UND-FB-FAN

Bubba *AND* his entire staff, yes. Recruiting is only a start; coaching and development starts after the commitment. The coaching and development part is average, just as is the recruiting. Certainly not above average or championship level. *Now, I’ll admit, the essentially minimum wage that some of UND’s coaches are payed is an absolute barrier and a problem.

I think Entz and Stig both have had grossly superior coaching staffs compared to Bubba’s UND staff. The concern is coaching, but it definitely is a group effort. By no means are the shortcomings entirely on Bubba’s shoulders, but rather the entire staff. SDSU’s offensive coordinator from last year is now head coach at Idaho, which had a good season. Entz is a goofy individual, but has maintained the championship brand at NDSU. As much crap as Tyler Roehl and Hedberg get, including from their own fans, I think they do a mighty fine job. The results speak for themselves.

I mean, I suppose I should be flattered to think my posts on this online forum are the reason that UND is 54-45 with 1 playoff victory over the past 9 seasons. You do make a reasonable argument, though. I’ll hold off on making any critical comments for at least this recruiting cycle. That should make you happy. If UND isn’t winning playoff games in 2023, then we’ll say that the experiment failed and apparently I wasn’t the reason for UND’s mediocrity. Although that will make me a bit disappointed as I guess I won’t be able to take the credit for UND’s woes anymore … If they do start winning playoff games, then I’ll happily stop all posting of criticism/evaluation.

Credit to your initial anecdote providing some context to the winemaking theory. That was nice and insightful. There can be more to the story, no doubt, and perhaps Bubba is a championship-caliber coach who just has got a bad break at Duluth and now UND, without the appropriate support. But let’s be honest; that’s wishful thinking and unlikely. Your opinion is valued, just like everyone’s is. However, interestingly, your smoke and mirror posts continue to cover up a glowing issue. “Our debates won’t be part of those decisions”. So, you’re saying that our opinions (this forum likely has some of the most loyal fans/alumni on it, but we’re perhaps a bit too outspoken. Well, after all, that’s the point of this forum!) won’t be valued. Perhaps the suit coats at UND should value our opinions. The University of North Dakota is a public institution. Albeit I admit it has to occur via different channels than an online forum, obviously. There are several well-educated folks that support UND that have *chosen* to not pursue athletic department leadership, not the other way around. We understand that your opinion is that Bubba has put together a strong staff and Bubba is a strong coach. We understand that he recruits Detroit Lakes and you are satisfied with the recruiting efforts. I respectfully disagree that he is a “strong coach”. He is an average division I coach. The programs at NDSU and SDSU are currently superior. Change will need to be made for UND to supplant these programs. Again, smoke and mirrors to move the conversation away from coaching is a fine tactic, and your opinion is valued, but I don’t agree with it. From an odds perspective, you are right: UND won’t terminate Bubba. It’s not because it’s wrong to terminate him, but rather that UND’s athletic department is financially conservative and does not want to be a national player in football. They have hockey for that. We all will carry on. You have accepted that, and support what you can. That is fine. Others, on this forum, still cling to a pipe dream that one day UND can win another national championship in football. I do as well, and for the time being, will support UND in that quest. But, my opinion is that level of accomplishment will require a change in current football leadership. Again, carry on. Happy Holidays.

You should be recruiting a whole line-up every season, agreed. But the staff sometimes cuts corners on that. Why? Recruiting is hard I guess? -poor Bubba and staff.

When it comes down to it, it’s just poor recruiting. Couple that with poor development, and you get average football. Don’t get me wrong, UND football does average and could always be worse, so some credit there. *BUT* the current staff’s recruiting and development/teaching plan is no where near that of NDSU and SDSU. I’m losing hope that UND can overcome those two programs with the current staff unless NDSU and SDSU both lose their staffs or else some NCAA penalties (for who knows what?) are imposed. Again, waiting for those programs to descend rather than UND just ascending themselves is going to be a long, long wait.

More like where has the culture and standard that developed Digger gone … ? (remember, Digger was part of the last UND streak that was superior to NDSU head-to-head; oh how I long for those times to return)

Did you witness the 2021 game between the two schools? Get your head out of your arse, although I’m sure that’s difficult given how big your head is.

Somewhere along the line, UND forgot how to coach and develop linebacker play. Unbelievable. LB play was god awful this season.

I think there’s a lot in the greater Grand Forks region that actually prefer the ol’ Two-Buck Chuck. Hence, here we are.

Based on what you’re highlighting (see 2016 to 2017, 2021 spring to fall), I worry 2023 could actually be a 6-5 playoff miss season.

Just one playoff win (2021 spring vs Missouri State) over the past 9 seasons. Ouch.

New leadership (different name at head coach) with more aggressive vision, leadership style, and recruiting tactics.

Agreed. Another example of subpar coaching currently for UND.

One final quote from the above link to cement my point. “Coaching is Boise State's Chris Petersen signing players the big boys overlook and winning more than 90 percent of his games. Coaching is the 17 Broncos who have played for Petersen and been drafted by NFL teams. Coaching is Barry Alvarez building a program at Wisconsin, or Chip Kelly taking Oregon from good to great. They didn't have blue chips. They had a clear vision. The top men in the game are as effective in recruiting as they are brilliant in coaching. Bobby Bowden led Florida State to 14 consecutive top-five finishes because he harvested the state's wellspring of talent. In the past four years, Alabama has won three BCS championships and had 13 players selected in the first round of the NFL draft. Like Bowden, Nick Saban found the talent. And like Bowden, Saban developed it. The grapes that grow on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley make the best cabernet sauvignon in the world. But without the right winemaker, all you'd get is another bottle of Two-Buck Chuck. Recruiters work day and night to coax the right players to sign with their school. Only then do coaches begin their work. Recruits are grapes. Recruiters are farmers. Coaches are winemakers.” Bubba may not be going anywhere (certainly not getting terminated), but he better think about either retiring or at least changing some position coaches or his defensive coordinator, because the development right now is crap and the winemaking is awful.

It’s both, but as a rule of thumb, it starts with the players (recruiting), and ends with what the coaching does with it. “It’s not the X’s and O’s, but the Jimmys and the Joes.” WRONG. Coaching puts the average programs over the top. And gets the good programs not just wins, but championships. “Recruiting is Michigan beating Appalachian State. Coaching is Appalachian State beating Michigan.” http://www.espn.com/college-football/hot/_/id/9395142 Why this time of year, every year, are numerous coaches fired and new ones hired. It’s no secret coaching, development, teaching and mentorship is what leads to wins and championships. Not just how many stars you have coming out of high school (which ND high school kids definitely don’t have). Why does UND stick with a staff that has one playoff win in 9 seasons? Simple; money (lack thereof) and expectations (not high enough - hockey). FBS programs and top FCS programs that don’t have these issues clearly would do the obvious; get a new coaching staff. Saying the coaching is not the issue, especially in this era of college football, is pure crap. It’s conservative old-timers puffing smoke and building mirrors. Get better coaches, or else the leadership and development of the impressionable young men that make up UND football won’t accomplish the top tier.

Only so many adjustments that can be made when your front seven is too weak and slow to stop a top FCS running game. Weber State and NDSU just beat up UND’s front seven. With that said, alignment/run fits were all screwed up, so coaching was partly an issue, no doubt.

^fixed your post but in all seriousness, it’s linebacker or bust for him. He has no business being in the defensive secondary, at all. Such a bad safety. I’d go as far as saying the worst UND starting safety in the past 20+ seasons.

The alignment is not the issue, it’s the players and the calls. 3-4 requires different type of players than 4-3. Bottomline, you fit the scheme to the players, not the other way around. With recruiting, you can recruit to the scheme, but the more flexible you are the better. You don’t need “Bama and Georgia level talent” to run a 3-4, you just need the right type of players. The bigger issue is how complicated and rigid the 3-4 system that UND runs is. It’s too complicated right now, and needs to be simplified so the best players - regardless of class or experience - can play.

Georgia.

I actually agree. He wants to retire in Grand Forks. Great guy, and I hope he stays here long term to represent the university and football program, just not as HC. As I said above, hope he hands the keys to Danny Freund. Also wouldn’t mind a nation wide search for new blood, but more likely scenario is the former (promotion of Freund).

Yeah, no crap. That’s what I just wrote. Because he’s multi-year extended and the program is financially decrepit.

Yes, he was deemed the guy after a 5-6 2021 season. Funding football for UND is already an issue, so aimlessly extending coaches so you can’t buy them out is an issue.

Our defensive background head coach, along with Holinka, have gutted our defense. And Chaves extends this after a losing season? I hope Bubba has the balls to hang it up sooner rather than later and hand the keys to Danny Freund. Lost a lot of respect for him from a coaching perspective, but he’s a really nice guy.

I agree