Lindy Sports has Sycamores finishing 10th in preseason rag

[Jason Svoboda]

Here is how they have the MVFC finishing:

1. North Dakota State
2. South Dakota State
3. Northern Iowa
4. Youngstown State
5. Southern Illinois
6. Illinois State
7. South Dakota
8. Western Illinois
9. Missouri State
10. Indiana State

Offensive POTY: Zenner, South Dakota State
Defensive POTY: Schaffitzel, Missouri State

 

[Bluethunder]

I would expect most magazines to pick us last after only winning one game last year and zero in the conference. Not saying I agree with them, just saying I expected it.

 

[new sycamore fan]

They all pick us last (Athlon, TSN...). And most of the blogs like Any Given Saturday don't have us winning any conference games. Everyone discounts the impact of the injuries last season. Some of the newcomers need to step up to the plate and get to the workouts, and the team needs to play with a huge chip on their collective shoulders.

 

[ISU_TREE_FAN]

Talk about from almost to the Penthouse to the Outhouse in a short span of two years..................

Miles may not have won a game last year at Georgia State but he picked up a bigger paycheck and knew when to get out of Dodge.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

Talk about from almost to the Penthouse to the Outhouse in a short span of two years..................

Miles may not have won a game last year at Georgia State but he picked up a bigger paycheck and knew when to get out of Dodge.

He knew that he'd left the cupboard almost completely bare. Not a bad move for him, but I wish he'd done a better job building the program during each of his years here. As he left it, we tumbled into the abyss. His fault. He just got out while the getting was good.

 

[Hooper]

He knew that he'd left the cupboard almost completely bare. Not a bad move for him, but I wish he'd done a better job building the program during each of his years here. As he left it, we tumbled into the abyss. His fault. He just got out while the getting was good.

He left us the best running back in school history and several upperclassmen.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

He left us the best running back in school history and several upperclassmen.

Five or six really good players on a team of 63 scholarships isn't exactly filling the cupboard. He left us "one deep" at our best positions, with most (that doesn't mean all) of the backups being players that were recruited by us and a bunch of D-III schools. He had some issues with recruiting...

 

[Jason Svoboda]

They all pick us last (Athlon, TSN...). And most of the blogs like Any Given Saturday don't have us winning any conference games. Everyone discounts the impact of the injuries last season. Some of the newcomers need to step up to the plate and get to the workouts, and the team needs to play with a huge chip on their collective shoulders.

Yeah, definitely should be motivation. The only quip they put was "The Sycamores bottomed out under Mike Sanford" so I'm not sure how exhaustive the research done by the guy that did the FCS section was.

 

[the johnner]

So what? If you're rated in the top 3 of a 10 team conference in the FCS it's something for the fans/parents to look forward to: conference champs/ tournament eligible. If you are rated 4th through 10th who really gives a shit about where you stand?

If you think you're underrated and you're in the cellar like us preseason, that ends up being either neutral or positive. If you're a player and have been disrespected, it best be motivational to you, so do something about it. From your opponents standpoint: neutral if they don't pay any attention to standing predictions and game prep as if you were a contender. Positive if the teams rated above you show up to our game unmotivated because they figure we stink and they can just mail it in against ISU.

Predictions aside, ISU football 2014 will be a season to remember if everyone in the program, coaches, staff and players alike, perform to their potential mentally, physically and motivationally. It will be a season to forget if they don't.

Oh yeah, my opinion, the cupboard is not bare. Granted we still need more depth, O-line/D-line the key needs.

GET OVER MILES ITF's. Whatever his legacy, it's written in an 18 month old newspaper which, like any old news, should be used to wrap the garbage and thrown away, not to be reread/rehashed/reacted-to ad nauseum. If you don't agree, I suggest you grab a supersaver flight to Atlanta and tell him your disappointment in person.

 

[IndyTreeFan]

GET OVER MILES ITF's. Whatever his legacy, it's written in an 18 month old newspaper which, like any old news, should be used to wrap the garbage and thrown away, not to be reread/rehashed/reacted-to ad nauseum. If you don't agree, I suggest you grab a supersaver flight to Atlanta and tell him your disappointment in person.

Well, pardon me for DISCUSSING an issue on a DISCUSSION forum. I'll try not to make that mistake again. See 'ya...

 

[sdjessie]

Well ... will give it one more go ... this coming year will be my 31st straight year of season football tickets ... not sure how many on the board can beat me for straight years of paying ... I still miss going into the basement and hearing Dennis Raetz go through a detailed analysis of plays and talking about if a block has been missed or made what the repercussions would have been ... loved the incite ... not sure many of the old timers who were down there with me are still attending.

 

[ISU_TREE_FAN]

Well ... will give it one more go ... this coming year will be my 31st straight year of season football tickets ... not sure how many on the board can beat me for straight years of paying ... I still miss going into the basement and hearing Dennis Raetz go through a detailed analysis of plays and talking about if a block has been missed or made what the repercussions would have been ... loved the incite ... not sure many of the old timers who were down there with me are still attending.

You are a "hardcore" fan. I applaud you!

 

[bent20]

Definitely not a surprise to see us picked last. I just want to see improvement, better health and sustained effort. If some guys don't want to bring the effort, then move on to the next guy on the depth chart. Sanford now has the same advantage Miles had early on - plenty of playing time to offer and as a result, some pretty good recruits.

 

[BlueSycamore]

And then we lest not forget that Lindy's is the LEAST reputable in both basketball and football year after year after year. The only thing they have going for them is that they are usually the first one out & starved fans pay for their useless rag year after year after year.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

And then we lest not forget that Lindy's is the LEAST reputable in both basketball and football year after year after year. The only thing they have going for them is that they are usually the first one out & starved fans pay for their useless rag year after year after year.

They're all out at pretty much the same time anymore. Athlon, Lindys and Sporting News were all on the shelf and I bought Lindys because it was the only one that had FCS coverage in it.

 

[swsycamore]

That best running back turned out to be a miserable failure.

 

[new sycamore fan]

One great year, one good year and a lot of dramatics and preferential treatment along the way.

 

[Sycamore Proud]

Random thoughts on the first 16 posts on this thread.

"Sycamores bottomed out under Sanford" have very short memories--no matter how bad it is now, it was worse under West.

In the eyes of others, it will be difficult for this team to under perform.

I heard one disgruntled fan express this as all orchestrated by MIles to allow him too look like the "hero" who built the program, left for bigger bucks and purposely left the cupboard bare to leave ISU with the aurora that has surrounded him.

This is the first real recruiting class for this staff. Only a fool would put all of last season's issues on the coaches.

Only a fool would put all of last season's issues on the players.

Recruiting D1 talent in Terre Haute is a challenge at best.

Some view the Sycamores as a glass half full; others see it as a glass half empty. In reality the program is in a red Dixie cup and we shouldn't be surprised at much of anything that happens this year.

I don't see us as being winless this year. Likewise I don't expect to win more than we lose.

The bottom line:

The Sycamores will be more competitive that last year--if we can avoid injuries. coaches must take charge and run a a program that shows pride and integrity. Our skill positions will be better than last year. Not 1 player can feel that all they have to do to play is show up on Saturday--competition on the depth chart shouldl be fierce. That's how everyone gets better.

 

[Jason Svoboda]

In regards to the cupboard being bare, I agree with the statement. Here are the upperclassmen that are currently left on Mile's watch. All other upperclassmen are transfers and a couple of these guys below are/were walk-ons.

46 Allen, Ian LB 6-3 230 Jr. Overland Park, Kan. (Blue Valley)
87 Buske, Logan TE 6-3 225 Jr. Terre Haute, Ind. (Terre Haute South Vigo)
54 Collins, Brady DL 6-5 230 Jr. Sunman, Ind. (East Central)
67 Goebel, Evan OL 6-3 320 Jr. Newburgh, Ind. (Castle)
40 Harris, Jess LB 5-9 200 Jr. Whiteland, Ind. (Whiteland)
92 Nicholls, Conrrad DL 6-5 240 Jr. Honolulu, Hawaii (Raytown HS)
37 Ratliff, Gerrick LB 6-0 220 Jr. Chicago, Ill. (De La Salle Institute)
21 Sewall, Mark DB 6-0 190 Jr. Western Springs, Ill. (Lyons Township HS)
24 Starks, Travis DB 5-10 180 Jr. Chicago, Ill. (St. Rita of Cascia HS)
39 Stowers, Alex DB 5-9 155 Jr. Indianapolis, Ind. (North Central HS)
55 Underwood, Connor DL 6-3 230 Jr. Washington, Ill. (Washington Community HS)
10 Walker, Kendall LB 6-0 220 Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio (Moeller HS)
86 Brown, Jamar TE 6-5 230 Sr. Indianapolis, Ind. (Lawrence North HS)
3 Layne, Donovan DB 5-11 195 Sr. Dayton, Ohio (Chaminade-Jullenne HS)
64 Masters, Adam OL 6-5 310 Sr. Greencastle, Ind. (South Putnam HS)
12 O'Leary, Chris WR 6-2 210 Sr. Terre Haute, Ind. (North Vigo HS)
69 Patrick, Paul OL 6-7 300 Sr. Elwell, Mich. (Alma)

We have come full circle in respect that our roster is now primarily made up of underclassmen. Fifty nine of the 94 names on the roster are underclassmen -- nearly 63%. What that means, to me, is this year is when you start judging Sanford. The biggest key for me will be the development of that youth and that is what will ultimately make or break him and his staff.

 

[treeman]

Hey guys, We were the last team to beat North Dakota State. But seriously I expect us to be a lot better. I think last year just kind of snowballed on us. Except for IU our first 4-5 games could have gone any direction, and it didn't go ours. Then you add injuries and locker room dramas that were brought up towards the end of the year, you could tell it just was too much. Hopefully the coaching staff got rid of some weeds and we come out ready to fight.

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