AJS

Bubba and the coaching staff have a real opportunity here going forward. Injuries helped get the train off the track, but with what's come to light with Poole, Taylor and Randolph, it obviously went much deeper than just injuries. With the season shot, it's no longer about wins and losses. I know this is a really talented football, so the cupboard is far from bare. They wouldn't be starting from the ground up, like they did when they originally got here. What needs to happen is they have to flush out the bad apples. I'm all for drug testing everyone, giving one warning for those that fail, if they fail again, they are off the team. It's simple, what's more important, playing college football, getting FCOA and an education or smoking weed. I don't care how many players have to go, as long as the ones that are here are here for the right reasons. If I was a player doing the right things (I believe to be the mass majority), I would be pissed about this and would hope the coaching staff would put their foot down. Clean it up now!

I tried to look into tie's and pairwise, but couldn't find anything. If that's the case, that's great, basically just a mulligan when you tie a really bad team.

I thought he was clearly the best player on the ice.

I thought it before the game and UAA reaffirmed they are terrible, I'll strongly disagree with you though about how UND played. I get the frustration with the lack of goal scoring, but they had great chances and dominated about as badly as one team could another. This is a new year and until this becomes a trend again, I'll write this up as 1) Bad puck luck 2) Goalie standing on their head. It's annoying I know to use those same excuses that it seemed we used a lot last year, but it's a new year. Question: I tried to look it up, but how do ties effect a teams pairwise? UAA clearly will be a terrible team this year and a loss would be devastating, but does a tie have even close to the same effect?

I'm all for this.

Clearly many more positives than negatives, the biggest being last year this is a game they lose. It was a completely dominating performance where between missed open nets and Mantha stopping absolutely everything, you just knew they wouldn't score. Reading @SiouxFanatic post, I agree, this wasn't a game where they had a bunch of shots, but not quality chances, Mantha was on fire. Play this game over 100 times with the same chances though and no way Gersich gets held without a goal. The only worry I have is the power play, of course they won't go 0% on the season, but it was a continuation of the last decade where it always looks worse than the opponents, regardless of who they play. It's so incredibly frustrating. UND had momentum the entire 2nd and 3rd, then they'd go on the power play and look terrible. Tomorrow is huge, you can live with a tie and a win coming out of this weekend, but nothing less. Start the count: Games UND dominates, but doesn't win is currently at 1

I just don't see anyway UND loses a game this weekend, UAA was one of the worst teams in the NCAA last year (I get it so was Michigan State). I feel great about this weekends games, one blow out, one closer game than we'd like.

If they were just caught with it, I wouldn't be calling them to get kicked off the team. It's the cops raiding their place and getting an intent to deliver that makes me hope they are gone today. No second chances in this case.

Kick them both off the team.

This teams not that young, it is a tough road trip, but UAA is pretty terrible, I'd be shocked if they lost a game this weekend.

Need two wins, can't have Michigan State like killers of the PWR this year.

UND will lose by at least 17 and give up more than 35.

If that's the case, then I'm with @shep, it's one of two situations, either it's 1) Going to come out, then why not say it 2) If they want to keep it in house, why even say anything at all.

I always have a hypothetical cliff that teams can fall off based on who graduates and who leaves early. Last year, I felt it was the combination of Thompson / Johnson that really hurt UND. For Duluth, it was Pionk / Johnson. That's two first team all NCHC candidates. UMD lost 5 defeseman and their goalie along with their top 3 forwards, good luck. Still have a good looking forward group, but no way they finish ahead of UND.

Who does he have 3rd? I think UND will finish 2nd, but could see people pick them 3rd giving SCSU the #2 spot. I can't think of another team that would be in the discussion for Top 3 outside of Denver, SCSU, UND.

I love this, it's really all that needs to be said.

UND 28 Davis 24 I thought UND was going to get smoked last weekend and they did. I like the team only meeting, I think it jumpstarts this team. I don't think they were as far off against Montana State as the score indicated (Murray was a game changer), absurd 3rd down percentage. The O-Line will be in it's 2nd week together, I think they'll be able to move the ball much better. On defense, I think Davis has a pretty good QB, but not as dynamic as UND has seen the two previous weeks.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4335079-future-now-unds-banged-offensive-line#.Wc0KiSBOgVQ.twitter There's something that's exciting about having two freshman on the left side for what will be the 2nd week in a row. We'll see if they take a step forward having one game under their belt.

With the roster set, here are my line combinations for forwards. Mismash (FR) - Gardner (JR) - Poganski (SR) Gersich (JR) - Hoff (SO) - Kawaguchi (FR) Janatuinen (JR) - Jones (JR) - Bowen (SO) Olson (SR) - Simonson (SR) - Smith (SO) Adams (FR) - Either him or Kawaguchi on 2nd line, also fill in for Bowen on 3rd, he'll definitely get his minutes Yon (SO) - Potential 3rd line Gornall (JR) - Potential 4th line My goal was to have two upperclassman on each line, with one underclassman. Only the 2nd line doesn't meet that criteria, but Hoff was solid and a freshman and is the 2nd best center on the team. This team with so many forwards returning and a big core of proven (not elite, but proven) talent, should be the deepest forward group in years.

Fair, everyone is a little different on how they define blue chip status. Mine would be truly elite, I don't think Mismash qualifies, great player though.

I'm so excited about this freshman class, no "blue chippers", but a class you would clone and take every year. Highly skilled, but not prototypical NHL size that teams (NHL) love. Should be great college hockey players that will be in the system 3 / 4 years.

Shout out to Rastas though for doing the best he can, getting thrown into a starting roll a couple years too early. He's a player, just way too light right now. Not ideal at all, but will pay dividends down the road.

Laid out my defense with a couple posts, but will respectfully disagree with you on basically every point. These last two games have been ugly, but I don't think you could be more wrong in saying injuries aren't the main reason or that Bubba's classes are overrated. I can't emphasis enough (and I'll say this for the last time, since I'm a broken record), that ILB injuries cost this team their defense (as long as Rodgers / Hunt are out). O-Line is now so young it's going to take a while for them to get up to speed. There's so much talent on this team, but it's tough when so many key positions are filled with underclassman.

Like on defense, injuries have taken place in the worst possible position (O-Line) offensively. I think we need to cut the O-Line a little break replacing two senior tackles with a Freshman (first) start and Sophomore (2nd or 3rd start). Montana State might have the best front 7 in the Big Sky. The problem I see isn't necessarily talent, but the lack of Juniors on the roster. You only have two that will play this year Taylor (hurt) and Aplin. It's far from ideal, but the depth at tackles when both starters are out are Mortel (FR), Blair (So), Bennett (Fr), Russo (So). Tobin (Fr) has started since day one, Rooney (So) also starter since day 1.

I want to look at the defensive side of the ball. With all the talk about injuries and lack of depth, is that actually the case all over the board or is it strictly ILB? How different would the result be last Saturday if everything was the same injury wise, but you had a healthy Rodgers / Larson and moved Disterhaupt to the outside? ILB was the weak position coming into this year and the worst case scenario happened with Rodgers / Larson / Hunt all being injured. Teams are attacking the weakness and UND can't stop it. I can't emphasis enough how big of a difference that would make. The defense would look completely different. Look at the defensive roster in the years to come, these being the underclassman that could have or will see the field this year, that will play major rolls in the future. Outside of Larson, this isn't counting any Freshman that will RS this year (look defensive line recruits). Guys that if not already will be excellent college players. DL - Bennett (So) OLB - Lawrence (So), Haas (Fr) ILB - Rodgers (So), Larson (Fr), Hunt (Fr), Rastas (Fr - after he puts on weight) CB - Holm (So), Hunt (So), Blubaugh (Fr) Safety - Shannon (Fr), Randolph (Fr) I'm definitely missing players that will contribute (ex: Wilson, Turner), but my point being outside of ILB, I don't think depth is an issue. It's just such a severe issue at ILB that it's causing what we see now. Like others have mentioned, the defense played well in it's first two games, it's just one injury (Rodgers) really changed the trajectory or the year, compounding the fact that Larson wasn't ready to go either. Let's hope they can ready the ship in the upcoming games, but the future is really bright for the defensive unit starting next year. The ironic thing is the ILB position will quickly become over the next couple years, possibly the biggest strength of the defense.