Illinois State

[JackJD]

Here’s a question does this ruling by the Valley open the door for other teams that are out of the playoff picture just say let’s opt out and look towards next fall?

So the ISUr game is just a nothing...that has the potential to affect playoff consideration.

I had the same question Gojacks had: is the door open for any other teams just bailing out on the last game or two of this season? We have two scheduled games remaining: NDSU in Fargo and USD in Brookings. The Bison won't pull such a stunt even if their defensive line was in shambles. I think they'd stand up and give the opponent hell. Then, our remaining game: USD. The Coyotes are struggling. With ISUr's example, will the Coyotes think about throwing in the towel for the last game of the season (especially if such a stunt could negatively impact their opponent?)?


Hmmm. Well, I hope not. ISUr's decision is a horrible example. Maybe it won't set much of a precedent because the Spring 2021 season is such an abberaton.

[jakejc795]

So the ISUr game is just a nothing...that has the potential to affect playoff consideration.

I had the same question Gojacks had: is the door open for any other teams just bailing out on the last game or two of this season? We have two scheduled games remaining: NDSU in Fargo and USD in Brookings. The Bison won't pull such a stunt even if their defensive line was in shambles. I think they'd stand up and give the opponent hell. Then, our remaining game: USD. The Coyotes are struggling. With ISUr's example, will the Coyotes think about throwing in the towel for the last game of the season (especially if such a stunt could negatively impact their opponent?)?


Hmmm. Well, I hope not. ISUr's decision is a horrible example. Maybe it won't set much of a precedent because the Spring 2021 season is such an abberaton.

What's getting lost in this is the confluence of the pandemic, transfers, injuries, and playoff consideration. Spack's an easy target, but I suspect an anonymous survey of Valley coaches would generate responses much less critical of him than those on fan forums.

I'd expect YSU, WIU, and UNI to opt out before USD, and UNI being among the most severely impacted by transfers in conference could play a part

[Mr_Tibbs]

What's getting lost in this is the confluence of the pandemic, transfers, injuries, and playoff consideration. Spack's an easy target, but I suspect an anonymous survey of Valley coaches would generate responses much less critical of him than those on fan forums.

I'd expect YSU, WIU, and UNI to opt out before USD, and UNI being among the most severely impacted by transfers in conference could play a part

Nick Hill with SIU already came out this morning in his press conference and was pissed about it. I'm not sure we need an anonymous survey to know his stance. He also went into detail on some of the standards that the league all agreed to before spring regarding roster availability, if you can count just scholarship guys or walk on too, etc. It was pretty interesting. It also sounds like Stig knew a week or so ago that this was coming, so it didn't catch him off guard. Hill pretty much said that all teams agreed that if a 53 man roster was available, they would play and that most rosters are around 90 players or so right now. Depletions to one position group not withstanding, it seems like the numbers for ISUr don't add up.

[jakejc795]

Nick Hill with SIU already came out this morning in his press conference and was pissed about it. I'm not sure we need an anonymous survey to know his stance. He also went into detail on some of the standards that the league all agreed to before spring regarding roster availability, if you can count just scholarship guys or walk on too, etc. It was pretty interesting. It also sounds like Stig knew a week or so ago that this was coming, so it didn't catch him off guard. Hill pretty much said that all teams agreed that if a 53 man roster was available, they would play and that most rosters are around 90 players or so right now. Depletions to one position group not withstanding, it seems like the numbers for ISUr don't add up.

Stig went on record saying Spack personally called him well before announcement to say Jacks shouldn't even prep for game, and the combination of SIU being frustrated they're on the playoff bubble and them not having the roster attrition the Redbirds have doesn't mean Spack's being dishonest.

Farley expressed concerns regarding the Spring season months ago too, and guess what one of his primary concerns was --- roster depth.

Not every team in the Valley was equally impacted by transfers and attrition going into the season, and obviously not every team has been as the season's progressed

[AZjack]

What's getting lost in this is the confluence of the pandemic, transfers, injuries, and playoff consideration. Spack's an easy target, but I suspect an anonymous survey of Valley coaches would generate responses much less critical of him than those on fan forums.

I'd expect YSU, WIU, and UNI to opt out before USD, and UNI being among the most severely impacted by transfers in conference could play a part

Nothing is getting lost. Everyone knows how those things have impacted rosters.

ISuR and Spack both had social media accounts saying they were all in on playing this spring and they criticized Mo St for postponing. The hypocrisy is what is being called out and that is fair due to the aforementioned items.

They would have dealt with the roster issues if they had a shot at the playoffs, it's as simple as that.

[JackJD]

So the ISUr game is just a nothing...that has the potential to affect playoff consideration.

...Then, our remaining game: USD. The Coyotes are struggling. With ISUr's example, will the Coyotes think about throwing in the towel for the last game of the season (especially if such a stunt could negatively impact their opponent?)?...

The above was intended to be somewhat humorous and a reminder that such a concern was expressed during the basketball regular season (whether an opponent could cancel a game due to COVID exposure and a side effect of such a cancellation would be the impact on winning percentage of an upcoming opponent (SDSU) which would take the opponent (SDSU) out of the #1 seed spot at the SLT. For a while it appeared that concern was mathematically possible ---- but it didn't happen. Instead, at the SLT, ORU happened.

[MontanaRabbit]

The above was intended to be somewhat humorous and a reminder that such a concern was expressed during the basketball regular season (whether an opponent could cancel a game due to COVID exposure and a side effect of such a cancellation would be the impact on winning percentage of an upcoming opponent (SDSU) which would take the opponent (SDSU) out of the #1 seed spot at the SLT. For a while it appeared that concern was mathematically possible ---- but it didn't happen. Instead, at the SLT, ORU happened.

I'll bet USD wishes they would have cancelled the NDSU series.

[SteelSD]

Not every team in the Valley was equally impacted by transfers and attrition going into the season, and obviously not every team has been as the season's progressed

Wow, that sounds like literally every FB season ever played. Not all the negatively impacted teams quit...

[Jacks86]

Has anyone asked the ticket office if there will be refunds for this game? I see ISU is issuing refunds for their last 2 home games that are being cancelled.

[jakejc795]

Wow, that sounds like literally every FB season ever played. Not all the negatively impacted teams quit...

I hate to say it, but listen to the Farley interview I linked to. There is vast difference between Spring 2021 and conventional Fall seasons, which he makes clear, and I would say UNI, NDSU, the Jacks, and Redbirds were the teams most impacted by transfers and opt outs. The Redbirds were then snakebit when essentially an entire position group was decimated by injuries.

As Stig mentioned in the Argus interview I linked to, the Jacks have been fortunate to get in their games.

[jakejc795]

Nothing is getting lost. Everyone knows how those things have impacted rosters.

ISuR and Spack both had social media accounts saying they were all in on playing this spring and they criticized Mo St for postponing. The hypocrisy is what is being called out and that is fair due to the aforementioned items.

They would have dealt with the roster issues if they had a shot at the playoffs, it's as simple as that.

In fairness, I believe Spack criticized the Bears for citing playing conditions for the postponement of the home opener while the Bears' soccer team used their soccer field during the same weekend without any issue.

Sure, we can follow the Petrino school of criticism, but I for one don't want to use him as a moral examplar

[Southeast]

I hate to say it, but listen to the Farley interview I linked to. There is vast difference between Spring 2021 and conventional Fall seasons, which he makes clear, and I would say UNI, NDSU, the Jacks, and Redbirds were the teams most impacted by transfers and opt outs. The Redbirds were then snakebit when essentially an entire position group was decimated by injuries.

As Stig mentioned in the Argus interview I linked to, the Jacks have been fortunate to get in their games.

It’s a bad deal all around. Looks like the weather on Brookings will be nice on Saturday too. Maybe ticket sales would have picked up a bit.

If any other teams drop out you definitely have to start to wonder if chasing this “national spring championship” is worth the risk of losing any more players for when real football comes back in a few months.

[ringthebells]

Will ISU be allowed to continue practice this spring?

[LetsGoRabbits]

good question bells. i would imagine they can do what any other team who is not playing is doing? are the montana schools practicing now??

[98Jackfarmer]

It's not a big deal to me either way. But if you look at it in general, they gave their word they would play, COVID didn't stop them from playing. They're chicken ****, to allow them to back out without a penalty is BS no matter how you cut it.