MadScout03

I mentioned this on SFI's spring game wrap up, but Shane Blass is still RB, is he not? I watched him a few weeks ago at practice and he could definitely be another contributor. He didn't play in the scrimmage, but he was still there on the sidelines. Does anyone know anything different?

In regards to Seibel, it looked like a hamstring issue to me. He came off the field and grabbed the back of his leg, then left for a bit, came back in full pads, then left for a bit, and eventually came back in shorts and jersey. Hopefully it was just precautionary.

I would say Garret Reineke was a major contributor last year. But other than him, yeah, you're right.

I've been having similar problems.

After being at the game and seeing how things went, it would be easy to claim that we've reached "rock bottom" or that we need all of these additional players, but you have to take a step back and look at the scenario. Do we need more depth? Absolutely. Depth has killed us on offense. By our already basic offense becoming even more so due to a freshman QB, we become more one-dimensional, defenses can routinely stack the box (which is how Norby got so open on the TD catch), the offense has too many 3 and outs, which in turn puts more pressure on the defense. With guys like Hinojosa and Woodsmall on the sidelines, that limits the depth on the D line and creates and a weaker defense. It's a dominoe effect. Are there things happening that shouldn't be, like bad snaps? Yes, absolutely. I'm not sure why that's still a problem, but maybe if our experienced punter hadn't gotten himself suspended and eventually a full ride on the pine, maybe, just maybe that snap would've been caught. Like someone said earlier, our injury bubble has burst and with the amount of guys we lost in the offseason, combined with how many new and inexperienced faces we have, you can't expect things to keep riding high. I'm not sure there would be many teams out there who could keep on trucking with so many keys pieces to the puzzle being removed for one reason or another. This is exactly what Bubba is talking about when he refers to making sure the effort is there, regardless of what the score is. Buy in. Be part of the team. It will turn around, but not overnight. This game was a prime example of how having little depth will change the direction of a team. We're rebuilding. It's a process. Is it tiring to watch our team lose to Weber St? Sure it is, but remember that these guys also hung with the Bison for quite a while. It wasn't going to be a cakewalk.

1 thing I've noticed and 1 thing heard from a reliable source... When the players walk off the bus and through the band on their way to the Alerus, the players no longer have their headphones over their ears. Headphones are either around their necks or slid off the backside of the ears. It's the little things a guy can appreciate. Is it a big deal? Maybe. Maybe not, but it's about showing some respect for your fellow students and fans who are there to cheer you on. People notice. Bubba went to one of the marching band rehearsals and spoke to the band. I can't comment on what he said specifically because I wasn't there, but I know he went out of his way to let the band know that he, the coaching staff, and players appreciate their support. That's pretty cool. As I left the Alerus on Saturday, I was frustrated and heart broken over that game. We were so close. Right there. And if not for a couple of things that went wrong, we'd be looking at a W. But that's when it hit me. It was almost a good feeling. A feeling I haven't had for Sioux football for so long. I've gotten so used to the thrashings we've taken in recent years that losing a heartbreaker of a game is a sign that we are no longer the welcome mat. It was like when Omaha beat us in OT on a 50+ yard FG. Or when we just couldn't solve Grand Valley St. We expected to win, which is what made it so hard, and that sense of pride is slowly coming back. Good things are in store.

Marcus Williams, former NDSU DB

I got into the game late. Anyone know the story on Huff?

Yep, that's the one.

^^^While sitting in the airport waiting to find out when my new flight will be, I saw a guy in Utah St garb talking on the phone. Just saw him again...definitely Jeremiah Larsen from USU.

I've seen some of the updated coaching lists, as well as the coaches page on the UND website, and none happen to mention Kevin Maurice as a coach. Any reason for this?

Yeah, money is the factor, but if it weren't, I wouldn't necessarily be opposed to doing that sort of thing. But being we don't have a "Ralph" for the football program I'd like to get back to our main school colors, green and white.

I sure hope they come back. I like the black jerseys as well but they need to be worn on special occasions.

I'm just no so sure this job is as "high profile" as some of us Sioux fans would like to believe. And with the whole open public records law I'd be surprised if that didn't keep plenty of coaches from applying. And what would a true "national search" do for us? What does a guy from North Carolina or Florida or Louisiana (for example) know about North Dakota football? Or about the recruits in this area? With that being said, I'm not saying I'm leaning towards someone with UND ties (Bubba), but you have to be realistic about the position. We ARE in a dark place right now as the program has simply fluttered and add to that the success of the program to the south. Some coaches might look at it from a glass is half full prospective in that they can turn things around and leave their mark at UND, but others simply won't. And if the salary posted isn't enough for some coaches to even look at the position, what would make a coach who lives half way across the country want to uproot their family and move up to North Dakota? I think either coach will be fine, but to be upset with Faison for not finding someone other than the two because you don't think he worked hard enough is silly. You can't hire someone who doesn't apply.

That's exactly who I'm talking about. I believe she's pretending to play bass, which is my main gig, so maybe that's why I have such a problem with it. Regardless of the video, the song sucks and needs to be redone. Also, Midco needs to stop playing their music during pregame or halftime of events while Hammer and Co. are talking. I was watching the Sioux/Bison men's basketball game on tv and during halftime the talking heads were doing their thing, with the Midco music in the background, the basketball band playing in the background, and crowd noise being picked up. There was so much noise going on at the same time it was incredibly distracting. Anyway...

Get rid of it. Terrible song. And if you're going to do a video shoot of a band "playing" the song, get people who at the very least know how to hold an instrument. As a musician, there's nothing worse than seeing people getting paid to pretend to be musicians.

Despite everything that has just happened there IS one bright spot and that is Hardee has built a solid foundation for this program with solid players. If there were really 9 girls contemplating leaving I'm hoping his resignation will change that. At the same time I'd also imagine there will be some who leave regardless. We're seeing it with football and I'm sure we'll see it with volleyball too. The job has to be an attractive one for potential head coaches, so I'm guessing Faison will have a pretty good selection of applications to filter through. Of course only time will tell but it's not as though the volleyball team or facilities or administrative leadership is a black eye for the university.

Watching this webcast makes one appreciate the Betty even more. 1 court side camera. Plenty of action missed, but still better than not being able to watch I guess.

I ran into a couple of juniors from the fb team Saturday night. One didn't say much. The other had a bit to say. After telling him I was at the game he said, "I'm sorry you had to see that. I really am." But it wasn't so much a sincere apology (which I wasn't necessarily looking for) but it was an apology that didn't show much concern. I felt like either A. he really didn't care that much or B. he felt like it wasn't his or any of the other players fault for the loss. Either way it points to the same thing that has been said on here already...Mussman has lost his team. Neither of these guys seemed to concern with the butt kicking they received. I know you can't dwell on it and you have to move on, but I wouldn't have been as arrogant about the situation as he was.

Ahh I see. Thanks for the updates.

Anyone know why the guys who left the team did so? Seemed to me guys like Jablonski and Kennedy were getting some playing time, but certainly Damon Andrews was. And wasn't Tuilagi a big pickup for us? Maybe things just didn't work out for them, either academically or athletically...I guess those names are just kind of a surprise to me, especially give

1st - I don't know Coach Brewster at all, but it's clear he's a very passionate coach. Coach Roebuck had his own way of doing things, and whether you agree with how he coached or not, he hung banners and I would venture to say, he had the respect of most of his former players. You're right, Brewster is just sitting at a different desk, but you also have to remember this is his team now and it's his turn to do things how he sees fit. It's also his first stint as a head coach, if I'm not mistaken, so just like Mussman, he's still figuring things out. Will his coaching style change? Who knows. I'm not sure ego is a problem just yet. Again, I don't know him, so maybe I'm way off base, but I don't necessarily agree with that. Also, I spoke with one of the assistant coaches and yes, it's a bit strange Williams and Mills quit with games to be played, but I was told they left on good terms. I was also told, and this is something that doesn't surprise me due to their ability to run the point, that both of those girls were never DI caliber players. They were recruited by some DII schools, where they would fit in well, but DI, whether it be UND or another mid major, was a stretch. 20+ turnovers a game is evidence enough. 2nd - Why would they take down the banners in the Betty? That's part of the history of the program. Yes, we're DI now, but the history and tradition of the women's, and men's, program is on display and should be. The old saying "Don't forget where you came from" plays a role here. Should the Alerus take down all of the football banners? I would disagree there as well. It's the tradition. It's the history. It's part of what the program was built on. 3rd - This one I'm sort of with you on. I felt all of the subbing this past year hurt any sort of rhythm from being created or sustained. Maybe the guard substitutions had more to do with the girls being rattled more than striking them down for making a mistake. I don't know. As I posted before, it's Brewster's first shot as a head coach and there will be some bumps along the way. With a new head coach, experienced or not, there will always be some uncertainty. It was also the first year in the Big Sky, so my guess is Brewster was also looking to get all of the ladies some playing time to help get their feet wet, aka building for the future. And on a side note, while speaking with one of the assistant coaches, I was told we'll have 3 ladies make immediate impacts next season. One is Dyer, the gal who transferred here from Wisconsin, who is also Troy Huff's cousin. The other two are apparently 6'2" guards from Europe. Not sure where they are coming from, but was told they'll play this fall. No question. This was one season. I'm not about to send Brewster down the long and dusty road. Just like Mussman, he deserves a shot to be a head coach, not be the assistant who must try to do things how Roebuck did or didn't do them. Now, if players quitting with 2 games to go in the season becomes a consistent theme, then yes, there will be a reason to be concerned, however, I don't see that happening. Only time will tell.

Overtime. MN with 1:10 PP to start OT. SOG 33-32 UND.

Penalty on Slavin for tripping. Got beat down the side. Had to take the penalty to keep MN gal from having 1 on 1 with SAB. :50 to go. TO MN.

TO UND.