SIU vs UND

[Matt]

Salukis taking a knee with 1 min to go. 40-21

[Sioux27]

Well.....Thanks to Lennon for playing us this year as we needed a game like this to "almost" fill our schedule.

[Siouxmama]

Score anyone?

Thanks

EDIT:

Just saw it a couple posts up.

[Sioux27]

Hopefully when they are shaking hands, Dale is asking our Co-D-Coordinators to send him a resume.

[jimdahl]

Well.....Thanks to Lennon for playing us this year as we needed a game like this to "almost" fill our schedule.

Yeah, it was great to get this game (even if the announcers claimed it wasn't just a favor for UND, it sure feels like it was).

Congrats Dale, go on to win the conference

[Matt]

First thing Mussman says is about the officials. Mistake.

[dlsiouxfan]

Well.....Thanks to Lennon for playing us this year as we needed a game like this to "almost" fill our schedule.

I agree. Though I'd love to come back in a season or two and pound his ass.

[Sioux27]

First thing Mussman says is about the officials. Mistake.

Makes it sounds like sour grapes.

Hold your head high.......make the traditional speech............regroup

Kick some tail next weekend!

[jimdahl]

Final: UND 21, Southern Illinois 40

Offense: UND 330, SIU 482

Passing: UND 310, SIU 159

Rushing: UND 20, SIU 323

TO: UND 2, SIU 0

ToP: UND 30:53, SIU 26:23

The offense was always playing catchup.

[Matt]

Larry Warner owned this defense. Officiating doesn't change that.

[Sioux27]

I agree. Though I'd love to come back in a season or two and pound his ass.

Completely agree

I wasn't impressed with their defense but I was impressed with their defensive speed.

I would expect a sequel to be in order, but not likely for a couple of years.

[Matt]

Defensive speed is something the offense will have to get used to playing top fcs teams.

[Sioux27]

Final: UND 21, Southern Illinois 40

Offense: UND 330, SIU 482

Passing: UND 310, SIU 159

Rushing: UND 20, SIU 323

TO: UND 2, SIU 0

ToP: UND 30:53, SIU 26:23

The offense was always playing catchup.

482

That is glaring

[Matt]

323 yards rushing is like playing an option team.

[Sioux27]

Southern Utah will be no pushover next week

They have proven this year they can score

[Matt]

Southern Utah will be no pushover next week

They have proven this year they can score

You are right, they are no pushover, but they are also a significant step down from the last 2 opponents. I would hope playing tougher competition would make them ready to step on SIU next week. At least put up 30+ pts.

[UND92,96]

Has anybody heard anything about the possibility of Ron Prince being fired after the season at K-State? The reason that would potentially have some signficance to UND is that it would presumably put Tim Tibesar in the market for a new job. Just thinking/wishing out loud.

[star2city]

482

That is glaring

An argument can be made that the defense has improved from last year. Last year, with Chappel and Dressler, the offense could shred opposing defenses and put up even better numbers than the opponents. Against any '07 squad with a decent offense, there was some rather glaring numbers, but much less was said:

Central Washington 447 yards offense

MSU-Mankato 513 yards offense

Western Washington 470 yards offense

Nebraska-Omaha 413 total offense, 340 rushing

South Dakota 450 total offense, 360 rushing

[Sioux27]

An argument can be made that the defense has improved from last year. Last year, with Chappel and Dressler, the offense could shred opposing defenses and put up even better numbers than the opponents. Against any '07 squad with a decent offense, there was some rather glaring numbers, but much less was said:

Central Washington 447 yards offense

MSU-Mankato 513 yards offense

Western Washington 470 yards offense

Nebraska-Omaha 413 total offense, 340 rushing

South Dakota 450 total offense, 360 rushing

I don't argue with your point about the offense but here is my point about the defense:

Year YPG PPG (Courtesy of UND 92,96)

2000 217 ypg 13.3 ppg

2001 191 ypg 13.0 ppg

2002 276 ypg 19.2 ppg

2003 304 ypg 19.3 ppg

2004 250 ypg 10.5 ppg

2005 262 ypg 13.0 ppg

2006 314 ypg 17.9 ppg

2007 320 ypg 19.7 ppg

2008 382 ypg 27.1 ppg

Regular-season only.

The yards given up as well as points given up seems to catch my eye more and more these days. Regardless of the competition we are facing this year, the trend is not looking very promising. I will go out on a limb and predict that we will give up over 400 this year but will likely keep the scoring average below 30.

[UND92,96]

An argument can be made that the defense has improved from last year. Last year, with Chappel and Dressler, the offense could shred opposing defenses and put up even better numbers than the opponents. Against any '07 squad with a decent offense, there was some rather glaring numbers, but much less was said:

Central Washington 447 yards offense

MSU-Mankato 513 yards offense

Western Washington 470 yards offense

Nebraska-Omaha 413 total offense, 340 rushing

South Dakota 450 total offense, 360 rushing

Many of us did notice the problems of the defense last year (and to a lesser extent the year before), but winning has a tendency to overshadow shortcomings. Now, with three losses in four games and five consecutive poor defensive performances, it's becoming harder and harder to ignore the problem. I certainly can't fault Mussman, as he inherited the current situation. But obviously he now faces the challenge of fixing what is clearly broken. The offense may very well take another step backward next year with the losses of Freund, Trenbeath, Nicholas, Braegelmann and Troen, among others. Throw in a likely much tougher schedule, and next year could be fairly ugly unless the defense becomes much, much better by next fall.

[star2city]

Many of us did notice the problems of the defense last year (and to a lesser extent the year before), but winning has a tendency to overshadow shortcomings. Now, with three losses in four games and five consecutive poor defensive performances, it's becoming harder and harder to ignore the problem. I certainly can't fault Mussman, as he inherited the current situation. But obviously he now faces the challenge of fixing what is clearly broken. The offense may very well take another step backward next year with the losses of Freund, Trenbeath, Nicholas, Bragelmann and Troen, among others. Throw in a likely much tougher schedule, and next year could be fairly ugly unless the defense becomes much, much better by next fall.

Agree about concerns about the offense: hopefully Bamba continues his progress and Murray stays healthy. In the early part of this decade, it seemed the linebackers had the majority of tackles. Now, five of the seven top tackle leaders are safeties and even cornerbacks:

2008 leaders

Rory Manke 33

D. Hawkins 31

Brett Holinka 23

Drake Otto 20

Andrew Miller 18

J. Schwenzfeier 18

Kris Ankenbauer 17

Last year, Manke, Alexander, and Otto led in tackles. It just seems that linebacker recruiting has not been nearly as successful in recent classes. The linebacker corps that we had last year didn't stand out at the DII level, why should it at the DI? With the 3-4 defense at the DIAA level, upgrading this the LB position would seem the most urgent with no short-term fix due to lead time for new LB's to learn the defense. JC transfers can't easily step in. Based on comments, it seems that the LB position is what stood out for SIU compared to UND. Lennon had to have liked the athletic potential of the SIU LB corps when he took the position whereas UND's shelf is relatively bare. As SIU gains even more experience with the 3-4, their defense will be even more formidable.

[star2city]

Has anybody heard anything about the possibility of Ron Prince being fired after the season at K-State? The reason that would potentially have some signficance to UND is that it would presumably put Tim Tibesar in the market for a new job. Just thinking/wishing out loud.

Maybe Tibesar will be back on the market:

It's time for a change

It is time for a change. No, this isn't a Barack Obama campaign slogan

[UND92,96]

Maybe Tibesar will be back on the market:

It's time for a change

His coaching staff seems to be taking heat, too.

Regardless of the struggles at Kansas State, I think it would be a huge coup to get Tibesar back.