[NU Sports] The defense ...

[Beamsley, Jeff]

As I've said before, we are starting to see Fitz's vision of what NU football should be.  IMHO it is much closer to the teams he played on versus the teams when he was an assistant. 
 
I agree with everything that everyone else has posted about Hankwitz.  One more kudo for him is that we have had significant injuries on the defensive side of the ball too, but our second and third stringers seem to do a better job picking up the slack than our second and third stringers on offense.
 
BTW, in past years we've had a steady drum beat calling for Jerry Brown's head.  Amazing how much better the secondary can be when we can stuff the run AND pressure the QB.  
 
Jeff 


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From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com on behalf of SjT (Stephen J. Truog)
Sent: Sun 11/16/2008 3:48 PM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: [NU Sports] The defense ...



>    Hankwitz for President:  great job by the defense. 

I'll echo that.:) It's not just the adjustments (which have a higher success rate than any NU DC since Vandy), but he's really helping our players maximize their talent. Wootton has become a stud that has NFL scouts drooling. Our LBs are as strong as ever with Prince and Arrington. Even our safeties are stepping up to make fine plays.

And as many times as we groan for McManis getting overaggressive and burned, his 3rd down knockdown on Michigan's late drive yesterday was amazing - he stopped on a dime, closed the gap in a flash and didn't interfere as he reached in to bat down the pass.

Hopefully he can recruit as well as he coaches to start bridging the talent gap, but his coaching work this year has been a thing of beauty. Like I said, our four wins on the road this year are directly attributed to defensive stands (and that one loss was more offensive mistakes than D).

As for bowls ...

> If NU does it job, it will make 100% certain that bowl
> officials  know that
> the typical NU fan is as likely to go to a bowl game as he
> (or she) is  to fly

I think that is something that a lot of people miss with NU - we're not a local school and our fan base is spread out across the country. We have done quite well at bowl game travel - but unfortunately all they seem to see are the games at Dyche.

>   If we win, and if "The Corn" gets picked over
> us,  that would  be a crime. 

It's unfortunate, but I don't see any way around it. They have the big win down the stretch (heck, look what that did last year for the Illini - it propelled them from unranked team to Pasadena!), close losses early and a lot of momentum. We really have no one to blame but ourselves there - a win at Indiana puts us two games ahead overall.

>   Rose:  PSU vs. Oregon St.
>   Capital One:Ohio St. vs. Georgia

Yup - I think we'd actually be favored in both. Though UGa could finally wake up and start to play. Funny how the Rose wanted to avoid the USC-OSU rematch at the start of the year but now they may get another rematch and it's not as big a ratings grab.

>   Outback:  Michigan St .vs. LSU

I think LSU's headed to Dallas. The SEC really is overrated this year after the Big Two and it's gonna be hard for them to fill slots. Vandy or SC probably head to Tampa ... maybe Ole Miss.

>   Alamo:  NU/Iowa vs. Missouri/Ok. St.  (most  likely:Iowa)

I don't think the Alamo is as scary as everyone thinks. They just don't have any defense in the Big XII. Yes, Mizzou would score on us, but we could score on them if healthy. Okie State would be a bit tougher.

>   Champs:NU/Iowa/Wisc. vs. ACC selection; so many 6-4,7-3

If it's Miami or FSU, it's a tough draw for us. If it's anyone else, it could be a good game. GaTech, Wake, the Terps -- all well coached but beatable if we play a good game.

>   Insight Iowa/Wisconsin/Minn. vs. Big 12 (Kansas,Nebraska,
>  Colorado) 

There's a big gap between the Big XII's top four to Mizzou, and with Kansas' decline, a big gap between the Tigers and the other 7 in the league. I think Nebraska's headed out here to Zona and a Husker-Badger game could be a throwback to those days of running the football in a traditional offense. But there'd be far too many people dressed in red with yellow foam food on their heads for my taste. Still wish we were coming to the Valley.

>   Motor City: Minn/Wisc. vs. MAC champion (WMU or CMU?) 
> Minnesota goes here.

This could be one of the more entertaining bowls with CMU, WMU or Ball State lighting it up from the MAC and a healthy Gophers or Illini with their big offensive threats.

>   Raise your hand if you believe Peterman is an integral
> part of the 

<hand raised> He's the spark to get it going, but Ross Lane is the closer.

>   Thanks for reading my long-winded post.  Its nice to
> talking  about bowl
> scenarios instead heading into a lonnnnng off-season.  Time
> to  settle a score
> vs. Illinois.

Definitely! Not only is it big for our bowl position (plus ... NINE wins!?!?!) ... it would knock our hated in-state rival out of the bowl picture.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT


     

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