Gameday: UND @ UC Davis

[UND-FB-FAN]

1 hour ago, shep said:

I don't get the whole "passion" thing. 

Let me explain:

45-7 loss @ South Dakota

49-21 loss vs Montana State

48-24 loss @ UC Davis

[geaux_sioux]

1 hour ago, shep said:

I'm frustrated and concerned and if Cole and Deion were out there and Rodgers and others as well, I'd be even more concerned and frustrated.

I don't get the whole "passion" thing. These kids are walking around with wide eyes trying to comprehend what to do and how to do it; right now they're more concerned about how to play than to play with "passion."

If a race car had a flat tire and was being passed by all the other cars, fans around here would say that can't be an excuse and the driver should be fired for not trying harder.

Your analogy at the end is about as water tight as a Spagetti strainer.

[shep]

And I'm suggesting it's more of a lack of game action, trying to keep up to bigger and stronger players, and just not feeling comfortable yet. Passion will come after they understand they can play at this level. Right now they are just feeling their way on the field.

 

 

[shep]

2 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Your analogy at the end is about as water tight as a Spagetti strainer.

You're probably right-this team is more like a car with TWO flat tires.

Ironically, I had spaghetti for supper. I really did.

[geaux_sioux]

20 minutes ago, shep said:

You're probably right-this team is more like a car with TWO flat tires.

Ironically, I had spaghetti for supper. I really did.

Was it al dente?

[Rynomania]

So, the question has to be asked:

Were the expectations too high in the first place?

Injuries matter, but giving up 650 yards to Davis, coupled with the first three-year stretch of giving up 45 or more in SCHOOL HISTORY can't be explained by just injury alone, especially when Montana State was picked 8th in the league, and Davis was picked 11th, and you had one of those games at home.

I remember last August the narrative started that it was UNDs year, in part, because they didn't play Montana or Eastern Washington.  When the won the league, that conversation vanished, and was not to be found in the preseason this year.  

Had they played those two teams with last year's team, what would the season looked like?  Conference title?  Home playoff game?  Road playoff game?  I tend to think they would have made the postseason, but beyond that, I think it's a bit more cloudy.  They won a ton of close games last year.

Without the talk of conference titles last year, and without a home playoff game, maybe this season would make more sense after 13 starters go down.  It wouldn't feel any better, but it might be better understood.

Just another dude's $0.02

[gundy1124]

43 minutes ago, shep said:

And I'm suggesting it's more of a lack of game action, trying to keep up to bigger and stronger players, and just not feeling comfortable yet. Passion will come after they understand they can play at this level. Right now they are just feeling their way on the field.

 

 

Santiago looked as pissed as one could be after his fumble.  If the team was over reacting and getting misconduct penalties we'd probably be saying win and lose with some class.

It's hard to judge, but yes we look a little flat, not ready for the challenge in my opinion.  But I don't doubt the players and their commitment in wanting to win.

[geaux_sioux]

23 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

Santiago looked as pissed as one could be after his fumble.  If the team was over reacting and getting misconduct penalties we'd probably be saying win and lose with some class.

It's hard to judge, but yes we look a little flat, not ready for the challenge in my opinion.  But I don't doubt the players and their commitment in wanting to win.

His ball security has been terrible from day 1 and he hasn't tweaked a single thing about it. I don't understand how that is possible. It takes zero skill to hold on to the ball.

im not saying we need misconduct penalties but they way our defenders approach contact is why we are getting steam rolled. Most guys are catching blockers instead of blowing them up. There's a mentality issue from what I can see. Maybe I'm just frustrated and full of !@#$. Who knows.

[shep]

56 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Was it al dente?

The ONLY way.

[gundy1124]

10 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

His ball security has been terrible from day 1 and he hasn't tweaked a single thing about it. I don't understand how that is possible. It takes zero skill to hold on to the ball.

im not saying we need misconduct penalties but they way our defenders approach contact is why we are getting steam rolled. Most guys are catching blockers instead of blowing them up. There's a mentality issue from what I can see. Maybe I'm just frustrated and full of !@#$. Who knows.

Like on that goal line play, we caught about 5 blocks, wasn't good.  I know what you are saying.  We had no Ratelleness on D Saturday.

[UNDBIZ]

43 minutes ago, Rynomania said:

So, the question has to be asked:

Were the expectations too high in the first place?

Injuries matter, but giving up 650 yards to Davis, coupled with the first three-year stretch of giving up 45 or more in SCHOOL HISTORY can't be explained by just injury alone, especially when Montana State was picked 8th in the league, and Davis was picked 11th, and you had one of those games at home.

I remember last August the narrative started that it was UNDs year, in part, because they didn't play Montana or Eastern Washington.  When the won the league, that conversation vanished, and was not to be found in the preseason this year.  

Had they played those two teams with last year's team, what would the season looked like?  Conference title?  Home playoff game?  Road playoff game?  I tend to think they would have made the postseason, but beyond that, I think it's a bit more cloudy.  They won a ton of close games last year.

Without the talk of conference titles last year, and without a home playoff game, maybe this season would make more sense after 13 starters go down.  It wouldn't feel any better, but it might be better understood.

Just another dude's $0.02

Playing Montana last year would've just been another win for UND. EWU would've been interesting to see. 

[geaux_sioux]

7 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

Like on that goal line play, we caught about 5 blocks, wasn't good.  I know what you are saying.  We had no Ratelleness on D Saturday.

Nobody's popping anyone. It's literally a game of patty cake out there with our d. Then I catch a few min of NDSU play and they attack blockers like they said something about their momma. 

[F'n Hawks]

2 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Nobody's popping anyone. It's literally a game of patty cake out there with our d. Then I catch a few min of NDSU play and they attack blockers like they said something about their momma. 

The player only meeting definitely did nothing, I thought I would see more effort. Football is supposed to be a violent game and UND was not being the hitters(didn't seem like they tried to at all). As you are saying they are catching blockers, I understand there have been injuries but that doesn't mean you can stop playing angry and pissed off. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

42 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Nobody's popping anyone. It's literally a game of patty cake out there with our d. Then I catch a few min of NDSU play and they attack blockers like they said something about their momma. 

Talent is a huge part of football, but mindset and scheme also make up a huge part of it. I understand UND has lost talent on the field with the injuries, but the players that are on the field now are consistently out-of-position and getting pushed around. Maybe the coaches can put the players in better position. Maybe the players can play with more aggressiveness and belief. Maybe the coaches can recruit more talented players. Maybe the injuries are just too much.

It's likely all of the above. 

[BigGame]

7 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

You are a closet Bison fan. Please prove me wrong on that.

I think that the Bison have a lot of fans in the closet!

 

 

 

seinfeld.mp4

[BigGame]

The injuries do matter a lot, but that isn't the only issue.  The staff has focused on defense and that is the philosophy and generally put much of the teams talent on that side of the ball.  With Mussmans recruits in year one after a late hire the defense was dramatically better than it is now.  This staff is either struggling to recruit the right guys or they aren't developing the talent.  My opinion is the team is a little soft and doesn't play with the discipline or aggressiveness they need in order to be successful.  We can put a lot of the issues on the crazy injury situation but UND has taken a step backward in several areas that have nothing to do with some key players getting hurt.  All the stunting and blitz calls are great when they are working but at some point you need to have sound fundamentals and just beat the other team and we aren't to that point.  It is my personal opinion but I would rather see a team be great running a base defense and not stunt as much.  I have always felt all the crazy blitz and stunt calls on almost every play is just a Band-Aid and you are hoping the opposing team doesn't find the weak links.  

 

QB - solid

RB - good 

WR - below average (we have gotten better, but compare the group to any other big sky team and we are lacking)

OL - young and below average (we need a dominating OL)

DL - disappointing and not performing to expectations

LB - young undersized and not getting the job done

DB - Good and Bad but generally disappointing when I think of one key player

 

It's on the players and coaches to fix the issue but right now it is seems pretty clear they don't believe in themselves and that has to change if we are going to see some improvement moving forward.  

 

[jdub27]

16 hours ago, Rynomania said:

Had they played those two teams with last year's team, what would the season looked like?  Conference title?  Home playoff game?  Road playoff game?  I tend to think they would have made the postseason, but beyond that, I think it's a bit more cloudy.  They won a ton of close games last year.

They would have likely lost to EWU. Montana was 3-5 in conference play last year and UND wins that one. Seriously, why do people keep thinking they were the Montana of old last year? Ending the season at 8-3, UND makes it in easy but doesn't get a first round bye, however this also means they don't have back to back bye weeks leading into the playoffs, which probably isn't a bad thing. They likely win their first game and then it would have depended on how the brackets shook out. Not having to kick two weeks of rust off would have probably helped. though game 2 would have been on the road.

[UNDColorado]

Looks like there is a silver lining to all of this...I won the UND Football 360 pick'em two weeks in a row!

[Midwestern Hawk]

On 9/30/2017 at 10:29 PM, Midwestern Hawk said:

I'll say it.  Who did poole live with and who all knew what he was up to and who else is a stoner.   It looks to me as though there is a culture problem in this team.

This is a huge problem on this team.  You will all find out shortly.  Poole was not operating in a vacuum.   What a mess.

[GoHawks]

3 minutes ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

This is a huge problem on this team.  You will all find out shortly.  Poole was not operating in a vacuum.   What a mess.

Heard the same thing as you possibly? Not good news coming that’s for sure

[Midwestern Hawk]

1 hour ago, GoHawks said:

Heard the same thing as you possibly? Not good news coming that’s for sure

There is a huge culture problem on this team.  It makes me sick to my stomach.