UND92,96

I think everyone agrees that the o-line is not where it needs to be, but the fact that Jer Garman has averaged 4.5 yards per carry the last two games (43 carries for 194 yards), even with no threat of a passing game in one of those games, tells me that at least the line is improving as a run-blocking unit.

The more I think about Studsrud's shirt being lifted, the less of a problem I have with it. A month/four games of taking every offensive snap, plus all the reps with the number one offense in practice, is probably as much or more experience than any of the other true freshmen who have played all year, simply because the rest are mostly just rotating in every third series or so. If Studsrud is "wasting" a year, couldn't you make the same argument for nearly every other true freshman who has seen the field this year?

Not that it's any consolation, but UND actually didn't run the ball too badly yesterday, particularly considering EWU did not have to respect the passing game at all. 126 yards and 4.7 yards per carry is decent for this group. I expect that an additional week of practice and playing at home will result in a far better performance next week by Studsrud. I just hope Ferguson can play, as without him there is nobody capable of stretching the field.

Per Tom Miller, this was UND's worst loss since 1926.

54-3 is the final. UND only managed 163 yards of offense. 37 passing yards.

Now 54-3. This game can't end soon enough.

I was against pulling Studsrud's redshirt initially, but I have a feeling Bartels is probably done for the year. If so, UND would almost be conceding the last four games by playing Hanson or anybody else on the roster. I don't know whether this was the right move or not, but I understand it.

And the hits just keep on coming...

Back to actual poll talk for a moment, it's hard to believe idaho St. is now the third-highest ranked Big Sky team in the GPI: http://www.collegesportingnews.com/articles/20141028gpi.htm

Tom Miller just tweeted that Bartels did not practice today due to an undisclosed injury, and that Studsrud took most of the snaps with the number one offense. Bartels is likely a gametime decision on Saturday.

Just for the sake of comparison, all three of the other Dakota division I schools will have arenas within the next few years which seat between 5700 and 6500. It is my hope that UND will eventually have something close to that in terms of capacity.

Find me a division I school even remotely serious about basketball with an arena that seats 3300. And I'm not talking about what UND needs today. I'm talking about building the program into something like what it was "back in the day".

Because I vividly remember the early 1990's. And there were other periods prior to that which I didn't live through, but am aware of. Just because UND basketball has mostly struggled since the mid-1990's doesn't mean 1500 to 2200 per game should be considered acceptable.

Does anybody really dispute that long-term, a slightly-over-3000 seat basketball arena isn't going to work for a division I program? It seems to me that there has to be some sort of plan, even if it may not come to fruition any time soon.

Coyle is still listed on the version of the roster from the most recent game notes. There are differences in the two rosters, and I honestly don't know which one is more accurate. The version that omits Coyle still includes Aaron Rogers for some reason, and I believe he quit before the first game. But both versions have removed Shea Walker, who only quit a few weeks ago. EDIT: Tom Miller confirmed today in the Herald live chat that Coyle quit the team within the last week or two.

I agree. I've been hearing for years about how Beschorner is the heir apparent, but given how things have gone in Vermillion for essentially his entire coaching career, promoting him would be a huge, huge risk IMO.

Glenn is now 65, and I think everybody realized when he was hired that this was probably going to be a short-term gig. Given the relative lack of progress in his three years at USD, his fairly odd interviews/press conferences of late and the fact that he was apparently perfectly content to be out of coaching altogether for the three years between his departure from Wyoming and his hiring at USD, it seems quite possible that he may hang it up as soon as the end of this season.

I know this idea has been kicked around on this board before, but just out of curiosity, is it even realistically possible to expand the Betty into something at least close to 5000 seats? I realize that increasing the capacity isn't needed now, but at some point I believe it will be. Also, what, if anything, are the long-term plans for Hyslop?

My understanding is that Ivery is the emergency qb. But considering how little he's played this year at receiver, I have to wonder whether he's even healthy? Seibel might be an option considering he's already proven adept at converting to a new position, and Edmunds is also kind of jack-of-all-trades type of player. But I agree, I just can't foresee a scenario whereby it would make any sense to take the redshirt off Studsrud just for the chance at another win or two.

I think it actually got down to $2.85 in Bemidji, but now it has gone back up to around $3.06 there. Bemidji had the lowest prices in the area for awhile, but now it appears that distinction goes to Fargo again.

I completely retract this statement. And I probably deserve a suspension from this board for ever having posted it. 7-24 through just over two and a half seasons speaks for itself, and casting stones at a school you haven't even coached against since the 1990's is low class all the way.

I paid particular attention to him during warmups before the PSU game, because I have been curious as to why he never plays, even as a kick returner. FWIW, he did not appear to be injured. He does seem to have some pretty good speed and quickness, but an inability to get on the field this year does not seem to bode well for him. Even with the losses of Shaugabay and Garman, the competition for playing time is not going to get any easier with the addition of Oliveira and probably several others next year, along with presumably the return of Simmons.

UND is picked first by both the coaches and media: http://www.bigskyconf.com/news/2014/10/22/WBB_1022145849.aspx

I posted these numbers before, but I think they bear repeating-- in the nine quarters he's played in Big Sky games this year, Mollberg is 44-69 for 479 yards, with 1 td, a 2-point conversion, 1 pick and 1 lost fumble. While it would be nice if the touchdown numbers were better, continuing with a 63.7% completion percentage and better than 200 passing yards per game would likely be good enough for UND to win several more games, so long as the turnovers are no more than about one per game (as they have been during Big Sky play). The offense as a whole was bad during non-conference play. And given the overall talent level and injury problems, the ceiling probably isn't very high for this group. But progress is being made. And Mollberg's play of late has been a part of that progress.

I don't know whether this has been mentioned before or not, but according to the most recent SFI entry, juco transfers Dylan Bakker and Charles Flowers are red-shirting this season.