tnt

And who are those top lines.

I don't think the expectation is flawed, but certainly there are things that are tough to manage when you aren't sure who is going to leave. I do think the formula that worked in the past, doesn't work as well with multiple players leaving early every year. Perhaps you need to error more on the side of bringing in scorers or older players. We certainly hit the jackpot with older guys like Paul LaDue and Tucker Poolman, guys who were physically ready to play from day one, although there was still a learning curve. I think Mankato has a pretty good formula bringing in guys at 20 that scored well in their later years of Junior hockey. Many of the guys we have coming in next year project as scorers, but it isn't a given, especially when most of them will be only 18, playing against teams that have 23-24 year olds. Yes, they have a higher ceiling, but only if they stay a few years to combine the talent with more maturity and muscle. I do think the coaches have to leave a little room in scholarship money for late bloomers and guys that decide late they want to go the college route yet are elite players. Would they even have room right now to add a Marcus Kallionkieli or another big scorer that wants to rethink their college commitment? I'd like to think they would find a way to fit someone like that in, especially with the problems they have in putting the puck in the net right now. By the way, since it is a year by year commitment for scholarship money, it isn't unheard of to tell someone that they are welcome to be on the team but they won't have scholarship money available. Obviously, not something you want to have to do, but wasn't there a coach out east that dumped a lot of scholarships last year?

Yes, Paul Cotter.

So your premise is that this offense, which couldn't move the ball, could move it even further with less time on the clock?

...and if I were head coach, I would take over a play call here or there when the buck stopped with me, including having a play I would be confident in when the chips are down.

Bottom line is you had to trust that same offense you had no faith in to convert in a harder circumstance on the goal line anyway, so bite the bullet and go for it, then hope for that turnover if you don't make it. If you're counting on a turnover, it would be just as likely after the failed 4th down.

Would be interested to see how many people think Bubba was given an ultimatum or her made the decision on his own. Also curious to know if the pressure from fans being fed up played into the decision, or if there was finally an epiphany as to the dysfunctional state of our offense within the staff.

As I recall, the offensive line had issues with Mussman here, despite that being his area of expertise.

So if the defense scores and the score is 24-22, does Bubba kick the extra point and hope to get an onside kick for a touchdown too, or does he trust his offense to go for two in a situation that would be harder to convert?

Problem is that he didn't think it was a problem last year. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence in his judgement, nor do some of the decisions he made in games that had nothing to do with Rudy.

He might be saving them when we under perform next year.

So because Bubba was stubborn to realize the same issues everybody else saw last year, we are a year behind in instituting a better offensive philosophy. Maybe he was setting up the firing by not going for it on 4th and 2, because of his lack of confidence in the offense.

Wow you really must be in the know!

... and that might be part of the problem, who they do, and who they don't get up for! I thought that would be a thing of the past not making the tournament last year. It's one thing to work halfway hard, it's another to be totally into a game like they were against Minnesota.

Contract extension?

Unless they totally unravel, I don't see starting off 1-7. They could get beat by Duluth each night, but I am hoping that the team that plays well defensively and limits chances makes a rebound. After all, Minnesota did tie and beat Duluth, so they are not unbeatable, but they can't play like Saturday or they won't beat anybody.

It looks like if he came down on someone's ankle, his legs would just snap like a twig!

I have a feeling if this happens it won't be coming from Bubba, it will be coming from Chaves.

You know, the very few times they ran the screen pass, including against NAU, they saw some success. Just as with the tight end usage, it baffles me why it wasn't utilized more with guys like Santiago.

This better be more than a "squirrel" announcement about the next phase of the football facilities development, although that would be welcome sometime in the near future.

I agree, the problem usually is the non-conference record, but right now they have put themselves in an unenviable position of needing to split at the very least in Duluth. I think someone made the point that up until the second game against Western, that if they got to 3 goals, they would have been 7-1-1. The problem is they need to start getting to 3 goals on a consistent basis, and they need to start it now.

#culture is something that seems to be thrown out there a lot without a whole lot of meaning behind it. The last few years a lot of the players and coaches say all the right things after a loss or bad performance, but many times it becomes just lip service. Like I said, I can't remember a time since the early 90's when the team played without any swagger and were so easily discouraged after falling behind. That is not the culture I remember. I hear more excuses about bad luck or bounces than ownership of what happens after those bounces. We will see from here on out whether this is the new norm, or if they can suck it up and truly represent the culture that has been established here.

They definitely have shown they can play, but the woe is me attitude displayed when things didn't go their way last weekend makes me wonder if they have the mental fortitude to go on a run against good teams. Let's face it, Miami on the road and Western at home should not yield a 1-3 record, especially when you've got the likes of Duluth and Denver right around the corner. Sweep this weekend, split in Duluth and I think they can get some steam going, but they have to believe they are a good enough team to do that.

Last year we were expected to challenge for a bye in the playoffs without all of the injuries. When all of the injuries happened, guys that wouldn't have played had to, so just about all of those guys should have added the depth we needed this year. Northern Arizona was on their 4th quarterback and still found a way to win against a team that had the playoffs in front of them. This is football, everybody has several injuries. Last year was brutal, but it should have made the depth for this year that much greater. I have a feeling that every year UND doesn't live up to expectations you would point to a few injuries.

It's like Bubba remembers the days of Division 2 football where UND could just push their way down the field 4 or 5 yards a crack. There aren't many teams that are going to allow that to happen, especially when they know exactly what you are going to do. That is the main problem, they are so vanilla that teams know what they are going to do, and when they are going to do it.