UND-FB-FAN

Yeah, it sucks. Someone should call in just to give it to Jack 'NDSU' Michaels.

No question. If Bubba keeps on putting together recruiting classes like this, UND will be a perennial playoff participant and eventual Big Sky champion.

Yes, I apologize. I fixed my post. Meant Baylee Carr is going to have to be replaced.

Defensive line returns four experienced players that should all play a lot: Hinojosa, Dranka, Greely, and Carrothers. Should be a good group with the young guys helping with depth. All four linebackers from last year return along with depth; will be good group! As for DBs, lose Tillman and Carr but Chris Carter, Brown, and Reyes all return along with new JUCO safeties and tall incoming freshmen. Should be an improved group! Defense will again be the strength of UND's team and it will be fun to watch!

Bubba did great things with the defense last year and yet he didn't even have his own recruits. Some of these DBs Bubba has acquired with this class are an absolute improvement over what UND has had since going DI. I'm really excited, as I only expect the defense to get even better moving forward. As for the offense, more playmakers and more offensive linemen. All of that is present in this class so the offense should also only improve. Good things ahead!

Pending any unexpected subtractions, the way this class now sits is really impressive. Bubba and his staff have done both an outstanding job recruiting locally and acquiring DI talent!

Surprisingly ran into this on Hudl. Show's MLB and team captain Will Ratelle's 2014 highlights. He's paced for a big senior season in 2015! Http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1456253/will-ratelle

Would be a good addition. http://www.hudl.com/athlete/2672674/austin-gordon

I think you're spot on. He's an athlete that UND football could use on either the offensive or defensive side of the ball, so his addition would certainly be welcome. With that said, Bubba and staff have done a good job of getting better athletes at WR and DB.

Another potential Braden Hanson? Worth contacting at least... http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2015/01/qb_russell_bellomy_will_transf.html

False. Bubba and his staff have indeed contacted NDSU commits over their first two recruiting seasons. If they didn't do that, I'd be worried.

In all honesty, I agree with this. Aggressive, and ultimately successful, recruiters stay active on recruits they want right up until signing day. Ever heard of flipping a verbal commit? Happens quite often. The fact that Bubba is doing this with NDSU commits is actually encouraging; Mussman and his staff did no such thing and that lack of recruiting effort showed.

Something interesting to ponder: More local representation with this recruiting class should equal greater attendance, right? Obviously winning is most important to attendance, but more local UND student-athletes means more local family and friends.

The main thing to me is that the class contains most if not all positions and possesses local recruits. The rest of the grading, like you mentioned, is wait and see. I'm happy to see Bubba has addressed nearly all positions and many recruits are local. With those two points, I'm fairly pleased with this class given how early it is. Won't know true nature of class for a couple years.

Recruiting is certainly an inexact science. The only ways around that, or to be a consistently good recruiting program, is to recruit the top local prospects year in and year out. That's the only way to nearly guarantee the majority of the class will stick it out and participate their entire eligibility. Attrition kills recruiting and ultimately football programs. When a lack of local recruiting and attrition hits home, it's not good news. Prime examples include Brewster/Minnesota and Mussman/UND.

A player that UND's staff should at least consider to contact. He would get plenty of playing time. http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/26/michigan-rb-justice-hayes-announces-transfer/

So NDSU has the best player development program in FCS history? Got it and thanks for the info. Your unbiased insight is much appreciated....

He sat by an NDSU coach on his flight to ND. That's why he has connections via twitter to NDSU. Also, it's obviously known to UND recruits who the rival is and who is on the schedule next season for the first time in over 10 years. Oh, and Mr. Smith can play more than just DB; he played RB and WR as well.

Waiting to hear how it goes with the Hartness quarterback prospect from Fargo. I'm thinking a class with both Hartness and Heidlebaugh from Rugby would make this class well set at QB. Two ND kids with the potential to be good local QBs for UND.

http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1558079/bryce-blair Nice addition to the offensive line group; need prospects up front to be a physical team.

All in all just a below average coaching staff that couldn't develop. That's why they were pressed to recruit outside the area. Bubba will recruit locally, which is key, and he and his staff will also develop North Dakota and Minnesota kids into contributors, just as NDSU has done over the past years.

This is exactly why I believe the kid from Rugby should have a chance to play QB. If he stays and practices behind Mollberg and Studsrud for three years without ever playing a meaningful down, he may eventually develop into a good homegrown FCS quarterback for UND

Biggest reason for attrition is because they were "foreign" players. By that I of course mean players not from North Dakota and Minnesota that are not overly dedicated to UND football and willing to leave at the first sign of difficulty. Having a majority of ND and MN players best assures full 5 year participation which is needed for championship teams.

Go through NDSU's championship teams and look at all the contributing players from North Dakota and Northern Minnesota. Yes, those players may not come in ready to play like kids from California, Florida, and Chicago, but they're most likely to put in the work, not leave early, and ultimately develop into good players. Believing that North Dakota and northern Minnesota players aren't important is a fallacy and it likely is one of the important reasons why UND is behind NDSU on the football field.

I was reading an article lately and it focused on in-state recruits. For North Dakota, top recruits focus on either UND or NDSU. I thought it would be interesting to have a list of all the top ND recruits and where they are going. The team (NDSU or UND) that wins ND in recruiting will often have the better future. Need to win in-state...