NIU 21, Miami 26: The Day After
by Mike Breese on Dec 4, 2010 9:37 AM CST
in Football
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PrintSo that just happened. We lost the MAC Championship in the same fashion as we did in 2005: a late defensive breakdown. I feel bad for all the Huskie fans that made the trip all the way up to Detroit. Excellent job supporting your team, but NIU was supposed to gain fans from this win and not get their heart ripped out of their sternum for the second trip to the cursed Ford Field. Kill suffered from the 'Novak close game syndrome', which I thought we had squashed with the win over Western Michigan.
I'll have to re-watch the game, but sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce (or get tipped up by Tyrone Clark into the opponents hands) your way. To me, this wasn't a MAC Championship-calibur team. We all wanted it to be, but this is probably a year away. The team came out flat (overconfident?), plain and simple. There was no rhythm. We were out-coached in several situations. Players weren't playing their assignments, including that ridiculous open path for Armand Robinson to prance into the endzone. Nathan Palmer dropped the only pass of the game, which just so happened was going to be for a touchdown. Poor guy. At least he's only a junior.
You really have to feel for the seniors, but again the season isn't over. We still have 10 wins and an extra game to play. Not bad at all. All the credit in the world goes to Mike Haywood, who's coaching performance this entire season was one of the best in the country.
There are a million things that the Huskies could have done better in this game, but what are you going to do? Unlike 2005, we still have a bowl game to look forward to and get some redemption over some poor opponent. We really need these practices to show what this team is made of and to get ready for next year.
If you have any sort of constructive comments, thoughts, feeling or controlled rage about this game, please leave them down below.
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I think
They were plenty good enough to be a MAC champion. They were and are so much more talented than Miami. I agree with your points, you can’t drop TD passes, not come out ready to play, not make adjustments in the coaching…etc……etc……you let a team hang around and……you know the rest
I agree
This team was plenty good to win the MAC. And while the coaching was suspect at times, it took a freak play to get Miamis coach out of the goat role. He looked unprepared and incompetent at times. From the clock management at the half to the fake field goal that should have cost his team the win. At least Kill didn’t make those decisions.
Bottom line is, we played like shit and still outplayed Miami.
Life is tough, but it's tougher if you're stupid.
- John Wayne
by Tackle Box on Dec 4, 2010 12:02 PM CST via mobile reply actions
WOW
So, since the weather was pretty cold and crappy the week before they were to play in an indoor game… I wonder how much an indoor practice facility would have helped. Does Miami have one? It appeared that they didn’t sit around eating turkey on Thanksgiving.
No they don’t
Red and Black Attack - Northern Illinois Pride
by Mike Breese on Dec 4, 2010 1:05 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
Sick
I was at that game last night and i honestly felt like i was going to get sick. Ive had a whole bus ride home last night after the game to think about it and we just were not the same team. I have not watched the game on tv yet to see anything i may have missed in person, but we did not make the plays we have all year. I really thought we had this game. That 4th and 20 is etched in my mind as it happened right in front of our student section. I still honestly am in shock of what happened and probably will be for days.
I can't watch it again
deleted it from the dvr. threw the paper out. ignored all sports news on tv.
by niu_huskie_fan on Dec 4, 2010 8:08 PM CST up reply actions
shouldnt have
i just finished watchin it and shouldnt have. so many missed oppurtunities. man this was the year
by jcsportsfan21 on Dec 4, 2010 10:33 PM CST up reply actions
Well
Lets see where we go bowling and hopefully they will get after whoever we play and win it. What do people think about NIU’s chances to have a shot at the MAC Championship game next year?
Coming out
Ready to play in the bowl game would be nice!
Coach Kill's post game comments
I like Kill because he’s grounded and doesn’t get too full of himself…..he said: “this one hurts, and it should”. he also made a good point about adversity….you face adversity in sports, but you also face adversity in life…..it’s how you handle it that tells what kind of person you are
this game was a disappointment, no doubt about that….but I expect to see a team that bounces back in their bowl game, and a senior group that finishes strong
Mac Championship Game
First off let me say Great Season for NIU Football, we attended every game home and away and are proud to be Huskie fans.
Driving home from Detroit on question kept coming up on behalf of the fans in our car. Why did the starting defense spend so much crucial time off of the field. I don’t know why this happened during a crucial game? Why was are Fab D starters banished to the sidelines during critical situations???
Also, No team is so good or favorite enough to win to allow some team members to travel home for Thanksgiving and skip the EMU game and then suit up for a MAC Championship contest. C’mon this isn’t kindergarten.
Most importantly it is time for NIU to have an indoor practice facility!!! Maybe it will happen when the University brings in a talented Sport’s Marketing Director and a good promotion and fundraising staff. NIU runs it’s athletic office operations likes a high school.
who skipped emu?
i would like to hear about players skippin emu. i never noticed this when i watched that game and never heard that before.
by jcsportsfan21 on Dec 4, 2010 10:35 PM CST up reply actions
You've raised some interesting questions here
What players were allowed to go home and skip the last regular season game?
When were the first team D players pulled off the field? in the 4th qtr?
An indoor facility would be nice, but you have to pay off the Yorden Center first. I live almost a 1,000 miles from campus, but I know I’ve received fund raising calls. The sports marketing area could use some help…..but the major media outlets pretty much focus on Northwestern, Illinois and Notre Dame
To all the relatively new Huskie fans
You’ve heard of Akron 2005, now you felt Akron 2005. My thoughts go out to those that made the trip to Detroit, with the most dreadful trip home. I did it 5 years ago, couldnt make it this time though. Now i’m glad cuz I woulda been on suicide watch. I’d love to tell you that this feeling eventually goes away, but if you’re a Huskie faithful, it does NOT. Hopefully a near future MAC championship will be the cure to these 2 punches to the stomach 5 years apart.
N-I-Who? You F***ing heard me.
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