WIU at Southern Illinois (11/19/2016)

WIU02
Posts: 16
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2014 5:33 pm

Watched most of the game live (have a 5 and 2 year old), just revisited on my Roku some of what I thought I noticed real time. The strength of the 2016 team was clearly the offense. I'm sure most of you noticed FAR too many QB draws that were planned...they were not options. On the 3rd and 7 from the SIU 21yd line with just over 14 minutes in the 4th qtr, Sean runs a planned draw for no gain, and also no change in hash for the fg attempt. Knuffman converted the fg which is why this will go unnoticed by many. It was a complacent, far too conservative call, that when you have a struggling defense will only contribute to a seemingly innate ability to close games defensively.

The defense needs to improve, no doubt. However, in a post-season deciding game with an entire quarter to play and marginal lead, you ride your horses. You bring in all the weapons that got you this far, and execute what works best for your team. Watch the New England Patriots play football as a reference.

I'm disappointed by how this season ended, and feel that the teams best were not utilized throughout the most critical plays. Nothing but best wishes for Lance, Joey, and all Seniors who played their last game as a Leatherneck.
Leatherneck177
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Nov 22, 2015 7:02 pm

Leatherneck57 wrote:
Leatherneck177 wrote:
Leatherneck57 wrote:

Well said WIU11DC! I bleed purple and will not give up on our program, coaches or players. Personal experience is the best way to learn.


We are only losing 3 starters on offense and 0 on defense. This is a good problem to have!

We can look forward to next year that our program is on course and will only get stronger. We have some really good early commits for the 2017 class and many more to follow, red shirts that will have 4 years of eligibility and some recent FBS transfers that many of you aren't aware of that will be on campus in January. Our program is in good hands with Coach Fisher and his staff.

All though we're disappointed try and stay positive. You'll be glad you did!

LN57
Appreciate the positivity, I think we all need it. Reality is, the defense and special teams were flawed. Hopefully those areas will be addressed. This team might have won a game with the right matchup, but in reality was not poised for a deep run, the last three weeks showed that.

Really appreciate the way you and other alumni have embraced and supported the program through the coaching transition. No question a strong alumni base is the back bone of the program.

Agree what you say but we can't say "all special teams were flawed". Only field goals and xtra points had issues which kept points off the board. Definitely need to shore that up but we have an FBS transfer kicker coming in January that will take care of that issue.

On the bright side we never allowed a kickoff return for a TD or past the 50 yard line. Our kicker Luke Otto led the MVFC and was one of the tops in the country in touchbacks with over 30 plus. Punt team never allowed a TD return and only had one punt blocked. So all in all I think we improved in that category.

We won't lose any recruits because we didn't make the playoffs...we still had a winning record and had some nice wins!

Here is what a recruit had to say about his offer from WIU. He's a runningback from Minnesota...


Western Illinois Leathernecks give Isaiah Cherrier his first D1 offer

ERIC OSLUND
08/22/2016

Minnetrista, Minn. - Mound-Westonka 2017 athlete Isaiah Cherrier has been waiting awhile for his first Division I offer, but Western Illinois finally broke the ice Sunday night.

Sunday night, Mound-Westonka athlete Isaiah Cherrier received what he has been waiting years for, a Division I offer.
Earlier in the day Western Illinois, a school that he has been communicating with since they saw him perform at the Northwestern Chicagoland Showcase last spring, sent him a text saying they wanted to touch base. Cherrier assumed that coaches were just checking in with him and seeing how things have been going, but then they told him they were going to offer him a full athletic scholarship.

The offer was as a running back, which excited Cherrier even more because that is his primary position. He also plays on the defensive side of the ball and as a special teams return man, but running back is where he loves to play.
The coaches said that they really like his size for the position - 6-0, 205 pounds - and the physicality he plays with, which is something he has always tried to focus on.
“If I have the chance to hit somebody I’m definitely going to,” he explained. “I’m not going to run out of bounce or anything like that. Definitely like hitting, I play defense, so I kind of have a defensive mind when it comes to playing running back.”
The 2017 athlete had the chance to visit Western Illinois about a month ago and he really enjoyed his time there. When high school players visit campuses the thing that usually stands out the most is the facilities and stadiums, but not in this scenario. Cherrier was blown away by the people he got to meet during the visit.
He was also impressed by how hard everyone on the team works, from the coaches all the way down to the youngest players on the team.
“They’re going to go out and work hard. The coaching staff works hard,” he said. “Everyone was super nice to me. They kind of rolled out the red carpet and I got to talk to every single coach on the staff.
“I love (the coaches), every single one of them. I’ve met all of them. They all made it a point to meet me and make a personal connection with me, so I definitely appreciated that.



Good looking player...
You're right about ST, just frustrations from yesterday coming out.
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sealhall74
Posts: 5770
Joined: Fri Apr 18, 2014 1:18 pm
Location: Wherever, Windblows

I am not buying the glass half full optimism regarding not losing any defensive players as being a "good" problem to have. My armchair qb instincts are telling me that a coach cannot coach speed. Either a kid comes to campus with it or he does not.
Embrace the pace of the race.
wiu712
Posts: 6864
Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2014 2:05 pm

Our season peaked with the emotional, last-minute victory over South Dakota. Looks like the best that we can hope for now is to have the USD game be the last one of the season.
LocalYokelFan
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:23 am

Can we just call a spade a spade? This season was a step in the wrong direction. The coaching staff and athletics administration said we were reloading, not rebuilding. LN57 and others have overhyped this staff's abilities for months. Coach Fish now has to admit that things need to be rebuilt. The coaching staff needs to get better. The personal needs to get better. The culture and strategy of Leatherneck football needs to get better. Maybe that all will happen, and it starts with saying they fell far short of expectations this year, they know areas where they need to improve, and have a plan to do so. Humble pie, Coach Fish and Co. (talking to you LN57), have a slice.
WIU11DC
Posts: 54
Joined: Sun Oct 09, 2016 7:33 am

This recruiting season will determine if we have a rebuilding ahead or reloading. Our young DBs will have some growing pains. I hope our coachs go after an upperclassman from the FBS level for DBs. That will help our young DBs. We have some very talented youngsters that will be better next season. I'm worried but not screaming.. yet. I hope Coaches long career gets us some great recruits like it seems like he may be able to get us.

Side note: WIU plays American University Tuesday in Basketball. Is WIU any good this year? If we are rebuilding I don't want to take a day off work then. Also, I'll probably be traveling to CC in August or September next season. Also, is there any way we or our coaching staff can get that D3 team off our schedule next season? Pick up a bad pioneer team or something.
vatusay
Posts: 961
Joined: Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:14 pm

I wouldn't waste your time on the basketball team.
#ALLIN #YOLO
Leatherneck57
Posts: 457
Joined: Thu Dec 17, 2015 9:41 am

LocalYokelFan wrote:Can we just call a spade a spade? This season was a step in the wrong direction. The coaching staff and athletics administration said we were reloading, not rebuilding. LN57 and others have overhyped this staff's abilities for months. Coach Fish now has to admit that things need to be rebuilt. The coaching staff needs to get better. The personal needs to get better. The culture and strategy of Leatherneck football needs to get better. Maybe that all will happen, and it starts with saying they fell far short of expectations this year, they know areas where they need to improve, and have a plan to do so. Humble pie, Coach Fish and Co. (talking to you LN57), have a slice.
LocalYokalFan...

I'm in Macomb a lot if you would like to meet face to face...or are you a man that hides behind his words??? It's fans like you we don't need...you have no understanding what it takes to take over a program.

You're not worth the discussion!!

LN57
Proud Leatherneck!
LocalYokelFan
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2014 9:23 am

That's so arrogantly stated it's sickening. This program needs all the support it can get, even from its critics! And you're right, I don't know what it takes to develop a football program, but my point is I'm not sure you do either. It's your arrogance that really makes me pause in ever wanting to take the time to meet you. We'll see though, maybe it will be therapeutic and healing. A kumbiya moment. Take care man, we're talking football on a fan board. #perspective I hope the best for you and your family, particularly over this holiday season.
South Side Lnecks
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2015 6:17 pm

This is the internet and we can't hear words, tones, or expressions, so I type and say this calmly and with respect and appreciation for every member of the WIU football program and their families.

Sadly after a 5-1 start, the wheels fell off for the Leathernecks: 3 losses in a row and a 1-4 finish to end the season at 6-5. Ya gotta win that home game against Illinois State, ya jut gotta win that game. Then the loss at SIU doesn't matter if you're 7-4 with a win over FBS Northern Illinois.

Earlier this season the ESPN 3 announcers during the WIU at SDSU game mentioned that QB Trenton Norvell was a pre-season all MVFC selection. The ESPN 3 announcers were surprised that Trenton Norvell was not in the game at SDSU earlier when WIU was getting blown out and after QB Sean McGuire threw two pick sixes in Q3. It's not often ya see a pre-season all conference selection not start a single game his senior year at any level of football - college or high school.

The facts are Trenton Norvell started 33 straight games before an unfortunate emergency appendectomy sidelined the end of his 2015 season. Mr. Norvell was a FBS transfer from FBS Cincinnati. The guy was and still is good. Yes we all know that Sean McGuire has more foot speed than Trenton Norvell, but if foot speed was the only measuring stick, then 39 year old former Chicago Bears QB Cade McNown (McNown's long gone out of the NFL - since 2002) would be under center in New England instead of 39 year old Tom Brady.

Mr. Sean McGuire earned the starting job in 2016 and he did a great job at the end of last season in 2015 by leading WIU to the playoffs in crunch time and a playoff win. Sean McGuire will get better & better with experience: but there were far too many times this 2016 season where he's trying to force the ball into double and triple coverage, and trying to thread the needle in a giant haystack of opposing DB's, and the ball gets picked off. Mr. McGuire will learn he can't force some throws like he did this season, and of course all of us want to see him successfully lead the team to the playoffs next year in 2017. Sean McGuire is young and he will get better - hopefully All American better. A team captain as a Sophomore says alot redshirt or not. Wish him well on the field and in the classroom.

The loss at SIU and losing 4 out of the last 5 games including 3 in a row to end the season was a team collapse and coaching collapse, and in no way, shape, or form, the fault of 1 player or 1 coach. Not pointing fingers at any one person, player, or coach, at all.


Thank You Mr. Trenton Norvell for being there for your teammates and supporting Mr. Sean McGuire and your teammates. Trenton Norvell's class, poise, and leadership over the years will be missed by the WIU program.

Thank You Lance Lenoir, Joey Borsellino, and all the Seniors for your efforts.

Best of luck, best of health, and well wishes for many decades to come to all the Seniors in all their future endeavors whether on or off the football field. Good Luck and God Bless!

Important side note here: Also not gonna throw HC Charlie Fisher under the bus. The former WIU Director of Student Services (he was fired) placed the program in a very tough spot last year with the handling of former HC Bob Neilsen's contract. Charlie Fisher and his staff now at least have a full off season to work with and recruit. The IHSA Football playoffs are over 6 days from now. Looking forward to what Mr. Charlie Fisher and his staff can do over an entire full off season to build the program for 2017. WIU is mending and repairing fences and burned bridges caused by certain individuals in the past. Nice to see, hear, and read that.

It didn't happen this year. Maybe next year. "PLAYOFFS" Gonna be hearing alot of chirping from the SIU former players and alumni at a local gym. The Illinois State guys won't be chirping as bad even though ISU is in and WIU is out. SIU is always a tough place to play. Congrats to the Salukis on the win. Time to comment in the recruiting topic and that's gonna be an interesting one. :shock:
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