iramurphy

point well taken

I hope you understood that as a cheerleader of anything and everything done by our staff not the sideline kind.

he isn't my boy. I'm saying with Bartels struggling and Studsrud out he should get a shot. I stated my opinion. Nor more or less valid than others but I'm not going to debate with a cheerleader.

yes, and I think Keaton does a decent job doing this

You are correct in that his "his family physician" would not be the one to clear him to play. That would be the team physician, who happens to be a family physician. Shows you know very little about sports medicine or family medicine. Not all family physicians have any expertise in sports medicine, nor for that matter do all orthopedic physicians. I happen to know Joe's family physician quite well. I'm sure he doesn't know sports like you do, but his resume includes taking care of high school, college, professional and former Olympic athletes as well as having been a team physician at the college or high school level for over 30 yrs. I wouldn't go to him cuz he talks too much but he is capable of "clearing" an athlete to play. Having said that, he doesn't clear UND's athletes. I believe he has said Joe has recovered from his Achilles injury and has been ready to play. Joe's orthopedic surgeon has cleared him to play as has UND's team physician. How would you know how athletic he is? He was a hell of a baseball player and though he hasn't played since 9th grade was throwing in mid 80's for UND's baseball coaches when they asked him to throw. He could have played small college basketball. He is very athletic. If you think the other two guys don't throw interceptions or fumble the ball then you haven't been watching this year. If you want a guy who is a better than average runner, and mediocre passer who doesn't have a strong arm we have one of those guys if he gets healthy. Bartels if given time can be a Decent runner and passer. If you want to talk about last year, they all struggled. If you want to talk about This year, Joe is the only one who hasn't thrown an interception nor fumbled the ball. Bartels took a beating yesterday. He and Mollberg took a beating the last two years. Who knows how Keaton would have done yesterday or how Joe would have done? You apparently don't think Joe deserves a shot. I think with his potential and how he has played at times for us at times it is foolish not to see what he could do.

For those of you going to game watch for Abe Winter former GF Herald and Bismarck Tribune Sportswriter who will be helping cover game for Herald today. He lives in Montana now and is still a big Sioux fan.

Sioux 34 Montana 27. Either Bartels or Mollberg in relief has a good day throwing to compliment Santiago and running game

That is a good point. I think right now they are trying to find help til Studsrud gets healthy. I'm not saying start Joe but if Studsrud struggles Joe can play.

Maybe he is as good or better. Who knows? Don't know unless he gets a chance. After the last two games the jury is still out with this staff. I like what they are doing overall but no way should we have lost the last 2 games nor struggled against Drake or Cal Davis or laid an egg with the Bison. We have to be patient but we have got to be getting better each week.

I'm not even questioning who is # 1, 2, or 3. I'm questioning when Studsrud is hurt and Bartels struggles why is Joe not an option. We can go back to last year but how do you compare? They didn't have similar competition We can make excuses for any of the 3. Interceptions by all three, 33% completions by Studsrud, less than 60% completion rate by the other two etc. we have moved on to this year. I want what is best for UND FB. I don't have blind faith in these coaches but I certainly supported and lobbied for Bubba. There is something not right about this situation. Bartels struggles, completes 45% of his passes and Rudolph won't consider using Joe? I get that Buuba isn't going to open things up and throw the ball. We have the makings of a good running game. I disagree there is no talent at WR. Just like my concern for slow development of the potential for all 3 QB's, I have a concern for slow development of our WR's. They need to improve their basic fundamentals so those fundamentals become good habits. We shall see this weekend. Best thing would be Bartels lights up the Griz and we will never know. If he struggles I certainly would like to see Mollberg back in there. He deserves at least that.

I know more about Joe's physical health and have a better understanding of his character and mental health than this coaching staff does. He has stayed upbeat and supportive of his teammates and Bubba.

Did he get any practice time this week? Joe is healthy and can play tomorrow. He has been ready every week. He hasn't been given much of a chance. He doesn't get reps in practice. I haven't spoken to him since early last summer. He has been very supportive of Bubba. People in GF close to the program who aren't afraid of offending the GOBC related he has been relegated to third team from the beginning of fall camp. I would hope he gets some reps in practice now with Studsrud hurt. Unfortunately the decision apparently is Rudolph's. I find it hard to believe Bubba would do this to a kid who was developing as Joe was and got hurt playing Sioux FB. I also find it strange that the coaches don't even discuss Joe as being in the mix. When Bubba was asked about Joe by the media, he avoided the question. This is the first time in the 45 years I have been associated with Sioux football they have done this to a guy. Gene Murphy is probably rolling over in his grave. Joe doesn't use drugs, he is an academic all conference and had a 4.0 last semester. He doesn't beat women (his girlfriend is the daughter of a Sioux FB All American). They treated the kids who had grade problems, legal problems and drug issues better than this. We should be winning FB games.

Watch this clip. This is what the coaches from Northern Illinois, NDSU, Minnesota, and Iowa saw in Mollberg. He can put the ball into tight spots and he can make plays under pressure. This is how he was playing when he got hurt. He can be a difference maker but he was still developing. We should have gone ahead with the FG. You don't need to be from DL to see why some want to know why when Studsrud is hurt and Bartels struggles they leave him on the bench.

This would show a lack of class no matter how you feel about Kelly. Fighters don't do childish crap like this. The fighters I fought with would make an appointment with the guy and go in and debate their point and opinion. It was embarassing last time that our students show such a lack of class and it would be embarassing this time. The NCAA forced UND to drop the name. Neither the state's Native American population, nor any of us, did enough to keep the name. Kelly was stuck with the consequences. You should have taken signs out to the reservations or taken signs to the tribal councils when we had the chance. Kelly was riding Broncos out in Wyoming or wherever the hell he was. The mission of UND and UND athletics is a hell a lot more important than whatever name we call ourselves. We blew our chance, because you and I, and others waited for somone else to do things for us. If you wish to look like a fool, do it yourself.

That is the only kind of iterceptions there are. All 3 guys have made them. Joe is the only one who hasn't thrown one this year of course.

A couple of thoughts. The only turnovers are terrible turnovers. A bad pass is a bad pass whether it's picked or not. A fumble is bad whether it's turnover or recovered by us. Both our QBs have made some terrible passes and fumbled the ball. Both have made some very good passes and had some nice runs. Too often we are forgetting poor blocking, poor routes, interceptions on balls that should have been caught or knocked down. Whomever the QB is we need to protect him and it is past time for our receivers to still have trouble getting open, missing the ball, jumping offsides or running poor routes. I think our line and receivers are doing a better job than last year. They have enough talent to be part a of a team concept and success. At this point in the season we should know we aren't good enough to control the ball on the ground and dominate defensively. Bubba mentioned we need to open things up and I agree.

No, I responded to the comments as to whether or not he should get a shot. I understand Studsrud is out. Were he not, and if we are winning or if he is playing well, you stick with him. I said the same at beginning of season when he was named starter. I said "if Bartels struggles", Joe should get a chance. I don't believe our QB's have won games for us. We have won games with Studsrud at QB. We haven't won games because of him. He has done what asked of him and been adequate. We didn't pee a drop against the Bison and he struggled. We have beaten Wyoming, Drake and Cal Davis. 3 terrible teams. Nice win against Portland and he contributed in all of those wins. I'm talking about a dominant game by a QB where he either dominates as a runner or passer when nothing else is working. We haven't seen that from any of these guys yet. We've lost two games in a row cuz we couldn't protect 14 point leads in the second half. If our QB is struggling I would play any of the other three.

He has recovered from his Achilles injury and it has healed nicely. He wasn't able to participate in spring ball but he progressed through his therapy this spring. Participated in summer workouts. Came in at #3 this fall. I think that is understandable. He was nicked up this fall for a few days but not his repaired Achilles. At #3 he doesn't get reps in practice. I was simply commenting on the derogatory comment from another blogger. If Bartels struggles, then Joe has done enough to get a shot. With his ability as an athlete and his arm strength , it would be a mistake not to know if he can play. Potentially he is the guy who can win games for us even with the receivers we have. I'd like to know if he can do it. I believe he can.

Of course it would come up. Same if the roles were different except a couple of you folks only blame the oline problems or receiver problems when you look at Studsrud. Studsrud fits Bubba's philosophy of conservative, control the ball with a ground game, throw when you have to. He has done what he was asked. If you are satisfied with that, then he is your guy. An athletic running QB? That would be the USD or UNI guys and they throw better. Bartels ran the ball pretty well and has a better arm. Joe has the best arm and can also run the ball. Studsrud made the same poor throws Bartels did Saturday and he fumbled 4 times. Bartels is a less than average runner with a decent arm. The QB isn't losing these games for us, they just aren't winning them. Would Mollberg? Don't know, they decided last December he isn't part of their plan and they haven't given him a shot. If Bartels struggles, I would hope they would give him a chance. He was playing pretty well for us when he got hurt. Only one interception in his last three games and completing 64% of his passes. He has earned the chance to be next man up after the beating he took as a freshman and Soph. I support the coaches and program but if we can't help any of these 3 guys develop then we have a coaching problem for our QBs. Other programs develop kids. We seem to be having trouble developing our QB's and receivers.

That may or may not be true. Either way we should have won both games. We have enough talent to be in the games yet some think we don't have enough to win them. Doesn't make sense. Last two games were winnable with the kids who played. These kids need to learn to finish and they need to learn to win. Same with coaching staff.

Agree. If you pull a kids redshirt he needs to be good enough to help you. Olivera has shown promise. Smith's speed could be helpful at wideout and multiple sets to get him into space to utilize his speed. We need to play these guys to justify pulling red shirts. Too soon to tell. They both have shown promise and could help this year if they continue to develop.

There is a difference in having a bias and being clearly unable to be objective. I didn't know you were such a great judge of my capabilities. I have recommended kids to the coaching staff over the years and haven't been wrong yet. Every kid I told them wouldn't play didn't. Every kid I told them could play contributed and except for 2 linebackers whose careers were cut short, by concussions and family responsibilities, started. The kid they didn't go after started for the Vikings Saturday. Another kid they talked to but didn't offer, went to UND anyway and walked during spring ball and started 4 years. Let's not derail this thread. If want to debate you can PM me. Otherwise I wouldn't waste your time or others when this is about the season not my capabilities. I want the kid the best kid to play. We may disagree on who that is.

And that is why there won't be a change at QB