[2024-2025 season]

1 hour ago, gfhockey said:

Link?

I don't have it, which is why I included "If this is true..." as a qualifier. That said, after dealing with my fair share of Red River parents over the years, I wouldn't be shocked  I kid, I kid. 

[2024-2025 season]

If this is true, at all, consider me all in on Lauren Reardon becoming a UND legend. 

[Eric Schmidt named head coach of North Dakota football]

15 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Use to be brick by brick then day by day now it’s inch by inch? Woof

 

sounds like a long turnaround if we are going inches

At least he's not taking a nap. 

[Who would YOU hire? 2024 Edition]

4 hours ago, UND1983 said:

He has only had two assistants?  And the last one you mentioned left after a year

Do you want me to name all of his assistants over the last 15 years? I'm confused. Also, if you get a B1G offer and you coach in the PFL, you take it. Lol. Caruso was not particularly well liked by other coaches in the MIAC or Kheres at Mt. Union, but he's got some loyal guys on his staff and he wins. 

[Who would UND hire?]

18 minutes ago, AJS said:

If they think Caruso is the guy. Get it done. Better not come down to not being able to pay.

He'd jolt the program immediately. He's once opined that it's a lot easier to go from 100 to Top 5, than Top 5 to National Champ. Right mentality.

[Who would YOU hire? 2024 Edition]

22 hours ago, UND1983 said:

his former assistants

His DC, Wally Kuchinski, has been with him for 15 seasons. Holinka coached for him twice. I don't know that he cares if he's well liked, I think he cares about winning. 

[Who would UND hire?]

15 minutes ago, Shawn-O said:

Thank you. I’m hopeful our AD reached out, sold him on it and urged him to apply.  At least I think that’s what AD’s typically do.  Was unaware that his wife’s health challenges were ongoing.  

I think she's in remission, but there's always that risk I suppose. Caruso has great passion, great intensity, a little PJ Flecky for some people's taste, but the results speak for themselves. I just think Drake and Butler raised their level when Caruso came in and won the league with mostly D3 guys. Also, the issue with the PFL is your best players have one foot out the door. Their non-conference games against the Big Sky/MVFC are basically auditions for scholarships elsewhere. You're fighting over players with the NSIC. 

[Who would UND hire?]

On 12/3/2024 at 4:43 PM, Shawn-O said:

That’s my guess as well. @USTBench What say you? 

I don't know if he put in, but Caruso would be a good fit. His kids are out of the house and I don't know that UST has any immediate plans to move on from the PFL. It has to be tough going from the Athletic Department's top priority to an after-thought after UST decided to flagship hockey and basketball and build a new baseball/softball complex, while football mires in a non-scholarship league in the most fertile recruiting area in the MVFC. Caruso is a winner and familiar with the culture of the MVFC (though he coached at NDSU/USD pre-MVFC), and is an excellent recruiter.

That said, he's extremely comfortable in St. Paul, his job couldn't be more secure, and his wife has been battling some health issues. Guessing he's not going anywhere. 

[Who would UND hire?]

12 hours ago, zonadub said:

The DeBoer ship has sailed…

 

Is there any chance in the world that UND could lure Central Valley’s Brent Vigen back to the state?

Lol...even with all the Californians I'd still pick Bozeman. 

[2024 UND Football]

2 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

Anyone worth stealing from UST? We could use a burner WR or anyone on defense!!

Andrew McElroy but he was in the TP for about .5 seconds before NIU snatched him up. Our game against USD was an open tryout for a LB named Jonathan Bunce apparently. Lol. Seth Bullard was an ILB that transferred to SFA. Shawn Shipman landed at WIU. Anyone UND would want is already spoken for, it seems. 

[2024 UND Football]

Tampering! Just kidding fellas. Great hire for my second favorite FCS team.

[2024 UND Football]

36 minutes ago, Devils said:

I am surprised with Danny being at UND basically his whole adult life, but I can't blame him.  This is similar to someone on the Gophers staff jumping to Ohio State or Michigan, which is fairly common.  It's just a better situation (unfortunately) and a better path to move up which at his age is his clock was ticking.  Honestly a little surprised that SDSU didn't go for a little higher profile hire being we've won basically no playoff games under him, but I guess if this was just for a QB coach job it makes sense.

I don't see the gulf between SDSU and UND being as wide as it is between Minnesota and Ohio State/Michigan. UND seems to be stifled by the antiquated thinking of the old guard and a reluctance to court the Gen Xers/Millennials as alums/potential donors/coaches/fans, etc. I believe I even read a few pages back someone intimate UND should have never left DII. WHAT??? 

UND has the facilities, the donors, and as I drive down Columbia, I can't think of too many mid-majors that have anything broaching what UND will have for football. There's a little brother/loser mentality here that Grand Forks and UND needs to shake, but believe me, you've got a sleeping giant at the FCS level. One guy in the big chair can make that happen inside of 2 years. 

[2024 UND Football]

7 minutes ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

Call any one with the last name of Bollinger.....Rob Mike or brooks!

Your choices are a guy that retired from coaching over 25 years ago and a HS coach/financial advisor that makes 5x what UND can pay him at Bell Bank.

[2023 Non-UND FCS thread]

On 12/18/2023 at 6:47 PM, SIOUXFAN97 said:

Did wyoming get the ROI they thought they were getting by paying Bohl and the Boys millions over the last few years?

Probably as good as they could have hoped for playing FBS football in Laramie, Wyoming. 

[Transfer Portal 2023]

1 minute ago, fightingsioux4life said:

If this becomes our goal, we should just apply to join the Pioneer League.

You'd be a bottom-feeder in our league. 

[Transfer Portal 2023]

21 minutes ago, Sioux95 said:

It started already.... Sigh...

Lol. I think there's a misconception that this was Tommy's decision amongst those who don't quite get how managing 63 scholarships and the egos of a full QB room works. 

[Transfer Portal 2023]

Unheralded, no D1 offers, yet came in (at the last second) and manned the ship for 3 1/2 seasons. 9,000+ yards, 63 TDs, aided in beating the Bison, and no doubt showed Feeney and Kaminski a thing or two about leadership (especially when looking at some of the recent debacles, like the Otis Weah situation).  Everyone on this board should be grateful that kid was here to right the ship and he should be considered a UND legend, full stop.

That said, no, Tommy doesn't have big arm talent, he has had his run, and is probably not the guy to get UND over the hump of being slightly above-average, and putting them in the Frisco conversation. You have the Minnesota and Wisconsin POYs waiting in the wings. Feeney will not be a "young guy" next year, he'll be in his 3rd year of this offense, and Kaminski is a real talent as well, and by all accounts will push Feeney for QB1. If Danny and/or Bubba didn't have "the talk" with Tommy, you'd lose one or both of your big recruits, and after spring ball, you still may lose one to the TP, regardless. It was time to turn the page. 

As for Romfo, he's an 11A kid from ND and will probably never get a real true shot at QB1 in an upper tier FCS program no matter what he shows in practice. I'm getting Brock Boltman vibes out of him. 

[FCS Playoffs]

2 hours ago, Und246 said:

An interview would yield nothing. Larson will have prepared answers written on a notepad to avoid really answering a question. A response from Larsen would be late at this point. He should have said something right away because of the blunder (they hoped would stay hidden). was so obvious. The fact that he didn’t say anything about what happened tells you everything. One of the biggest takeaways is the lack of integrity of the committee  

 

 

I agree that an interview would be wortheless, but a subpoena to testify in front of ND's state legistlature's higher education committee would have some teeth. It would ultimately yield the same responses, but a few b-holes would pucker at NDSU and possibly amongst the selection committee, and a message would be sent that these types of shennanigans cannot be swept under the rug. 

Montana getting to play a home playoff game on ESPN 2, and now getting to play at NDSU is exposure you cannot buy. UND was screwed out of that potential opportunity and has only been met with obfuscation. UND desperately needs to stop being a passive milquetoast school on the FCS landscape because it's horrible for the brand. UND needs to flagship a second sport, and the hood ornament of any university is its football program.  

[A Modest Proposal 2.0]

On 11/28/2022 at 1:02 PM, The Sicatoka said:

FCS is becoming unpredictable in its operations. 

• Seven wins minimum is the criteria ... until it's not.  
• Better bid is the criteria ... until it's not, ... unless you have a "name and reputation". 
• Performance is the criteria ... < wait for it, it's coming > ... 
• Now regionalization is being questioned by some of the names of FCS (see: Montana State coach recent comments regarding having to play Weber now). 

Dare I say FCS is becoming ... Division II all over again. 

The DI reformation committee is rumored to be strongly considering elimination of the "15,000 average attendance" for FBS. That is the only present FBS requirement UND does not meet. 

If UND will continually face "until it's not" FCS standards, why not go FBS. There it is "six wins" to be bowl eligible. Done. One objective criterion. 

Outlandish? You bet. 100%. Huge challenges? Yes. I'm off the rails? Yup. Haven't been on them in a while.

And I've made hundreds of arguments against FBS, and probably would here again, but I'm tossing the idea out just the same. 

In review,

• UND outbidding Weber and being sent on the road is right?
• UND not getting in with seven and a six getting in instead? 
• FCS not following their own bracketing criteria (Idaho is closer to Weber and those two did not play this regular season) this year is acceptable?
• "Names" (see: Montana) getting home games as a "last in" or because "their QB was hurt" is sensible? 

It's crazy, full guano loco, but this time UND would lead. 

In closing and under the assumptions that (a) the "15k" rule goes away and (b) the FBS criteria do not become vastly more strenuous to meet, why not get out of FCS before it becomes more "stogies and scotch" in its operations than it already is. 

After watching this selection committee debacle I would say it'd be interesting if UND was to lead the pack from an unconventional position. Sort of an "attack a liberal from the left, attack a conservative from the right" approach, in which UND hard-charges toward FBS. This will make NDSU fans scoff but will also force NDSU's hand to explore that avenue with UND. I find it hard to believe Matt Larsen lobbied for UND at all and I suspect he failed in his fiduciary duty to advocate for the MVFC, and if that's the case, and it certainly looks like it is, you can't trust the organization or level you're in, and UND should call that out. That said, Larsen's stacking the deck in NDSU's favor in a "down year", shows that either NDSU has to maintain this level of success in perpetuity or the brass will face serious consequences, or, they have find a group of committed peer institutions to explore a move up together. 

It sounds like the G-5 is angling to be "FCS on steroids" and with the expanded 12-team CFP starting soon, I suspect the CFP will consistently be 10/11 P5 schools and 1 10+ win G5 school. I suspect that format, whether people like-it-or-not will be hugely successful and eventually the G5 will follow suit and craft their own playoff, essentially creating a subdivision between FCS and FBS. It's getting increasingly obvious to me that FCS will soon look like the abandoned tire plant that is D2 and UND needs to jump off that sinking ship.

The "15,000" average attendance thing is a complete joke, and always has been. I've been to concrete monolith that is Rice Stadium in which about 500 people watched 120 points scored between ECU and Rice. I've watched "MACtion" and if Eastern Michigan is outdrawing most D3 schools I'd be suprised. I see a lot of complaints about the Alerus gameday experience on here, but it is exponentially better than what is being offered at several G5 FBS schools. Also, Sam Houston is going to FBS without a stadium that even holds 15,000 and their average attendance is less than 8,000. 

I'm not saying a 6th Group conference could be formed, but UND, NDSU, SDSU, USD, Montana, Montana State, Idaho (previously FBS), and a few other financially solvent major state universities could explore creating their own football conference or joining a pre-existing one now that the remaining Mountain West schools will be lobbying the PAC-12 to replace USC/UCLA and get into that coveted P5 conference. Maybe (probably) nothing comes of it, but it could force the FCS to get their act together. The Sun Belt has gone from a laughing stock to a formiddable conference in a very short period of time, and I look at those schools and (some) of the MWC schools more like peer football institutions moreso than Mercer, Campbell, Samford, Holy Cross, etc. I don't think anyone on here is particularly enamored with the MAC, and I think you could have a better conference almost overnight with the schools I previously mentioned. Full send, loco crazy, but fun to think about. 

UND is making a major financial commitment to football with Phase 2 it seems. So, probably time to stop acting like little brother, and they'll probably stop being treated like little-brother. 

 

[2023 Recruiting]

8 minutes ago, Dustin said:

So, two D-II schools and UND?

Pretty damn good D-II schools, though. 

[FCS playoffs week 1: UND @ Weber State]

7 minutes ago, BarnWinterSportsEngelstad said:

Judy's, be all diehard fans there. 
One TV for every 8 fans.

If you're serious Judy's might have moved to the top of the list. 

[FCS playoffs week 1: UND @ Weber State]

8 minutes ago, sioux24/7 said:

Probably Joe Blacks. Rumors might not be bad. 

Yeah, that's what I've narrowed it down to. I kind of want to hate watch Richmond/Davidson as well, but I can follow that on my phone. 

[FCS playoffs week 1: UND @ Weber State]

Best place to watch the game in GF? I'll hang up and listen.

[UND @ NDSU 11/19/2022]

14 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Olympic lifting is standard for college weight programs. It’s the best way to build explosiveness. Baukol also does a ton of range of motion exercises like pistol squats for example. 

Oly lifts like snatch, clean and jerk are okay to a degree, but there is significant wear and tear, especially when frequently going heavy. Also, there isn't as much ROM with your hips as you'd think as there is almost zero lateral movement. You're rarely just running in a straight line and imposing your will from an idealic positon of power in football. Football is about awkward angles. Static holds with your hips at awkward angles, band work, and more low impact exercises where strength is being built in your hips but you're not breaking your team is also very important. Getting from a deficient position to an athletic position as quickly as possible is essential. 

Also, building up the tibalis anterior with simply walking backwards and backward sled pulls is huge for building strong knees. Nothing against oly lifts, but if your program is centered on just doing the same old oly lifts from 40 years ago, the strength world has passed you by. 

[UND @ NDSU 11/19/2022]

On 11/20/2022 at 6:26 AM, UND-FB-FAN said:

Also not sold on this coaching staff and S/C staff to develop the young players into anything exceptional. They do alright, just not at a championship level.
 

 

I've seen social media posts from Nate Baukol and what he has the kids doing looks, well...antiquated (and downright dangerous, TBH). It just looks like all the same things I did in college 20 years ago. 

I've also heard tales of extremely weak hip-flexors for a D1 football team and limited work on ROM (range of motion).

That said, it would appear from what I see of Will Ratelle's online stuff is that his philosphy much more aligned with what you'd see at a big time school nowadays, and I think that is telling. 

Combining strengh with ROM and explosive movement. 

My opinion is that the the strength coach needs to be scrutinized as intensely as the HC, maybe moreso. And there really needs to be analytical approach to everything from what type of injuries do we collectively experience the most, to what are the team deficiences. Bison strength is second-to-none, and that cannot really be debated. I think UND has something special in Ratelle, and I think after the completion Phase 2 it might time to consider a promotion for him.