Irish

A solution in search of a problem.

Might be a holdover from Santiago - Looks like the staff thinks there are many more like him out there and we just need to use a shotgun approach to find them. What we need is real mean FCS quality linemen and lots of them.

Great thread - my 2 cents - you have a very good analysis, but in my opinion several years too late. This is Bubba's 6th year and I think we could clearly see last week what he has built (and 6 years of Muss before that). We are very very slow to make changes. On the positive, no one bleeds Sioux green like Bubba. However, in my opinion he is stuck in 1985. He desperately wants to play Bubba Ball, but has never had the horses to do it. Defense should be the cornerstone, but it seems like we have never had the complete package - great line and backers and very poor corners and secondary, or great secondary and an undersized line. Offense, well that's just a mechanism to pin the other team back for our D to get on the field. I have several main issues with Bubba - first the absolute lack of adjustments on either side of the ball. We were plain out-adjusted in almost every game last year. Second - the offense, specifically keeping Rudy for 5 years when everyone, and I mean everyone could see his shortcomings (I have heard everyone from 70 year old ladies to Junior High kids call Rudy out during games). Third - special teams - remember when that was our specialty? Fourth, and most important - I am not sure Bubba "gets it" at all. He is always "aw shucks, we'll have to regroup and work harder" but never makes meaningful changes. How could someone with his football knowledge and experience actually think Rudy was a good coordinator for example. I just don't see him as capable of self reflection or change. He is not the worst coach - but he is a .500 coach with occasional good seasons - just enough to keep his job. Who really thinks Bubba will lead us to prominence? I would feel a whole lot better if I had some indication that Bubba actually realizes the program's shortcomings and is willing to make significant changes or at least an honest evaluation of where we are and a plan to move forward.

My sentiments exactly - I am ready to move on from the Fighting Sioux, but will never get anything with the pathetic Hawk logo - never.

A huge game for several reasons - we need to right the ship and get some swagger back after getting our butts handed to us in front of the whole state; this game will definitely have play-off implications - we can't afford another loss at this point in the season; finally, I worry that a lackluster performance will sink attendance for the year. We need some buzz around this football team again.

Let's go with the moose.

No halftime adjustments is Bubba's trademark.

We have already fallen into that trap and seem comfortable there. I wish the good old boys and former players and alumni that lobbied so hard for Bubba even though he was a .500 coach because he was "one of us" would put a little pressure on him and the administration.

An accurate description of our administration's mismanagement. My son was a student athlete during the Bunning era and felt he was a total incompetent and in over his head. However, lost in all of this is Bubba's coaching. This is my point of contention. He is stuck in 1985. If you watch the second half of our playoff game you will see what I call total coaching malpractice from Bubba and his staff. It is unbelievable how he snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. He kept Rudy for 5 years and only let him go under pressure - in the mean time he misused the best stable of running backs we have ever had. His lack of adjustments is legendary - he was probably out adjusted in every game last year. His ultra-conservative philosophy has certainly cost us talented recruits. If you were a young game-breaker and saw film of how Santiago was used last year how fast would you run from this program. I won't even get into his love of punts. He couldn't get our team up for the last game of the season last year with a playoff spot on the line. Bottom line - even with our institutional limitations Bubba has done a poor job with what he has.

I know you are an avid Sioux supporter and very knowledgeable about football and the program. This appears to be a very sensible approach, but one I would feel better about if in the past any measuring stick has been applied to Bubba and staff - otherwise how could we go on with Rudy for 5 years. How could we have the worst second half playoff performance I have ever seen? How could we put up with the play calling, lack of adjustments, and total collapse last year with a playoff spot on the line? Expect excellence? I'm not seeing it. More like hope for excellence, but oh well if we're not. As a group have an incredible tolerance for mediocrity. Don't believe me - watch me get a huge amount of crap for this assessment. What we saw today was unacceptable - especially after 5 plus years of "rebuilding". Our program has been wandering in the wilderness for over 10 years. Time to expect excellence and really mean it this time.

If this was a fight, they'd stop it.

And our first person does a great job of missing.

I will never buy anything that features the ultra crappy Fighting Hawks logo. I am 100% behind the Fighting Moose however.

I, too was there - had a great time and remembered to bring my wineskin to keep warm. My first experience with crybaby Bison fans.

The past 10 years of mediocrity is only the fans fault if you blame them for not being more up in arms about our program. Many are willing to defend a .500 program. The fault is squarely on the administration. Ask yourself this - Would Muss have lasted 6 years at NDSU? Would Bubba be entering his 6th year there? Would Rudy have gone on for 5 years? I think the answers to these questions tells you all you need to know. Attendance and support issues are directly related to the product on the field. Many games have been brutally unwatchable - especially with the 5 year reign of mind-numbing play calls from Rudy. It is certainly time for more support and enthusiasm - but this needs to start on the field. This week we need to show we belong on the same field as the AC. Football/ hockey is not an either or situation.

There is only one way to shut up this Bison toady - and Bubba needs to get it done this year.

But you know Bubba - if we can get possession then we can maneuver for a punt and really pin them back.

If by "fell asleep" you mean went ultra-conservative and made no halftime adjustments then you are absolutely correct. I expect big things from our new OC, but in order to take a jump to the next level we need Bubba 2.0 instead of old Bubba. Our new offense will only be as successful as Bubba lets it be. Hopefully we will see change this season. I think we will drub Drake, but will see some things that definitely need improvement. That's what openers are all about.

As a season ticket holder for both football and hockey I can tell you that you are delusional and have some odd ax to grind. What do you think happens to fans? - It's not "wow, an article about Ryan Duncan - to hell with football". Football is getting plenty of coverage and there is true fan excitement, especially given we have a new OC. A ban on hockey coverage for a time period is just bizarre. Hockey is tops in town not because of some twisted plot to keep football down. It is on top because of 8 National Championships and the fact we lead the nation in alumni in the NHL. If you want a Bison kind of buzz for football then we need Bison kind of success. You have to admit that the football product for the last 10 years has at many times approached unwatchable. Put your energy into building up football support not dragging hockey down.

This should be correct but sadly I don't think it is. First there was the absolute debacle of the second half of the playoff game - one of the worst collapses in UND history and much of it self-inflicted. Second - whatever buzz there was quickly went away during our 3-8 season.

This could be the year that attendance and support for this program takes a leap. There is more buzz for this season than in any other in recent memory - mainly due to the new O coordinator. The feeling seems to be that we were close with the worst O coordinator in football and this year we may take the leap. We need some things to happen - first we need good performances in out first two games. We don't need to beat the Bison, but we need to look like we belong on the same field. Second - Bubba needs to get out of the way of his own Bubbaness. By that I mean not getting out adjusted in every game - be a little flexible - and as long as we are wishing a more liberal approach to game management. Bubba seems to spend a lot of time figuring how far we can pin the other team back if we punt from where we have the ball. We don't have a monster D line to make this strategy productive. Last - special teams, special teams, special teams. If we build some momentum we can be a serious playoff team this year.

Ira - you have quite a bit of football knowledge - without speculating on this year (which somehow is out of bounds) how do you rate our special team's past performances under Bubba and Kostich?

I am more nervous about losing games because of Bubba's stubbornness than I am that he will be sent packing. This is his 6th year and so far he has been a .500 coach. We need to get it done this year. If we are mediocre this year we need to start over.

Another example of how Bubba set this team back by having Rudy on board for 5 years. This is on Bubba now.

You have summed up Bubba to a T. We all like him and want him to succeed - He bleeds green. However, his ultra conservative nature often gets in his way. I will begrudgingly concede that his in-game decisions (although the first half punt vs Washington made me furious) have a theme to them - even though I disagree with most of them. It is his unwillingness to make other changes that drags us down. Non-existent half time changes, hanging on to Rudy for 5 years, continued special team disasters, etc etc. Everything seems set in stone - we will run a 3-4 (a workable defense that was put into place to stop the Bison option) regardless of the strength of our D line for example. In my opinion, the main way we can be dominant again is if his absolute devotion to our program translates into recruiting dominant monster lines on both sides of the ball. Then he can indulge in all of his conservative approaches and it will probably fit our team very well. Lacking that I worry. The best thing that could happen this year is that he turns all offensive decisions over to the O coordinator.