Rush defense will definatly be top 5. I'm not sold on the pass defense yet. That could bring the total defense down. Scoring defense is most important, that's where I want improvement.
I don't think I was apart of that thumping. I don't put any weight to any pre season polls since they aren't accurate. Mid season is when all the polls and rankings are valid.
Massey ratings are not accurate til midway through the season. At the beginning of the year it just uses last seasons stats. So right now is the most accurate prediction of how the game would've played out last year.
It's a great accomplishment. And better to have it be NDSU than some southern team so we can hear for decades about their southern speed and how nobody could handle it.
The early 2000's produced a ton of great players out of ND. If the next few years can produce like that, both schools will be filled with really good local kids.
It was a miracle that the team won even two games last year. It was a train wreck. Basically everything went wrong before the season and during the season between defections and injuries. Anyone who knows football and followed last years team would be appreciative.
Football has always had a little something extra to it. That's why it'll be different. There's a certain history that only exists between the football programs.