2016 Season

[Westside]

From Tom Miller...

Craig Haley of STATS has UND ranked #12 in really, really early pre-season 2016 FCS poll...

http://millersports.areavoices.com/2016/01/12/stats-network-pegs-und-fb-at-no-12-in-2016/

http://www.fcs.football/cfb/story.asp?i=20160112140359528299004

 

[darell1976]

Just being talked about when it comes to rankings is a big step forward after a successful season. I would think UND would be ranked in all the preseason polls somewhere towards the lower half and towards the top in the conference polls. Still early but it's a nice thought and builds even more excitement for next season. 

[CMSioux]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/ncaaf/sagarin/

UND finished at #141 in the Sagarin out of 254 schools with football. Not where we want to be but we are headed in the right direction. 

[F'n Hawks]

Can it just be football season yet?

[darell1976]

4 hours ago, F'n Hawks said:

Can it just be football season yet?

After what the team did last year, I can't wait. Bubba has this team riding high with 7 DI wins including an FBS win, after all the injuries almost got in the playoffs. Now with the players more mature, healthy, and a favorable schedule, we should get back in that 8-10 win range. UND could go 2-1in OOC play 3-0 if Bowling Green doesn't play like they did last season (they don't have their stud QB, but still have other weapons). Santiago should continue to run all over the conference and if Studsrud stays healthy, its a one-two punch and we should get revenge on Weber State and Idaho St. This team was fun to watch last season, and should be more fun this season. That conference title will be in our reach as we were just 2 games out of first place.  224 days until Stony Brook!!!!

[homer]

1 hour ago, darell1976 said:

After what the team did last year, I can't wait. Bubba has this team riding high with 7 DI wins including an FBS win, after all the injuries almost got in the playoffs. Now with the players more mature, healthy, and a favorable schedule, we should get back in that 8-10 win range. UND could go 2-1in OOC play 3-0 if Bowling Green doesn't play like they did last season (they don't have their stud QB, but still have other weapons). Santiago should continue to run all over the conference and if Studsrud stays healthy, its a one-two punch and we should get revenge on Weber State and Idaho St. This team was fun to watch last season, and should be more fun this season. That conference title will be in our reach as we were just 2 games out of first place.  224 days until Stony Brook!!!!

USD won't be a push over.  They will be solid next season. 

[darell1976]

Just now, homer said:

USD won't be a push over.  They will be solid next season. 

But it's the Potato Bowl, USD doesn't stand a chance. Santiago will run 200 on them.

[geaux_sioux]

6 minutes ago, darell1976 said:

But it's the Potato Bowl, USD doesn't stand a chance. Santiago will run 200 on them.

? They most definatly stand a chance.

[SWSiouxMN]

I'd prefer stopping them on the goal line... twice!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jS9PGrMpvgM

[Sioux95]

34 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

? They most definatly stand a chance.

Games 2 and 3 could easily be the roughest games of the year, especially with 4 new guys on the o line.    Our new o line is going to need to be able to pick up run block and pass protection pretty quick if we want to head into conference play with a winning record.

[darell1976]

9 hours ago, geaux_sioux said:

? They most definatly stand a chance.

History of them winning in GF is not on their side. I'm still sticking with a UND win.

[Hawkster]

31 minutes ago, darell1976 said:

History of them winning in GF is not on their side. I'm still sticking with a UND win.

USD is good.   If you don't believe it, ask the Bison

[darell1976]

33 minutes ago, TRex said:

USD is good.   If you don't believe it, ask the Bison

But this Yote group will have a new coach. Ask the Bison how they did against Western Illinois. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

USD is UND's home-opener. UND needs to win that game as they can't afford to lose home games, like last year's Idaho State. That's how UND will make the playoffs; win out at home. 

Also, beating USD head-to-head allows for some regional recruiting leverage. It will be a fun and important game for UND football; I'm excited for it and the players/coaches should be too. 

[Longtime fan]

USD has a good team returning next year and their experience of playing in the mvfc every week could pose considerable challenges for UND.  

The big question mark for UND that early in the season will be how the o line has 'hopefully'progressed.  USD knows how to contend with quality big aggressive fronts, so UND will need their bigs to be extra sharp in the assignment area as well as the push factor.  Grady will be missed ...ugh! Still sick about that. Anyways. 

Secondly, hope the off season hard work will have the talented but still very young secondary ready.  They will be tested unlike any other game when they take on Bowling Green, so we will know fairly early in the season what kind of secondary we will have.  So often last year our guys were on the opposing player but failed to get an arm up or turn around causing a flag to be thrown or simply just dropped to what should of been a INT.   Coach em up!  

UND is no longer a doormat.  Bubba will have his guys ready.  They need to take protect home field if they want to take the next step.  Can't lose at home!!

[geaux_sioux]

One thing that will help our cause against them is no VanGinkle. He was a stud.

[Hawkster]

2 hours ago, darell1976 said:

But this Yote group will have a new coach. Ask the Bison how they did against Western Illinois. 

I doubt changing coaches automatically makes a team poorer.   I seem to remember hearing the opposite argument a few years ago when we all wanted Muss fired.   Besides, the coach isn't bringing the entire Western Illinois team with him.    Don't kid yourself, we will have our hands full with South Dakota.

[darell1976]

37 minutes ago, TRex said:

I doubt changing coaches automatically makes a team poorer.   I seem to remember hearing the opposite argument a few years ago when we all wanted Muss fired.   Besides, the coach isn't bringing the entire Western Illinois team with him.    Don't kid yourself, we will have our hands full with South Dakota.

I'm just saying USD hasn't won in Grand Forks since probably the Memorial Stadium days (just looked it up, last loss in GF was 1985 one year before the RT era), plus it's Potato Bowl so it will be near capacity crowd with lots of noise and Bubba will make sure we don't have any "quality losses".

[Teeder11]

55 minutes ago, Longtime fan said:

USD has a good team returning next year and their experience of playing in the mvfc every week could pose considerable challenges for UND.  

The big question mark for UND that early in the season will be how the o line has 'hopefully'progressed.  USD knows how to contend with quality big aggressive fronts, so UND will need their bigs to be extra sharp in the assignment area as well as the push factor.  Grady will be missed ...ugh! Still sick about that. Anyways. 

Secondly, hope the off season hard work will have the talented but still very young secondary ready.  They will be tested unlike any other game when they take on Bowling Green, so we will know fairly early in the season what kind of secondary we will have.  So often last year our guys were on the opposing player but failed to get an arm up or turn around causing a flag to be thrown or simply just dropped to what should of been a INT.   Coach em up!  

UND is no longer a doormat.  Bubba will have his guys ready.  They need to take protect home field if they want to take the next step.  Can't lose at home!!

Watch for Bryce Blair and Demon Taylor to be difference makers next season on the line. Cox and Aplin, too.  But I'm going to wait and see with those two until after spring drills when I can see more snaps at center before I comment further. Aplin especially has the tools just need to see if the mental side is ready.

 As far as the eye test goes, from what I've seen of Blair in public lately, he looks to have filled out his frame considerably and looks much bigger than his last listed weight of #240. Brandon Anderson really sung his praises from their work together in practice, and I was impressed with what I saw late in fall camp from Blair.

 Furthermore, this looks to be Miller and Bell's make or break year.  Lots of potential there. Time to seize the opportunity and take it!   

[UNDvince97-01]

20 minutes ago, Longtime fan said:

USD has a good team returning next year and their experience of playing in the mvfc every week could pose considerable challenges for UND.  

The big question mark for UND that early in the season will be how the o line has 'hopefully'progressed.  USD knows how to contend with quality big aggressive fronts, so UND will need their bigs to be extra sharp in the assignment area as well as the push factor.  Grady will be missed ...ugh! Still sick about that. Anyways. 

Secondly, hope the off season hard work will have the talented but still very young secondary ready.  They will be tested unlike any other game when they take on Bowling Green, so we will know fairly early in the season what kind of secondary we will have.  So often last year our guys were on the opposing player but failed to get an arm up or turn around causing a flag to be thrown or simply just dropped to what should of been a INT.   Coach em up!  

UND is no longer a doormat.  Bubba will have his guys ready.  They need to take protect home field if they want to take the next step.  Can't lose at home!!

You are correct.  The team's success will be dictated by the progression or lackthereof up front on offense, more than it normally would.  I feel so much better about the rest of the team overall than I have in a while, but offensive line play will make or break the success of the team next season.  There is a TON of work to do there right now.  I hope everyone is ready to step up.  Here's my list of importance regarding improving and developing over spring and fall ball:

1. OL
2. CB (time for Deion and Tyus to make the jump)
3. ILB
4. Safety (opposite of Cole, will Arnell be ready?)
5. QB (in the event of an injury, is Heidlebaugh ready to step up?)

USD will be a handful next fall.
 

[UND-FB-FAN]

55 minutes ago, Longtime fan said:

UND is no longer a doormat.  Bubba will have his guys ready.  They need to take protect home field if they want to take the next step.  Can't lose at home!!

Absolutely. If the game was played on the road, I'd be much more 50/50 about it, but at home in the Alerus, UND needs to get the win. After the FCS selection debacle of 2015, UND needs to reach the platform of 8 wins, at a minimum; that should include a win versus South Dakota. 

Like I said earlier, should be a fun game and, hopefully, the Alerus Center is packed.

[UNDvince97-01]

4 minutes ago, Teeder11 said:

Watch for Bryce Blair and Demon Taylor to be difference makers next season on the line. Cox and Aplin, too.  But I'm going to wait and see with those two until after spring drills when I can see more snaps at center before I comment further. Aplin especially has the tools just need to see if the mental side is ready.

 As far as the eye test goes, from what I've seen of Blair in public lately, he looks to have filled out his frame considerably and looks much bigger than his last listed weight of #240. Brandon Anderson really sung his praises from their work together in practice, and I was impressed with what I saw late in fall camp from Blair.

 Furthermore, this looks to be Miller and Bell's make or break year.  Lots of potential there. Time to seize the opportunity and take it!   

I'm hearing Blair is only 250ish still.  He has a LONG way to go before he can hold up in the trenches. 

He needs 40 more pounds still in my opinion.....minimum.  Hopefully he is able to put it on.  He might have to be a blocking TE in running personnel groupings until that happens.

[Teeder11]

4 minutes ago, UNDvince97-01 said:

I'm hearing Blair is only 250ish still.  He has a LONG way to go before he can hold up in the trenches. 

He needs 40 more pounds still in my opinion.....minimum.  Hopefully he is able to put it on.  He might have to be a blocking TE in running personnel groupings until that happens.

Hmmmmm. Looks much bigger in person. A lot of upside there for a walk on. Keep your eye on him. 

[sioux24/7]

1 minute ago, Teeder11 said:

Hmmmmm. Looks much bigger in person. A lot of upside there for a walk on. Keep your eye on him. 

He was a walk-on?

[Teeder11]

4 minutes ago, sioux24/7 said:

He was a walk-on?

No my bad .... Aplin was. Sorry