2018 Season

[O Town]

Very young team. Only one junior on defensive line.  Will be interesting if we can match up with them? They might be a top 10 team next year at the start of the season.

[geaux_sioux]

This article highlights @gundy1124‘s point that we shouldn’t have to wait for guys to be seniors to be really good. 7 freshman and sophomores started on defense for a national championship team.

 

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/4381404-everybody-matters-mantra-helped-bison-win-2011-fcs-title-started-football-dynasty

[homer]

They had a really salty oline.  

We also need to expect our upperclassmen to play their age.  

[BigGame]

On ‎12‎/‎29‎/‎2017 at 2:51 PM, Longtime fan said:

 

If Rudolph is having a difficult time in the big sky ....he has absolutely ZERO chance against the 3/4 of the mvfc teams and all the fbs teams they have scheduled. 

Last year, Santiago didn't touch the ball offensively more then 16 times in a game.  This includes 7 touches vs mont st, 9 vs sac st and 8 vs e wash.   Simply incredible!   Johanneson  could of just as well been up on the catwalk with me as much as he was used. Izzy and the TEs are welcome as well.  It's a great place to take in a game ....

The predictability and lack of reading opposing D's ( using the talent the proper way) is astonishing given this is D1.  It actually should come with ease to run up and down on a big sky team, regardless of personnel. UND can make an opposing teams D look like the Baltimore ravens.  No way in hell that should happen with the talent they have.  

Bubba likes what he sees so no changes will be made....HUGE MISTAKE! 

Offensively....I think the optimistic few will believe next year will be better.  Unfortunately, I will label myself as a pessimist....

 

I understand your point but what are you really looking for?  A team only has so many offensive plays in a game and the UND team philosophy is clearly to eat clock and run fewer actual plays in order to protect the defense as much as possible.  John should get more touches than 7, 9, and 8 in games.  Was  he hurt or dinged up in any of those games?  Brady needs carries as well because many times he was the better RB always getting forward and not losing yards.  James looked pretty good as well but once again to get him more carries you need to take them from another player.  Most people on the message board seem to want the offense to open up and pass more which is fine but that would also take carries away from the backs.  Rudolph didn't throw much to the RB's in the flats but that might be because almost every time Studs made that type of pass attempt it was inaccurate and turned out to be a wasted down instead of an easy completion. Yes these are the best players on the field for UND but how to actually spread it around is difficult because we aren't going to have 45 run plays in a game in which all backs around 15 carries.  My opinion is John shouldn't get as many backfield touches as the other two backs but should be used in the passing game a lot more as well as get most of the jet sweeps and so on.  The offensive line needs to get a lot better and a lot more consistent with run blocking and the entire offense will look different and be dramatically improved.  

 

Inside zone can hit a lot of different holes based upon how the blocking works out and the OL was consistently getting pushed around by the opposing teams DL which gives it little chance to work.  

[MoSiouxFan]

9 minutes ago, BigGame said:

I understand your point but what are you really looking for?  A team only has so many offensive plays in a game and the UND team philosophy is clearly to eat clock and run fewer actual plays in order to protect the defense as much as possible.  John should get more touches than 7, 9, and 8 in games.  Was  he hurt or dinged up in any of those games?  Brady needs carries as well because many times he was the better RB always getting forward and not losing yards.  James looked pretty good as well but once again to get him more carries you need to take them from another player.  Most people on the message board seem to want the offense to open up and pass more which is fine but that would also take carries away from the backs.  Rudolph didn't throw much to the RB's in the flats but that might be because almost every time Studs made that type of pass attempt it was inaccurate and turned out to be a wasted down instead of an easy completion. Yes these are the best players on the field for UND but how to actually spread it around is difficult because we aren't going to have 45 run plays in a game in which all backs around 15 carries.  My opinion is John shouldn't get as many backfield touches as the other two backs but should be used in the passing game a lot more as well as get most of the jet sweeps and so on.  The offensive line needs to get a lot better and a lot more consistent with run blocking and the entire offense will look different and be dramatically improved.  

 

Inside zone can hit a lot of different holes based upon how the blocking works out and the OL was consistently getting pushed around by the opposing teams DL which gives it little chance to work.  

I think you hit the bottomline nail on the head.  With substantial improvement in our Oline, our offense will be hard to stop; we have too many weapons.  Not sure our young hogs will provide that kind of improvement or not; may need to bring in at least one dropdown or JC.

[Sioux94]

11 minutes ago, MoSiouxFan said:

I think you hit the bottomline nail on the head.  With substantial improvement in our Oline, our offense will be hard to stop; we have too many weapons.  Not sure our young hogs will provide that kind of improvement or not; may need to bring in at least one dropdown or JC.

Opposing defenses also need to fear the deep ball more too.  Z really dropped in a few long ball dimes, if whomever is the starter next year can do that a few times and make teams a little more worried about getting beat deep that will help a lot too.  The young burners and whomever starts at QB need to start making some big plays next year.  

[MoSiouxFan]

1 hour ago, Sioux94 said:

Opposing defenses also need to fear the deep ball more too.  Z really dropped in a few long ball dimes, if whomever is the starter next year can do that a few times and make teams a little more worried about getting beat deep that will help a lot too.  The young burners and whomever starts at QB need to start making some big plays next year.  

You're right, and I think we potentially have the personnel inhouse for that piece of the puzzle.

[UNDColorado]

2 hours ago, MoSiouxFan said:

You're right, and I think we potentially have the personnel inhouse for that piece of the puzzle.

Agreed, time to use some of those small speedy guys. 

[Ozzie82]

From Tom Miller:

 

https://millersports.areavoices.com/2018/01/03/und-2018-position-by-position-offensive-line/

[gundy1124]

52 minutes ago, Ozzie82 said:

From Tom Miller:

 

https://millersports.areavoices.com/2018/01/03/und-2018-position-by-position-offensive-line/

Pretty straight forward analysis, maybe a little generous to the outgoing OL class because Tom could of just wrote 'often injured and under performed'.  I don't know if that was a player talent issue(25%), injury issue(25%), position coach issue(15%) or offensive coordinator issue of bland schematics and over complexity(35%), but we have to do better. (I left blame ratios) We need a young guy (or 3) to step up and play at a high level or 2018 will be another down year.

[Sioux94]

8 hours ago, gundy1124 said:

Pretty straight forward analysis, maybe a little generous to the outgoing OL class because Tom could of just wrote 'often injured and under performed'.  I don't know if that was a player talent issue(25%), injury issue(25%), position coach issue(15%) or offensive coordinator issue of bland schematics and over complexity(35%), but we have to do better. (I left blame ratios) We need a young guy (or 3) to step up and play at a high level or 2018 will be another down year.

Reading that article......I dunno...my gut says we are in for another year of having an average OL.  Disappointing.

[shep]

6 hours ago, Sioux94 said:

Reading that article......I dunno...my gut says we are in for another year of having an average OL.  Disappointing.

I agree, but this part is a bit light on specifics. Why can't any of these 3 play well next year. Jenkins is a monster. Kruse looks like he's got a good frame too.

Other youngsters like Wil Prine, Connor Kruse and Jeremy Jenkins aren’t ready to be in the mix yet. Kruse is an intriguing frame, but we haven’t seen much of him yet due to an injury he battled most of 2017.

[Mama Sue]

Not sure about the specifics of football but a change in culture, positive “can do” attitude,  strong desire for the play offs, and a good work ethic could challenge young players to develop and contribute. Getting some of the negative issues taken care of will make  (has made??) room for the positive. I look for good things. Look at how many recruits added a statement about their education at UND. That is a focused young man in my book. He is here for more than the football schedule. He already has his eye on the prize for education and could easily add another eye on the prize for a play off spot.

GO SIOUX

[Midwestern Hawk]

On 1/5/2018 at 7:09 AM, shep said:

I agree, but this part is a bit light on specifics. Why can't any of these 3 play well next year. Jenkins is a monster. Kruse looks like he's got a good frame too.

Other youngsters like Wil Prine, Connor Kruse and Jeremy Jenkins aren’t ready to be in the mix yet. Kruse is an intriguing frame, but we haven’t seen much of him yet due to an injury he battled most of 2017.

If Connor Kruse is fully recovered  from injury, he will be a significant contributor to  the Hawk offense.  Kid is a monster physically.

[gundy1124]

We shouldn't be too worried about our experience at QB, considering we are watching 2 true freshman QBs in the 3rd quarter of the FBS Natty.....I am behind on DVR.

[cberkas]

28 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

We shouldn't be too worried about our experience at QB, considering we are watching 2 true freshman QBs in the 3rd quarter of the FBS Natty.....I am behind on DVR.

The Bama QB is looking good since he came into the game.

[petey23]

Maybe we can get Jalen Hurts or Jake Eason as a drop down transfer?

[gundy1124]

35 minutes ago, cberkas said:

The Bama QB is looking good since he came into the game.

Sabin goes with a true freshman with no meaningful game experience in the 2nd half cause he felt he needed to "pass the ball better".  Sabin needs a shopping cart to haul his balls around, holy crap!!  This game had true freshman all over the place...... maybe some hope for our young guys in 2018.  Can't help to wonder how these systems, all over college football, have their freshman ready to go.

[geaux_sioux]

8 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

Sabin goes with a true freshman with no meaningful game experience in the 2nd half cause he felt he needed to "pass the ball better".  Sabin needs a shopping cart to haul his balls around, holy crap!!  This game had true freshman all over the place...... maybe some hope for our young guys in 2018.  Can't help to wonder how these systems, all over college football, have their freshman ready to go.

I’m still waiting for true seniors to show up.

[shep]

7 hours ago, gundy1124 said:

Sabin goes with a true freshman with no meaningful game experience in the 2nd half cause he felt he needed to "pass the ball better".  Sabin needs a shopping cart to haul his balls around, holy crap!!  This game had true freshman all over the place...... maybe some hope for our young guys in 2018.  Can't help to wonder how these systems, all over college football, have their freshman ready to go.

Just as SU fans should not compare their team to Bama, neither should UND fans hope to be anything like Bama. They have 5 star recruits begging to get in. They have 5 star recruits as backups to backups. 

[Siouxphan27]

Football is more complicated up here than in the south.  Only Mensa members can figure out the playbook as freshman. 

[Mama Sue]

1 hour ago, Siouxphan27 said:

Football is more complicated up here than in the south.  Only Mensa members can figure out the playbook as freshman. 

Mensa, huh? Our high school had some dairy farmers on the line... the plays were simple...Holstein right and Holstein left depending on which side they lined up on!!! Obviously, UND sets a higher standard!

[petey23]

2 hours ago, shep said:

Just as SU fans should not compare their team to Bama, neither should UND fans hope to be anything like Bama. They have 5 star recruits begging to get in. They have 5 star recruits as backups to backups. 

Look at Georgia next year at QB.

They have Fromme back as a Sophomore. Jacob Eason, as a junior who was a 5 star recruit and started last season and was to be the starter this season until injured. And for good measure they are bringing in Justin Fields, a 5 star dual threat QB considered the #1 incoming freshmen player in America.

[gundy1124]

2 hours ago, shep said:

Just as SU fans should not compare their team to Bama, neither should UND fans hope to be anything like Bama. They have 5 star recruits begging to get in. They have 5 star recruits as backups to backups. 

 

1 hour ago, Siouxphan27 said:

Football is more complicated up here than in the south.  Only Mensa members can figure out the playbook as freshman. 

Siouxphan27 never fails to get my points.

In our respective divisions, it's not too far of a reach to expect a team to be competitive in spite of injuries and playing young players.  Part of this is having a system in which young guys can hit the ground running.  I doubt the Bama players are intellectually superior to our players.  In fact, I bet we carry a higher GPA.  I see a growing trend in college football that puts the best weapons in space or positions to make plays, and if that's a freshman then so be it.

Since I am not allowed to compare to Bama or Georgia, I guess, then let's just compare to NDSU, SDSU, USD, and the Montanas.........is that allowable?  How about in conference with Weber, Southern Utah, E. Washington.  If these are the closest comparables then based on last year we are dead last.  2018 is just a huge and telling year for UND, no pressure.

[UND-FB-FAN]

12 minutes ago, gundy1124 said:

 

Siouxphan27 never fails to get my points.

In our respective divisions, it's not too far of a reach to expect a team to be competitive in spite of injuries and playing young players.  Part of this is having a system in which young guys can hit the ground running.  I doubt the Bama players are intellectually superior to our players.  In fact, I bet we carry a higher GPA.  I see a growing trend in college football that puts the best weapons in space or positions to make plays, and if that's a freshman then so be it.

Since I am not allowed to compare to Bama or Georgia, I guess, then let's just compare to NDSU, SDSU, USD, and the Montanas.........is that allowable?  How about in conference with Weber, Southern Utah, E. Washington.  If these are the closest comparables then based on last year we are dead last.  2018 is just a huge and telling year for UND, no pressure.

I'd blame the major issues of 2017 UND football on scheme (25%) per your point and on recruiting/depth (50%). I'll give injuries 25% of the blame.

What do two of those points have in common? Coaches.