UND-FB-FAN

Not so much a knock on Bubba but just the reality of coaching football. UND is actually 3-2 and on a 3 game winning steak with a national ranking (#24 in country). Point is, complacency could set in; Bubba needs to actively coach against it or else ...

UND cannot afford a QB injury at any point in time this season, but I understand what you are saying.

UND is the better team, but I will point out that Bubba's first two seasons both included mid-season collapses against very poor competition. In Bubba's first season as head coach (2014), UND went down to play a very poor Southern Utah team (1 - 7 at the time; finished the season 3 - 9). UND was 3 - 4 (1 - 2 BSC) at the time and it was a big game because a win would've put UND at 0.500 in conference play and allowed UND to build some momentum. Unfortunately, UND played horrible and lost 35-17. Last season (2015), UND was 4-1 and ranked #23 in the country going into its homecoming game against a very poor Idaho State squad (1 - 4 at the time). Unfortunately, UND played very poor, gave up the lead late (choke job?) and lost in front of the home crowd (damaging to home crowd attendance). It was the only conference win for Idaho State in 2015 (2 - 9, 1 - 7 BSC) and the loss almost certainly left UND out of the playoffs. If UND loses to this 1-4 Sacramento State football team, I will be very, very upset. UND is ranked and needs to play like it and get this win. If UND drops this one, there is a legitimate mid-season execution issue under Bubba that needs to be called out and UND DOES NOT deserve to be in the post-season. With all that said, I expect UND to win. UND doesn't need to do anything fancy. UND just needs to play disciplined (no turnovers or penalties on offense, no big plays on defense); if they do that then UND will return home undefeated in Big Sky Conference play.

I completely agree with your 3rd thought. Oliveira is playing great and Santiago has the ability to provide speed on the outside as a receiver or slot back, something UND has missed since losing Clive Georges.

Don't need to have a scoring precedent to recognize superiority. UND *should* win this one by at least 14 points. We'll see if UND can limit their penalties and avoid stupid turnovers. If they don't shoot themselves in the foot, UND should win by a nice margin.

That's based on solely interceptions; there's much more that goes into it. Pass yards given up and pass scores given up are just as tellling. Bubba does not want "every team to get their passes off". That's why the team goes to zero coverage and blitzes as much as they do. Way too many big plays through the air. Bubba agrees. UND gave up 3 TD scores against Cal Poly through the air; those deep passes need to be better contested. It's 1 on 1 defensive football and UND still loses too many of those battles. Against Montana State, that wild ending could've been avoided if Torrey Hunt would've made a tackle on a short 3rd down throw when UND was up 17-9 late in the 4th; however, the tackle was badly missed and the play went for over 50 yards. You cant be a great defense (top defense) if you give up big pass plays. That is what this UND defense needs to keep working on and, hopefully, they will and improve. Make teams work the ball down the field methodically and force mistakes - don't give up big easy scores. UND is much improved in their pass defense relative to 2015; however, the pass defense still requires work. Corner opposite Deion Harris is a concern; Hunt and Holm need to grow up quickly. Both are athletic, though.

Amen to Mr. Norberg! He has experience carrying the ball and that fullback dive is a nice change up ... keep calling it Rudolph to spell Oliveira or whoever is in at tailback!

I would prefer white helmets over the grey helmets. Nevertheless, hopefully they just get white helmets as an alternate sooner rather than later. All white (white helmet, white jersey, white pants) on the road is always a nice, clean look. Not to mention, white helmet, green jersey, white pants is a nice home combination as well. Oh well, getting a grey helmet, green jersey, grey pants combination should be the goal -- that would look classic and sharp!

I liked the grey uniforms. I think trying different combinations with them (green jersey, grey pants; grey jersey, green pants, etc.) would be worth a try. Traditional green jersey and white pants is by far the best, though.

It's coming back. It being the confidence. Still work to be done, though. Day by day. UND needs to beat Sac State. Control the ball, stop the run, and get after their QB.

UND is the better team, even with the injuries. I'd imagine Santiago won't be playing, but if UND can protect the ball and consistently run it, the offense will be fine against Sac State. The defense needs to force Sac State to work for everything (no easy long pass plays) and force a coupe turnovers, too. Will this game be tougher than the records suggest? Probably, but UND *needs* to win this contest.

Still work to do in that area. But, most importantly, the team got a much needed big win.

Keaton Studsrud did fine throwing the ball against Cal Poly today. It was nice to see. Nice all-around team win for UND. UND should be top 25 ranked now. Need to keep the momentum going despite the injuries.

Great game. Big-time win for UND. The offense has a lot of work to do in terms of discipline yet, but if they can put together a full 60 minute game, they will do just fine. They could've been up 24-0 if they had just hung on to the ball in the redzone. They are close folks! Not to mention, they did all of this without Santiago; hopefully he can return within a few weeks. I also thought the UND offense showed a lot of character when going down 17 to 14 in the beginning of the third-quarter but then drove right down the field to take the lead back. Defense needs to improve defending the big pass play, but given the pick by Hunt to end the game, I'll give them a break. The UND defense was great against the run - just tremendous. As for the offensive line, they are better off with Coe at RT. Patric Rooney could be the starter at center for the next 3+ seasons; hopefully his injury doesn't sideline him for long. The line has some mojo going now.

Studsrud has no backup pushing him this season. That wasn't the case last year because he had to beat out Bartels and Mollberg in fall camp. Just a theory of mine. Now, being its game 5, hopefully Studsrud and his young receivers will start making some plays.

And last year, it was wait until 2016. Eventually, it's just time to step up. No more rain checks. UND has the potential to improve DURING the season given the amount of discipline mistakes they've made - those have potential to be quickly correctable. Also, hard to dismiss THIS SEASON when UND's conference schedule is so damn easy in terms of opponents' winning % and home field advantage (no Montana in Missoula).

You may be right. This is the kind of the game UND *has* to win if they want to take the next step as a program, though. What is that step? It's being a program that is annually recognized as a playoff contender, which is huge come playoff selection time. It also will go a long way towards building up UND's home crowd and regular attendance. UND needs to win games like this, and given this year's "leave no doubt" mantra, I am optimistic Bubba will have his team ready to take this one. With that, though, you may be right and UND drops this one in disappointing fashion. No one knows. I'm excited for the ball game tomorrow. Everyone show up as you're able and support the boys in green (or in this case, grey).

UND can play with Poly just fine; look at last year's game down in SLO. Is Poly a better team this season? Absolutely. But not improved to the point where UND can't play with them, especially at home in the Alerus. UND wins *IF* they win the turnover battle and reduce their penalty yardage substantially. No reason UND can't win this one since it's at home. A lot of doubt starting to seep into the minds of some supporters; must be the injury news. UND does need to improve on offense, though. Eventually Rudolph will call a clean game that his offense executes -- hopefully it's against Cal Poly.

Football program needs some $$$ for a lot of things, with the HPC phase II being the most important. Other pending upgrades do include equipment/helmets. Anyone out there with some spare change?

Now that's some bad luck. Nothing but season ending injuries is tough to read through. This, again, emphasizes the need for more depth. Hopefully, the shakeups at offensive line and corner are it for the year because this team can't take anymore injuries at those units.

UND 31 Cal Poly 21 UND has to find its offense one of these games... Defense does its thing while still giving up a few scores.

Football is the most popular sport in America, which includes North Dakota. Grand Forks is a bit of a hockey niche, with hockey being a type of cultural favorite, but even so, UND football can draw a ton of fans if it wins consistently. How? Because it is football -- that simple; most popular sport overall. NDSU football has exploded in popularity because it has done "big time" things that the football fans of this region and state have always been primed to support. UND can join those ranks, too. From strictly a UND supporter standpoint, football can consistently draw large crowds if the product on the field is consistently winning. UND fans, alumni, and students would love to be associated with a top 10 FCS football program that gets positive publicity on a regular basis.

#2 Cal Poly @ #5 UND this Saturday. I hope the next edition of this has UND in the top 2 due to a UND victory.

I agree. This, to a degree, lines up with my last post above. Although I am not advocating for fans to be upset and always calling for backups, I do strongly believe UND needs to simply improve the talent in the two-deep. With that, the competition will naturally improve the capability of the starters. The few places on this team where we see this is running back, defensive line, and linebacker; not coincidentally, those spots are the most complete and productive.

I do not disagree with you, at all. Essentially, the offense just needs more personnel and, with that, more competition. The offense is thin in many spots and that has resulted in the quality of play at those spots being average to below average (namely OL, WR, and QB). Competition produces better players, which is partly why attrition to even backup players hurts the overall team and program so much. Have to recruit kids that will stick it out the ENTIRE 4 to 5 YEARS, even if they are not tops on the depth chart. Remember, there are two ways to improve personnel: development and recruiting. Recruiting more depth is essential (even players that are of the same style we have now), so there's that; but developing the young guys on this team is also key. I expect the offensive line and receivers on this team to continue to improve as the season progresses just because of their youth and inexperience; that bodes well for UND.