nd1sufan

So what are the first impressions of Shanks? I know it is a small one or two game sample size, but does anyone see him a any different than Calcaterra or Salmonson? Will he be a double double kind of player?

No smack here, just a question. Has Faison been kind of scarce in his public comments lately? I listen to Christopher Gabriel on WDAY and the Jack Michael's show in The Fan in Fargo and the past couple of years, he has been a regular on both shows, going on at least once or twice a month. I don't think I have heard him on either since early fall, probably since right after the UND/NDSU football resumption was announced.

You may be right, even though I don't know what Phase 2 is, I will take your word for it. Of course, facilities aren't everything, just ask Jim Kramer. He seems to have done ok with a rather subpar weight training facility.

Playing time definitely. Academics are a wash. Where are the facilities superior to NDSU's. NDSU has 3 perfectly good outdoor practice fields, one with the same field turf as in the dome, they put a bubble over Dacotah Field for the month or two that it is uncomfortable to practice outside. They are putting a state of the art weight and training facility in the SHAK. The football offices, team meeting rooms and film rooms are as good as there are in FCS. The stadium and game day atmosphere are second to none in the FCS. Exactly where is the advantage for UND?

A Bubba led 5-peat I am assuming. Am I right?

And you are probably one of the UND supporters that were trumpeting how Bubba was going to build the program the right way, with Upper Midwest High School kid. What happened?

I guess I do have a short memory, what did he 'allegedly' do?

What am I thinking. You can't allow someone to score by missing a tackle or assignment can you? Maybe with his buddy Jameis in the NFL next year, Rabb will have 16 weeks to win enough money for his tuition and UND won't have to use a scholarship for him.

Are UND coaches and fans so desperate for players that they want a kid allegedly involved in a point shaving scandal?

That may work for UND coaches when it's the kids only offer, but if they give a kid with multiple offers a deadline, my guess is the recruit tells them thanks but no thanks. I don't think UND has that kind of leverage at this point on the recruiting trail.

Offeree Demaris Purifoy (RB from Milwaukee) committed to NDSU yesterday.

They lose Crockett and Vraa on offense this year. They have 4 of their 5 lineman back and quite possibly their best lineman will be back after not playing this year (Zach Johnson). Their offense will be just as good as this year. Now they may have to score more points next year, which will add some pressure to Wentz, but their offense will be fine.

Omaha did it. It's not impossible.

Agreed. He doesn't have the greatest receiving corp and he does miss an open receiver at times, but he has a cannon for an arm and all of the tools. Maybe next year they will have some more capable receivers (Bridges for one). If Wentz is a marginal FCS QB, then the UND QB's on the roster are marginal D3 QB's.

Your squad may have that many transfers next year between FBS and JUCO's the way Bubba's recruiting season is going.

UND may bus to Macomb, but NDSU flies. They flew to UNI this year. The only bus trips are USD or SDSU. I hear NDSU got a commitment from a California kid today. I thought that was UND Big Sky territory. Although he is a high school kid. Bubba seems to be putting all of his baskets in the JUCO/FBS transfer basket.

I'm not sold on him either, but I like how hard he plays. I'm not sure how you scout somebody so he can't play hard and hustle like he does. There is no science or technique for that matter to his game, it is purely hard work.I'd rather have someone like him with limited skills but a big heart than someone with better skills but doesn't seem to care.

UND coaches can promise the recruits families that they will be home every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but they hear NDSU coaches make their kids practice during the holidays? That may work.

That #40 D3 basketball player just got 8 points, 16 rebounds and 4 blocked shots against a good Akron team with a starting frontline of 6-11 and 6-9 and a 6-10 off the bench. NDSU was without their starting guard Miller and beat the #12 mid-major in the country. Alexander, Brown and Dupree played all 40 minutes and Kading and Werner each played about 37 minutes. There is something to be said about playing hard and together. Maybe UND could benefit by having a couple of #40's on their team.

Maybe those trying to temper expectations for Shanks know something about his game and that is why they are trying to lower expectations for him. When people were talking about Tyler stepping in as a starting guard for you this year and taking over for Anderson or Webb, I tried to temper those expectations after watching him compete against NDSU for 2 years. He is not anywhere close to those 2 and never will be. Chances are if Shanks had any offensive skills at 7 feet, he would have been playing right away at Utah State.

I know people on this site like to pump up Bubba's recruiting, but most if not all of the Minnesota commitments he has gotten so far he either beat out D2's for the kid or UND was his only offer. Not saying they won't be good players, but they weren't heavily recruited.

I think Richman is making around 200k. A D2 coach worth watching is Walthall at MSU-Moorhead. He may have a better team this year than any college team in ND regardless of division. I wish NDSU had given him a look when Saul left. He has D1 experience in the Big Ten and seems to be a great recruiter and player developer.

Of all the reasons Jones should be upset tonight, and he seems most upset about a kid throwing up a twenty five footer with the shot clock expiring at the end of the game. That ought to to tell you something. I'm glad Richman said something back at him when they walked by each other after shaking the rest of the players and coaches hands. I just wish I could have heard what he said, but it wasn't friendly chit chat.

I wonder how tall Shanks actually is. They list Cashman at 6-10 (I thought his introduction said 6-11). He was standing next to Kading of NDSU nad they were exactly the same height, and they list him at 6-7. He probably has 50 pounds on Cashman, but they are the same height. Your big men need to put on some weight and muscle. They are extremely soft inside. I thought Trayvonn Wright was skinny for NDSU, but he look obese compared to Shields for UND.

If he was a good recruiter, he wouldn't be playing with 7 D-1 transfers. There is generally a reason players leave other D-1 programs. Either they aren't very good (Tyler for example) or they have baggage (DeRouren for example). You shouldn't be building a program around them.