USD @ UND

[AJS]

10 hours ago, shep said:

There is no incentive for Bubba to resign. Don’t give me the “love for UND” argument.

Im guessing he’s like most men; he loves his wife and family more. Who would give up a nice payout given to you by your boss?

I agree, in theory with this post. Division 1 Football Coach however is not your ordinary job. Let’s change, “love for UND” to “think about your legacy”. Would he really want to be a pariah at a place I do believe he loves?

The way I see it, he leaves after this year, he could still salvage his legacy. If he truly burns it down on the way out, which if he’s not already he most certainly will if he stays longer. He’ll end up as one of the most hated coaches in UND history. 
 

One step further. Your post works perfectly for someone like Chaves. It’s different for someone like Bubba or on the hockey side Berry.

[UND-FB-FAN]

13 hours ago, iramurphy said:

I have no idea why Bubba’s contract was extended.
You point out the obvious problem to making a change: money.  The folks who seem to be demanding a change, aren’t willing or able pony to up $1 million. (One guy who claims to be “retired independently wealthy “ demands a change but isn’t listed as ever giving a substantial donation to UND.
 There are many more who are frustrated with the lack of success but don’t want to throw money at a contract buyout. 
 

 

No.  None of them are making that kind of money. 

 

12 hours ago, Longtime fan said:

I know you have mentioned that numerous times about no one willing to ponie up …..but we weren’t/arent the problem.   Bubba plateaued years ago and still gets extended.  Does that fall on the alum and fans to right the ship ?  That mistake fall solely on the AD.  Now we have bail him out ?

The contract extension was put into place despite communication, from boosters and alumni, of dissatisfaction at the time prior to extension, and this should mean the university bears the responsibility of the buyout costs and/or the transition to a different position. This is a necessary investment to ensure that UND can hire a new coaching staff capable of bringing the program the success and championships it rightfully deserves.

Our University community deserves a leader who can maximize the potential of this program and deliver the winning tradition our stakeholders expect and deserve. The time for action is now.

[shep]

1 hour ago, AJS said:

I agree, in theory with this post. Division 1 Football Coach however is not your ordinary job. Let’s change, “love for UND” to “think about your legacy”. Would he really want to be a pariah at a place I do believe he loves?

The way I see it, he leaves after this year, he could still salvage his legacy. If he truly burns it down on the way out, which if he’s not already he most certainly will if he stays longer. He’ll end up as one of the most hated coaches in UND history. 
 

One step further. Your post works perfectly for someone like Chaves. It’s different for someone like Bubba or on the hockey side Berry.

I don't know. 

If this site is a microcosm of the larger Hawks community, do you really think those calling for his departure are going to think, "Thanks for resigning Bubba; it was the right thing to do" so he sort of salvages his legacy or will they be all out "Good riddance. Why didn't you quit sooner.????

For many here, his legacy is found in the Favorite Bubba Moments thread. That's not really favorable.

[fightingsioux4life]

13 hours ago, 90siouxfan said:

Been discussed a lot on here, 750k then and more to search and hire, cool 1 mil, thanks for pitching in. 

Okay wise guy, I'll call your bluff.

I'll happily pitch in something. I think a lot of people would do the same.

[90siouxfan]

17 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Okay wise guy, I'll call your bluff.

I'll happily pitch in something. I think a lot of people would do the same.

I don't know squat about crowd funding and the like, but I would contribute, a drop in the bucket for most, but a lot for me. 

[Midwestern Hawk]

Bubba contract has been extended twice after his contract should have been ended.  The team and program has been on a downward trend since the fateful day in the Alerus when he gave the Bison game away.  I love Bubba, the man and the mentor, but the head football coach will never deliver more than an above average season and UND has the facilities and support to be a top 10 FCS school year in and year out, especially in the new, watered-down version of FCS football.

[The Sicatoka]

1 hour ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

Bubba contract has been extended twice after his contract should have been ended.  The team and program has been on a downward trend since the fateful day in the Alerus when he gave the Bison game away.

You said Bison; you meant Spiders. 

[F'n Hawks]

8 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

You said Bison; you meant Spiders. 

People forget how bad the 2017 and 2018 seasons were…

[Midwestern Hawk]

15 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

You said Bison; you meant Spiders. 

I disagree.  The fall of 2019, spring '21 and fall '21 season had the pieces, IMO, to make UND into a perennial top 5 FCS program.  An argument can be made they were missing a QB, but terrible coaching decisions/lack of prep sunk the team during those years... IMO we were close.  Now we are not.  In '21, two of the final 4 teams were SDSU and eventual champion NDSU.

[UND-FB-FAN]

2 minutes ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

I disagree.  The fall of 2019, spring '21 and fall '21 season had the pieces, IMO, to make UND into a perennial top 5 FCS program.  An argument can be made they were missing a QB, but terrible coaching decisions/lack of prep sunk the team during those years... IMO we were close.  Now we are not.  In '21, two of the final 4 teams were SDSU and eventual champion NDSU.

Fall ‘21 was a disaster. Should’ve been changes at that time, but really, large-scale changes after ‘17 and ‘18 would’ve been ideal, but instead fired Rudolph and hired Freund, and well, the defense remained mediocre to below average and the rest is history. 

[The Sicatoka]

2 minutes ago, Midwestern Hawk said:

I disagree. 

YMMV.

[Midwestern Hawk]

3 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Fall ‘21 was a disaster. Should’ve been changes at that time, but really, large-scale changes after ‘17 and ‘18 would’ve been ideal, but instead fired Rudolph and hired Freund, and well, the defense remained mediocre to below average and the rest is history. 

Bubba should have been replaced after '21.  That season was the most frustrating I have had as a fan.  The staff just plain blew it in several games.  Again, IMO, the program never recovered.

[UND-FB-FAN]

Just now, Midwestern Hawk said:

Bubba should have been replaced after '21.  That season was the most frustrating I have had as a fan.  The staff just plain blew it in several games.  Again, IMO, the program never recovered.

2017 and 2021 were both horrific road blocks to success and yet the constant in all of that (the head coach) is still here holding UND football back from competing with the top MVFC schools …

[Midwestern Hawk]

Just now, UND-FB-FAN said:

2017 and 2021 were both horrific road blocks to success and yet the constant in all of that (the head coach) is still here holding UND football back from competing with the top MVFC schools …

NO question.  We will never have the talent to be a perennial semi finalist with Bubba as skipper.  That level of talent does not exist in FCS football.

[iramurphy]

13 hours ago, Longtime fan said:

I know you have mentioned that numerous times about no one willing to ponie up …..but we weren’t/arent the problem.   Bubba plateaued years ago and still gets extended.  Does that fall on the alum and fans to right the ship ?  That mistake fall solely on the AD.  Now we have bail him out ?

Just like some mention numerous times regarding the extension?  I wasn’t in favor of the extension but it happened. I pointed out that 90siouxfan hit the nail on the head. $$$.

It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. I know that, I don’t need to continue to point out the obvious. But I’m not sure that we (including myself) couldn’t have done more.  We haven’t stepped up to markedly improve coaches salaries in all sports except hockey. 
 

In answer to your question the answer is yes, it does fall on us as alumni, fans and supporters to come up with significant funds if we want to buyout contracts. Some folks have donated significant funds in the past few years to move the he program forward. Many compare us to the SU’s and USD. We now have the FB facilities , but aren’t quite there yet with salaries.  
 

So, we can be frustrated with where the extension has left us or we can do something about it. I may be wrong but an immediate coaching change will cost a lot of money. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

29 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

Just like some mention numerous times regarding the extension?  I wasn’t in favor of the extension but it happened. I pointed out that 90siouxfan hit the nail on the head. $$$.

It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. I know that, I don’t need to continue to point out the obvious. But I’m not sure that we (including myself) couldn’t have done more.  We haven’t stepped up to markedly improve coaches salaries in all sports except hockey. 
 

In answer to your question the answer is yes, it does fall on us as alumni, fans and supporters to come up with significant funds if we want to buyout contracts. Some folks have donated significant funds in the past few years to move the he program forward. Many compare us to the SU’s and USD. We now have the FB facilities , but aren’t quite there yet with salaries.  
 

So, we can be frustrated with where the extension has left us or we can do something about it. I may be wrong but an immediate coaching change will cost a lot of money. 

Yes, it will cost additional dollars to buy out the contract, but we need to take a step back and focus on the rationale behind the extension itself. What in the world were the decision-makers thinking? Why are these extensions occurring? It was communicated numerous times that new coaching should be considered last year before the extension, but instead an extension is issued, and the program has regressed since.

The University should be held responsible to budget funds for a buyout equally as much as boosters should be held responsible to contribute. It’s unacceptable that athletic leadership feels that extensions should be warranted when there’s been one playoff victory over the course of 11 seasons. It’s clear expectations aren’t where they should be; or the lack of collegiate football understanding is blatant. The new facilities aren’t going to do anything if the coaching isn’t in place to recruit, develop, and ultimately motivate the student-athletes towards championships.
 

Bubba Schweigert cannot compete with North Dakota State, South Dakota State and now apparently South Dakota. Period. Bubba Schweigert is a friendly fundraiser and cheerleader but he is not a championship caliber division I head football coach. It is what it is, and something needs to be done about it. The dollars are an investment towards improvement. Enough of this excessive fiscal conservatism towards coaches and football. Budget accordingly and buy out this inexcusable lame duck extension contract. 

[wheelsup]

I have a fair amount of agreement with the perspective that the boosters/donors need to step up.  Where I believe there is a clear disconnect is the most recent extension.  There were two years remaining on his contract.. there was no need for an extension.  Why should the boosters/donors step up when chaves is burning money in the middle of the room.

i still picture bubba walking into chaves office last spring coming up with his laundry list of excuses expecting to be fired or put on double secret probation and instead chaves hands him an two year extension with no update to severance.  I’m sure bubba just about broke his arm looking for a pen to sign on the dotted line. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

15 minutes ago, wheelsup said:

have a fair amount of agreement with the perspective that the boosters/donors need to step up.  Where I believe there is a clear disconnect is the most recent extension.  There were two years remaining on his contract.. there was no need for an extension.  Why should the boosters/donors step up when chaves is burning money in the middle of the room.

Exactly. Chaves and the department completely dropped the ball on this fiscal situation. There’s no reason the buyout should be 750k considering how awful Schweigert has been relative to what UND is capable of given the facilities and watered down nature of the FCS field.

Sure, donors/boosters should step up, but not to completely cover the buy out. The athletic department needs to be held responsible for a signifiant portion of the buyout, considering how irresponsible the extension was and still is.

[fightingsioux4life]

56 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

It doesn’t matter whose fault it is. I know that, I don’t need to continue to point out the obvious. But I’m not sure that we (including myself) couldn’t have done more.  We haven’t stepped up to markedly improve coaches salaries in all sports except hockey. 

It doesn't matter whose fault it is?

So there is no accountability for Chaves on down? Everyone gets extended into infinity and the rest of us are supposed to just shut up and accept it? Sorry, but that is 1000% unacceptable.

What a nice racket Chaves has set up for himself and the rest of the department! The only one who can change it is Armacost.

[UND08]

1 hour ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Exactly. Chaves and the department completely dropped the ball on this fiscal situation. There’s no reason the buyout should be 750k considering how awful Schweigert has been relative to what UND is capable of given the facilities and watered down nature of the FCS field.

Sure, donors/boosters should step up, but not to completely cover the buy out. The athletic department needs to be held responsible for a signifiant portion of the buyout, considering how irresponsible the extension was and still is.

This is my mindset:

I’ll happily pitch in for the buyout if Chaves is sent packing with Bubba.  The entire reason behind the buyout figure being where it’s at is the foolish extension that Chaves executed without the blessing of alums/boosters.  At this point not ponying up a penny if Chaves gets to have any input in how it’s spent.

I can appreciate the mindset of Ira (not meaning to pick on you) and the like…but this isn’t D2 anymore.  You watch the other Dakota schools and it’s apparent we don’t fit in.  We were there as of Oct. 14, 2023…but since then the fall off the cliff has been dramatic.  Winning matters…probably more than it should but that’s life.  We need someone who can sell the vision…sell a plan to execute the vision.  Right now we don’t have that…and until we do the program isn’t going anywhere (but backward).

 

 

[Hawkster]

I heard this from what I consider a reliable source, Bubba supposedly donates part of his salary back to be given to his assistants because their salary is so low.   If true, why are the assistants paid so poorly?   If UND can't afford to pay those under Bubba a fair wage they can't afford to pay the buyout or to pay the next guy more than Bubba (new coaches always seem to get more than the previous one).   There does seem to be bigger problems here, assuming that what I heard is true.

[gfhockey]

Just now, Hawkster said:

I heard this from what I consider a reliable source, Bubba supposedly donates part of his salary back to be given to his assistants because their salary is so low.   If true, why are the assistants paid so poorly?   If UND can't afford to pay those under Bubba a fair wage they can't afford to pay the buyout or to pay the next guy more than Bubba (new coaches always seem to get more than the previous one).   There does seem to be bigger problems here, assuming that what I heard is true.

So what are we spending all our money on? Last I checked weren’t we like 3 in mvfc for football budget?

[iramurphy]

My mindset is to have athletic teams that compete for league championships, make the playoffs and put a product on the field, ice, court, track that we can support and be proud of. Realistically FB and hockey teams that can and will be national champions and WBB, MBB, VB, Softball etc that can win some playoff games. I will continue to support UND with my attendance, efforts and resources to try to make that happen. 
 

Where I differ with some is that I don’t expect any of that to bring me to the table with the decision makers. They will meet with me, talk to me and listen to me just like the rest of you. 
Also my life is unaffected by the successes or failures of our athletic teams  I’m disappointed for the players and coaches but not for myself  

When I say it doesn’t matter who is to blame it is with all of that in mind. What’s done is done and can’t be changed.  The stated objectives and expectations of the athletic administration for football is to win conference championships, make the playoffs regularly, and compete for and win National Championships. One Big Sky title and one MVFC title with a handful of playoff games seems to have resulted in an extension that I disagree with but that ship has sailed so how do we move forward? For me, it isn’t what someone else should do with their money while I sit back and say I’m done until I see results  I don’t think Chaves will be let go at this time so the question is the FB staff  

Regardless of who coaches next year my  expectation is a very good recruiting year, conference title, playoffs and success in the playoffs  I’ve invested my resources to help make that happen  

 

[fightingsioux4life]

42 minutes ago, iramurphy said:

My mindset is to have athletic teams that compete for league championships, make the playoffs and put a product on the field, ice, court, track that we can support and be proud of. Realistically FB and hockey teams that can and will be national champions and WBB, MBB, VB, Softball etc that can win some playoff games. I will continue to support UND with my attendance, efforts and resources to try to make that happen. 
 

Where I differ with some is that I don’t expect any of that to bring me to the table with the decision makers. They will meet with me, talk to me and listen to me just like the rest of you. 
Also my life is unaffected by the successes or failures of our athletic teams  I’m disappointed for the players and coaches but not for myself  

When I say it doesn’t matter who is to blame it is with all of that in mind. What’s done is done and can’t be changed.  The stated objectives and expectations of the athletic administration for football is to win conference championships, make the playoffs regularly, and compete for and win National Championships. One Big Sky title and one MVFC title with a handful of playoff games seems to have resulted in an extension that I disagree with but that ship has sailed so how do we move forward? For me, it isn’t what someone else should do with their money while I sit back and say I’m done until I see results  I don’t think Chaves will be let go at this time so the question is the FB staff  

Regardless of who coaches next year my  expectation is a very good recruiting year, conference title, playoffs and success in the playoffs  I’ve invested my resources to help make that happen  

So our obligation is to put up and shut up?

Do that if you want, but don't expect the rest of us to do it.

The opposite of love isn't hate, it's apathy. Your post has more than a touch of that.

[Siouxperman8]

1 hour ago, Hawkster said:

I heard this from what I consider a reliable source, Bubba supposedly donates part of his salary back to be given to his assistants because their salary is so low.   If true, why are the assistants paid so poorly?   If UND can't afford to pay those under Bubba a fair wage they can't afford to pay the buyout or to pay the next guy more than Bubba (new coaches always seem to get more than the previous one).   There does seem to be bigger problems here, assuming that what I heard is true.

My pet peeve is still that REA keeps 52% of fb ticket revenue.  They then decide how much to give back to the athletic department at the end of the year. It is rolled into all their revenue and expenses. I believe it is completely up to REA how much, if any, they give back.  Some years it has been $1M, other years $0. 

rough numbers - this year we had 71,987 paid attendance. At $20 per seat (guess) 52% would be $748k 

I figure the athletic dept sure could use that. Needed much more than the REA needs it.