Teeder11

It won't be for lack of trying on the coaches' part. I was at last Saturday's practice, and I could have sworn I was back in basic training again as I watched the team work out. They probably did more "Up-Downs" than anything else that day. Every little ticky tack mistake and you could hear Rudolph say to Kostich "Get'em going," and with that Kostich would blow his whistle for a series of Up-Downs ....over and over and over and over again. Also, Rudolph yanked a fullback for not paying attention. Then on the defensive side, when things started getting lackluster, Schmidt summoned all D to midfield and gave them a profanity-laced tongue lashing like none I'd seen in a long time, challenging them to "be football players." Outside of Coach Kotelnicki, I did not see this kind of emotion-fueled and discipline-instilled coaching the last three years at Memorial.

They went bowling instead as a team building exercise. Good move by Bubba to keep the motivation high.

Whoa, Danno! That one is right out of the old playbook, I see: North Dakota State University Athletics Department Double Secret Internal Policies Manual for Handling Public Relations Disasters: Chapter 3, para. 42, Line 18: "In the occasion that a certain non-rival -- but certainly despised nonetheless, and therefore, should not be named here -- should, in the vernacular, 'talk smack' about Our beloved players, coaches or fandom's past legal indiscretions, whether real, imagine or they have not had their day in court, one must immediately reference a past, current or ongoing legal transgression from the accusing entity's institution. i.e. Jerome Beasley, Daniel Kristo, or Matthew Frattin are optimal go-to options when in a bind."

Not what we'd hoped, but about what we expected under Muss and his band of entry-level minimum- waged assistants.

List of players who DNP: Minor injuries (precautionary) A. Carr Iverson Simmons Cerriteno Harris Blackmon Other: KU transfer (still waiting on one class to transfer)

Offensive MVP from today: Shaugs Co-Defensive MVPs: the entire D-line and Reyes

Kicking game was shaky today. I have to eat crow on Tauberheim. After I hyped him up earlier this week, he struggled mightily today, and they even put Meindel in to kick FGs and PATs at one point. Of the pure kickers, Fluegge had the better day.

Speaking of QBs, of the four in camp, Mollberg showed the most today. I would give him the edge, if it was based solely on today's scrimmage.

I must say that the defense certainly played better than the offense today, but it should be noted that the D has a bit of an advantage in that the referees blow plays dead very early to protect the QBs

Game over.

Defense is pouring it on

Butler with a sack on Mollberg

Chris Brown followed up with a pick 6 on Mollberg

William James with a safety pick on Bartles

DB's are getting off the corners. Dayo with a sack on Bartels. Left ends are struggling a bit.

Distrerhaupt with 2 sacks and a goalline stand on the day

Mollberg with a beautiful run and throw to his right to find TE Ruhe in corner of the end zone. Put it low where only Ruhe could get it. Ruhe made a diving sliding cTch.

B. Carr with a touchdown saving pick.

Reyes is helping me forget about Kuksa more and more. The guy can flat out crush you across the middle. At least 2 today alone and a near INT. He had two hits that elicited a vocal "oooh" from the crowd.

Defense has the edge so far.

Pecosky with a 25 yd pitch and run from Mollberg for a TD

Check that. Might have been Studsrud At QB

Walker with a nice out pattern reception of about 30 yds from Hanson.

Instead of praising the Hogs after Shaugs nice run, Coach Knauf groups them up on the sidelines and gives them a stern talking to, challenging them to compete at an even higher level. I like his style!

The O-line and the running game get in sync finally with Shaugaby reeling off about a 50 yd td run.