The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

[young22]

Still going, love to see it! I've got so much to catch up on.

[Careless Whisper]

Quote: Originally Posted by BamaToon

I know I am coming into this late, but I am wondering... ..How do you deal with the Momentum Meter? That's the main reason that I quit playing NCAA 07. That blasted Momentum Meter would ruin everything. When one team gets on +5, they just run away with the game.

The momentum meter is definitely frustrating to deal with, but thankfully it isn't quite as bad in NCAA 08 (which this report switched to in the second season). Only thing I get really annoyed with in 08 is the amount of turnovers - a result of the momentum meter - but it doesn't make the game unplayable, IMO.

Thanks for checking in!

Quote: Originally Posted by young22

Still going, love to see it! I've got so much to catch up on.

Nice to see you, young! We're still trucking along here, albeit at a much slower pace than before because of real life getting super busy. I don't have any plans on ending this anytime soon, but games are definitely going to come at a slower pace for a while here. Thanks for checking in!

Speaking of games, I played the Nebraska one and just need to write up the report. Hopefully will have that posted over the weekend!

[Careless Whisper]

Early Hopes Dashed in Mismatched Loss at No. 15 Nebraska
Carnegie Mellon turned the ball over five times and only scored touchdowns on defense and special teams



CMU cornerback Jon Crowell picked off this first-quarter pass, running it back 81 yards to paydirt. (Kenan Abdullah / Getty Images)

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Carnegie Mellon held a surprising first-quarter lead and only trailed by one at halftime, but No. 15 Nebraska flexed its muscle in the final 30 minutes, outscoring the Tartans, 31-7, to take home a 45-20 victory this evening at Lincoln Memorial Stadium.

Carnegie Mellon (0-2) held tough despite committing five turnovers and losing star wide receiver Eddie Williams to an elbow injury in the first quarter, but both of their touchdowns came on defense or special teams. Nebraska (2-0) received three touchdown passes from Dan Frazier and a fourth on the ground, as well as fumble and kick return touchdowns to secure a comfortable win.

“I thought we showed a lot of fight tonight,” said CMU head coach Jules Nottingham. “We’re still trying to figure out our identity offensively, and losing Eddie (Williams) early on didn’t help on that front. Disappointed that we let things get away from us in the second half, but I believe we showed progress ahead of our rivalry game against Pitt next weekend.”

The Blackshirt defense made their presence known on the Tartans opening drive, as Nick Perry’s pressure forced Kevin Wilson into an interception to Chris Weaver. However, that momentum swing was short-lived because two plays later, Dan Frazier threw off his back foot right to Jon Crowell, who raced untouched 81 yards for a CMU touchdown.

The Tartans forced a three-and-out on the next Nebraska offensive drive and picked up two first downs on their next trip, but the second came at a cost as Williams injured his elbow following a 16-yard catch. The extent of the injury wasn’t known at press time.

After a punt pinned down at the five, CMU forced a second three-and-out and seemed poised to make it 14-0 on the ensuing punt return, only for Kelvin Butler to have his preferred path blocked inexplicably by an official after 26 yards. Travis Sledge then dropped a third-down conversion that would have made it first-and-goal for the Tartans, and Jon Foster booted a 35-yard field goal to extend the lead to 10-0.

That 10-point gap lasted 15 seconds with the Huskers counter-punching on their next offensive play, as Frazier connected with Mark Thompson on a 66-yard bomb to make it 10-7. That score remained until the 4:05 mark of the second quarter, with Nebraska taking a 14-10 advantage thanks to another Frazier-to-Thompson connection – this one of 17 yards. Gerald Culver entered and engineered an impressive drive down to the Huskers’ six-yard line, only for he to depart with a knee injury which stalled the trek and led to a Foster 22-yard field goal as time expired in the half.

The second half started brightly for the Tartans, as Mark Toth picked off Frazier on Nebraska’s first offensive play. That feeling would be short-lived however as, after gaining a first down via roughing the passer, Nate Satele fumbled the ball on the option and led to Chris Weaver scooping the fumble for a 62-yard return touchdown.

CMU showed another sign of life following a Frazier 13-yard touchdown scamper to begin the fourth quarter, as reigning Randy Moss Award winner Kelvin Butler ran back the ensuing kickoff 93 yards to paydirt. Again, however, that feeling lasted for a second – 10 to be precise – with Thompson answering on a 100-yard kick return score, essentially putting the game away.

The Tartans’ offense managed just 138 total yards and posted a negative number (-16) in the rushing department, thanks in part to eight sacks. Wilson was just 7-of-25 for 78 yards and three interceptions.

Thompson finished with 93 yards and two scores on six receptions, and averaged 47.6 yards over three kick returns to go with the 100-yard touchdown.

Carnegie Mellon continues non-conference play next Saturday, September 17 when it faces Pitt in their annual Steel City Showdown.

Carnegie Mellon Tartans at Nebraska Cornhuskers
Sep 10, 2011	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (0-2)	10	3	0	7	20
#15 Nebraska Cornhuskers (2-0)	7	7	10	21	45

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		CMU	NEB
12:52	(CMU) Jon Crowell 81-yard interception return (Jon Foster kick)	7	0
1:55	(CMU) Jon Foster 35-yard field goal	10	0
1:40	(NEB) Dan Frazier 66-yard pass to Mark Thompson (Joe Williams kick)	10	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		CMU	NEB
4:05	(NEB) Dan Frazier 17-yard pass to Mark Thompson (Joe Williams kick)	10	14
0:00	(CMU) Jon Foster 22-yard field goal	13	14
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		CMU	NEB
14:04	(NEB) Chris Weaver 62-yard fumble return (Joe Williams kick)	13	21
5:06	(NEB) Joe Williams 41-yard field goal	13	24
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		CMU	NEB
13:55	(NEB) Dan Frazier 13-yard run (Joe Williams kick)	13	31
13:45	(CMU) Kelvin Butler 93-yard kick return (Jon Foster kick)	20	31
13:35	(NEB) Mark Thompson 100-yard kick return (Joe Williams kick)	20	38
6:46	(NEB) Dan Frazier 2-yard pass to David Butler (Joe Williams kick	20	45

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kevin Wilson 7/25 78 0 3 Gerald Culver 3/3 62 0 0 Albert Williams 1/1 14 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Nate Satele 9 31 3.4 0 Gerald Culver 10 17 1.7 0 Lawrence McIntire 11 15 1.3 0 Kelvin Butler 2 2 1.0 0 Kyle Holland 1 -3 -3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 5 86 17.2 0 Travis Sledge 2 30 15.0 0 Eddie Williams 1 16 16.0 0 Issac Schroeder 1 2 2.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Erik Sellers 8 0 0 0 Mark Toth 6 0 1 0 Jabari London 3 0 0 0 David Brown 3 0 0 0 Chris Hill 3 1 0 0 Jon Crowell 2 0 1 1 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jon Foster 2/2 2/2 8 35 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Andy Fitzhugh 7 294 42.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 5 180 36.0 1 Kyle Holland 2 45 22.5 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 3 43 14.3 0

Nebraska Cornhuskers PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Dan Frazier 21/33 212 3 2 Thomas Jones 1/1 25 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Alvin Howard 8 50 6.2 0 Dan Frazier 4 19 4.7 1 Scott Banks 2 3 1.5 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Mark Thompson 6 93 15.5 2 Maurice O'Donnell 5 47 9.3 0 Marquis Hansen 3 19 6.3 0 Scott Banks 2 27 13.5 0 Terrance Downing 2 24 12.0 0 David Butler 2 18 9.0 1 Alvin Howard 2 9 4.5 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Jacques Thomas 10 2 0 0 Steven Gross 9 0 0 0 Jabari Callahan 9 1 0 0 Chris Weaver 7 2 2 1 Bob Ruffin 5 0 0 0 Ben Wells 4 1 0 0 Oscar Lane 4 0 1 0 Dominique Easley 4 1 0 0 Kyle Fuller 2 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Joe Williams 1/1 6/6 9 41 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Alex Franklin 5 204 40.7 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Mark Thompson 3 143 47.6 1 Terrence Joseph 1 16 16.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Mark Thompson 3 10 3.3 0

[Careless Whisper]

Around the NCAA – Week 2 Edition
#3 Clemson sees its national championship hopes take a hit with an early loss to unranked Maryland

ESPN The Magazine Cover Story
Overtime Shocker! – Gutsy Maryland hangs on to beat #3 Clemson.

The first major upset of the 2011 season happened in College Park this past weekend, as Maryland rebounded from a 17-0 first-quarter deficit to top No. 3 Clemson in overtime, 44-41. The Terrapins fell behind by 17 after 15 minutes of play, but managed to outscore the Tigers, 21-7, in the second frame. Maryland runningback Isaiah Pead rushed for 160 yards on 31 carries and scored twice – once on the ground, and the winning touchdown on a nine-yard reception. Clemson quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Blaine Gabbert compiled 375 yards and four touchdowns on 23-of-41 passing in the loss.

Top Storylines
Storied programs clash, but #3 Penn State dominates Alabama in Tuscaloosa, 33-7

In their first meeting since 1990, No. 3 Penn State flexed its muscle against Alabama with a 33-7 victory in Tuscaloosa. The Nittany Lions were favored against the rebuilding Crimson Tide, but the home side started strong by taking a 7-0 first-quarter lead. That advantage was short-lived however, as Penn State scored 33 unanswered points to move to 2-0. Jamie Harper rushed for 135 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries for the Nittany Lions. The home-and-home series returns next year in State College.

#14 Warriors start slow on main land, blow out Harvard in second half

The newest Pac-10 member, No. 14 Hawaii, worked off some jetlag in the first half of its non-conference bout with Harvard this past Saturday, but rebounded over the final 30 minutes to pick up a 44-7 win. The Warriors only led the Crimson, 14-7, at the break before outscoring the hosts, 30-0, in the second half. Hawaii quarterback and Heisman Trophy favorite Matt Barkley tossed five touchdowns and 471 yards on 39-of-44 passing, connecting with Robbie Cox twice, and Ahmad Griffin, Taylor Rose, and Eugene Jacobs once each.

#9 Virginia stuns Florida State at buzzer, 34-31

No. 9 Virginia nearly became the second top-10 ACC team to lose to an unranked foe this week, but Eric Heard’s 35-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Cavaliers over Florida State, 34-31. Virginia seemed to have an easy road to the Jefferson-Eppes Trophy, going ahead 17-0 in the first quarter before the Seminoles pulled within three at halftime. FSU managed to tie in late in the fourth quarter at 31-31 despite trailing by 10 in the final frame, but the Cavaliers put together a six-play, 56-yard drive to set up Heard’s heroics. Both runningbacks were stellar, as Virginia’s Bryce Brown totaled 181 yards (144 rush, 37 receiving) and two touchdowns (1 rush, 1 receiving), while Florida State’s Kevin Watkins tallied 138 yards and a score on 21 carries.

Heisman Watch
Matt Barkley, Jr., QB, Hawaii | 211.5 QB rtg., 39-44, 471 yards, 5 TD, 1 INT
John Brantley, R-Sr., QB, Florida | 226.0 QB rtg., 26-45, 532 yards, 10 TD, 1 INT
Sam McGuffie, Sr., HB, Texas | 30 carries, 210 yards, 4 TD; 3 catches, 92 yards, 2 TD
Tramain Swindall, R-Sr., WR, Texas Tech | 12 catches, 243 yards, 5 TD
Russell Shepard, Jr., QB, Texas A&M | 158.1 QB rtg., 25-41, 380 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT; 19 carries, 67 yards

NCAA Players of the Week
Offensive: Doug Hogue, R-Sr., HB, Syracuse | 17 carries, 123 yards, 2 TD; 3 catches, 110 yards, 3 TD in 52-28 win at Nevada
Defensive: Chris Weaver, Sr., MLB, Nebraska | 7 tackles (3 TFL), 2 sacks, 2 INT, 1 FR, 1 TD in 45-20 win against Carnegie Mellon

Injury Report
Robert Griffin III, R-Jr., QB, Texas Tech | Mild concussion (1 week)
Justin Parks, So., HB, Western Michigan | Broken wrist (10 weeks – medical redshirt)
James Smith, Jr., HB, Rutgers | Broken jaw (6 weeks)
Leonard Hankerson, R-Sr., WR, Miami (Fla.) | Severe concussion (season)
Deshon Lawrence, R-Sr., WR, Western Michigan | Broken wrist (season)
Ahmad Griffin, R-Jr., WR, Hawaii | Torn groin (7 weeks)
Robert Wright, Sr., SS, Rutgers | Partially torn MCL (8 weeks – medical redshirt)

Week 2 Notable Top 25 Scores
#5 Wisconsin 52, San Diego State 14
#20 California 41, Colorado 30
Maryland 44, #13 Clemson 41 (OT)
#3 Penn State 33, Alabama 7
#1 Texas 38, Tulane 7
#14 Hawaii 44, Harvard 7
#2 Florida 51, Connecticut 14
#18 West Virginia 35, Marshall 3
#21 Miami (Fla.) 41, Pittsburgh 21
#23 Boise State 36, Toledo 29 (OT)
#4 Texas A&M 44, Southern Miss 14
#9 Virginia 34, Florida State 31
#15 Nebraska 45, Carnegie Mellon 20

Week 3 National Broadcasts
#3 Penn State (2-0) at Oregon (1-0) | 9/14, 12:30 PM
#25 TCU (2-0) at #11 Texas Tech (1-0) | 9/17, 12:30 PM
#18 West Virginia (2-0) at Washington (1-0) | 9/17, 1:00 PM
Yale (2-0) at #1 Texas (2-0) | 9/17, 1:00 PM
#8 Virginia Tech (2-0) at Georgia Tech (2-0) | 9/17, 3:30 PM
#21 Miami (Fla.) (2-0) at Maryland (2-0) | 9/17, 6:00 PM
#7 Notre Dame (2-0) at #19 Michigan (2-0) | 9/17, 6:30 PM (Rivalry Game)
#17 Tennessee (2-0) at #2 Florida (2-0) | 9/17, 8:00 PM (Rivalry Game; Game of the Week)

[Careless Whisper]

Around the MAC – Week 2 Edition
Kent State quarterback John Estes accounts for all five touchdowns in his team’s 35-21 win at Penn

MAC East Standings
Buffalo | 2-0, 0-0 MAC
Kent State | 2-0, 0-0 MAC
Bowling Green | 1-0, 0-0 MAC
Akron | 1-1, 0-0 MAC
Miami (Ohio) | 1-1, 0-0 MAC
Ohio | 0-2, 0-0 MAC
Carnegie Mellon | 0-2, 0-0 MAC

MAC West Standings
Ball State | 1-1, 0-0 MAC
Eastern Michigan | 1-1, 0-0 MAC
Toledo | 1-1, 0-0 MAC
Western Michigan | 0-2, 0-0 MAC
Central Michigan | 0-2, 0-0 MAC
Northern Illinois | 0-2, 0-0 MAC

MAC Players of the Week
Offensive: John Estes, R-So., QB, Kent State | 17-27, 165 yards, 3 TD; 10 carries, 79 yards, 2 TD in 35-21 win at Penn
Defensive: Jon Crowell, R-Jr., CB, Carnegie Mellon | 2 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD in 20-45 defeat at Nebraska

Week 2 Scores
Cincinnati 52, Western Michigan 10
Buffalo 39, Nicholls State 29
Illinois 40, Ohio 33
Kent State 35, Penn 21
Eastern Michigan 52, East Carolina 28
#16 LSU 27, Ball State 14
#17 Tennessee 40, Northern Illinois 7
Miami (Ohio) 28, Colorado State 0
Indiana 27, Central Michigan 7
#23 Boise State 36, Toledo 29 (OT)
Yale 63, Akron 10
#15 Nebraska 45, Carnegie Mellon 20

Week 3 Matchups
Buffalo (2-0) at Brown (1-1) | 9/15, 12:30 PM
Kansas State (1-1) at Toledo (1-1) | 9/17, 12:30 PM
Western Michigan (0-2) at Columbia (1-1) | 9/17, 12:30 PM
Idaho State (1-1) at Central Michigan (0-2) | 9/17, 12:30 PM
Bowling Green (1-0) at #22 Ohio State (1-1) | 9/17, 12:30 PM
Syracuse (2-0) at Akron (1-1) | 9/17, 12:30 PM
Tulsa (1-1) at Northern Illinois (0-2) | 9/17, 1:00 PM
Ohio (0-2) at Indiana (2-0) | 9/17, 1:00 PM
Baylor (0-2) at Ball State (1-1) | 9/17, 3:30 PM
#9 Virginia (2-0) at Eastern Michigan (1-1) | 9/17, 3:30 PM
Carnegie Mellon (0-2) at Pittsburgh (1-1) | 9/17, 6:00 PM (Steel City Showdown)
Cincinnati (1-1) at Miami (Ohio) (1-1) | 9/17, 6:30 PM (Battle for the Victory Bell)
Kent State (2-0) at BYU (1-1) | 9/17, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Williams in, Culver out following medical evaluations

Carnegie Mellon received good and bad news on the injury front this week after redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eddie Williams and sophomore quarterback Gerald Culver both departed early in the Tartans’ loss to No. 15 Nebraska last Saturday.

Williams suffered a sprained elbow against the Huskers, but is good to go ahead of Saturday’s tilt at rival Pitt. The Associated Press Freshman All-American netted 16 yards on one catch before leaving last week, and has amassed 162 yards on eight receptions this season. In 2010, Williams collected 89 catches for 1,329 yards and 14 touchdowns, while adding 216 yards and three scores on the ground.

Culver is a different story however, as he will miss the next three weeks with a PCL sprain. The sophomore suffered the injury near the end of the first half at Nebraska, unluckily after going 3-of-3 for 62 yards passing with an additional 17 on the ground at that point. He has thrown for 239 yards and an interception on 11-of-18 passing, adding 43 yards and a touchdown on a ground this season.

Nottingham to adjust blocking scheme on pass plays

Tartans head coach Jules Nottingham plans to tweak some of his offensive line protection packages this week at Pitt, as the unit has struggled over the opening two games.

With Gerald Culver’s knee injury, junior Kevin Wilson (47.9 QB rtg., 13-43, 170 yards, 1 TD, 5 INT) will likely take all the snaps at quarterback going forward, and his lack of mobility has led to eight sacks thus far. CMU’s offensive line has given up 12 sacks in total, and Nottingham says that they’ll use an extra blocker more often than not to help keep Wilson upright.

There will also be a shuffle in the starting lineup, with freshman Collin Bell set to start at left guard in place of classmate Gavin Hawkins. The interior line – which lost Eric Fraser and Houston Texans guard Matt Fitch to graduation – has been the weakest part of the offensive line, with Hawkins and redshirt sophomore Ricky Fields being first-year starters.

Crowell named MAC Defensive Player of the Week

Redshirt junior cornerback Jon Crowell earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors after a strong performance at No. 15 Nebraska last Saturday.

Crowell returned a first-quarter interception 81 yards for a touchdown against the Huskers, adding a pair of tackles while locking down his side of the field. The often-injured cornerback looks healthy in 2011, tallying eight tackles and two picks in CMU’s first two contests. He has five interceptions for his career, and was an Associated Press Freshman All-American as a return specialist in 2009.

Andriano, Johnson impress on NFL opening weekend

Five former Tartans were on NFL rosters ahead of opening weekend, but it was a pair of defenders who made the biggest impact.

Second-year linebacker Matt Johnson was terrific in the Tennessee Titans’ 16-14 win over the New England Patriots, collecting seven tackles and a sack in his first career start. Johnson, who was signed by the reigning Super Bowl champions as an undrafted free agent, surprisingly won the outside linebacker job after he compiled 12 tackles, two sacks, and an interception in the preseason. He saw limited time as a rookie in 2010, netting 13 tackles and one sack.

Rookie free safety Todd Andriano helped the Detroit Lions earn a 30-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football, snagging an interception in his NFL debut. The fourth-round pick picked off Tim Tebow in the second quarter, helping set up the go-ahead touchdown. He was in a three-way battle for the starting job in the preseason, but emerged as the victor after tallying six tackles.

Graham carries CMU to top five

Four-star offensive tackle Andrew Graham has trimmed his list from eight schools to five, and Carnegie Mellon has made the cut.

Graham, a six-foot-six, 337-pound lineman from Winton Woods High School, slots the Tartans third with Ohio State and Notre Dame ahead, and Penn State and West Virginia trailing. Despite ranking the Buckeyes first, he was reportedly unimpressed on an unofficial visit to Columbus this weekend.

Hughes, Dockery drop Tartans

Carnegie Mellon saw two of its in-season recruiting targets drop the school from consideration in four-star offensive tackle Matt Hughes and three-star runningback Andy Dockery.

Hughes, a six-foot-five, 331-pound lineman from Salem High School, says he just couldn’t see himself going to CMU and will move forward with Virginia, Ohio State, Penn State, Clemson, and Notre Dame competing for his services.

Dockery, a five-foot-ten, 195-pound tailback from Madison High School, believes his other five schools have more to offer than the Tartans, and is only considering Ohio State, Penn State, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, and Notre Dame.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Eric Frederick, QB, **** (6’2”, 190 lbs.; Brownsville, La. / West Monroe) – Top 5
- LSU, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Carnegie Mellon
Brian Adams, DT, *** (6’2”, 275 lbs.; Naperville, Ill. / Naperville Central) – Top 5
- Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia, Clemson
Andrew Graham, OT, **** (6’6”, 337 lbs.; Forestville, Ohio / Winton Woods) – Top 5
- Ohio State, Notre Dame, Carnegie Mellon, Penn State, West Virginia
Ron Williams, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs., Wooster, Ohio / Wooster) – Top 8
Jason Mack, HB, **** (6’0”, 205 lbs.; Nether Providence, Pa. / Strath Haven) – Top 8
Mario Williams, DT, **** (5’11”, 280 lbs.; Lombard, Ill./ Glenbard East) – Top 8
Eric Pettit, HB, *** (6’2”, 175 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Top 8
Mike Petty, WR, *** (6’0”, 208 lbs.; Warren, Ohio / Harding) – Top 8
Jason Sharp, CB, *** (6’1”, 182 lbs.; Bartow, Fla. / Bartow) – Top 8
Steve Johnson, OLB, *** (6’2”, 232 lbs.; North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) – Top 8
Chris Gaston, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Hampton, Va. / Phoebus) – Top 8
Matt Hughes, OT, **** (6’5”, 331 lbs.; Salem, Ohio / Salem) – Removed
Andy Dockery, HB, *** (5’10”, 195 lbs.; Middletown, Ohio / Madison) – Removed
Bryant Elimimian, QB, *** (6’4”, 232 lbs.; Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) – Removed
Zach Carter, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; East Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids) – Removed

[RolePlayer]

Not the start to the season you wanted but I think you guys will turn it around

[Careless Whisper]

Quote: Originally Posted by RolePlayer

Not the start to the season you wanted but I think you guys will turn it around

I'm optimistic as well, particularly when we get into MAC play. The league is weak and I have top-tier talent for the conference at every position but quarterback it seems. Wilson will definitely have to play better than he has, and without Culver as an option the offense is more limited, but this stretch could give some time to get into a rhythm with one guy.