2016 Season

[UNDColorado]

I thought I heard he was getting looks from the NFL at fullback. Is that right?

I hope so but I have not seen anything definitive. It sounds like a good amount of scouts have been watching him over the last year so anything can happen.

[jdub27]

I thought I heard he was getting looks from the NFL at fullback. Is that right?

That was Miller's comment in the GF Herald chat today. I had heard he was getting looks but that was the first I had heard at fullback. He is a bowling ball and has the speed and strength to play a few different spots, so not unrealistic.  Depending on how accurate the UND roster is, he is the same height as Humber and Mays out of NDSU, both who got shots at linebacker in the NFL. At worst, I think he'd be a dynamite special teams player with his speed, positioning and tackling. Oddly enough, he played special teams through his senior season so it isn't foreign to him.

[nd1sufan]

That was Miller's comment in the GF Herald chat today. I had heard he was getting looks but that was the first I had heard at fullback. He is a bowling ball and has the speed and strength to play a few different spots, so not unrealistic.  Depending on how accurate the UND roster is, he is the same height as Humber and Mays out of NDSU, both who got shots at linebacker in the NFL. At worst, I think he'd be a dynamite special teams player with his speed, positioning and tackling. Oddly enough, he played special teams through his senior season so it isn't foreign to him.

Humber and Mays are both still in the NFL. I would say he has more of a Mays body and hitting ability but is not as fast or athletic as Humber. His ticket to the league would definitely be special teams. Is he fast enough to cover kicks in the NFL?

[geaux_sioux]

Humber and Mays are both still in the NFL. I would say he has more of a Mays body and hitting ability but is not as fast or athletic as Humber. His ticket to the league would definitely be special teams. Is he fast enough to cover kicks in the NFL?

He ran a 4.50 40.

[Teeder11]

Humber and Mays are both still in the NFL. I would say he has more of a Mays body and hitting ability but is not as fast or athletic as Humber. His ticket to the league would definitely be special teams. Is he fast enough to cover kicks in the NFL?

actually, height has always been the knock on Ratelle, not speed.  He's got plenty of speed.   

 

[Sioux94]

Rhetorical question alert: How big is it going into next year with little to no question at starting QB?  It's been a while.

No doubt!  I know after 3 games or so into the year when Studs was still struggling, I was so afraid that we'd end up going through another year and at the end we still wouldn't really be 110% sure which guy would be the guy in 2016.  Great job Studs on the improvement, and hope it continues even further into next year!

[nd1sufan]

He ran a 4.50 40.

If that is an NFL scouts 40 time he is definitely faster than Mays and at least as fast as Humber. It does seem like you can usually add a tenth to the 40 times to the times reported by the colleges compared to the NFL scouts or combine times.

[Sodacker]

Rhetorical question alert: How big is it going into next year with little to no question at starting QB?  It's been a while.

I don't think there was much question who the starting quarterback would be going into this year. At least to Bubba and the team. 

[Teeder11]

I don't think there was much question who the starting quarterback would be going into this year. At least to Bubba and the team. 

Yeah, maybe in hindsight....but I was at pretty much every fall camp practice this year heading into the Wyoming game and I read everything I could from as many sources as possible on UND football (yes, including the stuff from we geniuses here on SiouxSports ) and I didn't think it was really clear who they were going with until game week of the Wyoming game.

I think Studs, Ryan and Joe would have said the same back in August.

[Ozzie82]

I don't know if this was posted here or not but Justus Mertz is leaving football and UND. VIA his Facebook page. 

[geaux_sioux]

I don't know if this was posted here or not but Justus Mertz is leaving football and UND. VIA his Facebook page. 

This really sucks. He was a great recruit and obviously a smart kid. Good luck to him. He would have been a good one.

[homer]

I don't know if this was posted here or not but Justus Mertz is leaving football and UND. VIA his Facebook page. 

Sucks if true.  Not sure how he was progressing but he had offers from a good chunk of MVFC schools out of high school.  Need to keep developing depth on the OL.

[AFMSGT]

In a strange way, maybe Studs getting injured may have helped him. It may have given him time to exhale, relax and see the game from a different perspective while watching from the sidelines in practice and in games. Sometimes, once a player sees the game from a different vantage point, things come into focus better, they relax, the game slows down and just go out and play. His play was definitely on point after he returned and that's not saying he played bad before the injury.  He just looked more confident in his decision making.

[UNDBIZ]

Before I say anything I want everyone to know that I love my teammates every one of them are like brothers to me. I love my coaches, I love this football program and I love the University of North Dakota. We had a terrific season but after talking with a lot of my close friends, family and mentors, I have decided that it would be best for my future to hang up the shoulder pads and helmet for good. After a severe injury I received in the weeks before the season and hand full of other reasons I have come to this decision. It wasn't easy, I thought about it for months. I have always planned on getting into the line trade and it is a career that does not require any college rather a three year apprenticeship program. I'm just jumping ahead in my plan by leaving college and moving back to Kansas. I know a lot of you enjoyed watching me play football and I hope you can understand. If you have any questions feel free to ask me privately. Thank you to everyone for the support. - Justus Merz

Unfortunate for UND football, but injuries and knowing your career path lies outside of a university degree are pretty good reasons for leaving.  Good luck to the young man.

[AFMSGT]

This really sucks. He was a great recruit and obviously a smart kid. Good luck to him. He would have been a good one.

Sorry to see him go. But, I hear he has a plan for his future away from football and he's not just leaving blindly with no plan B. I wish him the best. He's a very thoughtful young man with a good personality, which will serve him well moving forward.

[homer]

In a strange way, maybe Studs getting injured may have helped him. It may have given him time to exhale, relax and see the game from a different perspective while watching from the sidelines in practice and in games. Sometimes, once a player sees the game from a different vantage point, things come into focus better, they relax, the game slows down and just go out and play. His play was definitely on point after he returned and that's not saying he played bad before the injury.  He just looked more confident in his decision making.

I thought about this.  I also look at the QB at Montana (Gustofson).  We will see how the playoffs shake out for that team but they have been lights out since he got back.  With him I thought maybe the same thing where he was able to see how that offense should work from a different perspective.  Having said that, hoping they don't lay an egg against SDSU.

[AFMSGT]

I thought about this.  I also look at the QB at Montana (Gustofson).  We will see how the playoffs shake out for that team but they have been lights out since he got back.  With him I thought maybe the same thing where he was able to see how that offense should work from a different perspective.  Having said that, hoping they don't lay an egg against SDSU.

I think Montana will beat SDSU because its all about timing and momentum...beating MSU heading into the playoffs should give them a boost. I think Clive also benefited from being out by having fresh legs later in the season. But I am not hoping for more injuries next year! But, I think you and me both see how minor injuries can turn into a positive. That's a credit to the 'mental preparation, while out, and the coaches and teammates keeping them involved.

[homer]

I think Montana will beat SDSU because its all about timing and momentum...beating MSU heading into the playoffs should give them a boost. I think Clive also benefited from being out by having fresh legs later in the season. But I am not hoping for more injuries next year! But, I think you and me both see how minor injuries can turn into a positive. That's a credit to the 'mental preparation, while out, and the coaches and teammates keeping them involved.

I think it also depends on what the player is doing during that downtime.  I'm guessing Studsrud put in a lot of time watching film and getting better even if he wasn't taking snaps. 

[jdub27]

I think Montana will beat SDSU because its all about timing and momentum...beating MSU heading into the playoffs should give them a boost. I think Clive also benefited from being out by having fresh legs later in the season. But I am not hoping for more injuries next year! But, I think you and me both see how minor injuries can turn into a positive. That's a credit to the 'mental preparation, while out, and the coaches and teammates keeping them involved.

Very much related to this, I'm concerned that UND's bye week got moved to the last week of the season for this exact reason.

[siouxfan512]

I looked at BG's roster. They have a WR named Lewis they are touting for the Bilentikoff Award and he's a Junior. But starting QB and leading Rusher are Sr's.

True that their QB is a senior, but they also have a JR QB on the roster that started for them last year due to injury. So its not like they will be starting over either.

[UNDColorado]

True that their QB is a senior, but they also have a JR QB on the roster that started for them last year due to injury. So its not like they will be starting over either.

That SR QB is a stud. BGSU has had some mid week games that last few weeks so I have caught a couple and I am glad he will be moving on. Although, this could count as a "quality loss" so there's that 

[siouxfan512]

That SR QB is a stud. BGSU has had some mid week games that last few weeks so I have caught a couple and I am glad he will be moving on. Although, this could count as a "quality loss" so there's that 

True, but I'm hoping we go in there and get the win. Lets see Santiago run all over them.

[sioux24/7]

That SR QB is a stud. BGSU has had some mid week games that last few weeks so I have caught a couple and I am glad he will be moving on. Although, this could count as a "quality loss" so there's that 

#MACtion

[UND-FB-FAN]

The outlook for UND's offense will be completely different going into the 2016 season compared to the 2015 season. In August, most thought UND's offense would be anemic and ineffective; rather, it produced quite well and really exploded onto the scene the last three games of the season.

With the starting QB, RB, WRs and 2/5 offensive linemen all returning, I expect UND's offense to be very efficient next season. Let's not forget that Studsrud can spend all winter season throwing to Clive Georges, Luke Stanley, Josh Seibel, Tim Dulin, Stetson Carr, Iwarri Smith etc. in the beautiful High Performance Center. Couple the duo of Santiago and Olivera in the backfield and UND's offense should be good. Knauf will have some work to do getting the interior line (guards and center) settled, but I think the players at those spots are already capable (Dan Bell, Demon Taylor, Grant Aplin, Matt Cox). 

[UND-FB-FAN]

That SR QB is a stud. BGSU has had some mid week games that last few weeks so I have caught a couple and I am glad he will be moving on. Although, this could count as a "quality loss" so there's that 

The MAC rarely produces juggernaut football teams. UND's mindset definitely needs to be to win. Bowling Green will be losing more than UND will, so with that, I expect UND to compete and win.