(05-15-2018 02:42 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:12 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  Seriously, though, we need to start having an "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mindset in this program if we want to get out of this wilderness.

Yep, and it starts with UH, Wake Forest and LSU this year.

UH will have a potential #1 pick on their DL and LSU is definitely no pushover. It would be nice to make a little noise this year.

(05-15-2018 02:42 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:12 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  Seriously, though, we need to start having an "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mindset in this program if we want to get out of this wilderness.

Yep, and it starts with UH, Wake Forest and LSU this year.

The first time I heard this "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mantra was from Fresno State. How's that working for them?

We need to be confident, but we don't need to be the pugnacious runt.

UH and LSU are potentially 50 point blowouts. We need to still be in the game in the fourth quarter.

Looking forward to the season.

(05-15-2018 04:48 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:42 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:12 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  Seriously, though, we need to start having an "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mindset in this program if we want to get out of this wilderness.

Yep, and it starts with UH, Wake Forest and LSU this year.

The first time I heard this "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mantra was from Fresno State. How's that working for them?

It actually worked okay for them until they abandoned it.

Quote:We need to be confident, but we don't need to be the pugnacious runt.
UH and LSU are potentially 50 point blowouts. We need to still be in the game in the fourth quarter.

Would you rather be in those games in the 4th quarter and finish 5-8, or get blown out in those games but finish 8-5? I'll take door #2.

(05-15-2018 06:05 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 04:48 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:42 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:12 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  Seriously, though, we need to start having an "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mindset in this program if we want to get out of this wilderness.

Yep, and it starts with UH, Wake Forest and LSU this year.

The first time I heard this "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mantra was from Fresno State. How's that working for them?

It actually worked okay for them until they abandoned it.

Do you mean by OK, that they got invited to a P5 conference, or that they have become a household name?

Either way, when did they abandon it, and what is their current motto? Somebody, somewhere, sometime?

If we are to reclimb the mountain, we need to be smart, not blindly pugnacious.

Quote:We need to be confident, but we don't need to be the pugnacious runt.
UH and LSU are potentially 50 point blowouts. We need to still be in the game in the fourth quarter.

Quote:Would you rather be in those games in the 4th quarter and finish 5-8, or get blown out in those games but finish 8-5? I'll take door #2.

I'd rather be 8-5 than 5-8, but your door #2 sounds like a few of Bailiff's bowl years and Toad's one bowl year.

I guess what I would really prefer is not a choice that was presented to me: I would want to be in every game, avoid embarrassing losses, and post a winning record, every year.

The 2008 team had a couple of 50 (or near 50) point blowouts, and most here generally hold that squad in high regard.

(05-15-2018 06:35 PM)Baconator Wrote:  The 2008 team had a couple of 50 (or near 50) point blowouts, and most here generally hold that squad in high regard.

There were only 2 bad games, in that regard, but with explanations: losing to a really good 12-1 Texas team by 52-10 was understandable; the 63-28 loss to Tulsa was to the winningest Tulsa team (11-3) in that school's history.

(05-15-2018 06:05 PM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 04:48 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:42 PM)westsidewolf1989 Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 02:12 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  Seriously, though, we need to start having an "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mindset in this program if we want to get out of this wilderness.

Yep, and it starts with UH, Wake Forest and LSU this year.

The first time I heard this "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mantra was from Fresno State. How's that working for them?

It actually worked okay for them until they abandoned it.

Quote:We need to be confident, but we don't need to be the pugnacious runt.
UH and LSU are potentially 50 point blowouts. We need to still be in the game in the fourth quarter.

Would you rather be in those games in the 4th quarter and finish 5-8, or get blown out in those games but finish 8-5? I'll take door #2.

Well, count me as a vote for door #1. Staying competitive into the 4th Q against a major opponent, even if we ultimately come up short the first time or two, would IMO build more confidence in the players (and buzz around the program) and serve as a better stepping stone to future progress than simply turning some of our Ls against lightly-regarded opponents into Ws. We've done the latter before and it turns out that no one cares, whereas throwing a scare into a team people actually have heard of and respect would be something not done here in well over a decade and could actually be the first step on the road to somewhere.

I also think the mindset of "let's not overextend ourselves in OOC games and save it for conference games so we can have a better chance at 6 wins and a bowl and 20 extra practices" can actually backfire and lead to underachievement in those conference games. Has this not been the lesson of the last several years?

I do not see why (1) being competitive against P5 schools, and (2) final winning percentage, are inversely correlated. I would think the teams that are competitive against better/P5 competition will generally have better overall records.

(05-16-2018 02:14 PM)Baconator Wrote:  I do not see why (1) being competitive against P5 schools, and (2) final winning percentage, are inversely correlated. I would think the teams that are competitive against better/P5 competition will generally have better overall records.

This

(05-15-2018 02:12 PM)illiniowl Wrote:  

(05-15-2018 10:32 AM)Hambone10 Wrote:  I hope his plan is to try and find a way to win 6 games and get to a bowl. The extra practice and 'good feelings' of a bowl, plus the turnaround could be huge going forward. If that means a 50 point blow out or two, then so be it. A others have said though... 'what it takes' to have that sort of turn-around and 50 point blow outs have a very small area of convergence

Please tell me this is not code for treating nonconference games like the preseason. I thought that attitude left town with the last guy.

Seriously, though, we need to start having an "anyone, anytime, anywhere" mindset in this program if we want to get out of this wilderness.

This to me is only acceptable year one... and not to that degree. I would be happy if it happened, but wouldn't expect Bloomgren and last years team to be competitive against top 50 teams in the first 5 games when we are most likely to get them, so if we choose to work on execution and seeing who our competitors are during those games and not pull out all the trick plays etc (unless by some miracle what we're doing is working and we're in the game)

Now having said that, I wouldn't be adverse to running some unbalanced line or dropping a NG or DE into coverage right from the start (I consider that part of somewhat advanced execution).... and would adapt to how the game is going... but I don't think I'd favor an opening onside kick or throwing deep on the first three plays.

I'm not talking about taking games off (you still scheme to the team)... but unless we're a total gadget team... I'd prefer to save the tricks in year one for situations where the probability of it contributing to a win is higher