Longtime fan

I've said the same thing. The run up the gut for an easy 6 yards won't happen next year for opposing offenses. If Deion comes back healthy with Evan there are two great cbs to go along with the two talented young safeties canady and ty gaining game time experience and the biggest return is a healthy Donnell....he is the catalyst! The D fell apart with his departure. The true fresh D line this year have some serious talent. Zeke could easily start alongside either Mason or Austin next year. I truly believe next years D will be all kinds of bad ass ....if they don't sustain 15-20 injuries that is.

I agree with most of your post minus the "it's not on Rudy" comment. He's the OC, and as an OC...it better be up to him to use the skill of the personal that he chooses to start. Keaton could be used much differently. The same for Santiago....he's being used like a 240 lb FB. Santiago is just an ok rb with how Rudy uses him. He's a @&$%#^ all American!!! Brady and JJ and Izzy and luke and cloyd and coyne and finke could all be great contributors. There is so many ways....and Rudys way is just sad and depressing. Yesterday the D didn't step up to help the ave ppg for UND...Rudy was left alone to get the points......he was able to muster up a whopping 21 points again against a !@#!$ big sky D.

The D is a mess. UND started two true fresh , fresh and true soph in the secondary.....talk about lighting up an opposing teams OC eyes!! Half the starters on D were fresh. E wash could eclipse 70-80 points on Saturday as they're fighting for the playoffs. They're going to be coming in hungry and looking for style points. The thing I'm most frustrated about this year, defensive wise, is the play or lack thereof the DEs . The haven't been ravaged by injuries and have upper class leadership. Seems like they've gone the entire year without existing. What gives!? They should be making some kind of push around the edge to help the fresh in the secondary...instead there's nothing! Any capable opposing qb will have a career day. Gubrud is going to absolutely tear this team up Saturday without any inckling of pressure DEs - no pressure ILB - UND is essentially down the starting two studsrud here based on size secondary - all fresh Glad there's only one game left in this WTF season

The best hand'r -off'r you mean Rudolph won't use his skills next year....no way! Look what Rudolph has done with Keaton!? IMO, Keatons accuracy is below average but it could be covered a bit if his skill set was being used properly. He can look fantastic when he is in comfort zone. Look at streveler down at USD....he couldn't throw in the ocean standing on the beach last year. When an offense (OC) has talented skill players they use their talent, Rudolph prefers to power Santiago up the middle. Love watching Santiago return punts...at least there we get to see what he's capable of.

Couldn't agree more and I would like if the players would follow suit. Defensively, I love to see fiery competitors that want to knock the snot of you for coming their way. Tamas is very much this .....he wants to punish the opposing player every play. Love that agressive nature! Rastas has the drive or want but cannot always fulfill the obligatory duties because of size. Need a full 11 starters that play that way. Make every hit count

Didn't get to watch the game but it sounded like bubba was all kinds of worked up per jack and Berg a lot of the game. His voice was distinctively hoarse during post game interview.

I would agree... but I also like to see that they're passionate for the game as well. I just don't see that in him.. just my assessment of course, not necessarily reality.

Having Donnell back is absolutely huge.....he is the most important player on the team IMO. Again....barring a massive exodus of injuries the D will be very very very good. All the mins and game time experience that all these young guys are getting will pay dividends. Some shouldn't even be playing this year and/or 3rd 4th stringers Cole is a massive loss but he's already gone so the youngins are already getting reps. At safety I like Tamas , ty and canady. Canady could be really special. Dranka and Greeley have not produced this year. Not much of a loss plus the true fresh this year are very talented. Bennett will much better when UND gets back to being aggressive. The CBs for next year are loaded Harris - will his Achilles be healed enough is the big question ...but if healthy he is an all American Torrey - has had an up/ down year but is maybe the most fluid CB UND has. evan- before being injured he was playing extremely well blubaugh- talented true fresh gaining experience ty- the one thing that stands out for me about ty is that he never shows any emotion...like he doesn't care. Talented tho The d line will have tank, Bennett and cieslak starting Veteran talented group! Zeke will be special and sequin is a beast from what I've seen in practice OLB - They all come back....hopefully! Big fan of haas. Jaxon showed what he's capable of doing yesterday. Tanner is very aggressive. ILB has talent needs depth Bennett - stud Noah - until he gets game time we don't know for sure rastas - if he can inhale 12 cheeseburgers a day and get around 220ish next he will start opposite of Bennett . He has ILB intentions just not bulky enough. cam - has looked real good Still a couple games to go this year but I'm really excited about the D next year and the years to come. Looking at the stat line for the D the last 4-5 games ....it's very noticeable that at least half of the top contributors are freshman. 3 of the top 4 from yesterday were freshman and a couple games ago the top 5 were all fresh. The offense is a different story. If Rudy is retained then UND be just ok next year.

Yeah next year barring massive injuries....Donnell, cam, Noah and Rastas will be a great crew.

Football is without a doubt the ultimate team sport.... if a few cogs are out of place it can throw off the entire balance. They began the year aggressive. UND is still the only team to shutout misery st. In regards to UNDs D, the 3-4 base, the playmakers are their backers and safeties. As everyone knows by now the ILBs / safeties are decimated and because of that I would assume Schmitty is not comfortable with heavy blitz packages but more of a containment/conservative style. He's trying to keep it as simple as he can for the young inexperienced backers in the play calling aspect as well. The ILB setting up the D is an undersized walk on fresh. If Donnell was not injured I would think the d would be playing the same as the last couple years.....aggressive! *IMO Donnell was the biggest loss this year* Schmitty just isn't comfortable with the ILB crew ...his bread and butter....

They were comfortable to have zim riding pine .....had him behind heidlebaugh. Maybe they don't see the same thing in practice? Or maybe not present at practice? Practice must be really bad for the TEs also....they are aberrations in games.

As long as Rudolph is here, UND is ok with being ok.

Lol

Since he's been here it's been horrible. Embarrassingly horrible.

21 by the offense! Rudy is an absolute genius! ? Way to go Rudy!! Rubbed it in the face of the worst d in the big sky.

The Offense just might be the worst in the fcs. In every aspect. Horrible !

Santiago has 28 yards rushing against the worst rush D in the conf. This fu&$$^*€ offense is just junk

Sure glad the D and special teams are scoring

Santiago is such an explosive player.

Santiago!!!!

Highly doubtful

Is that the only thing that sucks ?

Wow!! An offensive td against the leagues worst D!!! *hand clap *. Way to go!!

Port st is giving up a league worst 38.3 points a game.....UND has 6 closing in at the half!!! Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy Rudy!!!

Make it four....blowout!!