AJS

He had a great interview with Dom Izzo today.

Based on the interviews he’s done, I would think it’ll be mostly new.

Question. I would think it would but can someone confirm the 105 roster limit is going into effect for both FBS and FCS this fall? Three phases to the portal era off-season (1) Keep key contributors. This means different things to different positional groups as well. I look at it as the coaching staff playing GM. It's the majority of players. (2) Attrition through players entering the portal. Program lead decision mostly. Call it mutual. (3) Upgrade your roster through incoming players. All phases incredibly important, but following this fairly closely, the first phase imo is the most important. It's really, really hard to replace key players. Certain position groups (like offensive line), call it impossible at the FCS level. The teams that are consistently at the top are losing very few top players. Great news, it seems like the current roster is in on the Head Coaching change. Very interested to see what kind of movement comes from the coaching changes down the roster. Home-run scenario. Key players hold tight, no movement. Over the next few days, we see some depth attrition. Feel good about the returning roster by the end of next week. Then it's on to phase 3!

What an interview! They absolutely got the right guy!!

Montana returns their starter as well, but lost the guy sharing snaps throughout the year. Really hope UND gets aggressive at QB in the portal.

He so clearly "gets it". I am pumped!

Clearly, if they are bringing a transfer in with one year of eligibility, the thought is they are expected to contribute that year. If they have multiple years, it's more developmental. As someone who has called this past class a bust, they really did have very few one-year guys. Hopefully I was a bit premature in that take. Looking at a guy like Hembry, gets his feet wet year one, all-conference year two. Hembry was fine year one but judging him after year one wouldn't have done it justice. Clearly an awesome portal pick up. Positive vibes from here on out!

To be fair, I’d been frustrated with the early offers so far and this last one put me over the top. The portal commits last year were largely a bust. So far, I see no difference.

It would be nice not to have to Google the school to see what Division they are in for the majority of these offers. With the new roster cap of 105, isn’t there a ridiculous amount of FBS players needing homes? Realize I’m not actually responding to your message and I can’t answer your questions. I’m also not talking about offering 5 star transfers. Btw, these early portal offers were a large reason why I was hesitant on Freuchte and it makes me hope even more Schmidt really shakes up this coaching staff. Enough. Needs to be a new expectation.

Up to this point, haven’t noticed a difference in type of portal offer from previous years. Hoping for that to change shortly.

10am

This has been what I've really tried to emphasis. It's crucial they keep the mass majority of their key players. You're going to need some attrition from the current roster to upgrade, but those hopefully are program driven. Someone who is buried on the depth chart, leaves for playing time. RS Junior that's buried on the depth chart and chooses to graduate and move on. That's Step 1 and it's absolutely critical. Important next 72 hours. Hoping we don't see anything until Thursday. When we do, it's someone that is a "mutual" decision.

Difference makers. What does everyone think a realistic timeline is? You have until Jan. 13 to sign up for 2nd semester. Staff is in place by 12/13 Returners known by 12/16 (Portal exits / Graduating and moving on w/ remaining eligibility, ect) Starting 12/17 Hit the portal

I'm guessing we are all on the same sort of page here. There are key players that can return, you need to keep them. Certain position groups. It's proven at the FCS level it's rare to get an O-Lineman from the portal that will start. You cannot lose an O-Lineman. Stability is important. Ideally, you can then be very strategic in managing who leaves. I started a list of players who won't be returning but have eligibility. Mostly, RS Juniors who have graduated and are calling it a career. If you can find guys who are down the depth chart, imo, that is option #1. Win / win. Bubba and co were an all-time bad program in the short time recruiting from the portal. They couldn't do it. Full evaluation. In the perfect scenario, you don't lose anybody that is a key contributor, and you shed some players that didn't work out. For the first time, you hit from the portal. The portal was a disaster last year (lost key contributors, had a terrible time with incoming players). If Schmidt and Co hit, they can turn this around quickly.

Will those entering be more player or coaching driven? Major major difference between the two.

Ideally, you can hand pick who stays and who goes. There does need to be an infusion of talent. That being said, what's a realistic # of transfers on that side of the ball? 10? 12? You need your key players that can return to return to have a base. Teiken, Mohr, Erkman, Sutton, Blueitt, ect. Recruiting the portal has not been a strength in recent years.

Not transfer portal but seems like a good spot to also list players with eligibility that are not returning. Based off of social medial. Jamal Dixon - Retire (Injury) Casey Schultz - Retire (Injury) Noah Schaffner

Win the portal. A bit different this year with timing and a new head coach. Ideally, nobody enters today - Wednesday. Why? Most likely be key players. To win the portal, the first objective is to keep key players. This tells me, everyone is open to the new head coach. You do need players to enter to make room for “upgrades”. Those being mutual decisions (most likely dictated by coaching staff). Those would happen, later this week / early next week. No news is good news right now.

Any time. There won’t be a list that comes out from the school, you’ll see individuals post on social media once they enter.

I think it was @UND1983 when talking about the importance of keeping the signing class of 23 together, used the word stability. Portal opening today. I wanted to really emphasize the word stability again. New coach named last night, press conference on Wednesday. Need stability this next week. The #1 priority needs to be making sure the "key" players stay. This staff is going to need to hit the portal hard, but you also cannot run out 15 new guys on each side of the ball. Here's who they cannot lose. Two-Deep on O-Line, with clear emphasis on those started RB's TE's (this is more from a need X amount of returners) This way, their efforts this off-season can be WR and (hopefully) QB on the offensive side of the ball. On defense it's more individuals. Teiken, Mohr, Vig, Rucker, McNeal, Bluiett, Erkman, Sutton. The defense needs help, but you still need stability.