UND Defense

[zonadub]

... Muss is under contract...

these things are changed (or terminated) all the time

[UND92,96]

2012 UND run defense, by the numbers (division I games only, unless otherwise noted):

Allowing 274.4 yards per game;

Allowing 6.18 yards per rush;

Currently ranked 108th out of 121 FCS teams against the run (includes SD Mines stats--would be several spots lower but for that);

Four of the five dI opponents exceeded their per game average vs. UND, with EWU exceeding theirs by 120 yards.

By way of comparison, prior to this season UND had held four of five FBS opponents to less than 150 yards rushing, and had given up on average 150 yards per game, and 4.45 yards per rush vs. FBS opponents.

[gfhockey]

Bring back bubba!

[Matt]

2012 UND run defense, by the numbers (division I games only, unless otherwise noted):

Allowing 274.4 yards per game;

Allowing 6.18 yards per rush;

Currently ranked 108th out of 121 FCS teams against the run (includes SD Mines stats--would be several spots lower but for that);

Four of the five dI opponents exceeded their per game average vs. UND, with EWU exceeding theirs by 120 yards.

By way of comparison, prior to this season UND had held four of five FBS opponents to less than 150 yards rushing, and had given up on average 150 yards per game, and 4.45 yards per rush vs. FBS opponents.

Plus you left out perhaps the most significant of the defensive stats-scoring defense. This defense gives up more than 31 points per game (all the more disgusting that it includes the mines shutout), good for a tie for 87th place. How does an offense go into a game knowing they need to score at least 30 a game to have a chance to win?

[Oxbow6]

Plus you left out perhaps the most significant of the defensive stats-scoring defense. This defense gives up more than 31 points per game (all the more disgusting that it includes the mines shutout), good for a tie for 87th place. How does an offense go into a game knowing they need to score at least 30 a game to have a chance to win?

Nicely played...the QB controversy, Marcus or Braden...Braden or Marcus is totally irrelevant with the D UND puts out on the field week in and week out. We have a good offense, but not good enought to hang 35+ on the board week in and week out.

I'll set the over/under at 525 combined yards rushing the next to home games vs UNA and the Griz.

[fightingsioux4life]

Let me clarify something: I would like Bubba to come back as D coordinator, NOT Lennon. I don't think Lennon would want to come back as D coordinator at a school where he was once "the man". Bubba was head coach at Duluth and he built a winner in a very short period of time; they won the D-II title the season following his departure to Southern Illinois. He has proven he can build a program from the ground up. Bring him in as D coordinator and prepare him to take over at some point in the future. Because what we are doing now just isn't working.

[jdub27]

Let me clarify something: I would like Bubba to come back as D coordinator, NOT Lennon. I don't think Lennon would want to come back as D coordinator at a school where he was once "the man". Bubba was head coach at Duluth and he built a winner in a very short period of time; they won the D-II title the season following his departure to Southern Illinois. He has proven he can build a program from the ground up. Bring him in as D coordinator and prepare him to take over at some point in the future. Because what we are doing now just isn't working.

What kind of logic do you use that makes you think Mussman would bring in a guy to take over his job, particularly one that is 5 years older than him?

[The Sicatoka]

What kind of logic do you use that makes you think Mussman would bring in a guy to take over his job, particularly one that is 5 years older than him?

Bring in a guy who's been more places than you, and who's older than you, to coach the defense?

It's been done: by Dave Hakstol, when he hired Brad Berry.

[geaux_sioux]

How much older and more experienced is Monty Kiffin than Lane?

[jdub27]

Bring in a guy who's been more places than you, and who's older than you, to coach the defense?

It's been done: by Dave Hakstol, when he hired Brad Berry.

Not discounting that it couldn't be done. It was this part that had me questioning it:

Bring him in as D coordinator and prepare him to take over at some point in the future.

Hakstol and Mussman are at slightly different points in their coaching careers as well.

[fightingsioux4life]

What kind of logic do you use that makes you think Mussman would bring in a guy to take over his job, particularly one that is 5 years older than him?

What kind of logic? Self-Preservation. If the defense continues on the current path, Mussman will not have a job in a couple of years (if not sooner). If Bubba could help him turn the program around and Mussman's coaching stock rises, he could get a better job someplace else and then Bubba is right there to take over the program.

Age is just a number. And besides, with age comes experience and lessons learned. We need all the help we can get right now. And I don't care how radical the ideas are, as long as they work.

[the green team]

I'm not seeing where having FBS experience is the end all be all indicator of a good coach, as has been alluded to in some recent posts. Did Beau Baldwin, whose Eagles just walloped us, have that sought after FBS experience before taking the helm at Eastern Washington a few years ago? I think he's a pretty good coach. I don't believe so. I thought he came from Central Washington? I'm reserving comment on our coaching situation, but the only argument that I can't quite follow, is that having some sort of history in FBS, automatically makes you a better coach. I'm not particularly sold on that philosophy.

[Oxbow6]

If Bubba could help him turn the program around and Mussman's coaching stock rises, he could get a better job someplace else and then Bubba is right there to take over the program.

[fightingsioux4life]

You didn't read the whole post (or you just chose to see what you wanted to see). I said IF the program gets turned around (and that's a BIG if), Mussman would attract attention from other schools. And by turning the program around, I mean conference titles, playoff appearances and playoff wins. Why do so many people on here have a problem with reading what is actually there?

If anyone else has any ideas as to how this program can get fixed, let's hear them. And FYI, "there's nothing we can do about it" is NOT one of them. We didn't move all our programs up to settle for this.

[darell1976]

these things are changed (or terminated) all the time

Except when it comes to games (ex. SD Mines).

[darell1976]

Even though he just retired from the AD job at Nebraska.....bring in Tom Osborne!!!

[planetearth]

What kind of logic? Self-Preservation. If the defense continues on the current path, Mussman will not have a job in a couple of years (if not sooner). If Bubba could help him turn the program around and Mussman's coaching stock rises, he could get a better job someplace else and then Bubba is right there to take over the program.

Age is just a number. And besides, with age comes experience and lessons learned. We need all the help we can get right now. And I don't care how radical the ideas are, as long as they work.

how about our athletic department focus on a mainstream sport like football instead of hockey? The football team is in a very bad spot right now in that they are losing badly and the narrow fan base will now just go follow the hockey season. It's happened all through the transition, and it will happen again. People like to watch a winner, and the rea consistently produces a contender.

[Wilbur]

If Lennon gets fired I'd be all for bringing him back to Grand Forks. Whether he would or not....who knows....

Lennon was behind some pretty good defensive football teams, and I have the feeling that a coach like him could turn this thing around. Yeah, the Salukis have struggled under his guidance, but I think he could reinvent himself back at UND.

That or Bubba.....I miss Bubba....

[geaux_sioux]

If we win this week is it still the end of the world for this program?

[UND-FB-FAN]

If we win this week is it still the end of the world for this program?

This season is likely not going into the postseason, so in that way yes.

As for Dale Lennon, he has valuable experience in Illinois as a recruiter and as a head coach for several years now at the FCS level, AND he's familiar with North Dakota and UND. He'd be a great addition and fit for those obvious reasons if he'd ever consider coming back as an assistant, possibly DC.

[Irish]

If we win this week is it still the end of the world for this program?

The problem with this program lately is that it has been neither great nor horrible (except for some notable games). If it was great, problem solved - if it was horrible, changes would be made to right the ship. If we don't win this week I suspect we will win other games this year and show flashes of good play that will be just enough to continue the course. It isn't horrible play that will do in this program, it is mediocre average play year after year. Many people's expectations have already started to be adjusted accordingly.

[jodcon]

I think expectations were a little too high coming in this year. After watching all the UND games I could the last few years and hundreds of BSC games for many years it looked like UND was going to have serious problems on the defensive side, they didn't look like they were built for the wide-open BSC style especially in the secondary. What I didn't expect this year was the porous run defense, that seemed to be a strength coming in but they haven't been able to shut anybody down, and with NAU and Montana coming up it could get uglier yet.

Back to the thread title, what needs to change, there isn't much they can change at this point. The season is halfway over so you can't really overhaul your scheme, and personnel is limited by injuries. What makes sense to me is bringing pressure on almost every play, even as bad as the secondary has been they really don't have any choice but to put 8 guys in the box and try to plug the running lanes and force quick throws on passing plays, because nobody can defend against second and 2 all night regardless of how good they are. Sure it will put corners on islands, but at least it would slow the running game and force quicker throws, and I like that better than an 8 yard run and then a QB standing tall and picking the secondary apart. A blitzing, pressure defense can disguise a poor defense if done right.

Maybe I'm wrong, but my 2 cents anyway.

[petey23]

I think expectations were a little too high coming in this year. After watching all the UND games I could the last few years and hundreds of BSC games for many years it looked like UND was going to have serious problems on the defensive side, they didn't look like they were built for the wide-open BSC style especially in the secondary. What I didn't expect this year was the porous run defense, that seemed to be a strength coming in but they haven't been able to shut anybody down, and with NAU and Montana coming up it could get uglier yet.

Back to the thread title, what needs to change, there isn't much they can change at this point. The season is halfway over so you can't really overhaul your scheme, and personnel is limited by injuries. What makes sense to me is bringing pressure on almost every play, even as bad as the secondary has been they really don't have any choice but to put 8 guys in the box and try to plug the running lanes and force quick throws on passing plays, because nobody can defend against second and 2 all night regardless of how good they are. Sure it will put corners on islands, but at least it would slow the running game and force quicker throws, and I like that better than an 8 yard run and then a QB standing tall and picking the secondary apart. A blitzing, pressure defense can disguise a poor defense if done right.

Maybe I'm wrong, but my 2 cents anyway.

Well at UND Boosters today Coach Mussman hinted that may be the plan on defense the rest of the year....dial up pressure and force the issue.

[Oxbow6]

The problem with this program lately is that it has been neither great nor horrible (except for some notable games). If it was great, problem solved - if it was horrible, changes would be made to right the ship. If we don't win this week I suspect we will win other games this year and show flashes of good play that will be just enough to continue the course. It isn't horrible play that will do in this program, it is mediocre average play year after year. Many people's expectations have already started to be adjusted accordingly.

Totally agree.

[Wilbur]

I agree with the whole "bring pressure" attitude. If you can't cover people, if you can't bring pressure with four guys, heck, why not?

I'd rather see the NAU QB pick himself up off the ground after throwing a TD pass then running to the end zone with a smile on his face. Thats what I loved about Bubba. QB's remembered the weeks they played UND.