AJS

The schedule really is favorable for a high floor. Guaranteed: Drake, Western, Indiana State Feel Confident: NAU, @ Murray State, ISU-Red Last year, how many would have you put in those camps? There was a lot more 50 / 50 games. I would have put one (@ ISU-Blue) or maybe two (ACU) into one of those categories. Next year, 6. Six doesn't guarantee you anything. Definitely a favorable schedule.

I concede. There's a chance Denver, Michigan, Minnesota aren't a Top 10 team next year. Probably will but could not. I get technicalities, so I'll have to speak more generally in certain situations. What I would say, is those three programs seem to be the exception to the rule lately.

Some people. Let's lay this out for everyone. Talking anything Pre-Motzko wouldn't make sense, agreed? How many years would you give someone that took over a program to turn it around? The last year I would say they struggled (16-14-7) was 2019-2020. Can we all make the assumption that the current more recent version of Minnesota is more likely to continue then the one the first two years he took over? What are we doing here?

This. DU (along with Minnesota / Michigan), I don't think it really matters who leaves and who stays. Top 10 team every year.

You have to dig deeper than just games played. Look at situations they were put in as well. Can you name any other player that had a successful Freshman year and then were completely out of the lineup as Sophomores by the end of the year? Outside of Johnson / Constantini? I don't want this to come off as this has been an ongoing issue with Berry, because I don't think it has. I can understand defending Berry and his Coaching overall. I think his Coaching last year, decision making overall was indefensible. As a college program, I might be putting too much stock in development. Look at the Sophomore class. Last year was a mess.

I am very interested to see where this goes. I might be putting too much stock in last year as well. I've been really hitting this hard, but I hope UND is a program that recruits and develops. 15F 8D 3G. To develop you need to play. I see no positive at all having talented players watch from the stands. I totally realize some guys don't work out, but never before have I felt like I did about Johnson / Constantini hitting the portal. I highlighted depth forward, because that's perfect. Ideally, you would have 14F 7D 2G in the mix for spots. 1F 1D 1G that are true "depth" or "emergency" type of guys. I don't want to see another situation where truly talented guys (that proved it FR year) end up leaving. I don't want to see a guy like Emerson be in and out of the lineup next year.

My hope is no portal forwards unless someone else leaves. Keep it at 15F. Now, if Albrecht graduates and moves on and they pick up a Top 6 Forward. That looks like a fairly easy way to improve the talent in the Forward group.

Also, correct me if you know differently. UND should be in the driver's seat for both.

O'Neill would be this August. Kuehne is a late November birthday, so I'm assuming he wouldn't be able to until August 2024.

You would add the top 2 to the list. Warren was a first pair guy at BC. Ellis is intriguing to me. He would not be the top pair guy you would need, but I would actually like him as the 2nd / 3rd pair (or 2nd ranked portal d-man). He would be a sophomore, so not as polished as others, I've named, but high upside. RH shot as well. Edit: Think of Ellis as a replacement for Johnson's upside.

Then have Pyke play on his off hand. Palocsik and Krys are a given. What other RHD do you see that are legitimate Top 4 guys? I was hyper focused originally on both portal guys being RHD. I just don't think it's realistic. Honestly, overall, how many Top pair guys are there in the portal for what you hope would be a playoff team? Like 4? How many 2nd pair guys? Like 8? It's a daunting task this Coaching staff is trying to complete right now.

Never seen either personally, but seems like talent wise, these two aren't in the same category. If you're thinking Klee is going to be playing Top 4 minutes, we're in trouble. The issue really, is you need a legitimate high end #1 pair guy (Pyke would be) and another Top 4 guy. I believe it was last year, the US Junior team had almost every D-man was LH. Realistically, guys are going to have to play on their off hand next year. A lot of next season is riding on the portal.

I've learned over the years to pump the breaks on optimism, so who knows. I'm not seeing what you're seeing in the Secondary. They only lose Coley and Agyekum. You think Ocansey is an unknown? I am confident the CB position will be an actual strength. When we talk about comparing to last year, I would have a hard time believing that Safety would be worse. Not saying it'll be a strength, but I would think it should be improved (healthy Fort and Buckner in Yr 2). Agree that the Secondary will be better than last year? I don't see how it wouldn't be. D-Line. This is a bit more of an unknown, but they really only lose Morrison (which is a loss) and then more Depth. They lose #'s, but I like what they brought in from the Portal. Like Safety, I don't think they'll be worse. LB I'm with you. I feel ok about ILB, but no idea what to think about OLB. At the same time, they weren't great last year, so how much worse could the OLB position actually get?

This is the week I think we really see some real movement in the portal. Here is my wishlist: Defenseman: Palocsik: Dartmouth - Currently the Top RHD in the portal Pyke: Alaska - Currently the Top LHD in the portal Krys: Brown - Currently the #2 RHD in the portal Goalie: 1A: Haider - Clarkson 1B: Persson - Miami

Disagree. Hoping for 15F 8D 3G. Recruit talent, develop talent. I said this previously, but I want this coaching staff to be handcuffed a bit. Part of development is actually playing. Any +1 for a F / D just brings a shorter leash for young talent. I'm hoping whatever happened this year was a one-off. 15F 8D 3G with a guy that (last F, D, G) is solid, but more of an emergency roll.

Heard both made the team. That would be big news having 2 North Dakota guys on the NTDP.

Correct. Need to go 3 for 3 in the portal. Here’s my question. How important is it that they get a RHD? Do you just go best available? All things even, you go RH of course, but you wouldn’t try to recruit someone you felt would have a lesser impact, just because they were RH. Right?

Jokes on them, they must not have seen the current winning season active streak UND is on.

Anyone else looking forward to UND’s release announcing Albrecht will be back? Preseason #1 team in the Culture rankings?

Giving it a little more thought. A guy like Brosz last year is probably the exception, but if you make the NCAA tournament, you're a good program. The only guys that would make sense that would enter would be because of either playing time or a Gopher (too much talent, see Cruickshank, Brosz last year). I just wouldn't anticipate a lot of high-end guys entering from those programs.

Very bad year overall for the athletic programs. Frustration has set in. I would guess that's why.

There's a balancing act for sure. At the same point, there are guys that fit. Like I mentioned, I think right now there are four that check all the boxes, regardless of who else enters.

Not yet. I would think the getting commitments would pick up next week or the week after. Really, we haven't seen too many commitments overall. Right now, I believe there are only 4 guys that are in the portal that the Coaching staff would be putting the full court press on.

How do we know that? What would be the point of St. Thomas having super high salaries for their Football program? They are in a non-scholarship league.