Phi Steele Magazine MVFC Ratings

[underdawg]

4. Youngstown State

6. NDSU

15. UNI

21. Illinois State

26. SIU

33. Indiana State

[Houndawg]

I'm sure that Bisonville short-circuited within minutes of the ratings being published and Pamper Nation is convulsing spasmodically as every person in Iowa starts barfing out the names of the dozens of returning All-Americans who make UNI a shoe-in for the NC this year.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

I'm sure that Bisonville short-circuited within minutes of the ratings being published and Pamper Nation is convulsing spasmodically as every person in Iowa starts barfing out the names of the dozens of returning All-Americans who make UNI a shoe-in for the NC this year.



Actually it is pretty calm on BV with this....

[Professor Chaos]

Phil Steele had NDSU ranked 20th in the preseason last year behind UNI (5th) and SIU (17th). Worked out pretty well...

[Squealofthepig]

Ah, Phil Steele, throwing lots of numbers and formulas at stuff and thinking that equates to football.

[ndsubison]

I have no problems whatsoever with these rankings. There is no room for complacency or entitlement. Serious question HounDawg: how is SIU looking this year? Is Dale Lennon on the hot-seat yet? I never know what to think of SIU each year. No doubt you have talent and IMO could beat anybody in the MVFC on a given day so what gives down there in Carbondale??

[underdawg]

As I've said SIU has had some key injuries the last two years. If everyone is healthy we ought to be in all of the games. Also when the Jerry Kills coached teams played it was a only two three teams every year that were talented--now it's at least six. As Hounddawg has posted many times, play in the league his year is going to be like watching sausage made. Some teams who deserve to be in the play-offs will not make it again, I'm afraid.

[skinny_uncle]

I hear they are thinking of changing the league name to Death Valley.

[penguinpower]

I'm sure that Bisonville short-circuited within minutes of the ratings being published and Pamper Nation is convulsing spasmodically as every person in Iowa starts barfing out the names of the dozens of returning All-Americans who make UNI a shoe-in for the NC this year.

I actually laughed out lout when I read this.

[penguinpower]

Everyone needs to relax. These are preseason opinions. You never know how the season will play out. In many cases it only takes 1 snap to change the fate of a football team, especially when it involves the QB position. At the end of the year the wheat will separated from the chaff.

[UNIFanSince1983]

I'm sure that Bisonville short-circuited within minutes of the ratings being published and Pamper Nation is convulsing spasmodically as every person in Iowa starts barfing out the names of the dozens of returning All-Americans who make UNI a shoe-in for the NC this year.

I haven't been on Panther Nation, but we lost A LOT from last year. We also have one of the toughest schedules in the nation. I think 15th is about where we belong.

[Houndawg]

I have no problems whatsoever with these rankings. There is no room for complacency or entitlement. Serious question HounDawg: how is SIU looking this year? Is Dale Lennon on the hot-seat yet? I never know what to think of SIU each year. No doubt you have talent and IMO could beat anybody in the MVFC on a given day so what gives down there in Carbondale??

Serious answer ndsubison: Everybody looks good this time of year.

We've already lost our starting LG for the year, back surgery, and last year's starting QB at the beginning of the season may or may not be available this year.

Good news is that our TE and NT are among the best in FCS and we won't be dropping off at RB despite losing Jewel Hampton to the 49ers; and that the players think that the new Strength coach is difference maker.

Lennon on the hot seat? Well, I'm in no sense an insider regarding Saluki athletics, but imo he needs to perform well this year. Against a very tough schedule that includes six games against a BCS and 5 preseason Top 25 FCS teams, four of them on the road. Win or lose we need to play well against NDSU, YSU, and IlSU at their house. Last year all the bounces went against us, we lost three games where the winning score was made by a receiver hauling in a pass that we tipped - NDSU, YSU, and WIU. In 2010 we lost our entire secondary to injury before the first game, a year which also coincided with a gap in recruits going back to Lennon missing most of a recruiting season due to being a late-in-the-year hire. I think that is part of why Lennon isn't hearing the mob outside his house, plus the fact that he doesn't make a lot of excuses and his kids have been pretty good citizens so far. I think we'll be in all of our games late in the 4th quarter just like last year and will be anywhere from 4-7 to 7-4.

[bluehenbillk]

Preview is being shipped "late next week". Means I should probably get it what, 3-4 days before our opener?

Extremely disappointed consumer.

[SportsLover]

Serious answer ndsubison: Everybody looks good this time of year.

We've already lost our starting LG for the year, back surgery, and last year's starting QB at the beginning of the season may or may not be available this year.

Good news is that our TE and NT are among the best in FCS and we won't be dropping off at RB despite losing Jewel Hampton to the 49ers; and that the players think that the new Strength coach is difference maker.

Lennon on the hot seat? Well, I'm in no sense an insider regarding Saluki athletics, but imo he needs to perform well this year. Against a very tough schedule that includes six games against a BCS and 5 preseason Top 25 FCS teams, four of them on the road. Win or lose we need to play well against NDSU, YSU, and IlSU at their house. Last year all the bounces went against us, we lost three games where the winning score was made by a receiver hauling in a pass that we tipped - NDSU, YSU, and WIU. In 2010 we lost our entire secondary to injury before the first game, a year which also coincided with a gap in recruits going back to Lennon missing most of a recruiting season due to being a late-in-the-year hire. I think that is part of why Lennon isn't hearing the mob outside his house, plus the fact that he doesn't make a lot of excuses and his kids have been pretty good citizens so far. I think we'll be in all of our games late in the 4th quarter just like last year and will be anywhere from 4-7 to 7-4.

Probably closer to 4-7.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Probably closer to 4-7.


Maybe.

Lennon's teams give the Bison a good run every year but IMO, this year the Bison give them a good thumping.

[Houndawg]

Maybe.

Lennon's teams give the Bison a good run every year but IMO, this year the Bison give them a good thumping.

xconfusedx Do you think your offense is that much better this year?

[FargoBison]

xconfusedx Do you think your offense is that much better this year?

It should be if the OL comes together, we have more depth and experience to go along with some new players that are capable of making some dynamic plays.

[Houndawg]

It should be if the OL comes together, we have more depth and experience to go along with some new players that are capable of making some dynamic plays.

Yeah, us too.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

xconfusedx Do you think your offense is that much better this year?


As of now, the potential is there.

The Bison defense might even be better than last year, if they do not sustain any key injuries. The defense will keep us in every game this year. The DL and backfield are going to be very good. The LB corp needs to prove themselves. SIU has not played well in the FD so my 'thumping' remark is not over-the-top.

Could SIU beat the Bison? Sure they could. Any team could beat the Bison if they do not come ready to play. Every team in the Valley is going to give the Bison their best effort this year......good!

I, and most Bison fans, have high expectations for this team in '12. Every game is sold out and it is going to be awesome this year.

[Gil Dobie]

I'm sure that Bisonville short-circuited within minutes of the ratings being published and Pamper Nation is convulsing spasmodically as every person in Iowa starts barfing out the names of the dozens of returning All-Americans who make UNI a shoe-in for the NC this year.

The Bison fanbase has a lot of respect for Youngstown St, no problem with rankings. If this team has a great season, the future looks bright, as there were only 7 Seniors on the team this year.

[ndsubison]

The Bison fanbase has a lot of respect for Youngstown St, no problem with rankings. If this team has a great season, the future looks bright, as there were only 7 Seniors on the team this year.



No doubt that the Bison respect YSU, and not simply because of last year's loss to them. I've followed YSU for some time and I like that program. Always have. I always liked SIU as well until Lennon got down there and I saw "Sioux-Lukis" t-shirts at the Fargodome. What a joke. I don't like UNI one bit and love to beat them. All the other teams in The Valley have my respect as a whole. I also hate all BigSky teams. All of them. LOL

[NoDak 4 Ever]

This is a perfect example of why I can't wait for this damn season to start. I don't buy Youngstown State for 1 reason. Had DJ McNorton NOT self fumbled a sure touchdown to begin the second half that game would have been much different. It put the Bison on their heels in what was probably one of the worst games they played all season. They went soft and got burned because of it.

If DJ houses that TD, the game is 28-17 at that point. YSU only scored another 10 pts the whole game so the final would have been 28-27 Bison (not even counting the FG). YSU would have lost 3 straight at the end of the season on their way to a 5-6 record.

I understand coulda woulda shoulda but in this case we are projecting the future success based on what happened, which doesn't seem like a whole lot to me.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

This is a perfect example of why I can't wait for this damn season to start. I don't buy Youngstown State for 1 reason. Had DJ McNorton NOT self fumbled a sure touchdown to begin the second half that game would have been much different. It put the Bison on their heels in what was probably one of the worst games they played all season. They went soft on the RF Quarterback and got burned because of it.

If DJ houses that TD, the game is 28-17 at that point. YSU only scored another 10 pts the whole game so the final would have been 28-27 Bison (not even counting the FG). YSU would have lost 3 straight at the end of the season on their way to a 5-6 record.

I understand coulda woulda shoulda but in this case we are projecting the future success based on what happened, which doesn't seem like a whole lot to me.


I agree with the DJ fumble comment. All green turf in front of him and he fumbles.....xsmhx

Also Drevlow was out in the middle of the line...no way they run for 200 yds in that game if he was in there. But it is a new year and we get them again in the FD. I think the Bison are ready for alittle payback.

[ndsubison]

This is a perfect example of why I can't wait for this damn season to start. I don't buy Youngstown State for 1 reason. Had DJ McNorton NOT self fumbled a sure touchdown to begin the second half that game would have been much different. It put the Bison on their heels in what was probably one of the worst games they played all season. They went soft and got burned because of it.

If DJ houses that TD, the game is 28-17 at that point. YSU only scored another 10 pts the whole game so the final would have been 28-27 Bison (not even counting the FG). YSU would have lost 3 straight at the end of the season on their way to a 5-6 record.

I understand coulda woulda shoulda but in this case we are projecting the future success based on what happened, which doesn't seem like a whole lot to me.

That is but one example of what could have happened to any team in the MVFC any given weekend. It's a meat grinder conference, no doubt. There are no easy games in The Valley. That's why our teams usually fair well come playoff time (UNI's yearly egg-laying aside) and why I am always lobbying for more of our teams to get into the post-season. That's all...

[Twentysix]

I agree with the DJ fumble comment. All green turf in front of him and he fumbles.....xsmhx

Also Drevlow was out in the middle of the line...no way they run for 200 yds in that game if he was in there. But it is a new year and we get them again in the FD. I think the Bison are ready for alittle payback.

College football is scripted, that play proved it.

[Houndawg]

As of now, the potential is there.

The Bison defense might even be better than last year, if they do not sustain any key injuries. The defense will keep us in every game this year. The DL and backfield are going to be very good. The LB corp needs to prove themselves. SIU has not played well in the FD so my 'thumping' remark is not over-the-top.

Could SIU beat the Bison? Sure they could. Any team could beat the Bison if they do not come ready to play. Every team in the Valley is going to give the Bison their best effort this year......good!

I, and most Bison fans, have high expectations for this team in '12. Every game is sold out and it is going to be awesome this year.

I didn't say you were over the top. I'm just saying that 9 points won't win the game this year; our defense is improved too, and our offense won't be lead by a QB making his first college start. At least I hope it won't be, because that would mean we had a lot of injuries.xprayx

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

1st weeks games in the Valley:


Butler vs WIU
SIU vs EIU
Dayton vs Ill State
UNI vs Wisconsin
Youngstown vs Pitt
Missouri State vs Kansas State
Robert Morris vs NDSU
SDSU vs Kansas
Ind State vs Indiana
South Dakota vs Montana

[penguinpower]

No doubt that the Bison respect YSU, and not simply because of last year's loss to them. I've followed YSU for some time and I like that program. Always have. I always liked SIU as well until Lennon got down there and I saw "Sioux-Lukis" t-shirts at the Fargodome. What a joke. I don't like UNI one bit and love to beat them. All the other teams in The Valley have my respect as a whole. I also hate all BigSky teams. All of them. LOL

It's kind of funny that you say that because Y-town fans have a lot of respect for NDSU. Everyone has talked about how your team plays defense, like the the NC teams of the 1990's. We like your brand of disciplined football and don't have a bunch of "superstars" but and play a physical, lunch pail type, hard nosed smash-mouth brand that the fans in Y-town are accustomed to.......and we also hate the stepsisters at UNI.

[penguinpower]

This is a perfect example of why I can't wait for this damn season to start. I don't buy Youngstown State for 1 reason. Had DJ McNorton NOT self fumbled a sure touchdown to begin the second half that game would have been much different. It put the Bison on their heels in what was probably one of the worst games they played all season. They went soft and got burned because of it.

If DJ houses that TD, the game is 28-17 at that point. YSU only scored another 10 pts the whole game so the final would have been 28-27 Bison (not even counting the FG). YSU would have lost 3 straight at the end of the season on their way to a 5-6 record.

I understand coulda woulda shoulda but in this case we are projecting the future success based on what happened, which doesn't seem like a whole lot to me.


Youngstown's Defense has been dramatically improved since last year. Wait till you see them play.

[isured89]

Anything you ever wanted to know about Illinois State heading into the season:

Social Media Day, two hour show featuring a season outlook, player/coach interviews, Spack press conference:
Media Day (http://www.goredbirds.com/allaccess/?media=321467)

Practice-by-practice Fall Camp blog w/ player interviews from each:
Fall Camp (http://www.goredbirds.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/12-fall-camp.html)

Position-by-position video features and fall scrimmage:
Videos (http://www.goredbirds.com/allaccess/)

Pantagraph Articles:
Fall Scrimmage (http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/illinois-state/colbert-injury-overshadows-isu-scrimmage/article_494ace56-e99d-11e1-bbd1-0019bb2963f4.html)
Running Backs (http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/freshman-coprich-in-rb-picture-for-redbirds/article_5241d330-e7d9-11e1-ae96-0019bb2963f4.html)
Revamped Offensive Line (http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/isu-offensive-line-looks-to-build-experience/article_5952b71c-e1a7-11e1-a0a6-0019bb2963f4.html)
Quarterbacks (http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/college/football/three-in-mix-to-win-job-as-isu-s-no/article_2a658344-e7ec-11e1-9d71-001a4bcf887a.html)

[coover]

Has the Phil Steele Magazine been mailed yet? I ordered mine early in July and still haven't received it!