nd1sufan

NDSU scores at least 40 against UND with or without Holm. You better hope Mr. Freund can find a way to score more than 40 or maybe Holm should keep his redshirt.

So you are saying now that Bubba made the playoffs that everything is back on track and he should get an extension? I don't know the sentiments of UND fans. Maybe that is how UND fans think. If he makes the playoffs and only has 2 years left on his contract and doesn't get an extension, that doesn't exactly show confidence in the head coach.

My guess is he was suspended for questioning anything about UND football. UNDBIZ has a bit of a problem if a word questioning the Bubba era is uttered.

I don't think you would make it through to a third. Although those tunnel screens are scary.

I know they try to eliminate rematches in the early rounds (particularly in the first round). With both UND and SDSU being a rematch for NDSU whoever wins, they may have the UND/SDSU winner going to UNI. That could be a bus trip also.

I watched parts of this game, and UND has some good young pieces in place. I am not sure they will go very far this year with Stewart at point. His numbers will be ok, but his leadership is lacking. How many times a game does he miss a shot or think he was fouled and sulks about it rather than getting back on defense? Is there a second option at the point for UND?

How many games has Skokna played?

If UNI were to be your opponent, they may be able to bid higher. But that may be a favorable draw. UNI is very inconsistent and are prone to lose early playoff games.

I thought the question was how much to pay for a cupcake non-conference game. You are right, NDSU has only had to bid for a playoff game the first year they were in.

I think the $130,000 is a bit low. I think NDSU has had to pay between $200,000 and $250,000 the last couple of years.

Does that get UND in the playoffs? Will they take 5 or 6 Big Sky teams? Will the Big Sky rep argue UND would be 6th in the conference standings if they were actually in the conference and do they lobby for the actual top 5 members to get in? I have no idea. And will a playoff appearance get Bubba an extension? Are UND fans good with that?

While the Bison want to win this game to have a perfect regular season, they really have nothing else to go gain other than a perfect season. They are locked into a a top 2 seed after this weekends results, so they will have home field as long as they are playing. Even though they said starting LB's Cox and Mercadel could probably play against SIU, I would be surprised if they do. Any body that is a little nicked up will probably be left at home. This game will be much bigger for SIU than for NDSU.

Maybe with any luck you will get UNI in the first round of the playoffs. It sounds like it should be a cakewalk for the Fighting Hawks. Also, do you have a prediction for the UND record in the MVFC next year? 7-1, 8-0? Maybe 6-2 worst case?

You are very welcome. And I do think 16 playoff teams would be plenty.

CP killed themselves by getting behind the sticks with penalties. If they don't have several false starts to put them from 3rd and 2 to 3rd and 7, UND doesn't win this game.

More like a D2 team beating another D2 team on the road. If either of those teams are FCS playoff teams, the NCAA needs to rethink the number of teams in the FCS playoffs. I think 16 is plenty.

I think he would be a great slot guy if you had someone that could stretch the field. He looks an awful lot like some of the guys you already have in the program. You don't have a lot of guys that have the speed to separate, and I am not sure Wright is the guy that can do that either.

probably a pretty good assessment. NDSU could finish first but a VERY good chance they won't. I would certainly take the field vs NDSU to finish first, but I do think they have the best chance out of everybody else. They lose nobody (other than Deng) and have a year more experience. I think the Griesel kid will be much improved and they may have the best point guard in the league.

But there will be a game or two this year when it will be tied or less than a one score game and 3rd and two and he will run up the middle to a ten man box and won’t get it, and do the same on 4th and one.

I agree. I can’t see Roehl ever coaching at UND. Not sure you would want him. I am not sure I am convinced about his play calling yet. I can predict 80% of his plays because they are 80% runs between the tackles, especially when protecting any kind of a lead. UNI has 9 in the box several times before the game was decided and they still ran it.

I think this is one of your bigger problems. I think I read earlier this year Baukol is a Fargo native and has been a S&C coach at UND for something like 20 years. I don’t think he is developing kids like other programs are. I think it was quite telling when DC Schmidt was interviewed before the NDSU game on Izzo’s or Jack Michael’s show and he was asked about Trey Lance. His first comment was surprise at how much bigger he is now than when he was a senior HS. Putting 30 pounds on a 6’3-1/2 “ frame should not be surprising at the FCS level. It also showed me that they were aware of Lance in HS and didn’t see fit to offer him, which should tell you something about their talent evaluations.

It sounds like he blasted his tape off to a lot of D1 schools and Bubba was the only coach to contact him. Was this kid at any camps over the summer?

Playoff games definitely count towards your 4 games, which is why NDSU saved Seth WIlson's 4 games for the playoffs last year.

I think that depends if you want a QB that runs 90% of the time with not much of a threat of a pass or someone with little mobility but that can throw? Schuster looks like a pretty good QB in my opinion. His height would worry me a bit. He has to be able to see over his lineman.

Did you pay attention to Bubba's defenses when he was DC at SIU? They weren't exactly the Steel Curtain.