[Who would UND hire?]

2 hours ago, AJS said:

With only three applicants (two that meet the criteria), what’s taking Chavez so long? Just flip a coin. Big thanks though to Schmidt & Tibesar for applying. How embarrassing that would have been if nobody applied!

I’m good with either! Go Hawks!

I believe it would be a mistake to think there were only 3 applicants. Did you learn that from this board?  
Unless you personally heard that from Chaves, Armacost or a selection committee member I wouldn’t believe it. 

[Who would UND hire?]

52 minutes ago, Shawn-O said:

Is Schmidt clearly a better candidate than Roehl, and if so why?  

Yes and so are Tibesar and Caruso (if he applied). The book on all of them has “more chapters”. He has nothing on Schmidt or Tibesar. 

[Who would UND hire?]

1 hour ago, UND1983 said:

Resume isn’t the best imo

Then you haven’t reviewed it.

All-American whose teams won 3 Conference titles, 3 playoff berths and a national championship. He has coached at the D2, FCS, and FBS levels including Big 10 and PAC 12. Has been a DC at multiple levels. He has coached in the NFL and CFL.  Extremely bright and an excellent recruiter. 
 

Schmidt’s  resume and reputation is also impressive. They are both excellent candidates. Hopefully they interviewed well. If there is another candidate who has similar qualities and experience and convinced the decision makers he is the best choice to lead UND back to a National Championship that’s who they should hire. 
 

 

[Who would UND hire?]

23 minutes ago, HockeyHawk said:

I think Schmidt would be great for the program but what are the chances he would be interested?

He is

[Who would UND hire?]

1 hour ago, Shawn-O said:

Did you get a fundraising call

No

[Who would UND hire?]

52 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Did in 2023. Where’s he in 2024?

Still has $815,000 this year and next year on his previous contract. 

[Who would UND hire?]

6 minutes ago, RhettRingers said:

Hearing Tibesar is also in the mix.

He is. I’m surprised he was mostly ignored on this forum but he has been in the mix from the beginning. 

[Who would UND hire?]

14 minutes ago, Shawn-O said:

Is he our guy? 

No

[Who would UND hire?]

26 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Will a 4-2-5 work in the MVFC?

It can. So can a 4-3, a 3-4 and a 3-3-5 depending on the opponent and down and distance. None of them will work if you don’t have the talent to plug in to those spots though. 

[Who would UND hire?]

53 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Chaves historically hires D2 head coach, going back to Beau Baldwin at EWU and most recently Paul Sather at UND. 
I’d guess it will be a Midwest D2 coach or the lazy (and risky) move of Fruechte being promoted. 

Hoffner beat Bolte today, maybe Hoffner?

From the very beginning (see my earlier posts), Schmidt has been the favorite. Too much fraternity support and now fundraising. It’s basically a hiring similar to Bubba - UND ties and is familiar to alumni. Justification used is it is “DeBoer’s guy” , although he’s not working for him anymore and cut ties … UND going with Schmidt could work, but could be mediocrity like with Bubba. We will see. 

Schmidt hasn’t cut ties to DeBoer. They still communicate and DeBoer said he is welcome to join him in Alabama. 
If FB Alumni were organized and “now fundraising “ I would know. That isn’t to say there aren’t FB alumni pushing for him to get the job, but probably just as many pushing for Tibesar. 

 

[2024-25 University of North Dakota Hockey Season]

7 minutes ago, SIOUXELEVENS said:

Berry wasn’t going to deviate from his portal goalies , that’s his line in the sand. 

Wouldn’t Karl have been in on the goalie?

[Who would UND hire?]

9 minutes ago, Shawn-O said:

Good call out but was making >$800k at last gig in Indiana 

He gets $815,000 from Indiana through the end of 2025. Those buyouts usually are reduced by any amount the guy gets with a new job.  I don’t think he would come to FCS program, but there have been  rumors, and it would give him a chance to get back into coaching with a HC position. His Temple job and Indiana OC jobs didn’t work out. He could use a “reboot”.  
 

[2024-25 University of North Dakota Hockey Season]

Isn’t Wisconsin struggling this year?  How did #1 Michigan State do against them last night?  
I haven’t read anything from fans that the coaching staff hasn’t noticed, been discussing with team captains, and trying to solve. At some point in time, changes are made cuz nothing is working. We aren’t there yet. 
 

For those “in the know”, how did we lose the Slukynsky brothers to Western Michigan?  Losing guys like that is a bigger red flag in my mind than struggling against Miami, Bemidji, Bob Morris before Christmas. Did we recruit them? Did we offer them. I’m no expert but they were 2 of the best HS prospects I have seen in a long time. 
I know we will lose guys to Duluth cuz of location and they have been good, and to Denver, and the other perennial powers.  Does anyone know the story on these guys?

[Who would UND hire?]

1 hour ago, Oxbow6 said:

Chavez rollin up his sleeves at Skyline Chili with Schloss?

Was Rod Carey with them? Shorter trip from Indiana than to GF and remains under the radar. 

[2025 Recruiting]

16 hours ago, CMSioux said:

Some are looking for an education that UND offers.

The Harvard guy wants an upgrade. 

[Who would UND hire?]

In the meantime: Go Army, beat Navy!  

[Who would UND hire?]

13 hours ago, SiouxFan100 said:

I say everyone is still on the table 

Including Rod Carey?  Probably not cuz he has UND ties. 

[Who would UND hire?]

8 hours ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

The recruits were more likely to sign here and follow through with it after hearing there was going to be a new head coach… plenty of excitement with the unknown. For decades UND has settled coaching vacancies internally or with heavy connections, would be nice to see them not do that for once. Remember … inbreeding? 

Jerry Olson was a asst coach who took over from Marc Helling. After multiple bowl games and a 12 yr win streak against NDSU, UND was struggling and was in the midst of a 7 game losing streak to NDSU. Olson turned the program around highlighted by the win over #1 ranked Bison in the rain, in Fargo where the Bison finished with negative yardage.  Under Olson the Sioux were Camelia Bowl Champs in 1972 and ranked #1 in nation in 1975 before being upset in the playoffs.
Gene Murphy played here, was an assistant for many years, no HC experience.  He took over a program that was struggling.  Was .500 1st yr and Conf Champ second yr, beat NDSU both years. 
Behrns was DC, a great recruiter but after initial success the program suffered a long stretch of failed expectations and after initial success against NDSU the 12 year losing streak started. 
Roger Thomas, former OC returned to turn the program around and in addition to conference champions, playoff contenders, they began the 10-3 streak over NDSU. 
Next was Dale Lennon, former player and asst coach who led the team to conference titles, playoff appearances, and 2 National Championship games with 1 title. 
Mussman was an assistant coach whose struggles were skewed by the transition of the SU’s then USD to FCS leaving us at a major recruiting disadvantage.

Lastly was Bubba, a former coach. No reason to review but there were some successes and also struggles  

So yes, I remember “inbreeding”.  For those whose philosophy is not to consider anyone with UND ties, wouldn’t that mean we wouldn’t have hired Olson, Murphy, Thomas or Lennon?That is why you also consider those with UND ties.  

Because it doesn’t always work out, you don’t hire candidates just because they have UND ties. 

[Who would UND hire?]

3 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Experience doesn’t always equate to success. Some young individuals are really successful and some older guys never quite get the job done, etc., etc., etc.

I agree that experience is nice, but I think a history of success is most important. Winners win. It’s an intrinsic quality for some, although some can learn it, sure. In the case of Schmidt and Luke S., they likely have learned new things and made new connections, but why haven’t they shown more success? Same goes for Freund with UND (2011-2023) and Freuchte (2024). 

Based on getting someone who purely knows winning football, that also coincidentally happens to mean getting someone not recently (or ever) associated with UND football in the past. 

Simple answer: It’s complicated. I don’t believe it’s a good idea to ignore potential candidates cuz of UND ties nor because they are older or younger than 40.  I’m not on the selection committee so my opinion is no more important than anyone else’s posting here. I  might opine if I knew who applied but its irrelevant  

 

 

 

[Who would UND hire?]

12 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

I realize simply looking away from those with UND ties has been frowned upon on here, but the more I think about it, I want someone hired with no ties. The past 15 years has overall been rough for UND considering what NDSU and SDSU has accomplished.

 

A winner with no ties to UND is preferred. Need new ideas, new philosophies, new blood.
 

That means no to Schmidt, Freund, and even Fruechte. I like Luke Schleusner but really that would count him out also. 

New ideas, and new philosophies evolve over time so I don’t believe Fruechte has been overly influenced by one year here. Along that line Schmidt and Schluesner have been  gone long enough with other programs such that their ideas, philosophy and style has been evolving while gone. 

The best coaches can flat out recruit and can coach. That is what we need regardless of UND connections. More importantly, is D1 experience, HC experience, and evidence of successes as their careers evolve. 

[2025 Recruiting]

58 minutes ago, Dustin said:

Not to poo-poo on the signing day celebration, but there's a lot of talk about what a good thing it was keeping all the recruits in this class, but also a lot of talk in the new coach thread that we need better recruits.  So, if the current staff, whose recruits have underwhelmed the fans, especially on defense, just recruited this class, what should make me feel any better about their future performance as student athletes?  Were these recruits committing to UND over our primary rivals?

Some were, some weren’t. Evaluating recruits starts when they come to summer camps and/or when HS and JC coaches respond to questionnaires sent asking them to rate any of their players who they think have enough potential to play college ball. Coaches review those responses and subsequently invite kids to summer camps and get game film. No one checks fan forums to evaluate players.  
 

If some FBS and multiple FCS teams offer then it’s more likely you have a potential blue chipper. But this staff has uncovered a number of guys who no one else offered or were PWO’s who have excelled. 
 

The staff is convinced these are 23 guys who can help the program and they all signed this am. None of the 23 decommitted despite the coaching unknowns. That is impressive. 

[Who would UND hire?]

2 hours ago, bincitysioux said:

I don't know if that's a given.  I am trying to remember the last time UND had a really GOOD defense.

2007 maybe?  15+ years of average at best, but often atrocious defenses.  The one constant has been relying on variations of the Thomas-Lennon-Schwiegert defensive philosophy that was installed over 30 years ago.

Schmidt seems to be high on the list of contenders.  We know what his scheme will be.  He was certainly our most successful DC of the DI era. Also have to remember his time here coincided with Big Sky membership, which most here like to claim is a "soft" brand of football compared to the MVFC. 

I'm actually really concerned that Freund or Schluesner would simply leave the current defensive staff mostly in tact...........

I don’t believe Big Sky is “soft” but MVFC is a better conference top to bottom. 

We don’t know what Schmidt would do. He has been gone for some time. I doubt  the new HC will leave coaching staff intact regardless of who we hire. 
Whomever we hire better be able to adjust schemes based on personnel rather than putting players into schemes they may not be suited to. They will also need to try players at other positions if they aren’t contributing.  

We need an upgrade on both sides of the ball if we want to compete for a National Championship. 
 

I would also echo the praise for this coaching staff to get all 23 guys signed. Now let’s see if we can minimize portal loses and maximize portal gains. 

[Who would UND hire?]

2 hours ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Same argument as Fruechte. If he was the answer, why wasn’t UND winning playoff games and championships with him and Bubba from 2014-2023?  
 

No thanks, need new ideas and a new philosophy, and these guys from the Bubba coaching tree (Eric Schmidt, Danny Freund, even to a degree Isaac Fruechte) don’t offer that. 

I’m not advocating for anyone in particular but I’m not so sure we can assume these guys would continue the status quo. 
All 3 have coached at different places but over the years have spent time at coaches clinics or even spent time with other programs during the off season. 
They also have experienced what doesn’t work and could very well have different ideas about moving the program forward. If any of them are interviewed, that would need to be clearly evident. 

[Who would UND hire?]

4 minutes ago, Hawkster said:

He's not my choice.   Hopefully he just visiting family.

Only if he brings the RR lineman back with him. 

[Who would UND hire?]

18 hours ago, AJS said:

All signs are really pointing to Travis Johansen being the guy.

The hype train is picking up steam, seems to be if not everyone’s first choice at the very least someone everyone likes the idea of. 
 

Are we ready to have @The Sicatoka contact Chaves and tell him Siouxsports.com has endorsed Travis Johansen for the next head coach? @UND-FB-FAN @Oxbow6

 

SS.com hasn’t endorsed anybody. It would be foolish to endorse a candidate before we even know who applies. 

That is an example of why school officials across the country aren’t interested in what is posted on social media. We all have opinions but we all have our preconceived ideas (including myself) of how things should be done.  We don’t have all of the details nor inside info.  The vast majority base our opinions on wins and losses and our personal experiences. We get it right sometimes so we think we may know more than we do. 
 

My opinion is that we thank Bubba for his time and stop bashing him. We all know how the how the program has evolved since 2013, successes/failures. 
The most important comments made at the recent press conference included moving the program forward and staying positive. If we don’t want to help be part of the solution, we may be part of the problem. 
 

This forum should be entertaining and at times informative. We shouldn’t take ourselves too seriously.