From There to Here - A Search for Glory

[GoBlue2419]

Offseason News

 

- received an offer for the Head Coach position at Florida International. Though the recruiting base in Florida is intriguing, I decide not to take the job.

 

- On our staff, I made the decision to essentially start over with my own guys. I fired OC, DC, Special Teams Coach

 

I hired:

- OC - Delmer Smith. Smith was the OC at Mississippi State last year, where the offense ranked 43rd overall. He prefers the West Coast offensive system, which is fairly close to my balanced philosophy. He is not the greatest at developing players, so hopefully that doesn't hurt us too much.

- DC - Jack Owens - Owens was the DC at Washington last year, where he was fired after they had the 84th ranked defense. He likes the 4-3 defense, as I do, so we have a good match there. He is average at game planning and developing LB and DB.

- ST - Ryan Cole - This is Cole's first coaching job, but he is average at scouting and developing special teams and good at motivation.

 

 

Recruiting

 

- $46,375/week

- Positions of focus: FB, WR, C, DT, OLB, CB, S

[GoBlue2419]

Well, this was an extremely disappointing recruiting period. Other than our email interest, no one ranked higher than #1400 had an interest level above 8 for NIU. As a result, we ended up going a little more for overall ability rather than particular needs.

 

We end up with the #123 ranked recruiting class.

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/2014recruits.jpeg

[GoBlue2419]

2014 Season Preview

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/expectations.jpeg

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/schedule.jpeg

 

On defense this year, we decide to institute a 3-4 defense to get both Brown and Valadez out there, and with limited depth at DT.

 

Depth Chart (Bold returning starter)

QB - Mark Lopez (Fr), Duane Lewis (So), Jeff Davenport (Sr)

RB - Robert Stone (So), Rubin O'Neill (Fr), Kevin Long (Jr)

FB - Scott Fernandes (Sr), Elliot Diaz (Fr), Leo Mendoza (Fr)

WR - Larry Mayo (Sr), John Diaz (So), Gary Lundy (Fr)

WR - Eric Rice (Fr), David Saucier (Fr), Anthony Newton (Fr)

TE - Jamie Pierson (So), Vincent Harrison (Sr), James Gray (Fr)

OC - Edward Fowler (Sr), Wayne Johnson (Sr)

OT - Benjamin Healy (Jr), Thomas Carter (So)

OT - Frank Butler (So), Ronnie Johnson (Sr)

OG - Darren Bender (So), James Combs (Sr)

OG - Shane Harris (So), Lawrence Rodriguez (Sr)

 

DE - John Kruse (So), Jack Clark (So)

DE - Thomas Cleveland (So), Jesse Gallardo (Sr)

NT - Tristan Newman (So), John Owen (So), Efrain Cruz (Jr)

OLB - David Morris (Jr), Daniel Ortiz (Sr)

OLB - Andrew Huff (Sr), Kyle Johnson (Fr)

ILB - William Brown (Jr), Willard Freeman (Sr)

ILB - Joshua Valadez (Jr), Amos Connor (So)

CB - Jesse Barnes (So), John Powers (Jr)

CB - James Garcia (Jr), Reuben Smith (Fr)

FS - Jack Hancock (Sr), Matthew Booth (Jr)

SS - Nelson Robertson (Jr), Lee Thomas (Fr)

 

K - Jerry Hayes (Jr), Blake Hall (Fr)

P - Cecil Laughlin (Sr), William Cerda (Sr)

 

KR - John Johnson, Eric Rice

PR - John Diaz, Ross Culpepper

[GoBlue2419]

2014 Season Recap

 

Week 1

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/niu@kan_score.jpeg

 

Total Offense - Kansas 623, NIU 224

 

Passing

Lopez - 10/18, 83 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT

 

Rushing

Stone - 12-59

 

Receiving

Saucier - 6 catches, 98 yds

 

Defense

Brown - 9 tackles, 1 sack

 

Week 2

Loss to Arkansas State

 

Passing

- Lopez - 15/26, 186 yds, 0, 2

 

Rushing

- Stone - 19-107, 1 TD

 

Receiving

- Mayo - 6 catchers, 83 yds

- Rice - 4 catches, 68 yds

 

- Ark St QB Mayo threw for 359 yds, 2 TD, 1 Int

 

Week 3

Off

 

Week 4

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/niu@wmu_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - G Harris (broken pelvis) - out, DE Cleveland (Stress fracture foot) - doubt, SS Robertson (torn tendon thumb) - quest

 

Passing

- Lopez - 17/32, 183 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT

 

Rushing

- Stone - 15-52

 

Receiving

- Mayo - 8 catches-145 yds, 1 TD

 

Defense

Hancock - 9 tackles, 1 sack

 

Week 5

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/bsu@niu_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - TE Pierson (pelvis inflammation) - probable, G Harris - out, DE Cleveland - probable

 

Passing

- Lopez - 23/43 - 212 yds, 1 TD, 0 Int

 

Rushing

- Stone - 27-107 yds

 

Receiving

- Saucier - 6 catches-52 yds, 1 TD

- Mayo - 5-60 yds

 

Defense

- Robertson - 7 tackles

- Hancock - 7 tackles

 

Week 6

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/niu@montst_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - TE Pierson (pelvis inflammation) - probable, G Harris - out, DT Owens - probable

 

Passing

- Lopez - 13/37-127 yds, 0 TD, 2 INT

 

Rushing

- O'Neill - 16-93 yds

 

Receiving

- Saucier - 6 catches-45 yds

 

Defense

- Brown - 11 tackles, 1 sack

- Robertson - 9 tackles, 1 FF

 

Week 7

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/niu@akr_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - G Harris (broken pelvis) - out

 

Passing

- Lopez - 17/35 - 243 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT

 

Rushing

- Stone - 16-65 yds

 

Receiving

- Saucier - 6 catches-111 yds

- Mayo - 6 catchers - 57 yds, 1 TD

 

Defense

- Owens - 4 tackles, 2 FF

 

Week 8

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/niu@cmu_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - G Bender (broken ribs) - doubtful, C Fowler (leg fracture) - doubtful, DE Cleveland (knee inflammatio) - probable, ILB Brown (broken hand) - probable, OLB Huff (leg fracture) - doubtful

 

Passing

- Lopez - 14/29-236 yds, 1 TD, 0 INT

 

Rushing

- Stone - 20-71 yds, 2 TD

 

Receiving

- Saucier - 5 catches - 81 yds

 

Defense

- Valadez - 12 tackles, 1 sack, 1 PD

- Hancock - 10 tackles

 

Week 9

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/bgsu@niu_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - G Bender - probable, C Fowler - probable, ILB Brown - probable, OLB Huff - questionable

 

Passing

- Lopez - 17/30 - 209 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT

 

Rushing

- Stone - 24-85 yds

 

Receiving

- Rice - 8 catches-84 yds

- Stone - 4 catches - 94 yds, 2 TD

 

Defense

- Morris - 4 tackles, 2 sacks

 

Week 10

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/emu@niu_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - G Bender - probable, C Fowler - probable

 

Passing

- Lopez - 14/33, 154 yds, 0 TD, 1 INT

 

Rushing

- Stone - 25/95

 

Receiving

- Rice - 5 catches-27 yds

 

Defense

- Hancock - 9 tackles, 1 PD

- Robertson - 8 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF

 

Week 11

Off

 

Week 12

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/niu@tol_score.jpeg

 

- Injuries - DE Cleveland (scratched cornea) - probable

 

Passing

- QB Lopez - 15/33 - 210 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT

 

Rushing

- RB Stone - 20/115 yds

 

Receiving

- WR Rice - 6 catches-57 yds

 

Defense

- ILB Valadez - 10 tackles

 

Week 13

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/mass@niu_score.jpeg

 

- Our punter, Cecil Laughlin named a finalist for the Ray Guy Award

 

- Injuries - TE Pierson (Strained oblique) - doubtful

 

Passing

- QB Lopez - 18/28, 344 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT

 

Rushing

- RB Stone - 23-101 yds

 

Receiving

- WR Rice - 5 catches - 102 yds, 1 TD

- WR Mayo - 3 catches - 123 yds, 1 TD

 

Defense

- ILB Brown - 11 tackles

[GoBlue2419]

2014 Final NIU Stats

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/final_passing.jpeg

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/final_rushing.jpeg

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/final_receiving.jpeg

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2014/final_defense.jpeg

 

 

NIU Award Winners

- Laughlin - 1st Team All-Mac P

- Stone - 2nd Team All-Mac RB

- Owens - 3rd Team All-Mac DT

 

 

MAC Bowl Games

- Belk Bowl - Pitt 52, Kent St. 10

- Military Bowl - Navy 27, EMU 21

- Godaddy.com Bowl - Southern Miss 21, BGSU 14

- Little Caesars Pizza Bowl - Michigan 41, Ohio 23

 

 

- Championship Game - USC 36, Penn St. 19

[GoBlue2419]

2015 Offseason Summary

 

- budget decreased another $150,000

 

- I decide to fire our OC and DC. I need to get some guys in there who are better at developing our talent. We are not going to recruit uber-talents, so we need to develop the players we can get.

 

- I hire:

- OC - James Stringer - James has been our Offensive Line coach the last 3 years. This will be his first OC position, but I like his ability to develop our players.

- DC - Domingo Lester - Familiar with Domingo as he was the DC at Ball State in 2012, he has been the DC at Clemson the previous two seasons. In 2013 they had the 8th ranked defense in the country, and last season had the 20th ranked. I'm not sure how I ended up with him, but hopefully he can take our defense to another level.

 

Recruiting

- 22 open scholarships

 

http://www.domstenfamily.com/bbcf/haugen/2015/recruits.jpeg

 

We end up with the 115th ranked recruiting class.

 

We lost out on our email recruit, a SS who decided to go to San Diego State. Not many of these guys will play this year (if ever), but we should improve our overall talent somewhat with this class. C Christopher McClellan was a gamble, as he had 7 interest in us at the beginning of recruiting. I offered him right away, as we were in great need of a center, and he ended up not getting any other scholarship offers.

 

QB Mark Hill will be moved to running back, where I feel he could make a greater impact for us than he ever will at QB. G Chad Ross will be a 2nd string at G, our 3 center recruits will be our top 3 centers this year, and DE Thomas Thompson will be the backup at both DE positions.

[kujjaquaq]

Don't Give Up

 

Keep trucking along. This is a very difficult game you'll figure it out as time goes by. I 100% agree with your decision to hire coordinators that are good at developing. Good luck in the upcoming season!

[olympia]

hope you are able to continue this dynasty, despite the tough year you are making strides in the right direction.

 

totally agree with the new coaches too. You are correct about not winning too many recruiting battles, so find some diamonds in the rough and coach them up. Anyone starting in the mid 40's should develop and be able to help down the road. Win a few more games and maybe snag a 3 star or two - you need some playmakers (regardless of star level)