SooToo

UND gets an o-lineman via the portal, per gf herald. Curtis Gorder, 6'4" 300- pound center/guard from Iowa Central. Reportedly, offer out to 6'7" ol Stephan Stellar, portaling from Sacred Heart.

I listened to a McFeely/Izzo podcast where, after the obligatory AC fawning, they addressed this issue. By their count, UND has had the third-lowest number of players entering the portal among MVFC teams since season's end at 10. The AC has had fewer at 6. SDSU at 4. Murray State has had 42 portal entries. Youngstown 26, Indiana State 20, USD 15, SIU and MoState 13, and N. Iowa 12.

... and the student-athlete still has his/her scholarship and a spot with the college and the program to which he or she committed, correct? Speaking of commitment, how long before NLIs are declared null and void, and coaches can start prep for a season or a contest with a weekly Monday morning head count?

Here's your chance to be a hero. Just a nickel on the dollar from your big oil field checks and the problem is solved.

Elsewhere ... SDSU 50, NDSU 27 at the half

Section 114 (northeast corner), Row K. $70 for both. If interested, text 701 866-3872.

Tickets are sold.

Sec. 114 (northeast corner), Row K. $100 for both. Text 701 866-3872 if interested.

You're planning a big donation?

Signing day today ...

Looking forward to a story the Herald's apparently developing on coaching salary variations in the MVFC, and also the motivations involved in some recent moves.

Oh my gawd!! I didn't read your article, but is Ziebarth leaving??? He must have heard Bubba's out. Program's imploding!! Cratering!! Get in the lifeboat! Oh wait, that was last week. Bubba's getting extended! Program's stagnant!! Everybody's abandoning the floundering ship!! ...

Bringing back the drunk posting? Great schtick -- along with the GOBC updates -- while it lasted.

jonathan smith, incoming coach at michigan state (coming from oregon state).

Agree, the post doesn't jive with info from other sources. (Don't remember who said UND counter-offered; and Freund was quoted in the paper saying it was a hard decision but best for his family and career.) The comments on Schuester being "a really good kid and a good teammate" made me wonder if the post couldn't be from a UND player but again, it's the internet; anything's possible. Maybe Tommy's mom.

Trolling for perspective on Pawlak's move and ran across this interesting post on E-Griz: "Tommy schuester was a 4 year starter who enrolled in the portal as a grad transfer he transferred to michigan state to play under Jonathan smith... Schuster was told by Smith that it was a wide open completion for the qb. Spot.. He is a really good kid and teamate. As far as the other coaches leaving, I know that Bubba scweigert has two years remaining on his current contract, and they encouraged former o.c. Danny Freund to try and get more experience coaching elsewhere so he would have a wider scope of experience if and when comes back to potentially be the next und head coach after schweigert leaves." No idea who the poster could be but seems to suggest having some inside Perspective. But it's a message board so you never know... Posters over there, by the way, have visited SS and read about "all the offensive coaches jumping ship" and are looking forward to their game here next fall.

Paranoid rationalization? Is that what you read? Interesting interpretation. If you're not satisfied with a top 20 FCS finish and a playoff loss, you obviously have plenty of company. I think UND should be doing better, too. Frustrated at the loss of two coaches -- one after more than a dozen years, another after five -- to higher-paying and perceived higher status programs? Agree wholeheartedly, and hopefully it adds fuel to the fire to improve coaches' salaries here. Don't think Bubba can move the program further forward? You may be right, though I hardly think "greedy" is a fair description of the man. But when two coaches leaving after a 7-5 season and a playoff appearance is breathlessly sold as a "cratering" of the program, a dumpster fire, a sinking of the Titanic, it seems obvious rationality has left the building. Hyperbole is the mother's milk of sports message boards, to be sure, but if we ditched some of the hysterics it might be easier to have a realistic discussion on this forum on problems and solutions.

Here's hoping potential signees aren't getting their "facts" from SS.

Never checked any numbers, but how often are coaches extended at UND with more than 2 years remaining on their existing contract? If Bubba's likely to retire after this coming season -- nothing but speculation at this point -- should his contract have been extended last year to avoid a "lame duck" situation? I shudder to think of the SS reaction.

...but with thicker gra$$, no?

How many coaches have left? Still looking for an answer. Interesting that numerous posters here advocating to hire young up-and-coming coaches who move on after a few years for greener pastures. Pawlak -- by all accounts a young talent -- moves on from und after 5 years and the sky is falling.

So, the correct number is still five?

So I'm confused and can't keep up. How many assistants have left exactly? There was Freund after, what, a dozen years? Then Landry, sort of. Then Pawlak left three times. So is the total five?

Maybe pass him a note in home room.

Put me the camp that suspects that, at age 63 (this fall), Bubba is likely to retire or transition to another job after this season.