Ind. St. sucks. Beat N. Ala. by 3 in OT only because of a bad hike by NA that put them out of FG range. NA, fresh from D2, was picked last in the ASUN.
WIU doesn't look much better - losing to UTM 28 - 7 in 3rd, but UTM is ranked #15 and is certainly a better team than N. Ala.
Mo. STate up 17 - 0 at half vs a good Central Ark team. Their QB Jason Shelley is really good. Looks like the best QB in the MVC to me.
I hope I'm wrong; I really do.
But I don't get the optimism that most people seem to have about this season.
Sorry, I just don't.
(Inflammatory political snark)
@austinsaluki QB and best receivers are back. RBs should be the best in a while. Hopefully Javon Williams is healthy this year. Pop Jones and Romeir Eliott will shake and bake. If the D is better against the run, we will be a better team than last year.
Kicking game is a concern since we lost our good kickers to graduation. Losing Avante Cox for 4 weeks hurts.
Tough schedule though. I count Northwestern as a likely loss but no reason we can't beat every other team on the schedule.
I hope I'm wrong; I really do.
But I don't get the optimism that most people seem to have about this season.
Sorry, I just don't.
I don't follow football as closely as hoops, so I'm moreso in wait-and-see mode, but I definitely have questions.
Based on what I've read/heard/remember from last year, I feel good about the athleticism on defense and the caliber of offensive skill players at WR/RB (when healthy). Lineplay and even QB play (I know Baker has put up some nice numbers) are definite questions for me. And the receiver injuries are also a concern, at least for the early games.
Hope the Salukis have a great season and certainly they have some very talented players. Injuries do cause concern, but right now just anxious to get the party started. Tired of waiting and drinking maroon Kool-Aid. Win or lose, let's go Dawgs!
March on triumphantly!
Think there’s a downgrade at WR with this team losing Lenoir but they should be better running the football and should have an improved defense. Last year their defense was a bit of a dumpster fire and they couldn’t run the ball at all and still snuck into the postseason. Also, Baker is another year older at QB.
Not sure they’re a legit title contender but they should be a playoff team with the potential to win one or two games there.
Ind. St. sucks. Beat N. Ala. by 3 in OT only because of a bad hike by NA that put them out of FG range. NA, fresh from D2, was picked last in the ASUN.
WIU doesn't look much better - losing to UTM 28 - 7 in 3rd, but UTM is ranked #15 and is certainly a better team than N. Ala.
Mo. STate up 17 - 0 at half vs a good Central Ark team. Their QB Jason Shelley is really good. Looks like the best QB in the MVC to me.
I wasn’t super impressed by any of the teams that played yesterday aside from Mo St to some degree.
Mo St’s defense has come a long way. Their offense started to put stuff together towards the end of the first half and in to the 2nd half, but had a bunch of mistakes and their line didn’t look like they could block anybody. Once Shelley got some time, he was able to make some plays (he’s very good) and their receiver Scott will be a handful. It’s week one so obviously they have time to clean things up, but if that O-line doesn’t improve, they are going to struggle against good teams.
@austinsaluki I’m with you. Love the Dawgs but we were 8-5 last year and I feel we aren’t as good as last season. Hope I am wrong. Looking forward to the game and seeing this group play together.
Given where this program was at just 4 years ago, I can’t complain where they’re at now. They’re exactly where they should be in FCS, contending every year in the MVC and constantly making playoffs. Pretty soon though we’re going to want to take that next jump and moving into the South Dakota State territory of contending for Valley titles and contending for a championship. Don’t think it’s realistic to expect more than that as long as North Dakota State is inn your conference and winning titles every year.
@austinsaluki yes sir. Defense needs to be on point all year but especially early in the season until Cox and Hartrup get back 100%. Baker needs to stay healthy as well. Right now it looks like a walk-on and a freshman are listed as QB2. That room will improve its depth when Lindauer is released
Where do you find the depth chart? Thanks!!!
I'm not sayin' -- I'm just sayin'!
@austinsaluki yes sir. Defense needs to be on point all year but especially early in the season until Cox and Hartrup get back 100%. Baker needs to stay healthy as well. Right now it looks like a walk-on and a freshman are listed as QB2. That room will improve its depth when Lindauer is released
It still boggles my mind that Norton was beat out by both of those guys at QB. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him transfer out. The O-line is really young…so is our WR group with the injuries.
@austinsaluki yes sir. Defense needs to be on point all year but especially early in the season until Cox and Hartrup get back 100%. Baker needs to stay healthy as well. Right now it looks like a walk-on and a freshman are listed as QB2. That room will improve its depth when Lindauer is released
It still boggles my mind that Norton was beat out by both of those guys at QB. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him transfer out. The O-line is really young…so is our WR group with the injuries.
Very small sample size but Norton didn't look very impressive at all whenever he played last year
