Irish

So - either NDSU Athletic Directors expect more from their Football Coach or maybe the boosters put pressure on him to not tolerate mediocrity. Either way it's something we don't have. Why would one college fire an underperforming coach and another extend him? I think the fanbase expectations enter in.

If you think for one minute that NDSU would put up with 6 years of Muss followed by 8 years of Bubba - and then extend him after a 5-6 season you are delusional.

Tick tock = Bubba and company need to sort this out and we need to play with grit in the 3rd.

It would help if we didn't have so much loud canned music.

It's been mentioned before, but it was nice to see the Bison arrogance do them in. If their QB hadn't decided to taunt his opponents they go into the locker room up 28-7 and win the game. SDSU has shown us that the Bison are beatable at home - time for us to get it done too.

The operative word is "trying" - and still a work in progress - I meant a young stud. I'm just disappointed in our goalie situation so far.

Just got back and find myself in need of strong drink. We got it handed to us tonight. Defense is as soft as I have ever seen. How many quality shots did they get either posting up or crashing the net? And we are going nowhere with a .750 save percentage. Why can't we get in a good young goalie and develop him. This idea of getting whatever 5th year transfer we can find isn't a way to build anything. We need to up the recruiting across the board. There is no reason we can't pull in a top goalie prospect - with Karl working with him it should be easier to sell. And the undisciplined play and penalties. It is very early but we need to get it together now. I'm hopeful but Bubbs and Co. haven't been able to solve the stupid penalty problem for how long?

It can be a great game and still have annoying music

Because every game needs more loud techno-pop between downs.

I know it has been mentioned before but I just got back from my first game of the season. It was an exciting game - however the loud and incessant music piped in is almost a deal breaker. Between every snap and right up to the play starting. Most of it is loud techno-pop. No one in my section could stand it. I am not familiar with what other teams are doing - is this common or an Alerus Special? The sound is just brutal and at times drowned out the PA announcer and crowd noise. The band, when they got to play, was great. Who is responsible for this?

The culture where a 5-6 coach gets extended. The shuckey darn culture where "we've just got to get better" - year after year. The culture where 6 years of Muss and 9 years of Bubba is just great.

Glad someone is finally paying attention - fans at this level have been taken for granted for a long time.

It used to be a great rivalry - every town had a contingent of NDSU fans and one of UND fans. Game day was a big event. Now outside of Grand Forks there isn't much of a UND following and on game day we just have to hope it isn't a blow out. Our failure to move up when they did and our commitment to mediocre coaches who are allowed to stay too long has made this rivalry a joke.

Totally agree - however this question now needs to be postponed until 2025 because apparently the Athletic Director looked at his coaching- last year (in which he had some of the worst in-game coaching I have ever seen) decided he needed an extension. This is why we are mired in mediocrity.

Agree with the need for higher pay - Although it is clear that no big donors from the Football Alumni are going to step forward. And for the average fan who is close to being maxed out - who wants do dig in for a bit more when in reality all you are doing is funding Bubba Ball through 2025. We need some indication of a course correction.

Blame hockey all you want but the sad fact is that Football's current problems are largely self-inflicted and could have been corrected. There is a pent up enthusiasm for football that is just wanting to be unleashed every year - but seems to be dashed by what we do on the field. Last year it died on our 20 yard line against the Bison. We had it when we were successful in DII. Our Athletic Department seems unwilling to make course corrections and prefers to just let things run its course. We let Muss go on for 6, count em, 6 years before making a change. And now we are in our 9th year of Bubba Ball - and let Rudy go on for what - 5 years? How long would this last at NDSU? Would better funding help - absolutely. But let's not pretend that Bubba was our only choice when he was hired. There is no demand from the top for excellence. If we lay an egg Saturday just watch the crowds and enthusiasm shrink once again. We have had 15 years of horrible leadership at the top and mediocre at best coaching. And yet, here we are with a coaching extension through 2525. This is not a map for success.

You make excellent points about money - However the buyout costs are self inflicted on the program by Chaves. And we have seen zero indication that he is demanding a winner. Many donors feel that if they donate more no changes will be made and we are essentially funding more of the same. Letting Muss go on for 6 years and now in the 9th year of Bubba Ball doesn't equate to a program that wants to be on top. Chaves needs to shape up and lead.

You talk like this is the first time we've been through this - this is the 9th year of Bubba Ball.

Chaves accepts it quite well.

To be fair this is Bubba Ball and we are on the road.

And yet ........

"evolve" - sounds like a weasel word to me.

A lazy athletic department decided to farm out ticketing and let the fans eat the extra charges.

Captains come and go - Bubba is the constant.

Taken as a single game there was a lot to like about our effort. However, put in the context of Bubba's teams we see the same frustrating patterns. We were in position to possibly have a huge road win against a strong opponent. Then mistakes and a 4th quarter collapse led to a 21 point defeat. Uneven special teams play and the inability to throw the ball down field along with some blown coverages and here we are again. Rinse, repeat. At some point (hopefully soon) Bubba needs to get it done. I know it is up to the players to execute but the difference in consistency and execution between a top program and a mediocre one is huge. We need to step it up to get to the next level. There were some real positive take-aways from the game but the same old things bit us once again. We all hope that this is the year we put it all together.