Best Sioux FB team?

[4-H 97-98]

#1: 2001

#2: 1999

#3: 1993

#4: 1980

#5: 2003

[airmail]

I have to say '01, for the obvious reason of a national chamionship. This team had lots of talent across the board, and if we needed to we could get 3 points at the drop of a hat. Throw in a talented QB with plenty of time and capable receivers, and you've got a contender every time.

Oh yeah... the defense wasn't too shabby either.

[#1siouxfan22]

2001 was the best but this years team was the funest to watch IMO they had many comebacks this year using 2 qb's

[airmail]

2001 was the best but this years team was the funest to watch IMO they had many comebacks this year using 2 qb's

I agree 100%... I'll never forget the St. Cloud game. Unbelieveable win. What an exciting season.

[Wilbur]

That 2001 defense was unbelievable. The way that season ended will never be forgotten though. The defense carries the team the whole way, and the offense wins it for them at the end... boo ya

The 1993 team was pretty darn good to, too bad the weather had to play a part in that teams destiny....At least I think that was the year of the rain storm in Pennsylvania....

[teamsioux]

Who knows what would have happened in '99 had Jed P not gotten hurt halfway through the playoff game @ NWMSU. That team could have went all the way easily. Too many injuries to overcome.

[RD17]

Here's my list:

1) 2001- can't really go against the national champions. The best defense I've seen at the D2 level to go with a more than competent offense.

2) 1999- I really thought that team was national championship caliber but they just didn't catch the breaks the 2001 or 2003 teams did. They beat UNC in the regular season and both teams finished with one loss, but UNC got the home field in the midwest region while UND got the 3rd seed. That was also the year Kelly Howe broke his leg right at the end of the regular season and a bunch of other key guys, like Mike Juhasz and Dan Graf, were banged up going into the playoffs. The Sioux still almost pulled off the win against NW Missouri, and NW went on to win the national title.

3) 2003- not the most talented team, but definitely the most exciting! They just fell one comeback short at the end of the year. I think the confidence gained by all of the young players from last year's success and the hunger from being so close to a national championship is really going to help the team the next couple of years.

4) 1994- I thought this team was the best of the '93-'95 NCC champs. They lost two NCC games early in the year (including the game where Todd Bouman from St. Cloud scored a TD on the last play to beat UND in the Potato Bowl) but they really got rolling the 2nd half of the season. They blew out NDSU in the Fargodome and beat NDSU again in the 2nd round of the playoffs before losing to UNA in the semi's.

5) 1965- I believe their only loss was 6-3 to NDSU. NDSU went on to win the college division national championship that year. UND blew out Idaho St., Montana St., and Northern Iowa and beat current I-A school Northern Illinois 37-20 in the Mineral Water Bowl.

[4-H 97-98]

RD17,

Kelly Howe broke his leg during the 1998 season against USD, but you are right when it came to Juhasz and Graf. Even Stien was banged up going in NWMS game. Should have beat them anyway and have a Naty ring on the finger!

[RD17]

RD17,

Kelly Howe broke his leg during the 1998 season against USD, but you are right when it came to Juhasz and Graf. Even Stien was banged up going in NWMS game. Should have beat them anyway and have a Naty ring on the finger!

4-H 97-98,

Thanks for the correction. I always had it in my head that Howe's injury happened his senior year.

Speaking of '98, that might have to be the most disappointing season to be a Sioux fan. There was so much talent on that team... Moore, Kleinsasser, Lotysz... That playoff game in '99 against NWMSU was a tough loss, but that last regular season game in '98 against UNC when Kleinsasser dropped the gamewinning TD pass was worse. An NCC title and home playoff game went out the window on that one play. UND then played UNC in Colorado the next week in the first round of the playoffs and got blown out. That was a frustrating way to end a season.

[PCM]

That playoff game in '99 against NWMSU was a tough loss, but that last regular season game in '98 against UNC when Kleinsasser dropped the gamewinning TD pass was worse. An NCC title and home playoff game went out the window on that one play.

I was surprised that Kleinsasser wasn't mentioned in another thread where people were listing their favorite Sioux players. Could this one play be the reason?

[UND92,96]

Speaking of '98, that might have to be the most disappointing season to be a Sioux fan. There was so much talent on that team... Moore, Kleinsasser, Lotysz... That playoff game in '99 against NWMSU was a tough loss, but that last regular season game in '98 against UNC when Kleinsasser dropped the gamewinning TD pass was worse. An NCC title and home playoff game went out the window on that one play. UND then played UNC in Colorado the next week in the first round of the playoffs and got blown out. That was a frustrating way to end a season.

I agree with you regarding the '98 team. Another disappointing team would be the '96 squad, which was probably one of the two or three most talented teams ever at UND. However, three losses in the first half of the season kept them out of the playoffs. That was the senior year for guys like Callahan, Cheatham, Tibesar, Borowicz, Prinsen, Gomez-Tagle and Ell, plus you had Moore, Kleinsasser, Lotysz, McKenzie, Howe, etc. as younger players. The big difference between the '96 and the '98 teams was that the '96 team actually got on a roll late in the season and very possibly could have made a nice playoff run had they gotten in. It's still hard to believe that during the four-year careers of Phillip Moore and Jim Kleinsasser ('95-'98), UND failed to win a single playoff game.

[Brent_Bobyck]

I believe you have to have a ring in order to be considered the best. That leaves only the 2001 team. It is kind of like Karl Malone. He never had a ring but he is the 2nd leading scorer in all the NBA. Great player, no ring. He will never be put in that elite group without it. Same thing with the 5 teams listed here. 2001 gets my vote.

[RD17]

I was surprised that Kleinsasser wasn't mentioned in another thread where people were listing their favorite Sioux players. Could this one play be the reason?

I don't think so. I think it has more to do with the fact that Kleinsasser didn't play a real glamorous position. He was basically used as a 6th offensive lineman his first three years until they got him more involved catching passes as a senior.

[RD17]

I agree with you regarding the '98 team. Another disappointing team would be the '96 squad, which was probably one of the two or three most talented teams ever at UND. However, three losses in the first half of the season kept them out of the playoffs. That was the senior year for guys like Callahan, Cheatham, Tibesar, Borowicz, Prinsen, Gomez-Tagle and Ell, plus you had Moore, Kleinsasser, Lotysz, McKenzie, Howe, etc. as younger players. The big difference between the '96 and the '98 teams was that the '96 team actually got on a roll late in the season and very possibly could have made a nice playoff run had they gotten in. It's still hard to believe that during the four-year careers of Phillip Moore and Jim Kleinsasser ('95-'98), UND failed to win a single playoff game.

That whole period from '96 to '98 was a frustrating one for UND football. The bottom line was they couldn't beat UNC. In '96 both UND and UNC had 3 regular season losses, but UNC got to go to the playoffs based on their win over the Sioux. In '97, UND went to Colorado for the last regular season game with an 8-1 record and a chance to win the NCC outright and ended up losing the game and not making the playoffs at all. Then in '98 UNC beat the Sioux twice.

[4-H 97-98]

The 98' regular season game against UNC was a hard one to swallow. THe "D" played out of it's mind that game. The "O" pulled every trick it could. Zaun throwing a full back pass to Juhasz?!?!?!? Are you kidding me!!!!!

But beating UNC in 99' was very very sweet! The biggest hit EVER in a Sioux Game............Craig Riendeau's hit against the UNC receiver!!!! WHOA!!

[UND92,96]

The 98' regular season game against UNC was a hard one to swallow. THe "D" played out of it's mind that game. The "O" pulled every trick it could. Zaun throwing a full back pass to Juhasz?!?!?!? Are you kidding me!!!!!

But beating UNC in 99' was very very sweet! The biggest hit EVER in a Sioux Game............Craig Riendeau's hit against the UNC receiver!!!! WHOA!!

Yes, that '99 win against UNC was one of the more satisfying regular season wins I can recall. Riendeau's hit was incredible. Unfortunately, it still irritates me that despite both teams having one regular season loss, and UND having the head-to-head win, UNC got the higher playoff seed and a home playoff game.

[RD17]

Yes, that '99 win against UNC was one of the more satisfying regular season wins I can recall. Riendeau's hit was incredible. Unfortunately, it still irritates me that despite both teams having one regular season loss, and UND having the head-to-head win, UNC got the higher playoff seed and a home playoff game.

UND didn't seem to get the benefit of the doubt from the playoff selection people very often in the 90's. I know there was one other year in there ('91 maybe?) where Mankato had 3 losses and UND only had 2 and they took Mankato for the playoffs.

I think a big part of the reason UND seemed to get snubbed when it came to the playoffs was the refusal to play more than an 10 game regular season schedule. No matter what happens when you play head to head, 10-1 just looks more impressive than 9-1. Early season games always used to draw pretty well at Memorial Stadium and it just baffled me why UND didn't want to play another home game in September.

[4-H 97-98]

Playing 11 games is key and playing a descent non conference team......not Crookston or Moorhead State that always hurt too.

[UND92,96]

UND didn't seem to get the benefit of the doubt from the playoff selection people very often in the 90's. I know there was one other year in there ('91 maybe?) where Mankato had 3 losses and UND only had 2 and they took Mankato for the playoffs.

I think a big part of the reason UND seemed to get snubbed when it came to the playoffs was the refusal to play more than an 10 game regular season schedule. No matter what happens when you play head to head, 10-1 just looks more impressive than 9-1. Early season games always used to draw pretty well at Memorial Stadium and it just baffled me why UND didn't want to play another home game in September.

Another thing that killed UND in '91 was the fact that the Sioux were supposed to have hosted UNC, but the game was cancelled due to a blizzard. Had UND won that game, I suspect a playoff bid would have been awarded.

So what was/is the deal with the 10-game schedule? Now, it's tougher since you need 4 or 5 instead of 1 or 2 so from a purely logistical standpoint, it's tougher to fill out a schedule. But back then it should have been at least somewhat easier, and if there was even a chance that playing one fewer game than most other teams would hurt playoff chances, I don't understand what Wanless/RT were thinking? There must have been some theory they were subscribing to, even if it wasn't necessarily correct.

[RD17]

So what was/is the deal with the 10-game schedule? Now, it's tougher since you need 4 or 5 instead of 1 or 2 so from a purely logistical standpoint, it's tougher to fill out a schedule. But back then it should have been at least somewhat easier, and if there was even a chance that playing one fewer game than most other teams would hurt playoff chances, I don't understand what Wanless/RT were thinking? There must have been some theory they were subscribing to, even if it wasn't necessarily correct.

Thankfully, playing a 10 game schedule isn't going to hurt the team anymore. With the new points system for playoff selection and considering that the regular season is only 11 weeks long now, it might even be to UND's benefit to play only 10 games. I would guess that more than half the teams in D2 are now playing 10 games and the NCC teams that are playing 11 have had to fill their schedules with some awfully poor opponents like Waldorf, Tiffin, Panhandle St., Peru St., and Upper Iowa.

I know Dale Lennon has brought up on the coaches show before that UND needed to have a full regular season schedule to avoid being hurt when it came to the playoffs. UND had 11 games from 2000-2002, so the scheduling philosophy obviously changed under Lennon. Why Wanless/RT didn't want an 11 game schedule before that is beyond me. Like you said it would have been so simple- you had 9 NCC games each year, play a Bemidji/Moorhead/UMC at home, then schedule a solid program like Northern Michigan or Ferris State for a home and home series with the home game the same year that UND only had 4 NCC games at Memorial Stadium. A perfect schedule with 6H/5A games each year.

[pirate]

I, also, feel the '99 team had the opportunity to be something very special. They, however, had one bad game where they lost at SDSU. Ranek went 'nuts' for something like 200 yards rushing which opened up the passing game for SDSU. Beran had a career day in recieving. Following that loss, UND went from being rated No. 1 in the region to being no. 4. UNC became the no. 1 after that. In the first round of the playoffs, UND had a first half lead, the rushimg game was working, and the defense was stellar. In the second half, Perk got hurt. The defense played good enough to hold the lead, the problem was NWMSU's special teams took over. Their kick coverage teams kept us in poor field position the entire 2nd half, Their coverages blew up our returns and I don't think we started a 2nd half drive beyond our own 15 yard line. Getting anything going, especially against their defense, was nearly impossible. Tony Miles, their return specialist wide reciever, completely took over the game. Getting into overtime,We still had a shot, but, it wasn't meant to be. Their coach, said UND's defense was the best they had faced that year.