UND-FB-FAN

Nebraska learned the lesson that 1) you need a larger sample size than 2 (seasons) 2) you preferably need to see someone do it at the P5 level elsewhere first But it’s a challenge. Extrapolating that to UND, you would have to hire someone with multiple successful D2 seasons and/or someone who’s been a winning head coach at the FCS level. There’s not a ton out there that fits that bill, so there’s always a risk.

They don’t prevent success but they don’t support success. Sure, I’ll buy that, but it’s a fine line.

Wrong and wrong. UND is not D2. They are FCS. There is a division II classification football and UND is not in that. Get your facts straight before you even attempt to pollute conversation with your biased garbage. And there are plenty of people- like yourself - who identify UND athletics as solely a hockey program and nothing else. If anyone needs help, it’s the guy who willingly identifies as “frozen 4 Sioux” … man you’re delusional and out of touch with reality. But, if you stay in a small bubble around northeast ND and northwest MN, you can manage, I suppose.

See point #2. We’re saying the same thing at this point.

Comprehensive reading isn’t your strong suit. 1) I never said Bubba and his staff are directly the reason HPC phase 2 is not funded. With that said, it is on track to be funded within the next year or two, so settle down. 2) The fact there even is a “hockey only crowd” is a detriment to UND athletics. You won’t be able to convince me or anyone successful in collegiate athletics elsewhere otherwise. 3) I’ve already said blindly donating to UND athletics is pointless if the overall strategic plan is not well thought out. 4) Any conversations I’ve had or will have with anyone in the UND athletic department will certainly not be shared with “Sioux>Bison”

You’re right, but it’s not just the material tools, I’m afraid. Maybe this year, in year 9, he’ll figure it out. I’ll be watching.

It’s interesting that the support, albeit well intended, may actually be preventing UND football from taking the next step. Let’s see how the remainder of the season goes. I’m not convinced UND will take the next step (win the conference, beat NDSU, compete for championships) trying the same thing over and over. The previous 8 seasons have already shown us what this football staff is capable of.

Finite number of resources, and they go to hockey. Tough to win when you don’t demonstrate a commitment via salary pool or facilities, which requires resources. The success follows the commitment.

Certainly not a bad idea. Tim Belmore is a great guy. But all in all, the current alumni framework of Tim and Mike Mannausau are all guys from the past that protect Bubba and his staff. I mean, why else would Bubba get extended to 2025 after going 5-6? That kind of decision is baffling to me, and very, very frustrating. I’ll continue to support the program and be at games. I’ll continue to give, but wait a bit on doing more until I’m proved otherwise.

Would love to give more (I donate some the way it is) but it’s not because I don’t have more, but rather because I’m very skeptical of the direction of the program with Chaves. I’m very afraid the program is currently about hockey and nothing else. They ignorantly fail to realize the importance of growing a successful football program, which is by far the most popular sport in the USA, including ND/MN. I think UND is heavily influenced by a couple immoral donors in Vegas with the big bucks, that care more about themselves and their image than what UND and Grand Forks, ND actually could develop into. I hope one day I’m convinced the direction is righted.

You realize Bubba once was a D2 coach, right? Kalen DeBoer, once a NAIA coach, was the finalist with Bubba for the job in 2013, and now he is coaching PAC-12 Washington and is 4-0 this season thus far. You have to start somewhere. Criticizing someone rising through the ranks from D2 is actually critical to UND’s current football program, given it’s made up entirely of former D2 coaches/players. Also, it’s about building the culture beyond just going 5-6 or 6-5 every season. And it’s about how you develop and use the kids from this region; certainly not about how many stars they have coming out of H.S. It’s not just about “getting kids to GF” as you so simply put it.

The orders come from folks that want hockey on top, and only hockey, hence the constant turmoil with the nickname/logo and also internal conflict with hockey vs other programs. Think Vegas… These constant internal battles at UND make it beyond difficult for UND to consistently win on the field/court against *OTHER* institutions.

A lot of UND’s current recruits with this staff are just DII prospects - no competing DI offers. But there are some battles out there that UND could perhaps win with new coaches. New connections, new areas/geography, sure. But it goes beyond just that, so I wouldn’t make it so simplistic. Bubba isn’t the best recruiter by any means. You need to be able to make great relationships, develop a winning/championship culture, even more so in this day and age, you need to be able to utilize the transfer portal.

This is a scapegoat argument, I’m afraid. Many on this board, myself included, could write a check. Perhaps not for 6 figures, but 5 figures for starters, but why should I write said check if the administration hasn’t convinced me they have the decision-making capability or commitment to football to correctly utilize alumni donations. Many of the issues are beyond dollars. These include proving a commitment to football, hiring the right coach/coaching staff, such as not requiring a previous connection to UND, and not extending coaches that haven’t earned it. For example, UND extended Bubba after a 5-6 losing season in 2021. That screams mediocrity. I know you understand what NDSU’s football success has done for their university and following. UND needs to garner the same thing; the hockey program has plateaued and UND isn’t going to grow anymore with just that program in a vacuum.

The search area doesn’t just need to be in North Dakota/Minnesota. That’s the kind of small minded approach that keeps UND football a non-contender. If you look at the top D2 coaches, who have led winning programs for at least a couple years, they aren’t way off, though, either; includes places like Michigan and Missouri.

That’s not entirely true, but I get your point. Interestingly, both hired “their own” and it didn’t work out.

I slept on it. This still was a very bad conference loss. The season is far from over, but it projects poorly on how the season will go. Need better players. Need better coaching. Need higher expectations. Need a championship culture, not just a winning one. It’s one thing to lose, but it’s another to be down big the entire game. And I’m sorry, but I can’t give SIU that much credit. Northwestern is a bad Big Ten team (barely beat Nebraska and lost to Miami (OH) yesterday) and SIU lost to two FCS teams to start the season. This loss was predictable based on past seasons under Bubba. Sure, we all will “see how it plays out”, but my guess is UND goes either 6-5 or 7-4 (although a losing season isn’t out of the question if Bubba’s group implodes like they did in 2017). Playoffs is a possibility, but this team isn’t going far. Same old UND football with Bubba and Chaves’ leadership (I include Chaves because the football budget - namely coaching salary pool - is sort of asking for this kind of mediocrity).

Really, you don’t say? Given Bubba was just extended, he could have a losing season and he wouldn’t get fired, so no surprise there. I’m just simply explaining this because I think the decision to extend Bubba was idiotic in the first place. But that’s what UND does because their non-hockey coaching salaries are ridiculous. North Dakota football needs a new direction, and that comes with new leadership.

I get that there have only been 4 games thus far this season, but this is literally a repeat of every season with Bubba at the helm. At what point do we call out the insanity that is sticking with this? Continually going 6-5 is not going to grow UND football into anything.

The fact of the matter is Bubba has bought himself time by being a nice guy and positive figure head in the community. His coaching record should not be buying him anytime at all, though. In fact, it should put him on the hot seat.

UND definitely shouldn’t accept mediocrity with the current inbred staff or else they should just cut the program. there are folks out there (in lower divisions so $$$ isn’t the issue) that have much better ideas on how to build a team and build a winning culture than what Bubba currently has going for him. Trust me. Just look around and do the research With Chaves’ leadership in football, not sure there is a great vision. and why does Nebraska enter this conversation? They’ve just simply hired bad coaches the last couple times out … just like UND. The similarity is they hired one of their own but ultimately had to cut ties as it wasn’t working

It’s the brilliant current UND athletics model … keep UND football interesting until around Oct. 1 … then … Despite this “perfect” model, it’s not UND that’s had the glaringly obvious growth in fandom and popularity over the past 10 years or so … but rather a different school in North Dakota.

Instant classic … and so true

I should’ve just stuck to my bad news perspective, rather than trying to appeal to the crowd who hates “all the negativity”. fact is, UND football needs to be better. It’s not there right now, folks.

Yeah, be careful. I said that earlier, and got roasted. The fact of the matter is UND lost to a very bad Nebraska team and barely beat two bad FCS teams. UND is a 6-5 football team, at best. In year 9 of Bubba ball, this crap is unacceptable