UNO vs UND game thread

[UND92,96]

I just realized that despite the loss today, UND actually has wrapped up a share of the NCC title thanks to Bubba's Bulldogs beating USD. It's very small consolation, I know. The bad news is that if we lose in Vermillion next week, it will likely result in a four-way tie for the title, with UNO, USD and the winner of UMD-SCSU.

[BisonMav]

This program must have some kind of mental block when it comes to UNO that is simply beyond comprehension. There was absolutely no way UND should have lost this game this year. And the fact that UND could lose 5 out of 6 against ANYBODY in dII is mind-boggling to me.

Curse of Pat Behrns

[JESUS,family,rutgers]

I look forward to the day when I am down about Rutgers winning none out of ten wins. Hope the Sioux bounce back next week.

GO FIGHTING SIOUX!

GO SCARLET KNIGHTS!

[rochsioux]

Would someone please explain to me why the Sioux offense refused to run time off the clock in the 4th Q with a big lead ?

Numerous times they would break the huddle BEFORE the 25 second clock even started !!!!!!!

They would snap the ball with 15-18 seconds left on the play clock !!!

Did they learn clock management from a Denny Green / Mike Tice coaches clinic. Absolutely unbelieveable!!! Either the quarterback or the coach is an idiot.

[redwing77]

Would someone please explain to me why the Sioux offense refused to run time off the clock in the 4th Q with a big lead ?

Numerous times they would break the huddle BEFORE the 25 second clock even started !!!!!!!

They would snap the ball with 15-18 seconds left on the play clock !!!

Did they learn clock management from a Denny Green / Mike Tice coaches clinic. Absolutely unbelieveable!!! Either the quarterback or the coach is an idiot.

If you HAVE to blame someone, blame the QB. The coaches don't tell the QB when to snap the ball. Time management is mainly the responsibility of the QB. Coaches just call the plays.

[SiouxMeNow]

bad play calling by the OC and bad time management by the QB...UND looked rattled by being "challenged" so late in a game. They lost - consider is a blessing! Maybe they'll learn something

[SiouxFanatic]

Really sad that UND lost. Drove from Minot just to see the hockey and football team lose on Saturday . But truly it was a pathetic game offensively. Half the time I didn't know who the heck Belmore was throwing to. The defense is what kept us in the game though. They made the game interesting and so did Weston Dressler of course.

[redwing77]

I believe there are two weaknesses to UND's offense. And I have no quantitative evidence to back it up... I just feel this way.

1. QB - Belmore is an ok QB whose weaknesses are often overlooked because of how strong the rest of the team is. I don't think Belmore would be as highly regarded if he didn't have the OLine and the D that he currently has.

2. WR: We are SMALL at WR. Yeah, most of them are 6'-6'2" tall, but our MAIN recievers are 5'7" (Grossman) and 5'6" tall (Dressler). Seems to me you put a big DB on them that can run... problem solved.

2a. Grossman. Yeah, he's done a good job for us, but it seems to me that he NEVER catches the ball cleanly. It always bounces around in his hands a bit before he either catches it or it falls to the turf. Looks like that UNO CB noticed it too. This is probably an exaggeration, but oh well..

[tnt]

I guess my question is where was Weston Dressler when we needed him to be involved in the offense to get a few key first downs? Yes, he made that nice catch to get the Sioux in field goal range, but other than that, he was not used much in the fourth quarter. A few strategic first downs in that fourth quarter, and it was game over. If the Sioux wouldn't have wasted 20+ seconds after they ran the ball they could have made it a much more manageable field goal. A loss next week, which certainly isn't out of the question, could take a great year, and turn it into one of the most disappointing years in Sioux football history, simply because of how they destroyed most of their opponents. Apparently, not having anyone challenge them in the fourth quarter really came back to bite them yesterday.

[bincitysioux]

The offense was just horrid, as a whole. I didn't see one good thing on offense all day. It was the worst I've seen them play in my three years as season ticket holder. The defense was solid as usual, but just ran out of gas in the 4th quarter. I am usually not one to criticize officals, as they have a better view of the game than I do, but there are things that were a joke, yesterday. The one interception that Belmore threw on the sidelines at midfield, the DB looked to be clearly out of bounds. The final UNO drive that culminated in the score to take the lead, there was 3rd down play, Masek rolled out under heavy pressure, threw to Denney, the pass was 10 yards over his head, and 10 yards out of the endzone, totally uncatchable. This is not the NFL, it doesn't matter if you're out of the pocket, it was clearly intentional grounding in my opionion. And don't get me started on the clock management. However none of this would have been a factor had UND taken care of business on offense. If not of the defense and special teams, we would've lost 20-10.

[Smoggy]

The offense was just horrid, as a whole. I didn't see one good thing on offense all day. It was the worst I've seen them play in my three years as season ticket holder. The defense was solid as usual, but just ran out of gas in the 4th quarter. I am usually not one to criticize officals, as they have a better view of the game than I do, but there are things that were a joke, yesterday. The one interception that Belmore threw on the sidelines at midfield, the DB looked to be clearly out of bounds. The final UNO drive that culminated in the score to take the lead, there was 3rd down play, Masek rolled out under heavy pressure, threw to Denney, the pass was 10 yards over his head, and 10 yards out of the endzone, totally uncatchable. This is not the NFL, it doesn't matter if you're out of the pocket, it was clearly intentional grounding in my opionion. And don't get me started on the clock management. However none of this would have been a factor had UND taken care of business on offense. If not of the defense and special teams, we would've lost 20-10.

I also thought the DB was out of bounds on that. Plus, the a UND offensive lineman came up with one of the fumbles they gave to UNO. Did anyone else think that UNO had a few plays where they false started that weren't called? It seemed like one whole side of their line was jumping the snap.

[bincitysioux]

I also thought the DB was out of bounds on that. Plus, the a UND offensive lineman came up with one of the fumbles they gave to UNO. Did anyone else think that UNO had a few plays where they false started that weren't called? It seemed like one whole side of their line was jumping the snap.

I was going to mention that fumble, but I didn't have a good vantage point of the play. It looked like they prematurley indicated UNO recovered, then the UND linemen came out of the pile with the ball, then there was a lengthy discussion among the officials that ended with UNO retaining possession. Lennon was livid at this point. But like I said, I didn't have a real good vantage point.

We need to take care of business next week in the Dakotadome. If we lost that game, depending on what Grand Valley does, we could be in jeopardy of not having any playoff games at home.

[southpaw]

I also thought the DB was out of bounds on that. Plus, the a UND offensive lineman came up with one of the fumbles they gave to UNO. Did anyone else think that UNO had a few plays where they false started that weren't called? It seemed like one whole side of their line was jumping the snap.

My friend and I were commenting about how the head official missed at least three false starts in just the first half. he then was the official who made the ruling on the UNO pick along the sidelines. I would love to be the one who edits down a post-game tape with all of the mistakes that official made. I understand it's hard, but when your job is to watch to see if someone on the line moves, and they do, yet you don't call it... i question if you're able to do your job.

[iramurphy]

Something will have to give next week in a matchup of a resistable force (UND offense) and a movable object (USD defense). Which unit is struggling worse right now? Unfortunately for the Sioux offense, they're in a bad situation at the worst time of year for it to happen. Belmore has to have lost most if not all of his confidence considering the way he's played the past two weeks, and yet can you really throw Manke in there on the road with the season on the line considering how little he's played this year? I say yes, but it's unfair to expect all that much out of him. If nothing else, he can't possibly turn the ball over as much as Belmore.

This program must have some kind of mental block when it comes to UNO that is simply beyond comprehension. There was absolutely no way UND should have lost this game this year. And the fact that UND could lose 5 out of 6 against ANYBODY in dII is mind-boggling to me.

This game goes down as one of the worst defeats in UND FB history. It ranks up there with the Sioux loss to the AC in 1972, The Sioux loss to the AC in 1973 and the Sioux loss to Alabama in 1975. All games where UND had more talent and let the game slip away. It may have cost UND the National title in 1972, it cost the conference title in 1973 and it knocked the #1 team in the country out of the playoffs in 1975. This one could cost us the homefield advantage for a number of playoff games this year and if we lose next week could knock us out of the playoffs. We had more talent, but I hate to say it but 'ol Pat B outsmarted us again.

This is the reason I said Manke should be getting reps at QB during the season in the first half. If anyone has bothered to look he has completed over 70% of his passes and has no turnovers. He has thrown 3 TDs with no int. usually leading our two's against the other teams ones or twos. He has not turned the ball over. Had he been getting reps during the season in the first half the coaching staff should have had enough confidence to put him in when Belmore is struggling. Let him lead the team and let Belmore start the next game if you insist. The way things are now, it doesn't matter how much Belmore struggles he isn't coming out. We had the same issue last year but at least this year Belmore played well until recently. I am not saying bench Belmore permanantly. If there was a big difference between the two QB's I could understand not putting Manke in. When they are that close you owe it to your defense to put Manke in and get them out of the game safely. I talked to some Redshirt FB players at the hockey game after the game and they said a lot of players think Manke is the better of the two QB's. (So do a number of former coaches and people close to the program). Even if you insist on staying with Belmore, you have to let him do more than run Beatty stretch left on first and second down and either the bubble or short slant on third down.

Belmore did not lose this game, the coaching staff did and the team did. The poor clock management was worse than a poor high school team. Whether you have Manke or Belmore in you can't put the shackles on your offense the way they did yesterday. I still think Belmore is one of the most improved kids on the team but he has struggled the last two games. He needs to cover the ball up in a crowd because he has fumbled to much all year. Any other player playing that poorly would be pulled. Pull him, let Manke do his thing, then get Belmore fired up to play again if you think is can't be replaced but don't let the team lose the damn game!

It is pretty bad when you need to keep your defense on the field to keep the ball away from your own offense so they don't turn it over. I am wondering if Mussman is intimidated by the idea of Manke at QB. Manke's Dad is as good of offensive FB mind as anyone UND has on their staff! Manke is a coaches kid who has won with a lot less talent although at the HS level. There are a lot of D1 kids whose teams lost to DL because of Manke. If nothing else he would have managed the clock a hell of a lot better and he knows enough to cover the ball with both hands when you are running is a crowd. All he does is win!

The defense played their hearts out but the staff needs to put the kids in a better position to win than they did yesterday.

[coachdags]

Belmore showed how worthless of a QB he is.... What a worthless performance by our QB today....

What was worse was the play call on 3rd down at the end of the game. We have a future NFL left tackle, Digger Anderson, and we try running the ball with our QB? Give the ball to Beatty and let him get a first down to win the game.....that was a horrendous third down call.....

I have to compliment the defense on a great game though. They were on the field the entire game, and to hold an offense like Omaha to 20 points with the position that they were put in time in and out was pretty gutsy. They'll be upset at themselves for the loss, but they truely played a great game.

This game goes down as one of the worst defeats in UND FB history. It ranks up there with the Sioux loss to the AC in 1972, The Sioux loss to the AC in 1973 and the Sioux loss to Alabama in 1975. All games where UND had more talent and let the game slip away. It may have cost UND the National title in 1972, it cost the conference title in 1973 and it knocked the #1 team in the country out of the playoffs in 1975. This one could cost us the homefield advantage for a number of playoff games this year and if we lose next week could knock us out of the playoffs. We had more talent, but I hate to say it but 'ol Pat B outsmarted us again.

This is the reason I said Manke should be getting reps at QB during the season in the first half. If anyone has bothered to look he has completed over 70% of his passes and has no turnovers. He has thrown 3 TDs with no int. usually leading our two's against the other teams ones or twos. He has not turned the ball over. Had he been getting reps during the season in the first half the coaching staff should have had enough confidence to put him in when Belmore is struggling. Let him lead the team and let Belmore start the next game if you insist. The way things are now, it doesn't matter how much Belmore struggles he isn't coming out. We had the same issue last year but at least this year Belmore played well until recently. I am not saying bench Belmore permanantly. If there was a big difference between the two QB's I could understand not putting Manke in. When they are that close you owe it to your defense to put Manke in and get them out of the game safely. I talked to some Redshirt FB players at the hockey game after the game and they said a lot of players think Manke is the better of the two QB's. (So do a number of former coaches and people close to the program). Even if you insist on staying with Belmore, you have to let him do more than run Beatty stretch left on first and second down and either the bubble or short slant on third down.

Belmore did not lose this game, the coaching staff did and the team did. The poor clock management was worse than a poor high school team. Whether you have Manke or Belmore in you can't put the shackles on your offense the way they did yesterday. I still think Belmore is one of the most improved kids on the team but he has struggled the last two games. He needs to cover the ball up in a crowd because he has fumbled to much all year. Any other player playing that poorly would be pulled. Pull him, let Manke do his thing, then get Belmore fired up to play again if you think is can't be replaced but don't let the team lose the damn game!

It is pretty bad when you need to keep your defense on the field to keep the ball away from your own offense so they don't turn it over. I am wondering if Mussman is intimidated by the idea of Manke at QB. Manke's Dad is as good of offensive FB mind as anyone UND has on their staff! Manke is a coaches kid who has won with a lot less talent although at the HS level. There are a lot of D1 kids whose teams lost to DL because of Manke. If nothing else he would have managed the clock a hell of a lot better and he knows enough to cover the ball with both hands when you are running is a crowd. All he does is win!

The defense played their hearts out but the staff needs to put the kids in a better position to win than they did yesterday.

Wilbur you're worthless?......I've said it a thousand times NOBODY! works harded,Trys more,or wants to succeed more than the young men wearing the uniforms...only 2nd is the Coaches that work 80 hours a week to put these young men in the best position to succeed...but you know what "s&!t Happens".... Ira..We may not all agree at times with the play calling...but this Offensine Coorindator is the same one that in his 4 years here, has a national title,and a semi final apperance,and a final apperance? Not too bad?...We are currently 9-1..got a conference title tie so far this year...and control our own destiny.....Im sure everthing in your guys personal,and professional lifes are PERFECT?.......I however do not expect perfection only that Coach Lennon coach teams will try hard, and make us proud...Buy the way they are Students 1st......If you want dissapiontment take a cruise with the Minnesota Vikings....."Go Sioux"

[redwing77]

Actually, from what I've heard, the only disappointment on the cruise was after the boat docked and the aftermath.

I admit I know very little about football, but I could SWEAR that clock management is the QB's job. It's his job to know how many ticks he has and what he has to do. The coach's job is to be sure to have a play ready fast enough so that they can get the play off. I can see where there could be a delay if the OC can't decide on a play, but still, it mostly falls on the QB.

I don't know whom to start. I really don't care. All I want is a QB that can manage the clock and hold onto the football.

[iramurphy]

Actually, from what I've heard, the only disappointment on the cruise was after the boat docked and the aftermath.

I admit I know very little about football, but I could SWEAR that clock management is the QB's job. It's his job to know how many ticks he has and what he has to do. The coach's job is to be sure to have a play ready fast enough so that they can get the play off. I can see where there could be a delay if the OC can't decide on a play, but still, it mostly falls on the QB.

I don't know whom to start. I really don't care. All I want is a QB that can manage the clock and hold onto the football.

Agreed, but even if you as the QB don't understand that snapping the ball with 17 sec left on the play clock when you are trying to run it out may not be best, someone on the sideline should give you a heads up!

You can't really change QB's now going in to your last game. The problem is created when you don't let your other QB get anything other than mop-up time in a season where you were 9-0 going into this game averaging over 40 points per game and giving up less than 10 per game. The staff must not have had enough confidence to get your other guy in there and that is too bad. You shouldn't have to wait until this type of situation to find out that your number two guy may be your best QB! However if your philosophy is such that you won't play your #2 during the season while the game is still on the line you don't have the luxury of sending him in to bail out your #1 in these situations.

Again, I will still say Belmore has had a good year until the last two games and hadn't done anything to lose the starting job. I have stated I think he is one of the most improved kids on the team Whomever you put in there needs to be given a chance to use your entire playbook to succeed. Whether it was this year, last year, or in the last four years as the previous poster noted, we are awfully conservative offensively, and that puts a lot of pressure on our defense. I think this year we are good enough to dictate what we do offensively rather than crawl into the proverbial shell like we tend to do in these situations. We did the same thing a couple of years ago against these guys and lost a fourth quarter lead.

I am not questioning how hard the kids work or try. They gave a good effort yesterday. At least we didn't have as many of the undisciplined penalties as we had against Duluth and Mankato. I think we have a great head coach and a good staff. I am not writing a letter to the paper or calling for anyone's head. That would be stupid. I do think that yesterday was not our coaching staff's brightest hour when we had the ball in the fourth quarter up by 19 however.

[BigGame]

Everyone has a different opinion about talent and who the better players is and coach Lennon has always seemed to put the best players on the field. In this case, I am not so sure he has. Because the 2 QB's are so similar I do wonder why Manke has never really been given an appropriate amount of game time to win the job. Belmore has had a good year, but this was a horrible game for him. I don't care who the QB is, if they are playing poorly and making foolish mistakes they need to be taken out of the game. Any other position on the field making those type of mistakes would not have been left in the game. I understand QB confidence is a big deal, but Belmore appears to have lost it and the team needs to come first.

I remember when I was at UND, it wasn't always the most talented or hardest working guys that got on the field. I think that has been fixed with coach Lennon, but IMO he needs to give Manke a crack at earning the starting QB job.

[Irish]

This game goes down as one of the worst defeats in UND FB history. It ranks up there with the Sioux loss to the AC in 1972, The Sioux loss to the AC in 1973 and the Sioux loss to Alabama in 1975. All games where UND had more talent and let the game slip away. It may have cost UND the National title in 1972, it cost the conference title in 1973 and it knocked the #1 team in the country out of the playoffs in 1975. This one could cost us the homefield advantage for a number of playoff games this year and if we lose next week could knock us out of the playoffs. We had more talent, but I hate to say it but 'ol Pat B outsmarted us again.

This is the reason I said Manke should be getting reps at QB during the season in the first half. If anyone has bothered to look he has completed over 70% of his passes and has no turnovers. He has thrown 3 TDs with no int. usually leading our two's against the other teams ones or twos. He has not turned the ball over. Had he been getting reps during the season in the first half the coaching staff should have had enough confidence to put him in when Belmore is struggling. Let him lead the team and let Belmore start the next game if you insist. The way things are now, it doesn't matter how much Belmore struggles he isn't coming out. We had the same issue last year but at least this year Belmore played well until recently. I am not saying bench Belmore permanantly. If there was a big difference between the two QB's I could understand not putting Manke in. When they are that close you owe it to your defense to put Manke in and get them out of the game safely. I talked to some Redshirt FB players at the hockey game after the game and they said a lot of players think Manke is the better of the two QB's. (So do a number of former coaches and people close to the program). Even if you insist on staying with Belmore, you have to let him do more than run Beatty stretch left on first and second down and either the bubble or short slant on third down.

Belmore did not lose this game, the coaching staff did and the team did. The poor clock management was worse than a poor high school team. Whether you have Manke or Belmore in you can't put the shackles on your offense the way they did yesterday. I still think Belmore is one of the most improved kids on the team but he has struggled the last two games. He needs to cover the ball up in a crowd because he has fumbled to much all year. Any other player playing that poorly would be pulled. Pull him, let Manke do his thing, then get Belmore fired up to play again if you think is can't be replaced but don't let the team lose the damn game!

It is pretty bad when you need to keep your defense on the field to keep the ball away from your own offense so they don't turn it over. I am wondering if Mussman is intimidated by the idea of Manke at QB. Manke's Dad is as good of offensive FB mind as anyone UND has on their staff! Manke is a coaches kid who has won with a lot less talent although at the HS level. There are a lot of D1 kids whose teams lost to DL because of Manke. If nothing else he would have managed the clock a hell of a lot better and he knows enough to cover the ball with both hands when you are running is a crowd. All he does is win!

The defense played their hearts out but the staff needs to put the kids in a better position to win than they did yesterday.

I agree with almost all of the above. I've been waiting to post in hopes that time would ease the irritation I feel. In addition to Belmore's free fall, the thing that irritated me most is the offensive play selection particuliarly in the second half. How many series in a row did we try a run for a short gain on first down only to face second and 8. Then we went to one of the standard plays that we have used for the past 10 years which were anticipated and well defended. The tighter the game is, the worse our play selection gets. Our offensive philosophy sometimes seems to be trying to figure where we can pin them down if we punt. Our offensive coordinator was outcoached by Pat Burns for Christ's sake.

[Cratter]

I think people are overreacting. Glas hits the ball a little harder, don't block in the back and Dressler scores a TD, have the referee not block a Sioux cornerback and UNO doesn't score that TD and none of us are talking about the poor performance by the Sioux. This team will learn from its mistake and move on. The Sioux will beat USD is the dakotadome. The Sioux will go on the road in the playoffs and be a stronger team.

I think UNO is smart when they switch QB's during the game for whatever reasons.

I think the Sioux should try that more often.

Digger Anderson is Eric Schmidt. He will lead this team far.

Here's to hoping its a championship.

Hop on.

[UND92,96]

One of the really frustrating things about Saturday's game is that conventional wisdom says that if UNO can't run the ball consistently, they're in big trouble because their passing game isn't well-equipped to be effective without a strong running game. Similarly, they have trouble when they fall behind for the same reason. Getting behind by three scores means they almost have to abandon the running game, which usually spells trouble for them. That's one of the reasons they lost so badly to USD. Well, UND largely stopped the run, giving up less than 3.5 yards per rush, and UNO threw about 20-25 more times than they want to, but somehow they still managed to win since everything that could conceivably go wrong for UND in the 4th quarter did go wrong. Also, terrible special teams generally make winning extremely difficult--and the UNO special teams are definitely bad--but they got away with it. Not that it's any consolation, but the one thing you can probably count on is that UNO will now lay an egg either next week against Mankato, or else in their first playoff game. Behrns may have some kind of spell over UND, but he has proven time and again that when it really counts, at least against anybody but the Sioux, he will find a way to lose.

[SiouxFan4Life]

I feel the sioux had a chance, we just looked exhausted on defense. Obdviously the turnovers on our end of the field hurt us. How long have we been talking about Belmore needing to get benched in favor of Manke. Ithink the point is mute by now. And the playcalling and clock management is on the coaches. But Im sure this will all get taken care of, because if we see it, Im more then positive the coaches see it, and no one is trying to end the season anytime soon.

[BigGame]

I feel the sioux had a chance, we just looked exhausted on defense. Obdviously the turnovers on our end of the field hurt us. How long have we been talking about Belmore needing to get benched in favor of Manke. Ithink the point is mute by now. And the playcalling and clock management is on the coaches. But Im sure this will all get taken care of, because if we see it, Im more then positive the coaches see it, and no one is trying to end the season anytime soon.

I don't think he should just lose his QB job, but I would have liked to see Manke get a shot and given a chance to really earn the starting job from Belmore. I don't know that he would be able to do it, but competition is good.

[Bulldog]

If that holds, UMD is setting pretty good for the D-II playoffs as well I believe!

As my papa used to say "never count your chickens before they hatch" IALMAO

[HockeyMom]

I think that several valuble lessons were learned at the Alerus Center on Saturday. Remember that in 2001, the only team that beat the Sioux was Nebraska-Omaha.

And we all know what happened in 2001!!!!

There is no better learning tool, than a loss like this. You just get up, dust yourself off, and get back to business.