Teeder11

I should have a full report tomorrow that covers the last 3 days.

Yes, it was a lot of second and third stringers out there today on D, not totally, but let's just say that youth was well represented.

Made it out to the last hour of practice this morning: The defense, namely the secondary, had a challenging morning. Their heads just didn't seem in the game and they were caught out of position a lot. Players on defense would line up for snaps not knowing what scheme they were running because they were late getting set from the last play. Coach Schmidt addressed the lackadasical focus afterward, making the entire defensive squad do an extended session of Up/Downs. The highlights: 1. Heidelbaugh hit Clive for a 90 yard TD after Clive fought the ball away from defender Torrey Hunt. 2. Bartels hit Mercer in the back of the end zone on a quick strike. 3. Santiago caught a couple of nice swing passes out to the flats, and on one Santiago beat the DBs to the pylon even thought it appeared the DBs had the angle. 4. Studsrud hit Mercer on a nice 30+ yard out pattern over Torrey Hunt. 5. Thanks to some bad focus by the secondary, Bolinski had a 90 yard TD pass of this own to young WR Easton Erbes, a true freshman walk on out of Breckinridge, Minn. 6. Nevermann displayed a lot of nice runs today, mainly up the gut. His running style is sudden, smooth and violent, if you could imagine something like that. He finds a hole and does not hesitate to break, he pours on the jets and smashes through the line with maybe a few jukes, when needed -- or a sudden leap -- like in the last spring game. 7. To give the D a little love, Donnell Rodgers did have a very nice PBU on a pass from Heidelbaugh. Despite the number of long pass plays this morning, there were still too many drops by receivers, at least one bad snap and a couple of false starts. Better focus is needed. --END--

Yes and yes. Pretty much all access except on the field. Starts at 8:30 am

Beautiful warm and sunny morning at Memorial Stadium for the first live scrimmage of fall camp. A very nice crowd, too, showed up to watch the scrimmage/practice that saw the Fighting Hawks work on a number of situational scenarios, i.e. red zone, goal-to-go, punt returning and lots of live 11 on 11. UND President Mark Kennedy and AD Brian Faison were in attendance, as were a number of UND men's basketballers, such as Q, Geno, Tez, Josh Collins, Shanks and Drick. The teams looked a little rusty today from my perspective, but they each had there moments and highlights. Too many bad snaps today. They were pretty evenly matched, but I would give a slight edge to the defense as having the better of the two sides today. Here are some of the highlights: In the Red Zone: * You don't say this every day, but there was a nice Bartels to TE Mollberg pass over the middle. Mollberg looked strong and confident and gained first down yardage. * Heidelberg took the majority of snaps as Studrud's back up. Heidelberg had a nice quick strike over the middle to TE Pinke, one of two nice balls caught by Pinke on the day. * Heidelberg showed marked improvement today on his composure behind center and confidence in the pocket -- a far cry from where he was as a true freshy. * Heidelbaugh scrambled to his right and drew the defense his way, sucking them in. He then threw a cross-the-field rope the opposite way to RB Oliviera, who was swinging around the left end. Oliviera easily scampered in for a TD. Punting: It appears Bulduc is your starting punter for now. He clearly had the best boom on his kicks today, forcing returners to back-peddle at times. He also stuck one inside the 5-yard line, allowing the special teams to down it right before the goal line. Live 11 on 11: * Nevermann is a solid workhorse type runner, and he's good for 5+ yards on first and second down pretty much every time, setting up manageable conversions. This is refreshing and much needed. * Nevermann broke one and rumbled for 15 yards while dragging 3 defenders on his back. * On the next play, however, Nevermann was dragged down in the backfield by the LB tandem of Bakker and Jade Lawrence after Nevermann tried to change direction at the line and take it around the right tackle. It was Nevermann's only negative yardage play. * WR Dulin looked ok on a jet sweep reverse, in which he was the one who took the second hand-off. He gained first down yardage but paid a price in the end by running too upright, reminiscent of Iwarri Smith's running style. He wasn't injured, but he got smacked pretty good. * There was nothing but beauty in seeing a 30+ yard Heidelbaugh pass to TE and true freshman Alex Cloyd, who went up high to bring it down inside the 10 yard line. * Not long after, Heidelbaugh was able to find FB and walk-on true freshman Finke for a catch and run. Finke took it 25+ yards before being tackled. What made the play work was a really nice block by Nevermann to pick up the blitz. * Oliviera took one wide around the right side of the line and absolutely demolished young CB Holm before rattling safety Palmborg. The run wasn't much of a gainer but the point of impact got the offensive sideline excited and got the defensive players sniping back. --END--

I'm with you there!

All moved in. I'll be there!

Thanks all for your understanding! and kind words as we make the big move this week! I do hope we can get some feedback, though, on the first practices in full pads.

Port is an opinion guy. There's a difference between what he does and the kind of journalist you're describing. Love it or hate it, he represents a brave new world of media that is much different than that of yesteryear. They essentially do the same thing, just with a lot more opinion and they tend to cut out the need to get both sides of an issue. That is one of the major inflexibilities that puts dinosaur journalists at such a disadvantage to opinion bloggers like Port. He is able to break news and not follow the same strictures and conventions of traditional news organizations. Best of both worlds for him, and usually for the public, because the public doesn't have to wade through all of inane PR bullsnot that comes when a journalist "gets both sides" just because.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, and not to come off all self-important, but I will have to take a hiatus for a couple days as we are closing on our new house tomorrow and will be moving the next 2-3 days. I will pick up again as soon as we get settled in at our new Grand Forks location.

Verbal #6 Graham Devore, 6-4, 225#, DE/TE, Mahtomedi, Minn. Graham visited campus today and took in this morning's practice at Memorial Stadium. 3m Graham DeVore‏ @GrahamDeVore Excited to announce that I have committed to play Division I football at the University of North Dakota! http://www.hudl.com/video/3/4399299/5721da4e90eead5d90e32a2d

A new Hawk has landed. Any guesses? UND FB Recruiting‏ @UNDFBRecruiting Under the radar #HawkLanding in Grand Forks has us high stepping!! A DUDE to play in the trenches! #JoinTheFlight17

Day 4: Aug. 8 Another very good but relatively uneventful effort from the whole team today. 1. Mason Bennett showed his pass defending potential by getting up with his big paw to bat down a Studsrud pass. 2. Toivonnen had a nice one on one battle with C. Carter down the sideline in which the true freshmen asserted himself wrestled away a 50/50 ball and took it the distance. 3. Torrey Hunt showed his break-to-the ball potential with a nice INT on a ball intended for Demun Mercer. 4. There is a developing battle for back up QB between Heidelbaugh and Bartels. Both took a ton of reps today. Edge: Heidelbaugh. 5. Cam Hunt Jr. Showed up today with a nice PBU on a pass intended for Toivonnen. 6. LB Jawon Johnson was a beast today with a number of PBUs. Looked good patrolling the midfield area. 7. Highlight play of the day goes to Clive Georges. It was Clive being Clive breaking ankles and taking names. He took a quick pass to the flats and absolutely cork screwed Labat, who was his closest defender. Just think of his Juke and jive TD against Mont. state at the Alerus Last year. 8. Joe Mollberg is still working with the tight ends. He had a couple of catches today. He's got an uphill battle ahead of him to see the field IMHO with Matthewson, Fiedler and Francis ahead of him and the young TE's Cloyd and Pinke looking good early. Joe's a great team first kind of guy.

Heidelbaugh has been taking a lot of reps with the 2s. I will continue to watch this.

True. Rob is equally anti-UND as much as he is anti-NDSU. And if anyone sees it differently, they are viewing things through a skewed prism. Basically, he's anti- public higher ed. He's made no bones about it. I get just as miffed when he goes after UND on stuff I feel is just as petty. But the point his we've taken our shots (many times deserved) and we will have our day in the Port "spotlight" again someday. Also, the corporate world analogies from our friends to the south are off the mark, in this case, because the corporate world is, well, private, and largely does not use public money to operate. When you take public money, there should be scrutiny involved --text messages included. If you don't like it. Go find a private sector job!

In a word ----DEPTH. but we already new that. Special teams is a bit of a wait and see on all fronts.

I usually arrive at Memorial Stadium right at 8:30am, and I believe the specialists do the bulk of their work before that. However, there was some punting to day in the regular session. We had two punters go today: Bolduc and Dussold. The kid out of Mississippi looked to have a wrap on his thigh and thus did not participate. Bulduc did just enough per usual, nothing to write home about but his punts tended to land in bounds more. Dussold produces the sound you were talking about, and he did force the returner to back peddle a couple of times. But his sometimes came off his foot funny. Niether were sticking them like Meindel tended to do routinely.

Really good! He's not holding much back at all, it would appear. He had another good day.

Day 3: Sunday, Aug. 7 Let's cut to the chase. 1. DNP Heldgren, D. Harris, Francis, Seibel. Vashon Tucker is feeling better and back on practice field at safety. 2. Aplin indeed did take a lot of reps at left guard with the No. 2 Offensive line with Stiner, Rooney at center, Miller at opposite guard and Blair. After that it was Mortel, Tobin, Nguen, Hunt and Russo taking reps ont the line. 3. What can I say about Toivonnen. Are we sure he's not a RS freshman? He brought down a high throw over the middle with just one of his big paws. Like he was palming a basketball out of the air. 4. Studrud looked locked-in for the most part today. He seems to have really really good chemistry with all the receivers, but especially Clive, Stanley, Dulin and Carr. 5. As far as the best pass defenders today, that award would have to go to speed demon Garrett "Gee" Bollant, followed closely by Arnell, Torrey and Carr. Reyes was his usual solid self but didn't have as many opportunities today. 6. An interesting line up for the back-up secondary today was Holm and Randolph at CBs and Vashon and Canady roaming the middle. 7. I am trying to temper my excitement on Blackwell and Wanzek, but they, again today, had a really good practice as dependable role playing receivers with good blocks and pulling in tough balls coming their way. I joked with the Herald guy that, if those two continue their progression, they might be writing a little story about the "I-94 connection" of Blackwell (Dickinson), Wanzek (Jamestown) with Seibel (Bismarck). Don't sleep on Carr from Hazen, either! But that didn't fit my Interstate narrative. LOL! 8. Wanzek made his defenders look absolutely silly on a play, taking one the distance after a 15 yard pass from Hiedelbaugh over the middle. 9. Taj has the pick of the day with one that he snatched along the far sidelines and tip-toed along the line to keep it in bounds. It was reminiscent of Will Ratelle's pick against Northern Colorado last year at the Alerus Center. 10. Keelan Poole got in on the INT action, too, after Bolinksi's pass was tipped by LB Rodgers it was snatched up by Poole. However, Poole made a rookie judgement call to run it up field through a host of would -be tacklers instead of taking it to the near sideline. He'll learn to finish it right. With that ... I'll see you tomorrow!

Thanks! Nice to have someone out there to check my reporting in case I err on something! Take care!

That makes a lot of sense. Rooney was taking most of the snaps at center with the second stringers. I will watch for Aplin.

No problem at all! I should say that the QBs were really throwing some good balls today, outside of the picks. Many of the long plays were when rookies were trying to defend. They will get better, and I also should add that on some of those long plays, in a contact situation, the QBs would have never gotten the ball off against the on-coming push of the DL and the linebackers around the edge.

Day 2: Saturday, Aug. 6: Another great day out at Memorial Stadium. The student-athletes kept their motivation up and it was an overall good practice. I focused mainly on QBs and receivers today, and to some degree the DBs. Someone out there today commented how far the whole team has come in two years. They are actually working on plays and game situations, whereas two years ago on day two, "they were practicing going to the ball" over and over and over again. Seibel, Helgren, Vashon Tucker (was present), and Deon Harris were among only a few players who DNP. 1. Among those who took reps today at returning duties were: Ryan Holm, Demun Mercer, Jordan Canady, Torrey Hunt, Santiago, Clive, Tim Ryan and Alex Reed. 2. WR Toivonnen and TE Cloyd continued to be men among boys when compared to the other true freshmen. 3. Cloyd took a lot of reps at TE today. 4. WR Tim Dulin had a much better day today. 5. In CB Harris' absence, C.Carter took a lot more reps along with Torrey Hunt and Garret Bollant with first string defense and against first string offense. 6. The future of UND's secondary -- Randolph, Geier, Canady, and Holm -- also got a lot of reps today with the second and third string offenses. They looked shaky but they have a lot bigger learning curve at their positions than their other true freshmen brethren outside of the OL. 7. The Pride of Red River High School Chad Bartosh showed his skills with an impressive one-handed snatch along the sidelines. 8. Reyes was just toying with the boys today, with two clean picks over the middle off of Studsrud. Reyes just lurks around in the middle and steps out of nowhere for the INTs. 9. Studsrud threw a 40 yard rope to Stetson Carr over defending Torrey Hunt. Would have gone for 6. 10. Heidelbaugh had a long TD throw of his own to Stanley over defending Tim Ryan. 11. Studsrud then hit true freshman WR Wanzek who snagged a ball over his defender, tip toed along the sidelines for about 10 yards and then took it another 40 yards for a TD. Truth be told though, if it wouldn't have been a no-contact situation, Reyes had the young receiver directly in his sights and would have demolished him at the point of the reception. 12. Heidelbaugh with another nice ball to WR Blackwell along the sidelines for a TD. Blackwell continues to impress compared to his true freshman year. 13. True freshman stud WR Toivonnen beats safety Palmborg over the middle and runs 40 yards-plus for a TD. Heidelbaugh at QB. 14. Next play, LB Jake Hanson steps up and picks off Heidelbaugh. 15. To end the day, Bartels hits TE Cloyd for a 30 yard-plus catch and run for a TD. See you tomorrow!

It sure is a weird time down there at the AC.

Is that what they do down in Cow Town to .... virtually everybody else in the University System and the State Legislature?