Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Congrats to your Panthers. Enjoyed my time in your fine city. Good luck the rest of the way.

Thank you! Come again!

[UNIdad]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

The good news is that there is still plenty of improvement to be made on both sides of the ball and on special teams. For instance, QB passing could get much better and he could run more. Defense can avoid getting penalties early in the game. Punt returners were great with returns and fake catches that let the ball go into the endzone, except for one that should have been let go rather than caught.

I don't think we have yet seen the best game from this team.

[vbfan19]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

The good news is that there is still plenty of improvement to be made on both sides of the ball and on special teams. For instance, QB passing could get much better and he could run more. Defense can avoid getting penalties early in the game.

not trying to nitpick or argue with you or anything, but your statement made me wonder about just what kind of breakdown applied to UNI's penalties.

The Panthers were flagged 10 times on Saturday

• 7 on the offense (4 false starts, delay of game, grounding, receiver running out of bounds)
• 1 on special teams (leaping on FG defense)
• 2 on defense (both on X for offsides/encroachment)

so defensive penalties weren't the problem. Sure, it would be nice if X's offsides could be avoided, but for every offsides play he is flagged for, there are probably at least 5 plays where his quick reaction to the snap gives him a key advantage to making the stop. Concentrate too much on avoiding those occasional penalties and you risk him losing that edge. Now how much is "too much" in that regard is a matter to be decided between him and the coaches.

The "leaping" is something that needs worked on, as we've had that called against us a few times now. but again, that is another scenario where you want the players fighting to get to that ball, they just have to remember what they can and can't do.

The grounding was the result of a bad throw/panicing. File that under the overflowing "wish we had a better QB" folder for this season.

the illegal touching is an instance of a former d-back in his first year as receiver.

it's the false starts and delay that are frustrating, especially in a home game.

[Purrrrrfect]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Wasn't the delay of game immediately following a false start? I wasn't there nor recall seeing the play clock, but I don't think that was 25 seconds.

[vbfan19]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Wasn't the delay of game immediately following a false start? I wasn't there nor recall seeing the play clock, but I don't think that was 25 seconds.

yes, it was right after a false start. I didn't think it was 25 seconds between the time they announced and marked off the false start and the time they called the DoG, but I wasn't watching the playclock either. Perhaps it wasn't reset properly?

Then again, the process of getting the playcalls in in general hasn't exactly been a well-oiled machine this season either, so they very well could have wasted 25 seconds with no one paying enough attention to call a timeout or point out an improperly reset play clock.

[northerniowadave]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

#4 Quarterback

Ever since Sanders graduated I have often said to myself "If we only had Sanders we could win a Natty." Brion can manage a game and keep us in it, and I am thankful he is starting, but it isn't the play at the position that is needed to make a deep run. Face it, play at that position has cost us playoffs the last three years, and might be our undoing this year as well.

[UNIdad]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

not trying to nitpick or argue with you or anything, but your statement made me wonder about just what kind of breakdown applied to UNI's penalties.

The Panthers were flagged 10 times on Saturday

• 7 on the offense (4 false starts, delay of game, grounding, receiver running out of bounds)
• 1 on special teams (leaping on FG defense)
• 2 on defense (both on X for offsides/encroachment)

so defensive penalties weren't the problem. Sure, it would be nice if X's offsides could be avoided, but for every offsides play he is flagged for, there are probably at least 5 plays where his quick reaction to the snap gives him a key advantage to making the stop. Concentrate too much on avoiding those occasional penalties and you risk him losing that edge. Now how much is "too much" in that regard is a matter to be decided between him and the coaches.

The "leaping" is something that needs worked on, as we've had that called against us a few times now. but again, that is another scenario where you want the players fighting to get to that ball, they just have to remember what they can and can't do.

The grounding was the result of a bad throw/panicing. File that under the overflowing "wish we had a better QB" folder for this season.

the illegal touching is an instance of a former d-back in his first year as receiver.

it's the false starts and delay that are frustrating, especially in a home game.

I stand corrected. I was just going off my memory. Now that I see some data, it really was the offensive penalties at the beginning of the game that bothered me the most. And I would gladly accept a few penalties for the blasts off the d-line that we had on Saturday.

[ProwlingPanther]

NorthernIowaDave, Sanders is definitely an alltime UNI great but it is worth noting that he played behind what may have been the best UNI OLine of all time. I don't know that Sanders would be killing it behind the OLine we have put kn the field the past couple of years.

[Panther-Sheik]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Brion can take us all the way, in my opinion. With the defense we have and David Johnson / Darrian Miller 1 - 2 punch we don't need Tom Brady, we just need someone to manage the game and not make huge mistakes. Think Trent Dilfer and the Ravens. BC brings a real running threat, though, too. Plus I think Brion is just starting to get comfortable with the position and I think we will still see more improvement from him. In the end, though, just win baby!

[FOTY]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Brion can take us all the way, in my opinion. With the defense we have and David Johnson / Darrian Miller 1 - 2 punch we don't need Tom Brady, we just need someone to manage the game and not make huge mistakes. Think Trent Dilfer and the Ravens. BC brings a real running threat, though, too. Plus I think Brion is just starting to get comfortable with the position and I think we will still see more improvement from him. In the end, though, just win baby!

I was talking about this with those around our group. I still could see him throwing away a game with his horrible accuracy.

One of the things we loved about Sanders - he was a winner. He wasn't pretty, wasn't fast, and didn't have that great an arm. He was accurate and he was a winner. I see Brion the same way, he just propels those around him to play harder, to win. Sometimes it's just a winning attitude that makes the difference. And hopefully he has enough of it to will the team to a trip to Frisco.

[Kyle]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Yep. Winning % is the only meaningful QB stat IMO.

[SteinPizza]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

Yep. Winning % is the only meaningful QB stat IMO.

It's an 11 on 11 game, always has been. QB winning % isn't anything like a starting pitcher's record, or goalie's.

[Purrrrrfect]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

all i know is, everyone in that locker room is full blown ready to rock and whole heartedly believe that they can beat anyone now. their confidence is high and they are playing lights out right now. Hopefully peaking in January

[northerniowadave]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

I was talking about this with those around our group. I still could see him throwing away a game with his horrible accuracy.

One of the things we loved about Sanders - he was a winner. He wasn't pretty, wasn't fast, and didn't have that great an arm. He was accurate and he was a winner. I see Brion the same way, he just propels those around him to play harder, to win. Sometimes it's just a winning attitude that makes the difference. And hopefully he has enough of it to will the team to a trip to Frisco.

Fingers crossed. There is hope.

[Born-a-Panther]

Re: Thoughts: NDSU vs UNI

I was talking about this with those around our group. I still could see him throwing away a game with his horrible accuracy.

One of the things we loved about Sanders - he was a winner. He wasn't pretty, wasn't fast, and didn't have that great an arm. He was accurate and he was a winner. I see Brion the same way, he just propels those around him to play harder, to win. Sometimes it's just a winning attitude that makes the difference. And hopefully he has enough of it to will the team to a trip to Frisco.

A winning attitude is what the 2005 team had. Remember how rocky that season started off? They refused to die. That was the mentality. Every week starting at Western Kentucky, their backs were right up against the wall. And they shouldered it all the way to the end in Chattanooga. I say it so very often. It's not just talent that makes a good football team. And it's not just the right play calls. It's the winning attitude, leadership and mentality to refuse to die. The right attitude also makes those "lucky breaks" happen, too. One game at a time, but special things can still happen for this group.