star2city

The next 3-4 years could be very difficult for the reasons you state. UND needs to be a major factor in MSP and S Minn recruiting, and that hasn't been happening. The whole UND experience for women's basketball is almost universally better than women's basketball in the Horizon or Missouri Valley. Those are the two leagues that UND needs to be shunting recruits from. Look at UND volleyball as a way to rebuild. When UND women's basketball was a DII power in the 90's, those teams were good enough to be top 40 DI teams. Since those championship runs, UND has had outstanding players that were certainly DI capable (Boese, Langen, Kimbrough), but they weren't have been Top 100 DI teams. UND needs 2-3 players of that capability simultaneously: as they made everyone else so much better. That's the challenge.

Is it possible for you to even comprehend someone else's dreams aren't all wrapped up in Bison Green & Yellow? Talk about low social self-awareness. Has it ever occurred to you that Taylor might actually have some ambition? Like being AD at an FBS school that actually has basketball facilities. He's got three major +'s on his reusume: reclassification to DI, an FCS upsetting a Big Ten school, and a ticket to the Dance. He's done all he can in Fargo, except for delivering a basketball arena (which is so far a failure). The longer he stays, the less shot he has at a more meaningful job. If he has any real future, he has to leave soon. More than seven years at a low DI school is a career killer. But then again, he doesn't seem to have the fundraising ability or the charisma that is needed at a higher level school.

South Alabama has that date open and needs home games. Another transitional bowl game on the Gulf Coast, this time at Ladd-Peebles Stadium the day after the Iron Bowl. USA can return the game the next season.

Hofstra's decision may result in new conference Most of the southern portion of the Colonial is massively increasing stadium size and budgets (James Madison, Old Dominion, Delaware, Towson, Bill & Mary, Ga State). URI, UNH, and Maine can't at all be comfortable with the thought of travel costs and a facility arms race, especially with the weaker programs of Northeastern and Hofstra gone.

I think the answer is neither: Taylor has to be job hunting now or he'll be stuck in Fargo forever with no upside. Taylor doesn't want to play UND and he'll likely have to leave town and NDSU for a UND-NDSU match to occur.

That was the last report. The $19.5 M "appropriation" should be able to cover either option.

Long Island and Hofstra are definitely into lax, so the stadium still will be used for that. By dropping football, maybe they have room with Title IX for hockey? A college team on LI would be a natural fit.

Or WR's at either Hofstra or Northeastern.

Mr. Basketballs in smaller midwestern states do not necessarily mean DI talent. Granted, a number of players really blossom later in their college career, especially those from smaller high schools. But as far as recruiting, why aren't we at least on the level of USD? They have to share their practice facility with practically the whole athletic department, they actually have a winter there, plus they have to attract athletes to Vermillion - which has bascially nothing to offer outside of classes. If winter is an issue, how does Wisconsin-Green Bay constantly replenish it's talent? UWGB isn't even one of the better UW-branch schools. Winter is an excuse for baseball, softball, track, golf, tennis, etc, but it's only a minor part of the BB equation. P.S. I do believe that Jones (as well as all UND coaches) are more constrained than many DI coaches in that they really can't pursue academically challenged students. (Relatively speaking, football can pursue probably 4-5 kids a year (i.e. Chapel, Murray) that might be marginal academically. Because of lower roster numbers, Jones can maybe take one every 3 or 4 years). Jones is not at all well paid for a DI coach, and the financial incentives he receives when his recruits perform well in the classroom have to weigh significantly in his decisions. Unlike many Big Sky schools etc., Jones won't have APR issues.

Northeastern dropping football was not shocking. But had there even been rumors about Hofstra? This really opens the door for Stony Brook to elevate their program to another level.

Daily Iowan

UND did get authorization to spend $19.5 mill (without any appropriation) from the 2009-11 Legislative Authorizations, so there wouldn't need to be an extensive wait if the donations are availabe. With the EERC scheduled to add on to their Hydrogen Research Center directly south of the Old Engelstad, there's less land available and the old REA may have to come down (but on who's $?)

First, I truly hoped we would be in a better position than what the game results indicate. Has anyone seen UND's Sagarin Ratings? # 341 out of 347 We've regressed about 50 points from last year. We're just barely higher than NJIT, which is atrocious. Regardless of talent, the execution and confidence are just not there. That said, Jones has shown an ability to get his teams playing their best at year end. Granted, this year, UND will be playing some of the worst teams in DI in conference play. If UND loses to NJIT, Houston Baptist, or UTPA in the second half of this year, that would be very telling.

Agree. The situation with NDSU and Miles' recruiting was almostly obscenely improbable: I think a lot of people were hoping UND could somehow miraculously duplicate that feat. Even NDSU now is finding that staying within the top 100 of DI within the Summit League is extremely difficult: they'll only be a shadow of their 2008-9 team for years. SDSU is only now finding legs in its program. Also, UNC had the benefit of using the Big Sky as a recruiting tool two years before SDSU had the Summit League.

Saw the UNC-UND game Saturday. The Princeton offense is about passing: what was displayed on the floor was dribbling, not crisp passing. The only player consistently showing assertiveness on the offense was Mertens: almost everyone else seems tentative and and has lost or lacks confidence at this level. Maybe Bledsoe's outside shooting will open up the defenses, but what about next year? The guards that were signed this past month are the highest rated athletes yet in Jones' era: but it's likely two years before they see the playing time. It's clear they are all hard workers, but the chemistry just isn't there, yet. Been preaching patience for the next couple of years, but unless some of the current players really step up, it could be 5-6 years before a competitive mid-major team is on the court. Hope I'm surprised. Unfortunately, with the injury and talent condition for the women, it may be five-six years for that squad too.

Strongly encouraged by: how the defense is shaping up. A lot of youth and talent, with even the underclassmen LB's starting to step up. What was discouraging about the season was the lack of consistency, but that also reflects on the inexperience. Concerns: depth at offensive skill positions, namely WRs.

Saw the game on FCS. The first 10 minutes was horrible to watch, but afterward the Sioux showed some promise. Bunch of careless turnovers. UMKC was much more athletic and seemed to have some good young players too. Would like to see this team with Bledsoe, Mitchell, and Wilmer back.

Here's the article that you were too lazy to search for: DU Clarion: Denver in search of a new conference Plainly stated in this thread: Denver being forced out of SunBelt The Sunbelt gave them five years to find another conference in order to save DU the embarrassment of being kicked out. The Sunbelt was the league that evicted Texas-Pan Am. They are fully capable of kicking out another team, especially one that refuses to abide by league by-laws.

His ideal time to leave would have been after the NCAA berth. With the decay in the football situation, his value has dropped. Have you heard anything substantive on this? With some of the Southland conference teams possibly moving up to FBS, that conference might absorb DII schools like Tarleton State, W Texas A&M, and Central Oklahoma.

Clark verbals Southern Utah

Says the "Badger" fan on a Sioux football forum.

UND / Thomas would have been hypocrites if they scheduled SDSU, but not NDSU. NDSU proposing to schedule USD but not UND, would, without question be hypocritical to the extreme. In a obtuse way, I'd like to see the NDSU-USD series come about and observe the ramifications.

Agree. If NDSU schedules a 4-year agreement with USD, NDSU and Taylor will be deservedly trashed big time in the media. Taylor must think he has some type of political immunity, because legislators of all stripes (SU or UND grads) would not look kindly on that type of chicken**** action, especially after he talked so mouch about wanting a schedule with nationally established FCS programs.

Bison Dan's response late last year on NDSU going 4-7 in 2009 !! Now, 4-7 is their fondest hope!