Irish

Actually, a tight end across the middle of the field is a great strategy here - and running is only successful if your line gets a push.

Interesting stats, but without being at the game, these don't tell the whole picture. Watching our offense was downright painful for most of the game and the biggest problem was that we were so predictable. The chart doesn't show, for example, how many first downs we had the dive up the middle with 8 in the box. Rudolf has shown absolutely no ability to adjust during the game to keep the opponents off balance and guessing. Like I have said, when we get against a weaker opponent our RB's will look like world beaters and Rudolf will think that he is on the right track. Then when someone stuffs the run we will do nothing to adjust.

You are correct - a little taste of what might have been - but apparently we decided 2nd and 9 was preferable.

On offense, how fired up could you get when you know you will go out and run a series of 1 yard plunges. The D should be fired up because they have the chance to go out there and inflict some damage. The offense, not so much and part of that is the crap play calling that doesn't even give them much of a chance.

I remember that game well - a bitter defeat in bitter weather - as memory serves me, we were much bigger than them and had a punishing ground game. I really thought this was our year and they really stuck it to us.

Let's face it - in this day and age it is all about the product on the field, and while it is nice to rally in the 4th to go 1-2 if we continue to run an offense that makes fans want to bash their head against the wall it will be hard to develop a positive buzz about this program. Perhaps the most frustrating two quarters of football I have seen here at UND.

This is the thing - there is absolutely no excuse for this mind-numbing play calling on any level. I have given up on Rudolf as he has shown us time and time again he can't/won't adjust. But come on Bubba - you are a better football mind than this. Why are we doing this? And here's the problem - at some point we will play a cupcake that gives our running backs a little room and zoom - they will run absolutely gash their opponents. Rudolf will go "see - we just needed to give this offense a little time". Then when we face the big boys again - same old same old. If Bubba wants to increase the attendance and atmosphere (which we all do) then please give us a gameplan that doesn't make us want to poke our eyes out. Time Bubba made some changes.

The concept of Bubba Ball is fantastic and one most fans love, but it only works if you can impose your will on teams - see Iowa - and even then you need to mix it up. Here's my prediction: - When we play weaker teams we will look like world-beaters. We have two running backs that can rip you a new one if they get some space, and our defense is good enough to help with field position. When things are going our way, Rudolf looks like Lane Kiffin and will mix it up. Studsrud without any pressure will start to look good. The faithful will think we have arrived (again). Our defense is good enough to get us to 6-4 or 7-3 and we will be happy. However, every time we run into a good defense we revert to yesterdays version of the offense. It happens year after year. Until this changes we will be a good team but never get over the hump. We allow good teams to go 8 in the box all day long.

Actually, our offensive identity is pretty well established - one yard plunges till the cows come home. Especially on first down - and we'll keep doing it until you stop us

You know what is a real crowd killer? - Run the ball, same play, feeble 3rd down attempt, punt then same play same play same play punt - repeat for 6 possessions. There is absolutely no excuse for any football team at any level to have a string of futility and stubbornness like this. None. Shame Shame Shame on Rudolf and Shame on Bubba for allowing it. That may be the worst stretch of offensive football I have ever seen. And how did we go from too many quarterbacks to all of our eggs in the Studsrud basket - Not sure if I have seen a QB regress so far from his Sophomore to Junior year ever in this program.

Wow - even after this exciting win it is hard to know what to make of this team. I think if we took an honest look at the team we would see some glaring weaknesses that we hoped would go away with Muss - specifically, a Junior quarterback who has seriously regressed (even with our new indoor practice facility) an offensive line with absolutely no push, play calling that usually is a serious determent, a lack of team speed, and very undisciplined play. I expected much more from this team in their third game. Add in a patented slow start and you have 1-2. I am seriously very tired of the imbalance in college football in North Dakota year after year. A frustrating team to follow so far.

I was going to say that Iowa received it from the other end, but same result

I could not agree more - us old guys will be there regardless, but the kids - a different story. And although most feel our program is heading in the right direction we have to stop shooting ourselves in the foot - It cost us the playoffs last year and gives us a lackluster 0-2 record coming into the home opener. I am so tired of us crapping the bed and the idiots to the south pulling games out I could scream.

Agree about the O line, but this is simple punt protection blocking - a block that is make over 9-10 times. The statisticaly top punt blocking FCS team only blocked 5 out of 83 punts. We should be able to give this protection. The catch is harder to estimate, but I think a 7 or 8 out of 10 catch. We shot ourselves in the foot twice, plain and simple while our rivals to the south did the exact opposite. I am really tired of hearing from their fans. The time to put it together is now.

Not buying this excuse - It does take time to rebuild, but mainly in getting in some horses and getting them some weight training - also a few burners and skill players. Making routine blocks and catches with games on the line doesn't take years to develop. Hell, freshman can and should make these plays. I know we have shown some big positives the first two games, but it is real frustrating to be 0-2 at this point.

And yet we seem always to be on the crap end of the stick.

Sorry but I am all out of moral victories - we need to learn how to win these and right quick.

would love updates

This has been our standard defense since the Muss era - Time to play them like big boys. I expected more from Bubba Ball.

An accurate assessment - and although I certainly am not giving up on us, I do have some frustrations about this game. - Maybe we over-hyped ourselves in the off season - new indoor performance center, third year of Bubba Ball and all, but this team looks to have taken a step backwards in some areas. I get that we played a tough defense, but we missed making the plays that were there for us. I thought that part of Bubba Ball was being assignment sharp - here not so much. And Bubba really needs to find a way to win these very important and winnable games - we saw a few last year and now this. We have dug ourselves a hole we need to climb out of and it starts this week.

Or ...... someone could just say who - it isn't bashing a player to note a play in which he got beat.

I'd love to know who

In the third year of Bubba Ball, and after what seemed like an eternity down the Muss Hole, it is high time we stop pissing away games like this and learn how to get it done. No excuse for some of the play we saw including getting a punt stuffed for the loss.

If it is the same Studsrud that played this week we are in for a world of hurt. He is a Junior with experience now and needs to up his game considerably. Some of the worst QB play I have seen was on display this week.

That should fall on the coaches - although Bubba still has a bit of teflon around him