Game Day @ Da Birds 7pm

[Finn flick]

1 hour ago, shep said:

Frost is a TOP candidate for U of Florida. 

What? I ain’t heard that McElwain was let go unless it happened today.  He is on the edge. SEC coaches win games or else. Maybe he would like a job in the tundra. 

[Sioux94]

38 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

What injuries does the defensive line have to where that deep unit isn't getting pressure? And you're telling me that the 2014 defense was loaded or was at least better equipped than this unit? Good grief, I understand this season is tough and you want to find a silver lining, but call it what it is. I don't think some of these guys will turn out and the results show that.

Right now, this team, and quite frankly, this program is hurting and needs changes all over the place. I think the players that are out there are part of the issue, obviously, and I think some of these kids will unfortunately not end up being good college football players. Recruiting is hard and sometimes kids don't pan out. Don't apologize for everything; the last thing this program needs is justifying of loses. UND football fans severely lack expectations, and that too needs to be fixed. 3 wins during an expected top 10 year is just horrible, despite injuries and whatever other excuses folks can come up with. 

You know what, I'm sick and tired of hearing you tell me I lack expectations for our football team.  This is about the 45th time you've said that in the past month.  If you are going to say that 5 times a week for the next 9 months, maybe you should start a separate thread for it and you and a couple of others can banter back and forth the entire off season about how low UND's expectations for all of our programs other than hockey is.    #BrokenRecord

[shep]

3 minutes ago, Finn flick said:

What? I ain’t heard that McElwain was let go unless it happened today.  He is on the edge. SEC coaches win games or else. Maybe he would like a job in the tundra. 

I've lived in ND all of my 54 years, but if I had a taste of Florida, I don't think I'd want to go to ND

[shep]

5 minutes ago, Sioux94 said:

You know what, I'm sick and tired of hearing you tell me I lack expectations for our football team.  This is about the 45th time you've said that in the past month.  If you are going to say that 5 times a week for the next 9 months, maybe you should start a separate thread for it and you and a couple of others can banter back and forth the entire off season about how low UND's expectations for all of our programs other than hockey is.    #BrokenRecord

I've never been the rose colored glasses guy, but my expectations for this team are clear:

I expect that in his time here, Blubaugh (Using him because he's been a big part of the conversation) will be on a National Championship team. This season DOES NOT change my expectations.

 

[geaux_sioux]

43 minutes ago, Old School Guy said:

...but as a DB, sometimes you gotta win that battle even when there is no pressure. Its starts up front, I fully agree with that. It just seem like we never win the battle for the ball in the secondary unless its just a wayward pass.

Coverage sack? When was the last time we got one of those? 2007?

[homer]

8 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Coverage sack? When was the last time we got one of those? 2007?

When is the last time we led the country in INTs?  

[geaux_sioux]

30 minutes ago, homer said:

When is the last time we led the country in INTs?  

Good question. It’s probably never happened. 

[homer]

9 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Good question. It’s probably never happened. 

How about top 5?  They don’t track coverage sack as a stat.  

[Midwestern Hawk]

3 hours ago, shep said:

I've never been the rose colored glasses guy, but my expectations for this team are clear:

I expect that in his time here, Blubaugh (Using him because he's been a big part of the conversation) will be on a National Championship team. This season DOES NOT change my expectations.

 

I agree with this.  Bubba will make a few key changes starting a week from today, next year will be a playoff season and then one of the next two seasons will end with a lot of happy F'ng hawks in Frisco.

Two coaching changes

S & C changes

Tighter controls on players and better leadership from within.

[Sioux95]

10 hours ago, homer said:

That’s the frustrating thing is 75% of the time they are in ok position.  Lack confidence of turning and looking for the ball or they need one more piece hand contact.  3rd down rate is struggling defensively because defense calls the old “9” route and throws it up.  

Part of the problem is we have started a true freshman at corner for at least 4 years in a row now.  

[Sioux95]

3 hours ago, homer said:

When is the last time we led the country in INTs?  

Last year?  

[Old School Guy]

12 minutes ago, Sioux95 said:

Part of the problem is we have started a true freshman at corner for at least 4 years in a row now.  

Okay, I'm going to ask an overhead question:  Why have we started a true freshman at corner the last 4 years in a row?  I will tell you why.  Guys come into the system and show great promise and pretty good cover skills coming out of high school (that's why they are recruited and signed in the first place). They spend a year or two digressing in the system so the staff says, hey, lets replace them with a younger guy because he will play better than the upperclassmen. Then, the freshmen are ineffective, so they go and recruit another freshmen to take this year's freshmen place. I said it before, player development needs to improve also. I know its difficult to admit the system needs to be modified or improved.

So I ask, is it just me or is there a pattern here?

[shep]

But Harris has improved and Blubaugh would be in a redshirt if Harris wasn't hurt.

[geaux_sioux]

30 minutes ago, Sioux95 said:

Part of the problem is we have started a true freshman at corner for at least 4 years in a row now.  

2014 was sr Tillman and jr Brown

[Old School Guy]

2 minutes ago, shep said:

But Harris has improved and Blubaugh would be in a redshirt if Harris wasn't hurt.

I know what you're thinking...Harris had a solid year last year...his jr. season with the aid of a much better front 7 than we have this year. but I'm going extrapolate and say, he too would have taken a couple of steps back this year. We keep using injuries as a crutch for the play this year. I disagree.

[Old School Guy]

5 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

2014 was sr Tillman and jr Brown

Didn't Carter replace Brown in 2015?  Tillman was pretty good.

[shep]

1 minute ago, Old School Guy said:

I know what you're thinking...Harris had a solid year last year...his jr. season with the aid of a much better front 7 than we have this year. but I'm going extrapolate and say, he too would have taken a couple of steps back this year. We keep using injuries as a crutch for the play this year. I disagree.

You don't believe the hype of being voted a top 5 DB in the division?

[Old School Guy]

21 minutes ago, shep said:

You don't believe the hype of being voted a top 5 DB in the division?

No, not really.

[geaux_sioux]

21 minutes ago, Old School Guy said:

Didn't Carter replace Brown in 2015?  Tillman was pretty good.

Yup. Just pointing out that it wasn’t 4 consecutive years of a true fr starting cb.

[Irish]

2 hours ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

I agree with this.  Bubba will make a few key changes starting a week from today, next year will be a playoff season and then one of the next two seasons will end with a lot of happy F'ng hawks in Frisco.

Two coaching changes

S & C changes

Tighter controls on players and better leadership from within.

I really hope you are right.  To be honest, I have lost quite of bit of faith in Bubba's ability to get things done.  Rudolph operates directly under Bubba's control and I have seen no indication this year that things will change.  The same goes for lack of execution across the board.  Other issues include looking at our strength training, recruiting, quarterback development, and team leadership and culture.  All things a Head Coach should directly influence.  Bubba has some serious work to do.  I hope he just doesn't chalk all of this up to injuries and continue as before.

[Old School Guy]

8 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Yup. Just pointing out that it wasn’t 4 consecutive years of a true fr starting cb.

I know what you were saying...I just wanted to point out that Brown as a sr. was replaced by a freshman.

[Midwestern Hawk]

7 minutes ago, Irish said:

I really hope you are right.  To be honest, I have lost quite of bit of faith in Bubba's ability to get things done.  Rudolph operates directly under Bubba's control and I have seen no indication this year that things will change.  The same goes for lack of execution across the board.  Other issues include looking at our strength training, recruiting, quarterback development, and team leadership and culture.  All things a Head Coach should directly influence.  Bubba has some serious work to do.  I hope he just doesn't chalk all of this up to injuries and continue as before.

I think everyone in the athletic department feels some new pressure after Faison's departure.  I am confident there will be changes.  Does Bubba think he would survive another year like this?  There have been tons of issues with this team that don't involve injuries.  

[gundy1124]

12 minutes ago, Old School Guy said:

I know what you were saying...I just wanted to point out that Brown as a sr. was replaced by a freshman.

Brown couldn't cover my grandma in a phone booth.  Anyone was an upgrade from him.

[Old School Guy]

7 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

Brown couldn't cover my grandma in a phone booth.  Anyone was an upgrade from him.

That's my point. How does one start at CB as a jr./sr and they can't even cover your grandma in a phone booth? You would think after 1 year in the UND system, someone should be able to cover her. I'm sure she is a really nice lady but not overly fast at route running. 

[Old School Guy]

All jokes aside, Chris Brown was a class act on and off the field.