Teeder11

Boltmann was raw and let balls sail a bit... but did hit most of his targets. Looks like a kid out there just trying to get things figured out. To be expected. I will focus more on Ray tomorrow. I saw more of the MLBs today.... Jake Disterhaupt looks bigger and thicker but just as quick. ( I realized he might be either OLB or MLB or both). Tamas Stewart was out practicing today with a red "don't touch me" jersey on. He's healed up... just want to keep him healthy at this point for depth. He did not show much today but I will keep watching him.

Practice #1 is in the books and Bubba and crew really harped on special teams work and two-minute offense. "Finish strong" was the mantra of the day and that is exactly what they the team did, as QB Andrew Zimmerman connected with Demun Mercer on a 65-plus yard pattern that, if it wasn't a TD, would have set the offense up with 1st and goal to go. That was the last play of the day in the the 2-minute offense drill and it got everyone excited. Other notes and highlights from the day: My hot take for today is that we have the most complete QB group that we've ever had in the DI era, with Studs, Heidelbaugh and Zimmerman, and Ketteringham and Boltmann on deck. All looked good today on Day 1. Three have a bigger learning curve than the two returning QBs. All that being said, it is not to say that we necessarily have the best QB group in the Big Sky, it simply means top to bottom, the raw talent and potential talent is the best I've seen at UND in the D1 era (that includes when we had Mollberg, Bartels, Studsrud, Riddle and Palendeck or Braden Hansen, Marcus Hendrickson, Mollberg and Bartels). Studs, Heidelbaugh and Ketteringham had the best day today under center... Boltmann and Zimmerman threw some nice balls but had quite a few balls sailing over receivers. It should be expected that Studs and Heidlbaugh would be more polished in the pocket due to their familiarity with the offense. Studs didn't do anything flashy but what he did got the job done and almost without error. A contender for play of the day was a nice long pass, catch and run from Ketteringham to WR Izzy Adeoti for a TD. Studsrud's best connection of the day came when TE Cloyd got behind coverage and went up to grab a long pass for a TD. JUCO Transfer Tykeise Johnson got everyone's attention with a Deion Harris-style pick 6 off of Studs. Johnson was in coverage when he changed directions on a dime and stepped in front of the waiting receiver to snatch the ball and run. Mikey Greibel was impressive today with all balls thrown his way including a one-handed snag along the sidelines. He looks the part early. Logan Alm played a ton at TE today and was equally impressive catching the ball as he was on hitting his blocks. Cloyd also had a good day at TE Newcomer Hayden Blubaugh made his presence known with some nice sticky-as-glue coverage on receivers, including a nice strong PBU in which he punched the ball out of the path to the receiver at the last second. As I alluded to before, practice closed with 2-minute offense series. Studs took what appears at this point to be the first string OL (Stockwell, Bell, Rooney, Taylor, Cox) and efficiently marched them down the field in the first run of the 2-minute drill. Studs capped off that series with two nice balls to WR Easton Erbes, the second of which was for a TD. Erbes was covered by Canady both times. Heidelbaugh took the second series with an OL comprising Blair, Aplin, Nguon, Tobin and Mortel. Heidelbaugh had two nice passing gains during his run: one to Mercer over the middle and a TD in the back of the end zone to WR Stetson Carr. Zimmerman took the final two series, first with OL Helgren, Bell, Stiner, Miller and Russo. Zimmerman struggled under center at first, though he did have a nice ball over the middle to newcomer WR Cam McKinney. Ultimately though the series had two balls sail on him and a sack. Zimmerman then got a chance to guide, what I am calling the first team OL, down the field for a TD -- capped off by the beautiful pass to Mercer that ended the day. As expected, Cam Hunt did not practice due to undisclosed injury. Also, freshman TE Graham Devore had what appeared to be a hand cast on today at practice. See you tomorrow.

Kenny G

This ^^^^^^^^^

So we've got that going for us, I guess. What's not to love.

But it had the word "Fighting" in it.

Sorry, I like many on here, have a PH.D. in this stuff. No matter what name was ultimately chosen, the backlash would have been the same (yes, even just "North Dakota" as it did have its fair share of detractors). The love for the old name was, as it would be for any school, just too strong. If we would have been the "Terrible Termites" for 80 years, and in some bizarro world, changed to the "Fighting Sioux," the torches and the pitch forks would have been just as prevalent. YOu love what you know and our culture is totally averse to change. Oh and we Germanic-Scandahooovians also hate others telling us what to do.

*triggered. Thanks, Danny Boy.

True, but just having fun.

I like that better... you own it!

Bennett, Wilson, Seguin and now Okpoko (love the name)... the Canadians are taking over at the line. Border control.

Holy M*&&&$# F&&$! Feed that boy and get him on campus quick!

Couldn't resist. Little Nate has me fired up this week.

Good call on Turner.

If playing with themselves was the deciding factor.... the Griz would be "hands down" No. 1.....

Just tweeted... sounds like another Canuck Jordan Gigli‏ @CoachGigli 1m1 minute ago More ***Another #DLdawg in the boat for 2018! Tall/Long Runs Well Loves football Great character #RushTheEdge

We're sure awesome at putting together cake schedules!

Totally agree on Mikey... the kid, like Noah and Hayden, just appear to be more college ready than even some of our current RS Frosh. I debated adding Mikey but only 5 slots. It was a coin flip.

1.Ray Haas 2. Izzy Adeoti 3. Noah Larson 4. Cam McKinney 5. Hayden Blubaugh

Cool.

Just spit balling a theory here so don't shoot me for thinking out loud, but IMHO it's a weird dynamic here at UND compared to our regional and national peers who have America's traditional popular sports (football and MBB) as their top programs. Most schools' fan bases are just as excited for football as they are for their MBB programs and vice versa, and the overlap is not as dragged out as it is with UND FB/UND MBB and UND Hockey. There's that, and then there's the huge popularity that has exploded across the state and region for UND Hockey since circa 2000 -- brought about by the consistent success of the Hockey program and the opening of the area's social-scene mecca that is the palatial Ralph. All this coincided with the doldrums of a D2 to D1 transition that was relatively lackluster compared to some of our regional peers and an extremely divisive nickname controversy, specifically a nickname revered more and worn more prominently by the hockey program than any other UND program. This time frame has been juxtaposed against unprecedented athletic success by our chief intra-state rival. The amalgamation of all these factors has created enough of a split fan base that it is not unfathomable to consider that there are enough folks who attend UND hockey games and could not care less about UND FB/MBB. Some of this comprises folks, in general, who go to the Ralph to be seen and not necessarily watch a hockey game as well as people across the region who are UND hockey only fans (yes,I'm including those who are generally Bison Athletics supporters from Fargo and elsewhere who also like themselves some North Dakota hockey). It's kind of a regional version of me being an Arizona Wildcats MBB fan, recognizing that I could not care less about the Wildcats otherwise. Sorry that was so long. I could be way off but it is an interesting thing to think about!

Lots of Kudos coming in for '18 OL verbal Rain Slater. Jamie Uyeyama‏ @jamieuyeyama 3h3 hours ago More 2018 OL Rain Slater is committed to North Dakota, but should have FBS offers. 6'4" 325, good feet. Dominated #nextlevelbound camp Just started lifting and already country strong. Big time potential out of a small town in Manitoba (Canada) @TopProspectsCDN Marcus Adams‏ @MarcusAdams_54 2h2 hours ago More Did a great job at camp. If he keeps working hard he will be in the NFL/CFL for sure Gaizka Crowley‏ @Gaizka_XOS Follow More Saw him at the @EFTfootball @EDGYTIM event his spring. Good player.

Griz LB snatched up for alleged DUI... no comment from Little Nate yet.

That's a long winded way of saying you don't have many friends. ( ; Go UND!

Actually, I've had a delightful time the last two times I've been down to the pit they call Greeley. Stomped the crap out of that sorry excuse for a Division I football team that calls it home. Nothing else to write home about, though. I stayed in Cheyenne, well away from the sheep molesters across the border down Hwy 85.