Midwestern Hawk

Both. Rudy was QB coach and OC, Rudy managed offensive practice including play-calling.

I would not say no credit, but when you can run for 5+ yards a carry just running off tackle how hard is it to be OC? During the season it seemed like when we really needed some offense, the only game where Rudy delivered was the drive vs SHSU. The ISU game was pivotal to me. If Kett does not screw up that handoff(practice, drill and rehearse) that game ends up like the Montana game. Instead we carry a 2 point lead into half, are shut out in the 2nd half and we think we will win? On the 4th down and 11 from the 15 at the end of the game we ran the SAME frickin' play as we scored on at SHSU and we wondered why it was picked? Kett locked on Wanzek the entire play and the safety read it. Do we think it was different in practice?

Disagree. Offensive coordination is easy when you can run for 5+ yards a carry. Don't forget we were shut out in the 2nd half vs ISU. Shut out in a half is ridiculous.

I get it, but you don't have to be an offensive mastermind to run Johannessen off tackle when you are averaging 5+yards a carry. I would not say that Kett played really well in any of those games. He made a couple great throws against Montana but also threw some passes that were awful decisions. UNC and SAC st I would make the case we won despite Kett's play, UND was just far superior in the trenches.

The Hawks would still be playing football.

When you dig into those games the offensive coordination,QB coaching and scheme was not why we scored so many points. UNC: Rushed for 366 yards. Kett was 9-16(56.3%) for 121 yards with 0 tds and 1 pick Mont: Rushed for 291 yards. Kett was 17-25(68.0%) for 254 yards with 4 tds and 2 picks. Montana had 2 early turnovers and UND had a goal line stand early which set the tone for the game. The picks were sloppy. SAC St: Rushed for 509 yards. Kett was 9-16(56.3%) for 124 yards, with 1 td and 1 pick. Early Ketteringham pick was ugly and set up SAC St TD. Anybody can OC when you can run for 509 yards.

You could see the expressions on the players' faces as the season wore on, especially in the 2nd half @NAU.

This is absolutely correct. Look back at this season. With average OC/QB coaching we are playing in Fargo this Saturday. With above average OC/QB coaching we are hosting as a #2 seed and could meet NDSU in Frisco.

Should have been done after last season, or at the least during this season.

Yep. Hopefully will be a big step up.

It’s a weakness at UND.

Weight, strength and speed. Depends on guy and position group.

Completely agree. I'm talking about other types of injuries, pulls, sprains etc. Haven't there been significant off-season injuries the last few years? I also have not seen the physical development, especially of the O and D lines.

S & C needs to be thoroughly reviewed. Way too many injuries and way too little physical development.

It is a combo of both coaching.and players. I’ll take great coaches executing a sound game plan which accentuates the players strengths and minimizes their weaknesses over lacking coaches with better players. if you doubt this reasoning ask yourself which preliminary game UND would be watching this Saturday? Watching to determine who its opponent would be on December 1st at the Alerus. All Bubba had to do IMO, was remove Rudy after last season and bring in a good OC/QB coach. The Hawks are closer than we think.

I think scheme and play-calling is incredibly important in the "perceived performance" and "danger-level" of our receivers. It will probably be a long time before we have a back/slot? with the potential play-making ability of Santiago and we did very little with it. NAU(Butler) had probably as athletic and dangerous a receiver as can exist in FCS and he had 2 catches against us for 65 yards. My point is having a dynamic offense takes many pieces, IMO with the guy we had in charge of assembling the puzzle it really didn't matter who the pieces were.

A position coach is going to have very little to say about overall scheme and virtually nothing to say about play-calling. I am not necessarily a fan of moving Freund to OC, but not for these reasons.

Coaching

Not sure what that means. I think we can agree that QB development, offensive scheme and play calling were abhorrent. If the players were really as bad as you are insinuating would we have finished 6-5?

Agree, it was schemes and play-calling and I would add in QB development. We refused to use #5, #22, and #33 the way they should have been used and we managed to turn Kett into a disaster at QB by the final game. Just refused to use TE's and to use the above RB's to their strengths consistently. What OC would not have been up all night trying to figure out ways to get #22 the ball in space 10 times a game. Do the KC Chiefs run Tyreek Hill into the line 5-10 times a game and then wonder why they can't score?

This seemed to be a problem for this defense at times all season.

I don't disagree with your characterization of Bubba. We also have to remember the team was 6-5(6-4 vs FCS) with an offense that was somewhere between bad and terrible, especially as the season was nearing its end. With an average offense we are 8-3 and with a GOOD offense we are 10-1?

I would have to think there must have been some dissension on the staff.

To think that Bubba and co really want to win one game over another is silly. Will there be more emotion for NDSU, of course, but more emotion does not always translate into a better product on the field.

Plenty of pieces if the staff can add the value that is needed. It will come down to coaching as most football does.