Let's be honest. Southern would be 0-4 if they didn't wake up in the second half vs ISUred.
We beat a good team, and we did it with a handful of injuries to key players. UND is probably the best 2-4 team in the history of FCS. We have a lot of things to work on, but we are 6-1, 4-0 in the mvfc and a top 5 team right now. It's been a great season, that continues to be great. Rest up, get healthier with our week off and work on the things we can control. Good teams win close game and overcome adversity. This is a very good team!
We beat a good team, and we did it with a handful of injuries to key players. UND is probably the best 2-4 team in the history of FCS. We have a lot of things to work on, but we are 6-1, 4-0 in the mvfc and a top 5 team right now. It's been a great season, that continues to be great. Rest up, get healthier with our week off and work on the things we can control. Good teams win close game and overcome adversity. This is a very good team!
Agreed
Your record says who you are no excuses how many other teams in the country would like switch places with this team at present on top of that the bye week comes at the perfect time heal up and I would expect improvement because you can practice fixing mistakes without game planning for a week
winning is a lot of fun but i'm worried about the sustainability of this.
our play calling is extremely erratic and that is concerning.
i really like this team. i hope we are just learning to play as one of the best teams in the nation.
we can't keep rolling the dice and hoping to make a big play to win the game.
Craving a McBride Special!
winning is a lot of fun but i'm worried about the sustainability of this.
our play calling is extremely erratic and that is concerning.
i really like this team. i hope we are just learning to play as one of the best teams in the nation.
we can't keep rolling the dice and hoping to make a big play to win the game.
Agree. Very happy where we are, but if improvements are not made soon in several areas, e.g. tackling, this season could go south in a big hurry.
True, we used to lose these games with regularity and love the grittiness of these guys. However, the margin is so slim, Salukis simply have to get better. Take a few days off, heal up, then kick some a$$.
March on triumphantly!
@boobys Erratic is a pretty good description for play calling. I think we get stuck in a rut and play it way too conservative. Playing not to lose. We don't go down field enough. We don't play fast enough. I know we are #4. I want to see us play a full game. Then we can get some starters a rest and keep them healthy.
I like how fast they were playing in the first quarter, there was barely any time in between plays. Kind of felt like the late 2000's Salukis with Lennon as coach. I'm not sure if they slowed it down because the defense was getting gassed or they lost faith in Baker with the way he was playing.
I was skeptical of Baker coming into the season and through the first few games but I think he's going to keep growing. He's just a Sophomore and he plays his best football when the lights are brightest.
I like how fast they were playing in the first quarter, there was barely any time in between plays. Kind of felt like the late 2000's Salukis with Lennon as coach. I'm not sure if they slowed it down because the defense was getting gassed or they lost faith in Baker with the way he was playing.
I was skeptical of Baker coming into the season and through the first few games but I think he's going to keep growing. He's just a Sophomore and he plays his best football when the lights are brightest.
I'm a bit confused about what he did in the first four/five drives that would cause anyone to lose faith in him? Outside of the fluke fumble the offense was fantastic, very balanced and looked like they could score every drive (not just in the hurry up). I think the play calling got very conservative after we went up 21-7 and if that were in the late third/fourth quarter I would get that, but it was still the second quarter. He threw a terrible pick at the end of the half that led to 6, no excuse for that, but things had already changed by then.
We didn't run the ball very effectively the rest of the game (aside for one or two big runs), which got us behind the chains and forced them in to third and longs. There was one drive in particular, that was particularly frustrating. The drive right after we blocked the kick and got some momentum back, a bad play call on 3rd and 2 and poor execution. We call a max protect 3 man route (all the routes 10+ yards) that resulted in a sack b/c he didn't have anywhere to go with the ball and tried to get the first down with his legs. I get that call maybe on a 2nd and short trying to hit the big play, but on third and short...I think you need shorter routes and more people in the route to pick that up if you are going to throw it. Those are areas where we have to get better, pick up that first down and get some points on that drive. As a result, we have to punt again and put our defense right back out there. They were gassed by the fourth quarter.
I don't think SIU has put together a complete game since Dayton. The fact that we've been able to still win games, against some solid competition, should make you feel pretty good. Long term, if we want to go deep in the playoffs, we have to get better, I think everyone knows that. We've got a week off to get healthy and get ready for a UNI squad that will likely be fighting to stay in the playoff hunt at home (they play SDSU during our off week and would be 1-3 in the league if they lose).
Salukis still ranked # 4 in latest poll.
March on triumphantly!
I want to be a fan of Baker. I really do. But to my eyes, he's been barely adequate at QB this year (especially considering all the offensive weapons at his disposal). He single-handedly gave North Dakota 14 of their points Saturday. And two of his TD passes were the direct result of missed assignments. Those two guys were so open, any one of us could've completed those passes. Just my opinion and I will certainly root for his continued development. But I can't help wishing this team had a bigger, better QB at the helm. If anyone wants to come down on me for that, feel free. Sorry.
I want to be a fan of Baker. I really do. But to my eyes, he's been barely adequate at QB this year (especially considering all the offensive weapons at his disposal). He single-handedly gave North Dakota 14 of their points Saturday. And two of his TD passes were the direct result of missed assignments. Those two guys were so open, any one of us could've completed those passes. Just my opinion and I will certainly root for his continued development. But I can't help wishing this team had a bigger, better QB at the helm. If anyone wants to come down on me for that, feel free. Sorry.
His career record as a starter is 9-1, the one loss being to Kansas State. Still undefeated against FCS opponents, including SDSU and NDSU. We have the 10th best scoring offense in FCS this season, with a very strong strength of schedule included. 62% of our yards that got us there is passing, almost exclusively Baker. I'll admit that his 18 TD's to 7 INT could be improved upon a bit, but it is not terrible. Again, keep in mind the teams that we have played.
Sure, I do think we'd be better if we had Aaron Rodgers at QB, but really? It is extremely difficult to see your argument. And that fumble in the end zone, it happens. It isn't like it was a bad read or bad decision. Sometimes things happen. Hill needs to keep Baker away from the popcorn machine when the defense is on the field.
I want to be a fan of Baker. I really do. But to my eyes, he's been barely adequate at QB this year (especially considering all the offensive weapons at his disposal). He single-handedly gave North Dakota 14 of their points Saturday. And two of his TD passes were the direct result of missed assignments. Those two guys were so open, any one of us could've completed those passes. Just my opinion and I will certainly root for his continued development. But I can't help wishing this team had a bigger, better QB at the helm. If anyone wants to come down on me for that, feel free. Sorry.
His career record as a starter is 9-1, the one loss being to Kansas State. Still undefeated against FCS opponents, including SDSU and NDSU. We have the 10th best scoring offense in FCS this season, with a very strong strength of schedule included. 62% of our yards that got us there is passing, almost exclusively Baker. I'll admit that his 18 TD's to 7 INT could be improved upon a bit, but it is not terrible. Again, keep in mind the teams that we have played.
Sure, I do think we'd be better if we had Aaron Rodgers at QB, but really? It is extremely difficult to see your argument. And that fumble in the end zone, it happens. It isn't like it was a bad read or bad decision. Sometimes things happen. Hill needs to keep Baker away from the popcorn machine when the defense is on the field.
He is not a finished product, that’s for sure. He has moments of class and can absolutely take over a game with help from his receivers (see SEMO and SDSU). I would also add that he has some head scratching moments from time to time (pick 6 against Western and pick at the end of the half against North Dakota come to mind as two of the most egregious).
As others have said, he’s still young and has room to improve, but he’s definitely got the ability to be a great QB. I wish he was 4-6” taller, but if he was, I bet he would have ended up at an FBS school.
OK. I’ll play. Granted, the fluke fumble was a mistake. A 7-point mistake. And a bad decision on the pick, though allowing ND to then go 50 yards in 42 seconds contributed to turning that mistake into a TD.
But then to dismiss the 2 TD passes you chalk up as just poor defense seems more like an agenda. Talking about the weapons, but failing to mention the biggest weapon (the All-American WR) has been sidelined also seems curious.
The selective criticism also fails to mention Baker’s play a week ago against SD State — a game Nick Hill described as putting the team on his back and maybe the best QB performance by a Saluki QB. His words, not mine.
The old adage that the most popular QB on many teams is the backup is probably true. Or in SIU’s case, the (taller, faster, stronger, smarter, more accurate?) QB they don’t have. Bottom line, the Salukis have won at a 90 percent rate (literally) with Baker as a starting QB with wins over the No. 1-rated team last year and No. 2-rated team this year. Not all because of him, but sure as heck not despite him.
Fcs radio top 25
FCS Top 25 Week 8
1. Southern Illinois
2. EWU
3. Sam Houston
4. NDSU
5. SDSU
6. Nova
7. JMU
8. SELA
9. MT St
10. UT-Martin
11. UC Davis
12. Kennesaw
13. UIW
14. ETSU
15. USD
16. VMI
17. Montana
18. URI
19. Sac St
20. Mo St
21. UNI
22. Jackson St
23. Mercer
24. EKU
25. Furman
