SEMO Starting QB

[Clonefan32]

I'm not sure why people are so reluctant to admit that Campbell teams have been crappy against FCS competition. There's a really firmly established pattern. You can find excuses for any given instance, but the fact remains that in 5 games against FCS schools, there has been one win 6+ point win.

I would love nothing more than to just blast SEMO and have a nice comfy W, but we have a large enough sample size at this point to conclude there's no real reason to expect it.

The biggest thing I recall from all of these close games is inability to take complete control of the game. We typically start well and have opportunities in the 2nd quarter to really put the game away. But drives stall, turnovers, etc. leaves the other team in and it gives them some hope.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Y'all are VASTLY overestimating SEMO. They're a 4-7 team from the worst scholarship league in the FCS. This isn't UNI or the Dakotas or any Valley team for that matter.

Comparisons to Drake are also pretty ridiculous. It's not going to be an ice storm where no one wants to be there other than the kids in white jerseys.

This is a 45-7 type game that may not even feel that close.

This should absolutely be the case, but I think it will be closer to like, 38-21 Iowa State. SEMO competes for a half, Iowa State starts to cook in the 3rd Qtr, goes up 38-14 late in the 4th, and then SEMO scores in garbage time on our prevent D as time expires.

 

[Statefan10]

This should absolutely be the case, but I think it will be closer to like, 38-21 Iowa State. SEMO competes for a half, Iowa State starts to cook in the 3rd Qtr, goes up 38-14 late in the 4th, and then SEMO scores in garbage time on our prevent D as time expires.

I’d be fine with this.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

Man, a lot of you guys are REALLY overselling SEMO...

 

[aauummm]

Heacock was Campbells DC i thought.

"At Toledo, Matukewicz was defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for the 2012 and 2013 seasons." In Dec, 2013 Matukewicz went to SEMO as HC.

https://semoredhawks.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/tom-matukewicz/2649

 

[TopCy]

This should absolutely be the case, but I think it will be closer to like, 38-21 Iowa State. SEMO competes for a half, Iowa State starts to cook in the 3rd Qtr, goes up 38-14 late in the 4th, and then SEMO scores in garbage time on our prevent D as time expires.

Yeah, I don't think people are overrating SEMO as much as ISU has shown little inclination to run an offense in week 1 that can score that many points. It feels like we're always aiming to live through our defense in the first game and win 20-10.

 

[1961Cylones]

I sometimes wonder if the game b4 the EIU game we kind of pull on the reins so we don't show too much...

 

[agrabes]

I'm not sure why people are so reluctant to admit that Campbell teams have been crappy against FCS competition. There's a really firmly established pattern. You can find excuses for any given instance, but the fact remains that in 5 games against FCS schools, there has been one win 6+ point win.

I would love nothing more than to just blast SEMO and have a nice comfy W, but we have a large enough sample size at this point to conclude there's no real reason to expect it.

I that's true - but if you look at the games where we have underperformed they usually have two elements present:

1) Lower division/conference opponent
and
2) Opponent with a history of success and pride at their own level

If only one of those elements is present, we don't tend to struggle significantly (LA - Monroe, UNLV, Akron, etc). If both are, then we do. We out talent the lower level opponents in both cases, but the teams with history of success at their own levels believe that they can win and hang tough after we throw the first few punches. Then, when we make mistakes, get over confident, etc, they capitalize and seize momentum. The teams that have no history of success don't fight back after that first hard hit. I think it's more likely the SEMO game will be one of the ones that we don't perform as well as we'd like, but we also still win by multiple scores. Maybe a 21-7 or 31-14 type game.

 

[Cyinthenorth]

Yeah, I don't think people are overrating SEMO as much as ISU has shown little inclination to run an offense in week 1 that can score that many points. It feels like we're always aiming to live through our defense in the first game and win 20-10.

Right, I mean SEMO is a not a great program. Our easiest week 1 opponent since the South Dakota State game that never really happened back in 2018. Not sure how that one would've shaken out, but ISU did score on one of the first plays from scrimmage. I don't anticipate it will be as tough sledding as UNI, ND State, Louisiana etc. but I have no evidence to believe this is going to be a crushing route by halftime either.

 

[Al_4_State]

How many teams were those 6 games against?

Campbell has played 5 FCS games
-2016 UNI: L 20-25
-2017 UNI: W 42-24
-2018 Drake: W 27-24
-2019 UNI: W 29-26
-2021 UNI: W 16-10

 

[Al_4_State]

The biggest thing I recall from all of these close games is inability to take complete control of the game. We typically start well and have opportunities in the 2nd quarter to really put the game away. But drives stall, turnovers, etc. leaves the other team in and it gives them some hope.

Yup. That UNI game in '19 was a great example. We would move the ball well and then get penalties. UNI's only regulation TD was a Purdy fumble that wasn't really a fumble and should not have been a live ball. Their freshman kicker hit a bunch of 50+ yard FGs.

 

[Al_4_State]

Correct. Especially freezing rain, ice and mud.

Going into the game would you feel better about it if it were 60 degrees and sunny, or the mid 30's, raining, foggy and icy?

It shouldn't matter against an FCS non-scholarship team.

 

[BCClone]

Campbell has played 5 FCS games
-2016 UNI: L 20-25
-2017 UNI: W 42-24
-2018 Drake: W 27-24
-2019 UNI: W 29-26
-2021 UNI: W 16-10

So basically one team that we play a lot. Why I wish we didn’t play UNI so much, familiarity is a disadvantage when playing a FCS team.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

IMO the whole slow start thing is a bit overstated. As long as Farley is there, you are ALWAYS going to get UNI's best punch. It's no secret that CMC is very conservative in this game. Week 2 we play one of the toughest defensive opponents we see all year and since CMC hasn't beaten Iowa it's over weighted in the slow start debate I'm not saying we have played great games against UNI and Iowa but it's not as bad as what fans are making it out to be. I would love to hear @ChrisMWilliams or @brentblum thoughts on the slow start debate.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

It shouldn't matter against an FCS non-scholarship team.

Those field conditions were a hell of an equalizer though plus it was pretty clear our guys weren't real invested into that game.

 

[Statefan10]

It shouldn't matter against an FCS non-scholarship team.

It matters a ton actually. Planting your feet and catching the football was nearly impossible. The ball would be snapped and all the lineman would take a step then fall.

The conditions leveled the playing field essentially to the point where it didn’t matter who was out there. It wasn’t just a rainy game. They were playing on virtually an unplayable field.

If there were two guys on an oiled up slip and slide who raced one another, one was a track star and one was a fat guy who doesn’t work out, I wouldn’t place a bet because at that point there’s no gap between their abilities. It’s basically a crap shoot.

 

[clonedude]

You know we’re going to go very vanilla and try to just run it down their throats. Now whether or not that will work remains to be seen.

I’m not sold at all on this OL, but I hope they can just manhandle SEMO and we can win easily by not showing too much at all.

If we can’t, we’ll be looking at a 5 or 6 win season IMO. Our OL play will determine everything for this season….. which scares the crap out of me.

 

[cytor]

So basically one team that we play a lot. Why I wish we didn’t play UNI so much, familiarity is a disadvantage when playing a FCS team.

Stop playing UNI... it's a lose lose situation.

 

[BillBrasky4Cy]

It matters a ton actually. Planting your feet and catching the football was nearly impossible. The ball would be snapped and all the lineman would take a step then fall.

The conditions leveled the playing field essentially to the point where it didn’t matter who was out there. It wasn’t just a rainy game. They were playing on virtually an unplayable field.

If there were two guys on an oiled up slip and slide who raced one another, one was a track star and one was a fat guy who doesn’t work out, I wouldn’t place a bet because at that point there’s no gap between their abilities. It’s basically a crap shoot.

I played in a high school playoff game in conditions like those. On a normal night we were probably a two TD favorite but we ended up losing 14-7. The other team literally had two busted plays where the QB ran it right up the middle and the LB's and DB's couldn't plant and pivot to make a play. I was playing strong safety and it was almost impossible to change directions. We also scored on a random broken play. The entire game was played between the 35's.

 

[1UNI2ISU]

Stop playing UNI... it's a lose lose situation.

95% of UNI fans agree as well. Everybody else's checks cash just the same and we're so jealous of other league schools that get variety. This is the first year since 2008(!) that we don't play Iowa State or Iowa and it's freaking great.