Hawks @ Leathernecks

[Midwestern Hawk]

North Dakota @ Western Illinois is a trap game if ever there was one.  Hawks coming off three huge wins vs ranked opponents.  First game on the road vs likely an unranked opponent. Outside in front of what will very likely be an incredibly sparse crowd.  I probably don't have to remind anyone who the Hawks play the week after.  I will definitely enjoy where the Hwaks are at as I watch the Leathernecks visit SDSU tomorrow.  Bubba needs to keep everyone's "nose to the grindstone" over the weekend.  

[The Sicatoka]

I must admit being the first game of the weekend and having the W in hand already does make for good times.  

[siouxfan512]

2 minutes ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

North Dakota @ Western Illinois is a trap game if ever there was one.  Hawks coming off three huge wins vs ranked opponents.  First game on the road vs likely an unranked opponent. Outside in front of what will very likely be an incredibly sparse crowd.  I probably don't have to remind anyone who the Hawks play the week after.  I will definitely enjoy where the Hwaks are at as I watch the Leathernecks visit SDSU tomorrow.  Bubba needs to keep everyone's "nose to the grindstone" over the weekend.  

Exactly, the mentality has to be there are no easy games. The first game we take it easy, is the first game we lose. I would have to think the boys are enjoying this winning culture, and don't want it to stop. It would be all too easy to look ahead to the SU game, as that will be plenty hyped, but lets take care of Western and get game going on the road.

[Midwestern Hawk]

4 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

I must admit being the first game of the weekend and having the W in hand already does make for good times.  

Its honestly crazy how good that feels.

[Hardcore Hawk]

1 minute ago, siouxfan512 said:

Exactly, the mentality has to be there are no easy games. The first game we take it easy, is the first game we lose. I would have to think the boys are enjoying this winning culture, and don't want it to stop. It would be all too easy to look ahead to the SU game, as that will be plenty hyped, but lets take care of Western and get game going on the road.

I need Bubba to pull a Sean Payton and put some mousetraps in the locker room. Don't eat the cheese, gentlemen! Don't take games for granted, need to have the same mentality from the first 3 games playing ranked opponents as you do playing Western. 

[UNDColorado]

1 minute ago, Hardcore Hawk said:

I need Bubba to pull a Sean Payton and put some mousetraps in the locker room. Don't eat the cheese, gentlemen! Don't take games for granted, need to have the same mentality from the first 3 games playing ranked opponents as you do playing Western. 

I want to see some outdoor practices next week!

[siouxfan512]

10 minutes ago, Hardcore Hawk said:

I need Bubba to pull a Sean Payton and put some mousetraps in the locker room. Don't eat the cheese, gentlemen! Don't take games for granted, need to have the same mentality from the first 3 games playing ranked opponents as you do playing Western. 

If I didn't dislike Sean Payton so much, I would agree. Great coach, but as a Vikings fan, I just don't like the guy,

Point made though, this team needs to just keep being who they are. They started at the bottom, and if they don't take care of business, they could end at the bottom. Have to maximize the opportunity they have here.

[Hardcore Hawk]

2 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

If I didn't dislike Sean Payton so much, I would agree. Great coach, but as a Vikings fan, I just don't like the guy,

Point made though, this team needs to just keep being who they are. They started at the bottom, and if they don't take care of business, they could end at the bottom. Have to maximize the opportunity they have here.

Agreed, we'll keep the Payton influences to strictly kitschy motivational tactics, nothing else. 

[SWSiouxMN]

Don’t make Western the new Idaho State.  
 

 

[AJS]

I had a pretty lengthy post before the SDSU game, one of the main take a points was how important with the league change this Spring season is for UND. It's an opportunity to change the perception of your program quickly. Now the discussion regionally is "let's see how they do on the road". Which is more than fair. Recently they have been a much better home than road team. This team has so much momentum right now, such a big opportunity to keep it going.

I will say, I like how this team is built this year. Being strong on the Lines, being able to run and stop the run is a winning formula playing on the road. I know this has been asked before, but does anyone know if Beach will be able to return this Spring? They've played well so far, but having 2 of 4 NT's being injured as it's such a unique position makes you nervous if anything happens to one of the two that are healthy. 

[Midwestern Hawk]

26 minutes ago, AJS said:

I had a pretty lengthy post before the SDSU game, one of the main take a points was how important with the league change this Spring season is for UND. It's an opportunity to change the perception of your program quickly. Now the discussion regionally is "let's see how they do on the road". Which is more than fair. Recently they have been a much better home than road team. This team has so much momentum right now, such a big opportunity to keep it going.

I will say, I like how this team is built this year. Being strong on the Lines, being able to run and stop the run is a winning formula playing on the road. I know this has been asked before, but does anyone know if Beach will be able to return this Spring? They've played well so far, but having 2 of 4 NT's being injured as it's such a unique position makes you nervous if anything happens to one of the two that are healthy. 

Great point, COVID and the spring season has opened the door for UND to escalate up the FCS ladder more quickly than might have other wise happened.  I understand its only three games but on the other hand its three great wins vs ranked opponents in the mighty MVFC.  We may be witnessing a transition of sorts in the MVFC and national FCS landscape.

 

Hard to beat a team which wins the LOS.

[Wilbur]

Definition of a trap game.  Hopefully SDSU pounds on Western this Saturday.  The Jacks can't afford another early loss with who they have left on their schedule, so I imagine they'd bring the physicality up a level on Saturday.  

No prediction until I see how Western hangs with the Jacks. 

[gundy1124]

2 hours ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

North Dakota @ Western Illinois is a trap game if ever there was one.  Hawks coming off three huge wins vs ranked opponents.  First game on the road vs likely an unranked opponent. Outside in front of what will very likely be an incredibly sparse crowd.  I probably don't have to remind anyone who the Hawks play the week after.  I will definitely enjoy where the Hwaks are at as I watch the Leathernecks visit SDSU tomorrow.  Bubba needs to keep everyone's "nose to the grindstone" over the weekend.  

As hard as it is with a Saturday-Thursday turnaround the reward is 2-3 extra days to heal up and prepare.  Members of the coaching staff had a few take-away statements and the quick turnaround was one as a big challenge to the team.  Most haven't experience it, but it can be hard just rolling out of bed after a game.

The other item of note was our staff thought we didn't play all that well and still were the better team by all measurements.  

[Sioux94]

14 hours ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

North Dakota @ Western Illinois is a trap game if ever there was one.  Hawks coming off three huge wins vs ranked opponents.  First game on the road vs likely an unranked opponent. Outside in front of what will very likely be an incredibly sparse crowd.  I probably don't have to remind anyone who the Hawks play the week after.  I will definitely enjoy where the Hwaks are at as I watch the Leathernecks visit SDSU tomorrow.  Bubba needs to keep everyone's "nose to the grindstone" over the weekend.  

I think Bubba will be able to tell the team......."they don't think you can win on the road in the MVFC" as a type of motivator to get the guys amped up for no let down.  And it is  true, we haven't played on the road yet.  It feels like we are transitioning into the next section of the season, the first three were all home games....and we won that section.  Nice 10 day rest now.....and starting the next leg of the season.  I think the guys will be ready, hope I'm right. 

[UND Football Fan]

I am still upset Western Illinois getting in and not us in 2015. The selection committee felt our 34-9 loss to NDSU with Wentz was worse then Western Illinois’s 59-7 loss to NDSU without Wentz......though over 5 years ago, I always wanted UND to play them and physically beat them and get the W!

[Dustin]

5 hours ago, UND Football Fan said:

I am still upset Western Illinois getting in and not us in 2015. The selection committee felt our 34-9 loss to NDSU with Wentz was worse then Western Illinois’s 59-7 loss to NDSU without Wentz......though over 5 years ago, I always wanted UND to play them and physically beat them and get the W!

I didn’t remember that Western Illinois was the team that kept us out in 2015.  Hopefully that provides some extra motivation. 

[AJS]

Learning more about the Spring season and the Missouri Valley Football Conference with each completed week. Western (along with Missouri State) seem to be the worst teams in the Conference, by a long shot. If UND is a true Top 10 team, this one shouldn't be close. Simple as that.

[Teeder11]

Still a lot of days out but my weather app currently forecasts 48 degrees and a 40 percent chance of rain in Macomb on Saturday. 

[Dustin]

UND should be able to get some outdoor practices in this week. That will be huge for preparation. 

[The Sicatoka]

Roofs in MVFC: UND, NDSU, USD, UNI. Is that all? 

[The Sicatoka]

Huge trap game. Back to work. 

[SWSiouxMN]

They have to win this one.  I would like to see them finally start fast on the offensive side of the ball and get it rolling just like SDSU did 

[Nodak78]

After watching a good share of the jacks and leathernecks yesterday, our ground and pound should fun to watch.  Jacks could run the outside all day long.  Tommy, Quincy and Brockstar could do well.

 

[sioux24/7]

4 minutes ago, Nodak78 said:

After watching a good share of the jacks and leathernecks yesterday, our ground and pound should fun to watch.  Jacks could run the outside all day long.  Tommy, Quincy and Brockstar could do well.

 

Gotta hold Brock out of this game too even if he would be able to play, right?

[Nodak78]

If he can play let him play.   We can win w/o him for sure.