ISU Football

[BU1999]

Since BU doesn't even have football, I hope this doesn't come over sounding too harsh, but
what's with ISU losing to Drake? Drake is a NON-scholarship football team.
That means their entire team are a bunch of walk-ons, and Illinois State was ranked #7 in the nation/ I-AA.
Drake, whose schedule includes mostly teams like Waldorf & Wisconsin-Platteville, is counting this as the greatest football victory since they went to non-scholarship football in 1988, after dropping football altogether in 1987.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070831/SPORTS020402/708310382/-1/SPORTS01

[Biff]

This is an upset of mammoth proportions.
This was touted to be a great year coming for ISU. They have several supposedly highly talented transfers, and have had NFL players coming out of their program.
I think it's time to start a thread to name the next coach. If this guy can't beat Drake on his home field, that's pathetic.

[tornado]

This is an interesting story. Not only should ISU have won, they should have won by 60.
The alibi of an unlucky, quirk tip play in the final seconds just doesn't hold water.
When they played at ISU in 2005 Drake lost 56-19 to a team that wasn't I-AA ranked.
The funniest part of the story is the part about the spelling of Redbirds.
I guess it was a bad night for all.
"the cheerleaders...spelled out Redbirds with large red flags: R-D-E-B-I-R-D-S"

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/08/31/sports/doc46d79e3b5989d322752872.txt

[BU Bill]

I didn't see it. Can someone explain if it was a Hail Mary play at the end, how does the guy have the chance to catch the ball short and run all the way to the end zone? There should have been 7 or 8 defensive backs in the game at that point, all playing behind the receivers. It seems like it should have been impossible for a team to score in that situation.
But to blame the loss on that one horrible play is silly. There is no way Drake should have been within 50 points of ISU at that point.

[DannyCooksey]

This is an interesting story. Not only should ISU have won, they should have won by 60.
The alibi of an unlucky, quirk tip play in the final seconds just doesn't hold water.
When they played at ISU in 2005 Drake lost 56-19 to a team that wasn't I-AA ranked.
The funniest part of the story is the part about the spelling of Redbirds.
I guess it was a bad night for all.
"the cheerleaders...spelled out Redbirds with large red flags: R-D-E-B-I-R-D-S"
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2...d322752872.txt

T.....stick to hoops


The 'Birds should have won the game, but by 60? Drake did return 17 starters and are expected to be strong in their league. Not making excuses because ISU has none to offer. They should have won handily, but these posts on here are a bit much. Some piling on from a University that doesn't even offer football. The game should not have been close, but Drake will have a good season and are not a bad team.

I don't think a tipped pass is an alibi and I don't see anyone making any excuses. DJ's comments were all positive and congratulatory towards Drake as they should be. No, it's not time to search for a new coach. This was a case where Drake wanted it more and got it done. That's why they play the games.

[tornado]

Nothing to worry about, since all the talk tomorrow will shift to how badly the Illini played,
and I agree Drake is a good team, but again, we are talking D-IAA vs. Pioneer league.
I honestly think the Midstate Steel or the Twin City Dawgs can play with Drake.
Their upcoming game vs. UNI will be a blowout.

[MacabreMob]

Nothing to worry about, since all the talk tomorrow will shift to how badly the Illini played...

I'm rooting for the Illini tomorrow - honestly.

[bert notorius]

Illinois has a football team?

[tornado]

As a closer for this topic...the NEW I-AA polls are out, and in both polls, ISU only dropped
a little and did not drop out of the polls.

"The Redbirds fell from No. 8 to 18 in the Football Championship Subdivision Coaches Poll, and from No. 7 to 17 in The Sports Network poll."

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/09/04/sports/doc46dce6b90ea16173443004.txt

[DUBulldog]

I didn't see it. Can someone explain if it was a Hail Mary play at the end, how does the guy have the chance to catch the ball short and run all the way to the end zone? There should have been 7 or 8 defensive backs in the game at that point, all playing behind the receivers. It seems like it should have been impossible for a team to score in that situation.

Drake lined up 3 receivers on the right side, and the play was supposed to be a Hail Mary to that side. Augie Agyei was lined up wide left. Both safeties went to the side of the field with the 3 receivers, leaving Agyei in a 1-on-1 situation with the d-back. Instead of throwing the Hail Mary, Ingle threw to the other side of the field.

That is why there weren't several ISU players in the vicinity.

[jimbob]

Drake's win over Illinois State isn't looking as much like a big upset, as ISU continues
to play pretty bad for a team that still occupies a spot in the rankings.
Just what does it take for them to drop out of the rankings?
Now they are 2-3 with wins over EIU and Murray State, and only one team in the Gateway Conference has a worse record, Indiana State.
Over 5 games their opponents have outscored them, outrushed them, outpassed them, and dominated in most areas especially fourth quarter scoring and TDs.
Could they just possibly be overrated?

[tornado]

jb--
don't you know the ISU president Al Bowman just made the statement
that ISU will upgrade their program to compete in the Football Bowl Division (formerly known as BCS),
and maybe consider moving to the Big 12!

Here are his exact words...

"our long-term goal is to go into the Football Bowl Subdivision...
Bowman admits having a future vision of joining the Big 12 Conference.
“I don’t think it’s an impossible goal,” Bowman said of competing with such schools as Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas and Missouri. “A number of individuals who are knowledgeable about these matters have indicated that the Big 12 appears to be a good fit for Illinois State, and I think that argument has some credibility.”

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/09/29/isusports/doc46faffbcc4bfb728144102.txt

[DannyCooksey]

jb--
don't you know the ISU president Al Bowman just made the statement
that ISU will upgrade their program to compete in the Football Bowl Division (formerly known as BCS),
and maybe consider moving to the Big 12!

Here are his exact words...

"our long-term goal is to go into the Football Bowl Subdivision...
Bowman admits having a future vision of joining the Big 12 Conference.
???I don??™t think it??™s an impossible goal,??? Bowman said of competing with such schools as Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas and Missouri. ???A number of individuals who are knowledgeable about these matters have indicated that the Big 12 appears to be a good fit for Illinois State, and I think that argument has some credibility.???
http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2...b728144102.txt

So......it's wrong to set high goals as a president of a University?

Should he just say things like "we can never go anywhere higher than where we are..........we have maxed our potential as a University and as an athletic department and this is all we can do.........we suck"

You conveniently forgot to include that Bowman stated several times that this is years away and solely contingent on building a consistent, winning program that annually draws well and has a strong season ticket base. But.............those are just minor details. Exploit away.

[meth]

But if the BU president predicted Bradley would soon be playing in the Big East,
I strongly suspect there'd be some eyebrows raised on other message boards.

[DannyCooksey]

But if the BU president predicted Bradley would soon be playing in the Big East,
I strongly suspect there'd be some eyebrows raised on other message boards.

That's true. Considering the geography and lack of a football team, it would raise eyebrows. I agree with you.

And again, there was nothing about predicting anything. There was nothing about it being 'soon'. It was simply stated as a long term goal. Is it realistic? Maybe and maybe not. It wasn't a declaration of fact. Bowman simply verbalized a goal for his University. No promises were made and no guarantees.