Pflugrad....baggage? Not in my book.

[GoGriz]

You guys keep saying Pflugrad comes with baggage and that it will be brought into the decision. Man, if what he went through is considered baggage, then we are all screwed as our own baggage far outweighs his.

First, the guy was wrongfully fired (more on this coming soon....hearing rumors of Dateline letting him and the athletic director tell their side of story) by a President who needed to do anything he could do to save his own ass and the awful ways he himslef mishandled some sexual assault situations on campus.

Second, the grandfather of a player bailed out two football players who landed in jail after a party. The NCAA ass-clowns decided that the grandpa was a booster because he spent money on game tickets at one time. Since they considered him a booster, they said his actions were illegal according to NCAA guidelines. Pflugrad didn't self report but I don't know of any others who would have or thought something was illegal in that action. It was a family member bailing his relative out of jail for crying out loud.

Finally, he defended our QB Jordan Johnson who was falsely accused of rape by a jealous girl. When he was asked what it was like having JJ back at practice, he said something along the lines of "having a quality young man of Jordy's moral fiber and leadership is a big deal for this team. I'm glad he is back at practice". Well the president didn't like that a bit and like 5 days later him and athletic director got fired. When it all came out in the end, JJ was acquitted (meaning entire jury found him not guilty) and the trial showed what a fraud the girl accuser was. Pflugrad knew JJ since he was a kid and JJ was his number one recruit to MT. Pflugrad was friends with JJs family. He simply defended a friend and paid the price....when he knew the truth and knew JJ was innocent.

Like I said, if that is baggage then we are screwed. I would take a guy like that any day. Someone who gives his players the benefit of the doubt and has their back unto proven otherwise. Plus folks don't talk much about the programs pflugrad implemented at Montana to keep his kids out of trouble....sex assault training, social media training, walking kids to class to hold athletes accountable to be students first. I would welcome him back to Griz Nation in one second. If u guys don't hire him, tell him we want him back!

[fightingsioux4life]

Well said GoGriz. I just hope Faison looks at it the same way.

[Cratter]

What about the free legal counsel?

[zonadub]

GoGriz, can you please send this to brian.faison@und.edu

[cberkas]

What about the free legal counsel?

That would be a public defender

[Siouxperfan7]

Pflugrad is the guy. He is the best applicant that has applied. Faison needs to get him in his office and talk they all these allegations and so called baggage and get the truth straight from the horses mouth.

[GoGriz]

Oh yes free legal counsel....also blown way out of proportion.....the university utilized the services of a local law firm to deal with many happenings at the University. These included both athletes and non-athletes. In the case of the kids who went to jail and got bailed out by grandpa, this same firm then got all charges dropped because the cops wrongfully tazered one of them for supposedly resisting arrest. What the cops didn't realize is that students caught the incident on their camera phones and came forward as witnesses saying the tazer was obsessive. The cops got scared and dropped any-all charges. Again, NCAA didn't like that legal counsel was provided for these two players who were part of their investigation. The Griz had to vacate all wins where either of those players participated. One of them now plays for the St Louis Rams, Trumaine Johnson. Again, pflugrad inherited this !@#$ show and was trying to take steps to fix it. When this all comes out I think there are going to be some very nervous people....our president being number one on that list.

[GoGriz]

And Weber St just hired a head coach....Hill out of Utah program....so that was the one place I thought may snatch up Pflugrad before someone else could. Now he is definitely available. I'm jealous.

[ericpnelson]

"To pass NDSU, We must hire Pflu!!! Too pass NDSU, We must hire Pflu!"

[Siouxperfan7]

Pflu Yeah Yeah!!!

[UND-FB-FAN]

As a coach and recruiter, I absolutely love Pflugrad. He needs to get the job. His FBS and Big Sky experience are critical.

I don't agree with people saying he brings along baggage. Baggage is something that someone brings in as a distraction, or they possess something that could get them in trouble again. Pflugrad was wrongfully sanctioned by the NCAA, but he doesn't have baggage. That is nonsense. I can see him not getting hired because he was associated with his previous AD losing his job (which is Faison's position!), and there are rumors that the coach is not on the applicant list.

From the list of applicants, though, Pflugrad needs to be the guy! He'll build our program into a competitive program and a top Big Sky program.

[ericpnelson]

Pflu Yeah Yeah!!!

It's an unbelievably great working nickname. Plug into old Sioux stuff... Plus,I've come up with like a million chants (they write themselves) "The defense we'll cut through, if we hire Pflu"

Combine that with #chuckthepigskin and putting in an actual air raid siren in the Alerus, sign me up.

[ericpnelson]

As a coach a recruiter, I absolutely love Pflugrad. He needs to get the job. His FBS and Big Sky experience is critical.

I don't agree with people saying he brings baggage. Baggage is something that someone brings in as a distraction, or they possess something that could get them in trouble again. Pflugrad was wrongfully sanctioned by the NCAA, but he doesn't have baggage. That is nonsense. I can see him not getting hired because he cost his previous AD his job (which is Faison's position!), and there are rumors that the coach is not on the applicant list.

From the list of applicants, though, Pflugrad needs to be the guy! He'll build our program into a competitive program and a top Big Sky program.

what coach?

[Siouxphan27]

Thanks for posting this info. I've been on the Pflu bandwagon and this further solidifies my hope that he is the one. If Faison isn't at work tomorrow, hopefully he's out with the Pflu!

[Sioux95]

Pflugrad would be a good get without the incidents that happened at Montana. With what happened at Montana, he would be a GREAT get. he will be bent on showing that he runs a winning program and a clean program.

[UND-FB-FAN]

what coach?

Any of the initially mentioned candidates that haven't applied or someone in Faison's vast network.

[SiouxVolley]

Thanks for posting this info. I've been on the Pflu bandwagon and this further solidifies my hope that he is the one. If Faison isn't at work tomorrow, hopefully he's out with the Pflu!

Jason Shay was on the NCAA bad boy list too by mistake and that didn't stop Faison from OKing his hiring,

[Oxbow6]

Any of the initially mentioned candidates that haven't applied or someone in Faison's vast network.

Someone describe "vast" for me in this scenario?

[Oxbow6]

And BTW...got a text late last PM from my Griz/Missoula buddy who asked why UND hasn't hired Pflu yet?

I had no answer............

[Shawn-O]

..been bitten by the Pflu bug...

[Hayduke]

Everybody has some 'baggage" after some years in a profession. But, I wouldn't worry about Pflugrad.

HIRE HIM!!!! Do it!!!

Then, chuck the pigskin!!!

[Siouxperfan7]

Chuck the pigskin guy needs to be hired as our new PR guy. That guy is great!!

[Shawn-O]

Chuck the pigskin guy needs to be hired as our new PR guy. That guy is great!!

He is ready to come to GF with a boatload of "#ChuckThePigskin" shirts if asked.

[Westside]

I do believe that Pflugrad & the AD were made scapegoats at Montana... I was looking at the Montana coaching staff from 2011 to 2012. After Pflugard was let go, 6 out of his 10 coaches were still on the 2012 staff, including Mick Delaney, 2011's Assistant Head Coach, who was promoted to Head Coach in 2012. This 10 number does include DC Mike Breske, who accepted the D-Coordinator position at Wash St (definitely a move up) 2 months before Pflugrad was fired and OC Jonathan Smith, who also left 2 months before Pflugrad was let go, was hired as QB coach at Boise State (a good career move & probably a nice bump in pay as well). These were both a month before the alleged incident with Johnson occured as well. So basically, only 2 coaching staff members were not retained from the 2011 staff to the 2012 staff (not sure what became of those 2 coaches, if they moved on by their own choice, retired, were not renewed, etc, but it looks like their coaching duties were split amongst the other coaches.)

If University of Montana was so concerned with a culture problem or the behavior of the football team, why would they keep all but 2 of the existing coaches, including promoting a current staff member to head coach? You'd think they would do a total house-cleaning if there was such concern. Looks to me like the higher ups needed a scapegoat & that was Pflugrad.

[geaux_sioux]

The only issue I have with pflugrad is that I don't want to run that offense at UND. I'd rather go pro style with a mixed in spread as a change of pace. I'm not a fan of the Oregon offense. There's a reason they haven't won a game against a team with equal talent recently.