Time For Some New Blood

[Dagger]

 Everyone said our offense was bad. On that last possession we punted. If we had gone for it we at least  would of had 2 offensive possessions to try and score. By punting the ball we only had one possession and as it turns out we got no more possessions. I would rather have two attempts to score with an inconsistent  offense than one or none. Don’t punt. 

[Cratter]

2 hours ago, homer said:

Of everything above I still think the most realistic opportunity was punt and get a three and out and force them to punt it and get the ball back on our side of the 50.  Not as far fetched as all your scenarios above.

The possibility of "pinning" NAU within the 20 is probably the same as getting the first down on that 4th. Therefore you have to assume you just told NAU "here's the ball 30 yards back from where we just had it."

Assume the D forced a 3 and out and punts, 40-45 yards down the field. And the offense needs to go even further to score a touchdown in a game which everyone admits knows the offense had trouble moving the ball....or in layman's terms hoping to get back to where they were...and likely facing a 4th and short again just with less time on the clock. The statisticians will have told you going for the original fourth down would have lead to a greater chance of winning the football game.

Edit: Not to mention they were down 8 points at that point ( "1.5 scores"). Which increases the desire to need to go for it on fourth down at this point in the game (7 minutes left).

[UND1983]

7 minutes ago, Cratter said:

We have the first excuse of the 2019 football season. 

Yah cuz schedule has nothing to do with a teams success.  

[Oxbow6]

14 minutes ago, jdub27 said:

The athletic department is in the middle of trying to raise $30+ million. They aren't going to drop over $400k to buy out a coach 2 years early regardless of what ultimatum random fans make. I also don't see a regression coming but that's just me. 

Regression is a losing record............at 5-6 Bubba's teams would be 14-19 from '17-'19 with no playoff appearances. I don't think random fans will make the ultimatum if that's the case. 

[geaux_sioux]

1 hour ago, UND1983 said:

Anybody claiming UND needs to make the playoffs next year should look at the schedule.  It's the hardest in the country and it won't even be close.

UND needs to make the playoffs next year.

[Oxbow6]

5 minutes ago, Cratter said:

The possibikity of "pinning" NAU within the 20 is probably the same as getting the first down on that 4th. Therefore you have to assume you just told NAU "here's the ball 20-25 yards back from where we just had it."

Assume the D forced a 3 and out and punts, 40-45 yards down the field. And the offense needs to go even further to score a touchdown in a game which everyone admits knows the offense had trouble moving the ball....or in layman's terms hoping to get back to where they were...and likely facing a 4th and short again just with less time on the clock. The statisticians will have told you going for the original fourth down would have lead to a greater chance of winning the football game.

Go back a few pages.......we've been through this.  Be happy we punted, lost and missed the playoffs......that's the prevailing theme.

[Oxbow6]

10 minutes ago, UND1983 said:

Yah cuz schedule has nothing to do with a teams success.  

Tread lightly...........isn't like UND caught a break with this year's schedule and used it to their advantage. The schedule this season set UND up to be 8-3 this year. 

[SiouxFan100]

1 minute ago, Oxbow6 said:

Go back a few pages.......we've been through this.  Be happy we punted, lost and missed the playoffs......that's the prevailing theme.

Oxbow - you will be going to UND football games next year. We all are frustrated. Time will heal.

[Cratter]

11 minutes ago, UND1983 said:

Yah cuz schedule has nothing to do with a teams success.  

Please. The schedule isn't that tough.

No FBS games. Just NDSU.

Play Drake.

Sam Houston at home who UND already beat this year.

EWU didn't make the playoffs last year. Who knows how good they'll be.

Every other team has its ups and down. It's the Big Sky not the Pac 12.

[Stockdamhockey]

4 hours ago, Oxbow6 said:

I'll give you an "A" for enthusiasm and passion with this post...didn't see much of that this season. I'm 6'0" with heels on, weighed 165 in my 20s and you're right you've never met me but we could definitely arrange that.

And BTW Shawn-O, Cratter, MafiaMan, Goon, Franchise and others here can vouche for me......I'm a bigger jerk in real life.

We'll, if that isn't the "Murderers Row" of this forum. I guess there's no chance we'll see fewer opinions from those who "vouche" for you because they are tied up with their Mensa commitments.

[Oxbow6]

13 minutes ago, Stockdamhockey said:

We'll, if that isn't the "Murderers Row" of this forum. I guess there's no chance we'll see fewer opinions from those who "vouche" for you because they are tied up with their Mensa commitments.

Do you still have your catheter in? Is that why you are so irritable? Just asking for a few friends.

 

16 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

Oxbow - you will be going to UND football games next year. We all are frustrated. Time will heal.

Yup........Stockdam PM'e me earlier that I can sit by him whenever I want to catch a game next season.

[Cratter]

Times have changed in football:

https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/upshot/4th-down-when-to-go-for-it-and-why.html

[Stockdamhockey]

8 minutes ago, Oxbow6 said:

Do you still have your catheter in? Is that why you are so irritable? Just asking for a few friends.

 

Yup........Stockdam PM'e me earlier that I can sit by him whenever I want to catch a game next season.

Sit by me? Hell, I thought we were going to be the undercard in the next RRV MMA event. You said meeting "could be arranged."

[Tangolou]

3 hours ago, gundy1124 said:

Change punt formation.  Quit mind boinking the players, block everyone then tackle the guy with the ball, simple.  Our punter needs to speed up, too.

This^^^^. I hate it when I hear coaches say after giving up a big return, "well our kick placement wasn't quite where we wanted it." Just kick the damn ball as far as you can, run down and tackle the guy with the ball. (i.e. with you shoulder AND your arms). It's not that complicated. If you need more than one page to show your kick coverage and punt block formations, you're overthinking it. There are plenty of all pro special teams players in the NFL that can't even read. "Hit the guy in front of you, ready.. GO!"

[AJS]

24 minutes ago, Cratter said:

Please. The schedule isn't that tough.

No FBS games. Just NDSU.

Play Drake.

Sam Houston at home who UND already beat this year.

EWU didn't make the playoffs last year. Who knows how good they'll be.

Every other team has its ups and down. It's the Big Sky not the Pac 12.

This. Outside of a select few teams in FCS you really don't know what you're going to get on a year to year basis. We'll have to start digging into what each team is losing. After a quick glance at Easterns roster, they have 27 Seniors, I don't know the importance of each player, but that's a lot of bodies. 

[Dustin]

8 minutes ago, AJS said:

This. Outside of a select few teams in FCS you really don't know what you're going to get on a year to year basis. We'll have to start digging into what each team is losing. After a quick glance at Easterns roster, they have 27 Seniors, I don't know the importance of each player, but that's a lot of bodies. 

Agreed. Our record will likely be better next year than this year. 

[Old School Guy]

26 minutes ago, Dustin said:

Agreed. Our record will likely be better next year than this year. 

After what we witnessed this year with the seniors we had. I find it hard to believe we will be better next year with them gone.

[Sioux>Bison]

Is there a former big sky OC that we can hire? LIke one that Montana or EWU fires foR not scoring enough?

[nodak651]

51 minutes ago, Old School Guy said:

After what we witnessed this year with the seniors we had. I find it hard to believe we will be better next year with them gone.

Why is that?  Despite having great talent at running back, our offense was still mediocre at best.  We should have an older, bigger, and better OL next year, and we still have JJ.  Wanzek will be back, as will Izzy and Cam.  Our QB's will all have another year of experience.

On D we basically only lose Tank and Cieslak, but Ott will be back opposite mason bennett.  Nose is the only hole on the roster I'm really seeing.

Every team has some seniors that they have to replace, but most of our talent will be back, and there are always young guys that step in and surprise.

[nodak651]

 To anyone trying to predict the strength of the schedule next year, good luck.  Weber may very well follow in SUU's footsteps.  

Just to refresh - this years pre season poll:

2018 Big Sky Football Coaches Poll 
School Total Points (First-place votes) 
Eastern Washington          134 (6) 
Weber State                        124 (3) 
Northern Arizona               121 (3) 
Idaho                                     101 (1) 
Sacramento State              94 
Southern Utah                     91 
Montana                               82 
Montana State                    76 
UC Davis                                64 
Cal Poly                                  40 
Northern Colorado             30 
Idaho State                          29 
Portland State                     21 

[Old School Guy]

1 hour ago, nodak651 said:

Why is that?  Despite having great talent at running back, our offense was still mediocre at best.  We should have an older, bigger, and better OL next year, and we still have JJ.  Wanzek will be back, as will Izzy and Cam.  Our QB's will all have another year of experience.

On D we basically only lose Tank and Cieslak, but Ott will be back opposite mason bennett.  Nose is the only hole on the roster I'm really seeing.

Every team has some seniors that they have to replace, but most of our talent will be back, and there are always young guys that step in and surprise.

I hope we have a solid year, but I see a much tougher schedule next year.  I agree we have some talent coming back, not questioning that, but will we have the depth to compete with a tougher schedule. We thought after going 3-8 we'd be in the playoffs this year. Whoever put that chart together showing how many points we scored combined in the second half is what scares me. Will we have the talent to run the OC desired style offense? Right now, more questions than answers. We still have the same kicking game too. I hope I am wrong and go 9-2.

[SiouxBoys]

Nothing like seeing people on here questioning Bubbas decision making (warranted), and in the same breath claim they want to see Muss back. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

7 hours ago, jdub27 said:

The athletic department is in the middle of trying to raise $30+ million. They aren't going to drop over $400k to buy out a coach 2 years early regardless of what ultimatum random fans make. I also don't see a regression coming but that's just me. 

I’m not the one making those decisions, but Chaves sure as hell better be able to make those difficult decisions when reality strikes. At some point, if things aren’t going well, you make changes. We can respectfully disagree with our predictions, I guess. You may recite fiscal conservatism, but I’ll counter will football logic and trends around the country in Divison I Football.  If UND and Chaves want to ignore habitual losing then UND will hit rock bottom (especially considering UND is competing for fans and donations the way it is already).

[UND-FB-FAN]

7 hours ago, UND1983 said:

Yah cuz schedule has nothing to do with a teams success.  

2019 - 6 home games, 5 away games. No FBS opponent. I see UND in the playoffs with a competent offense.

Your schedule comments scream pessimism. Do you actually want UND to be a contender or do you enjoy losing?

[UND1983]

59 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

2019 - 6 home games, 5 away games. No FBS opponent. I see UND in the playoffs with a competent offense.

Your schedule comments scream pessimism. Do you actually want UND to be a contender or do you enjoy losing?

You are the most negative person on here.  Wtf?