Sampson

Considering this was the first time they have probably ever done that in this situation, let's just all go ahead and call it an anomaly and move on.

FWIW - Lincoln Riley's inability to help the d coordinator figure out a defensive scheme that best suits them is going to be why they get blown out against Alabama.

Yea, Lincoln Riley types are flooded with them, like the guy from Texas Tech Kiff Kingsbury who couldn't even have a winning record while coaching Baker Mayfield and Patrick Maholmes. For every guy like a Sean McVey or Lincoln RIley who excels in that role that are 10 Kliff Kingsbury's. I can edit my original thought with that, but there are a lot of bad coaches (and just coaches in general) flooded all around FBS right now. A great example is you can name all the Lincoln Riley types on 1 or 2 hands. Just because someone's a great coordinator or mind doesn't mean they are a great head coach. Hell they are all over the NFL too.

Exactly, and the guy couldn't coach a collegiate defense around a high school game. That's exactly my point.

I wouldn't bet that he is or isn't the guy, but there's a lot of bad coaches all over the FBS level. you have one going to the playoffs in Oklahoma, where Lincoln Riley's defense couldn't stop a high school team.

You could be right, and if this is correct, why didn't UND introduce them at their release? He couldn't have "signed" after the 22nd. Or maybe he didn't, and just verballed to them and isn't locked in yet, and the articles on the story are wrong?

Walk ons do not sign LOI's. NDSU had no business introducing him.

There is no paperwork to sign if there is no scholarship money being offered. Walk on do not sign nli's, or any paperwork for that matter. They are just another student who isn't binded to a program until they practice for the first time.

Has nothing to do with interest. Ndsu offered him as a PWO. No money involved which means he wouldnt have signed an NLI with NDSU. NDSU introduced him anyways as they always do with signing days, but this being early means they will probably not do this in future. UND had to of offered him a scholarship of sorts during those days that NDSU didnt know because he would to had to of signed by the 22nd, which was before NDSU introduced their commits. Steckler just changed his mind and went to UND which is his right. If he didnt sign on the 22nd he cant sign anything till february but it says he did. Im just not sure why thus is coming out till now.

I'm not saying geographical center. I'm saying each program, and furthermore its community, should have the option to host the tournament at a neutral location. Fargo could host at the Scheels arena. Omaha has several neutral site locations it could host. Every program lives in an area where there shouldn't be an issue of finding a neutral location. Better yet? Allow the conference winner to host. The Summit Conference has become a good smaller major program with top heavy teams. Instead of trying to utlize that and grow the conference in ways that would attract other programs, it's catering to the South Dakota schools, conveniently accessing the North Dakota schools and Omaha. UND is coming into the Summit. How will you feel when Fort Wayne gets poached, Western Illinois is forced to drop down to D3 which is what's rumored, Denver continues to look for a way out, and the Summit potentially loses its autobid? The South Dakota schools and Omaha have appeal for the Missouri Valley. The Missouri Valley doesn't want to have much at all to do with the North Dakota schools. This is all worst case scenario, but it has been trending this way, and it isn't completely out of the realm of possibility. Meanwhile, one thing is for sure, and that is there isn't really any other teams that the Summit is targeting in expansion. UND was about the last best geographical option, and the conference have just tapped out on its best last resource.

It may help. With much credit to the South Dakota fanbases, and specifically SDSU, they have absolutely taken over the tournament. The struggle is Douple is catoring to that location to grow the conference on a national scale, and it has helped. Unfortunately it has alienated its very own members. IUPUI has been trying to get out for years and finally had their name called.

If teams were leaving the Summit to more to "better" conferences, that would have legitimacy. Teams aren't begging to join the Horizon, WAC, and Southland, they are begging to get out of the Summit. The Summit btw has been a significantly better conference than the WAC and the Southland, which have been some of the worst conferences in college basketball the last few years. Summit was a better conference than the Horizon last year and has become very comparable with more upside to it from the top heavy teams.

A fanbase/program should in no way have any sort of factor in determining a conference tournament location. The funny thing about the Jack fans is they think they have the right to host the tournament because they "make it money", and then at the same time laugh at the notion of a program like NDSU always getting HFA advantage in the football playoffs even when seeding isn't a consideration.

The conference tournament in Sioux Falls every year with 2 of the better programs having a stranglehold has undoubtedly been a major factor in the instability of the conference, and why teams are looking to get out. If the conference wants to have program growth and stability, it needs to at the very least move to a rotating neutral site schedule where every team gets the opportunity to host once every however many teams are in the conference.

The Conference Tournament should be hosted by whomever wins the regular season conference. Period. End of story. It should be like that for every conference. Period. End of story.