UND92,96

Big Sky pre-season polls are out: http://www.undsports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=209285520

USD won a college division basketball title, as did SDSU. SDSU also won a title in dII women's basketball.

Your argument would be more compelling if anybody was saying that somebody on staff should be promoted. By your logic, when Gino was let go, hiring Blais was a mistake since he was a former UND assistant.

That's not the point. I'm just saying that the mere fact that somebody has a previous connection to the UND football program shouldn't be viewed somehow as a negative. That's different from saying it's a prerequisite to getting the job, which clearly it is not. And whether a school hires a complete outsider or not, there is still the very real possibility he could be a complete bust. You just don't know.

The problem with trying to find the next Bohl is that you may also end up with the next Babich or Brewster. Considering the success the UND football program had from the early 1990's to 2007, I think it's only natural people have a certain affinity for those partly responsible for that success. That's not to say that a complete outsider would necessarily be a bad thing, but to expect people to not even throw names around of coaches formerly associated in one way or another to UND or North Dakota is unrealistic.

I guess I'm looking at things from the perspective of how it would be nice to have a third guard on the roster who could play both the 1 and the 2, and Hooker is the only one who might fit that bill. Antwi can't play the point, IMO. I do think the minutes would be there for Hooker, assuming he really is the third-best guard on the roster right now, to back up both Webb and Anderson and conceivably get 15-20 minutes per game. Under normal circumstances, I'd agree that ideally it would be nice to have Hooker be a four-year starter, which would probably happen if he redshirts. But with this being a season in which UND has a real shot at making the NCAA tournament, and you don't know when that opportunity may arrive again, it would be nice to have another weapon who could conceivably help the team reach that goal.

First, we really don't know what Tibesar makes, but let's say it is $300k. How far does that get you in a city like Chicago compared to one-third less in a city like GF? What about the costs of housing, for example? Taxes in Illinois vs. North Dakota? There are a lot of factors in play. I don't think it's as clear cut as you might think.

Nice job. I agree with you that Hooker may very well end up playing this year. Truth be told, I would actually prefer that Anwi redshirt rather than Hooker.

He's an alum, as is his wife, AND she is a Grand Forks native. For all I know she has no interest in moving back, but I believe she does still have family here, so it's certainly possible she would welcome such a move. True, but there's still a world of difference in that regard between FCS and the NFL. I would guess he'd get a minimum of five years unless somehow things got worse than they currently are after the first three years. It's interesting to think that had Tibesar stayed at UND for two more years, in all likelihood it would have been he, rather than Muss, who was promoted when Lennon left. What might have been...

I certainly don't know Tibesar personally, but I have to think there are coaches out there--particularly those with young families--who might appreciate the lifestyle of a college head coach at $200k per year, give or take, with a much lower cost of living to boot, over making more in the NFL, but with absolutely no job security to speak of.

It will be interesting. I believe the smallest regular season crowd since the Al opened was the Lamar game from a few years ago--6238. I suspect we'll see a new low for the UNC game, and will possibly be close on Saturday.

Sorry to keep harping on attendance, but I think history has shown that at UND, once the coach of a revenue-producing sport loses a decent percentage of the fanbase, i.e. they stop attending games, he is let go shortly thereafter. It's happened before in hockey, basketball and football. Homecoming attendance has fallen roughly 33% since 2009, and is down to levels we have not seen (outside of an occasional bad weather game at Memorial) in many, many years. And there's little question that the last two home games will be the smallest crowds of the year, so the per-game attendance average will almost certainly be down from last year, notwithstanding the fact that this is probably the best home schedule we have ever seen. A coach somehow recovering from a situation like this may not be unprecedented, but it would be extremely rare.

I posted in this thread a month ago that homecoming attendance was going to be in the 7000's, and sadly I was correct. It's quickly getting to the point financially where Faison's hand will be forced. I shudder to even think about what will happen to season ticket sales next year if nothing changes.

Yes.

For what it's worth, I have read contracts for FBS coaches, and generally speaking the buyout isn't due in one lump sum. Rather, the terminated coach would continue to receive his monthly salary, but the salary of his next job would be deducted every month from the buyout. In other words, if Muss receives roughly $10,000 per month now, and his next job paid him say $5,000 per month, UND is only on the hook for $5,000 per month until probably June of 2015. It's still a fair amount, but it's also extended over time and relatively painless all things considered. I have certainly not seen Muss's contract, so I can't say with any degree of certainty that the above would apply to him, but my guess is that it does.

According to the UND bball prospectus, Stefan is seeking a waiver to play this year: https://www.nmnathletics.com//pdf9/2545962.pdf?ATCLID=209274748&SPSID=58563&SPID=6388&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=13500

Just throwing this name out there: http://www.huskers.c...4&Q_SEASON=2013 Was once an assistant at New Mexico St., so I'm sure he and Faison know each other. Also was an assistant at St. Cloud St. from 1989 to 1994, so he's quite aware of what the UND program is capable of.

I don't care if the next UND coach necessarily has previous ties to UND, but I do hope he has ties to the traditional UND recruiting areas. I still think that might be part of the issue Lennon and company have had at SIU.

UND is ranked last in the Big Sky, and 87th overall, in the first GPI: http://www.collegesp...-With-NDSU-at-1

Tonight was the first volleyball match I've ever attended. I will definitely come back. It was a fun evening, and I was very impressed with the play of UND.

Muss is currently 29-29 in his career as head coach. You have to go back to the 1940's for the last time a UND head coach ended his tenure with a sub-.500 record.

Are there any recent examples of FCS schools firing coaches during the season, at least for reasons other than off-the-field scandals? Clearly it happens at the FBS level, but I honestly don't know how rare it is at lower levels.

I am going to disagree. After the EWU game at the latest.

This almost has to be the explanation--Faison doesn't think there are any viable options for interim coach. I still wouldn't bet on Muss coaching all 11 games this season, though. A loss to ISU, particularly if it's not even close, may be the last straw. And if not, a mostly empty Alerus for homecoming probably would be.

Greg Lotysz for interim head coach. He would command respect in the locker room.