bincitysioux

As far as adjusting expectations go, I admit that I got very optimistic (overly so) about the season after the fast start. I was peeking at polls, and playoff possibilites after the PSU game. Now, here we are at 4-4. Which, in the long run, is about where I thought we'd be right now when I looked at schedules and evaluated depth charts coming out of spring ball. If you want to call it an excuse, go ahead. But the injuries this team has sustained the last several weeks are the biggest reason IMO for the lack luster results the past 3 weeks. Yeah, yeah, every team has injuries. But UND isn't in a place YET where they can overcome them. In 3 years hopefully they will be because that is what good programs do. But we are a little more than a season and a half into a huge reclamation project that not only saw coaching turnover, but also significant player turnover, for better or worse. After Mussman was let go, we lost arguably 2 of the 10 best wide receivers in all of FCS in Kenny Golladay and Jameer Jackson. Given how horrid our receivers are, still having those two would make a world of difference. The secondary has been atrocious for 5 years. Then you have two starting safeties get injured and an opening day SR starting CB quits when he gets pushed by an underclassmen. Depth, depth, depth. I thought Dustin Iverson figured to be a big part of the offense as a blocker, receiver, and team leader. He's gone due to stupidity. This summer I think I said best case scenario is that UND goes 7-4 this year. That was assuming there were no injuries to any key players. That is still attainable I suppose, but I think is looking unlikely right now. So I guess I am saying that if my personal opinion was that 7-4 would be the high-water mark this year, I'm not going to get too bent out of shape being 4-4 at this point in the season. They could still win out and be 7-4. They could also lose the rest and be 4-7. Either way, I'm not ready to throw in the towel on the season or on this coaching staff. Rome wasn't built in a day. If we had started 1-4 (which was very possible) and were now sitting at 4-4, the tone of this board would be far different. He probably would not have gotten an interview if not for his history here. DeBoer was the other finalist, and he probably wouldn't have been interviewed either if not for his win against UND while at USF. Also probably shouldn't over look the fact that in the four years Bubba was head coach at UMD, they were in the NCC. The preceding 4 years they were in the NSIC and the succeeding four years they were in the NSIC. He was coach of the year in the NCC in 2005. Every single player that was a member of UMD's 2008 National Championship team was recruited by Bubba. 16 of his 21 losses while at UMD were to NCC schools, and one more was to an FCS school. He was leading them against a whole different level of competition.

Is that really true? I ask because I really don't know. The head coach may delegate, but in the end, the buck stops with Bubba. He had to see the way Bartels was playing on Saturday, and it wasn't good. It was bad. Keep in mind, I've always preferred Bartels to Mollberg since they both came in. But what has been happening behind center the last two games has been really concerning. This team needs a spark. I really don't think Mollberg is a much of an upgrade over Bartels, but at this point he needs to be given a shot IMO. Maybe the team will respond to Mollberg calling signals. I think one of Studsrud's best qualities is his leadership. It think Mollberg and Bartels have similar skill sets, but maybe Mollberg can be a better leader out on the field. He got off to a slow start last season as the starter but was playing well when he went down.

The Root Sports announcers were commenting on his big wind-up several times during the game as well......

DId Smith play yesterday? Don't really recall seeing him.

2 point game late between EWU and UNC.......

i think it was antacids

Ha ha, fake punt. What an embarrassment. Now it looks like Meindel is hurting.

CB gets torched, safety takes out cornerback

I don't know if I have ever seen QB play this bad. And it is from a 4th year junior that was once upon a time our season opening starter.........

INT after throwing to triple coverage

Roots production quality is first class too. I don't get Midco, so I feel you pain of you don't get Root

I get Root, so this is way better than eversport that screwed us last week

Wow that was a horrible throw

Bartles just about dropped the ball again

UND defense makingbGriz 3rd string QB look like Tom Brady

Again the db had position, but refused to turn his head and see where the ball is...

It is frustrating that our secondary play has not improved one bit since last season....

By do our DBs never look for the ball? The are always only face guarding.....

Needed the TD when you get inside the 10. Still a good drive at a good time. Just what the defense needed....

Santiago is amazing

That ref that missed the facemask on Santiago is the same one that didn't call pass interference when Santiago was tackled in the end zone right in front of him a few weeks ago

The fumbles are ridicuolous

Our offense needs a lesson in ball security. They put it on the turf alot. Fumbles on back to back possessions

Through the first four games last year, Joe completed 45% of his passes and had 2 TD to go with 4 INT. They stuck with him, and he started the next 4 games and played pretty well until he got hurt. Just sayin'.......

I'd like to see a screen pass once in a while. Other than that, I like the general philosophy of the offense. We just have absolutely no talent at WR, and the O-Line has been inconsistent, but better the last few weeks. Give me a bubble screen, Rudolph.................