This was a rough game to watch if you're a Leathernecks fan. There really isn't that much of a difference in talent level between the two teams, in my opinion. WIU just constantly shot itself in the foot in this game. Turnovers, penalties, dropped passes by receivers, missed reads between receivers and the quarterback, blown coverages - you name it and it happened to Western Illinois on this day.
Western Illinois:
Patrick Stoudamire CB #3 5' 11.0" 200lbs 4.46 2010 - very versatile. Lined up at both LCB and RCB, played on punt return coverage teams and on FG and XP blocking teams, and I swear I saw him return a kickoff, even though the official stat line for the game doesn't credit him with any KRs. Good size and build for the position. Plays to his 40 speed, if not faster (invariably the first man down the field on punt return coverage). Pretty physical for a corner. Not afraid to stick his head and shoulders into the ball carrier. Looked to have pretty good form as a tackler, too. Quick and fluid. Hard to get a read on his coverage skills, as NIU pretty much avoided him. I think I saw one pass caught by the man he was covering during the entire game, and that man got no YAC as Stoudamire immediately put him down. Played both up on the line of scrimmage and backed off. Finished the game with four solo tackles, one TFL, a pass breakup, and at least two special teams solo tackles that I saw. Did miss at least one tackle (diving low trying to trip up a receiver) and also had trouble shedding blockers on occassion. Grade - positive
notes: Northern Illinois sophomore tailback Me'co Brown was VERY impressive in this game. 14 carries for 117yds (with a long ru nof 60yds) and a TD. He's tiny at 5' 7" and 180lbs, but he's got speed, vision, and simply never, EVER stops moving his feet. His 60yd run came after appearing to be stuffed behind the line of scrimmage, and that wasn't the only time he made something out of nothing this night. Wasn't involved in the passing or return games, something he'll have to do in the pros because he's simply not big enough to be a featured man.
Full Version: Northern Illinois 41 - Western Illinois 7
How does Stoudamire stack up against Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, and what are your impressions of: Justin Anderson, Brandon Bice, Reed Cunningham Chad Spann? Did none of the NIU O-Linemen like: OG Eddie Adamski, OT Trevor Olson, or one of my sleepers OG/C Jason Onyebuagu make any impression? Back on defense: did FS David Bryant and strong safety Mike Sobol flash at all?
QUOTE (NHFalcon @ Sep 18 2009, 12:27:34 PM) 
This was a rough game to watch if you're a Leathernecks fan. There really isn't that much of a difference in talent level between the two teams, in my opinion. WIU just constantly shot itself in the foot in this game. Turnovers, penalties, dropped passes by receivers, missed reads between receivers and the quarterback, blown coverages - you name it and it happened to Western Illinois on this day.
Western Illinois:
Patrick Stoudamire CB #3 5' 11.0" 200lbs 4.46 2010 - very versatile. Lined up at both LCB and RCB, played on punt return coverage teams and on FG and XP blocking teams, and I swear I saw him return a kickoff, even though the official stat line for the game doesn't credit him with any KRs. Good size and build for the position. Plays to his 40 speed, if not faster (invariably the first man down the field on punt return coverage). Pretty physical for a corner. Not afraid to stick his head and shoulders into the ball carrier. Looked to have pretty good form as a tackler, too. Quick and fluid. Hard to get a read on his coverage skills, as NIU pretty much avoided him. I think I saw one pass caught by the man he was covering during the entire game, and that man got no YAC as Stoudamire immediately put him down. Played both up on the line of scrimmage and backed off. Finished the game with four solo tackles, one TFL, a pass breakup, and at least two special teams solo tackles that I saw. Did miss at least one tackle (diving low trying to trip up a receiver) and also had trouble shedding blockers on occassion. Grade - positive
notes: Northern Illinois sophomore tailback Me'co Brown was VERY impressive in this game. 14 carries for 117yds (with a long ru nof 60yds) and a TD. He's tiny at 5' 7" and 180lbs, but he's got speed, vision, and simply never, EVER stops moving his feet. His 60yd run came after appearing to be stuffed behind the line of scrimmage, and that wasn't the only time he made something out of nothing this night. Wasn't involved in the passing or return games, something he'll have to do in the pros because he's simply not big enough to be a featured man.
Western Illinois:
Patrick Stoudamire CB #3 5' 11.0" 200lbs 4.46 2010 - very versatile. Lined up at both LCB and RCB, played on punt return coverage teams and on FG and XP blocking teams, and I swear I saw him return a kickoff, even though the official stat line for the game doesn't credit him with any KRs. Good size and build for the position. Plays to his 40 speed, if not faster (invariably the first man down the field on punt return coverage). Pretty physical for a corner. Not afraid to stick his head and shoulders into the ball carrier. Looked to have pretty good form as a tackler, too. Quick and fluid. Hard to get a read on his coverage skills, as NIU pretty much avoided him. I think I saw one pass caught by the man he was covering during the entire game, and that man got no YAC as Stoudamire immediately put him down. Played both up on the line of scrimmage and backed off. Finished the game with four solo tackles, one TFL, a pass breakup, and at least two special teams solo tackles that I saw. Did miss at least one tackle (diving low trying to trip up a receiver) and also had trouble shedding blockers on occassion. Grade - positive
notes: Northern Illinois sophomore tailback Me'co Brown was VERY impressive in this game. 14 carries for 117yds (with a long ru nof 60yds) and a TD. He's tiny at 5' 7" and 180lbs, but he's got speed, vision, and simply never, EVER stops moving his feet. His 60yd run came after appearing to be stuffed behind the line of scrimmage, and that wasn't the only time he made something out of nothing this night. Wasn't involved in the passing or return games, something he'll have to do in the pros because he's simply not big enough to be a featured man.
QUOTE (bcdrama @ Sep 18 2009, 1:13:05 PM)
How does Stoudamire stack up against Akwasi Owusu-Ansah, and what are your impressions of: Justin Anderson, Brandon Bice, Reed Cunningham Chad Spann? Did none of the NIU O-Linemen like: OG Eddie Adamski, OT Trevor Olson, or one of my sleepers OG/C Jason Onyebuagu make any impression? Back on defense: did FS David Bryant and strong safety Mike Sobol flash at all?
I haven't seen Owusu-Ansah play, so I can't make a fair comparison.
I'm still working on my OL evaluation skills, to be honest, so I'm the wrong guy to ask how any of those individual offensive linemen performed. As a group, NIU's O-line was far better than WIU's. The opened bigger holes in the running game, maintained their blocks longer, and performed better in pass prostection.
I didn't really notice any DB "flash" in this game. Even Stoudamire, given that NIU pretty much stayed away from him, didn't flash. I was able to provide the report I did on him because I was specifically watching for him.
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