2018 Season

[Longtime fan]

6 hours ago, Teeder11 said:

I think we are in full agreement on all your points. Just a lot of blame to go around,  even Rudy.  The sooner the whole team gets on board and stops pointing the fingers at each other instead of themselves the longer UND FOOTBALL will languish in mediocrity. We rise as a team and fall as a team. Everything else is just excuses. 

I hear you 

 

I would like to add another frustration with a Rudy led offense.....if/when und falls behind, the odds of the offense winning are nearly zero.   It’s frustrating as a fan knowing this. This offense is not built to come from behind.....actually it’s not even built.  Rudy never attacks the opposing teams weakness/s (every team has ), no game plan,  he simply has his couple of plays that produce 3 and outs expecting the D to bail him out. It’s like he never watches film as every game is exactly the same plays over and over and over again. Und doesn’t have the hogs to do what he’s trying to do. In fact not sure any team has the hogs to do it.   Rudy thinks otherwise.    These constant 3 and outs eventually wear out the D and the score shows it.  Only then and aside the fact that opposing teams potentially brought in their 2nd stringers, und looks alright when they actually had to play catch up last year and sprinkled in the passing game along with the run game.  Usually way to late but there seemed to be a nice flow!   That’s why I was promoting Zimmerman to get a chance.  Sprinkle in the pass game EARLY to offset the run game.   Just never happens.  Instead he powers Santiago up the middle like he has 5 nfl caliber lineman. He doesn’t and the 180 lb Santiago takes a hell of a lot of punishment.  

Ok I’m done with that .....

Again....I hope to eat plenty of crow rather then coming here and complaining.  

 

Hoping for a great season !!! Can’t wait. 

[Longtime fan]

45 minutes ago, SiouxDini said:

Ok I'm guessing its  LT- Mortel  LG- Nguon  C- Rooney  RG- Aplin  RT- Blair

Forgot Tobin. Tobin is a guaranteed imo.     If helgren can get healthy he has the most potential of any o line. 

[petey23]

8 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Santiago is a great RB, no question. But all those predictable running plays on 1st and 2nd down, followed by the inevitable 3rd down pass, have killed this team at times. When the fans can predict what the play call is going to be, how hard is it to defend? I am guessing not too hard. You need to have some level of unpredictability to score points at this level. Rudolph doesn't seem to get that. He doesn't have the best talent across the board, not even close. But the cupboard isn't as bare as it was when he got here. Time to produce more points so the defense doesn't have to do everything by itself.

I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night, but when I can stand on the railing in the end zone and score between 95 and 98% on the old QB1 game, I am guessing the other teams defensive coordinator probably could have the same success even if he did stay at the Ambassador Motel on Friday night.

 

[SiouxDini]

Anyone know anything about Wesley Jefferies?

[ajries18]

I noticed Ray Haas isnt listed on the roster on fightinghawks.com.

Really hope this is a typo.

Anyone heard anything??

[geaux_sioux]

1 minute ago, ajries18 said:

I noticed Ray Haas isnt listed on the roster on fightinghawks.com.

Really hope this is a typo.

Anyone heard anything??

He was off the roster before the season was over last year.

[UND-FB-FAN]

6 hours ago, Sioux>Bison said:

Do you really think the offensive passing game won't be much better than last year? I feel like the talent is now in place to make big passing play more consistently than in the past. As long as our line gives he QB time I'm sure we will see great things this year in the passing game. Wansek and Tovenien looked great as true freshman and sophomores with a mediocre passing QB so we will see when we have more talented people throwing to them.

The offensive scheme/philosophy used by Bubba and Rudolph is anti-passing game. It has to do with the predictability of play calling and archaic formations and concepts. I think the QB position will have a better pure passer at it (either Ketteringham or Zimmerman) compared to Studsrud, but the personnel (o-line and receivers) and scheme is still questionable in my opinion, absolutely. 

[shep]

But isn't it possible that due to a better passing QB, the scheme will change? Isn't it possible that some of the play calling was based on the limitations of the QB? 

If it's shown that Keteringham and/or Zimm are obviously better passers than Studsrud and the play calling stays the same, I'll be grabbing a pitchfork along with so many others here.

[Siouxphan27]

11 minutes ago, shep said:

But isn't it possible that due to a better passing QB, the scheme will change? Isn't it possible that some of the play calling was based on the limitations of the QB? 

If it's shown that Keteringham and/or Zimm are obviously better passers than Studsrud and the play calling stays the same, I'll be grabbing a pitchfork along with so many others here.

Very logical. 

However, given that last year the coaching staff didn’t realize Zim should’ve been the #2 QB on the team, I have my doubts. 

[AJS]

38 minutes ago, Siouxphan27 said:

Very logical. 

However, given that last year the coaching staff didn’t realize Zim should’ve been the #2 QB on the team, I have my doubts. 

It's almost hard to find words to describe how ridiculous that decision was (Montana game). I never have and never will see a coaching decision (personnel wise) that will be as embarrassing as that. I lost a lot of faith in Bubba and the offensive coaching staff with that single decision. It can be gained back, but it was really, really bad.

[jdub27]

15 hours ago, petey23 said:

WAY TOO MANY 3 and outs has been the story with Rudolph at OC

I ran the numbers and it was right around 2.6 per game. Take out the Montana game where Studsrud was hurt and they had 7, and the average was 2.3/game last year.

 

1 hour ago, Siouxphan27 said:

Very logical. 

However, given that last year the coaching staff didn’t realize Zim should’ve been the #2 QB on the team, I have my doubts. 

Zimmerman didn't show it in practice, which is why he was where he was on the depth chart. My opinion was that he really wasn't that great in the games he played in, though I know others disagree. He has a great arm but decision making was questionable at best. Ketteringham might make a few more mistakes that Keaton did, but will also make more plays with his arm and legs. Keaton was a solid game manager and protected the ball, which goes along with the offensive philosophy Bubba wants to run (which is proven to go to hell when the defense is decimated by injuries). Guessing we'll see an uptick in the offense this year with the new signal caller.

[geaux_sioux]

8 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

I ran the numbers and it was right around 2.6 per game. Take out the Montana game where Studsrud was hurt and they had 7, and the average was 2.3/game last year.

 

Zimmerman didn't show it in practice, which is why he was where he was on the depth chart. My opinion was that he really wasn't that great in the games he played in, though I know others disagree. He has a great arm but decision making was questionable at best. Ketteringham might make a few more mistakes that Keaton did, but will also make more plays with his arm and legs. Keaton was a solid game manager and protected the ball, which goes along with the offensive philosophy Bubba wants to run (which is proven to go to hell when the defense is decimated by injuries). Guessing we'll see an uptick in the offense this year with the new signal caller.

I’ve heard Zimmerman didn’t show it in practice as well. However, after seeing Heidelbaugh throw the ball once live I would never consider playing him at qb. That’s the bigger issue. It was clear as day.

[LeaveNoDoubt]

I’ve always been a Rudolf doubter and some of that blame is starting to shift to Bubba. It’s not only the predictability of the run, run, pass on third and long offense. Sending our smaller quicker faster guy up the gut with a depleated OL. It’s also when we are behind by a couple tds or so and there is always a slight chance to come back the play calling seems like it’s more in the mindset of “don’t try to win, just try not to loose by a lot”. The biggest thing with the offense staff for me last year was when Keaton went down mid game. Both Brad and Zimmerman came in for relief, whoever really thought in their head that Brad was the better qb and deserved the start next game should not be employed in the game of football anymore.

I still have a lot of faith in this team this year. My prediction is either gonna go 8-3 and make playoffs or 7-3 and just miss out 

[jdub27]

35 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

I’ve heard Zimmerman didn’t show it in practice as well. However, after seeing Heidelbaugh throw the ball once live I would never consider playing him at qb. That’s the bigger issue. It was clear as day.

Heidelbaugh showed in practice he was able to manage the offense, which goes back to the overall offensive philosophy Bubba wants. Game situation, I fully agree Zimmerman was the better choice, but it is tough to make that call based on what they had seen up to that point. I get the original decision that was made and I get why it changed once they had more info.

 

15 minutes ago, LeaveNoDoubt said:

It’s not only the predictability of the run, run, pass on third and long offense. Sending our smaller quicker faster guy up the gut with a depleated OL.

I get it and agree there needs to be some improvement to the game calling, but somehow that philosophy managed to simultaneously make a 3x All-American and 2x All-Conference at the running back position.

[LeaveNoDoubt]

Also managed to get us a 3 win season last year. I agree we have two awesome running backs, hell we have 3 with JJ. Why can’t we have an offense that can get at least two of them on the field at the same time? Let opposing DCs try to figure how to stop that. 

[jdub27]

19 minutes ago, LeaveNoDoubt said:

Also managed to get us a 3 win season last year. I agree we have two awesome running backs, hell we have 3 with JJ. Why can’t we have an offense that can get at least two of them on the field at the same time? Let opposing DCs try to figure how to stop that. 

The offense performed almost identically in 2017 as it did in 2016. Without a doubt, it could be better, but it wasn't the reason UND only had 3 wins last year.

That being said, I fully agree that there are adjustments need to be made on the offensive side.

[Sioux94]

15 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

The offense performed almost identically in 2017 as it did in 2016. Without a doubt, it could be better, but it wasn't the reason UND only had 3 wins last year.

That being said, I fully agree that there are adjustments need to be made on the offensive side.

I think we got a lot more garbage points and easy yards in the second half of games last year because we were so far behind because our defense was so bad.  So I'm not sure you can just look at an overall points and average ypg for the year and fully rely on that to get the reality.  I don't think our offense was as good last year.  Really hoping this is the year they finally put it all together though and show something.  Like others I think having a better deep ball passer is going to help. 

The 2.6 three and out stat though was surprising, would have thought it was a lot more than that.  Felt more like 5-6 a game. 

[geaux_sioux]

1 hour ago, jdub27 said:

Heidelbaugh showed in practice he was able to manage the offense, which goes back to the overall offensive philosophy Bubba wants. Game situation, I fully agree Zimmerman was the better choice, but it is tough to make that call based on what they had seen up to that point. I get the original decision that was made and I get why it changed once they had more info.

 

I get it and agree there needs to be some improvement to the game calling, but somehow that philosophy managed to simultaneously make a 3x All-American and 2x All-Conference at the running back position.

Based on seeing Brad attempt to throw a ball in a scrimmage most football fans would cringe and ask who the other options are. He knew the playbook and could hand it off with the best of them but his throwing is the reason he’s a wr now and should have been after one season.

We have great RBs but you also need to keep in mind that the the Big Sky isn’t exactly brimming with stud RBs right now. It’s more of a wr league.

[jdub27]

7 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

We have great RBs but you also need to keep in mind that the the Big Sky isn’t exactly brimming with stud RBs right now. It’s more of a wr league.

#Protheroe4Heisman

[BobIwabuchiFan]

I'm thinking when you take the blow-outs out of the calculations for offense last year, you will see how anemic it really was...no doubt the defense had a terrible year with injuries as well.  After 4 years of picking your own players, I don't think the excuse that the OC is running a diminished scheme so his team can handle it works for me...Rudolph hasn't shown anyone he has the coaching capabilities to set UND on the right path offensively yet and I think if he has the same 'Scheme' this year with no better results most of the trouble will fall on Bubba's head...gotta win or you have to move on.

[geaux_sioux]

30 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

#Protheroe4Heisman

This never gets old. The golden god of football.

[siouxfan512]

43 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

#Protheroe4Heisman

I love the JoeProe jokes!

[gundy1124]

5 hours ago, shep said:

But isn't it possible that due to a better passing QB, the scheme will change? Isn't it possible that some of the play calling was based on the limitations of the QB? 

If it's shown that Keteringham and/or Zimm are obviously better passers than Studsrud and the play calling stays the same, I'll be grabbing a pitchfork along with so many others here.

I was told Keaton would have been All American if we did hurry up, check with him, screens with lots of play action and dink n dunk passing game with TEs.  Not fibbing, very good source had that opinion. 

We did none of that, didn't play to the strengths of the most important offensive person on the field.

[geaux_sioux]

Just now, gundy1124 said:

I was told Keaton would have been All American if we did hurry up, check with him, screens with lots of play action and dink n dunk passing game with TEs.  Not fibbing, very good source had that opinion. 

We did none of that, didn't play to the strengths of the most important offensive person on the field.

Our offense doesn’t really play to any of the players’ strengths from what I’ve seen. Need more back shoulder throws to Wanzek down the sideline. TEs passes and screens to lighten the load on the OL. 

Seriously can you imagine how easy it is to play LB against us? TE in the game, no passing threat. Santiago in the game, a gap it is.

[UND1983]

4 minutes ago, geaux_sioux said:

Our offense doesn’t really play to any of the players’ strengths from what I’ve seen. Need more back shoulder throws to Wanzek down the sideline. TEs passes and screens to lighten the load on the OL. 

Seriously can you imagine how easy it is to play LB against us? TE in the game, no passing threat. Santiago in the game, a gap it is.

I constantly heard the 360 guys question why we didn't throw back-shoulder fades.