Blackout Week: North Dakota vs. UM Griz

[geaux_sioux]

Montana is coming to town. Some people think we have a legit shot at a win. Why not?

[bang]

Kind of an obvious statement, but if the defense keeps playing the way it has and the offense holds on to the ball while finding a groove. This team might just have a chance.

[Dagger]

I think we have to keep realistic expectations.    Just the fact that we gave Montana State a decent game is quite surprising.    Some people say that winning is the only thing that matters.  That is true. But from where we came from just being a lot more competitive is a major step in itself.    That is a step that I didn't think was possible this early on with a new staff and a lot of new players.    But it  is way to early to know if we really have made some positive strides.    We have to have that happen over a series of games to know for sure.    Just the fact that some fans are talking about staying in a game against good FCS teams is  an extremely  good sign.   This season is all about getting some respectability back.    

[Feff]

Make that this season is about getting some respectability back and convincing recruits that the bottom has hit and this program will get better and better moving forward. Tough to recruit when there appears to be no hope or confidence in the program, a la Mussman. 

[homer]

Montana will bring a better front 7 defensively than what MSU had on the field last weekend.  The o-line will be in for a challenge.  Offensively, the passing game needs to be what was on the field for the 2nd half on Saturday and the field needs to be spread side to side and vertically to open up the running game. 

 

Defensively, I hope they have watched the game film from last year. 

 

Special teams, it would be fitting if we were somehow up enough in the 4th quarter to have the luxery to score and go for two.  Same bush league play UM did last year. 

 

Looking forward to this weekend and seeing the team back up in GF at the Al.

[gfhockey]

Whose all blackkng out

[ibleedgreen]

If the offense doesn't turn the ball over (aka Mollberg doesn't throw any pick 6's) I think we have a legit shot. I have confidence in the defense that they will keep doing what they are doing.

[ibleedgreen]

Whose all blackkng out

I'm with you gfhockey! Let's get hammered drunk and spell !@#$ wrong!

[The Sicatoka]

Dear Montana,

 

Nothin' to see here.

 

Don't look at the box score from Bozeman last week. Just look at your film of your UND game from last year. Start thinking now about your home game the following week v. UC Davis. 

 

Nothin' to see here. 

 

Signed, 

 

UND

[gfhockey]

Kega and eggs ladies kega and eggs

[MafiaMan]

Whose all blackkng out

Aren't you just waking up from one?

[darell1976]

Saturday ends UND's third time in a row hosting Montana. UND won't see Montana in Grand Forks until the 2018 season, unless they host them in the playoffs. Maybe there will be some 2012 magic still looming around for this game.

[geaux_sioux]

Kega and eggs ladies kega and eggs

Remember it's blackout week not blackout Saturday.

[geaux_sioux]

Saturday ends UND's third time in a row hosting Montana. UND won't see Montana in Grand Forks until the 2018 season, unless they host them in the playoffs. Maybe there will be some 2012 magic still looming around for this game.

Yea we'll rush for 700 yards

[darell1976]

Yea we'll rush for 700 yards

I meant a last second win, not the yards.

[CMSioux]

You can also "Black Out" with the Once a Sioux always a Sioux shirts - online at Siouxpride.com and in Grand Forks at Play It Again Sports and Cenex on South Washington.

[bincitysioux]

Was just perusing the stats over at the Big Sky website, and by the numbers this could be an entertaining match up. 

 

Montana and North Dakota are both ranked 1st and 2nd in Scoring Defense, Total Defense, and Sacks respectively.  And by the numbers, Montana's offense looks fairly pedestrian by Big Sky standards, ranking anywhere from 6th to 10th in the main offensive categories.

 

An interesting stat to me is that Montana is near the bottom of the conference in Time of Possession. 

 

You wouldn't really think it, but on paper, these look like two fairly closely matched teams.  I think it could play out a lot like the Stony Brook game.  Low scoring and points are going to be at a premium.  Whoever gets up by two scores is going to be in the driver seat.  A raucous Alerus Center crowd could be a big factor this weekend.

[TinyTimmay]

I'm sure my opinion on your game this weekend doesn't mean much at all, but having seen this Montana team last week up close, it's going to be tough game for you. I must admit, you're team seems to be heading in the right direction defensively. I honestly don't know enough about your offense or the lack thereof to make any observations, but you will need to be able to run the ball against this team. They tackle very well and play very physical. They made a few 3rd and short stops against the Bison and forced us to kick FG's and even stopped us on a 4th down. And they were playing very hard late in the 4th even though their D had been on the field for nearly 40 minutes. They have plenty of athleticism on offense and Jordan Johnson is pretty elusive in the pocket. If you're suspect in stopping big plays, there may be several long pass plays on Saturday. Anyway, I think 37-10 Montana.

[CMSioux]

I'm sure my opinion on your game this weekend doesn't mean much at all, but having seen this Montana team last week up close, it's going to be tough game for you. I must admit, you're team seems to be heading in the right direction defensively. I honestly don't know enough about your offense or the lack thereof to make any observations, but you will need to be able to run the ball against this team. They tackle very well and play very physical. They made a few 3rd and short stops against the Bison and forced us to kick FG's and even stopped us on a 4th down. And they were playing very hard late in the 4th even though their D had been on the field for nearly 40 minutes. They have plenty of athleticism on offense and Jordan Johnson is pretty elusive in the pocket. If you're suspect in stopping big plays, there may be several long pass plays on Saturday. Anyway, I think 37-10 Montana.

<script type="text/javascript">var _currentUUID = '22a71d38-63f0-4f00-be3b-5099d05e734d';</script>

So is your next stop the jackrabbit site to predict their outcome - you have nothing better to do?

[dmksioux]

So is your next stop the jackrabbit site to predict their outcome - you have nothing better to do?

There are several bison fans who troll and post things just to fire up our fan base. This was not one of them. Just a bison fan giving some perspective on what to possibly expect from Montana based on their game with them. No need to jump on every Bison fans post. Just sayin'...

[Nodak78]

exactly. they wouldnt want us to beat the griz. or for that matter the weber wildcat.

the griz will be tough. i think tougher then the bobcats just because of their strengths. i doubt we sack JJ like we did dakota. way more experience with JJ.

[Oxbow6]

Montana will bring a better front 7 defensively than what MSU had on the field last weekend.  The o-line will be in for a challenge.  Offensively, the passing game needs to be what was on the field for the 2nd half on Saturday and the field needs to be spread side to side and vertically to open up the running game. 

 

Defensively, I hope they have watched the game film from last year. 

 

Yes to the above points...Joe will have to play his best game of the year to give UND a chance.  The Griz D-line is one of the top 5 in FCS so UND will have it's troubles running the ball consistently IMO.

 

And who can forgot Johnson completely carving up UND's D the last time they played.

 

UND will compete hard...Bubba has that instilled in them, but an early pick 6 by Joe can't happen this weekend to derail the early effort.

[geaux_sioux]

Yes to the above points...Joe will have to play his best game of the year to give UND a chance. The Griz D-line is one of the top 5 in FCS so UND will have it's troubles running the ball consistently IMO.

And who can forgot Johnson completely carving up UND's D the last time they played.

UND will compete hard...Bubba has that instilled in them, but an early pick 6 by Joe can't happen this weekend to derail the early effort.

17 won't be escorting Grizzlies into the end zone this year, that makes a world of difference.

[Matt]

17 won't be escorting Grizzlies into the end zone this year, that makes a world of difference.

Even so, the secondary has still shown they will give up the big play for a TD.  They've done so vs every talented offensive team this year.

[homer]

Coach Roger Thomas' induction into the UND Hall of Fame would be another good marketing point to the average fan in Grand Forks to get out to the game on Saturday. 

 

Haven't seen to much of that printed or covered this week.  It would make for a nice front page story from the Herald.