That's a cop out. NW has only NW to blame for their problems. The same could be said for every other team.
I agree, if you don't think NW is still trying to get the top kids that they can to fill out their program because they now only have to win a weaker SILO scheduling conference... I mean c'mon man, really? We still get kids from Florida for Pete's sake. Our recruiting hasn't changed because we have SILO scheduling. Having said that though, now that there is a ***** in the armor, and other teams have crept up within the conference and even more so nationally, it gives kids other options closer to home or for many other reasons. It's difficult to maintain that level of consistency and national relevance for as long as Northwest did/has. There's a lot of reasons that could attribute to the supposed fall from grace... number 1 being a coaching change. We went from an offensive minded coach to a defensive minded one... honestly and unfortunately, we don't know how things would've worked out with Scott Bostwick at the helm. But that in itself has to change the approach of the staff at the top and the views of some recruits, doesn't it? We've obviously become more conservative and predictable in our play calling... most of that falls on Charlie and Joel, but you can't completely excuse the head coach or the mentality he brings in the approach to the games, can you? I hate the SILO scheduling too, but I think we're putting too much into it... the MIAA has always had plenty of sh*tty teams to play during the season, and I don't think that one out of conference game changes the face of NW's recruiting efforts or their ability to be good. It does give teams and their fans an idea of where they are on a national level before the playoffs, which is somewhat of a benefit, but I'm with PP... it's lazy to blame our shortfalls on it.
Pitt was forever scheduling the Bayonne Bleeders of d2. A few good one in there, but mainly cream puffs.
I think you meant Bacone Bleeders. :smile-big:
MW had some good non-cons. South Dakota, Winona State, Mankato, Chadron State, Duluth, St. Cloud, UCO and FHSU before they joined the conference. But they mixed in Langston and Benedictine and William Jewell too. The last non-con the Griffs had was a 63-3 win over S&T in 2013. Those kinds of games aren't much fun.
I agree, if you don't think NW is still trying to get the top kids that they can to fill out their program because they now only have to win a weaker SILO scheduling conference... I mean c'mon man, really? We still get kids from Florida for Pete's sake. Our recruiting hasn't changed because we have SILO scheduling. Having said that though, now that there is a ***** in the armor, and other teams have crept up within the conference and even more so nationally, it gives kids other options closer to home or for many other reasons. It's difficult to maintain that level of consistency and national relevance for as long as Northwest did/has. There's a lot of reasons that could attribute to the supposed fall from grace... number 1 being a coaching change. We went from an offensive minded coach to a defensive minded one... honestly and unfortunately, we don't know how things would've worked out with Scott Bostwick at the helm. But that in itself has to change the approach of the staff at the top and the views of some recruits, doesn't it? We've obviously become more conservative and predictable in our play calling... most of that falls on Charlie and Joel, but you can't completely excuse the head coach or the mentality he brings in the approach to the games, can you? I hate the SILO scheduling too, but I think we're putting too much into it... the MIAA has always had plenty of sh*tty teams to play during the season, and I don't think that one out of conference game changes the face of NW's recruiting efforts or their ability to be good. It does give teams and their fans an idea of where they are on a national level before the playoffs, which is somewhat of a benefit, but I'm with PP... it's lazy to blame our shortfalls on it.
One thing to point out as well.. With AD you had a great offensive planner with a great defensive planner in Wright.
I truly believe if AD and Wright were still together NW would of been a favorite to win this year and they beat Ashland last year. Offensively AD just knew how to scheme around the team and against teams. I wasn't an AD fan when he was first hired and he proved me wrong. Look at what he's doing with ACU, he knows football.
MW had some good non-cons. South Dakota, Winona State, Mankato, Chadron State, Duluth, St. Cloud, UCO and FHSU before they joined the conference. But they mixed in Langston and Benedictine and William Jewell too. The last non-con the Griffs had was a 63-3 win over S&T in 2013. Those kinds of games aren't much fun.
In 2011, my dad came down and I took him to a game against Lincoln. It was a 60 point win. He said it was boring, and he hasn't been to another game since.
One thing to point out as well.. With AD you had a great offensive planner with a great defensive planner in Wright.
I truly believe if AD and Wright were still together NW would of been a favorite to win this year and they beat Ashland last year. Offensively AD just knew how to scheme around the team and against teams. I wasn't an AD fan when he was first hired and he proved me wrong. Look at what he's doing with ACU, he knows football.
Ad turned out to be a great coach and is proving himself so far in FCS. He did not have the best playoff resume in his first two year, although he did get 4 PO wins. If the small dropoff that we have had continues into next year and even the year after that, it may be more of an issue for me.
Ad turned out to be a great coach and is proving himself so far in FCS. He did not have the best playoff resume in his first two year, although he did get 4 PO wins. If the small dropoff that we have had continues into next year and even the year after that, it may be more of an issue for me.
I think silo schedule is kind of a meh point as well. (However, I do want OOC, I just don't think it's why the MIAA has underperformed for 2 years in playoffs)
2012 the OOC looked like this
NW Mo played 6-5 EC OK
Mo So played 2-9 SD Tech
Mo West played 2-9 Wm Jewell
FHSU played 2-9 SD Tech
Lindenwood played 6-5 Glenville
UNK played 2-9 SD Tech
Cent Mo, Pitt St., Wash, ESU, UCO, NE OK did not play OOC
Mo West and NW Mo went to the playoffs, Mo West went 2-1 and NW Mo went 1-1
2013 OOC looked like this
C Mo played 7-4 Truman
NW Mo played 9-3 Saginaw
MO So played 5-4 SD Tech & 4-7 Lindenwood-Belle
Mo West played 6-5 Mo S&T
Pitt St. played 6-5 Abilene & 2-9 NW OK
Wash played 4-6 Fort Valley
FHSU played 3-8 Wm Jewell & 5-4 SD Tech
Linden played 6-5 Mo S&T
UNK played 7-5 Cent Ark & 5-4 SD Tech
NE OK played 7-3 E NM
ESU and UCO did not play OOC
NW Mo and ESU made the playoffs, NW Mo was the champ, ESU went 0-1
there is only 1 game in those two years (NW Mo vs Saginaw) that was much of a game for prepping for playoffs. I guess that would give some credence that NW Mo won that year having played Saginaw but NW Mo has also won a title in only silo schedule as well. Plus it was the very first game of 2013, how much could that have translated at the end of the season to prepping for a playoff run? 2013 NW Mo was just hands down better than everybody I don't think playing Saginaw (instead of Lindenwood who they didn't play in conference) first was why they won a title.
What was that Assembly of God team name? Couldn't believe we scheduled them. Truly embarrassing.
In 2001-02, Pitt State played SWAGU, Langston and Bacone x2. Those two years were the only ones where the non-cons were truly embarrassing.
The 2011 Billy Jewell and 2013 NWOSU were both last minute additions because of UNO and Truman leaving, so I think they deserve a pass there.
A few of the non-cons we scheduled were teams that we thought were going to be more competitive than they were: Chadron State was not good in 2009-10, but they were pretty decent in 2008 and were coming off a stretch where we thought we were scheduling a high-caliber in-region non-con. I think we expected UCO to be better from 2008-2010 when we scheduled them, too. Even East Central had been improving leading up to the two years we played them and then they regressed beginning at that point, if I remember correctly.
But I will agree the 2001-02 non-con schedules were indefensible. Kinda strange that we went that route, considering that from 1997-2000, we went 6-0 in non-cons playing Missouri State, North Alabama (x2), Texas A&M Commerce (x2) and Mesa State. A reasonable case can be made that the decision to go with pansies in 01-02 was a turning point for the Pitt State football program and we've really just had a few flashes in the pan since then.
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