The Sicatoka

I believe the focus has been too much on putting together a "Big Sky" offense, at the expense of recruiting for defense.

What bothers me about Mussman is that he just doesn't sound like a head coach who knows his team is going to go out and win. As a head coach, even if you have doubts you can not let them be known. The "keep it close and win in the fourth" noise I've heard more than once from him screams "I just hope we don't get blown out early." Don't kid yourself, his players hear his statements and that isn't good. I'm going to say it: What would it take to lure Kalen DeBoer to UND. DeBoer has head coaching experience and FCS coordinator experience.

1st and 96, UND.

Will Lewis picks off NAU.

Dear Mr. Jackson, The "cut throat" move toward the opposing sidelines is a personal foul. Signed, The Back Judge

Nah, not gale force, just 28, gusting to 37, mph right now. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/fgf/?mystation=KGFK

... or if FCS goes to a constant level of 12 games per season.

UND is somewhere between 8-3 and 3-8 right now. WYO is right, how quickly some forget 3-8 in NDSU's not-so-distant past. UND could, based on this week's FCS projections, play *five* FCS playoff teams and an FBS bowl team this regular season. That's just crazy for a first-year eligible team. (Montana State, EWU, NAU, Montana, Cal-Poly, plus San Diego State) http://forum.siouxsp...tology-oct-8th/ http://www.sportsnet...FCS_Bracket.pdf

Part of UND running the 3-4 is to stop the veer. The other part is that in the midwest it was easier to find the LBs for a 3-4 system than the DL for a 4-3. Then again, part of the 3-4 is accepting that you need to use a LB (or two) to pressure the QB in passing situations. The 3-4 is better for blitz schemes because you can better disguise who is coming. If you're not blitzing from a 3-4 you may be dropping 8 in coverage, but you're also giving the QB time to find the holes. Personally, my theory has always been that there are two ends a completion, the throw and the reception, and it's easier to disrupt the throw because you have a pretty good idea where that is coming from (compared to where it's going).

Bring in a guy who's been more places than you, and who's older than you, to coach the defense? It's been done: by Dave Hakstol, when he hired Brad Berry.

I hope that's accurate, because what I saw leaving the ice said "four to six weeks" to me. I'll go on record now and predict he won't play against the USA U-18s.

Folks, I'm going to say it: There was some irrational exuberance going into this season. Sure, UND finished 8-3 and won the Great West last year. Sure, UND got a transfer QB to fill the overt shortcoming. But this is the Big Sky. This isn't a transititional schedule. The teams are better and the travel is tougher than last year. Knowing that, I expected some rough patches as the team adjusted. What I didn't expect was fundamental breakdowns in how the team plays. Quit trying to play "Big Sky" football. Cal-Poly isn't. Poly is doing what Poly does. UND should learn from that. UND needs to do what it does: Balanced, ball-control offense and "make them snap it again" defense. Just play UND Football.

Carlson's Cadre has to be giddy with the opportunity.

No one has stepped into that "leader of the defense" role. Next, this defense had issues last year playing a transitional schedule. Now it's facing top level FCS offenses. My solution? I don't have one. What I do know, however, is that football is won with an offensive line and a defensive front seven. If those aren't playing well things won't go well.

UND fans won't have to bring it back up. It'll be a hot topic when the Legislature goes back into session in a couple months.

I think Grimaldi has a bad skate blade.

Like I've said, we're all just a lawn mower toss away from the next problem. DU's turn. PS -- Four games, but including an exhibition game in that? ... Meh ... it's three games.

I would not bet against at least one of those two. The WAC needs a seventh member (and that assumes Idaho stays in the WAC and doesn't join the Big Sky).

The WAC going after UVU and CSU-Bakersfield tells me that nobody else on the WAC's "wish list" wanted in. The WAC "wish list", knowing Idaho and Denver, was probably the top four or five academic schools from the Big Sky. It also signals that the WAC is becoming an Olympic sports conference (UVU and CSU-Bake don't sponsor football).

http://www.heraldextra.com/sports/college/uvu/source-uvu-gets-wac-invite/article_e9f3b48e-0f1e-11e2-99ec-001a4bcf887a.html The article says CSU-Bakersfield and UVU both. I have no idea how the academic sides of the house at Idaho and DU will put up with that.

I've sat in 107, on the north aisle, next to the students. When they were standing there was no part of the rink north of south blue line that could be seen.

Do you have any useful information, analysis, insights, or content to add?

From today's Fargo Forum: Forum Caption: North Dakota State University football players, from left, Lucas Albers, Demitrius Gray, Charles Smith III, Josh Colville, Aireal Boyd, Antonio Rogers, Marcus Williams, Bryan Shepherd, Sam Ojuri and Brendin Pierre leave the Cass County Courthouse on Tuesday in Fargo. The 10 players pleaded guilty to misdemeanor election fraud and were sentenced to community service for faking signatures on proposed ballot measure petitions that they were hired to collect.

NDSU Football: Voter Fraud? Meh, ... we normally deal with infractions involving alcohol, drugs, violence or sex.* NDSU Football: Not smart enough or grown-up enough or sophisticated enough to understand.** *Courtesy Fargo Forum NDSU beat writer Kevin Schnepf **Courtesy Judge Douglas Herman

I've said more than once that we're all just a lawn mower toss away from the next problem.