WTF

CycloneErik

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I think most would be comfortable with a rebuild if we weren't still seeing the same errors being repeated year in, year out.

Not to mention the continuing unforced errors during games where we don't seem to handle urgency well and become mired in indecision.

If rebuild were 7-6 after some bigger seasons, it would seem OK.

If rebuild means 3-9 after seasons of 7, 9, and 7 wins, it means we're in a spot that programs don't dig out of. Then it's not a rebuild, it's a collapse.
 

algonacy

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Feb 19, 2012
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I agree with Nolaeer on everything he wrote there. I also agree with others though that if the defender had kept his head up during the tackle, this might not have been targeting. (Who am I kidding, of course they would still call it to protect the p*ssy QB's). The defender was already moving into his tackle position and lunging towards the QB BEFORE the QB even started his sliding motion. It is absolutely unfair to the defender to put the blame on them for any and all actions that the offensive player initiates. Most targeting calls I see are because the offensive players put themselves into defenseless positions. That is my problem with the targeting call. In many (I won't put a number here because I'm speaking out of my arse, but I will stick with many many) of the cases, it puts the fault on the defender when they often have no option to do anything other than what they were already doing.

Keep their head up is the only thing they might actually have some control over and is the mitigating factor quite often.
 

AuH2O

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I just don’t understand why these kids don’t understand that you need to keep your head up and see what you are tackling?

You absolutely cannot lower your head and use your helmet as a weapon. Yet they continue to do it all the time.

I’ve never agreed with ejecting kids from the game for it, but if they’re going to be that stupid, maybe they should be ejected? Ejected for being a dumb a** should be the call.
Meanwhile BU runs a TE screen to #8. As the defender comes tackle him he puts his head down leads with it and jams it right into the defenders chest. Not even a thought about a flag. Dumb announcers even say “puts his head down” not as if to say that is illegal, but just as a way to describe getting some extra yardage.
 

jbhtexas

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I also agree with others though that if the defender had kept his head up during the tackle, this might not have been targeting
[...]
Keep their head up is the only thing they might actually have some control over and is the mitigating factor quite often.

This to me has been one of the biggest head-scratchers in FB over the last 40 years. When I was playing high-school FB back in the day, if anyone dropped and led with their head when coming in for a tackle, that tackler got the maximum discipline allowed. As such, dropping and leading with the head just didn't happen when tackling. It's just asking for a neck injury.

I don't know what changed over the years.
 
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cyfanatic13

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Seems pretty clear that this is targeting.


It is clearly targeting by every letter of the rule, but like Nolaeer said, the main problem lies with QB's trying to gain every possible yard before they slide. It puts the defender in a no win situation. I don't know what the answer is but as soon as defenders start letting up earlier on those type of plays, QB's will take advantage of it and run for more yards.

Not to say it's impossible Shapen wouldn't have still gotten concussed, or injured something else, but the defender is already starting to go in for the tackle right when Shapen starts his slide. 100% agree he shouldn't have led with his head but even if he goes in for a normal tackle, it's probably called a late hit and maybe still even targeting if he hits his head.
 

jbhtexas

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If rebuild were 7-6 after some bigger seasons, it would seem OK.

If rebuild means 3-9 after seasons of 7, 9, and 7 wins, it means we're in a spot that programs don't dig out of. Then it's not a rebuild, it's a collapse.
Yeah...that's the sad and ugly side of all of this. P5 coaching history over the past 20+ years is not kind to established coaches on this kind of trajectory. Or, the program goes on the Pat Fitzgerald Plan (as a poster mentioned in another thread), but even he might be done after this year.
 

ISU_Guy

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I am really questioning if we are going to win a game the rest of the way. I think we will look back and say we almost won 5-6 games, but lost all of them.
 
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CascadeClone

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He was going low to tackle the qb by the knees and hed already committed when the qb slid.

It is targeting under the rule, which didnt exist when i played and needs to be modified now.

sliding is very dangerous because it exposes your head to the force of the tackler. Even if the contact is the shoulder pad and not the helmet, chance for severe injury is there.

Sliding should be illegal. They need to devise of something else to signal the qb wants to be down. maybe he could spike the ball.
I've seen a lot of tacklers, including ISU's, go super low like that and then pop up and go over top of the sliding QB on the ground, rather than make contact. I am pretty sure they are coached to do that.
 

CycloneErik

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Yeah...that's the sad and ugly side of all of this. P5 coaching history over the past 20+ years is not kind to established coaches on this kind of trajectory. Or, the program goes on the Pat Fitzgerald Plan (as a poster mentioned in another thread), but even he might be done after this year.

Fitzgerald's definitely a pretty good comparison. I hadn't noticed how far he's fallen off. Holy cow.
 

CyCloned

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West Virginia beats Baylor. And scores 43 points. Maybe Manning needs to watch how other teams move the ball and score TDS.
As I recall the Clones defense disappeared at WVU last year. Sometimes weird things happen. This doesn't discount the fact that the ISU offense is pretty much garbage, but life of the road is hard some times.
 

JM4CY

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As I recall the Clones defense disappeared at WVU last year. Sometimes weird things happen. This doesn't discount the fact that the ISU offense is pretty much garbage, but life of the road is hard some times.
We get WVU at home. I don't see us dropping that one. Or to OU at home. It's just finding that 3rd win that gets tricky for me.
 

AlaCyclone

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Fitzgerald's definitely a pretty good comparison. I hadn't noticed how far he's fallen off. Holy cow.
Northwestern has only had 3 coaches since 1992!

Gary Barnett from 1992-8 (left for Colorado)
Randy Walker from 1999-2005 (passed away)
Pat Fitzgerald from 2006-Present

That's amazing!
 

awd4cy

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I am really questioning if we are going to win a game the rest of the way. I think we will look back and say we almost won 5-6 games, but lost all of them.
That’s what happened in all of those Rhoads seasons we went 3-9. Bad teams will still play close games. Hoping we find a way to close out a couple.
 
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