YOU'VE GOTTA BE f***ING KIDDING ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The heart of that team got ripped out against OSU. But ouch.

My favorite Big Ten team is Indiana. My second favorite Big Team is Northwestern. Today was not pleasant.

 

It could be worse, you could be an Ohio State fan.

The heart of that team got ripped out against OSU. But ouch.

This storyline needs to die. I'll buy that they laid an egg against Wisconsin in a hangover game, but even a healthy and fired up NU team loses that game. The bottom line is they have so many injuries that they just don't have enough firepower out there right now. Reminds me of Missouri last year.

 

If NU had its heart ripped out already, they wouldn't have been in a 99% position to win at Nebraska. That was an impressive performance until that fluke play.

It could be worse, you could be an Ohio State fan.

Ouch

Wait, what? How does Beckman do recruiting better? Recruiting was the one thing Zook did right. Only USC and Bama had more first round picks from 07-12. That sounds better than "good guy" 2 stars. First time I have ever seen Zook called out for his recruiting.

 

I didn't call Zook out for "recruiting" per se. Zook was absolutely abysmal at planning for the future. Recruiting is a lot more than just getting the most athletic guys to commit to your team. Most fans just look at star rankings and decide whether or not somebody is a good "recruiter." Honestly, getting guys that fit is just as important if not more so than getting the best athletes. This was an aspect that Zook failed miserably. You can't honestly look at our defense right now and tell me that Zook planned it out well. First round picks are great, but what about the 70 other scholarship players on the team?

 

 

I didn't call Zook out for "recruiting" per se. Zook was absolutely abysmal at planning for the future. Recruiting is a lot more than just getting the most athletic guys to commit to your team. Most fans just look at star rankings and decide whether or not somebody is a good "recruiter." Honestly, getting guys that fit is just as important if not more so than getting the best athletes. This was an aspect that Zook failed miserably. You can't honestly look at our defense right now and tell me that Zook planned it out well. First round picks are great, but what about the 70 other scholarship players on the team?

 

Well his recruiting dipped at the end, which explains this roster. But I would definitely choose a front loaded roster over 70 MAC players that fit like a glove.

Well his recruiting dipped at the end, which explains this roster. But I would definitely choose a front loaded roster over 70 MAC players that fit like a glove.

His recruiting dipped because his job status was shaky. It is really hard for a football coach to overcome a couple of seasons of being on a hot seat. Your recruiting really suffers, and unlike basketball, freshman usually don't make as much of an impact, and it takes more than one or two to really get you off that hot seat. Everything snowballs.

 

 

No one is going to coach that roster into the Rose Bowl. And he isn't responsible for that roster.But the question should be, can Beckman recruit and coach a roster that makes it to the Rose Bowl. Without really following him that much, I get all my Beckman complaints from my father and brother, I think just his job status problems alone are going to forever hinder his recruiting in Champaign. If I were a realtor down there, I would think about dropping my card in his mailbox. Guys take over football programs and struggle for a few years before turning it around pretty often,but rarely are people calling for their heads in year one or two. Whether it is fair or not Beckman's ship has sailed at Illinois.

 

 

His recruiting dipped because his job status was shaky. It is really hard for a football coach to overcome a couple of seasons of being on a hot seat. Your recruiting really suffers, and unlike basketball, freshman usually don't make as much of an impact, and it takes more than one or two to really get you off that hot seat. Everything snowballs.

 

 

No one is going to coach that roster into the Rose Bowl. And he isn't responsible for that roster.But the question should be, can Beckman recruit and coach a roster that makes it to the Rose Bowl. Without really following him that much, I get all my Beckman complaints from my father and brother, I think just his job status problems alone are going to forever hinder his recruiting in Champaign. If I were a realtor down there, I would think about dropping my card in his mailbox. Guys take over football programs and struggle for a few years before turning it around pretty often,but rarely are people calling for their heads in year one or two. Whether it is fair or not Beckman's ship has sailed at Illinois.

Yep. The writing is on the wall no matter your feelings on Beckman. Once you have a lameduck coach, it's best to move on as soon as possible. Illinois fans should understand this best.

Well his recruiting dipped at the end, which explains this roster. But I would definitely choose a front loaded roster over 70 MAC players that fit like a glove.

 

Well, the best college football team in Illinois is in the MAC...

 

 

Ball State takes on Central Michigan in 90 minutes on ESPN2. Yay! I pumped to see this 8-1 team get some National TV play. Should be an easy W, but we'll see.

 

Still can't believe we lost to North Texas. Tonight could have made us the only 10-0 team in the country.

Touchdown Ball State! 80-yard opening drive TD. Raining day here in Muncie. I really would have liked to take the 3 minute walk across the street to the stadium, but it's just too cold and rainy and I got the Hawks on my computer with the BSU game on my TV. I'm content.

Oh boy. We just went 96 yards in 3 plays. 14-0 with 4 minutes left in the first quarter. This could get ugly soon....

Oh boy. We just went 96 yards in 3 plays. 14-0 with 4 minutes left in the first quarter. This could get ugly soon....

I got them -20.5. I hope so.

I got them -20.5. I hope so.

 

21-0 now. I can't believe they had to punt the ball earlier in the game. This is a laugher.

Stewart Mandel ‏ @ slmandel 1m

Indiana and Minnesota are paying their coaches less than Colorado State. You're in the Big Ten. You have a freaking TV network.

 

@ slmandel: The median coach the Big Ten makes about $1 million less than the median coach in the SEC. But sure, blame academic standards.

 

So true.

I got them -20.5. I hope so.

Ouch

Ouch

 

Half a point because the backups let up some garbage points. That's rough.

Just a typical Thursday night. Oklahoma-Baylor and Oregon-Stanford. Nothing to see here.

I hope Ball State loses out.

So true.

If he thinks what Wilson is making is low, he should have seen Lynch's compensation package....

Just a typical Thursday night. Oklahoma-Baylor and Oregon-Stanford. Nothing to see here.

Weird to have not one but two giant games on Thursday.

Weird to have not one but two giant games on Thursday.

 

I know. I don't ever recall looking forward to a Thursday night of college football this much. I think Game 2 might be a blowout, though.

I know. I don't ever recall looking forward to a Thursday night of college football this much. I think Game 2 might be a blowout, though.

 

I just keep looking back to last year's game. It was in Eugene and Stanford held the Ducks to 14 points. Obviously these aren't the same teams, but they are close and I can't get that out of my mind.

I just keep looking back to last year's game. It was in Eugene and Stanford held the Ducks to 14 points. Obviously these aren't the same teams, but they are close and I can't get that out of my mind.

 

Seems to always happen in the PAC though.

I just keep looking back to last year's game. It was in Eugene and Stanford held the Ducks to 14 points. Obviously these aren't the same teams, but they are close and I can't get that out of my mind.

Yeah, but you could just as easily say the same thing about 2010 and 2011...those games were blowout Duck victories with similar teams/schemes, except Stanford had Andrew Luck still...

 

Obviously last year Stanford seemed to make adjustments and finally stop the Duck running attack...I guess we will see how Oregon adjusts.