Bear week

[clenz]

He was seeing the Panther D in his dreams that night, waking up screaming and sweaty. They really rattled him but good, I tell you what.

That was a week after he was beaten within an inch of his life vs ISUr. Between those two games he dropped back something like 110 times to pass (just a stupid number) and was rushed/sacked/hit on something like a third or more of those drop backs. That doesn't include times he scrambled for positive yards. Then this past week against NDSU he was sacked 4 more times, hit 7 more plus took some hits on scramble plays for positive yards as he had 18 carries.

USD doesn't have an OL to protect him and they are dropping him back 60+ times per game the last 3 weeks. He's incredible, really. He is 100% of that team. He had more rushing yards than their other 4 runners had combined. There's a real strong case that he's the MVFC POY, honestly.

USD could be in some real trouble next year when he's gone. They don't seem to have anything other than him.


As for Dunne, chances we hear anything official about him before Saturday are very slim. I can't believe that targeting call was over turned. I've seen far less "confirmed" as targeting calls than that - including one a few plays later

[BCPanther]

I'm expecting that Howell goes the whole way on Saturday. You don't need Eli to beat that dumpster fire and it gets Howell some game reps in case Eli is worse than we think and Howell has to go the week after.

[ronfitch]

As for Dunne, chances we hear anything official about him before Saturday are very slim. I can't believe that targeting call was over turned. I've seen far less "confirmed" as targeting calls than that - including one a few plays later

I was surprised that it was overturned as well.

They way they have been calling it, anyway. I have seen more than a few times when the runner has stumbled or otherwise dropped their helmet at the last moment and targeting was called. As I understand the rule, that falls into the rule committee's definition of targeting for this rule. Which, IMO, is a lousy-written rule, but it is the rule as they wrote it and - until Saturday - they way I have always seen it enforced.

That said, I think the rule needs to be revisited to focus on true targeting and not the incidental hits like the hit Dunne took.

But, yeah, as written and so-far enforced, overturning it on Saturday was inconsistent with what I have seen since the rule was written.

[clenz]

I was surprised that it was overturned as well.

They way they have been calling it, anyway. I have seen more than a few times when the runner has stumbled or otherwise dropped their helmet at the last moment and targeting was called. As I understand the rule, that falls into the rule committee's definition of targeting for this rule. Which, IMO, is a lousy-written rule, but it is the rule as they wrote it and - until Saturday - they way I have always seen it enforced.

That said, I think the rule needs to be revisited to focus on true targeting and not the incidental hits like the hit Dunne took.

But, yeah, as written and so-far enforced, overturning it on Saturday was inconsistent with what I have seen since the rule was written.

With how the rule is written is should have been enforced. There was contact with Dunne's head/neck area. It was forcible contact. Even if Dunne lowered his center of mass the defender led with his crown, doesn't matter if contact is made with the crown if there is any contact in the head/neck area.

[clenz]

I'm expecting that Howell goes the whole way on Saturday. You don't need Eli to beat that dumpster fire and it gets Howell some game reps in case Eli is worse than we think and Howell has to go the week after.

Howell seems less than enthused to have his RS burned 2 years in a row real late in the season on social media. It's possible he gets the full run Saturday.

[ronfitch]

Howell seems less than enthused to have his RS burned 2 years in a row real late in the season on social media. It's possible he gets the full run Saturday.

Understandable for him to be mad. To pull the red shirt option last season when UNI was sitting at 3-5 had to have really hurt as well.

[clenz]

Understandable for him to be mad. To pull the red shirt option last season when UNI was sitting at 3-5 had to have really hurt as well.

Yeah, I the decisions to play Howell Saturday was confusing to me and actually has me a bit worried about depth there right now. Reggie Schulte and Christian Ellsworth were also dressed.

I guess I get Schulte not playing. It's been clear for a long time he's simply there to be an extra "coach". However, to purn Howell's RS in game 10 against the 9th place MVFC team for the second year in a row when you have Ellsworth, who already has a RS used, is confusing.

I would guess the same type of thought is going through his head. According to his post he was recruiting to RS and have 3 years to play. He's now had his RS burned in the final quarter of the season twice and will no longer be able to redshirt.

Even going back to last year, we pulled his RS and he didn't see the field after the second quarter. It was 100% wildcat with Marcus after that.

[vbfan19]

I would guess the same type of thought is going through his head. According to his post he was recruiting to RS and have 3 years to play. He's now had his RS burned in the final quarter of the season twice and will no longer be able to redshirt.

why is he no longer able to redshirt? Doesn't a student athlete have a 5 year window to complete their 4 seasons of eligibility? So technically, couldn't he still redshirt next season and have one year of eligibility remaining?
Or are there further regulations that I'm not aware of?

[clenz]

why is he no longer able to redshirt? Doesn't a student athlete have a 5 year window to complete their 4 seasons of eligibility? So technically, couldn't he still redshirt next season and have one year of eligibility remaining?
Or are there further regulations that I'm not aware of?

You have to have 2 years of eligibility left to be able to red-shirt.

It's a large part of the reason juniors that aren't grad students don't transfer. If they transfer they have to sit a year and without that redshirt option they spend their last year sitting out.

[06panther10]

Yeah, I the decisions to play Howell Saturday was confusing to me and actually has me a bit worried about depth there right now. Reggie Schulte and Christian Ellsworth were also dressed.

I guess I get Schulte not playing. It's been clear for a long time he's simply there to be an extra "coach". However, to purn Howell's RS in game 10 against the 9th place MVFC team for the second year in a row when you have Ellsworth, who already has a RS used, is confusing.

I would guess the same type of thought is going through his head. According to his post he was recruiting to RS and have 3 years to play. He's now had his RS burned in the final quarter of the season twice and will no longer be able to redshirt.

Even going back to last year, we pulled his RS and he didn't see the field after the second quarter. It was 100% wildcat with Marcus after that.

If the staff believes, which they clearly do, that he is the clear #2 QB, then this was an easy decision. This was a huge game for us, win and we essentially lock up a playoff bid. We had to put the absolute best team we could out there given the circumstances.

Especially with all the other injuries we had, its a no brainer. I don't necessarily believe that Howell was viewed as "the future" at the QB position anyway. Best case scenario for him would be to have 1 year left to compete for the starting job after Eli graduates.

[Born-a-Panther]

Not knowing Eli's outlook, you have to put the number two guy in and get him some live game action in case we need him down the stretch. It absolutely stinks for him, and I feel for the kid but we needed that win Saturday in order to keep the journey going.

[Blue42]

Unfortunate circumstances with Howell's red shirt.

But this story is a long ways from over. He could get more time this year...possibly in some BIG games.

And next year you never know...he could end up playing most the season. As the #2, you're always a play away. We'll see how it turns out.

The tough thing with him playing for a hurt Eli is they're a bit hesitant to run him and get him hurt...and he can run it. Throws a feathery ball and adds something nice to the run game.

[Panthers to the Bone]

I've never heard or read where a to be senior can't redshirt. Anyone have a link to verify?

[havok58]

It is too bad with Howell's red shirt, but it appears Farley doesn't play favorites when it comes to eliminating a person's red shirt status. I really enjoyed the Courier's story about this being the last season for Jared Farley and this comment from Jared:

“There are a couple (memories),” Jared said. “My first play ... it was either Northern Colorado or Tennessee Tech and we were up by a lot. I thought I was red-shirting, but he comes over to me and says, ‘you’re going in.’ I looked back at him and said, ‘you’re really going to blow my red-shirt for this, we’re up 35-0.’ That was memorable.

Just think, UNI could have had Jared for one more season. But he did have an impressive freshman season, plus it gave him a chance to play with his brother.

[vbfan19]

It is too bad with Howell's red shirt, but it appears Farley doesn't play favorites when it comes to eliminating a person's red shirt status. I really enjoyed the Courier's story about this being the last season for Jared Farley and this comment from Jared:

“There are a couple (memories),” Jared said. “My first play ... it was either Northern Colorado or Tennessee Tech and we were up by a lot. I thought I was red-shirting, but he comes over to me and says, ‘you’re going in.’ I looked back at him and said, ‘you’re really going to blow my red-shirt for this, we’re up 35-0.’ That was memorable.

Just think, UNI could have had Jared for one more season. But he did have an impressive freshman season, plus it gave him a chance to play with his brother.

There is a big difference between "burning the red shirt" in the 3rd or 4th game into the season, and then playing the rest of the year
versus not playing at all until the 2nd or 3rd to last game of the season.