UND-FB-FAN

Could definitely see that.

Agreed. OL and DL (including EDGE) is critical and it all starts with development based on high demand around the country. UND can develop offensive linemen. They’ve proved it the last couple seasons. Of late, however, it looks like they can’t develop DL/edge. Hopefully Lance Rucker has a hell of an off-season in the weight room, and there’s surprises, otherwise I see overall team regression to under 6 wins and new coaching staff for 2025 hopefully.

Late 2024 (November 2024) there could be an announcement.

They will need to get D2 players or JUCO players. I agree it’s a tough get. I read your post; I didn’t agree with “quickest and potentially easiest path for defensive improvement is through the secondary”. This suggests the D will improve with secondary (defensive back) additions. I’ll tell you right now: the D won’t get any better if the defensive front doesn’t get better. You can add all the defensive backs you want.

Disagree on the secondary. If they can’t get pressure on the quarterback, they will continue to cover like dogsh*t on 3rd and long. Too much time and receivers will eventually always get open. Football is won at the line of scrimmage, which includes EDGE rushers (that’s outside linebacker for the novices out there). Anyone who says different don’t know ball… Now with all that said, I’m not sure this defensive staff is capable of getting out of their own way and recruiting / then developing the necessary type of players. This defense is 20 years old and too rigid. Players aren’t being put in good enough position. Defensive coaching staff is failing … but not just defense; the offense deserves their fair share of blame also considering they were shut out last season in critical game vs UNI.

Offensive linemen is a non-get in the transfer portal due to how high the demand is. Just look at Kilty- lost to FBS school. UND is locked in on development of their offense, specifically offensive line. They maybe could manage a D2 quarterback if they want to be aggressive, but my guess is they stick with current offensive players - including Feeney and Kaminski - unless maybe a receiver or running back becomes available. Still, OL and QB are most important offensive positions. As for defense, the defensive front, which includes DL and EDGE, are the most important positions on defense, and there are opportunities available in portal. Need to capitalize big-time on these positions or else 2024 is certainly a lame duck season. So far, no splashes yet to suggest ‘24 will be any different.

Agreed

“Those who know UND football …” Now that is a good one …

Is it actually hindsight if we predict the failure with foresight time and time again?

Disagree. As @Irish stated, UND football is what their record is, and then some. If you follow college athletics, specifically college football, and perhaps even have a background within it, you can adequately recognize and acknowledge some of deficiencies within the program. This is why my ignorant comment was made; there are many on this board that are frustrated but yet have no clue how to interpret what is going on. With that said, it’s not “across the board” completely. Some can see the issues and are capable of coming up with viable solutions, they just aren’t the ones with the titles/positions to actuate said solutions.

How about you take the lead and don’t follow up stupid comments - in this case by @Mama Sue - with your own stupid judgement comment. You’ve mastered pulling wool over eyes (with respect to comments on this site), which is not good, by the way. “Maybe we could just hire UND FB FAN full time to be head coach since he has all the answers.”

Interesting.

You provide an historical context, but you also have revealed the critical bias that haunts University of North Dakota athletics. It’s not just about instant gratification; that is an oversimplification and a distraction from the real issues. It is perhaps however about ageism and historical decision-making models that have failed to undergo contemporary adjustment. There’s no reason we should have to wait decades for UND football to consistently complete with NDSU football, regardless of age. It is okay to acknowledge Bubba Schweigert has done appreciable work up to this point, but also that change is the best approach now for UND football moving forward. Fargo U pushes for higher expectations with football, sure, and they want to be bigger than they are, but I think that is okay if done with fiscal responsibility. There have been concerns with this, though, of course. It’s therefore important to be cautious, as you mention. UND football could be in a position where they could both bolster the football program while also being responsible fiscally and properly emphasize academics as the flagship. These positions are not all mutually exclusive. But, several folks who apparently have the “experience or history of what it takes schools like UND to build program and stay in the upper tier of that sport” tend to pump the brakes rather than shoot for the stars and take the next step. In summary, as a group of supporters, it is okay to care about W’s and L’s and also simultaneously feature academics. In fact, it’s mutually beneficial. I will say, I am very pleased and proud of the facility upgrades going on for UND athletics, namely football. This is exciting and shows commitment. But the people in charge within these future buildings is a very important topic.

Life is not simple, hindsight is 20/20, and people need to make the right decisions … okay. I mean, I agree with all of those statements in general, but it doesn’t offset any of the previous comments and concerns. I would say that you just skipped over the highlighted concern of whether or not the right people are in fact in the right position. Lastly, I don’t appreciate your first statement, but I understand there’s a combination of frustration and ignorance at play.

Could argue the current staff is getting exactly what they deserve/have earned.

Learning from the past is different than to relish in the past. So, it would be ok to acknowledge that, and not distract.

They’re in over their head.

When you pitch “in the middle on nowhereville with populations of next to nothing” then you definitely shouldn’t expect to be able to recruit worth a damn … you get what you make out of it. Whatever staff UND football has, they need to be able to emphasize the strengths and bolster recruiting and not fester on the issues/challenges.

If you can’t buy out a mediocre coach’s contract then you probably shouldn’t issue out those contracts after losing seasons … but oh well, this point has been beaten to death. Hopefully Chaves has learned from this. UND athletics as a whole needs to learn and evolve from this, or else be left behind… again.

No response or commentary is acceptable at this point other than acknowledging change is the only way forward. Silence sometimes can speak the loudest, however. Of course, we’re limited by the rate of change based on unjustified extensions and mediocre expectations.

What a laughable thought, and it is particularly unfortunate we have UND “supporters” who post that malarkey and actually believe it. Prolonged mediocrity is a mindset illness run rampant here with this fan base / group of supporters.

This is an individual-by-individual consideration; not simply a generalized issue, and I’ll admit I certainly can’t account for each member of the staff. So I need to be careful with general statements, but the group needs to work together well for major accomplishment, and there certainly hasn’t been major accomplishment.

It’s ridiculous, if true, but I think it is based on my interactions. This staff is burnt out. They aren’t even recognizing the instate players anymore.

Danny Freund still has some potential, but no guarantees. The jury is out on Bubba; he needs to step aside. He’s not a championship caliber coach.

This is an overly simplistic take, but if the solution to the problem was this simple, whose fault would it be? A: Coaches.