zonadub

Bison06 have you ever heard of a guy names Brian Faison? He was willing to dump over $2 million a year into a women's hockey program that averaged less than 1000 fans per game. I am afraid your logic doesn't work with him.

With a bye the last week of the regular season, maybe it's not good to have a first round bye in the playoffs. Maybe it's better to host a first round playoff game.

UND can and probably will bounce back from this game and very well could still win or at least challenge for the Big Sky title. On the other hand, today showed that UND is (at the risk of inviting the trolls) not ready for the MVFC, unless UND wants to be battling the likes of Missouri State and Southern Illinois for the top of the bottom half of the standings. Did not get a chance to watch the game (and really don't have a desire to watch a replay), but reading through this thread, Studsrud keeps reminding me of Philip Rivers. Decent, not great, QB that just doesn't quite get it done. if Rudolph was not calling the type of offense that Bubba wanted UND to run, he would not have lasted 4+ years as the OC. And the players have to execute the game plan, not just in the locker room, but on the field. Time to stop piling all the blame on Rudolph.

fyp

Sometimes, it's more like watching Gopher hockey than football... dive dive pass have been on the blame Rudolph bandwagon, but seriously, Schweigert has been watching this for 4 years. either it's what he wants or Rudolph would be down the road by now.

Unless Coach Rudolph had some kind of epiphany in the last 8 months, the offense will struggle against the Ute's big D. The Hawk defense will fare better, but the final score will not reflect the experience gained in this game against one of the Pac 12 North's best teams. UU 35 UND 10

If only Craig Bohl was coaching Utah...

Sorry Darrell, have to ask what is stable about a 5 team conference? Leaves the 4 Dakotas and Denver

Compared to the Summit as a whole? Absolutely!

=

Studsrud must get better at connecting on the swing passes and screen passes. He should get better at seeing the whole field rather than locking on to his primary receiver. He is an outstanding game manager and field general already. Add those elements and the Hawks should go a long ways with the experience that is returning from 2016.

So, you think NDSU will be the next to leave the Summit?

Instead of attempting to derail the conversation, why don't you contribute to it? What does the Summit do to stabilize in your view Bison73?

Thank you for your insights, Yote 53. Question now becomes: do the university presidents and the commissioner's office have the same vision and the cajones to pull it off?

To Yote 53 and jacksfan29... USD and SDSU are probably the most committed institutions in the Summit. How do you see the Summit surviving? What do you think the plan is to stabilize? I'm not trolling, but really concerned that UND is moving to a 'convenient travel' conference that has a history of struggling to stay full. Is there a possibility of poaching other D-I schools (whether it is No Colorado, Montanas, etc)? Will the Summit merge with another conference (MVC, WAC)? Are there D-II move-ups (realizing that there is a considerable transition period before they 'count')? would like to hear your perspectives.

Yup UND is not the Sioux any more, so time to put up...

Wasn't he given an honorary doctorate a few years ago? Wouldn't that be claiming him?

There has been so much hand-wringing, so many theories for strengthening the Summit... Would really like to see the formation of a Great Northern Conference - add the Montanas, Idaho, EWU. Probably a long shot to get them to leave the Big Sky. Doubt the MVC will be willing to give up control of the MVFC to the Summit, even though they share offices, iirc. A nice idea though, if you could pull it off. Get the MVC to add the Dakota 4. Their recent solution of adding Valpo suggests that will not happen. IMHO, it seems that the fastest way to 'fix' this is by <choke> getting the old band back together. Entice Northern Colorado to leave the Big Sky and reunite the former NCC schools who have moved to D-I under the Summit banner. It will give the Summit 6 football teams, add a basketball team that has made a March Madness appearance and adds a baseball team (which wouldn't be as important if the Summit were to break off into their own football conference), but no men's soccer. For soccer, the answer is probably to add UMKC. The addition of UNC and UMKC would bring the Summit back to 10 after IPFW bolts next year and gives the Summit the baseball and soccer teams it needs. Plus it would make the option of Summit football possible with the Dakota 4, Western Illinos and Northern Colorado. Then add Minnesota State and/or Minnesota Dukuth as a move-up for insurance for WIU and Oral Roberts. Don't like this idea as much as just staying put in the Big Sky, but afraid that ship has sailed and UND's move to the Summit is inevitable.

hope you are right about this

Yes, it may have been the right decision at the time and under the circumstances, but it still stings that it happened. Also would have preferred not having the best nickname in athletics replaced by such a bland, generic adjective/bird one like almost every other former Native American nicknamed school has done.

Where, at this point in time, would Jones go? Is it possible, in the negotiations, that both Jones and Faison think they are in the power seat with Jones making larger demands and Faison thinking Jones has no other option?

Yeah. Thanks. Fixed it. (Cherokees are down here in AZ)