[NU Sports] A big test for Fitz this week

[CHerron604 at aol.com]

The line opening at minus 4 means wiser people than us consider that the  
Cats are better than the Orange
 
The line moving to minus 3 doesn't reflect on either team's quality - it  
means too much money was flowing into the Syracuse side.
 
Dropping the NU number should help more money to flow to that side.
 
Chuck Herron   Tech '85
 
 
In a message dated 9/16/2009 2:59:49 P.M. Central Daylight Time,  
jonathanwhodges at gmail.com writes:

I agree  that this will be a tough test for the Wildcats (note that the line
has  dropped to NU -3 today); Syracuse is improved from last year and looks
to  be a fundamentally sound team than NU saw last year, plus they  have
playmaking WR Mike Williams back on the team, who has next-level  talent.
They'll be fired up to win one for their new coach, and NU  obviously did 
not
play well in the 2nd half last week.

We'll learn a  lot about NU though, as the offense will finally open up the
playbook;  through 2 weeks NU has run over twice the number of times that it
has  attempted passes (and is 7th in FBS/I-A in number of rushing attempts
now)  - don't expect that to continue.  The D will have to show up in  this
game too, especially against the run.

In any case it will be  interesting, and I'm thankful its available  on
ESPN360.com.

Jonathan

On Wed, Sep 16, 2009 at 2:49 PM, Joe  Thiegs <thiegs at umn.edu> wrote:

> I have a theory--well,  several of them, I suppose.  One of them, though, 
is
> that  Syracuse is better than anyone outside of upstate New York--and
>  probably most anyone in upstate New York--believes.  I'm not saying  
they're
> necessarily good, just significantly better than almost  everyone assumes 
in
> light of their record the past couple of years,  new coach, new starting 
QB,
> etc.
>
> Consider exhibit  1:  Opening game vs. Minnesota.  After Minnesota scored
>  quickly and easily to start the game, the Orange really stiffened up,  
took
> a
> lead, and took the Gophers to overtime before  falling.  Minnesota, 
despite
> a
> brutal schedule this  season, by most accounts looks significantly 
improved
> over last year's  7-6 team.  In Week 2, even with worries about 
distraction
> with  all the hubbub of the grand opening celebration for the new stadium,
>  the Gophers beat triple-option threat Air Force 20-13, holding the  
Falcons
> to just three first half-points a week after AFA won 72-0  (sure, it was
> against Nicholls State, but scoring over 70 against  anyone not in D-II or
> -III is still impressive in my  book).
>
> Consider exhibit 2:  Second game @ Penn  State.  While the Orange only
> scored
> seven points in a  28-7 loss, they had other opportunities to score 
(dropped
> pass in the  end zone) and held PSU to no more than a touchdown in any
>  quarter.  I read that at one point they kept PSU out of the end zone  on
> four
> straight plays when the Nittany Lions had 1st-and-goal  at the Syracuse
> 2-yard line.  Against a top-10 team on the road,  it could have been a lot
> worse.
>
> I fully expect the  'Cats to win, but I believe it will be a significantly
> tougher test  for NU than Towson and EMU (and considering we have had a 
hard
> time  putting opponents away, things could get interesting).
>
>  -Joe
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:  nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
>  Behalf Of Mike Nolan
> Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 1:49  PM
> To: Jim Leonard
> Cc: Northwestern Wildcats
> Subject:  Re: [NU Sports] A big test for Fitz this week
>
> > Fitz has  better all-around talent than Syracuse and his players aren't
>  distracted with classes yet. I am hoping and expecting that Fitz can  
coach
> his way to a victory this Saturday.
>
> I'm not so  convinced that NU has noticeably more talent on its roster
> than  Syracuse does.   How many 2, 3 and 4 star recruits are on both  
squads?
>
> Classes not having started is not always a  positive.  I know there is a
> limit
> to the number of  players who can practice before the first day of 
classes,
> but maybe  that limit goes away after the first game as well?
>
> Having said  that I agree that this is a big game for Fitz and the Cats,
> in a  stadium that has often been a hard place to earn a road  victory.
>
> There's a theory that a team improves the most  between the first and
> second games.  I can't say that I noticed  any improvement based on the
> radio play-by-play call, if anything the  second game was a bit shakier
> than the first one, though at least the  team now knows it has a field
> goal kicker that can come through in the  clutch.
> --
> Mike Nolan
>
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