Leatherneck Nation

Just about 3 months away until the season opener. Interested to hear what everyone's expectations of the 2018 season are? If we can fill some holes on the OL, I like our chances to put up a lot of points. The DL looked great at the Spring game, that should help the LB and DB core.

I'll say 9-2 with an upset of Illinois (Just because it's on my Birthday!). After that, I think we get a bye and a Home game; then at least 2 playoff wins.

I've said it before and I will say it again in the 9 years that I've been following WIU athletics I've never gone into a season thinking we could be 3-8 or 8-3 I'll put us somewhere in the middle with 6-5.

6-5 would be a good over/under. I really think replacing the O Line is the key.

GV Dad wrote: ↑Mon May 28, 2018 6:43 pm 6-5 would be a good over/under. I really think replacing the O Line is the key.

O-Line is always the key. They cant score if they aint got the ball. Last year we were a wishfull successfull run-first team. Never materialized. Fingers crossed this year is different.

I'll go 4-7. Wins vs. MSU, SIU, ISU(b), and one of the Montanas. O-lined struggled vs. the upper tier teams last year and will have some growing pains this year. The wildcard is McGuire -- he's the real deal. A team with a superior QB always has a shot, and there won't be many match-ups where he won't be the better QB. But too much staff and player turnover beyond that for me to be too optimistic.

Sometimes you get addition by subtraction. Hoping this is the case with this staff. Was hoping they would dump the 3-4 though.

Totally agree about McGuire, he is the real deal. And with Acklin gone, it will force the offense to spread the ball around more.

Your 4-7 I hope is too low, as I'm sure you do as well. But, in the MVFC and with the Non Con sched we have, we are a couple key injuries and bad breaks from that being the end result.

So...last year I predicted 5-3 in the conference and 7-4 overall: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1418
We ended up 5-3 in the conference and 8-3 overall (regular season)...a little better than I thought.

I plan on doing my full preseason predictions like I did last year, but here's my quick first-impression predictions...
We go 2-1 OOC, probably losing to Illinois, although possible we beat Illinois and have a let-down against Montana the next week. If we play as well as we did last year, we could win all three, but I think 2-1 is more likely.
vs YSU - we win a close one
@ ILSU - we lose a close one (I think they'll be very much improved this year over last year)
vs NDSU - we lose (might be within 20 if we're lucky...NDSU is going to have probably the best defensive player in the country this year with Jabril Cox)
@ MSU - we win
vs UNI - we win...very close one...maybe OT
@ SIU - we lose a close one (I feel like they're going to step up a bit this year also)
@ USD - we win (they have some solid players, but aren't the same without Streveler)
vs INSU - we win bigly

Like I predicted for last year, 5-3 in conference, 7-4 overall. I know it seems like I'm just punting this, but this is based on what I hear from other fans reporting back about their returning talent and compared with who we'll have back. I'd love to finish better than my prediction though.

I've been a Kansas Jayhawk season ticket holder for 15 years. I've seen my share of upsets from FCS teams. I'm ready to be on the other side of one of those!