From competetive in the Big Sky? I think we're still about 2 years away. I like Downings recruiting classes but we're still very young. A bit older and more experienced but still very young. I think it's possible to end the season with a .500 season and then compete in '09. If we do go through another coaching change after next season, we might keep struggling.
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How Far Are We?...
- Thread starter Beardown
- Start date
gobears
Active member
Who the crap knows. We supposedly got a great class next year, and I would hope that another year would give our very young team some much needed experiance....but I dont have an overabundance of faith in Dowing, I know his job has been tough, but not 2-22 tough.
I would say that Downing needs to step up big time to convince me that he should stay after his contract expires.
I would be happy with a one year extension for Downing if he meets the following criteria.
1. Beat the following teams
ISU
Sac St.
Any D2 on the schedule
2. Win 2 out of the following 4
WSU
PSU
MSU
NAU
3. Win any one of the following, AND be competitive in another.
Purdue
UM
EWU
UC Davis
Tx. State
4. NO SHUTOUTS!
That would make us 6 and 6. I know it is a tall order, but at this point Downing needs to sell me on the fact that he should keep his job and the program is moving foward, by more than baby steps.
I would say that Downing needs to step up big time to convince me that he should stay after his contract expires.
I would be happy with a one year extension for Downing if he meets the following criteria.
1. Beat the following teams
ISU
Sac St.
Any D2 on the schedule
2. Win 2 out of the following 4
WSU
PSU
MSU
NAU
3. Win any one of the following, AND be competitive in another.
Purdue
UM
EWU
UC Davis
Tx. State
4. NO SHUTOUTS!
That would make us 6 and 6. I know it is a tall order, but at this point Downing needs to sell me on the fact that he should keep his job and the program is moving foward, by more than baby steps.
uncfootballrules
Active member
Man - I hope we are ready to be competitive now.
At this level you cannot anticipate any help from this years recruiting class (except hopefully from transfers and JuCo's). There are none of the unbelievable athletes like the big boys get who are ready to go from day 1. The FCS (or D1AA - whatever you want to call it) athlete needs a chance to adjust to college, learn the system and most importantly get bigger and stronger. It is hard for an 18 year old kid to take on a 22 year old redshirt senior. So the team we saw at the end of last year is about what we have.
I think the Bears should without a doubt improve. Age and experience will go along way. What I see missing and we really need to find are some playmakers, I just don't see them yet on offense or defense. I can't recall last years class off the top of my head, but we need a few of those guys to show some of this spark. I readily admit that I have not yet had a detailed review of the roster, but here are a few of my thoughts.
Offense - from what I recall I think the offensive positions at TE and OL should be OK with some good experienced players back and another year under the belt. RB and WR need some serious help and playmakers. QB needs to be dramatically more consistent and Downing needs to pick a starter in spring ball not week 7 of the regular season (lets hope the UF kid is all he is hyped up to be).
Defense - LB corp should be just fine. Frankly I don't recall what the secondary looks like. The glaring weakness here is D-Line which was a disaster last year. If they did not figure this out in the offseason we will be in for another long year.
Special teams - the kickers will be a mystery but hopefully one of the young guys will reach up and take hold of the positions - lets just hope we don't have our starting free safety back their again. WIth more recruited guys presumably available and getting bigger and stronger depth should improve which in turn will lead to better coverage and return teams.
Coaching - everyone knows what I think of our coaching staff. :lol:
Overall, I think 6-6 should be a given. I'm not of the belief that that is enough to save Downing's job, I actually think it takes more than that but I'm not sitting in the AD's seat. I think Downig and Jay are tied at the hip to some extent. If Jay survives another year or two, you have to think Downing does also since Jay picked him. IMHO if a new AD is in place, Downing is out the door with anything less than 8 wins. It is just an easy target for a new AD to make a splash and bring in his own coach.
At this level you cannot anticipate any help from this years recruiting class (except hopefully from transfers and JuCo's). There are none of the unbelievable athletes like the big boys get who are ready to go from day 1. The FCS (or D1AA - whatever you want to call it) athlete needs a chance to adjust to college, learn the system and most importantly get bigger and stronger. It is hard for an 18 year old kid to take on a 22 year old redshirt senior. So the team we saw at the end of last year is about what we have.
I think the Bears should without a doubt improve. Age and experience will go along way. What I see missing and we really need to find are some playmakers, I just don't see them yet on offense or defense. I can't recall last years class off the top of my head, but we need a few of those guys to show some of this spark. I readily admit that I have not yet had a detailed review of the roster, but here are a few of my thoughts.
Offense - from what I recall I think the offensive positions at TE and OL should be OK with some good experienced players back and another year under the belt. RB and WR need some serious help and playmakers. QB needs to be dramatically more consistent and Downing needs to pick a starter in spring ball not week 7 of the regular season (lets hope the UF kid is all he is hyped up to be).
Defense - LB corp should be just fine. Frankly I don't recall what the secondary looks like. The glaring weakness here is D-Line which was a disaster last year. If they did not figure this out in the offseason we will be in for another long year.
Special teams - the kickers will be a mystery but hopefully one of the young guys will reach up and take hold of the positions - lets just hope we don't have our starting free safety back their again. WIth more recruited guys presumably available and getting bigger and stronger depth should improve which in turn will lead to better coverage and return teams.
Coaching - everyone knows what I think of our coaching staff. :lol:
Overall, I think 6-6 should be a given. I'm not of the belief that that is enough to save Downing's job, I actually think it takes more than that but I'm not sitting in the AD's seat. I think Downig and Jay are tied at the hip to some extent. If Jay survives another year or two, you have to think Downing does also since Jay picked him. IMHO if a new AD is in place, Downing is out the door with anything less than 8 wins. It is just an easy target for a new AD to make a splash and bring in his own coach.
UNCFBFAN
New member
I think da bears could compete this year. If this QB lives up to the hype and if they get a decent O-line and start playing harder they should be fine. LAst years upset of Montana State was s huge step forward and they can only get better. Now in Big sky play i think they will be able to beat MSU (no offense from the cats), Sac State (they just plain suck) and possibly beat weber state. UM and the others however may prove a little to hard for them. I hope they do kick some serious ass this year though!
On offense I think everyone agrees we need a playmaker. I think Nigel Nelson will start at running back next year. He could be the playmaker we need. He was a very good player in high school. I agree Downing needs to name a starter by game 1.
On defense, I think every one agrees we were horrible there last season. We couldn't stop the run and every qb we played had 20 minutes to throw the ball.
Special teams. I have no clue who's going to punt the ball. Bigelow is a good kicker when healthy.
On defense, I think every one agrees we were horrible there last season. We couldn't stop the run and every qb we played had 20 minutes to throw the ball.
Special teams. I have no clue who's going to punt the ball. Bigelow is a good kicker when healthy.
PSUVikings
Active member
UNC will come out of nowhere this upcoming season. Next year is a down year for the BSC. Montana, Montana State, and Portland State are all rebuilding. EWU NAU, and WSU will likely be very competitive but I think UNC will finish ahead of ISU, CSUS(For sure), and maybe PSU if these JC transfers don't pan out.
PSUVikings said:
I like your optimism and I hope you are right but this team has let its fans down too many times in recent history to give them any benefit of the doubt. I picture the coaches and players standing around right now patting each other on the back and telling each other what a heck of a good job they did at the end of the season since they didn't get blown out in the last few games. Their preparation for next season consists of hoping that magic fairies turn them into a real football team.
Blofeld
Active member
4 wins to me would be a pretty decent season and about as realistic as you can get. I'd love to see 3 conference wins and hopefully another non conference win. However, having said that if I had to make a prediction I'd say maybe 2 wins...
This team needs to step up a little and show us something though, they owe us that. Yeah, the last few games were better than the embarrassment before that but still a long way from acceptable.
2 wins or less Downing gets fired, 3 wins or more they will extend him for no other reason than they can justify it by saying things are improving.
This team needs to step up a little and show us something though, they owe us that. Yeah, the last few games were better than the embarrassment before that but still a long way from acceptable.
2 wins or less Downing gets fired, 3 wins or more they will extend him for no other reason than they can justify it by saying things are improving.
Blofeld is right. If we don't win more then 2 games, Downing should go. Three years is usually enough time to get things turned around. I do see us winning more then two. As I mentioned, .500 is possible. Anything above that though is a stretch.
Hey Troy, a little off topic but when does spring ball start?
Hey Troy, a little off topic but when does spring ball start?
UNCBEARS2012
New member
spring ball starts march 27th
PSUVikings
Active member
Hawaii was a team that made a BCS game, and beat the tar out of Purdue the year prior. I think UNC can keep it respectable with Purdue. 40 point loss at tops.
Curtis Painter is very good but he loses his main targets, Dorien Bryant and Dustin Keller. They will have to fix some kinks out.
Curtis Painter is very good but he loses his main targets, Dorien Bryant and Dustin Keller. They will have to fix some kinks out.
