UND92,96

I was thinking the exact same thing. Had this been a non-conference opponent and UND would have been in a position to demand a return trip, I suspect the game may have happened. But with Cal Poly, the future games are already scheduled by the Great West. I'm generally not in favor of travelling to play an opponent two years in a row, unless it's an FBS team and a big guarantee is involved.

I thought I would revive this thread--not to talk about the coordinator situation; but rather because it had some good discussion about the strengths and weaknesses of last year's defense. Through the first half of the 2008 schedule, do people feel like progress has been made compared to last year? One positive is that we haven't given up the huge rushing numbers so far this year, which was a problem for much of last season. Of course, we probably haven't really played a great running team yet, either.

I wasn't the one who said Freund is the best quarterback in the Dakota's. I think he very well may be, but the post saying that was made by someone else.

USD travelled to McNeese last year, I believe. They were evidently able to get a home-and-home with them, with a one-year delay.

Sorry, typo on my part.

Interesting that Kolpack voted SE Louisiana as no. 23 in his submission to the media poll: link.

And yet somehow USD managed to get a home-and-home with them? Strange. Obviously this season is a situation where we just needed games and couldn't be too demanding, but I certainly hope this is the last season in which we accept a one-game road-only contract with any FCS opponent.

I didn't see the show last night--are you saying this was a one-game contract in which UND presumably got a small guarantee, or just that SE won't be coming to GF next year (but will in a future year)?

Sagarin 106 Southern Illinois 150 UC-Davis 162 SE Louisiana 164 UND 165 Southern Utah 184 Idaho St. 186 USD

Another rather surprising result yesterday in a game featuring a former UND rival: 42 NW Mo. St. 0 UNO The game was in Omaha.

Has anyone heard whether Ryan Dressler, Chris Anderson and/or Noah Dombrovski are going to be able to play this year?

Not sure how I was dragged into this discussion, but I'll just say this: one person's "excuse" is another's "mitigating factor." I think the factors I listed are perfectly accurate. Are they an excuse for UND's near-collapse? Not entirely, but I certainly do believe the the first half was a truer measure of the caliber of team UND is than was the second half.

Mussman just said, and I'm paraphrasing, "the injury situation doesn't look it will be better until the Western Washington game." In other words, we probably shouldn't look for Otto and/or Saporu this week.

Congrats to former Sioux Emmanuel Little for being drafted 7th overall in the CBA draft. link

I was actually talking about the USD line. I don't know anything about the SE Louisiana o-line. Sorry for the confusion.

I'm no great USD football mind, but didn't you guys graduate nearly the entire line from last year? The rushing numbers really haven't been there so far, which could be attributed to some of the competition, the line or the caliber of backs you guys have this year. In any event, I do think UND has a better running game than does USD this year, but that will be either proven or disproven as the season goes along.

Agreed--the polls are meaningless at most any level of football. But then again, what else is there to go on if one were picking a game and they know nothing about one of the teams? I will admit that if SE Louisiana were ranked in any of the polls, or hadn't played a close game against a team we're all very familiar with, I'd be more apt to think UND was a clear underdog. Maybe that makes some sense, and maybe it doesn't.

I'm sure that's part of it. Of course, if people want to base everything from one game, I will do the same and continue to believe that we're better than USD, and if USD can come within a few feet from winning there, we can pull it off. Judging by what I've read from some USD fans, the USD offensive line is considerably down from the caliber it's been in recent years, resulting in an inability to run the ball effectively against decent competition. I don't believe UND has a similar problem, and I believe Freund is every bit as good as USD's quarterback Sheppard.

Judging by the anygivensaturday board, people aren't too impressed with the fact that UND has a much higher Sagarin ranking, or is receiving votes in most of the polls, because if you throw out the homer votes SE Louisiana is being picked to win by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.

I'm sure the prognosis for Otto and Saporu will be discussed on the coaches' show tomorrow night, but I haven't heard anything yet. Regarding Belotti, I believe he has to sit out this year due to the transfer up. At least, I seem to recall reading that in the article "marlins" wrote.

I briefly checked out the SIU board, and it appears Coach Lennon is getting harshly criticized more after just two games than he did during nine years being head coach at UND.

Composite ranking has UND at 36: link

It's true that if he stays healthy, Trenbeath should reach number two behind Dressler in receptions and yardage by the end of the season. If by some chance he were to be granted the extra year, he'd likely reach number one in yardage and receptions.

With Brandon Jordan apparently done due to chronic knee problems, and the uncertain status of Otto and Saporu, what are UND's options at corner behind freshmen Hawkins and Watkins? Carl Hanson apparently wasn't even on the travel squad last week, but if neither Otto nor Saporu can go, I assume he becomes the third corner, unless Ankenbauer or somebody else moves to corner? It seems like just last week I was wondering why in the world Saporu wasn't going to red-shirt this year...

slulionsfan: I see where Southeastern Louisiana was picked seventh (out of eight teams) in the pre-season Southland Conference polls. In your opinion, was that a reasonable prediction? After the first four weeks of the season, do you think your team has shown to be, in all likelihood, better than the seventh-best team in the conference?