2018 Season

[bang]

9 minutes ago, AJS said:

Not a two deep, but yesterday during the signing show Tom Miller had his very early predictions on the starters for next year. Thoughts?

Offense

LT - Mortel (So)

LG - Tobin (So)

C - Rooney (Jr)

RG - Nguon (So)

RT - Helgren (So)

TE - Fielder (Sr)

QB - Ketteringham (Jr)

RB - Santiago (Sr)

FB - Pinke (So)

WR - Toivonen (Jr)

WR - Wanzek (Jr)

Big problem I have with this is that you have two studs (JJ, Manitoba Moose) on the bench. Aplin on the bench gives us some depth on the line. A bit suprised to see Pinke starting at FB on this list. 

[siouxfan512]

7 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

I cringed when Rudolph was talking WRs during his interview. These are the types that fit our system.... then he talked about how they will be run blocking. Not a word about making big plays or even catching the ball. 

Dude, needs to go. Like I've said before, keeping Rudolph, now mean that the success or failure of this offense is on Bubba's shoulders.

Bubba seems like too nice of a guy at times. Wouldn't want to cut ties with someone or make the hard call. Rudy should not be running this offense, and it is not because of any production issues last season. I can understand injuries, what I can't understanding is being so predictable that everyone on the other team, in the stand and on twitter knows what play is coming. I can't understanding have some incredible talent, and using zero creativity to utilize it.

[Midwestern Hawk]

With Bubba ball the two most important groups are the OL and ILB.  If we are significantly better at those positions in 2018 we should have a good season.  If those positions are not better it will be another 4-7 or 3-8.

[fightingsioux4life]

56 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

I cringed when Rudolph was talking WRs during his interview. These are the types that fit our system.... then he talked about how they will be run blocking. Not a word about making big plays or even catching the ball. 

We should just switch to the freaking triple option and be done with it. That would work a lot better than what we have been doing since Rudolph got here.

[jdub27]

42 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

Dude, needs to go. Like I've said before, keeping Rudolph, now mean that the success or failure of this offense is on Bubba's shoulders.

Bubba seems like too nice of a guy at times. Wouldn't want to cut ties with someone or make the hard call. Rudy should not be running this offense, and it is not because of any production issues last season. I can understand injuries, what I can't understanding is being so predictable that everyone on the other team, in the stand and on twitter knows what play is coming. I can't understanding have some incredible talent, and using zero creativity to utilize it.

Bubba wants to run the ball and control the clock. To do that, WR's blocking is a huge part of the equation. I think it can be assumed that someone recruited as a WR is going to be able to catch the ball, however not everyone can or is willing to do the tough part of run blocking. And frankly, out of the 3 that signed, Maag is the only one who you might consider a true playmaker. I didn't see the interview, so I can' comment on that, but I've heard plenty of talk from Rudolph about WR's making plays.

I'm not saying that the offense doesn't need to improve, take deep shots or get more creative, but that all starts with the OL. Tough to stretch the field or run some of the patterns to create mismatches when the QB doesn't have enough time to take their drop and get set up to throw deep. I don't think the offense is as bad as some on here think it is (and numbers back a lot of that up) but it is almost universal across football for fans to rip the Offensive Coordinator when things aren't going as planned, outside of a handful of high profile offenses.

[Hawkster]

9 hours ago, AJS said:

Not a two deep, but yesterday during the signing show Tom Miller had his very early predictions on the starters for next year. Thoughts?

Offense

LT - Mortel (So)

LG - Tobin (So)

C - Rooney (Jr)

RG - Nguon (So)

RT - Helgren (So)

TE - Fielder (Sr)

QB - Ketteringham (Jr)

RB - Santiago (Sr)

FB - Pinke (So)

WR - Toivonen (Jr)

WR - Wanzek (Jr)

Do we know for sure that Ketteringham is a better QB than Zimmy or is it just hoping?   Zimmy has flashes of good, there's no doubt about that.   I just find it odd to anoint the next QB when he hasn't even played a down for us yet.

[geaux_sioux]

33 minutes ago, TRex said:

Do we know for sure that Ketteringham is a better QB than Zimmy or is it just hoping?   Zimmy has flashes of good, there's no doubt about that.   I just find it odd to anoint the next QB when he hasn't even played a down for us yet.

It’s probably because of his starting experience he had coming in. It’s still an open competition.

[siouxfan512]

36 minutes ago, TRex said:

Do we know for sure that Ketteringham is a better QB than Zimmy or is it just hoping?   Zimmy has flashes of good, there's no doubt about that.   I just find it odd to anoint the next QB when he hasn't even played a down for us yet.

Open competition but the reports on Ketteringham last fall were pretty solid. Knowing he has had a year in this system, he is my guess for starter next year, but it should be a good competition.

[shep]

Only 2 seniors in the projected lineup.

I think a BIG difference next year will be at QB. K or Z should be able to stretch the field IF the play calling is to stretch the field from time to time to help establish the running game.

[SiouxFan100]

Just now, shep said:

Only 2 seniors in the projected lineup.

I think a BIG difference next year will be at QB. K or Z should be able to stretch the field IF the play calling is to stretch the field from time to time to help establish the running game.

Wow just two seniors. Kinda think that is not good. You would hope seniors are stronger than underclassman

[shep]

Wanzek and Toivonen are nice but totally interchangeable. Need a Clives type to open it up and think it could be Greibel or Izzy or Maeg??

[jdub27]

1 hour ago, TRex said:

Do we know for sure that Ketteringham is a better QB than Zimmy or is it just hoping?   Zimmy has flashes of good, there's no doubt about that.   I just find it odd to anoint the next QB when he hasn't even played a down for us yet.

Pretty safe assumption at this point however the offseason is long and anything can happen. 

[fightingsioux4life]

29 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

Wow just two seniors. Kinda think that is not good. You would hope seniors are stronger than underclassman

Try to look at it as a half-full glass. A young team has more upside and will likely get better over time.

[SiouxFan100]

9 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Try to look at it as a half-full glass. A young team has more upside and will likely get better over time.

I want us to be good now 

[fightingsioux4life]

36 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

I want us to be good now 

So do I. But these things don't always happen instantly. This isn't text messaging.

[Sioux95]

Zimmerman is supposedly a better game day player than a practice player, so I wouldn't put a lot of stock in comparison between him and Ketteringham last fall.  Either way we should be in good shape at this position.

[nd1sufan]

On December 11, 2017 at 12:33 PM, geaux_sioux said:

8 wins a year should be expected. Less than that should be a down year. 

 You really beleive that? When you are in the MVFC, if you play a Power 5 FBS, that would mean 6-2 in conference play. You have a long way to go before you can expect to win 6 conference games every year. Not trying to take a shot, just reality. You saw what a 4-4 MVFC team looks like this year when you played USD when you were still relatively healthy. 

[Hawkster]

6 minutes ago, nd1sufan said:

 You really beleive that? When you are in the MVFC, if you play a Power 5 FBS, that would mean 6-2 in conference play. You have a long way to go before you can expect to win 6 conference games every year. Not trying to take a shot, just reality. You saw what a 4-4 MVFC team looks like this year when you played USD when you were still relatively healthy. 

You do it, don't you?

[Midwestern Hawk]

7 minutes ago, nd1sufan said:

 You really beleive that? When you are in the MVFC, if you play a Power 5 FBS, that would mean 6-2 in conference play. You have a long way to go before you can expect to win 6 conference games every year. Not trying to take a shot, just reality. You saw what a 4-4 MVFC team looks like this year when you played USD when you were still relatively healthy. 

Oh BS.  You have 12-14 starters out and NDSU has a much different 2017.   We’ll see how often you show your face here after you are looking up at UND again....and you know it’s coming....it always does.

[Sioux94]

6 minutes ago, nd1sufan said:

 You really beleive that? When you are in the MVFC, if you play a Power 5 FBS, that would mean 6-2 in conference play. You have a long way to go before you can expect to win 6 conference games every year. Not trying to take a shot, just reality. You saw what a 4-4 MVFC team looks like this year when you played USD when you were still relatively healthy. 

And three years is a long time before we are in the MVFC.  Your damn straight I expect us to go 6-2 or better in the conference.  If our goal for the year is to go 5-3 in conference....F that.  If we have a legit OL by then we will be able to compete just fine in the MVFC.  We also  just saw what a top MVFC team did against JMU.....compared to what Weber St.   did against them.

[fightingsioux4life]

2 minutes ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

Oh BS.  You have 12-14 starters out and NDSU has a much different 2017.   We’ll see how often you show your face here after you are looking up at UND again....and you know it’s coming....it always does.

[fightingsioux4life]

7 minutes ago, Sioux94 said:

And three years is a long time before we are in the MVFC.  Your damn straight I expect us to go 6-2 or better in the conference.  If our goal for the year is to go 5-3 in conference....F that.  If we have a legit OL by then we will be able to compete just fine in the MVFC.  We also  just saw what a top MVFC team did against JMU.....compared to what Weber St.   did against them.

My thinking is this:

If we aren't committed to putting a top-notch, nationally-contending FCS team on the field, then we are better off without a program.

Put our money into MBB and WBB and build teams that the big-time schools do not want to play in March.

But I don't think most people on this forum would like that.

Either shoot for the stars or get out of the game.

[nd1sufan]

30 minutes ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

Oh BS.  You have 12-14 starters out and NDSU has a much different 2017.   We’ll see how often you show your face here after you are looking up at UND again....and you know it’s coming....it always does.

Heard that 4 years ago when Bubba was hired. NDSU better watch out, Bubba will own the state, he is a ND boy after all. It hasn't happened yet. Maybe we just don't know it has happened yet. Maybe just maybe, spolier alert, UNDFB360 will post about how UND secretly beat out NDSU on all of their recruits and had to fend of last ditch efforts by Kliemen to flip them. And then when they stuck with UND, Kliemen gave them the middle finger. 

 

[gundy1124]

1 hour ago, nd1sufan said:

 You really beleive that? When you are in the MVFC, if you play a Power 5 FBS, that would mean 6-2 in conference play. You have a long way to go before you can expect to win 6 conference games every year. Not trying to take a shot, just reality. You saw what a 4-4 MVFC team looks like this year when you played USD when you were still relatively healthy. 

You don't think we are grounded after last year?  You haven't read many posts, then.  Ya, a long ways to go and we have gone over why ad nauseam.

[UND1983]

17 minutes ago, nd1sufan said:

Heard that 4 years ago when Bubba was hired. NDSU better watch out, Bubba will own the state, he is a ND boy after all. It hasn't happened yet. Maybe we just don't know it has happened yet. Maybe just maybe, spolier alert, UNDFB360 will post about how UND secretly beat out NDSU on all of their recruits and had to fend of last ditch efforts by Kliemen to flip them. And then when they stuck with UND, Kliemen gave them the middle finger. 

 

Take it easy, Double Check. You're taking this stuff personally.