UND-FB-FAN

Since you have a difficult time understanding context, I'll clarify for you. The term "prick" represents his rather unfortunate (and disgraceful) demeanor and response to what Paul Ralston innocently said a couple seasons ago. Also, his lack of community involvement is troubling, and it may portray being a "prick". As for being an "idiot", I in no way claim to know Mr. Jones personally; however, I have been able to witness and assess his line of work and I feel his teams have consistently shown ineptitude. For that, I feel Mr. Jones, in terms of basketball coaching, is an "idiot" at the DI coaching level. As revealed above, apparently Steve Alford at Iowa thought the same.

Certainly appears the hiring of Jones was questionable at the beginning. I just think a MBB coach should have some head coaching success before being hired as a DI coach. Jones apparently had negative reviews before even being hired. It's his time to go. A decade of Brian Jones would be too much for any ambitious DI basketball program.

How about hire a basketball coach with previous collegiate head coaching experience (probably at the DII level for affordability purposes) and head coaching success (winning HC record). Jones had no collegiate head coaching experience prior to being hired at UND. It was a shot in the dark to hire him and I think there are a lot better coaches out there that would be willing to coach at UND.

Well, I'm sure if Estan Tyler would've played, the rebounding would've been way better........ Nothing new. This team is just plain BAD.

For those who missed it, Northern Arizona has an Adidas apparel contract so let's hope their shoes give out....... I'm sure Jones is banking on it.....

The linebacking corps will be solid this season. OLBs Sr. Dayo Idowu - guy can both get pressure off the edge and play the run; showed that last season by getting sacks, TFLs, and even interceptions off batted passes. Idowu is a great example of what Bubba and Coach Schmidt want from their OLBs. Remember that game-winning tackle on Homecoming against Portland State last season? Jr. Brian Labat - made a big jump from 2013 to 2014. At almost 230 lbs., he has the frame to be a great run stuffer as well as a pass rusher. Will definitely be the other OLB starter opposite of Idowu. So Jake Disterhaupt - As a RFr., Disterhaupt was a solid rotational player last season. He will continue to log good minutes for the defense. His time playing safety helped him a bit, as he had some nice interceptions last season. Sr. Javen Butler - Consistently a fan favorite to do big things considering his frame and athleticism, 2015 will be his last shot. I think he will be utilized well by Coach Schmidt and will be put in favorable pass rushing situations so he can get after the QB in 2015. Also a good special teams guy. RFr. Dylan Harmston - Athletic kid coming out of high school, I imagine he will see the field this season as a special teams contributor and in a backup OLB role on pass rushing opportunities. TRUE FRESHMEN: Mason Bennett, Jade Lawrence, Keelan Poole Nice incoming class of OLBs coming in; although its possible one of them could have their shirt lifted, I think the returning players provide enough depth to keep that from happening. All three true freshmen are talented though and have a lot of potential. ILBs Sr. WIll Ratelle - best player on UND's defense last season and I see no reason for him not to be that again in 2015. Can stop the run as well as anyone on the team and can even get back and play good coverage. Another 100+ tackle season for him. Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1456253/will-ratelle Jr. Taj Rich - By rights, Rich had a surprisingly good season in 2014. He will be a crucial piece in both 2015 and 2016. Has the ability to rack up tackles and get after the QB; a real nice asset to have playing alongside Ratelle in Bubba's defense. So. Connor O'Brien - Played sparingly last season and will almost certainly continue to get reps spelling Ratelle and/or Rich. Young player with a bright future. Jr. Dylan Bakker - Red-shirted last season and will likely see the field in 2015 as a backup ILB and special teams guy. Adds key depth to the ILB position. RFr. Tahje Hartley - hard to know what Hartley will bring to the table in 2015, but again, he's a guy with potential and hopefully a bright future. TRUE FRESHMEN: Troy Hansen, Donnell Rodgers Both Hansen and Rodgers are athletic guys that are the perfect mold for Bubba's and Schmidt's defense. Same as the OLB freshmen, I don't think Hansen and Rodgers will get their shirt pulled because of the players returning, but they will be crucial pieces down the road. Bottom-line: Very solid group of linebackers in 2015 with both experience and talent/athleticism. LBs make Bubba's pressure defense "click", so expectations for the defense should be high in 2015.

Still a little too early to tell for sure, but his work ethic and mindset are early indications he will be "the guy" for the UND running attack this season. After spring ball, everyone should have a better idea what he will bring to the table.

UND Football Memory Lane: Early 2000s UND football I was talking to a long-time Grand Forks (actually EGF) resident and sports fan yesterday for a bit. We hit on a few points regarding UND football that were exciting to me. By no means is my buddy a die-hard UND football fan, nor is he particularly biased to any one sport; however, he mentioned how during 2001 and 2003 (and shortly after), when the Alerus was filling up for home playoff games, the atmosphere was better than anything else Grand Forks could possibly muster, including UND hockey. Such an idealization should excite folks for the near future. If UND can earn some home playoff games, it will be a hot ticket in Grand Forks. There's no question UND football and the Grand Forks community have a relationship that requires a winner. Once playoff games are hosted, fans will show up in both support and curiosity at the new-found winning product Bubba has put on the field. Good times are ahead for UND football, and one can only hope the noise and excitement experienced in 2001 at the Alerus Center will be returning sooner rather than later. Please share any memories from these past exciting years, and also post any thoughts regarding the promising future of UND football support.

How else would you explain the source of the unnecessary outrage Jones demonstrated when Paul Ralston innocently and mistakingly said the word "choke job"? And of course, that was right after UND MBB and Jones, of course, had choked versus NAU. How many public out reaches has Jones done in the GF community? I don't see him around much, and I certainly don't see many, including myself, carrying up a friendly conversation with him. And then you go ahead and accuse me of, well, assaulting someone and then fleeing? That must be a joke, because that's quite hilarious. It's quite entertaining to hear all this support without any justifying cause; it's really nothing more than bored individuals playing devil's advocate. Lastly, I'd certainly like an explanation as to why I'm a "jackwagon", because I honestly doubt you'll have anything competent to say.

Coaches can't win games on their own. Players win games and lose games; however, coaches can lose games. Explanation: bad players put in the right position will still lose; good players put in bad positions may still win; good players put in good position consistently win. Worst combination is obviously bad players and bad positioning/coaching. UND MBB under Jones has been good players in bad positions, and as a result, UND MBB has won some, lost some (.500) - nothing else.

Put a fork in UND men's basketball this season. Simple and done with. UND MBB and Jones better improve next season like some on here swear they will, or else Jones NEEDS to go. Jones is a prick and an idiot; he doesn't deserve to hold an honorable and impressionable head coaching position at THE University of North Dakota.

That's the general philosophy of the defense; bring 5 to 6 guys consistently leaving 5 in coverage with zero coverage or cover 1 over the top. It's not unusual for many successful FBS defenses, including Stanford, Alabama, and Florida, to name a few. UND's passing defense was suspect due to the personnel in the backend. Thankfully, that's been improved this offseason. Stop trying to troll. I think what you meant to say is not many teams that could pass, because if they could run, it would still play into the strength of the defensive philosophy. Get what I'm saying, Bison "the troll" Dan? UND improved defensively, just get over it. Also, for a league that's not very good, it still got in 3 teams into the FCS playoffs. That's not too bad if you ask me. There's a difference between good and bad, just so you know.

UND's basketball facilities need a lot of work. Doesn't help UND hockey has top-notch and it's all right next door... Produces an easy relative comparison.

Always urged to redundantly mention your superior IQ; not surprising. Perhaps you could enlighten us in terms of the dynamics regarding the relationship of IQ scores and college basketball coaching assessments?

Excellent? UND went 1-3 against Montana and 0-6 versus Weber State during the first two Big Sky Conference seasons. Also, considering it was the junior and senior seasons of Huff, Schuler, Webb, and Anderson, UND should have performed better than those players and Jones did in 2010-2011, when all those players were freshmen. No improvement at all for Jones' squad. Ultimately, in their first two Big Sky Conference seasons, UND MBB was not good versus OOC competition and against top tier BSC teams.

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.