UND-FB-FAN

It’s all relative in sports and competition.

All that matters. Shut ‘er down when you get there. Staff don’t like the spotlight. Bad attribute to have …

Correct. They also have a track record of doing it so others want to join that coach. Recruiting is important, and good coaches are good at this, partly because their track record speaks for itself. Are we at that point? Of course not. After 10 years, our current staff is seen from the outside as average at best, and unable to get out of their own way when opportunity presents itself to take the next step. One step forward (beat NDSU), one step back (shut out the next week). One step forward (make playoffs), one step back (lose at home after uproar about not hosting home playoff game the previous season). One step forward (seeded playoff team in 2016), one step back (lose at home right away in 2016 when seeded, follow it up in 2017 with losing season). One step forward (MVFC champs in pandemic year), one step back (losing season in 2021, the next season). So many examples of why this staff epitomizes mediocrity. Back to your original point; a good coach can identify potential and enhance it. That is also what good teachers do. The football “teachers” at UND aren’t finding and developing enough diamonds in the rough. Consistency is lacking.

There will likely be *changes* after 2024.. I think we’re in for a rough year in 2024, since it was inexplicably felt that extending an average coach after a losing season (2021) would somehow work out …

NDSU at the same place as UND right now … not in the playoffs/championship game. Recruiting TBD Facts are facts … but they can be tough to fathom if you’re an NDSU associate …

49-24 63-50-3

Doesn’t matter what we want at this point. Coaching staff is staying together for 2024. Fork in the road coming up though - does the team get better or worse? I see the latter with subsequent changes thereafter, but we’ll see.

2024 might be the final nail in the coffin. We’ll see.

And that’s why they’re labeled “raw but talented”. There certainly is risk that one or both of them don’t work out, but it’s worth the risk given athletic potential. They just need to buy in and transform into DI football players. The new strength and conditioning coach/program will be crucial, and that is an unknown right now. As for current coaching staff, we know what we’re going to get from them from X’s and O’s standpoint by this point, not to mention leadership (mainly lack thereof) in big games, but I’ll just leave that alone for right now …

In-house promotions is partly why UND is in the current mess* they are in … so I agree completely. * by mess I mean not being able to fully capitalize

Not going well …

Well, what a turn of events. I wonder if everyone will be OK?

You’re the one who responded with a simple “spews BS“ response. The people who you don’t agree with are the ones who often have logical explanations associated with their posts. Overall, it seems like the one spewing “BS“ is actually the one with a short fuse. As for downvotes, ever think you may deserve them?

Agreed it’s most likely, but definitely not the best. If NDSU operated like UND has/does, they would’ve promoted their offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl. Instead, they hire former NDSU offensive coordinator and most recent Wyoming OC Tim Polasek… Freund most likely to get HC job at UND down the road, but remember, UND also has a recent coordinator that is now a coordinator at a Mountain West school … yeah ok… too aggressive for UND to ever dare to do something like that ….

A lot of variables to pass pro, though, such as whether or not you should be passing it to begin with … Or whether to throw hot or stick with it downfield … which falls on the trigger man himself.

Sure, but have to be willing to replace them as starters. So much easier to extend after a losing season …

Elevate his role somehow? Co-OC? All sounds nice but … Bottomline is pay him more and recognize his importance or lose him. Doesn’t help the coach on current staff that is paid the most happens to be quite expendable.

Probably shouldn’t be on a fan site if you get that easily annoyed, but that’s just my two cents. Oh, and I still assume friend or family.

Family or friend?

Maybe have Pawlak go to OC and Freund go to HC? If UND continues to lose coaches to NDSU all while failing to move on from mediocre coaches, then, well, UND will continue to be mediocre. Again, you either change and keep up with the times or get left behind.

Agree with Freund and Pawlak for sure. Hiring of OL coach Pawlak, which was coordinated by then newly promoted OC Freund, is probably the best staff hire of Bubba’s tenure. The other coaching changes have mostly felt like forced internal promotions, largely on the defensive side of the ball. Minimal outside influence has hurt this group, and here we are; awful defense in 2022 and 2023. Surprise? I think not. Joe Pawlak was hired from University of Iowa, and it’s no surprise that diversity and outside influence has paid dividends. Wonder if other outside influence / diverse hires would be worth it? Hmm …?? You either change and keep up with the times or get left behind.

Per Tom Miller article: https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/college/unds-2024-recruiting-class-stresses-offensive-line-emphasis?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar

Could be looked at like a Scapegoat move. Something had to be done in 2018 (missed playoffs two years in a row after a conference championship), so Rudolph and Knauf let go. Something needed to be done now this year (squandering second 1/2 of season), so Baukol let go. But never ever would the head coach be held accountable … God forbid…

Some change confirmed. Wish Nate Baukol well in his future endeavors, but this is the minimum amount of change justified for UND football at this time. Likely more - much more - is needed, but this is at least a start.

Perhaps not a bad arrangement. Many schools around the country (of course most all FBS) where the head football coach carries way more weight than the AD.