mtjack

28 degrees? As long as the wind isn't at gale force, my North Dakota relatives say that's t-shirt weather.

Oxbow - Who is this "UNA" you speak of? NAU will run the ball until UND does something to stop them. Bauman is the main back. Deboskie-Johnson spells relief and would probably be starting for a few other teams. Shanks gets the call when they're looking for pure speed. Fullback is a featured part of the offense they're running this year. Their offense is "vanilla" by past standards (ran a pass heavy offense for years) but it's been working. Bauman has two 75 yard opening play touchdowns this season. Regardless of how tough UND's outcome vs. EWU was last week, this will not be an easy game for NAU. UND plays better at home and probably come into this game with a chip on their shoulder. How close to the 12,200+ capacity will UND get for homecoming? What is the general vibe from the students/community/alums regarding UND football? I know from talking to North Dakota relatives that hockey is considered "king" @ UND.

Offense: You'll see lots of power/I-formation sets. Most plays are done with the qb under center. Bauman gets most of his yards on the edge but is just as likely to get a "big run" in the trench as he is on the edge. Passing game is more short/mid-range than vertical. Defense? The Jacks used to run a funky "flex" defense. That isn't what I've seen on the field so far. I'll be honest that I don't really know what style defense they're running this year. Jacksdude...any input? I just know they are significantly deeper than they have been in the past.

CMSioux - Your post is what I've seen from NAU's football team over the the last few years. Close games, players graduating and staying out of the limelight, lots of community outreach by the team and other positives. The only thing missing over that time period was a few more wins mixed in. I'm happy that NAU is seeing some success but I can't justify selling a program's soul for the W's. A few posters here have suggested that NAU is due for their late season collapse (must have been reading egriz). I hope I'm wrong but I don't see it happening this season. Lumberjacks teams in the past would roll over and die after getting blasted by ASU or being down early vs. UNLV and Montana. Adversity has been faced and overcome this season. If UND wins on Saturday, it will be because your guys are the better team. Not because NAU lacked necessary intestinal fortitude. NAU may not be a good team "historically" but they are good this season. NAU is a run first team that utilizes the pass when the other team stacks the box. I have no doubt that Bauman should be playing at U of A or ASU. They messed up in not recruiting him. Screw em. I'm thrilled he's a Lumberjack and realize running backs of his caliber are a rare blessing for an FCS team. Grossart has been efficient and doesn't play outside of his abilities. Turnovers and penalties have been limited and special teams have been a pleasant surprise. Shanks has had a great season with returns and new young kicker and punter are performing well. Defense's best attribute is depth. Atleticism in the secondary is markedly improved. Sad that I was unable to make it to North Dakota to visit relatives and check out my alma mater @ Alerus. Good luck, UND fans. Go Jacks!

Greetings UND fans and welcome to the Big Sky. I was really hoping to make it up to Grand Forks for the NAU game but time and money won't allow. I spent my summers in grade/high school in Fargo with my aunt and uncle and have relatives spread through Bismarck, Jamestown, Valley City, Oakes, Fargo and a few shirt-tail relatives in Grand Forks. I'm excited to see what UND can do in the Big Sky in all sports but don't envy the travel your teams will have to do. Expect maybe 50-100 NAU parents/family members at the game. The Lumberjacks alum fanbase in that part of the world isn't what it is on the west coast. NAU's team is having a great start to their season. Bauman is a beast and NAU has a definite run-first approach on offense but their qb has shown the ability to consistently limit turnovers, make good decisions and play within his limits. Special teams has been surprisingly positive considering the kicker and punter are both brand new. Shanks on punt returns has been lightning in a bottle. Defense has played better this year then in the past few and that seems to be due to a wealth of depth and few injuries. NAU has a well earned rep of tailing off towards the middle/end of the season so you never know what will happen. Get ready for the Griz. They will bring a sizeable contingent of fans across the plains to Grand Forks. They're knowledgeable, pretty fun to interact with and act much more graciously in person than a few of their vocal minority do on the internet.