Hustle Belt - 2019 MAC Football Week 1 UpdatesMAC Football, MAC Basketball, MAC Recruiting, MAC Baseball and all of the other #MACtion hijinks in between - hustlebeltblog@gmail.comhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50387/hustle-fav.png2019-09-05T07:00:00-04:00http://www.hustlebelt.com/rss/stream/205979352019-09-05T07:00:00-04:002019-09-05T07:00:00-04:00Five Things Learned: Eastern Michigan Eagles at Coastal Carolina Chanticleers
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<figcaption>No Rest for the Eagles as they have 7 road games this year. | Kenneth Bailey</figcaption>
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<p>What Did We Learn?</p> <p id="yqBs6B">Writing Five Things Learned after the first game can be extremely difficult. It’s nice to put numbers up but until there are a couple more games, those numbers don’t have any context. We really do not know how good the opponent is or for that matter how good the team we are rooting for is. That being said...</p>
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<ol><li id="HZyzKG">
<strong> Eastern Michigan needs a healthy </strong><span><strong>Mike Glass III</strong></span><strong>.</strong>
</li></ol>
<p id="LIKwNt">We saw it last year: <span>Mike Glass III</span> gave an extra wrinkle to the offense. He went 20 for 22 on passing with no interceptions an route to a victory on Saturday. He also got a rushing touchdown. If he finds his receivers covered, he can tuck it and run for a few yards. But in order to do that, he needs to stay healthy.</p>
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<p id="3DNeej"><strong>2. Same goes for </strong><span><strong>Shaq Vann</strong></span><strong>.</strong></p>
<p id="LdEJrr"><span>Shaq Vann</span> ran for 84 net yards on Saturday. He is probably capable of running for more, if he stays healthy. He's a steady presence for the Eagles, and a young offense will really need him to step up.</p>
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<p id="0gwoJz"><strong>3. You Can Lose an NFL Caliber player, but it will affect you.</strong></p>
<p id="NJyfJp">Eastern Michigan only recorded one sack on Saturday, which isn't a surprise considering the loss of Maxx Crosby. That said, their defense needs to be more disruptive, especially considering their schedule only gets tougher from here.</p>
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<p id="d1YccR"><strong>4. It’s a Long Season.</strong></p>
<p id="Aoah5k">I don’t see any need to get optimistic yet, even with a lovely win against CCU despite adversity. The Eagles showed a lot of good, but a lot can happen between now and the end of the season.</p>
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<p id="f3LfP1"><strong>5. The first of seven road games is in the books.</strong></p>
<p id="GHtChi">Eastern Michigan are going to have to be road warriors again throughout the season, as they play most of their games on the road. In that sense, it's a relief to have the first road game be a win. Hopefully, the constant travel doesn't take a toll.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/9/5/20848490/five-things-learned-eastern-michigan-eagles-at-coastal-carolina-chanticleersKenneth Bailey2019-09-02T17:00:00-04:002019-09-02T17:00:00-04:002019 MAC Football Power Rankings: Week 1
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Frisco Bowl-Ohio vs San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/QNPqCidp3HnexTqquao3FJpIKHo=/0x0:4317x2878/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65158044/usa_today_11876995.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The best and brightest at Hustle Belt gathered to rank all 12 MAC teams.</p> <p id="ghvNrq">It’s the start of a new season, and there was plenty of action to follow for the MAC, as half the league played tune-up games against FCS squads, while others bit he Power Five bullet early and got some film down. </p>
<p id="B1NN8A">While it’s only Week 1, the people want to know where we at Hustle Belt have everyone ranked. In case you’re new, this is how it works: we have the staff fill out a sheet for teams from 1-12, then take the average rankings and align them where they belong. We keep track of the highest votes, lowest votes and average votes on a weekly basis and update them as events change. </p>
<p id="zyVYTl">Most every member of the staff has a vote, though we don’t release the ballots on their own. (If this is something you want to see changed, just let us know!) This year, we have two new voters in the proceedings to replace outgoing writers in Zach vanNieuwehnzie and Keith Gregorski. </p>
<p id="4qb4HY">Without further ado: the votes. </p>
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<h2 id="IyL3kt">12. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/akron-zips">Akron Zips</a> (open: 12)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="X7zHTR">Average vote: 11.625</li>
<li id="JPJJZX">Highest vote: 10 (one vote)</li>
<li id="IKEAgN">Lowest vote: 12 (six votes)</li>
</ul>
<p id="XDrq8S">It was always going to be a tough season for the Zips, but one can’t help but feel a bit down about their performance against Illinois, especially given Akron was upsetting Top 25 teams this time last season. Akron looked every bit of the rebuilding squad in a dismantling at the hands of Illinois in Week 1 action. They should be okay as the season develops, but for now, they sit at the bottom.</p>
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<h2 id="yT5UC5">11. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/kent-st-golden-flashes">Kent State Golden Flashes</a> (open: 11)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="tEaytj">Average vote: 11</li>
<li id="kHTcko">Highest vote: 9 (one)</li>
<li id="0AXCnJ">Lowest vote: 11 (five)</li>
</ul>
<p id="f3f5vI">Kent State, like Akron, is in the middle of a rebuild and playing a Power Five team on the road to kick off the season. They were a tad more competitive than the Zips in their matchup, but they certainly weren’t perfect, losing by 23 points to Arizona State thanks in part to an abysmal offensive output. </p>
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<h2 id="v0iyjj">10. Bowling Green State Falcons (open: 10)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="n88pkw">Average vote: 9.625</li>
<li id="XqPBop">Highest vote: 8 (one)</li>
<li id="1Af1xE">Lowest vote: 11 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="nVfelc">BGSU thoroughly outclassed Morgan State in every way in their home opener, a welcome change from years past, where the Falcons struggled to put away FCS opponents. <span>Darius Wade</span>’s stellar performance at quarterback really helped put it away early, and there are a lot of encouraging signs. </p>
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<h2 id="DGXhiz">9. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/central-michigan-chippewas">Central Michigan Chippewas</a> (open: 9)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="xibdby">Average vote: 9.5 </li>
<li id="DFQEqu">Highest vote: 9 (five)</li>
<li id="wSaQwO">Lowest vote: 11 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="MBwYLN">CMU impressed against Albany after a bit of a shaky start, accumulating 528 total yards on offense while giving up only 244. The Chips certainly look revamped and inspired, but it’s still too early to declare anything. Games against Wisconsin and Akron upcoming should help clear the picture.</p>
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<h2 id="DDl9iD">8. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/ball-st-cardinals">Ball State Cardinals</a> (open: 8)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="GuweLC">Average vote: 7.625</li>
<li id="gFv7ZT">Highest vote: 6 (one)</li>
<li id="2MxNQL">Lowest vote: 8 (six)</li>
</ul>
<p id="vQm4gv">The Cards put the Hoosiers on upset alert multiple times in their neutral site matchup at Lucas Oil Stadium, but just couldn’t seal the deal at the end. There was a lot of encouraging things to take away from their performance, but there’s still a few things to fix up, especially on the defensive side of the ball. </p>
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<h2 id="nA0HJx">7. <a href="https://www.ubbullrun.com/">Buffalo Bulls</a> (open: 7)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="TMgQAH">Average vote: 6</li>
<li id="2u6VCW">Highest vote: 5 (three)</li>
<li id="0BuDlH">Lowest vote: 8 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="tnI4yg">Buffalo always seems to fall victim to the average vote drop, as they once again find themselves underraked. The Bulls had plenty of questions heading into their match against Robert Morris, but seem to have found the answers to a good majority of it. QB <span>Matt Myers</span> gave the coaching staff a good reason for them putting their faith in him, while the defense had a day beating up on the Colonials. It’s only Week 1, but there was a lot of good for Buffalo.</p>
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<h2 id="slDjfE">6. Miami University RedHawks (open: 6)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="zLLIc0">Average vote: 5.875</li>
<li id="puOamG">Highest vote: 4 (two)</li>
<li id="y3BdBH">Lowest vote: 7 (four)</li>
</ul>
<p id="cYGV9r">It isn’t often we put a team with a 24-point loss in the top half of the rankings, but after the battle that the RedHawks gave Iowa on the road, how could you not be optimistic about the direction that Miami is heading in? Freshman QB <span>Brett Gabbert</span> looked like a seasoned veteran at the controls in his first start in a hostile environment, while the rest of the Miami squad held up admirably. It’s a make-or-break season in Oxford, and it’s a strong start so far.</p>
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<h2 id="AgV8Zz">5. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/eastern-michigan-eagles">Eastern Michigan Eagles</a> (open: 5)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="kDqnzV">Average vote: 5</li>
<li id="6qE1M4">Highest vote: 2 (two)</li>
<li id="1hv5ep">Lowest vote: 10 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="W08iV3">EMU just has the strangest luck with one-score games. It’s almost like they can’t help but to make things rough for their fans, but this time around, it was for the positive. The Eagles, on the back of <span>Mike Glass III</span>’s record-breaking performance, came back from a double-digit deficit (and overcame a double-digit rally) to take a road win against Coastal Carolina. The road gets a bit rougher, as Kentucky and Illinois are next on the list in the Eagles’ barnstorming start to the 2019 season.</p>
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<h2 id="A9szaj">4. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/northern-illinois-huskies">Northern Illinois Huskies</a> (open: 4)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="2oOsCc">Average vote: 4.875</li>
<li id="UspjCr">Highest vote: 3 (two)</li>
<li id="68kx1l">Lowest vote: 7 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="3wRCcw">NIU struggled in their win against Illinois State, so this could be more of a projection than an indication of last week’s results. That said, the offense looks rejuvenated with <span>Ross Bowers</span> at the controls and the defense held firm in clutch situations, including the <span>Jalen McKie</span> pick-six to seal the deal. We largely know what we’ re getting with NIU at this point. It’s just a matter of time before they show it. </p>
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<h2 id="J011KV">3. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/western-michigan-broncos">Western Michigan Broncos</a> (open: 3)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="uWttrk">Average vote: 3</li>
<li id="vduh71">Highest vote: 2 (three)</li>
<li id="RnF5G9">Lowest vote: 4 (three)</li>
</ul>
<p id="O0KafS">If there was any one team from the MAC that looked dominant as any, it was WMU. They might only be ranked #3 in our Power Rankings, but they ran away with a win early against Monmouth and never let off the gas, leading 21-0 in the first quarter at one point. <span>Jon Wassink</span> threw for as many touchdowns as incompletions (five) and wasn’t intercepted once, while Gio Ricci (two touchdowns) looked every part of the receiving tight end who developed over the offseason. <span>D’Wayne Eskridge</span> looked good as a corner too, grabbing eight tackles and a pass defended.</p>
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<h2 id="EP3x3W">2. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/toledo-rockets">Toledo Rockets</a> (open: 2)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="1m2WfG">Average vote: 2.75</li>
<li id="tk5McE">Highest vote: 1 (one)</li>
<li id="TJOZHW">Lowest vote: 5 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="ovdl0u">Toledo will have a few questions to answer on their idle week, as <span>Mitchell Guadagni</span> went down with injury after becoming the victim of a targeting penalty. The Rockets looked really good early, but down the stretch, looked lost and outmatched against a deep Kentucky roster. They should be in good shape for the MAC season, and a week’s rest before their tuneup against Murray State should help the Rockets get back to their potential. </p>
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<h2 id="pcqpjQ">1. Ohio Bobcats (open: 1)</h2>
<ul>
<li id="tWvt2s">Average vote: 1.125</li>
<li id="q92xJK">Highest vote: 1 (seven)</li>
<li id="jTLFs9">Lowest vote: 2 (one)</li>
</ul>
<p id="vqA8I9">In what will likely come as no shock, the Bobcats are the number one team in our opening MAC Power Rankings. Ohio looked dominant in their FCS tune-up against Rhode Island, with <span>Nathan Rourke</span> breezing through to a three-touchdown day and at least three different rushers with 60+ yards in what proved to be a victorious outing. Ohio gets an interesting matchup next week with Pittsburgh and rival Marshall two weeks from now to really show what they’re worth.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/9/2/20844854/hustle-belt-midamerican-conference-football-power-rankings-week-1-2019James H. Jimenez2019-09-01T16:30:00-04:002019-09-01T16:30:00-04:00Five Things Learned: Ohio vs. Rhode Island
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Frisco Bowl-Ohio vs San Diego State" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aSFDWISidwblmBxg75EUEZS9rOM=/0x410:1817x1621/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65153900/usa_today_11876536.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Ohio is gonna be just fine on offense, that's for sure.</p> <p id="sIYIVS">Five things learned by watching Ohio’s 41-20 win over Rhode Island:</p>
<p id="Vum0Ud"><em><strong>Ohio’s offense is gonna be just fine</strong></em></p>
<p id="kMlJHj">This is more confirming what we knew than what we learned, but Ohio’s offense looks like it is going to be fine in 2019 despite key losses.</p>
<p id="jbGjXX">Ohio lost a massive amount of offensive talent to graduation in 2018 from an offense that averaged over 40 points a game including First-Team All-MAC LT <span><strong>Joe Lowery</strong></span>, LG <span><strong>Joe Anderson</strong></span>, RB <span><strong>A.J. Ouellette</strong></span>, and <span><strong>Papi White</strong></span><strong>, </strong> Second-Team All-MAC RG <span><strong>Durrell Wood</strong></span>, and current CFL Hamilton Tiger-Cat RB <span><strong>Maleek Irons</strong></span>.</p>
<p id="tXoNQD">Ohio’s starters scored on all seven drives Saturday, not counting a one-play drive that was a QB kneel to end the first half.</p>
<p id="1L6vGJ">Ohio did not punt once the entire game.</p>
<p id="llRSum">Ohio rolled on offense with 466 total yards. QB <span>Nathan Rourke</span> completed 73% of his passes for two touchdowns and Ohio averaged 7.3 yards per carry on 38 carries.</p>
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<p id="ATqMuu"><em><strong>Ohio’s running backs can play: the question now, which ones will get the carries?</strong></em></p>
<p id="NEAuyP">Coming into the 2019 season, fans wondered which of Ohio’s inexperienced running backs could replace the production after A.J <span>Ouellette</span> and Maleek Irons were lost to graduation. </p>
<p id="yfkCFR">The answer? four. A total of four running backs played, starting with <span>O’Shaan Allison</span>, who averaged 6.3 yards per carry on six carries. <span>Julian Ross</span> ran hard and for 68 yards. De’Montre Tuggle contributed 65 yards and Ja’Vahri Portis 33 yards.</p>
<p id="suE1qL">The question now becomes, who will get the carries? Ohio under head coach Frank Solich likes to employ a two back system, but which two? De’Montre Tuggle was the third back to get carries against Rhode Island but may be in the top two next week. De’Montre made the most of his four carries which included a 55-yard td run during which he showed nice vision and physical tools. Tuggle also had an 84-yard run negated by a holding penalty. </p>
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<p id="HYWHzc"><em><strong>The Defense passed its first test, picking up where it left off last year</strong></em></p>
<p id="fcwttw">Fans wondered if Ohio’s defense would start the 2019 campaign as it had the 2018 season-slowly. In week one of 2018, Ohio’s pass defense surrendered 439 yards passing and several big plays.</p>
<p id="CyOpS8">As it turned out, Ohio’s defense started 2019 much better for several reasons.</p>
<p id="WxabQK">The communications was visibly better among Ohio’s defensive players, resulting in less frequent big plays. The big plays surrendered in the passing game were much more a result of the unbelievable talent of Rhode Island’s wide receiver <span>Aaron Parker</span> than the blown overages and missed assignments that occurred against Howard in game one of the 2018 season.</p>
<p id="c5SsqT">A major area of improvement in week one for Ohio vs. its 2018 performance was its third down conversion percentage. In 2018, Ohio allowed an average of 43.8 percent of third downs to be converted by opposing offenses. </p>
<p id="2hKnYX">Yesterday vs Rhode Island, Ohio’s starting defense only allowed one of nine third-downs to be converted: 11.1 percent. Overall, including the numbers with backup players, Ohio’s defense only allowed 4 of 14 third-down conversions vs Rhode Island, or 28.5 percent, which is a 35 percent improvement over their 2018 average.</p>
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<p id="wfwyjH"><em><strong>Rhode Island’s wide receiver </strong></em><span><em><strong>Aaron Parker</strong></em></span><em><strong> has NFL talent</strong></em></p>
<p id="pfQaCn">Aaron Parker is an NFL talent and showed that on Saturday with 9 catches for 144 yards and a TD. Parker made several catches not typically made by college wide receivers, often in double coverage. Parker also played the game with an awareness not typically seen, such as when he came back to break up a pass which almost certainly would have been a pick-six by Ohio’s <span>Jamal Hudson</span>. </p>
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<p id="U9JaM4"><em><strong>Ohio’s special teams specialists picked up where they left off at the end of 2018</strong></em></p>
<p id="5DG6g2">Ohio’s senior special teams battery of punter/kickoff specialist <span>Michael Farkas</span> and <span>Louie Zervos</span> picked up where it left off in 2018. Although Farkas did not have a punt on the day, he hit some well-placed kickoffs which were a major field position factor and which also helped eliminate the dangerous Rams returner Ahmere Dorsey from getting any big returns (Dorsey had two kickoffs and punt returned for TDs last year).</p>
<p id="XPcsRm">Louie Zervos was 2-2 on FGs, with plenty of leg, and 5-5 on extra points. </p>
<p id="cn45DN">The coverage teams were very strong except for two errors which are correctable. An Ohio player was offsides on a fourth and four which resulted in a first down for Rhode Island. Also, a miscommunication and lack of awareness contributed to a fumbled punt which was recovered by Rhode Island.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/9/1/20843450/ohio-bobcats-rhode-island-rams-football-reaction-analysis-2019Keith Gregorski2019-09-01T15:00:00-04:002019-09-01T15:00:00-04:00Five Things Learned: NIU vs. Illinois State
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<img alt="NFL: Baltimore Ravens at Arizona Cardinals" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UbMM1oZQ1_M-lTnIs7dphYYOU0U=/3x0:3177x2116/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65153608/usa_today_8886134.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Hammock Era started off with a win, but what did we take away from the first 60 minutes of Huskie football?</p> <p id="gdSH5C">The <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/northern-illinois-huskies">Northern Illinois Huskies</a> were able to start off on the right foot, winning their season opener for the first time since 2015. But it was a close game throughout against in-state rival, and FCS squad, Illinois State. </p>
<p id="ErRvpv">Here’s our five biggest takeaways from the game:</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="PWR6tc">
<h3 id="wzmBgk">1. Hammock’s offense wasn’t as run-heavy as we thought it’d be</h3>
<p id="hXgSMC">Most of us thought we’d see a heavy dose of running plays as NIU’s new head coach was a former running back and running backs coach. But, instead, we saw a very balanced attack as quarterback <span>Ross Bowers</span> threw the ball 33 times and the Huskies ran the ball 35 times (which does includes a few scrambles/sacks that Bowers had). </p>
<p id="Ci8GuY">Bowers netted nearly 300 yards in the air and threw for both of NIU’s offensive touchdowns, while the run game struggled some - gaining just 93 yards on 32 attempts (not including the three kneel downs to end the game, which actually gave NIU 90 yards on 35 attempts). </p>
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<h3 id="5Rvhlz">2. Defense was a bit of a mixed bag</h3>
<p id="HLwNuR">Once again the Huskies found themselves in a close battle late. And, once again, it was a huge play on defense that saved them. With just over two minutes to play in a one-possession game, sophomore cornerback <span>Jalen McKie</span> snagged his third career interception and returned it 32-yards for a touchdown. </p>
<p id="YdTUWG">Up front, the Huskies were able to smother an FCS All-<a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/american">American</a>, holding <span>James Robinson</span> to just 16 yards on 13 carries and ISU, as a whole, managed just 51 yards on 28 rushes (1.8 yards per carry).</p>
<p id="d98090">But, while stopping the run was successful, NIU wasn’t able to get much pressure on the quarterback. On Brady Davis’ 40 drop-backs, the Huskies were only able to get one QB Hurry, one sack, and allowed him to scramble for yardage six times. </p>
<p id="C5AoES">The pressure needs to be there if NIU has any chance of upsetting Utah, Nebraska, or Vanderbilt. </p>
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<h3 id="l4tj99">3. Bowers can give NIU a solid passing game</h3>
<p id="kPBEry">Since Chandler Harnish left NIU, most Huskie quarterbacks have relied more on their feet and short check-downs to gain yards rather than using their arm. Bowers could change that this year. </p>
<p id="zym6u4">He was able to complete 60.6% of his passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw one interception on a deep bomb near the end of the first half but, all-in-all, he looked solid in his debut. Especially in the second half. We’ll see if he and his receivers can get into more of a rhythm as the year goes on and, if they do, the Huskies could have a legit passing attack once again.</p>
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<h3 id="Cq0wWe">4. The O-line needs to play better</h3>
<p id="1F8tTZ">The Huskies have been known for having a solid offensive line over the years. However, they looked very porous in this match up...Bowers was sacked twice, including on the Huskies’ first play of the game, and the Redbirds had seven tackles in the backfield. The running game struggled outside of <span>Harbison</span> and Bowers didn’t have a lot of time when he was getting protection.</p>
<p id="czqArX">If the line can’t protect better...it doesn’t bode well for NIU’s upcoming games against teams from the PAC12, B1G, and SEC.</p>
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<h3 id="lJ44vv">5. NIU’s rushing attack looked very average</h3>
<p id="luWTHC">Due to the offensive line’s mediocre play, the Huskies were never able to get anything going on the ground. NIU averaged a mere 2.6 yards per carry against an FCS squad and backup halfbacks <span>Jordan Nettles</span> and <span>Marcus Jones</span> each had just two yards rushing on their two carries. <span>Tre Harbison</span> was able to do most of the damage, finding his way to 99 yards on 23 carries, but it took a long time for him (and the offense in general) to get anything going. </p>
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<p id="cQImRf">The Huskies are back in action next Saturday, September 7, when they travel to Salt Lake City to take on the <a href="https://www.blocku.com/">Utah Utes</a> at 12:00 p.m. CST. You can watch the game on the PAC12 Network. </p>
<p id="gJfc69"></p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/niu-huskies/2019/9/1/20843508/five-things-learned-northern-illinois-huskies-vs-illinois-state-redbirdsDave Drury2019-09-01T13:27:36-04:002019-09-01T13:27:36-04:00Five Things Learned: Akron Zips vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Akron at Illinois" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/N9f7kI3ytK_H5Aje7jwDlEiQOq8=/5x0:4492x2991/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65153302/usa_today_13288039.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Tom Arth and the Akron Zips in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium | Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Zips have concerns to address before the next game day.</p> <p id="n1XcXL">What we learned by watching the Zips in a 42-3 loss to Illinois:</p>
<p id="1GOlXL"><em><strong>Illinois investment in the transfer portal paid immediate dividends:</strong></em></p>
<p id="TCB4F5">While the jury is still out on how much Illinois improved and how much of its success was was due to its opponent’s play, its clear enough that the transfer portal helped Illinois. Michigan transfer QB <span>Brandon Peters</span> accounted for 4 scores combined on the air and ground. USC transfer defensive end <span>Oluwole Betiku Jr.</span> had six tackles and one-and-a-half sacks. Another USC transfer, wide receiver <span>Trevon Sidney</span>, caught a touchdown pass. Washington transfer linebacker <span>Milo Eifler</span> had 2 tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass defensed.</p>
<p id="FHaqjM"><em><strong>Akron needs immediate special teams improvement:</strong></em></p>
<p id="NstC5a">There is nothing more catastrophic to a team’s competitive chances than poor special teams play: it is instant death. </p>
<p id="Mjd0LY">Akron started the game with a short kickoff that gave Illinois the ball in great field position: its own 37 yard line. It is ok to kick short but it has to be high enough to allow no return or minimal return.</p>
<p id="zfE9uM">The major special team issue was punting, where Akron finished with 7 punts for a 30.4 yard average. And when you factor in the Illinois return yards, the average change in field position was 27 yards. Compare this with Illinois, who had 4 punts for a 46.0 yard average and average change in field position of 44 yards. So Illinois changed field position on punts 17 more yards on average than Akron. That is almost two first downs more per drive.</p>
<p id="jq65E6">The low trajectory of the punts is a concern too because those punts cannot be covered before the return catches and starts to return the ball.</p>
<p id="qCRxVA">Akron also missed a 43-yard FG late.</p>
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<p id="ED05t5"><em><strong>Akron’s running game has not improved</strong></em></p>
<p id="Ri0Q9r">Akron averaged 95.3 rushing per contest which was 125th in the FBS (out of 129 teams) and 2.93 yards per rush. Akron rushed for 64 yards against Illinois yesterday for 1.7 yard average on 38 carries. Illinois did make an effort to control the middle of the defense sometimes which took away the interior running but what makes this yard per carry seem worse is that Illinois had this kind of success while playing a good deal of zone defense with no run blitzing.</p>
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<p id="H3YbcP"><em><strong>Akron’s wide receiver </strong></em><span><em><strong>Nate Stewart</strong></em></span><em><strong> is improved</strong></em></p>
<p id="OSJGxO">Nate Stewart was a clear part of the gameplan and he responded with five catches for 79 yards. He is something Akron can build around.</p>
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<p id="Wjbxmq"><strong>Akron’s linebackers are something to build upon</strong></p>
<p id="DUJRuq">LBs Bubba Arslanian and <span>John Lako</span> combined for 19 tackles, a sack, and a pass defensed and had good stretches, like in the second quarter when the defense forced a punt and a missed field goal on back-to-back drives.</p>
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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/9/1/20843345/akron-zips-illinois-fighting-illini-football-game-reaction-analysis-2019Keith Gregorski2019-08-31T21:07:21-04:002019-08-31T21:07:21-04:00Recap: Eagles Fly High Enough in 30-23 win
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<figcaption>The Eagles were able to ride the thermals to escape South Carolina with a win. | Kenneth Bailey</figcaption>
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<p>Eastern Michigan starts the season on a high note with a victory over the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.</p> <p id="p7tea2">The <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/eastern-michigan-eagles">Eastern Michigan Eagles</a> started the season on the road as they hopped on an airbus to travel down to South Carolina to face the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. It was the first meeting between the two teams. There were a few things that Eastern Michigan needed to show and they certainly showed a lot of positives in a hectic 30-23 win over Coastal Carolina. </p>
<p id="Zn35jw">Eastern Michigan Quarterback <span>Mike Glass III</span> was able to complete 20 of 22 passes for 188 yards and three touchdowns. I believe that is the highest completion percentage for an Eagle QB in a game in program history, and he didn’t throw any of those passes to the folks wearing teal. He also managed to find the endzone on the ground to help the EMU offense. The Eastern Michigan running attack was led by <span>Shaq Vann</span> with 108 yards. Mike Glass’ favorite target was <span>Dylan Drummond</span> with 52 yards and two touchdowns.</p>
<p id="oMYnZO">Coastal Carolina Quarterback Fred Payton completed 29 of 43 passes for 304 yards. Four of those attempts found their way to the gentlemen wearing white and green, as Payton took a lot of unnecessary chances. The Chanticleers’ leading rush was CJ Marable with 49 yards. He was also their leading receiver with 84 yards and one of the two passing touchdowns.</p>
<p id="VRlZVM">While the Eagles gave up 304 yards in the air, they were able to hold Coastal Carolina to under 100 yards on the ground. <span>Brody Hoying</span>, <span>Clay Holford</span>, <span>Blake Bogan</span> and <span>Kevin McGill</span> were all able to intercept the ball. The most important of those by <span>Kevin McGill</span> with 38 seconds left in the game as that was the game sealer.</p>
<p id="KmZOD1">The Eagles travel over to Lexington, Kentucky to face the <a href="https://www.aseaofblue.com/">Kentucky Wildcats</a> next weekend in what should be an intriguing game.</p>
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<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6zDOuRgtRZOel0mxjgh0xriHST8=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19156989/eagles2.jpg">
<cite>Kenneth Bailey</cite>
<figcaption>I don’t like to name the quarterback as the player of the game because it happens all to often, but he earned it.</figcaption>
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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/31/20842865/eastern-michigan-eagles-coastal-carolina-chanticleers-football-game-recap-stats-august-31-2019Kenneth Bailey2019-08-31T19:52:25-04:002019-08-31T19:52:25-04:00Recap: Illinois dominates Akron, 42-3
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<img alt="NCAA Football: Akron at Illinois" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4s7ZesnSwOk3hkk6Xww7bFJZX-0=/0x0:4851x3234/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65150893/usa_today_13288032.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Tough start to the Tom Arth era in Akron, as the Zips showed no pep.</p> <p id="FoVXHu">An improved <a href="https://www.thechampaignroom.com/">Illinois Fighting Illini</a> squad dominated the <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/college-football/teams/akron-zips">Akron Zips</a> in all phases of the game, winning 42-3 in Akron head coach Tom Arth’s Zips debut.</p>
<p id="oC4W0U">Illinois’ QB <span>Brandon Peters</span> looked good in his debut, throwing for 163 yards and three scores while adding 36 yards on the ground and another score in the running game.</p>
<p id="v4SyIR">Akron’s kickoff to start the game was short and gave Illinois the ball in great field position, at its 37 yard line. Akron’s defense was unable to stop the run and Illinois scored on its first possession, when RB <span>Reggie Corbin</span> capped-off a 10-play, 63-yard drive with a three-yard TD run.</p>
<p id="vMRBm8">Akron responded with what turned out to be its best drive in the game. Akron used multiple WR looks and backfield motion to drive 50 yards in 11-plays for a 43 yard FG by <span>Jerry Fitschen</span>. </p>
<p id="F13JEz">This was Akron’s best special team’s moment of the day after its punt team could only generate a 30.4 yard average on 7 punts and the FG team missed its other attempt.</p>
<p id="9B6U1H"> Akron’s defense and offense could generate little else in the first half outside of a few series on defense.</p>
<p id="u43kS2">Akron’s defense had back-to-back productive series in the second quarter, including holding Illinois to no score after Akron turned the ball over on its side of the field. LB <span>Bubba Arslanian</span> had a sack and LB <span>John Lako</span> broke up a 3rd-down pass during those series.</p>
<p id="D5Ncy4">Arslanian finished as the leader in tackles with 11.</p>
<p id="cTSjrD">Akron played conservatively on the defense in the first half employing zones with little blitzing. Illinois had plenty of time to throw against an ineffective three or four man rush, and picked Akron’s defense apart through the air on several plays.</p>
<p id="o6gBk6">Akron was unable to consistently run or pass against Illinois after the opening drive. Akron’s QB <span>Kato Nelson</span> wasn’t consistently able to find passing lanes as Illinois was able to get pressure with its defensive line, dropping 7 players in a defensive zone. </p>
<p id="p8GPqQ">Nelson had a fumble and interception in the first half.</p>
<p id="JBUpjc">Akron WR <span>Nate Stewart</span> had a productive day with 5 catches for 79 yards.</p>
<p id="nD6YRy">Illinois blended the run and the pass to score three more times, taking a 28-3 lead into halftime. </p>
<p id="kFXYIv">Illinois’ transfers made a big difference in the game with QB <span>Peters</span> accounting for 4 touchdowns and DE Oluwole Betiku making six tackles and one-and-a-half sacks.</p>
<p id="onwn4r">Illinois slowed the game down in the second half and Akron was unable to move the ball regularly on offense. </p>
<p id="v4WhHq">Akron takes on UAB at noon EST on Sept. 7, with the game to be carried on CBS Sports Network.</p>
https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/31/20842702/akron-zips-illinois-fighting-illini-football-game-recap-final-score-stats-august-31-2019Keith Gregorski2019-08-31T18:29:52-04:002019-08-31T18:29:52-04:00Recap: Ohio rolls Rhode Island, 41-20
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<img alt="COLLEGE FOOTBALL: DEC 19 Frisco Bowl - San Diego State v Ohio" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/_6aZehZoCKkzAiLUoHCxNyJgrL4=/0x0:5184x3456/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/65150601/1074432788.jpg.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Ohio plays well in all three phases to start the season 1-0.</p> <p id="YWnPU2"><strong>SNAPSHOT</strong></p>
<p id="bB3Gqg">Ohio’s first team units turned in a strong effort in all phases against a good “Rhody” squad.</p>
<p id="fXgd5v"><strong>RECAP</strong> </p>
<p id="0kGryh">Ohio’s starting offense scored on seven out of eight drives, with the only non-scoring drive being a one-play QB-kneel at the end of the first-half, winning by a final score of 41-20.</p>
<p id="SsZ4iv">Ohio’s offense mixed the run and the pass well, scoring its first touchdown of the season on a 13-play drive covering 94 yards. QB <span>Nathan Rourke</span> was 6 of 7 for 76 yards on the drive, spreading the ball around to five different receivers. On the day, nine different Ohio players recorded at least one catch.</p>
<p id="jUXVKx">Ohio’s QB Nathan Rourke looked sharp throughout the contest, completing 73% of his passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns.</p>
<p id="cbgaAu">URI kept it a tight game in the first half, led by WR <span>Aaron Parker</span>, who finished the day with 9 receptions for 144 yards and a TD. Parker has NFL-caliber talent and it showed when he made multiple tough catches, several in double coverage.</p>
<p id="VjPt5L">Ohio came out of halftime with a 17-6 lead and extended it to 24-6 on its first possession, a 10-play, 72-yard drive. The drive was capped on a four-yard fade route to TE <span>Ryan Luehrman</span> for a touchdown.</p>
<p id="qzgXRT">URI answered quickly to bring the score to 27-13 after <span>Aaron Parker</span> made a great 34 yard TD catch in double coverage. </p>
<p id="2gCpD2">Ohio went on a 17-0 run in its next three possessions to seal the victory. Following an Ohio FG, Ohio got the ball at URI’s 16 yard line after the Rams punter covered up a bad snap. After a few plays, Ohio scored on a 6-yard run by De’Montre Tuggle-his first carry as a Bobcat. </p>
<p id="LnU0bR">After another URI punt, Ohio scored again on a 55 yard run by Tuggle. Ohio rushed for 278 yards (a 7.3 yards per carry average) with five different ball carriers getting touches. </p>
<p id="yLoXOf">Nathan Rourke led all ball carriers with 10 carries for 75 yards and a score.</p>
<p id="Ysihld">Ohio’s specialists played well. <span>Michael Farkas</span> was able to help keep URI’s explosive return game in check with well-placed kickoffs, limiting URI to 16.3 yards per kickoff return on the day. </p>
<p id="3ipYFB"><span>Louie Zervos</span> was 2-2 on FGs and 5-5 on extra points.</p>
<p id="Qj8Qvj">Ohio’s pass defense played much better than it did in last year’s opener where Howard passed for 439 yards and 2 touchdowns. URI’s Vito Priore did finish with 291 yards passing and 2 TDs but most of that was due to a rare talent in WR Parker combined with yards at the end of the game against the second-team defense.</p>
<p id="70sulZ">Ohio’s <span>Jared Dorsa</span> led the defense with eight tackles, a half-sack, and a QB hurry. Ohio DT <span>Cole Baker</span> had a solid game with 1.5 sacks.</p>
<p id="6FBCZd">Up next, Ohio takes on the Pitt Panthers on September 7th, at 11 am EST. The game will be broadcast on ACCN.</p>
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https://www.hustlebelt.com/2019/8/31/20842575/ohio-bobcats-rhode-island-rams-football-recap-final-score-ststs-aug-31-2019Keith Gregorski