RD17

I don't have anything against Bubba at all. I'm simply calling it as I see it. I do know that Bubba's last team at UMD won 4 games and when Nielson took over the next year they won 15 and a national championship. There are people in Duluth that would tell you no chance that team wins the championship without Nielson running the show. Of course it's entirely possible for coaches to grow and improve and I hope that's the case with Bubba. Yes, there have been injuries this year, but even with the injuries UND was good enough to establish double digit second half leads two weeks in a row only to blow both games.That's on the coaches. It can happen to anyone once in awhile. A great head coach doesn't allow it to happen two weeks in a row. A great football mind once told me this about college coaching and it's almost always true: If a guy is the right fit to turn around a program you will see significant progress in year two and a complete turnaround by year three. Do you really think that's happening at UND? On the red shirts, yes it makes sense with Santiago, Dranka and Greely last year or anyone good enough to step in and play a major role immediately. But pulling shirts just to add a little depth in another rebuilding year makes no sense at all and really isn't fair to the players. It's using their worst year and losing their best year. Think about a guy like Will Ratelle. If he had played as a true freshman he wouldn't be on the field this year. The comparison to NDSU is irrelevant because their program is in a completely different spot. They can afford to burn a couple red shirts to win now while UND needs to be more conservative while they are rebuilding. Whether or not Wyoming is FBS means squat. Good football is good football and crap is crap. UND should have learned from Sioux Falls that winners win and labels and divisions don't mean much. NDSU has proven that when they regularly beat Big 12 teams. Wyoming stinks and they'd probably be a 3 win team in the Big Sky. And as I said before, if this doesn't work I don't pin it all on Bubba because I don't think UND has the institutional fortitude or leadership it takes to succeed in football (or men's basketball for that matter) at the DI level.

The team went into fall camp with a full roster. Maybe they were short on talent at some spots but it doesn't make sense to pull a red shirt so a kid can run 20 fly sweeps this fall. Pulling all of these red shirts just compounds the problem.

Based on what? Once all of his recruits were in place at SIU they couldn't stop anyone either.

Honestly, I just don't see the reason for all the optimism. When you look at the state of the team and the remaining schedule is there another win on it? A 4-7 record wouldn't be progress. Bubba has had almost six seasons as a head coach at two different schools. He now has 31-32 career record. UMD was 36-11 the four seasons before he took the job, 22-21 the four years he was there, then 52-5 the four years after he left. He oversaw a defense on some very mediocre SIU teams that gave up 38 points or more 11 times in his last four years there. Would he have even gotten an interview if it wasn't for his history with the school? The pass defense is deplorable. UND has given up 24 TD passes which is the worst in I-AA. And just 1 interception in 258 opponent pass attempts- how is that even possible? Especially for a team that stops the run and tries to put so much pressure on the quarterback. Even if there is a lack of experience and talent, it's up to the coaches to devise a better game plan to help offset that weakness. If there really is a four year plan, then why is UND pulling red shirts on 17 year old kids that aren't ready to play at this level? If the plan is rebuild over time, then take some lumps now and save the best years for these players. Of course not all of this is Bubba's fault. I knew UND football was in trouble when the school hired Faison. The guy's entire career as an AD was at Indiana State and New Mexico State. He has no clue what a successful college football program looks like. He is proud of the fact that UND is like 5th in the Big Sky in pay for the coaches. If it's not hockey, Faison is happy to be mediocre. I really hope I'm proven wrong on this but I don't think I will be. As long as the current culture remains in place even with FCOA on the horizon I see the ceiling for UND football as an occasional 6 or 7 win season. That's what you get when you'd rather invest in women's hockey than the sports that matter.

Drake has 35 seniors on the roster, including 17 fifth year seniors. What they lack in size and athleticism they will somewhat make up for in experience and cohesiveness. It would be foolish to take them likely. That said, if UND football really has turned the corner this year, then this is a game won by three touchdowns.

It's tough to come up with a decent list when only one name made sense in the first place.

Great find. I knew of DSU, IUP, Miami and ULM but didn't realize there were so many others. What a complete waste these consultants are for even suggesting another Hawks related nickname for UND.

These were my thoughts almost 5 years ago. Glad to see so many people finally seeing the light and beginning to rally around Roughriders as the top choice because it is the only name that makes sense.

Without knowing who the last minute applicants may be, in my mind Pflugrad has to be the top choice and I think he would do an excellent job. I also like Caruso (if he indeed applies) as I think he has that "it" factor that will translate to any level of coaching. My only concern with him would be whether he would have enough contacts in the D-I world to pull in the type of coaching staff UND is going to need to be successful going forward. I don't have that doubt with Pflugrad as he is more experienced and has spent much more time at the D-I level.

It might be painful temporarily, but I think it is going to work out better for NDSU in the long run that the staff was picked clean and they will have to go external for the new HC. If the job was handed to one of the coordinators to lead a program into the future and he was left with a skeleton of a staff, it could end up being a very similar situation to what happened with Mussman and UND.

Also see: Lennon, Dale and Mussman, Chris.

But its up to the coaches to prepare the players. So if Bohl and four or five of his assistants are headed to Laramie how much coaching time is going to be spent game-planning and coaching for the next round of the FCS playoffs versus recruiting for Wyoming/filling out the staff there etc.? I don't know about you, but I've seen some very good employees take their foot off the gas once they've given their notice.

I think Bohl leaving NDSU helps make the UND position more attractive for obvious reasons. And if a Pflugrad or Caruso or Bollinger is offered the UND job on Tuesday or Wednesday do you really think they are going to say no because they want to see how things shake out at NDSU? Doubtful.

What a terrible situation. If most of the staff commits to going to Wyoming, then the next HC hire obviously needs to be external. How do you conduct a national search for a new coach at the same time the lame duck staff is still leading the team in the playoffs for up to another four weeks? And what about the coaches that are on the NDSU staff that weren't offered spots on the staff at Wyoming? They will have to look out for themselves and be looking for new jobs because they may or may not be retained by whoever is the new head coach. Distraction might be putting it mildly. This looks more like a disaster IMO.

Why would their be competition for candidates? NDSU is going to have to promote from within, especially if they advance to the championship game again. What will be interesting to see is if Bohl cherry picks the staff on his way out of Fargo. Could create quite a big distraction for the team. I'm not a NDSU fan obviously but it's too bad that the players on these teams get put in the middle of these situations.

Then how about this guy: http://www.iupathlet...7&path=football -Over 25 years as a D-I assistant and was the recruiting coordinator at NC State when they had two top 10 recruiting classes in the early 00's. -WR coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama for four years under Nick Saban. -Currently head coach at D2 IUP (28-7 record over three seasons) -Father was one of the most successful coaches in D2 history at IUP, brother has also been very successful and is a position coach for the STL Rams (reminds me of the Harbaugh family) -Mirrors his program after Saban (build from lines out, I believe he has certain minimum "measurables" for every position on the field) -Named one of the top 25 recruiters in the country by Rivals.com -Has recruiting contacts all over the country/ would have the ability to bring in FBS transfers The only negative is that he doesn't have any experience in this area of the country, but I bet he'd be smart enough to hire some assistants that do. What's not to like?

I think it's true that the defense has improved some. And while youth was an excuse last year, there are 7 or 8 seniors along with several juniors getting significant playing time on the defensive side of the ball this year so they should be better. The question I have is why aren't more young players getting playing time when the upperclassmen aren't playing to the level required to compete in the Big Sky? If these last couple of recruiting classes are as outstanding as everyone claims certainly there would be more young guys getting significant playing time?

Great article from Dennis Dodd on concepts behind a new division. He doesn't feel that the Big 5 will end up completely breaking away from the NCAA, but they will use their leverage to get the changes they want: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/blog/dennis-dodd/22988242/college-football-postseason-formats-evolve-but-catalyst-remains-same

Exactly. I mentioned at the end of last year that Hendrickson would be tough to replace and that certainly looks to be the case. Belotti and Hawkins were also good in run support from the safety spots last year and that appears to be a weakness this year as well. Kleason is the best interior olineman UND has had since Kuper, IMO. They made a living running the power o run play with Kleason pulling to lead. Hopefully he can get back soon because he is needed badly.

Do you live in some sort of alternative reality? This was your exact statement in regard to "athletic martyrdom": Statements like this one are just patent foolishness. Anyone that would rather have the athletic department go up in burning flames (again your words) to prove a point to the "fascists" is someone that is so clueless on this issue that it is laughable. And you trying to paint me as a Big Sky is falling extremist is laughable as well. Care to point out where I have stated that I am concerned about UND being kicked out of the Big Sky? You won't find it. When I post I like to debate the actual real words someone has written here, not something I dreamed up.

You're criticizing others for using the phrase "name at all costs" while on the other hand suggesting in another thread that "athletic martyrdom" is an acceptable outcome? You are exhibit A of the name at all costs mentality. Please think before you post or continue to get exposed as a hypocrite.

If the SBOHE decides to challenge the constitutionality of the law, what sort of time frame would it take for the ND Supreme Court to make a decision?

It goes far beyond that. He stated in another post that he would rather have a minor league team known as the Fighting Sioux play at the Ralph than give up the nickname. I've come to the conclusion that it is pointless to argue with those that consider the REA their church, the Fighting Sioux logo their cross, and Ralph Engelstad their prophet. When I read things like athletic "martyrdom" being an acceptable outcome in this situation, I serious believe there are a few that post here that could use a thorough mental health evaluation.

Just more nonsense from someone that advocates the "martyrdom" of the rest of the athletic department so that hockey team can be called the Fighting Sioux. Get a clue...

I would advocate that only a fool would listen to anyone who believes that the "martyrdom" of an athletic program (as long as hockey isn't affected, of course ) is an acceptable outcome.