Gameday: UND @ MSU 3PM

[Tangolou]

18 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

This team is tough to watch offensively. D is solid. Special teams is on par with the offense. 

A win is a win though.

Earlier this week Oxbox asked if anybody here lived in reality? Today provided reality. This is not a great team. Nowhere near what was expected. Solid defense. Good punter. Offense is offensive. Line is below average. QB doesn't turn the ball over but is underwhelming everywhere else. Wide receivers can catch but no speed (what should I expect, they are true freshman). This team is not as good as last year's and they missed the playoffs. It is what it is..

[Oxbow6]

2 minutes ago, Tangolou said:

Earlier this week Oxbox asked if anybody here lived in reality? Today provided reality. This is not a great team. Nowhere near what was expected. Solid defense. Good punter. Offense is offensive. Line is below average. QB doesn't turn the ball over but is underwhelming everywhere else. Wide receivers can catch but no speed (what should I expect, they are true freshman). This team is not as good as last year's and they missed the playoffs. It is what it is..

...............and I'll hang up now and listen.  

[sioux69]

This was a bad time to juggle the OL, they were just starting to get used to each other and the schemes.  Now they had to start over again.  The result is what you saw today.

[fightingsioux4life]

3 minutes ago, Tangolou said:

Earlier this week Oxbox asked if anybody here lived in reality? Today provided reality. This is not a great team. Nowhere near what was expected. Solid defense. Good punter. Offense is offensive. Line is below average. QB doesn't turn the ball over but is underwhelming everywhere else. Wide receivers can catch but no speed (what should I expect, they are true freshman). This team is not as good as last year's and they missed the playoffs. It is what it is..

I would call the defense better than "solid" with all the turnovers they are generating. The offense will be a problem as long as we are starting over on the O-Line every year; we have to develop some chemistry and consistency there or else it won't matter who the QB or RBs are.

[SeattleBobcat]

Good game guys, I think if we can find a QB this season we'll be pretty good, but until then... Good luck the rest of the year fellas.

[homer]

8 minutes ago, Tangolou said:

Earlier this week Oxbox asked if anybody here lived in reality? Today provided reality. This is not a great team. Nowhere near what was expected. Solid defense. Good punter. Offense is offensive. Line is below average. QB doesn't turn the ball over but is underwhelming everywhere else. Wide receivers can catch but no speed (what should I expect, they are true freshman). This team is not as good as last year's and they missed the playoffs. It is what it is..

Truth is somewhere in between where you think they are and some (including me) thought they would be.  

I still think they will get better and continue to shoot themselves in the foot.  I wasn't as disappointed today by the play or play calling as I was in the discipline and execution (special teams). 

[homer]

2 minutes ago, SeattleBobcat said:

Good game guys, I think if we can find a QB this season we'll be pretty good, but until then... Good luck the rest of the year fellas.

Best of luck the rest of the way out.  

[Tangolou]

6 minutes ago, sioux69 said:

This was a bad time to juggle the OL, they were just starting to get used to each other and the schemes.  Now they had to start over again.  The result is what you saw today.

I'm not talking about technical blocking schemes, I'm talking about run blocking with a defender right in front of you. Watch the tape, it's not about finding the right guy to block, it's about pushing the guy in front of you backward. Thats not happening.

[FSSD]

8 minutes ago, SeattleBobcat said:

Good game guys, I think if we can find a QB this season we'll be pretty good, but until then... Good luck the rest of the year fellas.

Best of luck to your boys..  stop back and contribute throughout the season..

[Cratter]

Looks like Montana State has the best defense in the FCS. 

[geaux_sioux]

21 minutes ago, Tangolou said:

I'm not talking about technical blocking schemes, I'm talking about run blocking with a defender right in front of you. Watch the tape, it's not about finding the right guy to block, it's about pushing the guy in front of you backward. Thats not happening.

This is exactly what I have been talking about. And this is not on the coach. The guys are in position and they are whiffing..... a lot. There are yards to be had by our backs and they can't make them happen if our OL can't, at the very least, get their hands on somebody. 

[UNDBIZ]

6 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Looks like Montana State has the best defense in the FCS. 

Well they're no Stony Brook..... who is currently losing to Sacred Heart 38-10.  Stony really inconsistent this year. 

[Longtime fan]

1 hour ago, DamStrait said:

WORST.OFFICIATING.CREW.EVER.

Nah. Worst. OC. Ever. 

[Longtime fan]

Every win this year will be becuse of the d!! 

The o line isn't the best but what would expect when every 1st and 2nd down is the same fuc$ing play every fuc@&ng down.  Rudolph is bad!!!! Really bad!!!! 

Und is 10x the team that mont st is, and that's no disrespect to mont st.  Rudolph makes the opposing team look good . Schmitt makes the opposing team look silly.     Congrats to Schmitty

[UND-FB-FAN]

7 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

This is exactly what I have been talking about. And this is not on the coach. The guys are in position and they are whiffing..... a lot. There are yards to be had by our backs and they can't make them happen if our OL can't, at the very least, get their hands on somebody. 

Well, the coaches recruit the players -- including the offensive linemen -- and the numbers for this offense speak for them self. The defensive staff obviously has it figured out, whereas the offense is quite a ways behind. It's not all on the offensive line, though. I will say, *if* the line starts playing better, the offense will start to play better, too, but that is just a given.

[geaux_sioux]

We won an ugly ass game. This is starting to remind me of 2011. Except our DBs are officially making plays. That is a game changer for the defense. The only time they had any long completions other than the Harris missed tackle late in the game were on plays where the qb was running around for over 10 seconds. Great job staff on coaching them up and great job players on finally being D1 quality. 

[Oxbow6]

One thing that has to change is the Mussman like lack of discipline under Bubba. 

[geaux_sioux]

3 minutes ago, Longtime fan said:

Every win this year will be becuse of the d!! 

The o line isn't the best but what would expect when every 1st and 2nd down is the same fuc$ing play every fuc@&ng down.  Rudolph is bad!!!! Really bad!!!! 

Und is 10x the team that mont st is, and that's no disrespect to mont st.  Rudolph makes the opposing team look good . Schmitt makes the opposing team look silly.     Congrats to Schmitty

Give Rudolph a couple WRs that can run and an OL that can block 1 on 1 and you get the results from the last 3 games last year. He's trying to minimize damage instead of attacking. He's calling the plays but he knows what he has and that the defense is damn good when he gives them time to rest and adjust.

[UND-FB-FAN]

4 minutes ago, Longtime fan said:

Every win this year will be becuse of the d!! 

The o line isn't the best but what would expect when every 1st and 2nd down is the same fuc$ing play every fuc@&ng down.  Rudolph is bad!!!! Really bad!!!! 

Und is 10x the team that mont st is, and that's no disrespect to mont st.  Rudolph makes the opposing team look good . Schmitt makes the opposing team look silly.     Congrats to Schmitty

Bubba had never worked with Rudolph before he hired him, so it's safe to say perhaps he made the wrong hire. Nevertheless, I'll wait and let Bubba dictate that final decision. From my opinion standpoint, though, the offensive staff does need to pick it up; hard to argue that considering what they have and what they've done. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

5 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Give Rudolph a couple WRs that can run and an OL that can block 1 on 1 and you get the results from the last 3 games last year. He's trying to minimize damage instead of attacking. He's calling the plays but he knows what he has and that the defense is damn good when he gives them time to rest and adjust.

I'm pretty sure any coach could work with "better players" ...

The whole point of coaching is putting the players in the best position to win, irregardless of their talent. UND could, theoretically, be better at every position, but they are what they are and the coaches need to make that work. Rudolph is not making it work for his offense right now. If his ability to coach really does require better personnel, well that's too bad for the 2016 UND football team because talent upgrades won't be happening until the 2017 season at the earliest. 

[Oxbow6]

I think Rudolph is in over his head at this level...........but Studs IMO is at best an average FCS QB. The current O-line is below FCS standards. The WRs are at this point are good NSIC players with good FCS potential but they are so young. His play calling is predictable every game especially early on. He doesn't involve the TE. The RBs are top grade talent but you can run them off tackle every first and second down when the opposing team knows it's coming.

 

..........other than that Rudolph is doing a terrific job.

[UND-FB-FAN]

4 game sample is adequate sample size for me and I'm gonna take it and run with this:

UND is going to have to continue to win ugly, close games with its defense in 2016 because the offense is pedestrian in terms of talent. Perhaps the offensive line can improve some, but that remains to be seen. Come the offseason, the coaches best be looking to load the 2017 recruiting class with offensive talent at all positions. For now, I hope the coaches can work with what they got and produce some magic.

[homer]

1 hour ago, Tangolou said:

Earlier this week Oxbox asked if anybody here lived in reality? Today provided reality. This is not a great team. Nowhere near what was expected. Solid defense. Good punter. Offense is offensive. Line is below average. QB doesn't turn the ball over but is underwhelming everywhere else. Wide receivers can catch but no speed (what should I expect, they are true freshman). This team is not as good as last year's and they missed the playoffs. It is what it is..

Truth is somewhere in between where you think they are and some (including me) thought they would be.  

I still think they will get better and continue to shoot themselves in the foot.  I wasn't as disappointed today by the play or play calling as I was in the discipline and execution (special teams). 

Not sure on what expectations were for the oline.  They replaced 4 out of 5 starters.  Will they get better, maybe but the running backs need to help them out. Olivera fits them better right now as he hits the hole right away.  Santiago needs to do the same.  If they can't physically get push they at least need to get hat on hat.  

[UND08]

I had to give myself an hour and a half to recover after that one...not pretty but a win is a win...especially on the road in conference!

My first thought on the game is this...some of you need to quit expecting this team to go from 0 to NDSU overnight...as much as we'd all like it to happen...it's not going to.  This game was ugly for sure...but things aren't as bleak as a few posters here would make them out to be.  

Look at the stats...UND ran for 227 yards at almost 5 yards a pop.  I know 60 came on one play...but when you pound the rock repeatedly I'd hope that would happen.  This line has the ability to move guys around and allow UND to control the clock (which we did reasonably well today...winning the TOP battle by over 7 minutes).  I also think having Olivera as the bell cow helped the boys up front today.  He's more patient than Santiago and got the offense into 3rd and manageable.  Studsrud also did a decent job today...no major mistakes (we won the game on turnovers)...he's still missing too many throws, but only one of his receivers was even on this team last year...that doesn't help.  

I'm not all pixie dust and sprinkles though.  Santiago needs to develop some patience if he's going to be our primary back.  Teams aren't going to let him bounce things outside with ease this year.  Ball security is also an issue that...if not corrected soon may limit his touches.  The offense desperately needs to get him the ball in space...I think we will get there...but we've got receivers that are still learning terminology and where to line up...these things don't happen overnight.  Also...the penalties/lack of discipline are inexcusable!  Last week's taunting penalty on Hunt and this week's penalty on Stockwell should have sunk us twice...we were lucky to overcome both.  It's gotta stop...along with the cut blocking, which seems to cost us 30 yards of penalties a week.  Finally special teams needs to step it up in my opinion.  Three missed field goals in two weeks from a veteran kicker is disappointing.  The onside kick was well executed by MSU...but our guy needs to make that play!  Very lucky it didn't cost us...

All in all a win is a win...make the two field goals and we win by 8...take out the Stockwell penalty and score on it and we win 27-15..if this offense can get to 25 points a game...I like our odds with our "D"...I'm lookin forward to watchin our "D" line up against the Cal Poly triple option...hopefully we have a good home field advantage next weekend!

 

[geaux_sioux]

18 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

I'm pretty sure any coach could work with "better players" ...

The whole point of coaching is putting the players in the best position to win, irregardless of their talent. UND could, theoretically, be better at every position, but they are what they are and the coaches need to make that work. Rudolph is not making it work for his offense right now. If his ability to coach really does require better personnel, well that's too bad for the 2016 UND football team because talent upgrades won't be happening until the 2017 season at the earliest. 

Guys are in a position to succeed though. They need to make a play mano e mano. Rudolph can't do it for them. We left a lot of points on the table today and it wasn't play calling. It was execution by the players.