UND-FB-FAN

@ SDSU and @UNI went horribly. SDSU is very good FCS team. Starting to look like UNI is as well. Murray State not so much, but still that game was close in the second half due to errors on defense. This @ USD game seems it will either be a blow out win for USD or UND will somehow eke out a close win. Usually, based on that, it’s somewhere in between: a close loss for UND. Hope I’m wrong, want the Illinois State game to mean more with a chance to go 8-3, but anytime those fun follow-up home game opportunities present themselves, Bubba’s teams know exactly how to piss it down their legs. I want to eat crow .. make me eat crow.

Why’s there a dead horse? That should be the focus.

He was an awful head coach for the qualities you mentioned. UND athletic department didn’t do him any favors, but Mussman didn’t do anything to change that, either. Happy UND moved on in 2013. Bubba has helped rally more support for football, but now he’s entered the era where the only thing left to do to increase that support is win big games. Change is inevitable - we’ve now reached another point in time (after this season) where change is again necessary.

You got it! On to USD.

He mentioned in his post the team could not win more than 5 games for a “few years” before Bubba. Team has a quality win versus NDSU. That counts. Need to beat USD next weekend or else it will be same situation as last season and 2019 (7-4) and we know how those postseason chances ended quite abruptly.

Depth could always be better, and we’ve been saying that for over a decade.

You’re purposely not reading at this point. That’s on you. Read @108498’s post, which I responded to. Even if 8 wins is the bar, will UND get there this year? They haven’t hit 8 wins since 2016… Decade by decade

Well, I don’t think anyone honesty thought we’d go the entire season without winning a road game. If that truly is where our mindset it at, that says more than anything.

UND needs to secure those guys.

Ok dude. You do you. Not my bar and never said that. You’re off on a tangent now. I don’t care about Mussman football currently, those teams were awful and that’s well in the past. UND football CURRENTLY with Schweigert is not good enough if you’d like to see UND football win a championship. Fargo, ND and Brookings, SD can do it, but how about Grand Forks?

Majority of starters are still in place. Losing Ziebarth and McNaboe hurts, but other teams have injuries also. Doesn’t only affect UND. Need to coach up the younger guys and know how to overcome it. Having your starters on return teams a decision worth questioning? Can’t continually play the “poor me” game.

I’m not arguing that point. I was just responding to a different posters (@108498) opinion/post, which I feel incorrectly portrays the situation and tries to inappropriately deescalate the pressure on UND’s current head coach. My post: “2011 Mussman team was still quite awful- definitely not my bar - but they did win more games than Bubba’s first two seasons. “

Agreed, that is the odds on favorite. Same record as 2022. But net progress depicted because beat NDSU in 2023. Onward to 2024. Lots of home games. Decade by decade moves on. 2025 head coach contract expires.

Simply responding to the previous post which erroneously stated UND couldn’t win anything prior to Bubba. “The team finished 2013 with just 3 wins and couldn't break 5 wins for several years” 2011 Mussman team was still quite awful- definitely not my bar - but they did win more games than Bubba’s first two seasons.

Been some victories, been some losses. There’s been some fun times between 2014-2023, heck just this year against NDSU, but what UND is consistently doing is not currently championship level. Look at the product on the field. I agree it’s better now than in 2014, but it’s not anywhere close to being championship level. Can’t win big games, can’t win playoff games. Can’t recruit enough big time players. Can’t make big time decisions in big games, can’t lead/excite the team. Too many mistakes. Just look At yesterday’s game @ Murray State. The depth talk has been regurgitated endlessly over the past 5-7 years as an explanation, it’s not the whole story. Trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is (insanity) the challenge. Need to change things up and that’s on Chaves; it’s his job. But there’s no pressure on him at all; the cash cow is hockey and that is all that matters it seems, especially with blind extensions. No vision for championships. Like I said, painfully consistent is the name of the game until some change happens.

agreed, foundation set, need someone else to provide the finishing touches. Chaves and Bubba need to sit down and iron this thing out. Waiting until after 2025 is going to be painful, and it’s all on Chaves and his aimless extension.

They hit a ceiling, years ago. Your comments make me think you’re either biased and/or misinformed, because your comments are generalized and almost non-factual. It’s been 10 years. How far has the team truly come? Anyone actually watching this program has seen 5-7 in 2014 turn into perennial 7-4 and no playoff wins. They have not made substantial progress despite what some try to portray. “I understand the frustration that the team hasn't been past the 1st round of the playoffs much, but Bubba has taken the team there a few times. “ - they have only won one playoff game. EVER. During an asterisk season in spring 2021. Bubba has not been able to transform UND into a championship caliber program, period. They can’t win playoff games and routinely miss the playoffs. UND was winning more than 5 games prior to Bubba. Mussman got UND to 8 wins in 2011. It’s not some impossible task to get UND football to FCS championship level (see South Dakota State); but it requires a certain effort and talent to get them there. Bubba is at the end of his career, and the projection is well established at year 10; he’s not that guy.

Terrible in 2014, yes, but not significantly better in 2023. 1 playoff win in 10 seasons. The point of reflecting back to 2014 is brought up to actually prove a point/argument. You need to know where you’ve been to know where you’re going. Been 10 seasons with 1 playoff win and a couple extensions; I don’t know why UND’s athletic department can be so fragile. Hyper-focused on ice puck? No true vision or expectation of excellence for FB at UND? Sure, tons of stability with Bubba as HC, but no willingness to take any risks is mind-boggling and a blatant mistake by Chaves/UND AD.

No you didn’t. Quantifying my post is irrelevant to the message.

No playmakers - sure, I agree - but do you need playmakers to stop a 2-6 team on 4th&24?? A: No. you need a well coached, disciplined team with good fundamentals (can tackle in space). That is not the UND defense right now.

Good. I did say it is not too challenging of a concept.

Have you tried to think beyond that. It’s because the program never changes. You’re grandstanding beating 2-6 Murray State. Okay. Same mediocre program that can’t win on the road, can’t win playoff games, etc. Why would my narrative change when the program doesn’t change. No confidence that UND can win @USD or win a road playoff game; no confidence back in 2014 (Bubba’s first season) and no confidence now in 2023. But I sure do hope it happens because I do believe in miracles/upsets.

We all feel this way because UND has regressed since beating NDSU instead of riding the momentum and taking the next step forward. That is pathetic and an embarrassment that falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaches. Now, you could say UND is 2-1 since beating NDSU, but if you watch the games and have any idea how the game of football works, do you honestly think UND has improved the entire season or is capable of beating NDSU in Fargo? Of course not. New leadership / new head coach for UND football needed.

Not too challenging of a concept. -Bubba under contract until 2025 - UND is awful on the road and has one 1 playoff game win in the past 10 years of Bubba being head coach (I repeat, one win in the past 10 seasons!). -UND defense in 2023 is bad. -Danny Freund is associate head coach and OC. He is next in-line for HC job if Bubba were to leave before his contract expires (or even if contract expires) and ask that job go to current staff member. - ultimately, I agree an open competition (job opening) would be the best for UND football, but would that happen with Chaves given the above? Chaves extended Bubba Schweigert in 2021 despite going 5-6 and the team has not shown substantial improvement since. 1 playoff appearance since 2021 extension; only 1 playoff win for Bubba as HC in an asterisk season of 2020 (spring 2021 COVID season where several programs weren’t participating and several games were canceled). To be enamored with the current (and previous decade plus) leadership is impossible unless you’re significantly biased or misinformed. - UND football needs new leadership if you want to see UND be a true national championship contender.

I’ll admit, they’ve regressed some, but they’ll reload, so UND needs to keep pushing