Next Season!

[The Sicatoka]

I probably should have said "losses" in the secondary. I knew Thornberg was moving over to the hot corner. He'll need time to adjust to the different turns and rotations over there.

The secondary spooks me worse than the linebacker corps for some reason. Maybe it's because I know that I saw more linebackers rotated in last season (compared to the secondary) so I know there's a larger experience base.

But still, to me the offensive line will be the most important answer to the questions about this season's team.

I normally reserve this comment for use on USCHO, but it's appropriate here:

The only 'poll' that matters is the 'pole' that you raise a championship banner on.

[diggerdan]

UND is going to have a good offensive line, they've never had worse than that since Thomas took over and they recruit well at the position. Like the linebackers, the O-line platoons quite a bit so most of the guys starting this year will have already seen significant playing time. The ground game was horrible after the injuries to Perk and Miller.....behind the same line. I feel that on offense, running back is the key position for 2002.

On defense I agree with Sicatoka, the corner position is the key. Thornberg is a good cover but you just can't replace Riendeau, who I think was the best cover corner the Sioux have had in the last 15 years. The positive is that the defensive line is going to be so strong that most opposing teams aren't going to have much time to throw.

Less than 3 weeks till UM-Crookston, although something tells me not many questions will get answered that night.

[siouxhockey]

The Sioux are ranked #6.

"The defending national champs bring back just three starters on offense, but one is quarterback Kelby Klosterman (34 TD's)"

UNO is ranked 8th and Pittsburg State is ranked 3rd.

[OETKB]

The Media Day online articles say that the Offensive Line is the biggest question mark for the team this year. However, it looks like many of the boys have put on a few pounds since their listing on last year's roster.

Schneider, the senior center, is the "little guy" on the offensive line. At a mere 6'0", 290, his nickname probably went from "big Mac" in H.S. to "small fry", seing as the projected starter at L. Tackle is a sophmore (Brian Dokken) who checks in at 6'6", 310 lbs and the projected R. Tackle (Barry Smith) is a sophmore who checks in at 6'8", 319 lbs!

Of course, Schneider has the strongest squat on the squad at over 600 lbs. And he can bench 380 lbs, so I'm not the one who's gonna call him anything but "Sir."

Go Sioux.

[The Sicatoka]

I believe the paper reported that WR Travis Lueck (from EGF, transfer from Ball State) is academically ineligible in 2002.

[OETKB]

Yes, apparently he has a problem with credits transfering from his former school or something like that. Fortunately, he was able to be redshirted and will play next season. Luckily for the Sioux, he was not the #1 guy at his position, but maybe having a year off will allow him to be the #1 guy next year!