Irish

This is not unique to UND - this contingent can be found anywhere people care about and expect a winning program. How long do you think Muss would have lasted at NDSU? How much tolerance would they have for Bubba? That's right - very little. Although fans complain, it seems like we let coaches flounder about for quite a while (Muss - 6 years) and are tolerant of the same mistakes over and over (Rudolph). Same with basketball.

I've felt like the football fanbase was ready to expand and get real excited about this program since about 2015. Tailgating is much improved and students seem energized. However, you can't ratchet up the excitement and then play a game that leaves fans throwing up in their mouths a little time and time again and then wonder why the football team gets no support. It may be easier to recover our playoff status than the support of new fans. It's not just the losses, it's the absolute horrible display put on that leaves fans cold.

We wouldn't even have to be thinking of a coaching change if we had a coach who was willing to change. Bubba's signature type game so far is a momentum stealing second half total collapse at home in front of a crowd wanting to believe. I would feel much better if I had any confidence that Bubba would be willing to make changes to the program. So far - not.

The Sioux way of dealing with this is to wait another 4-5 years with our fingers crossed. We are the program that put up with Muss for 6 years and immediately followed with Rudy calling the plays for 5 years. Our idea of recruiting the QB position is to get someone who was cut by a 2-9 team. Our half-time adjustments would be laughable if there were any at all. Bubba's signature game is quickly becoming a second half disaster at home with crowd enthusiasm is just building. I just don't see the collective will to demand a winner. It's easier to blame hockey, lack of phase II, the Bison out-recruiting us, poor luck, or fans who don'"support the coaching staff".

Yes ............... changes. Good thing changes are Bubba's strong suit.

Bubba has clearly established that he doesn't have the guts for that call on 4th down.

Did you watch our last playoff game? - I never want to see a repeat of that. Killer instinct my a**.

That's because we as a town are extremely tolerant of mediocrity from the football program. We had Muss for 6 years and Rudy for 5. We complain about it, but no one seems to have the will to demand something different. Hopefully Chaves will have the stones Bubba seems to lack.

It's a big part of what I took from the game.

When this kind of crap happens occasionally, it's frustrating but part of football. When it gets to be a pattern it is unacceptable. Changes need to be made and Bubba has shown us time and time again he is not willing to make them - not just personnel changes but philosophy, schemes, preparation, recruiting, and in-game execution and adjustments. For all that is holy, play to win. We have spent over 10 years floundering about in this program and I am getting tired of it.

In my opinion, we need both Euros to step up their goal production. I think the key to the season will be off season development. I hope the team has a fire in their bellies.

Who on the roster takes the next big step in development?

Exactly this - I have no objection to the toss play - what defines Rudy seems to be the predictability.

I can just imagine the off season conversation - Bubba to Rudolph "You know I like a conservative offense and a good punting game as well as the next guy, but the fans are complaining about the ineffective Santiago up the middle for no gain calls. Can you do something about it?" Rudolph - "Sure, I'm nothing if not flexible" - then runs the ineffective pitch for little gain 10-15 times. Problem solved.

Because, quite frankly, this poll represents more our national reputation than play on the field this year so far. It shows the lack of respect for our body of work over the last decade.

Overall a pretty good job with some areas to improve. One of my big concerns is special teams. It has been mentioned multiple times but I haven't seen an in-depth discussion. Special teams have been an issue for quite a while. I am not referring to the kicker missing, but more about kick coverage lapses and getting our punts blocked. You would think this would have been taken care of by now. Punt protection and kickoff coverage are not rocket science. Why can't we figure this out? Well coached high school teams do a better job. This is an issue that certainly can come back to bite us this year and has going on for several years. Look at the Richmond playoff game (as painful as that is) - Mr. Triple Reverse gets a lot of well deserved criticism, but a running into the kicker penalty and a blocked punt killed us. If the guys (coaches and players) we are using can't get it done, lets make some changes. And while no one but the kicker can be held accountable for kick accuracy, why in the wild wild world of sports can't we find someone who can get a kickoff to the end zone? What gives?

Great win on the road. Still some scheme things to be tightened up, but that is for another day. Love the 4th quarter drive, the defense standing tall, and our overall physical play. Let's keep the roll going. Great Job.

They do, however, have a big impact on who is recruited to kick. No way our cupboard should be this bare. And don't even mention our execution on returns.

To some on this board Bubba is getting more criticism than his total record deserves. Possibly. Here's my two cents. Bubba seems insistent on running a 1980's scheme. When you do that, you need to be successful because watching this scheme fail is brutal. He seems strangely and frustratingly inflexible in his outlook - even when he doesn't have the personnel to match and has shown a real reluctance to make in-game adjustments. He has selected perhaps the only human being who is less introspective as his O coordinator. Bubba would make a great D coordinator, but it's frustrating to have a Head Coach who seems to use much of his game-time thinking on calculating how far back we could put the other team if we punted from where we have the ball. This is not to say he hasn't made positive strides with this program - especially the 2016 season (minus the playoff game). I think we played our butts off at Washington - I just wish Bubba wanted to play to win instead of playing it safe. That punt call summarizes Bubba in a nutshell - you could make argument that it was technically a correct call, but only if you don't factor in the game situation. We are playing a PAC - 10 team on the road and are driving and giving them a game of it. We are playing with house money - for the love of all that's holy, play to win. To me, it's his inflexibility more than his record. We need to take the next step real soon. Perhaps at Sam Houston. We all want him to succeed (and loosen up a bit).

- I'm not reading this as a reaction to losing to Washington. This is Bubba's fifth year and a legit question. What we have learned so far this year is that Bubba is Bubba and probably will not change a lot. So .... can we take the next step? Pro's - stopped the sideline dancing and has instilled a better work ethic, worked hard to improve the game day experience. Other than last year has generally improved the defense. Tied for a Big Sky conf. Championship - has recruited some talented players. Cons - Has given us perhaps the worst O coordinator I have seen in my 50 years as a fan and refuses to change. Immediately after winning the Big Sky, pisses away our first home playoff game in ages with perhaps the worst overall coaching job I have ever seen in the second half of the game. Failure to adequately recruit the QB position - Studs was a gamer for sure and one tough cookie but still - last year we had a 4th year starter who couldn't throw downfield, locked on to a receiver, and had trouble throwing a screen pass. We need a good QB recruit every year. Has not shown the ability to recruit and keep O linemen - In a Bubbaworld O linemen are the key to our team. Has not recruited talented receivers (we had better skills here during our D-2 days) - Has shown almost no ability to adjust in general, but especially during the game. Special teams are pathetic - our lack of coverage is frustrating and lack of kickers may be a season breaker. In summary - when we evaluate Bubba we need to take his assistants too as he has shown he will never make changes. He will always remain the guy who thinks "if we punt from here we can really put them back". In my mind it's playoffs or bust this year.

I fear Rudy is on the hot seat only on this board - Bubba seems to love him. We recruited much better kickers when we were DII - this is on the coaches.

I was overall pretty happy with our effort - even though some weaknesses in talent were exposed. In my opinion, everyone left it out on the field except Rudolph and Bubba. Come up with a philosophy and game plan that allows us to play to win. I am getting more frustrated with Bubba this year - Rudolf will always be a clown and I don't expect him to change.

Who had Santiago up the middle for our first play?

Talk them into a "jobswapping" day - trade O coordinators. Then put 8 in the box to stop their smallest running back from going up the middle.

I find it very sad that this is our tradition - other fans should too.