2007 outlook

[UNI92]

I know it's early but how do the other teams shape up?

I think that there are many positive factors that come into play for next year. One factor is who we will have returning vs. the rest of the league. We will play YSU and SIU at home.
MSU and Indiana St should both be rebuilding. At WIU could be tough but there QB is gone along with some other very good players. Illinois St also loses their QB and great WR Laurent Robinson. Road trips there haven't been a lot of fun lately, but they will still have plenty to replace.


A big key will be how we handle the non-conference part of our schedule. That will be the difference between assuring ourselves a playoff spot and potential seed in the playoffs.
We need to take care of the teams we are supposed to beat, especially at home and go on the road and convincingly beat Iowa State (finish the game!!)


Hopefully with a year's experience for the younger, developing players and having a bad taste in their mouths from this year, next year's team will come back strong and hungry to chase that elusive national title.

There is a ton of talent returning in 1-AA across the country and what can separate a team from having a great year and an average year can be the team chemistry and magic it creates. This year's team had a lot of talent but could never create that magic for all 4 quarters other than a great showing at YSU. Last year's defense gave up a lot of yards but closed games out. (Ex: Texas St, UNH, Eastern Washington, SIU all were nail biters that ended with our defense making plays to end the game)
Would last year's team let Iowa State drive 80 yards in one minute for the winning TD?
Would last year's team let UND drive 60 yards in 2 plays with a minute to go?
Would last year's team lose at home to WIU and get blown out at SIU with their playoff hopes on the line?

My gut feeling as a longtime fan of UNI football is that we will respond in a major way next fall. Farley will be breathing fire all off season and the players will respond by closing out games, defending our home turf and playing well into December.

I'll be there tommorrow and will continue to support UNI football through the good and bad. I hope all of Panthernation feels this way!

Let's kick some Redbird *** tommorrow and get a jump start on 2007!

[Matt Trump]

Its an odd year so UNI will have a big season!

[JayJ79]

Indiana St should be rebuilding.

seems like their rebuilding effort is slower than that of post-Katrina N'awlins. heh

convincingly beat Iowa State

any win at Iowa State will be a big plus. Even though the Clones will more than likely be at the bottom of the B12 again next year, they are still a BCS school. And any win by a PCS/I-AA program over a BCS is big.

But you're right, UNI has GOT to take care of business each and every game, especially the "should win" ones.

And I really want to end this season with a Panther win tommorrow.

[cpacmel]

Illinois St also loses their QB and great WR Laurent Robinson.

QB Luke Drone is only a junior.

[bigcat75]

2005 vs. 2006

Last year's defense gave up a lot of yards but closed games out. (Ex: Texas St, UNH, Eastern Washington, SIU all were nail biters that ended with our defense making plays to end the game)
Would last year's team let Iowa State drive 80 yards in one minute for the winning TD?
Would last year's team let UND drive 60 yards in 2 plays with a minute to go?
Would last year's team lose at home to WIU and get blown out at SIU with their playoff hopes on the line?

I still say football is the ultimate team sport. Even at this level where guys play only one way and offense defense talk back and forth is quite normal at the end of the day defense still needs offense to score and sustain drives, offense still needs defense to make some stops and get the ball back. In 2005 we scored 40 or more points 6 times. We scored 41 against WIU. Yes defense didn't close out those games and the UND game is especially disappointing that one sticks in my mind. However, we never really got into a rythym this year on O either. I for one felt we would be able to score more this year. We never put it together this year D makes a stop we get good field positon and we get our QB sacked or O is moving well and defense is struggling. I think all of us Panther fans need to remember 2005 for what it was a wonderful ride were the stars and the moons aligned for us and we went got on a terrific roll, but it is over and it won't ever come back. 2006 is this team and 2007 will be next years team.
GO PANTHERS!!