UND-FB-FAN

so NDSU is bad, but so is UND… unfortunately a bad NDSU is still likely better than a bad UND …

Yeah, right … I’m sure the players would love playing in an empty Alerus Center … Oddly enough (and to prove you’re delusional), the fans and the home field advantage on Saturday is the ONLY reason UND might pull off the upset on Saturday. No chance this current UND fb program with “deer in headlights” coaching staff during big games could win in Fargo.

Good, thanks for the reassurance (FYI my comment wasn’t directed towards anyone playing the actual game)

Agree with the underperformance on the road, which is a major recurrence. The pattern concerns inadequate coaching.

This team you speak of went 5-6 … and Bubba was extended. So, according to the administration, you’re not wrong; they think 5–6 is good also.

Intangibles. One has won a championship, while the other recurrently falters in big games/moments. Time to flip the script

If UND thinks they can win simply because NDSU has fallen down to the pack, then this will get ugly. It’s been steadfast and true ever since NDSU started their run, that for UND to beat NDSU, UND will need to rise to the occasion, not wait for NDSU to fall. As much as I hate NDSU, they are aggressive with their football program, whereas UND institutes mediocre coaches and extends them after losing seasons. Major difference. Only hope is that Saturday has a very strong pro-UND crowd on hand and that raises the level of play from all the UND boys. I don’t see the coaches suddenly “flipping the switch” in terms of their demeanor and decision-making in big games. They’ll coach on eggshells as per usual.

Exception to the rule, not the norm. This is a deceiving argument. In all honesty, who would you rather have? 99 out of 100 would say Marino and the 1 who says Dilfer just likes to argue. UND is playing with a Dilfer right now.

Funny thing is this narrative to support Schuster is false; see 2021 NDSU, 2023 Boise State, 2023 SDSU, etc., etc.,

This type of pathological justification amongst UND supporters is a major reason we are still doubting ourselves in 2023 … enabling a mediocre at best coaching staff to have lifetime contracts for UND.

Because the team (and “leaders” of this team) have been awful in big games, year after year after year

#Decadebydecade Maybe by Bubba’s 91st birthday we’ll find a way to figure it out

A loss- all losses are bad.

This is not just another game. This is completely false. Coaches and players have it circled. They know it’s a full house, especially at the Alerus Center. It’s the only opponent that sells out the Alerus… UND players know and recognize it. It’s a big game

They are awful. The ag bumpkin who sat behind me at 2021 NDSU@UND was quiet the whole game but turned into a damn bugler in the 4th quarter: “Luepke, Luepke, Luepke!”… my God, please just beat these cocky b*stards to the south, just please.

Don’t care what UND wears … just win the damn game. If they have beautiful gray helmets/jerseys and throwback green jerseys but get beat I don’t think I’ll care. I’m all about UND kicking the ag schools you know what and I’ll be there for it, but I have minimal confidence in Bubba and this staff winning a big game. Will the players be prepared? Will they be confident? Will the coaches even be confident? I suspect more “deer in the headlight” looks …

Yup

Not the coaches? The team got blown out… multiple times. Coaches play a major part in that. How to improve it? Care a little. UND staff doesn’t try improve it. They’ve been given ideas, but ignore the horrible product. This isn’t a new issue. Been a problem for several years. There’s been committees built to try solve the problem. This won’t improve by 2024. It will take new people or a new large-scale initiative.

Figures … UND game day staff don’t put in the effort to bolster the game day experience at the Alerus - likely intentionally in order to relatively emphasize hockey - which is pathetic. The hockey culture around here is borderline pathological, but it is what it is. To be fair, UND football needs to start to win the big games to grab onto the crowd, but the administration is also set in its ways preventing both success on the field and off the field in terms of fan hype. I still can’t believe how pathetic the team entrance is and how petty the in-game production is at times. Oh well, maybe next year. Again, comes down to simply vision and effort, both lacking.

Anyone who has coached at a high level will tell you the losses hurt more than the wins feel good. It’s all about ongoing progress/development; not settling for the status quo. Unfortunately, settling for the status quo has been all the rage of late around UND football.

Did anyone expect UND to not blow out Western Illinois? C’mon man

eeesh let’s just hope the players are ready to go. Fans will be, I know… they’ll get the team ready to go at least.

Predicable. Getting crushed in Boise and Brookings will do that. Some redemption potential vs NDSU next weekend …

What else is new? It’s ridiculous but they just don’t care …

Agreed. Winning fuels support and attendance, but us diehards (like the ones on this site) will be there through the ups and downs. This is evidenced by the last 10-15 years. Due to the importance of winning that is placed on UND in this region (it’s different other places e.g., Nebraska), most people don’t care that Boise State is the Mountain West favorite or that SDSU is #1 FCS team; they just care that UND is not 4-0 and is 2-2, and UND got blown out the last two games on the scoreboard. As such, I suspect poor attendance today vs WIU (9000 or less) but that will rebound with the big one next weekend vs NDSU.