UND-FB-FAN

Passing game would suffer with Boltmann at QB full time. Ketteringham is doing very well today thus far. I prefer the role Boltmann has currently as he touches the ball many different ways. Hard to complain with how the offense has looked so far. But I don’t agree with the decision to not be aggressive before halftime. That was disappointing management by the head coach Bubba.

Tom Miller and Brad Schlossman are unknowingly desensitized to the mediocrity that is UND football. They implicitly expect 6-5 every single season - like so many other supporters - and are completely fine with it. Bubba has been coach for 6 seasons and the expectation is still 6 wins; maybe expectations elevate to 7 wins by 2025? How many seasons does it take? It’s comical, though, how the expectations are set. In 2016, UND wasn’t supposed to do anything per the “experts” but they won 9 games. Then, in 2017, UND was suddenly supposed to be a top 10 FCS team, but they won only 3 games. Then the realization hit UND is still a mediocre program. It goes back and forth. Everyone in the UND media and local media - as well as with many fans - is very reactive rather than proactive with their expectations. It’s all just very ... interesting ...

I think it’s hilarious how so many think yanking Ketteringham from the game will instantly better UND’s team. You know, everyone’s favorite player is the backup quarterback. Classic thinking. UND needs to just execute much better, whether that be Ketteringham, Schuster, Boltmann or anyone else. You can’t win if you have 6 turnovers. The offense - particularly Ketteringham - should be embarrassed by that and should look to come out and play well vs UC Davis. Long-term, I believe UND needs better talent. That doesn’t help in the interim. UND needs to play better and execute as a team.

I think UND can win this game. UND simply does not have an ideal quarterback situation. Ketteringham makes many mistakes. Schuster is young and inexperienced. Brock Boltmann also has not been asked to throw the ball very much in games. If UND wins this game, it will be just like the Sam Houston State win. To win, UND absolutely needs to win the turnover battle and make some game changing plays on defense. The obvious prediction is UC Davis. UND has a good shot though. My prediction is UND 28, UC Davis 24. UND keeps their playoff hopes alive.

There are many factors. Obviously, UND needs to develop and coach up their players a bit better. More importantly, though, is the foundation which is the talent. UND does not have a top 10 foundation of talent and the players are the ones who win the games. Recruiting better talent is a huge need. You are right in that UND matched up well against EWU last weekend in terms of talent, but keep in mind EWU is down this year. I agree that the intricacies of each position, including the quarterback position, need to be better emphasized and coached up. Having 6 turnovers is just not acceptable.

UND needs to go 7-4 or better this season. That is certainly still a possibility. Important home game this weekend against UC Davis, especially given how awful UND has looked on the road. UND went 6-5 last season and returned nearly all players at every position group other than RB and DL. UND cannot afford to go 6-5 or 5-6 and simply cite the "most difficult schedule of all time" as the reason why - doing so would continue to forward the mediocrity of UND football.

Hockey game always hurts football game. One or the other, all the time.

UND needs better recruits to win ... This is the whole the chicken or the egg scenario. UND needs better recruiting and development and then the wins will follow. The coaching isn’t great, but I honestly don’t think the schemes UND runs (especially with Freund as OC) are the issue. The coaches, however, need to find a way to get better players. Or else, find better coaches that can recruit. The major factor independent of both coaches and current players is facilities. UND needs HPC Phase II in order to recruit the kind of players necessary to meet expectations of those on this website.

I agree 100%. These are my exact thoughts as well.

Not even a thought that has crossed my mind. I’ve been to enough college football games across the country to know what UND football is missing on gameday. They are missing a lot, including seating orientation.

Won’t be good enough. Then 2016 team still had subpar attendance. Alerus Center needs to have more entertainment and be a better host. As has been said for years, the Alerus Center needs to take notes from the REA. Or, in all honesty, the UND gameday entertainment staff needs to travel to Fargo and take some notes on a Saturday.

I am really surprised and kind of appalled by how many people are missing the point on this. Contacting a few students or sitting yourself down in a certain seat is not going to do a damn thing. This is a functional process issue and needs to be addressed at the large scale level.

Not being done for attendance improvement purposes. See my previous post. It would be done for common sense purposes. Students who don’t stay for more than half of the game should not get the midfield. Every major DI program athletic director agrees with me, so I am steadfast with my stance of this.

Punishing them? I don’t think nearly every DI football school punishes their students by having them sit at the 25 yard line. Lastly, it is not just the product on the field that dictates attendance. It is about a 50/50 split with wins and entertainment. There are countless schools around the country with average to below average teams that consistently have a packed house with a great atmosphere. University of Michigan, University of Nebraska, and University of Montana are just a few places where the attendance is still superb despite poor results. Same with UND hockey: attendance remains good even when the product is not good on the ice. Point is the Alerus Center gameday Presentation needs to yet improve. The UND athletics staff and Alerus Center gameday crew both have a lot of work to do.

You don’t win when you have 6 turnovers. UND’s offense, specifically the QB position, failed UND on Saturday. Need to protect the ball way better.

probably maybe perhaps i think you might be an a**hole

I agree with most everything in your post; however, this statement is a bit controversial to me. I think UND still has a long ways to go in recruiting in order to obtain the talent necessary to be successful. Overall, the roster is still devoid of big time talent that is characteristic of a top 25 fcs team. Everyone loves to coach from the couch (point being x's and o's talk is fun), but the most important thing is the players on the field. Major caveat being that the coaches are the ones who recruit the players.

EXACTLY. Hoping Paul Sather (who isn't necessarily young - sorry Coach) works out for Men's basketball in the sense he is an up-and-comer from Division II now getting his first shot at DI basketball. UND football needs a similar hire. A coach that has demonstrated great accomplishment at a lower level (DII head coach or FCS coordinator) but just needs the opportunity to excel as a DI head coach. It is okay to treat UND as a stepping stone because it means UND will be successful. NDSU football has technically been a "coaching stepping stone" and I don't think anyone affiliated with NDSU is upset about that. Bohl leaves for Wyoming and Klieman leaves for Kansas State and yet NDSU is left with the best program in the history of FCS football. Point is, UND needs to hire young guys with very high potential looking for opportunity.

That ship has sailed (after only 6 years), which highlights the enormity of the mistake made by Faison during December 2013.

Some folks at the University of North Dakota have too much pride to admit when they’re wrong. Furthermore, they especially have too much pride when they have to admit they are wrong and that the rival institution 80 miles south is actually correct.

I do not think anybody is proposing that athletics takes precedent over academics. The question is what portion of alumni donations goes to athletics.

I know there are several. And that would be one of the major arguments to my proposed change of seating arrangements.

Leadership has to make the decision. If UND leadership decides to move the student section down and allow champions club seating at midfield on the visitor side line, they will have to appropriately price those seats. UND should probably price those seats similarly to 25 yard line seating on the UND sideline. just my 2 cents. I haven’t looked into the seating chart and seating prices enough to give an educated assessment on pricing.

They don’t have to cost more. They could cost the same as UND sideline 25 yard line tickets. Right now, visitor sideline 50 yd line seats aren’t even available because they are reserved for students who do not attend the entire game.

I’m happy you don’t spend too much time on this website. It is certainly reasonable, and really the right thing to do, to communicate directly with leadership instead. As for seating in the Alerus Center, my final point is that there are season-ticket holders sitting at the 25 yard lines who would rather be sitting at the 50 yard line. These season-ticket holders remain present for the entirety of the game. The students consistently leave during half time. Nearly every division 1 football venue has their students sit at the 25 yard line or so. I just don’t understand why people figure UND needs to be the exception. It is hurting the seating options for committed season-ticket holders, and, as a minor issue, hurting the aesthetics of the broadcast.