Pre Spring 2013 Team Outlook

[geaux_sioux]

How many freshman did we have that reshirted last year? Of that group how many are expected to make a significant impact next year? Which players would be considered to be the stars of that class?

Other than qbs Edwards Carothers rich labbatt and Cain seem poised to make an impact. My sleeper that may be a year away is Varner.

[jodcon]

Seems to me there are 6 or 7 DB's listed but I don't know if any of them are studs...any idea geaux_sioux?

Makes me wonder with no secondary recruits signed up yet if they are counting on some of these guys heavily?

[Dustin]

Hopefully not too far off-topic, but I wanted to pose the question: By the time Joe Mollberg is a senior, where you do you see the UND football team? What would be considered a success, and what would be considered a failure?

[geaux_sioux]

Seems to me there are 6 or 7 DB's listed but I don't know if any of them are studs...any idea geaux_sioux?

Makes me wonder with no secondary recruits signed up yet if they are counting on some of these guys heavily?

The seniors cbs are worthless. Unless they pull their heads out of each others asses they will continue to be nothing more than end zone escorts. Darryl brown is good but needs to put on some weight for gods sake and stay healthy next year. Dwayne brown seemed promising but has been injured his entire career to this point. Harris and Chris brown are too slow and weak but have a little potential. Kanalowski has decent potential but is frail. Cb is the #1 need on this team. Either they need to progress by leaps and bounds or they need to be replaced.

Safety looks a lot better off with Lewis getting better every game and butler Cain and the Mandan kid coming up. Now that mersereau is gone the defense just got a lot tougher and better at tackling.

They need to recruit the secondary hard and trim some fat this spring.

[jodcon]

"End zone escorts"...I like that. Consider it stolen.

[sioux24/7]

Safety looks a lot better off with Lewis getting better every game and butler Cain and the Mandan kid coming up. Now that mersereau is gone the defense just got a lot tougher and better at tackling.

Think Butler will get a lot of playing time?

[geaux_sioux]

Think Butler will get a lot of playing time?

If the mental aspect of the game clicks for him and he can be reliable and assignment sharp than the sky is the limit

[Hambone]

Think Butler will get a lot of playing time?

God I hope so. When he signed I thought he would make an immediate impact. I did like a few things I saw out of him last year, and with a year under his belt I'm hoping he's poised for a breakout year. Also agree with geaux_sioux that we need a lot of help at CB, and the guys there really need to bulk up. I wonder if Ivery will be able to make an impact out there this year?

Also, as it relates to guys we had redshirting (other than the obvious choices already mentioned), I'm anxious to see what Conrad Schwartzkopf can bring to the table as a PWO, as well as Brandon Larson at the LB position.

Lastly, I really think that Casey Young should try safety. I was impressed with him at times on special teams making tackles, and think he has the speed necessary. Why not? He may be buried on the depth chart at WR, unless he's really coming along and can leap over a few folks, but with the experience we have coming back and adding Robertson, maybe it's something he needs. Maybe even bulk up a little and play some LB?

[UND Fan]

Lastly, I really think that Casey Young should try safety. I was impressed with him at times on special teams making tackles, and think he has the speed necessary. Why not? He may be buried on the depth chart at WR, unless he's really coming along and can leap over a few folks, but with the experience we have coming back and adding Robertson, maybe it's something he needs. Maybe even bulk up a little and play some LB?

***************************

Good thought about Young changing positions. I think he is a very good athlete - I wouldn't think he would want to potentially be a 4th string receiver for another 2-3 years!

I also hope Butler continues to progress. I had thought he would see the field more than he did last year (due to his talent and the lack of success by others on the field)!

[WeAreNorthDakota]

Hopefully not too far off-topic, but I wanted to pose the question: By the time Joe Mollberg is a senior, where you do you see the UND football team? What would be considered a success, and what would be considered a failure?

If we don't make the playoffs during his time here I would consider that a failure. Not on his part necessarily but for the program as a whole. I would think multilple playoff appearances or a Big Sky title would make that recruiting class a success. Hopefully four years from now we're talking about the great foundation those guys have laid for the future of UND Football.

[darell1976]

We have 7 home games. If we can't go at least 5-2 at home then pack it in for a long decade (at least). Because it may be a long time before we see 7 home games, and no FBS games in one season.

[jdub27]

We have 7 home games. If we can't go at least 5-2 at home then pack it in for a long decade (at least). Because it may be a long time before we see 7 home games, and no FBS games in one season.

5-2 would be a pretty good home record, not borderline failure, considering that we have 3 of this year's playoff teams (SDSU, MSU and EWU) coming in along with Montana. These are also 4 of the first 6 games of the year with what will most likely be a freshman QB. Our home schedule is much tougher than our away schedule (based on this year at least).

[darell1976]

5-2 would be a pretty good home record, not borderline failure, considering that we have 3 of this year's playoff teams (SDSU, MSU and EWU) coming in along with Montana. These are also 4 of the first 6 games of the year with what will most likely be a freshman QB. Our home schedule is much tougher than our away schedule (based on this year at least).

5-2 is very good. But if we can't win at least 5 with home field and (with ranked teams coming in) big crowds no way we reach the playoffs. UND beat Montana, PSU, and SUU at home (SDSoM doesn't count in anything), 3-2 at home while going 1-4 on the road. One win on the road (Sac St). and 2 out of those 4 losses were blowouts. UND needs to take every advantage to be at home and get these kids the confidence to win. If we drop home game after home game...goodnight on the season.

[iramurphy]

As usual, a good and insightful post. Thanks Ira. Do you feel this team will be ready to challenge for a playoff spot next year or do you feel they are still a couple of years away? I would like to think our offense is there, but with a Frosh at QB, it's hard to say. I also am not sure that the defense can turn it around quick enough in one year to play at a playoff/championship level.

I think we can if things go right and we improve defensively. We were close to beating Cal Poly, Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona. We played San Diego state tough. Turn those into wins and we might have made the playoffs. Close doesn't count and our goal is to win conference and National Championships. We need to learn to close out games and if we aren't better defensively we won't be there next year. I think if our Oline develops and gives Mollberg (assuming he is the QB) time and we improve our running game we will be tough Offensively. I can't imagine we can be worse defensively but we must make big strides on defense if we are going to be a playoff team. Our d backs will improve if we can improve our pass rush. Mollberg is capable of getting this team to the playoffs and I hear Bartels is also an excellent QB so I don't want to assume anything.Our Oline needs to be able to dominate the line of scrimmage in order to make the run game go. If we get that we will be hard to stop. At this level you can't take a week off. The AC was the best team at this level and they had an off week and got beat by Indiana State. It takes every player, every play, every practice and every game. No exceptions. The kids need to learn they can win and to do that they need to know their teamate is going to get their job done. They are good enough to beat a better opponent on any given play. When they learn that, then it takes heart and grit to make sure that "every given play" is the next play, then the next and so on. I am optomistic we will be better. That won't necessarily get us into the playoffs. I think if the chips fall right we could.

[geaux_sioux]

I think we can if things go right and we improve defensively. We were close to beating Cal Poly, Northern Colorado and Northern Arizona. We played San Diego state tough. Turn those into wins and we might have made the playoffs. Close doesn't count and our goal is to win conference and National Championships. We need to learn to close out games and if we aren't better defensively we won't be there next year. I think if our Oline develops and gives Mollberg (assuming he is the QB) time and we improve our running game we will be tough Offensively. I can't imagine we can be worse defensively but we must make big strides on defense if we are going to be a playoff team. Our d backs will improve if we can improve our pass rush. Mollberg is capable of getting this team to the playoffs and I hear Bartels is also an excellent QB so I don't want to assume anything.Our Oline needs to be able to dominate the line of scrimmage in order to make the run game go. If we get that we will be hard to stop. At this level you can't take a week off. The AC was the best team at this level and they had an off week and got beat by Indiana State. It takes every player, every play, every practice and every game. No exceptions. The kids need to learn they can win and to do that they need to know their teamate is going to get their job done. They are good enough to beat a better opponent on any given play. When they learn that, then it takes heart and grit to make sure that "every given play" is the next play, then the next and so on. I am optomistic we will be better. That won't necessarily get us into the playoffs. I think if the chips fall right we could.

With Edwards and company the d will take a huge step forward. I've heard nothing but great things about labbatt and how he's been developing as we'll.

[Westside]

In the SFI blog comments on JJ Roberstson, they mentioned it may be possible that WR Zach Oliver is not returning this semester. Anyone hearing anything on that?

[geaux_sioux]

In the SFI blog comments on JJ Roberstson, they mentioned it may be possible that WR Zach Oliver is not returning this semester. Anyone hearing anything on that?

Trim the fat

[bincitysioux]

geaux_sioux (or anybody else that knows alot about the underclassman):

Give us ONE name at each position who will either be freshmen or sophomores in 2013 that you think could make an impact at that position. Keep it simple.......i.e. one LB, one DL, one OL etc............

[geaux_sioux]

geaux_sioux (or anybody else that knows alot about the underclassman):

Give us ONE name at each position who will either be freshmen or sophomores in 2013 that you think could make an impact at that position. Keep it simple.......i.e. one LB, one DL, one OL etc............

I've already talked about Edwards enough so ill go with Carrothers at de. Labat at lb. Perhaps Windfelt. Still withholding hope on Dwayne Brown if he can get healthy. Cain at safety should fill a need. Mollberg at qb is a safe bet. Anthony Fletcher will be a beast at some point, maybe not next year with how many stud wrs we have but at some point for sure. Pj sparks. TE is a huge toss up and question mark. If one of the fr puts on serious weight they could do it, if not then Grant could fill the need.

[WeAreNorthDakota]

DL: Edwards. Already has the size and showed a lot of promise in fall camp. Definitely gonna have my eye on him in the spring game; more than any other player outside of Mollberg and Bartels

LB: Rich. Lots of unknown young guys who should compete for 2-deep jobs after the pathetic showing that was last season. Rich is the guy I liked the most coming out of high school.

DB: Cain. Seems like a really smart player based on his interviews for Opening Drive. Definitely a job for him to step up and take. Seems like he's the kind of kid who would grab an opportunity by the horns and I really hope he does.

OL: Adams. I think he's on the 2-deep pushing for a starting job by the end of spring ball. Loved his tenacity and aggresiveness in the running game coming out of high school. Banking on a good year of coaching from Mr. Carey having him ready to contribute.

QB: Mollberg. Not much to be said that hasn't been already. Hope the kid can handle the pressure because there's a lot of it riding on his shoulders.

RB: Sparks. He has not been shy about wanting his shot. With Sutton gone and Miller having an underwhelming year, the shot's there if he's got the game and the work ethic to back up his own high hopes.

TE: Nordby. Dominant ND kid. 2 ND grown TEs just left leaving room for Tucker to pick up right where they left off. Was absolutely exstatic about getting this kid last year and it hasn't worn off.

WR: Robertson, Fletcher, Golloday, and Jackson make for a pretty solid receiving corps if we just count the underclassmen but that excludes the best player on the team. How is this position group so far ahead of the rest? It's night and day.

[geaux_sioux]

Our wr corpse in 2010 was about as good as our d was in 2012. Things change in a hurry. We'll be saying the same thing about our d soon

[WeAreNorthDakota]

It's just odd to me that so many of our recruiting home runs were receivers while there were so many flops and underacheivers all over the rest of the field.

[MoSiouxFan]

It's just odd to me that so many of our recruiting home runs were receivers and quarterbacks while there were so many flops and underacheivers all over the rest of the field.

FIFY, although, admittedly, the QB's are yet to be proven.

[geaux_sioux]

It's just odd to me that so many of our recruiting home runs were receivers while there were so many flops and underacheivers all over the rest of the field.

I have a good feeling about that changing next season with the young DLmen at the very least

[siouxfan68]

Does anyone know the 40 yd times for our returning running backs and/or receivers?