Buy or Sell 2013

[Irish]

The three year clock for success at this level started last year and there were glimpses of hope. It's a program full of hungry players and coaches that are ready to restore the program to greatness by any means necessary. The fire and talent are now in place, it's time to execute and develop into champs.

I think you are right about the team being hungry and hope they have a fantastic year - we do have some massive improving to do in some areas from last year. I call BS on this year being the second year that counts, however. This will be Muss's 6th year and all of the previous years should be steadily building and improving to bring us to this year. I'm just plain not not willing to give him 10 years to break the bonds of mediocrity. The time is now to get the crowds back and re-establish a winning tradition. I'm not saying that Muss can't do it - I'm saying he needs to do it soon.

[darell1976]

Buy- Taking action rather than talking speaks volumes.

Buy or Sell- We hit 12,000 attendance for at least one game in 2013?

If UND gets on a roll early knocking out wins against Valpo, SDSU, UM, MSU, the crowd will increase as the conference title looks promising. Heck the UNC could be a sellout if a title is ours with a win. Lets hope for the best!!

[geaux_sioux]

I think you are right about the team being hungry and hope they have a fantastic year - we do have some massive improving to do in some areas from last year. I call BS on this year being the second year that counts, however. This will be Muss's 6th year and all of the previous years should be steadily building and improving to bring us to this year. I'm just plain not not willing to give him 10 years to break the bonds of mediocrity. The time is now to get the crowds back and re-establish a winning tradition. I'm not saying that Muss can't do it - I'm saying he needs to do it soon.

If he gets through this year and the next one that will make 8 years not quite ten. Patience is what makes programs great. Teams shouldn't get a new coach every year like the Raiders. High expectations are needed but so is patience. The Raiders have high expectations but no patience which is why they get a new coach every year and haven't made the playoffs in years. The next two years will be very telling.

[darell1976]

If he gets through this year and the next one that will make 8 years not quite ten. Patience is what makes programs great. Teams shouldn't get a new coach every year like the Raiders. High expectations are needed but so is patience. The Raiders have high expectations but no patience which is why they get a new coach every year and haven't made the playoffs in years. The next two years will be very telling.

If that was the case RT wouldn't have made it out of the 80's.

[Irish]

If that was the case RT wouldn't have made it out of the 80's.

That's exactly what I'm talking about - the Pat Burns era gave us 6 years of mediocrity and it took forever to dig out. I'm not saying a new coach every year.

[darell1976]

That's exactly what I'm talking about - the Pat Burns era gave us 6 years of mediocrity and it took forever to dig out. I'm not saying a new coach every year.

Plus Muss had to take a good DII coached team, and transfer that into a good DI team. Transition is tough and he is just building and building. We just need to be patient, but if UND tanks this season with 7 home games and goes roughly 2-9 or 3-8 (like in 2010) then I would consider this team going nowhere and maybe Muss needs to go. 7-4 or better is what I expect this team to do.

[Irish]

If he gets through this year and the next one that will make 8 years not quite ten. Patience is what makes programs great. Teams shouldn't get a new coach every year like the Raiders. High expectations are needed but so is patience. The Raiders have high expectations but no patience which is why they get a new coach every year and haven't made the playoffs in years. The next two years will be very telling.

So patience is what makes programs great. I guess that's why the Bison have had so much success. They seem to be a very patient bunch.

[UNDColorado]

I think if we tank it this year then it is time to have a very serious conversation about the future leadership of the program.

Taking a team through a transition (coupled with the nickname issue) is not easy and I have to believe that he deserves the benefit of the doubt...for now.

Personally I think this year will be very telling in terms of our future. With 7 home games I would be very disappointed if we do not get to the 6 win mark (7 is what I am really looking for). If we have a 6 win season with a couple really close losses then i can't justify being mad; if the losses are blowouts then we have a different narrative. Our QB's are redshirts after all...

[CMSioux]

Buy on 3-0 - It was the worst UND defense in years and they still beat Montana.

Buy or Sell - Fargo U football team has a run in with the law before the UND football does.

Ding ding ding we have a winner

[Nodak78]

question is, will fargo u have the run in with the law before UND goes 3-0.

I'm buy fargo u has run before we get 3-0 this season.

[geaux_sioux]

So patience is what makes programs great. I guess that's why the Bison have had so much success. They seem to be a very patient bunch.

If they weren't Bohl wouldn't have lasted to the playoff runs of late. He went from a coach on the hot seat to a god in Fargo.

[geaux_sioux]

That's exactly what I'm talking about - the Pat Burns era gave us 6 years of mediocrity and it took forever to dig out. I'm not saying a new coach every year.

It took 6 years because of lack of talent and ambition. UND's team is loaded at some spots and is filling the void at others. It took NDSU a while to find CBs that could cover at this level.

[geaux_sioux]

question is, will fargo u have the run in with the law before UND goes 3-0.

I'm buy fargo u has run before we get 3-0 this season.

Has another one? Defiantly possible. I just doubt it will be another starter but who knows.

http://www.inforum.com/event/article/id/402643/

[southpaw]

It took 6 years because of lack of talent and ambition. UND's team is loaded at some spots and is filling the void at others. It took NDSU a while to find CBs that could cover at this level.

And they still don't have a QB who can win a game. The QB's job in Fargo is to not lose and he came dang close to doing just that several games this year.

[Irish]

If they weren't Bohl wouldn't have lasted to the playoff runs of late. He went from a coach on the hot seat to a god in Fargo.

Seriously - you are telling me that the Bison are a patient fan base? He was on the hot seat two years after back to back 10-1 seasons and only a run deep into the playoffs got him off. I know you think Muss deserves more time, but you need at least one foot in reality.

[geaux_sioux]

Seriously - you are telling me that the Bison are a patient fan base? He was on the hot seat two years after back to back 10-1 seasons and only a run deep into the playoffs got him off. I know you think Muss deserves more time, but you need at least one foot in reality.

Last I checked fans don't make personnel decisions. Reality you say? The reality is that they gave Bohl enough time to right the ship and he did. We are doing the same for Mussman. It's the way successful organizations in sports run things. Teams with coaching carousels never succeed.

[Irish]

Last I checked fans don't make personnel decisions. Reality you say? The reality is that they gave Bohl enough time to right the ship and he did. We are doing the same for Mussman. It's the way successful organizations in sports run things. Teams with coaching carousels never succeed.

Not necessarily arguing with giving Muss some time, but using the Bison as an example of a patient program doesn't help make your case.

[geaux_sioux]

Not necessarily arguing with giving Muss some time, but using the Bison as an example of a patient program doesn't help make your case.

How so? How many coaches have they fired or not given new contracts to?

[Irish]

How so? How many coaches have they fired or not given new contracts to?

If you look at their records, they really haven't had much need, but Bob Babich at 46-22 over 6 years was forced out. Before him was Rocky Hager at 91-25 and before him Earl Solomanson at 24-2-1 and Don Morton at 57-15. The Bison are notoriously restless at any sign of being less than competative. Hager was fired more for personal issues, but even at 91-25 he was getting criticism in his last year when he went 6-4. The Bison nation is in no way shape or form patient with their football team. If you think the Bison would for one minute put up with a defense like we put on the field last year without heads rolling you are delusional.

[geaux_sioux]

If you look at their records, they really haven't had much need, but Bob Babich at 46-22 over 6 years was forced out. Before him was Rocky Hager at 91-25 and before him Earl Solomanson at 24-2-1 and Don Morton at 57-15. The Bison are notoriously restless at any sign of being less than competative. Hager was fired more for personal issues, but even at 91-25 he was getting criticism in his last year when he went 6-4. The Bison nation is in no way shape or form patient with their football team. If you think the Bison would for one minute put up with a defense like we put on the field last year without heads rolling you are delusional.

They replaced their DC after a poor defensive year but didn't fire their head coach and it worked out well. We have a new DC...... just sayin. And no I'm not delusional. Just because the fans are not patient doesn't mean the admin aren't.

[bincitysioux]

Plus Muss had to take a good DII coached team, and transfer that into a good DI team. Transition is tough and he is just building and building. We just need to be patient, but if UND tanks this season with 7 home games and goes roughly 2-9 or 3-8 (like in 2010) then I would consider this team going nowhere and maybe Muss needs to go. 7-4 or better is what I expect this team to do.

Given what I saw from North Dakota last year coupled with the fact that we will have a freshman taking all the snaps this year, if North Dakota went 7-4 in 2013, I'd say Mussman would be a candidate for Big Sky Coach of the Year.

People keep saying that since there are 7 home games this year, that UND should be expected to win 7 games. I think that is asking alot. Sure, the schedule sets up nicely with 7 home games. But has everybody looked in depth at to who those opponents on the schedule are?

There are four Top 25 teams on the schedule in SDSU, Montana St., Eastern Washington, and Northern Arizona, two of which humiliated us a year ago. There is Sac St., who barely missed the playoffs, and Portland St. on the road who we barely snuck by at home. Throw in the Griz as well. This is likely going to be one of the toughest schedules in FCS this season.

I would argue that North Dakota had TWO of the better FCS quarterbacks in the country last season. Those two guys teamed with one of the worst FCS defenses in the nation to go 5-6. In 2013, the QB's will be unproven, nobody knows at this point if the defense will be at all better, and the schedule will be harder. Given all that, if North Dakota wins 7 games this season, then Coach Mussman would be deserving of a very long contract extension in my opinion....................

[geaux_sioux]

Given what I saw from North Dakota last year coupled with the fact that we will have a freshman taking all the snaps this year, if North Dakota went 7-4 in 2013, I'd say Mussman would be a candidate for Big Sky Coach of the Year.

People keep saying that since there are 7 home games this year, that UND should be expected to win 7 games. I think that is asking alot. Sure, the schedule sets up nicely with 7 home games. But has everybody looked in depth at to who those opponents on the schedule are?

There are four Top 25 teams on the schedule in SDSU, Montana St., Eastern Washington, and Northern Arizona, two of which humiliated us a year ago. There is Sac St., who barely missed the playoffs, and Portland St. on the road who we barely snuck by at home. Throw in the Griz as well. This is likely going to be one of the toughest schedules in FCS this season.

I would argue that North Dakota had TWO of the better FCS quarterbacks in the country last season. Those two guys teamed with one of the worst FCS defenses in the nation to go 5-6. In 2013, the QB's will be unproven, nobody knows at this point if the defense will be at all better, and the schedule will be harder. Given all that, if North Dakota wins 7 games this season, then Coach Mussman would be deserving of a very long contract extension in my opinion....................

It's all about the defense next year. The offense will be fine.

[stonebreaker]

It's all about the defense next year. The offense will be fine.

So still not a complete team, at a playoff level, so if record is 6-5 Muss should get extension. A winning record for this team should be considered a successful venture, without a doubt.

[JohnboyND7]

And they still don't have a QB who can win a game. The QB's job in Fargo is to not lose and he came dang close to doing just that several games this year.

If Mr. Jensen played in an offense where his job was to win games with his arm who knows....I personally don't see him as that guy but thats ok. Nothing wrong with recruiting other positions well enough to the point that the QB only has to make sure to be a quality player. Are we going to talk smack about the recent Alabama QB's whose job it was to hand the ball off and occasionally throw some play-action because they didn't throw the ball around the yard?

I would argue that North Dakota had TWO of the better FCS quarterbacks in the country last season.

It cannot be stated enough that the Big Sky is an offensively driven league. UND struggled bigtime against the two or three good teams they played in Big Sky play....depends on your definition of better FCS QB's I suppose. This is not me trolling btw.

[darell1976]

Given what I saw from North Dakota last year coupled with the fact that we will have a freshman taking all the snaps this year, if North Dakota went 7-4 in 2013, I'd say Mussman would be a candidate for Big Sky Coach of the Year.

People keep saying that since there are 7 home games this year, that UND should be expected to win 7 games. I think that is asking alot. Sure, the schedule sets up nicely with 7 home games. But has everybody looked in depth at to who those opponents on the schedule are?

There are four Top 25 teams on the schedule in SDSU, Montana St., Eastern Washington, and Northern Arizona, two of which humiliated us a year ago. There is Sac St., who barely missed the playoffs, and Portland St. on the road who we barely snuck by at home. Throw in the Griz as well. This is likely going to be one of the toughest schedules in FCS this season.

I would argue that North Dakota had TWO of the better FCS quarterbacks in the country last season. Those two guys teamed with one of the worst FCS defenses in the nation to go 5-6. In 2013, the QB's will be unproven, nobody knows at this point if the defense will be at all better, and the schedule will be harder. Given all that, if North Dakota wins 7 games this season, then Coach Mussman would be deserving of a very long contract extension in my opinion....................

If UND can't fight with the big boys of DI let's drop football or go down to DII. UND is not going to get 11 Idaho State's on the schedule. They have 7 home games which should give us a boost plus a week road schedule ( except NAU), that should give us another advantage. If Muss can only beat the DII teams or almost beat teams then why have him as a coach. IMO this is the year he shows what he is made of and lead this team to a conference title.