shep

You're probably right-this team is more like a car with TWO flat tires. Ironically, I had spaghetti for supper. I really did.

And I'm suggesting it's more of a lack of game action, trying to keep up to bigger and stronger players, and just not feeling comfortable yet. Passion will come after they understand they can play at this level. Right now they are just feeling their way on the field.

I'm frustrated and concerned and if Cole and Deion were out there and Rodgers and others as well, I'd be even more concerned and frustrated. I don't get the whole "passion" thing. These kids are walking around with wide eyes trying to comprehend what to do and how to do it; right now they're more concerned about how to play than to play with "passion." If a race car had a flat tire and was being passed by all the other cars, fans around here would say that can't be an excuse and the driver should be fired for not trying harder.

Your standards are way higher than most of us? Yes, because all the posters here have been celebrating how bad this season has gone thereby proving our low standards. We just aren't ready to shitcan Bubba and everyone else based on an historic season of injuries. So with your high standards you'd fire all of them, and in a couple years when things aren't going as well as you'd like, fire the new coach you just hired right? That proves you have high standards.

Well, there's also Tank, Cieslek and the kids playing now. Love to see what Cam Hunt can do too.

Dre Randolph, Donnell Rogers, Zeke Ott, Jalen Morrison should be ready, Mason Bennett may not be done for the year, but should be better next year and add pounds to Rastas, Blubaugh and others and I think it's a solid looking D. Just the 2 you mentioned make a big difference. Harris takes away one side of the field. Larson hopefully clogs the middle. I like the D next year.

I'm a guy who likes to know probabilities in sports. For example, Aaron Judge of the Yanks is at his 90% projection this season, a highly unlikely result for him, but a happy one as well. What is the probability of this season unfolding as it has? The "experts" in the media and coaching staffs saw UND as the top team in the conference. 14 injuries on D and its a lost year. How often can we expect this calamity to occur? Has anyone seen anything like this?

It is. No doubt about it. But look at next year. In addition to the guys coming back from injury, there's Ott, Larson and maybe even Morrison as guys who will help. Add some pounds to the guys that should NOT be playing now, and it could be a great D. In fact, most of the starters now, will be backups next year. Unless 90 percent of them are injured early in the year.

Saw something that Cam Hunt was practicing this week.

That's exactly what the guys on the hockey board were saying too and I understand the point. They always worried that Hak could not be replaced. Turns out he could be replaced. So could Bubba, but not yet.

This is a fair point, but... Although these guys are in positions where they are overmatched, does it help that they are getting some reps in games? Does it help them for next year or the year after? This year is dead. It's a rebuild, so does it make sense to keep the system the same as the one he will use next year or should he try something new?

Here's a list of the RS Freshmen and true Freshmen who played way too much so far this year on D. Blubaugh, Shannon, Rastas and Stewart are true frosh. Turner, Haas, Steiger and Richman have been playing a lot as RS frosh. All are getting their first taste of game action. Is there an adjustment period? I would guess so. The true frosh are not allowed to make that adjustment slowly and have been tossed in the fire. Not gonna remind all about who these guys are trying to replace, but 2 of them are legit pro prospects. I'm a guy who spent a couple of years seeking Haks firing over on the hockey thread so I'm not immune to banging that drum, but this year is an aberration. IF they don't put it together next year, I may not be so patient.

It's not just injuries to a few key guys-it's injuries to the guys who replaced the few key guys and injuries to those guys too. That's not an excuse-its a reality. I can't help it and neither can you, but to be suggesting there's something more is missing the reality in my opinion.

But the joke can be explained.

They were so unprepared to have Blubaugh play they can't find a helmet to fit him.

Ok...that is pretty good.

I Is there a reason you can't type the D on UND??

Disterhaupt is an OLB not MLB. Lawrence is Ok but too small for what he's doing now. Hunt is fine But it appears the DLine has regressed but it may be that they are doing what they've always done, but had good MLB's behind them to make the plays. You've named 12 guys. I think I can name 14 who are out today that the coaching staff thought might be playing. I'll say it again-I HATE WHAT I'M SEEING! But I understand why I'm seeing it.

I will say what has been said before- Rudolph calls the game Bubba wants called. He wants ball control O, and he has a QB that is decent at that, but as the underthrown ball to Adeoti shows, doesn't have the arm to fling it.

And I'm saying they are giving full effort, but they are outmanned and just not physically able. That TD does not occur with Reyes there. We can't keep hoping for guys who are out to show up, but I can't blame the effort of the young punks who are in there.

What??? When did this happen??

That last play is emblematic of the trouble with playing guys who aren't physically ready to play at this level. RB gets hit but carries the tackler 5 yards for the First down. Happening all year.

Blubaugh playing his balls off

Jaxson Turner RS freshman with a play

I'll be there. Look, this is clearly a lost season. Whether it's a bump in the road or worse will not be known till next year, but I'm not jumping ship. This team will contend in the MVC in a couple of years. Just watch. Unless we play 3rd stringers and walk-ons.