UND-FB-FAN

Jones is not a leader and that is the issue. If UND men's basketball will win, it will be despite of Jones and his insufficiency in the motivation department, and only based entirely on the players' pure talents. One thing that is troubling is the stretch Jones put together from 2010-2014. In 2010, Jones put together a talented freshman class including Huff, Webb, Anderson, and Schuler. As the years went on, the team performed THE EXACT SAME! There was zero improvement; thus, the coaching/teaching was nonexistent. The team had just as many wins in 2010 - 2011 as they had in 2013-2014 (if not more). Jones doesn't have it and UND could do MUCH better with a different head coach and better leader/teacher. Players don't improve under Jones' tutelage.

Eastern Michigan's grey uniforms aren't bad, but I personally think the all black look (including black alternate helmet) like what Eastern Washington uses looks better as an alternate. Eastern Michigan grey alternate: https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+michigan+football&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=mcPoVNvnDsSlNq_ug5gJ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAw&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=bpTwvKEqwGz-bM%253A%3BfUp8ZQ1eU_9ejM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Funiformcritics.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F10%252F2013-eastern-michigan-football-uniform-675x380.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Funiformcritics.com%252Ffootball%252Fcollege%252Feastern-michigan-eagles%252F2013-emu-new-helmet-pakmode-state-feather-design%252F%3B675%3B380 https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+michigan+football&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=mcPoVNvnDsSlNq_ug5gJ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAw&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=KY_MVt5hYtxYZM%253A%3Bd25z4hvpDkUQIM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ballerstatus.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F10%252F2013-10-18-dreed.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ballerstatus.com%252F2013%252F10%252F18%252Feastern-michigan-football-player-demarius-reed-shot-death%252F%3B600%3B400 https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+michigan+football&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=mcPoVNvnDsSlNq_ug5gJ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAw&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=2M5OICwpgX86uM%253A%3BfUp8ZQ1eU_9ejM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Funiformcritics.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2013%252F10%252Feastern-michigan-2013-adidas-football-uniforms-620x412.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Funiformcritics.com%252Ffootball%252Fcollege%252Feastern-michigan-eagles%252F2013-emu-new-helmet-pakmode-state-feather-design%252F%3B620%3B412 Eastern Washington black alternate: https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+washington+football&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=s8PoVKjZFoqmgwTD3IJ4&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=Cp8AjxOpqtaybM%253A%3B3S_ND2JRKhlZaM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.goeags.com%252Fsports%252Fm-footbl%252F2013-14%252FAction_Photos%252F12fbwaForgetteStevenCelebra.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.goeags.com%252Fsports%252Fm-footbl%252F2013-14%252FReleases%252F13fbSEASONOUTLOOKOverview%3B560%3B378 https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+washington+football&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=s8PoVKjZFoqmgwTD3IJ4&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=nuPdocYh_Lh42M%253A%3BBEBw_S1ETtAWKM%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fyoungkwakdesign.files.wordpress.com%252F2014%252F08%252Finl_samhousstewufootball082314img_0337asm.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fyoungkwakdesign.wordpress.com%252F2014%252F08%252F24%252Fphotos-sam-houston-state-vs-eastern-washington-university-football%252F%3B1000%3B667 https://www.google.com/search?q=eastern+washington+football&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=s8PoVKjZFoqmgwTD3IJ4&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=460#imgrc=KVesbLMWKuwdwM%253A%3BoIEXrP4N4l2qfM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fdavisenterprise.s3.amazonaws.com%252Ffiles%252F2012%252F11%252F1111ucdfootball1W.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.davisenterprise.com%252Fmedia-post%252Fjon-perkins-earnest-sayles-and-alex-cannon-ucd-football-vs-eastern-washington-photos%252F%3B1004%3B725 Key point in all this, IMO, is that the new alternate in 2016 needs to include an alternate helmet color (black, white, or grey).

I agree with Ira. I'm going to stick with common coach speak; but one must remember, it's cliché for a reason: One game at a time. So, as for now, I'm hoping for that showdown in Wyoming to end with a UND 'W'. If UND can go on the road and beat an FBS team, then FCS playoffs are immediately looking good.

This crash and burn scenario is quite familiar (2013 football season), unfortunately. A change needs to be made, simple as that.

I'm afraid Craig Smith makes $185k per season at USD, so unless the GOBC can donate some money and make UND MBB's coach higher paid than football and Bubba, it's ain't gonna happen. Now, one of Smith's USD assistants is possible.

Absolutely, you can't be complacent, which goes back to my Faison and nearing retirement comment a bit earlier. Faison just gingerly waited for applicants to apply in a period of over a month instead of actively searching out candidates whom he could convince UND head football coach is a good job. Just lucky Bubba had such fond memories of UND and a passion for UND football. I would imagine Faison would do that same thing with UND MBB, rather than be aggressive and say contact Chad Walthall.

Yes, that is the case. Fortunately for that new HC he has OC Barney Cotton (long-time Nebraska assistant) and DC Kent Baer (former Colorado DC). With that, it will still be tough for UNLV to get on top of the competition.

Faison had no plan to fire Mussman until the alumni emails/concerns came raining in and some money was raised late in the process in order to buy out Mussman's contract. It's for this reason that I don't think Jones will be fired under Faison. Either Jones's contract expires in 2017 or a new AD goes a new direction in basketball before then.

Very true. Faison's overall enthusiasm, and perhaps, ambition of moving UND up in the DI ranks is a bit lethargic at his near-retirement age. I do hope for him to hang it up soon, but then a suitable, energetic replacement must follow.

I think the two high school coaches (Jacobson and Manson) are just a joke in this context, and if they aren't, they should be. You just don't hire high school coaches as a DI college coach. I'd much rather have Brian Jones and the current course than that.

I don't support all the defending and apologies. As a supporter (if you really are and are not just posing as one), wouldn't you want to see UND try and be a top team? If Jones isn't getting it done, and so far he definitely hasn't, then why would you want to keep him around? Contemporary college athletics is pretty well defined, as least with the most popular sports: you get the job done or you get someone else. People underestimate the importance of collegiate coaching; unlike high school or professionals, college coaches not only teach the intangibles but they also recruit the tangibles (the players). Whether a team is successful or not successful, it in some way or another comes back to the coach. I think most can agree on that, so the next thing is to then agree that UND basketball has not been successful. If one thinks going .500 and getting blown out to other low majors is okay, then it's an expectation/ambition thing. Far too many skeptics around UND or at least on this site.

Wyoming will be no pushover, but I agree that they will run what NDSU will run. If anything, at least their team isn't returning a winning squad, but they will be improved I'm afraid. Nevertheless, UND has a chance.

Personally, I think all three could be good, not great, quarterbacks THIS season. That's all the offense needs though, considering how Bubba wants to play defense and run his offense. One must remember Studsrud was a TRUE freshman last season and he did manage to win his last two starts. I think he could be a much better QB this upcoming season. As for Mollberg, he was definitely improving and I hope the injury doesn't set him back. Bartels played well in his two main opportunities and also has potential. However, without question, the biggest potential difference maker this season is the offensive line and skill position players. Last season, the o line was inexperienced and the skill position players were stripped thin. It's quite useless to make an evaluation of the QBs given what they had to work with. The additions at RB and WR for this season should make a huge difference, along with the returners at OL.

Forgoing to sign an NLI is actually advantageous for many 5 and 4 star recruits because their status goes unchanged after signing day as they are coveted by many schools. However, this development likely won't affect many, if any, FCS programs just because the student-athletes they recruit don't have the kind of demand that student-athletes like Roquan Smith do. Most players at the FCS level sign an NLI to guarantee they are apart of the signing class and gaurenteed a spot. Since most FCS squads rely on their own internal player evaluations and post-recruitment development, classes are quite fluid and available spots come and go. The NLI will remain with the FCS, but top FBS prospects certainly do benefit to a degree by just saying "no" to the NLI.

Excuses. Excuses. Excuses. UND has suffered so many unnecessary blowout loses over the years, it should be appalling, even to apologists like yourself. Trying the same thing over and over again and yet expecting different results; it is quite insane. A change needs to be made. Blowout loses (+15 pt differential): 2013-2014 ("the senior-loaded team") 18 pt loss to Wisconsin (30-8) @ Wisconsin 27 pt loss to Cal Poly (14-20) on neutral floor 15 pt loss to Oregon (24-10) @ Oregon 17 pt loss to Pacific (18-16) on neutral floor 15 pt loss to Butler (15-17) @ Butler 18 pt loss to Northern Colorado (18-14) @ N. Col 21 pt loss to Weber State (19-12) @ Weber State 16 pt loss to Omaha (17-15) @ Omaha At least 5 more potential wins that instead ended in a blowout. 2014-2015 ("the rebuilding season") 37 pt loss to Utah (20-4) @ Utah 18 pt loss to Texas Pan Amr. (9-17) on neu. floor 36 pt loss to Minnesota (16-10) @ Minnesota 29 pt loss to NDSU (18-8) @ Fargo 22 pt loss to Eastern Washington (19-6) @ EWU 25 pt loss to Northern Arizona (13-12) @ NAU Actually not as bad as the benchmark 2013-2014 squad, but still a few winnable games that ended in disaster. More tight games that have ended in heartbreak this season. As one can see, over just the past couple seasons, there have been several winnable games (going by program stature and record) that UND has absolutely missed on and lost considerably. This set of scores doesn't even include close (less than 10 or 5 pt differential) loses that are perhaps even more frustrating. There's something at play here (the constant) that needs to be changed or else the lack of consistency will continue.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/3679385-six-ndsu-athletic-scholarships-funded-program-set-academic-scholarships Lt. Gov. Wrigley defends use of academic grants as athletic scholarships. If the bill is renewed, UND football better be the first in line to up their scholarship dollars.

The UND basketball team is made-up of adults; they should be able to handle the fact that they have played poorly and lost many games that they should've won. After all, they're scholarship athletes and they're getting their schooling paid for. If you think going 0.500 every season is acceptable at UND, you're mistaken. One thing looking at potential coaching replacements has revealed to me is that there are coaches in Moorhead and Mankato that have achieved very successful records. These are the type of goals UND should strive for. Faison best be willing to make changes when changes need to be made, and right now, my mind and gut tell me UND needs to make a change. There are plenty of DII winners right here in the region that deserve a chance at coaching DI basketball here at UND. As for your "breaks" point, that could be said about any game or any season with any program. The bottom-line is you either make it happen or you lose. Jones has been an average coach, AT BEST, during his time at UND and I think the law of averages has a great enough sample size to reveal Jones will not get the job done here at UND.

Well...that's not good. That was definitely a kicked ball at the end that the refs missed though. Nevertheless, a game UND definitely should've won.

I'm not looking at numbers, just going off 50/50 balls that UND misses and then MSU puts back up for an easy 2. It's definitely hurting UND.

UND's rebounding is horrible...again

Definitely expecting a win today against MSU. They are last place right now in the standings.

Difference between farming and coaching is that it doesn't matter what others think of your farming operation, because you still get the opportunity to go about your business despite surrounding support. In coaching, if your product is so bad that no one attends games, it does affect your position and job security. Fan attendance pays the bills, although that is not so much the case with UND basketball and more the case with UND hockey and football. Nevertheless, as the coach of UND's basketball team, you need to earn support from not only the athletic department, but also the people putting their butts in the seats on gameday.

Preseason polls are deceiving. For example, UND went down to 9th in the polls because they lost so many seniors, so in what way are they going to go up in the poll? That would be to prove everyone wrong and win. If UND wins this season and improves above 9th in the standings, then they would be voted higher in the preseason polls next season. If UND loses, then they stay low again next season. Using the polls to set a benchmark is very dangerous territory, because the only way you truly elevate in the polls is to first elevate play on the court. UND needs to be better than 9th every season, even if it is a so called "rebuilding year". I mean, what is UND rebuilding? They only went .500 last season.

http://siouxfb.areavoices.com/2015/02/13/grab-bag-of-und-football-stuff/ SiouxFBInsider has mentioned that grey helmets may be in the works. Personally, I think grey helmets and grey pants would look good with either green or white jerseys. Nevertheless, I still think the all black look is something UND should use at least once a year. Excited that an Adidas deal including apparel and gear is finally going to come to fruition. Will be a good boost for UND as a DI program.

Players are always the most important component in any team sport; however, one must not forget that in collegiate athletics the head coach not only conducts in-game management, but also recruiting. If the players aren't performing, that still falls directly on the coach, because he is the talent evaluator and the one who recruited the players believing they could be winners.