How many mics do you rip on the daily? Many money say me say many many many.
- Probably the most important thing to happen as of late is that Alex Daniel, the running back, has been reinstated to the team. Normally, I wouldn't hype the return of someone whose only NU experience has been in the spring game two years ago. But our running back situation - despite Arby Fields' near 100-yard game Saturday - is kinda dire. Arby is now listed as the only starter, which is disconcerting, because he had a game where he ran for -7 yards on ten carries, which is actually the worst statistical line I've seen by any player in any sport in quite some time. Stephen Simmons is now listed as the backup, but he must've shot a coach or something one time, because he doesn't seem awful, but hasn't been given more than six carries since Eastern Michigan last year. And he only had six carries once. Then there's Jacob Schmidt, who has transformed from "that slow, short-yardage back who has been pretty consistent" to "that slow, short-yardage back who is pretty consistent at fumbling". Scott Concannon has gone from starting and playing well against Iowa to four games later being our fourth- or fifth-string running back, so, he's probably also a coach-murderer like Simmons. And Mike Trumpy is a freshman, although he didn't disappoint against ISU in limited time. So, Alex Daniel, welcome to the club. We need new members.
- NU has ten votes in the coaches poll, but more importantly, we now have one - ONE - in the AP poll. And unlike the coaches poll where we have to wait all the way until the end of the year to see who voted for who, and only get to see once, we have all the data we could possibly want now, allowing us to track our one vote to Pete DiPremio of the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. Pete also has Boise State at No. 1, so there's that, but, at least he's better than the guy who has James Madison ranked No. 19 and Bama at No. 3, behind TCU. That guy is an idiot.
- The Rice game will be streamed on the Rice athletic website. It's still a not on television fail by everybody involved, but we hypothetically will be able to watch it, although I sure as hell am not paying Rice University to watch it on their crappy stream if that's what it will come down to.
- Some other roster minutiae: Niko Mafuli still won't play next week, so Will Hampton - who burned his shirt last week Illinois State - is still on the depth chart. I guess the injury will keep him out for a while - it'd be silly to have someone burn their shirt for a single game against an FCS team. Also, Pat Hickey - who had been snapping on field goals - is no longer listed as the co-starter long snapper, ending the LONG SNAPPING CONTROVERSY IN EVANSTON, and hopefully all of our shanked extra points. And Bryce McNaul is back and will play, but hopefully that doesn't put an end to Ben Johnson's reign of terror.