UND-FB-FAN

My comments were not bitter towards the hockey program; not quite sure how you came to that conclusion. My issue, although minor, is with UND's administration, which emphasizes hockey to the point where they forget about football and basketball. Have you looked at the BSC rankings and records for UND? Have you looked at the attendance of UND football and basketball recently? They are not acceptable. I couldn't agree more that Bubba is the perfect head coach for UND and that the High Performance Center will help things in recruiting and preparation; however, that does not preclude the fact that Faison tends to overlook football and that is what bothers me. Here's to a great 2015 football season! Go UND!

Oregon is an extreme example; UND won't be doing that, that's for sure. However, we can't get too caught up in OUR opinions. The players and prospective recruits are the most important factor in the uniform debate. If they want sparkles and ribbons, give them sparkles and ribbons, especially if it results in top prospects committing and UND racking up wins.

UND certainly doesn't need any fancy, shiny new unifroms like what some college football teams now wear. They should, however, have some alternate options as far as colors of pants, jersey, and helmets. The recruits - especially those not from the area and not particularly familiar with UND tradition - would appreciate uniform variability like that in terms of appearance. Green helmet along with either gray, black, and/or white alternate; green jersey along with black alternate; white pants along with green, gray, and/or black alternates. It's the uniform "option" strategy that many Big Sky Conference teams are utilizing, like Eastern Washington, Montana, and Montana State. To my knowledge, UND is going this route. Set of Green and white jerseys and set of green and white pants for 2015 from Adidas; alternate gray or black jersey/pants set in 2016.

True, I just haven't heard Mr.Faison ever say, in the press or at alumni/booster events, that he expects UND football to become one of the best in the country. I ultimately believe that Bubba has UND doing the things necessary to become one of the best programs in the Big Sky Conference, but I just want a bit more support from UND's athletic department itself.

Ha! Not too bad of expectations right there, if I do say so myself.

Your last line is all I'm focusing on. I don't expect UND football to surpass UND hockey in revenue generated anytime soon, if ever, but I want more focus and emphasis on the football program, particularly with expectations from "the top". There's no reason UND football can't be as successful as teams like Northern Iowa and Montana State every season. Lastly, I will mention that I believe Bubba has UND football going in that direction.

In this article outlining the hiring of Brad Berry as Hakstol's replacement, Faison is quoted saying "....best men's hockey program in the country..." http://www.inforum.com/sports/3747202-live-stream-1-pm-hakstol-leaves-und-coach-flyers-berry-be-named-next-head-coach So much for being politically correct. I've never once heard Faison say as much as he aspires for UND football to be "one of the top FCS programs in the country". It's quite unfortunate in my opinion; at least set expectations a bit higher for football relative to where they are now from a department standpoint.

Not high specifically on Phillip Nelson as the guy, but I do think Bubba should consider bringing in an FBS dropdown QB if he can find one. I'm not impressed with really any of the QBs on the roster right now, but I hope they prove me wrong.

It's Michigan's track program, not football. Smith has already signed his NLI.

Very little reference to the "Fighting Sioux" logo was on the uniforms of the past, so why get caught up in logo inclusion with these uniforms? Just use the the right shade of Kelly Green, the interlocking ND and label with "North Dakota" and they will look fine.

A win at Wyoming and at NDSU? Definitely top 10. Not going to happen though, in all likelihood. Just winning 2 of the first 3 would be spectacular.

UND plays two top 25 teams at home this season (#9 Montana State and #13 Idaho State). Great opportunity for Bubba's squad to make some noise and crack the top 25 this season! I think UND can win both those games. Also, upset #15 Montana or, dare I say it, #1 on the road, and UND would really set themselves up nicely for playoffs.

If he can best help at RB, then that's his spot. It's about the team, not the player. Bubba wants to run the ball, and in order to do that, you need ballcarriers. There's no such thing as "wasting" a player if he can contribute at one position more than another. Right now, UND's depth in the offensive backfield is atrocious. With that said, an FBS transfer or two at tailback could solve that, and I see Smith as more of a safety or WR than a tailback anyways.

UND MBB and Jones can't have the mindset that local players cannot play DI basketball. At times in the past, it seems they have had that mindset in recruiting by overlooking local prospects and going many states elsewhere. Look at what NDSU and SDSU have accomplished with local recruits; UND needs more players from the area on its roster. Even if those players are just role players, they bring that work ethic and home area pride necessary for a gritty, hard nosed basketball team.

I couldn't agree more! Absolutely needs to be done to create more of a DI basketball feel. Sooner or later, I would like to think this gets done. Along with video boards, of course.

In terms of actually winning the game, I think UND's best chance to knockoff UNI would be in the Betty. With that said, I am a supporter of moving a few games in the REA every season. It's just such an impressive building that it would help in recruiting. To ignore the recruiting and atmosphere it provides is foolish. Even at only 5,000 or 6,000, the REA would accommodate twice as many as UND could in the Betty. The thing is, though, that the UND MBB team needs time to practice in the REA, or else the game is just as foreign to UND as it is to the away team, like UNI or NDSU.

Smith has the potential to be a special player at UND. He's only 17, so in all honestly I hope he redshirts and gets stronger, but that kind of speed is something you can't teach. Whether he plays tailback or safety, he should be a special player on some of Bubba's top teams down the road.

I also am hoping for 7-4, but that would require going undefeated at home. That will require an active fan base that attends the games well. Winning a big early game, like Wyoming or NDSU, would do that. Of course, just always winning at home will do it also. If UND wouldve beat Montana last season, in the nail biter that it was, I think attendance would've boosted nicely. Same thing goes for the home games this season: just win and attendance will increase. Winning one of the four tough road games (Wyoming, NDSU, Montana, or Cal Poly) would go a long ways towards increasing attendance and playoff chances.

See Tre Roberson, QB, Illinois State Point is, it can happen. But I agree with you in that I don't see it happening for UND. They likely won't find an FBS transfer thats has All-America ability, but who knows. Arrington and Georges, the two FBS transfers already on the team, have the potential to be the top two players in the offense this season; therefore, it's not too far fetched to expect decent things from FBS transfers.

Given what UND has produced since being DI and in the BSC, you'd be insane not to respect and want to emulate National runner-up status. Most UND fans would love to see home playoff games in the Alerus just to end up short and end up losing in the NC game. It's certainly better than losing seasons every year. A few FBS transfers a year until the roster is better filled in with Bubba's recruits is a must. Give Bubba 4 years so that all the players on the roster are players he has recruited. His emphasis on local recruiting will mean there will be very few defections; thus, his seniors will be 4-year system guys and that will produce more wins than anything. By 2017, UND should easily be competing for BSC titles.

UND - not including the incoming freshmen - has only 2 RBs and 3 CBs available for 2015. That is not going to work if UND wants to compete with the best of the Big Sky Conference; therefore, before depth is created with a couple more years of quality HS recruiting, FBS transfers need to be considered.

That record prediction is quite gracious; good work! But as far as saying "I really think we are expecting way too much performance out of the FBS drop downs.", no one is saying an FBS transfer is going to be up for the Walter Payton Award or even an All-American spot, but rather people are expecting a talented player(s) to come on board and help the team. If the player is talented enough, he may even start and lead the team at that respective position. All in all, FBS players are at the FBS for a reason: talent and potential. And the player doesn't have to be from a "mediocre" FBS team. For example, the Minnesota team Hinojosa came from last season was above average. UND currently needs that raw talent and ability at RB,WR, and CB (skill positions); therefore, FBS transfers could be difference makers in 2015.

You often times are way too pessimistic, and although that may be okay sometimes in order to see both sides of an issue, this time I think you're being too negative. Yes, sometimes FBS transfers are who you say they are: underwhelming FBS performers who need a change of competition. However, some FBS transfers are of a different background; they are transferring because they want more playing time, not because they are poor, but because players ahead of them are just that good. Remember Alex Tillman last season, that career backup CB from Houston? Yeah, he was easily the best CB on the roster last season. Or how about Hinojosa from Minnesota? He's our best defensive lineman right now, and the starting NG. Did you watch the FCS national championship last season? If you did, you would have watched Indiana transfer Tre Roberts, the QB who led Illinios State to that game. Point is, if the right fit is found, the player can do big things for FCS teams. High school recruits are undoubtedly the most important asset when it comes to developing depth and eventual all-conference players, but FBS transfers are usually talented players (that's why they were in the FBS to begin with) that can fill holes much faster than high school recruits. UNDs needs more athletes (RB and CB) on its team; therefore, Bubba is searching for players who are of that mold by looking at players talented enough to be on FBS teams. RBs and CBs of a physical, talented nature would do a lot to improve UND football. Right now, not enough talent or depth at RB and CB for UND to be a top FCS team.

Would be nice to see a preview sooner or later. To my knowledge, home and away uniforms for this season and an alternate uniform coming in 2016. The bigger part of this deal is the equipment and gear; that is, if the athletic department signed that deal with Adidas. Having an agreement with Adidas for gear/apparel/equipment will make the football program more marketable and appealing to recruits.

In reference to the post you're concerned about, the introductory clause "Although an FBS transfer or two this summer could change things" precedes the sentence's subject "UND's offense"; so yes, I was referring to UND receiving an FBS transfer and not Wyoming. Bubba is actively looking for an FBS transfer (or two) at RB and CB, among a few other positions.