Nice quote in NYT about NU

[WestCoastWildcat]

AP Top 25 Takeaways: BigTen Cracks Up

"20. Northwestern became the first team to win in overtime in three straight weeks — which is the most Northwestern thing. No team does a better job of maxing out its ability than coach Pat Fitzgerald's Wildcats."

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

https://mobile.nytimes.com/aponline...afootball/ap-fbc-t25-ap-top-25-takeaways.html

 

[Hungry Jack]

Does Ralph Russo bear any relation to Chris "Mad Dog" Russo from WFAN in NYC?

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

Imagine if NU’s HC got some talent!

 

[NJCat]

Does Ralph Russo bear any relation to Chris "Mad Dog" Russo from WFAN in NYC?

Russo in NY = Jim Bob in Alabama. Lots of 'em.

 

[scru]

That's a real backhanded compliment.

"Boy, this team and coach keep winning with lesser talent!"

Or

"Boy, the big recruiting sites kept afloat by the dollars of bigger programs' fans keep consistently under rating NUs recruits."

Which is more likely?

 

[eastbaycat99]

That's a real backhanded compliment.

"Boy, this team and coach keep winning with lesser talent!"

I saw a comment on a Nebraska board last night asking the question of why the team that clearly had the best talent on the field had lost.

I am at a loss as to how tinted one’s binoculars would need to be to come to that conclusion from watching yesterday’s game, but the idea that the Cats are always the scrappy overmatched team dies hard. I am still trying to figure out how the Cats managed to let UNL make it so close.

 

[beetlemania74]

AP Top 25 Takeaways: BigTen Cracks Up

"20. Northwestern became the first team to win in overtime in three straight weeks — which is the most Northwestern thing. No team does a better job of maxing out its ability than coach Pat Fitzgerald's Wildcats."

Follow Ralph D. Russo at www.Twitter.com/ralphDrussoAP

https://mobile.nytimes.com/aponline...afootball/ap-fbc-t25-ap-top-25-takeaways.html

That's been the narrative about NU under Fitz for the last decade or so. Smart, hard working overachievers. To some extent, it's valid, but I feel it also helps excuse underperformance by players and coaches at certain position groups.

 

[Purple Pile Driver]

That's been the narrative about NU under Fitz for the last decade or so. Smart, hard working overachievers. To some extent, it's valid, but I feel it also helps excuse underperformance by players and coaches at certain position groups.

Who is excusing the underperformance? At best we recruit middle of the pack on the B1G. Similar to our results. If anything the results of our OL performance has been less than rankings. I assume you are talking about OL.

At least the OL has performed much better in this recent run and pass blocking has been pretty good. Run blocking still has a way to go.

 

[beetlemania74]

Who is excusing the underperformance? At best we recruit middle of the pack on the B1G. Similar to our results. If anything the results of our OL performance has been less than rankings. I assume you are talking about OL.

At least the OL has performed much better in this recent run and pass blocking has been pretty good. Run blocking still has a way to go.

Yes, I was referring to the OL. Yes, they have looked better in recent games. Giving up no sacks to Nebraska is much improved from the performance against Wisconsin and Penn State.

The four game winning streak is great, and I'm happy to see the team back on track. Still, Fitz hasn't seriously competed for a conference or division championship in his 13 seasons as head coach, and many thought this would be the year. The OL has had its struggles over the years, and they looked terrible in those first two critical conference games. In light of that, it irks me to read the same old stuff about Fitz and the team "maxing out its ability." Is that really true, and if so, will we ever be in contention for a division championship when the calendar hits November?

 

[wildcatpn]

Yes, I was referring to the OL. Yes, they have looked better in recent games. Giving up no sacks to Nebraska is much improved from the performance against Wisconsin and Penn State.

The four game winning streak is great, and I'm happy to see the team back on track. Still, Fitz hasn't seriously competed for a conference or division championship in his 13 seasons as head coach, and many thought this would be the year. The OL has had its struggles over the years, and they looked terrible in those first two critical conference games. In light of that, it irks me to read the same old stuff about Fitz and the team "maxing out its ability." Is that really true, and if so, will we ever be in contention for a division championship when the calendar hits November?

Our oline is average. They look fine against average to below average dlines. They don't look so good against good to great dlines. Fitz wants to win championships. For that to happen, the oline has to be good to great. Not just average. They've been average for far too long.

 

[villox]

Yes, I was referring to the OL. Yes, they have looked better in recent games. Giving up no sacks to Nebraska is much improved from the performance against Wisconsin and Penn State.

The four game winning streak is great, and I'm happy to see the team back on track. Still, Fitz hasn't seriously competed for a conference or division championship in his 13 seasons as head coach, and many thought this would be the year. The OL has had its struggles over the years, and they looked terrible in those first two critical conference games. In light of that, it irks me to read the same old stuff about Fitz and the team "maxing out its ability." Is that really true, and if so, will we ever be in contention for a division championship when the calendar hits November?

If we win out, which is possible, it will all come down to the fact that we lost to Wisconsin (assuming they don’t lose 2 games from here). That one game will have been the decider for the division.

When the games actually occur doesn’t matter. Being one win away from the division championship is contending. Sucks for us, but we expected Wisconsin and is to be competing for the top spot and that’s how it looks still.

 

[StreamCat]

Our oline is average. They look fine against average to below average dlines. They don't look so good against good to great dlines. Fitz wants to win championships. For that to happen, the oline has to be good to great. Not just average. They've been average for far too long.

Yeah, we get it already.

 

[freewillie07]

If we win out, which is possible, it will all come down to the fact that we lost to Wisconsin (assuming they don’t lose 2 games from here). That one game will have been the decider for the division.

When the games actually occur doesn’t matter. Being one win away from the division championship is contending. Sucks for us, but we expected Wisconsin and is to be competing for the top spot and that’s how it looks still.

If Wisconsin beats Iowa next week and locks up the West with two games to go, it's not really contending, any way you look at it. Scheduling is destiny. It is what it is.

Now, if they lose to Iowa and Michigan, while NU beats Purdue and Minnesota, setting up a final-week scenario in which NU could win the West outright, then I'll say it's contending.

 

[WestCoastWildcat]

I can understand how the quote could be taken as a backhanded compliment but I think Fitz in this 3 game OT win streak has done well and the team has not given up and has found a way to win a la traditional Cardiac Cats fashion. On a drive by Nebby I thought it was key the d was able to hold them to a fg instead of a td that allowed the Cats to remain in striking distance to tie. The d was great again in the OT period stopping Nebby from getting anywhere close to the goal. Go Cats!

 

[wildcatpn]

Yeah, we get it already.

Ok smart ***. Many here keep talking about how much better the oline looks. I'm sure they've improved but it also helps when you're not going against Wisconsin or PSU defensive lines.

 

[Katatonic]

One could easily say that 2 of those games probably shouldn't have needed to go into OT.

 

[mikewebb68]

Ok smart ***. Many here keep talking about how much better the oline looks. I'm sure they've improved but it also helps when you're not going against Wisconsin or PSU defensive lines.

I'll give you that Nebby is a bad d line, but MSU is not, and neither is Io_a, and we held up fairly well vs. both of those opponents.

 

[wildcatpn]

I'll give you that Nebby is a bad d line, but MSU is not, and neither is Io_a, and we held up fairly well vs. both of those opponents.

Agreed. You notice I don't say the oline is bad like some here do. My whole point is that they're average and if Fitz wants to reach his goal of winning championships it's an area that has to be addressed and improved. I personally feel that the starting 5 needs to be set early(after spring ball unless a true frosh comes into camp and earns a spot which is rare). It's a unit that relies on working together and in my opinion the constant shuffling early in the year hurt the team. First step to a championship is making this unit good or great.

 

[hdhntr1]

That's a real backhanded compliment.

"Boy, this team and coach keep winning with lesser talent!"

Or

"Boy, the big recruiting sites kept afloat by the dollars of bigger programs' fans keep consistently under rating NUs recruits."

Which is more likely?

YES

 

[beetlemania74]

Our oline is average. They look fine against average to below average dlines. They don't look so good against good to great dlines. Fitz wants to win championships. For that to happen, the oline has to be good to great. Not just average. They've been average for far too long.

That pretty much sums it up. My expectation is that NU should win the division title every five years and the conference title every ten years. That doesn't seem unreasonable. Fitz has been HC for 13 seasons and has not won a division or conference title during that time. I like him and appreciate what he's done for NU football, but at what point does the program get over the hump and start winning championships?

 

[beetlemania74]

If Wisconsin beats Iowa next week and locks up the West with two games to go, it's not really contending, any way you look at it. Scheduling is destiny. It is what it is.

Now, if they lose to Iowa and Michigan, while NU beats Purdue and Minnesota, setting up a final-week scenario in which NU could win the West outright, then I'll say it's contending.

I hope it happens, but it's obviously an unlikely scenario. Wouldn't it be great if we entered November in the heat of a battle for a division title, sweating out the results of our competitors' games? Is that too much to ask? Is NU really maxing out its ability now, incapable of achieving more?

6-3 (4-2) is a solid record and is one that IU, Purdue, Illinois and Rutgers fans would love to have. Maybe we're spoiled now. I'm not expecting to be in Indy every year, but once in a while would be nice.

 

[hdhntr1]

That pretty much sums it up. My expectation is that NU should win the division title every five years and the conference title every ten years. That doesn't seem unreasonable. Fitz has been HC for 13 seasons and has not won a division or conference title during that time. I like him and appreciate what he's done for NU football, but at what point does the program get over the hump and start winning championships?

And how many teams have done that? We are getting closer as if we win out we would have reached 6-2 and 7-2 in two of the last three years. I other years that might have been enough but not it the years we attained it. Remember in 2000, we claimed a championship with an 6-2 record . But in this age of no ties, that is not enough. This year we could end up with a 7-2 record and there could be several teams with 7-2 records at the top of each division and it could mean exactly nothing as WIS would hold the tie breaker and the others are in the other division.