WIU at Illinois (9/8/2018)

Tmelker · Mon Sep 10, 2018 12:09 pm

My thoughts after watching the first two games. I believe this is a good team. The team played better against a better team at Illinois. It was good the see the WR's get involved and see some long strikes to extend the field. I think the first game was more quick passes and less WR because the O-Line still was suspect, but they held their own. What an outstanding first drive, Illinois made an adjustment and it took us some time to figure out how to exploit the adjustment, which I saw midway through the 3rd Q. WIU moved the ball pretty well overall, it was the turnovers which kept this game from being closer. Also, there were times the O-Line footwork was suspect, but they held their own and experience will correct the footwork. I honestly saw more teamwork in the line as they are learning how to see what the Defense is giving them and adjusting takes communication which was occurring at Illinois. Lots of growth going on in the O-line in just a week. I know Montana is playing good football and the next game is not going to be any easier. Yet, I have optimism is if they continue to show the growth between week 1 and week 2 play and eliminate the turnovers they can turn this around. A 0-2 start can be challenging for the Coach staff to keep the players focused on the next game and the opportunity it presents. I have much respect from what I have seen from the Quarterback, he is a quality leader on the field and he is able see what is in front of him every time he comes to line. He seems exceptionally prepared, he may be just pushing a little to much in his senior year and role as a captain in this team. Football has a way of punishing you if you try to do more than your job. Playing from behind sometimes puts you in this situation as you try to make the big play to get the team back in it. Key to this week is to forget the loss and focus on fixing what needs fixing and go get the win against Montana. The past is gone and there is still time to find success.

wiu712 · Mon Sep 10, 2018 6:01 pm

Leathernecks brought down by Big Ten team.

From today's Western Courier:
https://westerncourier.com/41767/sports ... -ten-team/

wiu2013 · Tue Sep 11, 2018 10:32 am

I think this team will be okay after a few more games. McGuire and the wide receivers are adjusting to get on the same page. It appears the receivers are not very tall, so McGuire has to now adjust to smaller receivers. In the past, he could throw it to Acklin who was big receiver. McGuire can no longer just throw it up because a lot of times it looks like the defense is the same or taller than our receivers.

rocki · Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:46 pm

So, I watched the Coach Elliot show last night, but heard no mention of how the guys that got injured are faring. Anyone have any clues? Thanks!

sealhall74 · Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:30 am

rocki wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:46 pm So, I watched the Coach Elliot show last night, but heard no mention of how the guys that got injured are faring. Anyone have any clues? Thanks!

Need to allow some questions to come in from the fandom via tweet or email ahead of the show. If the question re injuries does not get asked or answered, at least we tried. But is hard to cram everything into a half hour show.

rocki · Wed Sep 12, 2018 11:17 am

sealhall74 wrote: Wed Sep 12, 2018 10:30 am
rocki wrote: Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:46 pm So, I watched the Coach Elliot show last night, but heard no mention of how the guys that got injured are faring. Anyone have any clues? Thanks!
Need to allow some questions to come in from the fandom via tweet or email ahead of the show. If the question re injuries does not get asked or answered, at least we tried. But is hard to cram everything into a half hour show.

True. I was more wondering if anyone had heard anything more as to how dinged up they guys are.

meganeck · Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:41 pm

Sorry if I missed it, but do we know what the payout was for playing Illinois. Just saw that Iowa is paying UNI $600,000 for their game this weekend.

wiu712 · Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:42 am

meganeck wrote: Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:41 pm Sorry if I missed it, but do we know what the payout was for playing Illinois ??

The number reported in the press was $425,000. UIUC probably considers that a "bargain" after paying $1.2 million to Kent State the week before.

Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:12 pm

wiu712 wrote: Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:42 am
meganeck wrote: Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:41 pm Sorry if I missed it, but do we know what the payout was for playing Illinois ??
The number reported in the press was $425,000. UIUC probably considers that a "bargain" after paying $1.2 million to Kent State the week before.

That sounds about right. FCS teams usually get somewhere around $300k-$600k. G5 usually get closer to $900k-$1.2M in general. That varies depending on the team though. Usually the higher the team is in "visibility", the more you get for playing them. A Big 10 team is usually going to pay you more than a MAC team, for example.

GV Dad · Tue Sep 18, 2018 11:42 am

ST_Lawson wrote: Fri Sep 14, 2018 12:12 pm
wiu712 wrote: Fri Sep 14, 2018 11:42 am
meganeck wrote: Thu Sep 13, 2018 9:41 pm Sorry if I missed it, but do we know what the payout was for playing Illinois ??
The number reported in the press was $425,000. UIUC probably considers that a "bargain" after paying $1.2 million to Kent State the week before.
That sounds about right. FCS teams usually get somewhere around $300k-$600k. G5 usually get closer to $900k-$1.2M in general. That varies depending on the team though. Usually the higher the team is in "visibility", the more you get for playing them. A Big 10 team is usually going to pay you more than a MAC team, for example.

I would like to see us schedule a Power 5 and 2 easy Ws in our Non Con every year. Get the $$ and recruiting benefit from playing the P5. But playing Montana, Montana State and schools like those really have no benefit to a MVFC team. We don't need them to raise our SOS with the Conf teams we face. Much more beneficial to start every year 2-1 for playoff positioning.