UND-FB-FAN

Figured ya maybe missed that

In this day and age, I’m sure winning is more appealing. UND lost that game.

What in the Sam hell ?

Name of the game is run the ball and stop the run. Who can do it better?

One sells tickets, the other wins championships (which coincidentally also sells tickets).

Yep, need a different body type at 5 technique. But again, UND’s pass rushers and defensive backs aren’t producing enough. Not enough strip-sacks and interceptions this season. Not nearly enough. Partially due to scheme, but more so players. Haven’t been able to replace players lost from 2021 teams. It’s not the Xs and the Os, but the Jimmys and the Joes.

100% of the time if you know how to coach worth a damn - that’s literally the job of the coaches, to put the players in the best position to be successful. Not force the players to do what the coaches want or like. Failure to adjust to your players is a measure of sh*tty coaching. It shows the coaches can’t adapt or change to something else - they’re only able to teach one thing…

That’s all defense. Regardless of the front, nickel is the package on the field the majority of the time.

Although I understand where you’re coming from, noseguards (NG) are going the way of the fullback … extinct. Majority of defense ran is nickel - there’s no NG even on the field. With the 3-4, you need a couple 5-technique defensive ends that can squeeze down in nickel, which eliminates the NG for the majority of the snaps. BUT, as @geaux_sioux has mentioned previously, UND had failed to recruit effectively at the 5 technique defensive end spot. They have some players that fit that body type, but not enough. Several are too small and more fit the mold of a 4-3 defensive end. This hurts UND in short yardage and also hurts them in nickel as they lose the ability to still play interior run defense. With that said, I’m fine with the 3-4, just need better players. UND is not generating a good enough pass rush with their outside backers. It’s been a disappointment with two of the most important positions in any defense: pass rushers and defensive backs.

respectfully disagree on them being that bad, But they definitely could be way better. Adidas needs to send them new ones next season as far as I’m concerned.

Wrong. My only “go to“ is not to fire all the coaches or recruit a whole new roster. Could different coaches with better players do better? Sure, definitely possible, but that costs money. UND is too tight for that at this juncture. UND needs to look at their rotation. They need to see if there are any players that should be playing more or less. That’s a starting point. They need to take away the opposing teams best player- focus the game plan on that. They need to play more base defense, even if that’s against Bubba’s MO, and focus on a competent shell. That means running more cover 4 and two man under. Give the corners help and make opposing teams earn it. Don’t give up big plays on blown assignments, especially against ISU and USD; if you make those teams try and earn it, they’ll likely falter and turn it over or make a mistake. That’s why their record is 1-7 and 2-6, respectively. Don’t gift their offenses with cover zero blitzes that put our undersized, inexperienced DBs on an island. UND has one player in their secondary that can’t cover to save his life but yet he’s out there snap in and snap out. Senior leadership, I’m told, is why he’s playing even though can’t cover worth a damn. But just my 2 cents. You also could go completely opposite and blitz the hell out of ISU and USD and it could work, but I wouldn’t do that.

Nope. You’re wrong again.

Now that would be a fabulous - and interesting - set of circumstances.

Bubba referenced that in his weekly press conference. Said that was hopefully just a random issue that won’t reoccur.

Oh it can always get worse. Not sure something as simple as alignment is going to fix the issues 8 games into the season.

North Dakota State’s AD represents the MVFC … oh goody … why don’t they just give NDSU the #1 seed now and save them from playing the next 3 games …

Problem is, you lose to either a 1-7 (ISU) or 2-6 (USD) team, and you then ultimately lose your spot in the playoffs. Bubba and UND need to get the job done. No excuses.

He’s a 3-4 guy. He played in the system as a player. A part of our ongoing inbred coaching tree.

I agree, primarily because the philosophy of this Bubba defense is pressure.

Which is why some (most) of the players at UND only receive DII offers. Either they don’t have the measurables or UND gets to them first. Sometimes a bit of both. It’s not media types this, fans that. It’s that coaches look at the measurables: size, weight, speed, and strength and project the kids into boxes. Every once in a while, kids will develop late and/or the intangibles make a major difference, which is why recruiting some of these under-the-radar kids (especially the ones from ND and MN) is still important, but you can’t build your entire team off it. Won’t work. They won’t hold up against the top of the FCS/division I. Even NDSU and SDSU recruit student athletes from Florida, Texas, Chicago, Kansas, Missouri, Arizona, etc.

Assuming he could kick it into the End Zone, I still wouldn’t kick it 5 yards into the end zone if you can’t cover the fast as hell return man. Point is, don’t kick it to him at all unless your coverage unit can get the job done. UND’s kick coverage unit just didn’t have the juice.

It’s frustrating. This 3-4 system brags and preaches on how important the safety position is to it, and yet this is what we get …

The effectiveness of max protect against UND’s defenses over the years suggests UND’s DBs struggle. UND defense very reliant on getting pressure on the QB.

UND to #21 in STATS poll. UND will be at least the 3rd highest ranked team in the MVFC if they keep winning. Playoff bound, should be the goal. Oh, and beat Ag U while we’re at it. https://fightinghawks.com/news/2022/10/31/football-north-dakota-moves-up-to-no-21-in-stats-perform-poll.aspx

Care to stick your neck out?