iramurphy

I hope our kids don't read this crap. Fun to read his stuff, but don't for a minute think he believes any of this. He is playing the media.

buy

There is no reason to go into any of these games without the idea that we can't win. We need to sustain the running game we saw Saturday and we need a big time upgrade in the passing game. Give Studsrud enough time I think he can be effective. ( yes, I have stated my opinion more than once on the QB position but doesn't mean given the right support Studsrud can't be effective). The oline will be key for both the running game and passing game. We will need to pass to win against the best Big Sky teams. If we can't pass we won't be able to run as well. I think expectations for this year should be higher than 5-6 or 6-5. This is a good coaching staff and the kids believe in what they are trying to do. I disagree we don't have enough talent. We don't have a lot of depth at a number of positions. This weekend is big. We need a win here to let the team and our staff know we can have success at this level now.

he is 81/178 (46%) , with 7 TD and 7 INT. He also has four fumbles in his last three games and threw an INT to a Bison who dropped it. He is slow to get rid of the ball. Other than the Bison and Northern Arizona, he hasn't played the stiffest competition. You don't quit on kids when they get hurt. Mollberg and Bartles were both playing better when they got hurt. The QB doesn't win these games nor lose them by themselves.

I agree. That is something this coaching staff needs to improve on and that is the psychology of coaching and communication. Every kid on this team needs to have a clear understanding of how important they are to the team and how they fit in the the plan. This kid needs to know how he can earn his starting job back so he comes back on Monday with a chip on his shoulder and works his but off to get better and to make the starters better. This is a very good staff but this is an area they need to improve on. We don't have the depth to lose kids. Gene Murphy was the master at this. Even the student managers understood their importance to the team and so did the team understand their importance. The third string guys don't mean anything to most fans but if they feel part of the team and the success of the team they are less likely to quit on day after being demoted. He also needs to have a fair shot at staring again.

Unless you know for sure (and maybe you do), dont post these comments. I have no idea but if you aren't sure enough to go to court with your info don't post this please.

Nothing Klieman said was low class. I read the quotes. He said they were the better defensive team. Well, on Saturday, they were. Fussing about Kleiman shows lack of class or our part. What do you think he should say? He was proud of the way his kids played. Dick Vinger former GFC BB coach used to say "when you win say little, when you lose stay less". There are no excuses, we got beat. I didnt' see dirty play from the stands. As a player, if you think they took a cheap shot at our QB then step in and defend him. The worse thing we can do when we get trounced is to make excuses or complain. The hit on Arneell looked to me like it was illegal. It didn't get flagged by the ref and I would need to see the play in slo mo to know for sure. I didn't think it was was intentional. I understand others disagree and my opinion isn't necessarily correct but it does make us look bad when we keep harping on it to opponenets fans (who are people who have nothing better to do with their lives than post on an opponents blog). It isn't worth fussing with them.

I did play and coach at the collegiate level. Also reffed for 12 years. Illegal hit, but I don't think it was intentional or dirty and I didn't think he went after his knee. I think he started high and went low.. The result is bad but I don't think the AC kid intentionally tried to hurt our guy. I am not a fan of the AC but it sure looks like a back up trying to make a play rather than a dirty play. I think it was illegal whether it was clipping or blocking from behind but there is a difference. I dont' know where th efracture is, but I would guess it will require surgery and hopefully if our athletic training staff will get involved in the kids rehab ( a sore spot with me) he will be ready by spring ball.

Initial hit , the blockers shoulders are above Arnells waist. I don't think this was "dirty". Looks like it could have been blocking from behind. I don't believe this was a cheap shot. Kid trying to make a play. Arnell was trying to turn back into the runner as he was hit from behind by the AC kid. I would like to see the X-ray but I would bet $100 the fracture occurred due to the combination of those forces more so than a direct blow to his knee or leg. I believe at most their guy blocked from behind but this was an unfortunate incident more than a cheap shot. Time to move on. Prayers for a quick recovery.

Playing, watching and coaching in this game for 45 yrs. tailgating was impressive. The fact that virtually everyone of their fans wear yellow is impressive. Pre game atmosphere at UND tailgating at airport was good and AC fans were welcomed. AC fans in their area were hospitable. They have a great thing going pre game. Game atmosphere is great for them. Whomever thought playing this at a neutral site would make a difference hasn't a clue. I'm not sure we had a false start. The noise made it tough to communicate but everyone should have known what this was going to be like and been prepared. I was surprised that the UND fans were able to generate a bit of noise. From the beginning we seemed to be having trouble getting players into position. Offensively we are inept. That isn't just on Rudolph. It is the entire offensive staff and the players. We didn't get anything fixed between Drake and this game and that is concerning. Our receivers struggled to get open and when they were Studsrud couldn't get them the ball or was sacked. Defensively we are ok. We had a couple of missed assignments but overall we were ok. Short fields, for the AC, a great QB for the AC and our defense on the field all day were factors. I don't think it is fair to toss Studsrud under the bus. He was rushed in last year when we had two guys hurt, and he still isn't ready. Mollberg and Bartels were thrown under the bus last year with poor oline play and poor receiver play. I'm not sure why we aren't improving the oline play and I agree our backs aren't always making their reads. Our game planning and play calling was unimaginative but it is tough to game plan if your oline can't beat anyone one on one. Studsrud was like a deer in the headlights. He is still not ready. To his credit he corrected the fumbleitis he had last week and didn't throw an interception. He did throw one pass right to the DB but the DB dropped it. If if Bubba is going to stick with him, then he needs to roll him out and give him some run pass options but Studsrud has got to get through his reads and make a decision quicker. He had no idea yesterday what to do. You can blame the play calling but if you have the wrong play called then the QB needs to check out of that play. I realize their are a lot of "Madden" experts who quit on Mollberg and Bartels but they both get through their reads faster and Mollberg has a much stronger arm. He can make all the throws. Bartels given time, is smart and can also make all the throws given protection. Studsrud is quicker than the other two but he isn't anymore athletic. If he is untouchable as a starter and Bartels and Mollberg are relegated to the bench, this is going to be a long season. Bubba's philosophy of running the ball is great if you have some semblance of a running game. Otherwise it is time to adjust and go with what you have. Don't know if we are good enough to make the switch but I think we go to a spread offense with quick reads and throw the ball no matter who the QB is. I doubt we get sacked anymore than now and it hopefully gives our RBs some room to make plays. We sure as hell aren't dominating anyone on the line of scrimmage now. The philosophy of pounding the ball and playing defense only works if you can pound the ball. We didn't against Drake, we couldn't against the AC. I hope Bubba and staff can make the adjustments to utilize the strengths we have and minimize our weaknesses. We should be seeing progress this year. Next week is huge not only for the conference and the season but for this program moving forward.

Watch our skill kids warm up. They don't always look the ball into their hands. Should be every player every time. DB's, RB's, receivers, LB's, QB's, punters etc. Basic fundamentals. Look the ball into your hands every time you catch it. You do it warming up, you do it in practice it, becomes a habit. Makes it less likely you drop passes or interceptions. Always need to pay attention to details.

You are correct, the AC doesn't have anyone like Hill but they have Morlock who is awfully good and Frazier if he is healthy. What they also have is a very good oline and one of the best QB's in the FCS. Our problem regardless of how old our guys are, is that we don't have a great passing game and our oline couldn't get the running game going. The Big Sky games are irrelevant until next week cuz we aren't playing them. Bubba is correct, we play it one day and one game at a time. The Wyoming and Drake games are irrelevant. They are over. People have legitimate concerns about our offense that ran the ball well week one and laid an egg week two. They are concerned about what to expect for week three. Doesn't matter if players are freshman and sophomores, they are who we put on the field. No excuses, we did not play well offensively yesterday and other than a great throw by Studsrud on the Seibel TD and nice run after catch by Stanley we didn't take advantage of what the defense did. We didn't throw an INT but we fumbled 6 times. That isn't better than last year. Talk of playoffs this early is premature. We tend to lose focus on the task at hand. Play day to day and each game one at a time, then if we are good enough, playoffs will take care of themselves.

Week one we soundly defeated a terrible Wyoming team. Our defense we excellent especially against two good RB's. We didn't turn the ball over and our freshman RB showed his athletic ability and speed that can make him special when the oline can open some holes. Studsrud did a good job of managing the game and didn't turn the ball over. Had nice TD run. Yesterday our defense was solid again until second half when they were on the field most of the time. Front to back this is a very good defense. Even when Drake threw the ball we had guys there and the Drake QB made some back should throws that his receivers came back and got. We had 6 sacks and pressured him all day. Front to back this is a very good defense. This is the best set of DB's we have had in some time. The real test for these guys is next week. If we can defend these guys with a healthy Wentz, then we can defend anyone in FCS. Offensively the big disappointment was our Oline. We had 6 fumbles by our starting RB and QB. The bad thing is Santiago and Studsrud were putting the ball on the ground without getting hit hard. We had only 2 first downs in the second half. Was hoping we were making progress this year. This was worse. Santiago is quick and fast. He can't run through holes that aren't there. Passing game had a couple nice plays in first half but dismal in second half. We are going to have to throw for at least 300 yds to be competitive next week. We had a nice showing last week albeit a weak Wyoming team. You can't afford to be going backwards against a team like the AC. Too many fans think Drake wasn't any good cuz the media hype isn't there. They weren't good but weren't bad either. Their QB and receivers made some big plays with QB under pressure. We gave up some passing yards but we didn't have the wide open receivers we saw in the Mussman years when our CB would make a tackle after giving up a 35 yard pass play and then pound his chest and taunt the receiver. This defense can keep us in a lot of games but the offense is going to have to win them.

They do but UND can't afford the cost of your booze and the $750,000 extra per year for athletes Cost of Attendence. Faison said the savings would cover 2/3's of the $750,000.

you do realize Wyoming is terrible don't you?

improved receivers are imperative. They need to run good routes, attack the ball so they win the 50/50 battles, look the ball in, secure it and get upfield. They didn't do that well last year. Too many people threw our QBs under the bus for the wrong reasons last year. I think if you give Studsrud time, have some semblance of a running game we can move the ball. If not Tom Brady won't have success. If you don't protect Studsrud it will be a long day and won't matter who the QB is. We should be good enough defensively that if we get decent oline play and improved play from the receivers, we should be able to compete.

I know. Didn't mean to. Didn't realize til after I posted. I think same happened to me with Fetch on the next Detroit blog or whatever it's called.

no

I have no problem with what Bubba is doing either. I don't agree Mollberg has had any any more opportunity than anyone else. Mollberg came in and after a decent spring and what seemed to be a decent fall camp sat behind Bartles for the first few games. They pulled Bartles and he led the comeback against Montana . Neither QB knew from week to week who was going to play and the play calling for both Bartles and Mollberg in addition to poor protection by the Oline hampered both of them. Neither Bartles nor Mollberg should be judged too harshly when you consider the Oline they have played behind and the beating they both have taken the last two years. I think Mollberg was close to showing his true potential last fall before he got hurt. With the potential we have a QB with these three guys and if what you say is true, I have to wonder why we aren't seeing the improvement we should should expect from each of them. We need to be able to develop our QB's.

If you read my posts I have already stated the obvious that I am probably biased. I have also stated you trust the coaches that are watching the players. Doesn't mean we can't question things. I disagree that Mollberg and Bartles haven't shown anything. They have overcome poor protection and no running game and both had some very good play. Mollberg was playing well when he got hurt. I don't want to keep kicking a dead horse cuz I'm not going to change anyone's opinion and the coaches picked their guy. If he can't get the job done they are the guys who are held accountable not us as fans. Go Sioux!

He isn't smarter. He hasn't made better quicker decisions in games yet cuz he hasn't done much. Joe is an excellent student and completed last semester with a 4.0. The thing I believe makes people uneasy is that Studsrud hasn't done anything yet. He completed less than 40% of his passes last fall even though we were finally getting something out of our running game and the oline. He did nothing in the spring game and didn't separate himself this fall. This is a big year for the program and this staff. I'm not sure how he moved ahead of Bartles before practice started this spring. Once there however I assume neither Mollberg or Bartles did enough to displace him. I'm a Gene Murphy disciple so I believe that you go with the veteran until the vet shows that he can't get it done or until the younger guy is clearly the choice. Neither of those things have happened. The other school is to go with the younger guy and let them play through their mistakes. My job doesn't depend on these decisions. Bubba's does so you gotta trust him and his staff.

He is healthy enough to play. Has been left on the 3rd team all fall, so not getting as many reps and few with the ones. Surprised cuz those who have been at practice and scrimmage said good things about him except neither he nor Studsrud had done anything to distance themself from the other. Everyone had both of them ahead of Bartles. He worked hard to rehab, acheived a 4.0 this spring and has continued to be positive hoping he would get a shot. Had some soreness this fall mostly the non-injured side but nothing he couldn't have played with. Seemd clear they were going with Studsrud from the start of spring ball when they moved him ahead of Bartles who had outplayed him last fall. To be fair to Studsrud, they are going to have to be patient and let him play through his mistakes. If he has to be afraid to make a play cuz he could get pulled, it will be a long season. I can't see both Mollberg and Bartles wasting their last year on the bench. Not sure how Mollberg dropped to three but I am not at practice. Have to trust coaches. They are the ones at practice everyday and I don't think they are going to start someone they don't think gives them the best chance of winning.

I agree with Teeder than Studsrud will likely be the starter. He was recruited by this staff and Mollberg and Bartles weren't. I would have gone with either Mollberg or Bartles because of their experience and size along with the fact that Studsrud didn't do much this spring and wasn't able to separate himself from the others this fall. All being equal, I would have gone with Mollberg because of what I have seen he has been the best of the bunch and as you all know I am biased. Having said that, I haven't seen any of them this fall, so you gotta go with whomever the coaches who are at practice everyday think will give us the best chance to win. I would guess that if they go with Studsrud, they knew that all along and kept it quiet because they couldn't afford to have either Mollberg or Bartles or both transfer out. They are both good enough to start somewhere else and I would not sit the bench behind a Soph who hasn't separated himself from the others. If they go with either Bartles or Mollberg, there is no pressure on Studsrud to relieve them if they can't get the job done. If either Mollberg or Bartles can't get the job done this year as juniors, behind what is supposed to be a better oline, then they have no excuse and they go with the young kid and build for the future. Teeder has been at practice and I think is probably correct that Studsrud starts.

I thought Cabot Cove, Maine had the highest murder rate per capita in the world! Detroit is a safe haven compared to Cabot Cove. Jessica Fletcher was solving at least a murder per week in that little town in Maine.