Fire Muss

[Oxbow6]

There's not going to be a successful, play-off caliber, DI football team at UND until Mussman is replaced.

We'll just agree to disagree.

I don't disagree with that statement above!

[geaux_sioux]

I don't understand why we don't have anyone to play other #17.We have a full alotment of scholarships so depth should never be a problem at this level.Dale never gave a full ride and always came up a good team.Are we recruiting the right athletes?

For example, it took ndsu years to be able to find quality corners that could cover in the Tampa 2 and the d1 level. They finally had success on a juco corner (gatlin) and a couple others and now they have a load of good secondary players.

Hopefully Konalowski can play. Darryl Brown was really good as a fr then had an injury plagued year last year and has been up and down this year. The other corners have pretty much sucked outside of a couple plays here and there by Mackey three times a year. I don't see the current soph cbs as legit d1 players. We need to find a juco or two as well as a good fr or two.

What I can't figure out is how we haven't had a great cb since Alexander. We need to find some guys like him.

[geaux_sioux]

Check out the recruiting thread. There you will see the consensus is no. Not a very good regional emphasis for recruiting. That being said, there is talent on this team (which is what recruiting directly addresses), but there's little discipline/structure in place once they get on campus.

I broke down the areas offered. It's a huge majority of Midwest kids with an emphasis on talent rich Midwest states like Illinois Minnesota and Wisconsin.

[UND-FB-FAN]

I broke down the areas offered. It's a huge majority of Midwest kids with an emphasis on talent rich Midwest states like Illinois Minnesota and Wisconsin.

I guess I don't consider Illinois a regional state. Most of the recruits out of the Chicago area had never heard of UND before they were recruited. Plus, I can guarantee none of their personal top 25 schools included UND. Kids from the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin do however value UND to at least some degree. It's that familiarity that breeds passion for playing UND football.

[geaux_sioux]

I guess I don't consider Illinois a regional state. Most of the recruits out of the Chicago area had never heard of UND before they were recruited. Plus, I can guarantee none of their personal top 25 schools included UND. Kids from the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin do however value UND to at least some degree. It's that familiarity that breeds passion for playing UND football.

If they don't understand UND before they get here they will before they're done. I'm sure Golladay is pretty happy at UND.

[geaux_sioux]

Also Illinois is a great football hotbed that has talent all over the place but still that Midwestern grit. Nothing wrong with that.

[UND-FB-FAN]

If they don't understand UND before they get here they will before they're done. I'm sure Golladay is pretty happy at UND.

I have no problem with UND picking up a few talented kids each year from Illinois, like Golladay, but if they try to make Illinois something they rely on, it won't work. Need Dakotas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota as the main states, but I'm sure this staff realizes that already.

[geaux_sioux]

I have no problem with UND picking up a few talented kids each year from Illinois, like Golladay, but if they try to make Illinois something they rely on, it won't work. Need Dakotas, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota as the main states, but I'm sure this staff realizes that already.

A pipeline is a pipeline and if we can have another one in a state with as many quality players as Illinois then that's a strength to the program. Also Illinois isn't much farther away than Wisconsin so I don't really see how Wisconsin is a plus and Illinois is a minus.

[UND-FB-FAN]

A pipeline is a pipeline and if we can have another one in a state with as many quality players as Illinois then that's a strength to the program. Also Illinois isn't much farther away than Wisconsin so I don't really see how Wisconsin is a plus and Illinois is a minus.

Wisconsin kids are more familiar with UND, primarily through hockey but also just because it's more regional than Chicago. Ultimately, distance isn't the main factor; however, familiarity is. Chicago will never be converted into a UND town; that's Big Ten country. Like I said earlier, a few talented kids each year that slip through the Big Ten cracks are fine, but if you think we can build up a successful program through just Illinois kids, you're wrong.

[geaux_sioux]

Wisconsin kids are more familiar with UND, primarily through hockey but also just because it's more regional than Chicago. Ultimately, distance isn't the main factor; however, familiarity is. Chicago will never be converted into a UND town; that's Big Ten country. Like I said earlier, a few talented kids each year that slip through the Big Ten cracks are fine, but if you think we can build up a successful program through just Illinois kids, you're wrong.

Wisconsin and Minnesota are also apart of B1G country. How will players in Illinois get familiar with Und? By knowing players who went to UND and seeing them succeed. That's why we should hit all three of those states hard. I'm not sure where I said we should only recruit Illinois kids as your last sentence would suggest. That'd be plain stupid. I've been on the record as saying we should use Illinois and it's wealth of talent instead of coastal states and have the foundation of our team be nd mn and wi. If we can get more quality players out of Illinois in a given year than out usual states why we that be an issue?

[UND92,96]

Sorry to keep harping on attendance, but I think history has shown that at UND, once the coach of a revenue-producing sport loses a decent percentage of the fanbase, i.e. they stop attending games, he is let go shortly thereafter. It's happened before in hockey, basketball and football. Homecoming attendance has fallen roughly 33% since 2009, and is down to levels we have not seen (outside of an occasional bad weather game at Memorial) in many, many years. And there's little question that the last two home games will be the smallest crowds of the year, so the per-game attendance average will almost certainly be down from last year, notwithstanding the fact that this is probably the best home schedule we have ever seen. A coach somehow recovering from a situation like this may not be unprecedented, but it would be extremely rare.

[Bidago]

Bump

Anyone?

Buehler...Buehler...

anyone, anyone? voo doo? lol

[UND-FB-FAN]

Wisconsin and Minnesota are also apart of B1G country. How will players in Illinois get familiar with Und? By knowing players who went to UND and seeing them succeed. That's why we should hit all three of those states hard. I'm not sure where I said we should only recruit Illinois kids as your last sentence would suggest. That'd be plain stupid. I've been on the record as saying we should use Illinois and it's wealth of talent instead of coastal states and have the foundation of our team be nd mn and wi. If we can get more quality players out of Illinois in a given year than out usual states why we that be an issue?

Wisconsin and Minnesota each have only one FBS school whereas Illinois has several, and plus Chicago is just naturally recruited heavily due to it's size. I have no problem going into Chicago to pick up talented kids that are overlooked by Big Ten schools, as long as it doesn't take away from the recruiting emphasis in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

Nevertheless, all this recruiting talk is sort of a moot point if we can't get anyone of value to commit. And that will be difficult this year given the current circumstances surrounding this team. To fix this thing, it all starts with new leadership.

[UND-FB-FAN]

Sorry to keep harping on attendance, but I think history has shown that at UND, once the coach of a revenue-producing sport loses a decent percentage of the fanbase, i.e. they stop attending games, he is let go shortly thereafter. It's happened before in hockey, basketball and football. Homecoming attendance has fallen roughly 33% since 2009, and is down to levels we have not seen (outside of an occasional bad weather game at Memorial) in many, many years. And there's little question that the last two home games will be the smallest crowds of the year, so the per-game attendance average will almost certainly be down from last year, notwithstanding the fact that this is probably the best home schedule we have ever seen. A coach somehow recovering from a situation like this may not be unprecedented, but it would be extremely rare.

Considering how much the athletic department promoted this year's home schedule and the increase in season tickets, you would think the progressive decrease in attendance would be very concerning to Mr. Faison. At this point , I don't just want change at the end of the season, I expect it. Anyone else who cares about UND football should too.

[BigGame]

Yes, they are coaching ball security.

Essentially, you're upset with the players' abilities while I believe the problem is more so on the coaching. There's not going to be a successful, play-off caliber, DI football team at UND until Mussman is replaced.

We'll just agree to disagree.

I think the problem is both but I don't blindly blame every bad play a player makes on the coach. Players are on the field, the coaches aren't. I think the penalty issue is directly related to the coaches and the team not being as focused as they need to be, but Danny Freund is throwing the INT and Muss isn't fumbling the ball.

[BigGame]

I guess I don't consider Illinois a regional state. Most of the recruits out of the Chicago area had never heard of UND before they were recruited. Plus, I can guarantee none of their personal top 25 schools included UND. Kids from the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Wisconsin do however value UND to at least some degree. It's that familiarity that breeds passion for playing UND football.

I don't really view any differently than recruiting kids from Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, or Iowa.

[BigGame]

Wisconsin and Minnesota are also apart of B1G country. How will players in Illinois get familiar with Und? By knowing players who went to UND and seeing them succeed. That's why we should hit all three of those states hard. I'm not sure where I said we should only recruit Illinois kids as your last sentence would suggest. That'd be plain stupid. I've been on the record as saying we should use Illinois and it's wealth of talent instead of coastal states and have the foundation of our team be nd mn and wi. If we can get more quality players out of Illinois in a given year than out usual states why we that be an issue?

SDSU hits Illinois pretty hard and it has worked well for them, it does make a little more sense though because they play in the MVFC.

[UND-FB-FAN]

I think the problem is both but I don't blindly blame every bad play a player makes on the coach. Players are on the field, the coaches aren't. I think the penalty issue is directly related to the coaches and the team not being as focused as they need to be, but Danny Freund is throwing the INT and Muss isn't fumbling the ball.

And so you are implying that I believe the lack of success is entirely due to the coaches? I have football coaching experience, and trust me, I realize that players ultimately are the ones who win games but coaches most certainly can lose games.

The duration of the problem is concerning. The issues present in UND football have been there for the past few seasons - it's just been a little less obvious because we had a DII dominated schedule in 2011 and 2012 was the first in the Big Sky, so the expectations were a bit curbed. When there's been little to no progress with a home schedule like we have this year, and I continually hear that the coaches have no answer but rather they are just hoping the next week will be better than the previous one, that is a definite red flag in my book. UND football has been mediocre at best ever since 2008, and I guess it has to be 2018 before some people finally think the program has been down too long.

If there are no changes, UND football attendance will average all-time low numbers next season. There's a fine line between patience and ignorance.

I expect this team to beat Sacramento State and Northern Colorado to close out the home schedule; however, they won't be easy games if we continue with the turnovers and penalties. So, I guess those games could go either way.

[BigGame]

And so you are implying that I believe the lack of success is entirely due to the coaches? I have football coaching experience, and trust me, I realize that players ultimately are the ones who win games but coaches most certainly can lose games.

The duration of the problem is concerning. The issues present in UND football have been there for the past few seasons - it's just been a little less obvious because we had a DII dominated schedule in 2011 and 2012 was the first in the Big Sky, so the expectations were a bit curbed. When there's been little to no progress with a home schedule like we have this year, and I continually hear that the coaches have no answer but rather they are just hoping the next week will be better than the previous one, that is a definite red flag in my book. UND football has been mediocre at best ever since 2008, and I guess it has to be 2018 before some people finally think the program has been down too long.

If there are no changes, UND football attendance will average all-time low numbers next season. There's a fine line between patience and ignorance.

I expect this team to beat Sacramento State and Northern Colorado to close out the home schedule; however, they won't be easy games if we continue with the turnovers and penalties. So, I guess those games could go either way.

Did you think UND would step into the playoffs as soon as they got playoff eligible? I certainly didn't and this season has raised all kinds of red flags with the coaching staff, but I figured we would struggle some. Are we seeing improvement? I thought we would this year but clearly I was wrong about that. The crazy thing to me is that if we would have moved up with the States, we would be better and neither of them would likely be as good as they are. UND had a lot of good reason not to transition then, but in hindsight it really hurt the football program and USD is feeling it as well.

[BobIwabuchiFan]

I was tailgating yesterday like every homegame and I always make sure to watch the team walk through the crowd to the stadium...Here is what I saw...Too many kids with earphones in and staring down at the ground. What does that tell you as a Sioux fan? Do these kids even want to be here and why is the team not trying to draw some intensity away from the crowd outside the stadium? I'm not asking for the team to sit down and have a beer and a brat with me, but at least show some excitement and intensity. To top it off, Coach Mussman is walking in with headphones as well...jesus, has anyone seen a prime time coach wearing headphones during a team walk into the stadium????? Gotta make a change or we will be stuck in mediocrity for a long time!

[geaux_sioux]

I was tailgating yesterday like every homegame and I always make sure to watch the team walk through the crowd to the stadium...Here is what I saw...Too many kids with earphones in and staring down at the ground. What does that tell you as a Sioux fan? Do these kids even want to be here and why is the team not trying to draw some intensity away from the crowd outside the stadium? I'm not asking for the team to sit down and have a beer and a brat with me, but at least show some excitement and intensity. To top it off, Coach Mussman is walking in with headphones as well...jesus, has anyone seen a prime time coach wearing headphones during a team walk into the stadium????? Gotta make a change or we will be stuck in mediocrity for a long time!

The players have their routine so headphones and not looking at the crowd too much may keep them focused. The weird the Mussman though. His biggest weakness is his ability to handle fans and media. He only cares about football and isn't good at pretending to enjoy the spotlight.

[WeAreNorthDakota]

I saw improvement over the Montana games on Saturday but a 21 point loss on Homecoming is still unacceptable. IMO, Muss can still save his job but it's going to take 6 wins. That means winning our last 5 regular season games, getting a playoff birth, and winning the first playoff game. Anything short of that and I'm fully in support of Muss getting the boot.

[iramurphy]

I was tailgating yesterday like every homegame and I always make sure to watch the team walk through the crowd to the stadium...Here is what I saw...Too many kids with earphones in and staring down at the ground. What does that tell you as a Sioux fan? Do these kids even want to be here and why is the team not trying to draw some intensity away from the crowd outside the stadium? I'm not asking for the team to sit down and have a beer and a brat with me, but at least show some excitement and intensity. To top it off, Coach Mussman is walking in with headphones as well...jesus, has anyone seen a prime time coach wearing headphones during a team walk into the stadium? ? Gotta make a change or we will be stuck in mediocrity for a long time!

You will see headphones at every level from HS to the pros in virtually every sport. It is a non-issue. These kids start interacting with fans too much and someone else will say they aer screwing around and dont' care and aren't focused The coaches have a beer after the game and will talk to fans and someone else says they are out partying. Otherwise they are too arrogant. Not sure about prime time coaches but you have a point. Good time for coaches to schmooze with fans for that 3 minute walk without having to waste a lot of time. That is part of the psychology of coaching that I think we lack. Don't get criticized for that when you are winning but it doesn't work welll then either.

[TheFlop]

By any reasonable standards, this team should be farther along than it is. Really, other than WR and possibly QB, are there any positions you can point at and say the team is stocked with legit D1FCS players? What happened to the days of the Mark Callahan and Scott Schultz beasts in the middle? Remember when the team used to send an occasional OL to the NFL? I am not convinced the coaches have the right players to work with, and of course that is the coaches fault.

[geaux_sioux]

By any reasonable standards, this team should be farther along than it is. Really, other than WR and possibly QB, are there any positions you can point at and say the team is stocked with legit D1FCS players? What happened to the days of the Mark Callahan and Scott Schultz beasts in the middle? Remember when the team used to send an occasional OL to the NFL? I am not convinced the coaches have the right players to work with, and of course that is the coaches fault.

Anderson has been compared to Kuper. Is that good enough? I agree that the depth isn't where it needs to be yet but Kleason was a really good player before he injured his ankle last year. He hasn't quite been the same since.