UND-FB-FAN

Whatever gets the job done. If the team wins a national championship using tactics like these, the fans won't care one bit. Same for UND; if they win, people wouldn't mind one bit.

They are - grey helmets, grey pants and grey jerseys. Or at least been talked about for a while.

Working off what I said earlier in regards to keeping the recruiting class together, it appears Wisconsin has now offered a preferred walk-on opportunity to current UND defensive back commit Jordan Canady. Would be another loss to pile on top of the recent losses of CB Jeremy Chinn and OT Elijah Grady. Need to try hold this class together. Here's Canady's highlights; looks to have a lot of potential: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1683628/highlights/284514375/v2

UND had a real nice class put together before the first decommitment in Chinn. The class still has a ton of potential, but they need to hold it together. A couple more decommitments could really derail its potential. Remember, depth is the major point of emphasis right now, so losing scholarship quality players will only hurt depth development. Nevertheless, UND football is young and on the rise; I expect to see improvement from 2015 to 2016 just due to simple experience and growth from all the young 2015 contributors. Some "young" players who gained valuable experience that come to mind: QB Studsrud RB Santiago RB Olivera RB/WR Smith TE Fiedler OT Stockwell OG Miller WR Seibel WR Stanley DE Greeley DE Dranka DE Baker DE Cieslak NG Harris NG Greer CB Irvin-Sills CB Harris CB Carter S Palmborg A lot of good, young players who gained experience last season. Adding to this young nucleus will be key to sustained success, and as the class sits now, this talented young core should continue to grow.

Obviously UND's men's basketball budget (as well as UND football's budget, although it's improving) is not where it needs to be; however, eventually, it falls on the program to start winning and to start generating more revenue. Brian Jones' teams have had several opportunities to put together big wins and increase support, but they do not capitilize. That's why a coaching change needs to be made; if the Betty was constantly hosting crowds of 2000+, that would help the program grow. Not to mention, a video board upgrade is coming for next season, which should improve the in-game presentation to a degree.

CB Jeremy Chinn has decommitted Big loss - I thought he had the most potential of CB commits, including Holm. He was an Indiana all-state selection.

Yes, and it is entirely incorrect. Head coaches "head" their respective programs; they hire their staff, recruit their players, and institute their schemes and systems. If a PROGRAM is underperforming, then it falls on the head coach, not the student-athletes that the head coach decided upon and brought into the program. Look at the entire body of work for North Dakota men's basketball over the past 10 years - it's not good enough, and that is due to poor leadership from Brian Jones.

In collegiate athletics, the head coach is also responsible for the players who are expected to execute; that is, he's recruited each and every one of them. I'm sorry, but this all falls on Jones, either directly or indirectly. Barring a miracle, he needs to be let go when the season concludes.

Passion and leadership are not mutually exclusive. Unforutnatly, Jones lacks the latter.

Absolutely. Its time to say goodbye and seriously consider being relevant in Divison I men's basketball.

I thought it was enlightening. Very mature of the players to embrace the university's new identity moving forward. Bubba's squad presents themselves well, and that's why they will be doing great things in the not-so-distant future.

You wonder why Jones' teams have been called chokejobs? Because they are! Jones provides no leadership at all. As soon as Montana regained the lead late in the game, Jones did nothing. He provided no guidance or direction and UND went ahead and just chucked up a poor shot while being more than flustered. Jones jumps up and down like a child not getting his way throughout the game; it's embarrassing for even the fans in the stands. Jones needs to go. UND can recruit top talent, and obviously that always helps, but having leadership from the head coach would help this team accomplish so much more. This whole lackluster coaching situation really is quite disappointing. I keep trying to go to games, support this program and hope Jones can come around, only to be cruely reminded time and again that Jones is not a good Divison I men's basketball coach. His lack of "likeness" is also troublesome. Throughout the game Bubba walks around and talks with everyone, only reminding everyone that Jones just doesn't have "it". Student-athletes played well and the turnout was great. Real disappointing result at the end.

Well, shortly after the school to the south was doing things like this: http://www.thesummitleague.org/sports/mbkb/2008-09/releases/3690215_1 http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/story/2011-12-17/football-championship-subdivision-semifinals/52030000/1 UND decided to do this: http://www.grandforksherald.com/content/und-football-mussman-signs-contract-extension http://www.grandforksherald.com/content/und-mens-basketball-coach-brian-jones-signs-3-year-contract-extension ...despite the fact neither one had even coached in the Big Sky Conference before or recorded any major victories. Not to mention, NDSU was winning FCS championships and playing in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Shortly thereafter: http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/eye-on-college-football/24248934/north-dakota-fires-chris-mussman-as-football-coach http://www.inforum.com/content/und-loses-two-its-top-football-players-transfer http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports-und-basketball/3634422-und-mens-basketball-ndsu-jumps-out-11-0-lead-coasts-71-42-win-over-und http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-basketball/3892194-mens-basketball-northern-iowa-dominates-und-97-51 http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-basketball/3902300-mens-basketball-ndsu-pushes-69-67-win-over-und In my opinion, UND's athletic department has far lower expectations for football and men's basketball than does NDSU. Its frustrating because NDSU's football and basketball success - coupled with UND's lack thereof - has completely allowed NDSU to takeover the state of North Dakota in terms of following and support. I will say that I am extremely happy that Bubba was hired and I am tremendously excited for the future. Nevertheless, UND's athletic department still has a lot of work to do; the ingenuity for tailgating and in-game entertaining is absent. So, I'll place these here: http://www.valleynewslive.com/sports/headlines/North-Dakota-Beats-Cal-Poly-45-21-For-7th-Win-352847771.html http://collegefootball.ap.org/article/north-dakota-rolls-45-21-win-over-cal-poly

Well, you cannot accomplish great goals without great expectations. Ironically, that has been the downside to UND athletics in recent years; UND's own athletic department sets such low expectations for UND football and basketball that it's resulted in a lack of program exposure and hesitancy within the coaching ranks. Considering there's a working blueprint only 70 miles down the road, UND has no excuses; they need to step it up.

NDSU has achieved two of these in a single season, whereas UND has accomplished only one. I think it is very important for UND to aspire to accomplish all three things in a single season; it's more than possible for UND with competent leadership.

This situation is partially due to NDSU's success, but also due to UND's failures. If UND athletics and Faison would be even slightly competent, UND would have actually been to either the FCS playoffs or NCAA MBB tournament by now. With that, UND fans would not feel as pressured to sway on over to Ag school yellow. Its frustrating; UND needs to do more than settle for only hockey - it will allow NDSU to run the state when it comes to collegiate football and basketball. I understand that NDSU has raised the expectations to such a point where many think UND fans have exaggerated expectations, but that is only an excuse in my opinion. Fortunately, UND football should be (and better be) a annual playoff team starting in 2016 (they should've been an FCS playoff participant in 2015).

This is one of the drawing factors. Considering how NDSU football fans travel, why not play a power 5 opponent in a bowl game where many NDSU fans can travel to? Still, as many on here have revealed, NDSU has logistical, financial, and stadium issues to deal with before a legitimate move-up scenario comes to fruition.

I understand what you are trying to say, but criticizing the FCS is the not the route to travel. UND athletics is presently inferior to NDSU athletics; that's just the way it is currently. Let's not establish a UND inferiority complex that compensates for UND's inadequacy in football and basketball by demeaning the classification both UND and NDSU play in; it's desperate and short-sighted. UND's leadership is problematic, and because of that, NDSU athletics has surpassed UND athletics in support. NDSU has a very good football program that would rank among the top half of the FBS, so let's not throw the FCS under the bus - that's not the issue nor the solution here.

If NDSU makes their FBS aspirations known, I'm quite sure one of the FBS conferences would eventually extend an invite. Hard to say if NDSU is even interested in moving up, though.

Not sure it would be that bad; several would know due to ESPN Gameday. Average fans who fit into your argument likely wouldn't know of Mount Union, either.

5 in a row is truly unprecedented. NDSU honestly should consider a move-up to FBS; either Sun Belt or MAC. They are far too good of a program right now to miss out on FBS membership. Big 12 talk is intriguing, but NDSU doesn't have the stadium capacity to fit into that conference it appears.

Wentz making himself some $$$ already.

NFL playoffs

UND t-shirt; acknowledges UND has other sports besides hockey. Also, football is the sport of choice in both your instance (FCS national championship game) and nationally.

Absolutely. But UND needs to still increase the focus on football and other non-hockey sports. Part of the reason UND and the fans accept such two-faced actions is the ridiculous notion that UND only sports hockey and everything else is intramural; UND needs to pay attention and start excelling in the sports that the country, not just the region, care about: football and basketball.