Midwestern Hawk

What should the expectations be then? Remember this was a consensus FCS top10 team to start the season which was also favored to repeat as Big Sky Champions. A collapse of this magnitude rarely happens in sports. It would be different if UND was losing a bunch of close games, but the offense sputters and the defense cant stop anyone. We are seeing some "not ready for prime time" players not getting put into position to compensate for their short-comings and then not calling the plays on O and D that can be carried out to give us a chance to win.

I agree.

He is the leading tackler on a really bad defense. Again not taking anything away from Rastas, if everyone on D was giving his effort we would not be 2-6. i am just not sure with him at ILB we wont struggle to get above .500 in the future. He does not have the burst to get home on blitzes or to fill the whole. Hunt has much, much better natural burst. I would think Hunt has a standing broad jump in the 9'6" range and Rastas about 8'. Again not taking a thing away from Jake's effort, has been outstanding.

I think he made some guest appearances on a few sidelines. Some ugly football yesterday.

Completely agree. Great motor, just not ready physically. Obviously not there weight and strength wise and also needs to work on his burst and footwork. Based on his frame, not sure how much good weight he will be able to put on. A+ for effort.

Probably depends on the next two weeks play and the weather on that Saturday. How different will the feel be to that game compared to what we were expecting 60 days ago?

Next year we will be able to get way more pressure on qb's and Bluebaugh will lead the team in picks. You are correct he is a competitor that never hangs his head and keeps fighting. He will be AA by the time he is senior.

I am not inferring the other guys were involved in dealing but the guys living with Poole, Taylor and Randolph obviously knew what was going on, as did a great portion of the team. The other part of this that really bothers me is who do we think the best customers were?

IMO the other "issues" will never allow the type of cohesive team needed to put your best product on the field consistently. If a few guys are not as focused as they need to be that can be overcome but when too many guys are not football focused you end up with a train wreck like this season is turning out to be. Also needs to be wholesale change in play-calling and adapting to personnel and what the other team is giving us. At times the offense is just plain ugly and the defense can't stop the run. A team at any level will never win consistently if they cant stop the run.

If you really break down the offense last season, what was season record without all the defensive and special team points and points that were scored on a very short field? Season is much different last year with this years defense IMO.

There is more at work here than just “bad luck”, the number of injuries, sicknesses, suspensions and dismissals is absolutely crazy.

Agree with everything said. Tight ends are never targeted in this offense and Santiago should be in the slot a lot getting oliviera or jj on the field more. Rastas is playing his heart out, I am just doubtful he will ever carry even close to 230. Maybe an option for OLB in the future? lots of guys on d should not be playing this year, bluebaugh, Shannon, rastas and richman are all at least a year away from being ready IMO. Been a long season already.

Remember the guys arrested for dealing all lived with other players, a number of them. A lot of house cleaning and refocusing needs to be done.

The Captains and the leadership has been non-existent this season. Way too much off-field crap happening. Needs to change the day the season is over. I agree with S&C. Needs to be wholesale change there too.

I agree, major changes need to be made in the coaching staff, the strength and conditioning program, and the expectations of and the way the team carries itself during the season and in the offseason. The coaching staff needs to identify players that are not willing to do what it takes to be a part of something bigger than themselves. I would notify the team there will be random drug tests and anyone failing is done.

Yes.

Question. When you were 20 were you ever sick for multiple days? How many guys has it supposedly been?

If that is the case, how does that happen? Haas missed two games with sickness, how many other guys have missed games due to sickness? Didn’t Fiedler have pneumonia? I have been around football for decades and never seen anyone miss a game due to sickness, let alone multiple guys.

Amen to this. S&C needs to step up and get things figured out this offseason. Also need ilb to be 230 plus and OLB to be 220 plus. Need to stop the run as in the past and then we can dictate the rest through blitzes.

I thought Tank made a couple big plays but he also missed on a couple. Also the ILB continue to just not be able to handle making the plays near the line of scrimmage. The defense is just nowhere near where they need to be and where they were last year.

As did the fumble for a td.

The offense is trying to control the clock and I get that, but i am not sure Rudy and Bubba realize the clock does not stop when you complete a pass.

There are locker room problems contributing to all of this too. Anyone know where Ray Haas has been? Was he on the sidelines? Harder to overcome all of the holes in the roster when not everyone is rowing the boat the same way(to steal a phrase from the Gophs coach).

I agree. Too many weapons for the lackluster offensive performance. Anyone who started Heidelbaugh over Zimmerman should be gone. i would have pulled Keaton long before he went out. Keaton looked like he was not in any position to lead the the offense.