Midwestern Hawk

So after watching the Hawks last season, we lost to the Bison because of their great recruiting? Were you actually at the game? How about Missouri State? UND lost that game because the MSU players were so much better than the UND players? Is that what you really think? I'm not saying UND does not have some good coaches doing really good things, but you seem to think that if not for the the outstanding coaching, UND may have only beaten Drake? Or in your estimation was that win, two evenly matched teams and Bubba just was able to get the boys better prepared for the game?

Then you don't really watch the games. One of the biggest reasons for the Bison run the last decade plus, is they rarely give a game away. UND lost 2 games with massive 2nd half coaching mistakes with the lead.

I agree with your synopsis of that game, huge loss which enabled a needed change. Looking back through Bubbas entire tenure, it’s littered with missed opportunities. The high points are the wild 2016 BIg Sky championship season, the first 4 games of the 2020 spring season and the 2 wins vs Sam Houston. The rest of the tenure is very, very blah with many, many missed opportunities.

After last fall I think the early spring 2021 success was a fluke as opposed to a trend . Again I hope I am very wrong but we gave the game away at SIU, their trend line is moving up, ours is not. I also remember a game at NAU in 2018, win and “we are in”…we laid a massive egg.

Yes, as he should. As soon as that is on his resume he will be on to the next athletic program. Bank on it.

@Nebraska will be a loss Northern Iowa will likely be favored based on rankings and the line. Alerus has been great for us. Push at this point @Northern Arizona - could be favored, if we are 0-2 then we won't be favored on the road. Push at this point @Southern Illinois - SIU will likely be highly ranked, we are on the road. Loss Missouri State - If we are 0-4 or 1-3 this is a "must win". Push at this point. I see the offense as similar to the fall and the last 3 games of the spring of 2021. The defense will need guys to step up at LB and in the secondary to replace graduations and defections.

Very sad, but you are probably correct. 5-6, 6-5, 7-5, the occasional 8-4 or 3-8...its all good.

Wow! That would be huge news.

Is that an update from spring ball? Would be the first actual news on UND spring ball I have seen.

Because of a coaching error.

The play at about one minute? Direct snap to Otis? handoff to Belquist? Q was going out for a pass? The second fumble, I would tend to agree with you. If the first fumble does not happen, the second fumble does not matter.

No, of course not, but in football it's supreme and certainly trumps talent(within reason). The evidence is everywhere at every level. UND had the talent to win every MVFC game last fall and make a deep run in the playoffs. Momentum is also key in football, in-game and seasonal, UND's went in reverse last fall. Case in point, what do you think the players were thinking at USD when we started the half with a timeout? You think that was inspiring and gave them confidence? None of this happens in a vacuum as far as the players and their confidence in themselves and the coaches. That confidence is the trump card at NDSU.

I think Bobby Petrino is paging you down at Missouri State... 2015 - 0-8/1-10 2016 - 2-6/4-7 2017 - 2-6/3-8 2018 - 2-6/4-7 2019 - 1-7/1-10 Petrino 2020 - 5-1 CHAMPS/5-5 NCAA playoffs 2021 - 6-2 RUNNER UP/8-4 NCAA playoffs

Shall we try looking at fall 2021 from a different perspective? Which game, sans USU, could the loss be directly attributable to coaching(game management, time management, play calling, adjustments etc)? I understand its easy to nitpick after the game, but in EVERY loss last season there was at least one pure head scratching moment and even in the win vs WIU there was the disastrous time management at the end of the first half. Basic football laws: Don't go for it with a lead in the 2nd half on 4th down at your own 20... Don't start the half with a timeout on offense... When playing with a lead in the 4th quarter, take the play clock down to 1-2 seconds on EVERY snap... Don't call a trick play on 4th and short with the lead on the road in the 4th qtr... If in doubt, call timeout when driving for the go ahead TD late in the game... Doing any of those things is generally bad luck in football...

Last fall was the most painful UND football season I can remember.

Back at you! If you want me to talk strictly as a fan, I will tell you that we will pull of an upset in Lincoln, win every game and then beat the Bison in Fargo and Bubba will be coach of the year. How's that. If you want to get an opinion on the difference coaching makes in football, how about you ask Matt Stafford.

Coaching is supreme in football and within reason much more important than talent. Based on last fall, IMO, we will never have enough talent to overcome the coaching problems. Take a look at this falls schedule, what would your over/under be on wins?

It was the biggest play in UND football over the last 15 years at least and likely changed the trajectory of the the game, the season, Bubba career and UND football in general. As for the first fumble at MSU, did we forget it was a trick play involving a guy who had missed a bunch of practice and a game or two over the preceeding month?

He's part of the mix to me, Smith is the guy who can be "the guy" IMO. Need him to continue and develop and stay healthy.

RB is a question mark only from a durability aspect to me. I think we have a couple of capable guys, just not sure they can handle 25 carries a game over 11-15 games. The other part of our offensive regression last fall is there is lots and lots of film out there of Tommy and our offensive scheme.

Will our personnel ever be good enough to overcome these deficiencies? Does FCS talent exist on any team, good enough to overcome these deficiencies? After last fall, these are very real questions.

My feelings too. With better coaching last fall, that team is a seeded playoff team and makes a very deep run in the playoffs.

Hope you are right. Overall I don't see the OL being much different with possible improvement at a couple positions and big shoes to fill at LT. Smith and Mitchell could make us forget about Otis, both need to stay on the field. I agree on Maag, could be a real difference maker. The offense needs to be better, not sure how the defense doesn't see some drop off, especially early. Lots of holes to fill on D.

The beginning of the second half @USD, the NDSU game 4th down and a few other key moments, I think it could be described as "minute by minute" or even "second by second".

After last fall I really have trouble getting excited about the offense at all. Would be awesome for Danny and the offense to rebound in a big way. Just not sure I see it right now. RB is a question mark, OL is a huge question mark, QB will be the same.