511' dateline='1415658147']
[quote]I believed he was going to be a mediocre at worst coach -- I believed he could be a great coach -- just needed time to get situated. Now, I didn't believe we'd be THIS good -- like legitimate good. I am very impressed.

[/quote]

What I find interesting is that he is by and large winning big with players who were on the team last year. Franklin is a HUGE exception. Also Ash (DL - UofM).

As I understand it, most of P.J.'s highly rated frosh class is redshirting.

The impact players, e.g., Terrell, Davis, Braverman, Celiscar, etc were on the team last year.

Amazing as it sounds this team is at least one or two years from reaching its peak.

This team in 2016 should easily be top 40 and maybe a lot higher.

Two huge differences

1. Line play on both sides of the ball

2. QB growth over the last year


I can't stress the first one enough. We expected the O line to get better. But the D line is way way better than anyone thought they would be 2 months ago

(11-10-2014 06:08 PM)emu steve Wrote:  [quote='toddjnsn' pid='11358511' dateline='1415658147']

Quote:I believed he was going to be a mediocre at worst coach -- I believed he could be a great coach -- just needed time to get situated. Now, I didn't believe we'd be THIS good -- like legitimate good. I am very impressed.

What I find interesting is that he is by and large winning big with players who were on the team last year. Franklin is a HUGE exception. Also Ash (DL - UofM).

As I understand it, most of P.J.'s highly rated frosh class is redshirting.

The impact players, e.g., Terrell, Davis, Braverman, Celiscar, etc were on the team last year.

Amazing as it sounds this team is at least one or two years from reaching its peak.

This team in 2016 should easily be top 40 and maybe a lot higher.

Braverman was out with an injury in 2013. He would have been a huge help that season.

Can someone describe the 2013 injuries for WMU?

I thought they lost a number of starters before the first game.

(2013 might have been a 'fluke' because of injuries and a frosh QB.).

I saw Terrell in the 1st half vs. Purdue and he looked shaky. In the 2nd half he seemed to come on and he has developed very nicely throughout the season.

(11-10-2014 08:28 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Can someone describe the 2013 injuries for WMU?

I thought they lost a number of starters before the first game.

(2013 might have been a 'fluke' because of injuries and a frosh QB.).

I saw Terrell in the 1st half vs. Purdue and he looked shaky. In the 2nd half he seemed to come on and he has developed very nicely throughout the season.

Here's a rundown I did last year: http://csnbbs.com/thread-656460.html

15 starters. 23 freshmen ended up starting at least one game.

Edit: more happened after the initial post as well, such as DT David Curle who went down with a broken foot.

(11-10-2014 08:45 PM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 08:28 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Can someone describe the 2013 injuries for WMU?

I thought they lost a number of starters before the first game.

(2013 might have been a 'fluke' because of injuries and a frosh QB.).

I saw Terrell in the 1st half vs. Purdue and he looked shaky. In the 2nd half he seemed to come on and he has developed very nicely throughout the season.

Here's a rundown I did last year: http://csnbbs.com/thread-656460.html

15 starters. 23 freshmen ended up starting at least one game.

Edit: more happened after the initial post as well, such as DT David Curle who went down with a broken foot.

Injuries were a big issue and I've posted on it here before a number of times.

If some (EMU) posters had read that thread they wouldn't have been so clueless on WMU's rise this year.

To pivot, a little, in a 'compare and contrast' between WMU's (2013) and say our 2014 and futures going forward:

1). WMU had a new coach in 2013 but injuries might have been a huge part. I don't see our 2014 injuries being atypical for FBS football.

2). WMU did bring in a recruiting class (2014) which might be the best in MAC history. The EMU 2014 class wasn't anything special.

3). WMU had a couple down seasons, e.g., 2012 and 2011, was otherwise a program which went bowling say every few years. The Berlin Wall was standing the last time EMU went to a bowl.

EMU really, really has an uphill climb. Any comparisons to WMU are neither accurate or fair.

Both programs changed head coaches but as they say in commercials: "your results may vary."

(11-11-2014 05:39 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 08:45 PM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 08:28 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Can someone describe the 2013 injuries for WMU?

I thought they lost a number of starters before the first game.

(2013 might have been a 'fluke' because of injuries and a frosh QB.).

I saw Terrell in the 1st half vs. Purdue and he looked shaky. In the 2nd half he seemed to come on and he has developed very nicely throughout the season.

Here's a rundown I did last year: http://csnbbs.com/thread-656460.html

15 starters. 23 freshmen ended up starting at least one game.

Edit: more happened after the initial post as well, such as DT David Curle who went down with a broken foot.

Injuries were a big issue and I've posted on it here before a number of times.

If some (EMU) posters had read that thread they wouldn't have been so clueless on WMU's rise this year.

A bit unfair. I don't think you expected this big of a turnaround either.

(11-10-2014 09:50 AM)emu steve Wrote:  We MUST keep the ball out of the hands of Terrell, Franklin, Davis, Braverman, etc.

That'll be... very difficult. Good luck.

(11-11-2014 07:23 AM)Hoekjeness Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 09:50 AM)emu steve Wrote:  We MUST keep the ball out of the hands of Terrell, Franklin, Davis, Braverman, etc.

That'll be... very difficult. Good luck.

Arguably the best offense in the MAC.

As fans have been posting the MAC West is loaded with teams who can move the ball and put it in the end zone (WMU, UT and NIU are #1, 2, and 4 in scoring).

http://www.mac-sports.com/custompages/st...nfldrs.htm

WMU has been a solid program for many years. They have a lot of advantages over EMU that make it much easier to build a program; beautiful campus with rolling hills, nice city Kalamazoo-which isn't far from Lansing, Chicago, or Indiana, low crime, nice facilities- located right on campus. The Broncos got it going on with their energetic young coach. Eastern has their work cut out.

They are almost the same distance from Lansing as we are. Pretty sure that has nothing to do with their success. We aren't very far from Lansing, Detroit, and Ohio, but that hasn't exactly helped us.

WMU's football program has been ok. They've always been a decent MAC team, but they've never topped 10 wins in a season, haven't won the MAC since the year after we did, never won a bowl game...nothing spectacular. Granted, I would kill to have their continued "decent" seasons and recent history, and Fleck could take them to another level, but we could say that we are jealous of pretty much anyone in the MAC.

(11-11-2014 07:18 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  

(11-11-2014 05:39 AM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 08:45 PM)ColinApocalypse Wrote:  

(11-10-2014 08:28 PM)emu steve Wrote:  Can someone describe the 2013 injuries for WMU?

I thought they lost a number of starters before the first game.

(2013 might have been a 'fluke' because of injuries and a frosh QB.).

I saw Terrell in the 1st half vs. Purdue and he looked shaky. In the 2nd half he seemed to come on and he has developed very nicely throughout the season.

Here's a rundown I did last year: http://csnbbs.com/thread-656460.html

15 starters. 23 freshmen ended up starting at least one game.

Edit: more happened after the initial post as well, such as DT David Curle who went down with a broken foot.

Injuries were a big issue and I've posted on it here before a number of times.

If some (EMU) posters had read that thread they wouldn't have been so clueless on WMU's rise this year.

A bit unfair. I don't think you expected this big of a turnaround either.

Maybe, but I have been so much on the WMU bandwagon starting with the Purdue game that some might think I was more on their bandwagon then their own fans.

Even though they lost a reasonably close game to a mediocre Purdue team I liked what I saw: Franklin running wild on a B1G team and Terrell looked 100% improved in the 2nd half.

(11-11-2014 08:41 AM)EagleSam Wrote:  They are almost the same distance from Lansing as we are. Pretty sure that has nothing to do with their success. We aren't very far from Lansing, Detroit, and Ohio, but that hasn't exactly helped us.

WMU's football program has been ok. They've always been a decent MAC team, but they've never topped 10 wins in a season, haven't won the MAC since the year after we did, never won a bowl game...nothing spectacular. Granted, I would kill to have their continued "decent" seasons and recent history, and Fleck could take them to another level, but we could say that we are jealous of pretty much anyone in the MAC.

Yes, but they ARE NOT 7 miles from AA, which is the bane of our existence.

I will have the game at the rec/im it's on ESPN 3. I will have the volleyball game against NIU on it's going to be on ESPN 3as well 8:30 pm our time.