[NU Sports] WILDCAT WRAP - NU 28, Iowa 27!

[SjT (Stephen J. Truog)]

> I have a minor disagreement with this assessment. 
> The touchdown drive that 
> opened the second half was very well-executed and

Did we open the second half with the TD? I thought it
came later. I better check the tape. In any case, the
first TD was on 3rd and long and not really the result
of a long drive and the second one seemed a bit forced
as well. Perhaps I should have said "not clicking"
instead of "lifeless"

> I like the "passing of the torch", with Herbert
> having the first TD and 
> Philmore having a big day despite not seeing the end
> zone, but the young 
> guys, Sutton and Lane, getting the rest of the

I did too - Lane has come up with some big plays this
year and Sutton's final quarter (after disappearing
the previous 7) gave some nice hope for the future.
Those two consecutive spin moves on that one run just
left the crowd's jaw dropped. I have a feeling we have
a lot more jaw-dropping moves from #19 to come!

Now if Kim Thompson would have just continued running
on that early deep throw over the middle from Baz -
he'd have had a 70 yard TD and the game might have
been different early.:) The middle was open all day
for us. We just missed some deep balls.

> Someone who saw this on TV or has it on TiVO/tape:
> Where the heck was Baz 
> throwing this one?  From the stands it looked like

>From my seat, it looked like Baz put it in the middle
of his short and his deep route - dunno if it was
miscommunication or what, but it was about 5 yards
from each receiver. The first pick he just tried to
thread a needle and got burned.

But he certainly made up for it. That cheap shot on
his slide during the final drive wasn't that apparent
from the stands (a flag yes - but it didn't look as
nasty as it did on the ESPN highlights replay - OUCH!)
and he was about to be nailed when he threw the TD to
Lane but stayed in there as long as possible.

> >Final
> >score, 28-27, CATS WIN!
> 
> This win was huge.  I've said before and I'll say it
> again: I did *NOT* 
> want to go into Champaign needing a win to be bowl

Me either - the Illini have the capability to upset.

> >Any season that has wins over Iowa and Wisconsin
> (our
> >two REAL rivals)
> 
> I agree with you on Wisconsin, but I've had a hard
> time mustering up much 
> hatred for Iowa since Hayden left.  You can't help
> but admire how Ferentz 
> has brought the program back

True ... but then the fans show up. And the hate
returns quickly.:) Just like dOSU.

I know Illinois is our in-state rival and there are
feelings there. But Iowa has the city-country vibe and
has always been a little nasty. And Wisky has the
Chicago-Cheesehead carryover and brings the fans in as
well.

> There was one thing yesterday that stoked my fires
> against him.  My wife 

> guy has his hands on or in your facemask.  I realize
> there is a lot of 
> incidental contact of this variety in football, but
> there seemed to be a 
> pattern in yesterday's game.

Yup. And a lot of contact wasn't called (both ways)
all day, so I think Iowa wanted to come in physical
and the lack of flags just increased that as the game
went on.

> And they are hopefully enough to quiet the
> anti-Walker crowd for at least 
> another year.  Even though RW's numbers would have
> gotten him fired by now 
> at most big-time programs, the realistic assessment
> is that NU isn't a 
> big-time program by those standards yet. 

Exactly. Replace Walker with Bob Stoops, Steve
Spurrier or any genius you want and they'll have a
losing mark at NU after 5 or so years. Building a
program takes time. We're laying a good foundation
with these past three seasons (the lack of a bowl last
year really hurt though - stupid Hawaii!). Now we need
to get a bowl win and carry that over to Sutton's
success next year.

But remembering where we were in August - after losing
Loren Howard again, seeing our secondary take a big
hit and having no clue about who our running back
would be ... I would have been hard pressed to find
anyone (even me) who had us at 6-3 at this point. At
the end of September -- after that desert debacle vs.
ASU and the heartbreaker vs. PSU -- that number would
have been even smaller.

At the start of the year, I said that this was the
biggest question mark season I can remember at NU -- I
had little idea what to expect. I knew Baz was back
but had no idea he would be as good as he is. I had no
idea who we would find to be Walker's next 1,000
rusher when Jordan got hurt. I had no idea we could go
up against a schedule that featured eight teams who
were in the top 25 at some point this year and come
out with six wins.

So it's been a fun year. Yeah, the PSU loss still
stings (think where we could be if we had stopped that
4th and 15!) but overall I'll take it. We've been
right there in every game except ASU and Michigan and
won most of the close ones - a statement about the
team's leadership, character and attitude. Plus, any
season with wins over Wisconsin and Iowa is a good
one!

Still smiling ...

GO CATS!!! BEAT THE BUCKS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


		
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