UND-FB-FAN

Yes, both are North Dakota products with similar attributes in my opinion.

I really don't know how you can argue against Dressler and Hardin. They are the top two in both numbers and talent, in my opinion. Now, head-to-head, I'd take Dressler. The deciding factor being he was on winning teams and he is tearing it up in the CFL. Next year, it'll be the NFL. He is negotiating a deal with a NFL team. The team name hasn't been released, but I'd like to speculate it is New England. Could use Weston in a "Wes Welker role" and he'd put up big numbers.

Chapel was a track star on the football field. He was a good DII back with his speed and the impressive OLs UND had at the time, but I don't think he would've been very effective at the DI level. For example, if Jake Miller was playing 7 years ago against DII teams and had a better O-line, he would've consistently ran for over 150 yds/game too.

He is currently unemployed. After Army's embarrassing loss to Navy on Saturday, Army HC Rich Ellerson was fired. Shields should not get consideration in my opinion. http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10143713/army-black-knights-fire-coach-rich-ellerson-five-years

The players do not live with the coach. The coach cannot be responsible for everything the players do. If you think that is possible, you have unrealistic expectations.

Pflugrad did not promote a culture at Montana that endorsed sexual assault. Not all of the players can be controlled at all times. Obviously supervision and guidance are important responsibilities of a head football coach, but as anyone with common sense knows, it is impossible to regulate absolutely everyone. Yes, it is true that head coaches recruit the players they want to represent their university, but unexpected circumstances arise in college athletics all the time. Some students change, sometimes unpredictability, when moving away from home and gaining more freedom at college. In the particular case of Pflugrad, the majority of the sexual assaults that allegedly occurred under his supervision were by players he did not recruit. Furthermore, he did communicate with his superiors regarding the inappropriate actions. Nevertheless, when the president found out about the instances at question, he resorted to blaming only the athletic direction and head coach (Pflugrad). That in its own right is peculiar. Across the county, high-character, successful coaches have to deal with their players and legal troubles all the time. For example, if the late Joe Paterno were still living (and perhaps in his 60s) and applied for the job, would you not want to hire him because he has "baggage"? I realize Paterno didn't have the major legal problem with any players, but the point still remains. If Jim Tressel applied, would he have "baggage" because he was the coach of Maurice Clarett and sanctioned by the NCAA? Pflugrad probably won't get a head coaching opportunity for quite some time, and perhaps he never will, but he definitely should not be looked at as a criminal with no regard for university compliance and academics. Even though at Montana Pflugrad had a stable athletic program on-the-field, the out-of-control off-the-field antics were too unpredictable and they ultimately cost him his job.

Patiently waiting... Let there be faith in Faison.

But all of that still doesn't make me want to wait over a month for a new coach. So people honestly believe if Pflugrad was hired, Grand Forks would suddenly have more rapes than Williston? That's nonsense. There's other quality leaders out there, just not on the list.

You know, I agree also. If Faison has a big name he is set on, then this wait is a bit more acceptable and validated. However, if he is strictly hiring someone off of the list, then this process has been a joke. I can still see how it would take over a month, because phone interviews and on-campus interviews still have to happen after the 15-day posting period. Nevertheless, taking over a month is way too long. Look at the list, take five days to interview top 3, and get it done. There is a benefit to getting this thing done early! Stability and future direction is important to not only supporters, but also the players. Oh, and also recruiting! If not Pflugrad, I want someone not on the list. But I'm expecting someone on the list to be hired, and that means the duration of this process has been plain ridiculous.

You expect that to continue? That was simply an aberration.

Without a coaching staff in place, there won't be much movement on the recruiting front. Also, plenty of new offers will surface when the new staff is in place.

Doubtful Bubba would hire Pflugrad. No prior connections and Bubba likely doesn't support the kind of offense Pflugrad runs.

Far too many rumors swirling around right now to have a quality discussion. I imagine this week there might be some on-campus interviews. That should provide some more information. I'm hoping a new coach is hired before Christmas, which would probably be a week from tomorrow (Dec. 23). There's no question though, when compared to other universities, this process has taken far too long.

How do you know that's why Tibesar didn't take the position? Is that the same for Bollinger? And Pflugrad was on Weber State's staff for only one year. Even though Weber didn't hire Pflugrad, they did hire a long-time Utah assistant with plenty of FBS experience. Thinking the coach they hired is more qualified than Pflugrad is perfectly rational. However, hiring a FCS coordinator with no FBS experience is questionable.

Who would have thought UND having a winning football program would be a headache? I guess the hockey only people would maybe think that... The more I analyze/correlate the on-the-field results and the expectations of some "supporters", the more I think mediocre is all UND football has to look forward to in the DI era. Possibly reasons why ex-associates, like Tibesar and Bollinger, don't even look twice at the job. Hockey. Hockey. Hockey. Canada. Canada. Canada. I'll save the rest until the actual hire is made. I digress.

You'd be fine with hiring a guy with a .500 record as a head coach, mediocre FCS coordinator success, and no FBS experience over someone who was scapegoated, never charged with a formal crime, and led a Big Sky team to the FCS playoff semi-finals just two years ago? That mindset is troubling. It's reliance on the idea we can only hire coaches with close connections to the program that will ultimately never get this program anywhere. Eventually this athletic department has to get ambitious and hire a legitimate DI head coach candidate. Otherwise UND will continue to be only a hockey school during the DI era.

Central Michigan offensive coordinator Mike Cummings should be in the top 9. I wouldn't be too disappointed if he got it. Also, he has recruiting coordinator experience at Marshall. Ironic since McComas, the video game applicant, is associated with Marshall.

Common sense tells me the entire 2011 Montana staff should have been removed if the football PROGRAM was responsible for concealing inappropriate player behavior. The fact only Pflugrad was fired, and one of his assistants was promoted to head coach, says a whole lot about what happened in Missoula. Nevertheless, I guess UND will be going with the "pretty boy" in this process, which will likely end up being Bubba Schweigert. Bubba will have to prove he can be a successful head coach. His UM-Duluth teams didn't start playing "big boy" football until he left; coincidence or not?

Maybe to a robot or the mechanized human resources process that goes on at UND... I agree that what happened in Montana does bring up some issues, I suppose. But I still think his credentials should have got him an on-campus interview. Not saying he should be downright hired, although he is my favorite, but his past success should have warranted an interview in my opinion.

If Pflugrad didn't make it into the top 9, then this hiring process certainly has some flaws.

Mills would be a okay candidate. His DC experience at New Mexico and assistant experience at Washington should help. Only problem being his New Mexico defenses were pathetic. Also, Mills is unemployed right now, so a salary number around 180k should be more than fine. His defense at New Mexico this year was so horrible it got him fired. http://sports.yahoo.com/news/unm-coach-defensive-coordinator-not-000825948--ncaaf.html

A national search probably shouldn't end up with Bubba. He has had limited success as a head coach and FCS coordinator, and no FBS experience. The reason you conduct a national search is to find a qualified, experienced coach that doesn't necessarily have connections to UND. I'm still holding out hope that a national SEARCH means Faison will go out and hire someone he knows through his network. But, I have a feeling, Bubba Schweigert will be the guy.

I don't expect the program to compete for a conference title for a few years, but they shouldn't get blown out by conference opponents starting next season. Preventing blowouts against Big Sky teams is all about discipline and the mindset of the team. If the new coach is gonna right the ship, the first thing they need to take care of is the discipline and mindset (instill a winning one) of the team when they get here.

How do you know that subsequent success at UMD wasn't because of Bob Nielson, who now already has a head coaching job. Bottom line is Bubba was not at Duluth when they started winning titles.

Probably.