Irish

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.

Usually, if he does, it is this time of the game, however.

One thing about Rudy - he learns nothing

Welcome to Rudolph world - we win in spite of him - he'll drive you nuts

Perhaps the worst collapse I have ever seen in a playoff game. It had everything - absolute bonehead plays, poor execution, horrible special teams, questionable play calling, and the whole team appearing to just stand around and watch it slide away. It is a tribute to how much goodwill Bubba built up in just a couple of years that there wasn't more blowback from this epic fiasco. At many schools a couple of assistants would be gone or feeling a lot of heat.

How about the old double reverse?

I'm much more concerned about play selection than noise - we did the old run, run, incomplete, punt sequence much more that we should have even last year. Because of our winning ways, Rudolph got by easy last year (except for the last game where the outrage faded faster than a henna tattoo). I feel that this sequence is just below the surface waiting to rear its ugly head as soon as things get tight. I hope I am wrong.

Thanks for the info

Any take on this - on our radar?

Welcome Matt Smaby to the coaching staff - With him and the coaching expertise we already have, we should raise a stud generation of defensemen. Any thoughts?