Off week prior to the NIU game.

niucob86 · Post by **niucob86** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:49 am

Good or bad to be off on September 18th?

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:17 am

I always like an off-week before a big game...last time we played @NIU the Huskies had the off-week. Plus, its actually a short week anyway, with the game on Friday. One thing is that two years ago the Falcons weren't very healthy, and last year the Huskies weren't very healthy. With this game early in the year, we might get a healthy test.

factman · Post by **factman** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:28 am

Coach Brandon's mind is devious enough with one week of practice, but give him two, and hold on!!!!!
All kidding aside,it give you time to heal up all the bumps and bruises, and the extra preparation time is a GOOD thing!

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 11:30 am

On the topic of preparation, I'm sure Coach Brandon will have a few wrinkles for the NIU game that we won't or haven't see(n) in the first two weeks. I don't think we ran the whole offens in Omar's first start at OU (in the interest of keeping things a simple as posssible) and we won't have to trot out much against SEMO.

I don't think we'll struggle so badly with the atmosphere in Dekalb this year. In 2002, the team hadn't dealt with that type of bedlam all season and most of the prior year (road game at Marshall). This year's team benefits from all of the exposure we got last year and the season opening trip to OU.

In the interest of actually addressing the topic, I think the week of will benefit us greatly.

FalconKing · Post by **FalconKing** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:06 pm

Last year we had a week off in prep for the Miami game after NIU. We looked stale as hell in that game. However, we didn't seem to look any better on short rest playing Miami in the MACC after facing Toledo only five days earlier. That being said, it was probably the team we played against that caused the problems.

I think it will be good. We'll have a couple games under our belts and we'll be able to do some fine tuning with Omar and company.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 11:17 pm

FalconKing wrote:Last year we had a week off in prep for the Miami game after NIU. We looked stale as hell in that game. However, we didn't seem to look any better on short rest playing Miami in the MACC after facing Toledo only five days earlier. That being said, it was probably the team we played against that caused the problems.

I think it will be good. We'll have a couple games under our belts and we'll be able to do some fine tuning with Omar and company.

Falconking,

We hit Miami at the worst possible times last yr...we get a HUGE, emotional win over NIU and then lay an egg at Oxford. Then, another HUGE, emotional win over the rockettes and had to turn around and play Miami that quickly? And we all know how friggin good Miami was last yr!

I like the week off this year...this is gonna be a monsterous game with NIU. They played well at Maryland and certainly have this date circled on their calender.

I think this BG team can beat anyone, anywhere the rest of the way. I'm confident we can play well on the road.

GO FALCONS!!

NY-BG-FAN · Post by **NY-BG-FAN** » Tue Sep 07, 2004 1:48 am

Good to have a bye week and here is why.....

1. If Newson's injury is anything...he has a full two weeks to rest....don't need him to win on Saturday, then he gets a week off before Northern.

2. With Toledo not looking too good against UMINN, this makes the NIU game look that much bigger. NIU played tough against a good Maryland team, and although I understand that Minnesota's O is pretty good, if Toledo's D plays that poorly all year, they will have 2 conference losses by the time they see us. Maybe they'll get it together...

But if the NIU game wasn't big enough before, Toledo makes it look like it may be the game to determine everything.....