AJS

Agree with this. Looking at the defense UND has returning, circle Wolanin. The is how I'd rank the returners, based on sticking them on any great defense. Poolman (2/3) - Best freshman season since Chorney, the guy was so solid. Shaw (4) - Had the most improvement, comparable to Gersish, like Poolman, solid. Peski (5) Johnson (6/7) Wolanin has a chance to be a legit #1 defenseman on the good defense, he has so much skill. If that takes place, you have to start filling in the spots. Like the rest of the team, it might be about depth. If Wolanin doesn't improve his defense immensely, he could still be around a 3/4 on a solid club. UND will need at least one freshman to push for the 5/6 spot, if the other is in 6/7 range, they are still looking good.

That definitely hurts, as everyone knows they are there, the problem is this will most likely scare a decent percent for the rest of the year.

I'm interested in the football minds that have watched this program closely. Outside of the obvious coaches, does anybody believe Bubba and most his staff isn't the answer or is this one of those 100 year floods where everything goes wrong from a personal / injury standpoint? Having watched this team over the past 2 years, I believe it's the latter. I said it before, but we throw the expectations out the window, we have to look at this from a rebuilding standpoint. Having an OL like we had today might not be what we need to dominate the line today, but give it a season to a mature and we could have 2 years with 4/5ths of it. Rastas is getting important reps to hopefully be a back up next year with experience. CB's that still have 2 / 3 years left after this year. Depth is an issue this year, but hopefully getting youth in their now, will pay off in years to come.

Agreed, but when you have 3 starters out (SR, SR, JR), this is what you get. Positives being if they had a healthy OL, I don't think it would have made a difference. This was strictly on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive display as bad as it looked really wasn't all bad on 1st and 2nd down. I've never before and probably never again will see a team complete over 80% of their 3rd / 4th downs. Positive being we've seen what a UND defense is capable under Bubba. This is a situation where they don't have ILB's. Is that on the coaching staff, yes, but when you have what you think is your 2 deep going into Spring camp and 0 can play right now, it's tough. Having a healthy Rodgers / Larson at ILB would have made a huge difference the last two weeks. Add on top of that your two best CB's, it changes things.

Playoffs aren't going to happen. Here's a question to those in the know. Even when guys get healthy (OL for example), will we see more substituting in game to get experience for those young players like Mortell / Blair? Same goes for QB, safety's even if healthy. More than if we were actually in the hunt?

Playoffs are out of the picture, let's see if this now young Hawks team can pick up the pieces and build toward next year.

This!!! I think the offense could have picked if up, given the chance.

To give the OL a little pass, they started 4 underclassman, including 2 Freshman.

Put in Zimmerman, if he's not ready, just play Studsrud and wait for the guys who will be eligible next year.

Honest question, although this isn't on Studsrud, when do you start rotating?

Correct! At least UND always has hockey, wouldn't that be depressing if we only had to look forward to football.

Love it, embarrass them if I'm Montana State. This is the Mussman level pathetic defense, I never thought I'd ever see it again. Good news, I think think this is a year that if it rains it pours. Nothing will go right, every 50 / 50 coin flip will go the other way. They'll be lucky to win 4 games. It just is what it is. Although I believe this is a fluky type year, strike 1 & 2 for Bubba and staff. This can never happen again.

I need another 3rd down from MSU! YES!!!!

10-12! Are we in record territory?

This one is on Schmidt, I don't care if you have high school seniors out there, they shouldn't give up every single 3rd down.

Murray single handily beat UND. UND has the worst 3rd down defense I've ever seen in my life.

Is this game out of reach, yes, but I've never seen a defense I know can't stop a team ever on 3rd down, ever. This loss will rest on the defense and Schmidt.

That offensive call was crazy, i could have gained the 5 yards.

Tamas is a beast on kick returns.

Worst offensive team of Bubba era, meet worst defensive team on Bubba era.

As I've said, 0% chance stopping them with less than 3 yards.

Have to give it to Murray, he's >>>>> than anyone on UND's defense.

Hey, he can! So the question was is that a fluke or for some asinine reason they want him to do that high kick to the 10 yard line and hope for a holding call?

Tabs leg strength is absolutely pathetic, just kick it out of bounce.

There's not a kicker on campus that can kick it into the end zone? If Leach can't (no idea) recruit another kicker.