Sioux94

Every time we get a really good TE prospect, I always think we are going to start throwing to the TE more and it never happens. Think Schmidt mentioned once about throwing to TE's.....so we'll see what happens.

Don't we actually need a few more guys to enter the portal, to potentially free up space?

I've said this before......In the past 8-10 years or so, to me guys who ended up being our best players were not the ones we were all exited about. And a few examples of guys we were all excited about never panned out to be what we thought. Someone like Sammy Fort, many were really excited about him. Q had some hype coming in, ended up great for our program but never a starting QB. There was that kid that had a PWO from Oregon I think, lasted one year I believe. There is a whole long list of guys like that. Then you've got guys like Wanzek, Santiago, Olivier, Belquist......nobody said Boo about them when they were recruited. So honestly right now, I don't get too worked about any guy we get who is highly thought of. Not saying I don't like to see us get guys like that, I just don't get as excited about it like I use to. Need to see it translate on the field. Maybe this will be more of a thing under Schmidt. The hype over Deng was pretty high, that is one I'm hoping really pans out.

At Kansas State and Montana, then playing the other three Dakota schools makes for 5 tough games. SDSU will be sort of rebuilding though from coaching change and portal transfers.....so we could pull that one off at home. That could be great atmosphere in the Alerus late in the year if we are in contention I'd say 7-5, possible 8-4, will be disappointed if we go 6-6.

Totally agree. However our defense played with passion and swagger against a very good NDSU team in GF in 2023 and mostly looked soft and pretty much like crap ever since then, with pretty much the same guys. With a totally new scheme and needing to get the right guys on the roster next year will be a work in process on D. However a tough minded coach like Schmidt with high expectations will help offset some of that and I expect us to be better on defense than we were. I'm sure there will be some missed assignments and head scratching moments next year. But I'm expecting us to not make the other teams QB look like Tebow 2.0, like in that one game, and just get completely embarrassed. We played quite well against Iowa State last year, then would get embarrassed on the road against barely .500 FCS teams. Looking forward to listening to the new podcast this weekend!

Hopefully so. OC hasn't changed, but Schmidt could direct him to get the TE involved more going forward. If not, why would any top end TE ever commit to UND unless they were aviation. Can't remember for sure but think Schmidt may have said something in an interview about getting TE involved more? Like that part of spring practice said emphasizing more deep pass plays. Will be looking forward to a new QB and hopefully more high powered offense this fall!

That was a serious stretch of completely embarrassing basketball.

Was looking at the schedule this fall. Our away games are Kansas State Montana UNI SIU South Dakota Murray State That would have been a guaranteed at least 5 losses with previous staff, and then have NDSU and SDSU at home. Need to get through those road games with only 3 losses at the most, only 2 would be better. Tough start to our schedule but November home games against NDSU and SDSU could have the Alerus rocking if we are still in it.

Looks like already has some offers and has had game day visits to a few schools such as Wyoming, Montana, SDSU.

Right, hope it's not a repeat of the last time ND was in the Championship game. That was ugly.

Had just seen that. Kind of surprising given how good they should be next year. I know many people on here considered Johansen a potential good option for the UND position. Guess we'll get to see if Schmidt > Johansen over the next few years. Johansen inherits a better team but think we have better facilities going forward.

I thought about that later last night after I posted that lol, we should be good for a couple years.

We all know what a Weapon Q was on the sneak last year. Texas first and goal on the 1 against Ohio State and couldn't get it in cost them a chance at the game. If I was Schmidt, or any coach really, I'd take a TE or FB that is used to handling the ball or was maybe a QB in high school and use them the same way they used Q. It seems almost like a no brainer. I guess there is the risk could fumble the snap since not used to taking snaps, would definitely need plenty of reps taking snaps in practice. The tush push has been proven almost unstoppable in both college and NFL.

Is Orlando coming back next year? If so does he drop a couple pounds so he can be a bit more agile? Was listed at 285 on the 2024 roster. 285 isnt that big though so they'dprobablywant him to stay at that weight if he came back? . I counted 13 on 2024 roster not including Beach or Orlando. Then 2 DL incoming through portal so far. Although not 100 percent sure if any of the 13 i counted have entered the portal and left.

I'd be good with that!