2024 season Game 1: Valpo

[Blue42]

Running game looked great with both TE and APH.

Perhaps not as noticeable given his reps were late 2nd half...I thought Bey-Buie looked real good. Looked quicker and more agile than last year.

Also caught in today's presser than Naran Butin...the WR 9...is playing some OLB.

Got a hand injury and won't be able to catch for a while so Farley moved him to OLB to get him on the field.

[PantherAlum09]

That was our thought as well. Yes, Dunne needed some real game action, but after the first half/3 quarters we thought it was enough. We thought #2 needed real game play as well - one never knows when he’ll be needed. Then Dunne came up limping in his last play confirming our thought. Hoping it’s nothing and won’t impact him going forward.

Yeah, probably shouldn't do RPO's and run our qb up the middle when we are up 30 points with a couple minutes left lol.

[FOTY]

I wouldn't have hated to see one of the other qb's in the 2nd half just to get a look at how they read the defense.

That was our thought as well. Yes, Dunne needed some real game action, but after the first half/3 quarters we thought it was enough. We thought #2 needed real game play as well - one never knows when he’ll be needed. Then Dunne came up limping in his last play confirming our thought. Hoping it’s nothing and won’t impact him going forward.

[PantherAlum09]

We had a lot of fun at the game yesterday. It was great to get back up to the dome and have my daughter experience it for the first time.

The running game looked great, but I honestly wasn't that worried about that aspect of the team. Pesek-Hickson is a load and Tye Edwards has good breakaway speed.

I think the O-line looked ok for the most part. It probably won't be their best game but they accomplished what they needed to.

I thought the defense looked really solid overall. They gave up one big play to Valpo, but were otherwise very solid. I'm a little worried about the lack of size in the middle. I would love to have a dude like Brinkman clogging up the middle for us. Hopefully we make up for that with quickness.

We gave up one big return on a kickoff and will need to clean that up. I'm sure the coaching staff wasn't thrilled with that one.

I thought Dunne looked ok. He made a few really impressive throws, but he also almost coulda, woulda, shoulda gotten picked two or three times. He made a few really questionable reads, but he also hasn't seen game action in a long time. I wouldn't have hated to see one of the other qb's in the 2nd half just to get a look at how they read the defense.

I think there is a lot of talent on this team, but it's a tough road ahead. Hopefully they continue to develop and really figure out who they are. GO CATS!

[vbfan19]

Hi, I worked for our band and also one at another MVFC school and the rule in the conference for kickoffs is that a band can play until the foot hits the ball and as long as they aren’t playing when the receiver catches it it’s fine.

yeah, I don't really understand that complaint. It's a kickoff. Every stadium blares music for kickoffs, whether it be the band or over the PA
It isn't like teams are trying to call plays or snap counts for a kickoff

[vbfan19]

The next three games are going to be brutal, travel-wise,

I would not consider CF to St. Paul nor CF to Lincoln to be "brutal" travel.

[kochrab]

It was kind of nice for once to just be able to enjoy a stress-free game. Can't wait for more!

[BCPanther]

Stress free. Easy. I could get used to that for Week 1 games.

I don't think that's what the offense really is. It was simply us being physically dominant and just lining up and using it.

I suspect we'll be a little more wide open next week, a little more in Lincoln and really unleash it at Hawaii.

[MVCBeat]

Overall everything looked fine/good. Didn’t love a couple of Dunne’s decisions. Threw a couple passes that probably would have been pick 6s against just about any Valley team. But he made some nice throws too. He just needs to learn not to force it when it isn’t there. Otherwise everything was more-or-less what you’d expect against a team the caliber of Valpo.

[asihe_1991]

Wasn't too impressed with the passing game overall. Dunne had a couple passes that could have been intercepted, and he didn't make that many throws. Don't know if the receiver was in the wrong spot or what, but wasn't great. His last TD throw was pretty damn good, though. Liked how effective the screens were.

Thought we looked great running the ball. Tye Edwards looked like David Johnson lite out there - he even kind of has that loping gait that DJ had. Guessing part of the reason Dunne didn't look great is he didn't need to do much through the air and didn't ever get into any sort of rhythm. Which is fine in a game like this, I guess.

Defense looked good. Besides the one big play that led to a TD, Valpo didn't really do anything. Their QB missed some open guys on some short throws that will probably be completions by MVFC opponents, but whatever. Some crushing hits delivered by UNI.

Get to 2-0 next week, and see if we can get lucky and be 3-1 when SDSU shows up.

[GoCatsGo2024]

We are 1-0. Let's celebrate that first. For a first game of the season, a solid game in all areas. Sad we had a missed FG but with a new kicker it will happen. As for game experience, band still played too long and played into a kickoff. Hopefully, it is just first game mistake. Disappointed with scoreboard but most importantly it got fixed before halftime.

Hi, I worked for our band and also one at another MVFC school and the rule in the conference for kickoffs is that a band can play until the foot hits the ball and as long as they aren’t playing when the receiver catches it it’s fine.

[sevelev711]

How was the crowd, for those who went?

[QCPanther05]

We are 1-0. Let's celebrate that first. For a first game of the season, a solid game in all areas. Sad we had a missed FG but with a new kicker it will happen. As for game experience, band still played too long and played into a kickoff. Hopefully, it is just first game mistake. Disappointed with scoreboard but most importantly it got fixed before halftime.

Yep. Took care of business in a game we were expected to. That’s all you can ask. The next three games are going to be brutal, travel-wise, so nice to start with a cupcake at home.

[panthergirl123]

We are 1-0. Let's celebrate that first. For a first game of the season, a solid game in all areas. Sad we had a missed FG but with a new kicker it will happen. As for game experience, band still played too long and played into a kickoff. Hopefully, it is just first game mistake. Disappointed with scoreboard but most importantly it got fixed before halftime.

[dragon]

I asked and now it's working!