Gateway 2006

[MoState417]

Sweet, first thread on the football board.

How does everyone think the Gateway is going to go this year?

-I think the bears will be much improved with alot of returning players and a new coach. The new coach will bring the excitment to the team that has been missing. We showed signs last year of being a good team(beating UNI) and we will get over the hump this year. It will take a year or two to get his players in here and win the Gateway but we should take 2nd or 3rd this year and make the playoffs.

[redbirdtim]

After demolishing SIU and UNI, then laying the smack down on the Trees, I pick the Redbirds to win the conference. With All-American, Payton finalist Laurent Robinson leading the receiving corp., Luke Drone under center, and All-American Cameron Siskowicz at LB, we have a lot in the war chest. Then throw in a great gang of RBs including a guy who ran against MSU for 272 and 6 tds...I think we have a great team. We have some good linemen coming in which should help plug some holes.

[ISU87]

Indiana State will go winless again

[MVCPanther]

UNI is in good shape to have a very successful season like last year, riding the momentum of Erik Sanders.

[Fraydog]

We have a I-A caliber recruiting class coming in, I think we'll be very good. Finally we can recruit to our potential knowing the Rust Bucket is nearing it's end...

http://graphics.fansonly.com/photos/schools/silu/non-sport/trads/stadium.jpg

... and something better is coming down the pipe (see my signature.)

[NoPlaceLikeDome]

With Eric Sanders and some quality new transfers, UNI should still be at the top of the Gateway, as is tradition!:D

[DUShock]

I simply wish I could jab back and forth arguing about my alma mater's place in the league within this forum along with all the other Gateway cohorts :mad:

Guess I had better start playing the lottery so I can write the big check!

Go Gateway!

Go Valley!!

Go Shocks!!!!

[NoPlaceLikeDome]

I simply wish I could jab back and forth arguing about my alma mater's place in the league within this forum along with all the other Gateway cohorts :mad:

Guess I had better start playing the lottery so I can write the big check!

Go Gateway!

Go Valley!!

Go Shocks!!!!

I REALLY wish Wichita State would bring back football. I think any step in making the conference more unified in every sport is a great thing.

[Strike00]

I think It will be another crazy year in the Gateway. UNI, YSU, and Illinois State should return very good teams and compete for the title. WKU is always tough and MSU could be good also (don't know what they have returning). SIU Loses Samburskey and a few others, it will be interesting to how they come out. Hopefully Indiana State will show some improvement.

only 181 days till kickoff.;)

Are there still talks about a return of WSU football?

[gosmsgo]

I think I will all cars will be running on hydrogen before the bears make the playoffs.

we make the playoffs in the year 2032.

[UNI MadCat]

I think we'll be good. I think we'll win the title.

But what I'm really looking forward to is welcoming TA back to the Dome, RUDELY, on October 7th. Bear Week just got a whole lot more interesting!

Go Panthers!!

[skinny_uncle]

I think It will be another crazy year in the Gateway. UNI, YSU, and Illinois State should return very good teams and compete for the title. WKU is always tough and MSU could be good also (don't know what they have returning). SIU Loses Samburskey and a few others, it will be interesting to how they come out. Hopefully Indiana State will show some improvement.

only 181 days till kickoff.;)

Are there still talks about a return of WSU football?
SIU lost 2 dozen seniors. That qualifies as more than a few. They have some good players coming in but a lot to replace. I have no clue how they will shake out this year. Most of the starters on Defense graduated along with Samburskay and all their top receivers. They will be an unpredictable wild card next year.

[MSNSaluki]

After demolishing SIU and UNI, then laying the smack down on the Trees, I pick the Redbirds to win the conference. With All-American, Payton finalist Laurent Robinson leading the receiving corp., Luke Drone under center, and All-American Cameron Siskowicz at LB, we have a lot in the war chest. Then throw in a great gang of RBs including a guy who ran against MSU for 272 and 6 tds...I think we have a great team. We have some good linemen coming in which should help plug some holes.


Unless you guys get rid of Red Boots Johnson by next season, you'll go 6-5 and finish in the middle of the pack.
Again.

[Dr. Frankenvalley]

If the Birds' decide to show up against WIU and win at home, they would have been a part of the I-AA playoffs and as dangerous as anybody. I have to believe Red Boots is close to getting his guys to show up for an entire season. The arrow suggests things are still headed upward in Normal.

The 38-3 result over UNI and hanging 61 on the Salukis is a lot closer to how this team should be running than the other way around. I have to believe that they will be in the post-season this time. Maybe not a Gateway title to go along with it, but at least right there for one.

[redbirdtim]

We were 7-4 last year Eischen. Sure Red Boots is a very bad game coach, but we promoted the I-AA asst. coach of the year to D-Coordinator, so that should help some. Also, we absolutely kicked the crap out of the Salukis at your home. I mean, we went down there and destroyed you. We then turned around and beat the I-AA runner-up 38-3. It was another slaughtering. I agree with the Dr., we are much closer to making the playoffs and having a great season. Just hope your team doesn't get the living crap kicked out of them by us again.

[NoPlaceLikeDome]

I know you are all proud of beating UNI (The National Runner-Up) at home, but I think you should all remember that we played that game without our starting quarterback. The only game we won without him was Indiana State (which was a given regaurdless).

I just think you guys should remember that. You probably still would have beaten us, but if you think it would still be by over 30 points you are on crack.

[underdawg2]

I know you are all proud of beating UNI (The National Runner-Up) at home, but I think you should all remember that we played that game without our starting quarterback. The only game we won without him was Indiana State (which was a given regaurdless).

I just think you guys should remember that. You probably still would have beaten us, but if you think it would still be by over 30 points you are on crack.

It will be UNI and SIU duking it out for the title again--book it
:original:

[NoPlaceLikeDome]

It will be UNI and SIU duking it out for the title again--book it
:original:

Yeah, I'll be honest, I'm expecting that myself. And I also expect SIU to get it this year, it seems the home team always wins in a close, hard fought game. I am hoping for a big YSU choke job too!:lol:

UNI fans are really starting to enjoy this rivalry with SIU!

[DannyCooksey]

It will be UNI and SIU duking it out for the title again--book it

With what SIU lost that's a bold statement there. For the first time since 2001, someone other than Sambursky will be under center for you guys. I'd say that's good for 2-3 more losses before the season even starts. I think if you guys win 5-6 games you should consider it quite an accomplishment. Graduation sucks for sure and it really decimated your team for 2006. Outside of Whitlock, what do you have offensively??? I think SIU will be on the outside lookin in at UNI, WKU, IlSU, and maybe YSU also. Kill is a great coach, but I don't think he is Houdini

Unless you guys get rid of Red Boots Johnson by next season, you'll go 6-5 and finish in the middle of the pack.
Again

We go to Western Kentucky and UNI. We have you guys at home (maybe 61-0 this time???) along with YSU, MSU. We are also one of the few teams that has played well in the Dome the last 6-7 years. We have actually won there. With what we have returning, there is a better chance for us to go 9-2 than 6-5, my friend.

[DannyCooksey]

just think you guys should remember that. You probably still would have beaten us, but if you think it would still be by over 30 points you are on crack.

we remember that. But last i checked, Sanders doesn't play corner or safety. Your defense was continually torched in that game by Drone to Robinson, Drone to Jackson, Drone to whoever. If I remmeber correctly we scored about 2 minutes into the game and didn't stop.

Sanders is the best QB in the Gateway, but unless he plans on playing both ways, you might want to figure out a way to stop our offense next time.

UNI was the better overall team last season. You guys obviously proved that with a runner-up finish. The fact that Sanders missed that game wasn't lost on the Redbird team or its fans. We expect a dogfight in Cedar Falls. Sorry to crash the Saluki-Panther exclusive club, but there may be an uninvited guest this Fall.

[Vondadon]

we remember that. But last i checked, Sanders doesn't play corner or safety. Your defense was continually torched in that game by Drone to Robinson, Drone to Jackson, Drone to whoever. If I remmeber correctly we scored about 2 minutes into the game and didn't stop.

Sanders is the best QB in the Gateway, but unless he plans on playing both ways, you might want to figure out a way to stop our offense next time.

UNI was the better overall team last season. You guys obviously proved that with a runner-up finish. The fact that Sanders missed that game wasn't lost on the Redbird team or its fans. We expect a dogfight in Cedar Falls. Sorry to crash the Saluki-Panther exclusive club, but there may be an uninvited guest this Fall.


Hate to break it to you, but UNI's defense was/is fairly weak. The db's get burned every game. The reason UNI wins is because of their high strung offense. It is okay to give up 30 points if your offense puts of 40. It is hard to win games with mediocre defense and a crippled offense however(sanders out). Games tend to get one sided. With sanders back, UNI beat better offensive teams than ISU to end the season. In 2k6, Sanders is back and the game being in the dome. Expect it to be a long frustrating night for the redbird defense.:yes:

[redbirdtim]

So you're saying that without Sanders, your offense sucked so much that they could only put up 3 points without him?

[DannyCooksey]

Hate to break it to you, but UNI's defense was/is fairly weak. The db's get burned every game.

I'd hate to have to say that, too if I were you. The difference is the Redbird defense doesn't suck. Drone to Robinson and Rembert/Rice/Rice will be in your nightmares for a long time.

Expect it to be a long frustrating night for the redbird defense.

our defense will be just fine. we return our secondary plus we get back a healthy Nick Passarelli. We lose Hawk and that will hurt, no question, but we still have Sisko, Campbell, Stewart and other stalwart defenders. I think the elevation of Galen Scott to D-Coord. will improve the defense as well.

I am not saying we are gonna win (though we have had some success in the dome in years past) but we won't let happen to us, what happened in Hancock to you guys last year. Bet that.

[Vondadon]

I'd hate to have to say that, too if I were you. The difference is the Redbird defense doesn't suck. Drone to Robinson and Rembert/Rice/Rice will be in your nightmares for a long time.



our defense will be just fine. we return our secondary plus we get back a healthy Nick Passarelli. We lose Hawk and that will hurt, no question, but we still have Sisko, Campbell, Stewart and other stalwart defenders. I think the elevation of Galen Scott to D-Coord. will improve the defense as well.

I am not saying we are gonna win (though we have had some success in the dome in years past) but we won't let happen to us, what happened in Hancock to you guys last year. Bet that.

And yet your "great" defense lost you 4 games last year and left you out of the playoffs. Expect similar results this year, though, you may get a bid this time around.

[Vondadon]

So you're saying that without Sanders, your offense sucked so much that they could only put up 3 points without him?


He is 70 percent of our offense. Without him, we lose 6 or more games easily last year.

[Panthera Pardus]

I COMPLETELY DISAGREE.

Sanders is NOT the only thing going for our offense. We had a balanced passing/rushing attack. Why do you think Sanders was able to move the ball so easily? Without Sanders, everyone overplayed the run against us, and it worked. That's about the extent I'll agree with "Sanders is 70% of our offense."

This year's Gateway will look pretty different than in year's past. Here are my picks:

1-UNI
2-Illinois State
3-WKU
4-SIU
5-MSU
6-YSU
7-WIU
8-Indiana State :ermm:

[DannyCooksey]

[QUOTE][And yet your "great" defense lost you 4 games last year and left you out of the playoffs. Expect similar results this year, though, you may get a bid this time around.
/QUOTE]

Never claimed the Redbird defense to be "great". I think it's solid/good. Not great. I think it's certainly good enough given the potency of our offense given what we return.

We do lose 2 All-Gateway linemen in Stafford Davis and Mike Stegeman, but "Red Boots" as some like to call him, can Coach O-Line play quite well and I expect the dropoff to be minimal with the replacements.

We did choke badly against WIU, I cannot deny that. I just think things will be different this time around. We return as much or more talent/speed as anyone in the league. Drone cost us the game in Youngstown. Defense wasn't at fault there. WKU, yeah the defense didn't play up to par, I agree.

Should make for a fun year. I think UNI will win the Gateway, but we will be around. As long as we make the playoffs, that's all that matters because we have a team that could be tough to beat in November/December.

[ISUBob]

Indiana State will go winless again

So, here is my question to you. Should ISU have a football team?? I say lets put the $$$ in our so called basketball program. The bottom line is the bottom line. We have no money, and the so called fans of Terre Haute will not support the team, so why keep it alive??

[ISUBob]

Indiana State will go winless again
Also, I have one of those 7 UP bottles.

[BearsCountry]

Bears will be the suprise team in the Gateway this year.