The Sicatoka

Updates from the Fargo Forum: http://www.inforum.com/content/updated-search-expands-missing-ndsu-student-including-campus-and-river

You asked "How". That's the "how" answer. To date UND has shown little to no ability to execute point 1.

I just heard about this on the local news. Please follow the link and look at the photo. If you see him, and he could be anywhere in the region since Saturday morning, he's probably in some sort of distress. Do what you can to help or at least call law enforcement. Just assume he's 18-20 years old. (I get not having height/weight for non-athletes, but don't college applications still require a DOB? Or can't they say because of FERPA.)

One play stands out to me as a microcosm of the offensive woes: It was second half and UND had the ball. It was second and seven or eight. It was supposed to be a simple play off right tackle. The snap went and the right guard felt a breeze; it was his man blowing by into the UND backfield and blowing up Norberg just as he got the handoff from Mollberg. Welcome to third and eleven. The replay showed the RG knew he'd been "pwned" by his reaction. It is a classic "only ten guys executed" scenario. He should've felt pretty "warm" in the film room today sitting with his peers and trying to explain what happened. Until all eleven are executing correctly on every play, and especially the front five (or six), it doesn't matter what the play call is. (I've intentionally not said the jersey number.)

Yup. Play defense like you have a plan and the plan is taking the ball back.

Honestly? 1. Ball control offense: limit the number of possessions they have. 2. Put pressure on the opponent offense, create confusion: Go all "Dick LeBeau" on them with random blitzes out of the 3-4. (Think bizarre stuff like Hinohosa or Walker dropping back in a middle zone to cover the under crossing routes while both inside backers blitz.) 2a. Pressure the QB: if you get a chance to knock him down, knock him down. But you must be disciplined to stay in your rush lane and not lose contain. Hopefully 2 or 2a gets you a turnover.

"Ouch!" Stat of the weekend: the three Florida teams (TB, Jax, Mia) all lost by a combined 88 points.

If you can't block a simple play over the guard or off-tackle, how are you going block anything requiring keeping the pressure away longer?

So instead of run we should go all "Air Coryell" (aka "Mussman 2.0*")? *We don't have the WRs for that right now, much less the blocking. <-- It all starts up front.

Welcome to the Teddy Bridgewater era.

More importantly, they have more than 11 guys who can execute effectively a given play. They pick and choose who to put in. As Ben Henson put out in a recent interview, too often we only have ten guys executing (and that's when the trouble starts).

I've harped on the OL. I watched on television. Every replay from the end zones showed our DL being crunched together like an accordion whenever the SB OL chose to. It was very noticeable whenever SB went off tackle or outside. In a 3-4 with wide splits, I guess I'm very surprised to see all there DL green shirts being bumped into each other, and then put on the ground, by the SB OL. Then again, if the goal is our 3 DL occupy their 5 OL I'd say mission accomplished as our LBs seemed free to roam.

The plays they called and the ones they didn't all depend on executing the same or similar blocking schemes. The difference is where the play falls on the risk/reward curve. They stayed extremely "low risk". When SB has a DT just about taking the hand off half the time on a fast developing dive a longer to develop play is doomed.

They ran their base jet sweep with a different guy than usual as the motion man. He could execute it.

OK, I'm going to do it (and will probably regret it later) .... There's nothing flashy in NDSU's offense or NDSU's current formula. It's stout defense and ball-control offense. The reason NDSU's offense looks so good most of the time is they have an offensive line that executes their assignments with precision every play. Given that: their QB has time, the backs have holes, and the WRs have time to get open. But most importantly, all 11 guys, especially the five up front, are doing their assignments without mistake. UND has some work to do, but that's exactly what the UND staff is trying to put in place. I'l say it again: Mussman was an offensive lineman in college. How he could let the offensive line get to this state just stuns me. Bubba and Rudolph will just have to do rebuild it. Rebuilding can be done (see: defense).

The National Capricious and Arbitrary Association on exhibit.

Can they just be honest and call the position "Kumbahya Kommissar"?

Dare I refer you to the Lennon era where Bubba was the DC: With a lead and with the defense in control, the offense (per Lennon's directive) was dialed back to ultra-conservative*. That's what you saw last night. SB is not a come-from-behind team. The Tillman interception-TD made it two scores which at that point in the game is probably enough. The UND offense went completely conservative so as to not give up an easy score to SB on a miscue. What we need is enough offense to get a couple rushing first downs and not give the ball back with under four minutes to play. That takes some better line play and there are already about three threads talking about that. To you point about "predictable": Yup. But when you're playing to hold onto the ball and not make mistakes you're going to be. Don't you remember the early 2000s? First down was always over the left guard -- second and eight, but with UND with the ball and the clock running and the UND defense on the sideline resting and plotting. However, those teams had enough line push and other offensive weapons to make it third and three and convert. This team? It needs to work on that. This team, unfortunately, seems to make second and eight into third and eleven far too often. *You saw Mussman's offensive philosophy without Lennon there to temper it. You saw how well that worked out.

I saw a clip of Ben Henson in the pre-game show where he said something to the effect that all 11 guys need to execute. If only 10 do, it doesn't work. On offense I think I saw every position be the "one" of the 11 at some point. The lines must be priority #1 for recruiting. Another big back (which I think has already committed) sure wouldn't hurt. If they're playing Mollberg over Bartles right now, I know who is #1 on the QB depth chart come August 10, 2015: Studsrud. If not for the "Rich and Rat Show" the player of the game was UND's punter. He probably has a repetitive motion injury today.

You wondered about that too, eh?

When NDSU intercepted Montana in the end zone I looked at an 'SU fan I was with and said, "Game." I didn't figure JJ and the Griz would muster much more after that. However, between Weber State and Montana there's enough on film for the rest of of the world to see the formula to use against NDSU. (Dear Iowa State, you should be embarrassed that you're not in that list.) Key items: Know they're going to try to wear you down, so act accordingly (UM's defensive rotations); extend possessions as best you can (as NDSU's defense isn't used to being on the field for long durations); and bend, not break (make them kick FGs). Putting a FB in position to help your LT probably isn't a bad idea either if your LT isn't Anthony Munoz.

The stadium divider doesn't affect the east side stands, does it? Solution!

Yesterday would have been an awesome day to have: - defenders who like to run and play fast - offensive linemen who want to play the first day on campus in for a visit. They would've looked, seen, and signed immediately because they can see they'll get what they're looking for.

I wish I'd have taken the 22.5.

I love to bash Goldie as much as anyone, but I just looked at the line for UND's passing game yesterday: 2 of 7 (for 79 yards) with one (68 yd) TD and one interception.