UND-FB-FAN

Absolutely, this is no indictment on his character as an individual at all, but, division 1 football is a results-driven business. UND is not competing with regional rivals and putting up the results necessary to compete; it’s clearly time for major change.

I agree with all of this. What is incredibly frustrating is that it is unacceptable that “big alumni” are just getting ready for a change now. Should have been communicated years ago (2017 or 2021).

The issue with this is very few agreed with the extension (which creates this buy out issue). The head coach extension was not warranted to begin with. I know for a fact these concerns were communicated with Chaves and others prior to the extension, so the fact an extension was still issued and now less than a year later the football program is predictably regressing is incredibly frustrating and at the same time infuriating. Don’t blame Danny for leaving. I honestly am strongly convinced that either corruption or incompetence (or both) presently exist within the athletic department.

Wonderful, let’s start pulling out CVs and such to see if it’s worth listening to each other on here … I’ve coached high school football in North Dakota. I don’t anymore (stopped over 10 years ago) because it was not lucrative enough and my schedule didn’t allow it, but I’ll get back into it eventually … someday. In the meantime, I watch a lot of football (again, as my schedule allows).

Honestly, the priority should be discussion on the entire defensive depth chart, not the quarterback depth chart. Fruechte has done a good job considering where Romfo is now compared to one year ago.

Bubba isn’t any kind of wizard. He is an average division 1 football coach as evidenced by his record who has lost his team /locker room. Anyone who has been around the game can see it. He can’t relate to or highly motivate 17-22 year old young men, and that in itself is reason enough to move on. He’s not coaching a team of 60- and 70-year-old men, so I really find it laughable that those friend-to-friend opinions mean so much. There’s still surprisingly a lot of vocal support for Bubba, but it clearly cares more about Bubba the individual retaining his position than actually seeing UND football ascend and take the next step. This apparently includes Chaves, and that is incredibly concerning. We’re at the point now (and have been for quite some time) where those who endorse Bubba are not actually supporters of UND football success, but rather just supporters of superficial participation.

That’s good, but some others still need a reminder. That principle still stands regardless, and it wasn’t directed at any individual on this board. @iramurphy or anyone else on this fan board isn’t the issue - the issue is the UND athletic department still keeping a mediocre football coach in position. I suppose some individuals on here could be an indirect issue if they were advocating for ongoing mediocrity via UND officials.

Hard to keep supporting this circus. When competent decisions are finally being made, it will be easier then. In the meantime, bare minimum effort and dollar will be spent. No more money spent on seats and tailgating until changes are made, but I’ll proudly donate towards a buyout.

Let’s start with life experience in leadership #1: -you need to realize in life there is something larger than yourself. Until that can be realized, you can’t make the sacrifices necessary to achieve greatness. UND football and the recent decisions made do not reflect this important principle. And for the sake of argument, I’ll throw the definition of insanity in there also; “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results” is the definition of insanity per Albert Einstein Bill Walsh also said “all champions behave like champions before they’re champions”. All in all, I feel UND athletic department leadership has failed to apply these basic but fundamental principles to important decision-making.

He and many on his staff are the main problem, yes. Of course there are other problems, no doubt. Always will be. That’s life.

All very true. So much potential if a high-quality coaching staff was in place to match the high-quality facilities now in place.

It will help, but ultimately athletics will get better with better athletes, and athletes I’m afraid don’t only care about academics. You can argue until you’re blue in the face how that makes you upset and it’s not the way it’s supposed to be, but the fact of the matter is the transfer portal and NIL minimizes academic’s role within division 1 athletics. UND needs better coaches and higher expectations with the appropriated funds; that’s what will build athletics. When it’s 4th and goal on the road in the Fargodome, or in Youngstown, Ohio, do you think the shiny quality of the new buildings will make a difference? A few better players with the new facilities,sure, maybe, but they really will come to UND for NIL/$ and a winning culture. Coaches set that standard with not only recruiting but development, motivation and in-game strategy. It is wishful thinking (or perhaps delusional thinking) to think the buildings will solve this on their own.

Why was there an extension issued to a coach who has won only 1 playoff game in 10 seasons? That is the issue with the buyout cost and “money talks” argument - the situation was intentionally put into place so there would be this current excuse of ongoing mediocrity and inaction. It’s not fooling anyone, but I appreciate you being a spokesperson for the lack of accountability, but it’s not fooling many. Borderline corruption (if not overt) within the athletic department…

I do value your opinions and posts because they routinely provide excellent insight into why UND athletics is mediocre and being overshadowed by NDSU and SDSU. You represent the portion of the alumni base that will support UND even when the appointed leaders of UND fail to demonstrate accountability with funds and consistently undermine alumni who want more. It certainly is difficult to change the status quo anywhere, but that is especially true here at UND. You certainly do differ from many of the diehards on this site, but to imply that high expectations only means individuals’ lives are being affected by the teams’ success or failures is a straw man argument and fails to address the underlying problems. The decision makers may listen to you but they also are gaslighting others at the same time; they make you feel good while manipulating you, and then fail to spend your money and others accordingly. Such a lack of accountability is why the football program also currently lacks accountability with Bubba Schweigert at the helm. This failure culture has permeated itself throughout much of the athletic department. It’s a major problem. As for expectations, UND is no where near a conference title right now. The conference title in 2020 (spring 2021 season) occurred during a pandemic-shortened schedule and otherwise the program has been regressing. 2021 was a losing season. 2022 - 2024 reminded us of road failures and inability to compete with NDSU and SDSU and other top conference competition. Playoff appearances mean nothing when every single appearance leads to a loss. This is once again a culture issue, and the lack of accountability can be seen in several areas, including unwarranted extensions to an incapable head football coach. But hey, don’t worry, he’s nice and can fundraise, so let’s continue the status quo, right? Because it would cost a lot of money to change, right? Even though the decisions that have created these financial barriers are inexcusable in their own right.

Exactly. Chaves and the department completely dropped the ball on this fiscal situation. There’s no reason the buyout should be 750k considering how awful Schweigert has been relative to what UND is capable of given the facilities and watered down nature of the FCS field. Sure, donors/boosters should step up, but not to completely cover the buy out. The athletic department needs to be held responsible for a signifiant portion of the buyout, considering how irresponsible the extension was and still is.

I disagree; it’s the only option when discussion and communication is blatantly ignored time and time again. The expectations just aren’t there for UND football apparently. I do agree folks should focus on “raising their family or helping their kids in college etc.” but concurrently they probably should not be attending/donating to UND athletics if the University leaders are only going to gaslight them and spend their donated dollars irresponsibly and without merit.

Yes, it will cost additional dollars to buy out the contract, but we need to take a step back and focus on the rationale behind the extension itself. What in the world were the decision-makers thinking? Why are these extensions occurring? It was communicated numerous times that new coaching should be considered last year before the extension, but instead an extension is issued, and the program has regressed since. The University should be held responsible to budget funds for a buyout equally as much as boosters should be held responsible to contribute. It’s unacceptable that athletic leadership feels that extensions should be warranted when there’s been one playoff victory over the course of 11 seasons. It’s clear expectations aren’t where they should be; or the lack of collegiate football understanding is blatant. The new facilities aren’t going to do anything if the coaching isn’t in place to recruit, develop, and ultimately motivate the student-athletes towards championships. Bubba Schweigert cannot compete with North Dakota State, South Dakota State and now apparently South Dakota. Period. Bubba Schweigert is a friendly fundraiser and cheerleader but he is not a championship caliber division I head football coach. It is what it is, and something needs to be done about it. The dollars are an investment towards improvement. Enough of this excessive fiscal conservatism towards coaches and football. Budget accordingly and buy out this inexcusable lame duck extension contract.

Also could state they’ve made the playoffs 2 of the last 4 seasons (including this season) and have won zero playoff games in that time … it can be spun anyway just to fit the narrative. Meanwhile, regional rivals have been winning national championships …

And this is where apathy sets in and strong consideration towards separating one’s self away from this mess … UND leadership needs to prevent this and pay accordingly. With that said, donors (including myself) are willing to contribute in order for the right thing to happen.

2017 and 2021 were both horrific road blocks to success and yet the constant in all of that (the head coach) is still here holding UND football back from competing with the top MVFC schools …

And the second post (in that thread from Sept. 2013) was again @jdub27 protecting Mussman and trying to deflect away from conversation about meaningful change … WOW! unreal … you can’t make this stuff up. UND’s athletics culture as a DI program is so mediocre and broken … and apparently has been for a while. Do we want championships or participation awards? I think we may need to consider renaming the champions club to the participation club if we keep Bubba any longer …

Fall ‘21 was a disaster. Should’ve been changes at that time, but really, large-scale changes after ‘17 and ‘18 would’ve been ideal, but instead fired Rudolph and hired Freund, and well, the defense remained mediocre to below average and the rest is history.

The diehards on this site care more and know more about UND football than the actual “leaders” within their paid official positions …

The contract extension was put into place despite communication, from boosters and alumni, of dissatisfaction at the time prior to extension, and this should mean the university bears the responsibility of the buyout costs and/or the transition to a different position. This is a necessary investment to ensure that UND can hire a new coaching staff capable of bringing the program the success and championships it rightfully deserves. Our University community deserves a leader who can maximize the potential of this program and deliver the winning tradition our stakeholders expect and deserve. The time for action is now.

The vitriol that this program has brought onto itself by propagating mediocrity and being resistant to meaningful change is and will be damning and conflicting for some time.