tnt

I know it's hard to keep them engaged when blowouts happen, but one way is to utilize more players when the game is out of hand. I heard Mussman now says that they may not even bring the 53 (?) players to Idaho if they aren't going to give the effort required. To me, that kind of comes off as "I know I'm in trouble" better give the appearance that we are disciplinarians. Where was that last year or early this year when the defense couldn't even come up with one stop? If I'm thinking this is an appeasement of fans and administration questioning the sideline antics lately, I imagine the players know that as well. You either have the respect of the players or you don't, and that needs to be earned right away. It is easy for me to say the staff doesn't have respect of the players, coming with no personal knowledge of the goings on behind the scenes, but I would think the administration would have a better idea, and if they don't, perhaps a personal survey of the players as a whole would be prudent at this juncture.

I think the bottom line is that UND needs more hard-nosed players that hate to lose. I see way too many times when a defensive player gets blocked he just goes with the flow instead of trying to fight and at least slow the runner down with an effort at an arm tackle. I think one thing about NDSU is they show they do things the professional way and you can tell they don't like losing, nor making excuses. When the coach is making excuses, the players will follow suit and it is an easy out for them. If indeed the Sioux linebackers are not as a whole anywhere near where they have to be at this level, then why do they persist on staying with the 3-4 defense. Don't know if they've had the linebackers to do this for a few years now. I think you can tell by some of the non-chronic compainers voicing their displeasure, that this is starting to go south very fast.

Mussman was just on with Tim and Swygg and talked about injuries and said they were forced to play young guys in critical positions. Really? Is that why Mackey and some other older players keep getting thrown out there even when they never get it done. Most programs have talented young players that can supplement the older players. The excuses certainly don't inspire confidence going forward. Seems that is all we hear is why we can't get it done.

So if you call for every coach to be fired consistently, you will eventually be right.

That is certainly true, but my point is that since opening weekend when he put up 4 points, Gropp hasn't exactly been lighting it up. That is fine, because he is younger than Coatta and most others, but it certainly makes the comparisons to Toews unwarranted. Gropp himself said he is uncomfortable with such comparisons. Let him make his own way. It seems whenever high expectations are placed on players at UND, some fans have expectations that are unreasonable.

Gropp had actually been pretty quiet for several games before scoring last night, and in the offensive BCHL, I was wondering what was going on. Max Coatta has been Penticton's best scorer lately. If Gropp doesn't put up big numbers in the BCHL this year, I could see him being held off another year since there are so many high-end forwards ready to come in next year, depending on how they perform this year. Now if they think they might lose him to Major Junior if he can't come in next year -- well, I think you find a way to make room for him.

Don't know how anyone can determine what the fourth line is -- the order that they are run out there? the minutes of playing time? I think with either standard Pattyn's line will keep pace with what is considered the 3rd line, especially in certain games.

Yeah, second star of the game in his first game, and first star of the game tonight.

With the NCHC predicting Omaha to finish last, I would be softening the schedule a bit with less elite teams, especially if SOS isn't going to help you.

Don't know if they are a top 3 team in the country, but with guys like Barnes, Kerdiles, Labate, Mersch, and Zengerle, they can put some offensive talent out there to complement their sound defense and goaltending. If you put Mersch, Zengerle and Kerdiles together, I don't think you find a much better line, and being a veteran team is certainly going to help in offsetting other teams' young talent. I think Grant Besse could have a nice goal scoring impact with them as a freshman as well. Without MacWilliam, I don't know who we would have to handle Mersch if we had to play against them this year -- he's a beast.

How do you know they did an outstanding job? If you are playing guys that can't stop an opponent once in a game, you would think those young guys should be playing if they are outstanding. I guess I'll wait to see how they eventually pan out until I say that they are outstanding classes.

It's great exposure for a UND player to go high in the draft, but in the same token, higher draft picks are pressured more to sign early with their NHL team if they are developing well, and even if they aren't developing as the team hopes. Beyond that, whether he is firm in coming to UND, that won't stop the vultures from circling him and giving him reasons why a person with a high draft status should go a different route. Not saying he will bite on that, but nonetheless the higher he goes, the more pressure will be put on him by those outside sources.

Don't know, if he moves up the list too much, depending on the team, they might push him the Major Junior route, especially if he perceives he would be a one and done college guy.

I do know that Fox College Sports has some of their best ratings when North Dakota is playing, and they play Boston College, Notre Dame and a lot more of the "Big" name schools.

My biggest concern is if by chance that in a few years the defense and o-line do come around, do you have to start all over trying to assemble the talent at the receiver and quarterback positions. We were told a couple of years ago that it was just a matter of getting a little depth at defense and the offensive line so when someone goes down with an injury, you can plug someone else in. Right now, I am not so sure our starters in any of those positions are top-notch Big Sky talent. What scares me more is everything that was stressed over the summer doesn't appear to have made any strides, including the offensive line which Mussman should know better than any position having been a lineman and worked with that group. Our signature win as far as I'm concerned is still beating Northern Iowa in the Division 2 days. You would think you would luck into stopping a team on defense just by being aggressive and blitzing here and there.

Guess most people respect what Montana can do on the field, but obviously gaining respect for off the field behavior is going to have to be earned.

While Goodman is a key cog in the defense, I do not want to hear the coaches use that as an excuse. I hear how banged up they are all the time, but I think that is the case for most football teams from week to week. NDSU has missed key ingredients from time to time and don't seem to dwell on it, they just plug in another guy, and while I know their depth should rightfully be better, I would think UND should be improving their depth quite a bit by now after the transition. Perhaps the difference is older depth compared to younger depth.

Think when Gropp verballed, there simply wasn't any room, at least in the near-term future.

If Mollberg does get the start, then I would hope they take full advantage of his running ability and allow him to run for the first down when it is there.

They will also say all they need is a game manager with AP. The stat line doesn't sound like a game manager to me. Also, if all you need is a game manager, why when you are in field goal range with a 14-6 lead, and a 3rd and 1, do you roll out Ponder and let him throw an ill-advised pick? AP better get used to throwing everybody in the box to stop him, because I don't think many teams respect what Ponder brings to the table.

But the bottom line is that Mollberg had nothing to lose when he came in. If receivers don't drop balls in the second drive we might not be talking about this. So if Mollberg starts, how long do you go with him if he makes mistakes? I don't think you want to be going back and forth based on a mistake here or there and dropped passes here or there.

Play of the game -- drop by Jameer Jackson when the Sioux were driving again to make it 14-0. 3 turnovers, a record rushing performance, a bunch of penalties, and a one-dimensional attack, and the Sioux were right there. The fact that the points of emphasis by the Sioux -- focusing on being able to run the ball, being able to stop the run, not turning the ball over, and forcing turnovers -- the team was 0-4, doesn't give me abundance of confidence going forward, especially since they spent a ton of time in those areas. The fact that we have two freshmen quarterbacks that are only going to get better kind of offsets that skepticism a bit.

Ryan Gropp off to a good start in the first regular season game with a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win by Penticton.

When he played against the Sioux at the Ralph last year, he didn't look out of place at all.

Any word in the Minneapolis media about Guertler yet? Remember when Schlossman and other G.F. media got called out for not reporting much on problems in the UND program, when indeed they covered court dates, etc. etc.