Irish

Sure the game thread was an over reaction. That's the way fan boards work. Part of my frustration and I think others is that we all realize Bubba's teams will sometimes lose or come out flat, but we felt that our days of complete humiliation were past us. Hearing from my Bison friends again after we crap the bed is something I have had enough of. We were feeling that our program got some respect finally. Last week was a nasty jolt of reality.

I am not optimistic about or offense when early in the South Dakota debacle we couldn't get a play off with the offense coming in from the sidelines. I don't think this is as quick a reset as people think. 21-10 Montana State.

We're all just grasping - I think part of the Bubba deal is not that he win everything, but no more abject humiliations. After the last 10 years coupled with Bison success, I'm full up.

Bubba has worked hard to promote a positive game day and has built up a lot of goodwill. This should carry over into Saturday and beyond with good crowds and excited fans. Overall, winning the Big Sky last year was a great leap forward and just what we needed. However, we can't afford many more horrorshows like we had last week, especially at home. Bubba Ball doesn't work when you just plain get the crap beat out of you. Here's what worries me - I have been a Sioux football fan for about 50 years and going from my memory I can't name two halves of football that were worse than the second half of the Richmond game and the first half of the South Dakota game, especially given expectations going in. This is something that needs to be righted immediately, especially the undisciplined play and the lack of adjustments. Big game for us Saturday - I hope the good Sioux team shows up.

This is a great idea and is football common sense. Not a chance Rudolph uses it.

In 2 of the last 4 games (playoff last year, SD this year) I have seen as much undisciplined play, stupid penalties, lack of passion, and poor preparation and coaching decisions as I have seen by any Sioux team in the last 45 years. All we need to complete the circus is sideline dancing. I was sure that Bubba would eliminate many of these problems. At minimum, 4 years in I thought we wouldn't get humiliated any more. Time to shape this program up.

What should be on Bubba is the absolute lack of discipline showed by the team today. Not only weren't they assignment sharp, but the stupid penalties, especially early on when we were still in the game, just killed us. Off sides, delay of game - total crap. My high school team played with better concentration. They were not ready to play.

They are beating us like rented mules.

A little side-line dancing and you couldn't tell the difference.

Absolutely no excuse for that quarter of football. None

An un-golf course - They had some grandiose plans of a dinky-town but that is many years down the road. Shamefully, they had other offers to run it as a golf course. But, hey, why do something that makes Grand Forks a better city to live in.

I throw up in my mouth a little each time I drive by the re-purposed Ray Richards golf course. What a pathetic decision - yet they persist.

This is a fan board and expressing opinions, frustrations, and criticism is allowed. There is nothing wrong with pointing out areas of weakness. Special team mistakes arguably cost us two games last year (in a 3 loss season) and cost us a playoff victory. Their play on Saturday was sloppy again. As to Rudolph, everyone who has followed the team for the past several years has seen him try pound a 185 pound running back up the middle repeatedly when we are getting no push. We have also seen teams put 8-9 in the box with impunity. To be fair, he has had moments where he calls a good game. I think it is fair to say he needs to improve on keeping opponents off balance. We aspire to be a championship team and need these two pieces in place.

A great win but if Bubba is serious about a championship team he will do what is necessary to shape up the special teams who are a problem again after costing us a playoff win last year and have a word with Rudolph about keeping the defense off balance.

Rudolph often looks like a world-beater when we are taking it to a team - it's when we are against a tough team that he reverts.

what channel - 624 lists the game but is showing cross country

I was there during the early Gunther years and we would pack the Hyslop - what a great home "pit" to play in.

Watching with the fans in my section, It is sad to see the entire row call the next play and predict the gain - usually about a yard. We don't even try just keep opponents honest, let alone set them up for anything.

Have you ever seen an O coordinator with less feel for the game than Rudolph?

I could't agree more - I have come to hate this sequence - However, at some point some of the responsibility needs to roll down to Bubba (blasphemy, I know). Bubba hired Rudolph and watches all of the game film with him. Why Bubba lets him carry on for another year like this is totally beyond me. Come on - play to win and give the team a chance to go places. Stomping all of the weaker teams with run first and only and then getting stuck when it's crunch time could be a big problem. I can't imagine an O coordinator with less of a feel for the game.

Interesting point - also continually having to start a series at second and 9 is a big hurdle to overcome.

I didn't say they weren't doing anything right. I'm saying I am disappointed in the lack of adjustments made. Look - we have enough talent that in most games we don't need a lot of adjustments and our offense pounds the rock very well - we have an All-American and All-Conference running backs to show for it. It's the games last year and now this year where running up the middle produces 1 yard that we seem stymied. We'll stick with second and 9 for a long long time - which puts us in a hole every possession. It's what keeps us good, but not yet great. I have given up on the O coordinator, but had hoped Bubba would step it up. For sure we are going to run into other games in which we need to adjust and have absolutely no will to do so.

We haven't figured it out in how many years now? Bubba has done a wonderful job turning around a mess, but I have less respect for him after seeing the lack of adjustments - not just in this game but from last year to this year. Play to win and when the dives up the middle get one yard it is time for someone to get a clue.

He can hand off for a one yard up the middle with the best of them, though.

Two things if we are going to be able to occasionally play with the big boys - our lines both need better pushes and we need to go into the game with an offense that is geared to mix things up and play to win. I am very happy with the effort by the boys. Not as happy with the "play just to keep the game respectable" attitude shown by the coaches. Come on Bubba, go for it.