Let's Predict Score Of Ball State Game

The Fake Lonnie Finch · May 7, 2009

I noticed several offensive lineman from Ball St were drafted or signed. That means that they are probably replacing alot of their starters.
As we know, games are won in the trenches. The best RB or QB can't do jack without blocking. Perhaps our revamped DL gets some pressure on this 1st time QB and keeps this game close.

I did consider that. However, our DL is not exactly experienced or intimidating. The new coach will help eventually. To me, though, the overriding factor is that many of our DLs will be playing their first game and its on the road against a team that's been pretty good over the past two seasons; and, a team that is well-coached on the offensive side of the ball.

Ball State's coaching turnover didn't result in a change in offensive philosophy because they promoted their OC/QB coach. This is his sixth or seventh year there running his offense. So, all of the players replacing those gone have already been in the system for several seasons. Our DLs...the experience is just too thin. There are new players coming in, but in game one of their careers it's doubtful that they'll be able to do much. That will mean leaving the older guys in longer and getting them worn out on the road since Ball State offense is designed to get that tailback many yards.

In fact, I'd say the two MAC games are going to be quite physical up front. To that end, if we do lose to Ball State, but hold their 1,700+ yard tailback under 100 yards, I think we will really have hope for the season against Sun Belt foes. By the end of the season, I fully expect Mike Nelson's charges to be the second best unit on the squad. I fully expect DeLoach to have the linebackers as the best, most consistent unit on the team for the season. Our front seven is now coached by two old pros and I expect that to really show once we get into our conference.

Remember, I'm not someone who has said this thing rises and falls on out of conference. I've posted before that what I would consider a successful seasons is closer out of conference scores, even if there are no wins. Where I think Dodge and the team have to turn the corner and show improvement is in conference. To that end, I've already posted that a winning record in the Sun Belt, even if the overall record were a losing one, would be considered successful to me.

I haven't raised the bar as far as some here have. In fact, it's not very far at all. In my estimation asking for four or five wins in this conference isn't an unrealistic expectation. But, seriously, no matter which side of the Dodge issue you come down on, if we don't win more than three games, it will be hard to say the program has really moved forward from the Dickey regime. At that point, it could be said that we are just spinning our wheels.

calvin · May 7, 2009

I say 63-2. I think our defense will finally show improvement and not allow anymore 70 point games to non-conference opponents. If Ditka comes out of retirement to coach Ball St. then I say 107-0, we wont stand a chance.

Actually this was a sarcastic post, too early for me to even think about it.

GrandGreen · May 7, 2009

Good call. Trilli came in and got some major changes to the stadium but never did much in terms of his teams. Dodge comes in and with the excitment he brings and the students vote for a stadium, but so far his teams really have done about the same as Trilli.

I keep seeing this quote about Trilli and the seats. Just what did he actually do? What Trilli did was pop off about liking the orange seats in the SP because they reminded him of UT. Fans did not take to that quote then Trilli became the champion of recovering the seats. Note, the seats were badly worn, at least the ones that actually got a little use, and obviously had to be changed soon. The effort with whatever Trilli contributed managed to get funding to replace a few hundred seats from fan donations. The balance of approximately 10,000 seat covers were replaced with school funds. Trilli and staff according to Trilli also painted the dressing rooms.

Trilli in my opinion was a con man, and not a very good one at that. Any contribution he had to improving the SP were minimal. To be kind, he was the master of exaggeration.

Sorry, to get off on a tangent, but I don't think Trilli deserves much credit for anything at NT other than almost killing the basketball program.

buff64 · May 7, 2009

18.25 to 17.6 That's about as close as I can come, 3rd string RT will be the difference. No said anything about picking the victor.

Got5onIt · May 7, 2009

I say 63-2. I think our defense will finally show improvement and not allow anymore 70 point games to non-conference opponents. If Ditka comes out of retirement to coach Ball St. then I say 107-0, we wont stand a chance.
Actually this was a sarcastic post, too early for me to even think about it.

What if this Ditka coached BSU team went up against a hurricane? Who would win?

What if the hurricane was named Hurricane Ditka????Then what????

Edited May 7, 2009 by Got5onIt

NT80 · May 8, 2009

I keep seeing this quote about Trilli and the seats. Just what did he actually do? What Trilli did was pop off about liking the orange seats in the SP because they reminded him of UT. Fans did not take to that quote then Trilli became the champion of recovering the seats. Note, the seats were badly worn, at least the ones that actually got a little use, and obviously had to be changed soon. The effort with whatever Trilli contributed managed to get funding to replace a few hundred seats from fan donations. The balance of approximately 10,000 seat covers were replaced with school funds. Trilli and staff according to Trilli also painted the dressing rooms.
Trilli in my opinion was a con man, and not a very good one at that. Any contribution he had to improving the SP were minimal. To be kind, he was the master of exaggeration.
Sorry, to get off on a tangent, but I don't think Trilli deserves much credit for anything at NT other than almost killing the basketball program.

Trilli also told some recruits NT would soon be in CUSA. He was a character and could talk the talk. I don't know if he really made fans mad about the orange seats being like UT; several of us already thought that for years. He did help promote the change to green seats faster than I think the school wanted to do it. You know how NT likes to drag out it's facility changes as long as it can. :rolleyes:

BTW, Trilli is now the current AD at Newman University in Kansas. He was the AD at Garden City Comm Col until just last year I believe...

http://media.collegepublisher.com/media/pa...ls/h8qoj8k8.jpg

Edited May 8, 2009 by NT80

oldguystudent · May 8, 2009

I predict the score to be 9 cans of beer to 7 bacon dogs. The Vegas line is currently at -2 in favor of the beers, so it's a tough call.

DeepGreen · May 8, 2009

What if this Ditka coached BSU team went up against a hurricane? Who would win?
What if the hurricane was named Hurricane Ditka????Then what????

If a Hurricane Ditka comes anywhere near the Gulf Coast this year I'm moving to Alaska!

LoveMG · May 8, 2009

< Let's Predict Score Of Ball State Game >

lets not :blowup:

PerryG2480 · May 8, 2009

If every recruit qualifies for every school (including us), and all returning starters from 2008 actually make their grades, stay out of jail, and return for all teams, here's how it will likely go against our out of conference foes in 2009:
Ball State 42, North Texas 20 - Stan Parrish has tons of experience coaching and 3/4th of his skill set leaders returning on offense. They will be led by a fifth year senior at QB who has spent his entire career in Parrish's playbook.
Ohio 37, North Texas 17 - The Bobcats almost knocked off Ohio State in Columbus last year. They led 7-6 at halftime and 14-12 after three quarters. Frank Solich has been in the business for decades, coaching in countless bowls and hostile road environments (Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio State, Virginia Tech, etc). It is doubtful he or his team will be overwhelmed by Fouts Field or the coaching staff on the Mean Green sideline. What is more likely is that they come in and ball control us to death.
Bama 45, North Texas 10 - I think, based on what they did against Western Kentucky and Arkansas State last year, Bama will get up enough to satisfy Nick Saban by the early in the third quarter and will then begin to pull starters. Todd Dodge will see firshand what one of his former Southlake QBs is capable of when a real college coaching staff has tutored him for four years. And, it won't be pretty.
Army 24, North Texas 21 - Both of these teams have been awful the past few years. Army, however, has an athletic department that doesn't accept failure for long; so, they cut loose Stan Brock after only two three-won seasons. That's how cut throat the college football world is outside of Denton - a man who won twice as many games as Todd Dodge in two years was fired. Yet, for the edification of who knows what, UNT has kept Dodge.
The new Army coach, Rich Ellerson, is insanely experienced, with 32 years under his belt at the college or pro level. In his final three seasons at Cal Poly, his teams stayed within 10 of San Jose State, within seven of Idaho, took Wisconsin into overtime and lost by one point at Camp Randall, and beaten San Diego State - all on the road. Like Solich with the Bobcats, Ellerson will not come into Fouts Field wide-eyed. He's done very well at the FCS level on the road against FBS-level competition. There's no reason that will magically change once he's on the sideline for Army.

No prediction of our defense giving up 60+? I try to work one of those in every year.

UNT90 · May 9, 2009

Ball St is breaking in a new Defensive Coordinator.

We are breaking in a new D-line coach.

Harry · May 9, 2009

To that end, if we do lose to Ball State, but hold their 1,700+ yard tailback under 100 yards, I think we will really have hope for the season against Sun Belt foes.

I agree with this and frankly that would be a major victory for us. The MAC teams will come into these games saying we will dominate the line of scrimmage, if we can tow the line and force them into some third downs with 4 plus yards for a first it will be a moral victory for us because it means we will be better in Sun belt play.