Spring Football Updates

[bisonguy]

What happened to Ross Brennan? He's listed in the Herald article as "isn't in school". Will this create a depth problem at the NG spot?

[UND92,96]

What happened to Ross Brennan? He's listed in the Herald article as "isn't in school".  Will this create a depth problem at the NG spot?

Based on a blurb in the Forum at the start of spring ball which said that Brennan was sitting out this spring for personal reasons, I have to assume that he may yet return in the fall. The fact that his brother is still on the team is probably a good sign. If he doesn't come back, senior Josh Muro will likely be the starter. He's a bit undersized, but he has good quickness and he played quite a bit in 2001 (after Brennan's season-ending injury) before sitting out last year with injuries of his own. Shane Duchscher should also be in the mix, and there are a number of defensive ends who are big enough to move over if necessary. I would say that nose guard may be one of the more unsettled positions on the team, but it shouldn't be a huge problem.

[The Sicatoka]

Bison Kent: Thanks for the clarification.

Note to self:

Asking for things you want directly to boosters and alumni is requesting.

Asking for same things using local paper as medium to address same groups is complaining.

[Bison_Kent]

Sirakota,

You are finally seeing the light. Why would a local newspaper be used when a private All-Sioux forum could be? I am sure there are many readers of the GF Herald that could careless about UND and its atheletic shortcomings. The same could be said of The Forum and NDSU. This is why no outcries for money are seen in The Forum.

Not having a couple thousand dollars for banners and posters in both football and basketball just proves that any excess money for atheletics goes to hockey. It doesn't matter how successful a non-hockey sport's team does as it won't be supported in the future with anything over the allotted money. This is probably why UND continues to schedule pansies for football's non-conference games as it can't payout anything over the minimum for games. This is no way to win recruits and win fans.

[jimdahl]

(Edited 9:25 to be a little more concise)

ON TOPIC:

I agree that some sort of display in the Alerus Center is a good idea. Bringing the recruits around to what's obviously a general purpose events center with no UND markings makes it seem like we don't have a home field. It really was shortsighted that this wasn't part of the original plan. How did UND fail to anticipate that this would be an issue? Fortunately, it sounds like the wheels are in motion to study the issue and figure out how to get it done.

I hope the line about the web site was meant to be funny

KENT:

I think you're being a little unreasonable and bolstering your argument with intentional misrepresentations. Lennon went to the Alerus commission on Wednesday and requested Sioux displays in the Alerus Center. The commission anticipated such a request and agreed to form a joint committee with UND to discuss where to create space and who will pay; that commission will be bringing the message to the people who can raise the money.

A Herald staff writer wrote an article about those developments on Thursday. Let's face it, in North Dakota a committee to create an athletics display is newsworthy. I don't see it as public begging, but reporting on publicity/financial issues of the local public university. However, contrary to your claims the Forum has similar coverage of NDSU's athletics budgetary requests (NDSU hockey arena, D-I funds).

Your opinions on UND budgetary issues/football would be more credible and viewed less as anti-UND antagonism if you had made it through a single post in this thread without hyping NDSU (completely off topic) and slamming UND football, its facilities, its coaches, and other UND athletics. People who want to read reflexive naysaying of everything UND can visit some Bison board.

[Bison_Kent]

If anything, I was going negative towards putting all the money into hockey. I wonder why the UND athletic department can't put just a little bit into the football and basketball promonations and historical data. These sports have given conference championships and national championships to UND just as hockey has.

My comments are more of a slam on the UND athletic department and the city of Grand Forks, not the football team. The are the ones that set the budgets for each sport. Scheduling is also done by the AD. Lennon is a fine coach and has to be admired in what he has done for UND. If UND was wise, you would listen to his pleas or you will soon be looking for a new coach.

I may have been a little out of line with the whining comments (just trying to get a rise out of you Sioux guys as you would to us Bison) but this might be the only way a non-hockey coach can get additions at UND. I still believe this shouldn't have even been a topic as these banners and other additions should have been in place as soon as the Alerus Center was opened and budgeted in as part of the building's cost.

Yes, this is a newsworthy ND story but it shouldn't have been an issue in the first place if the planning of the building had been correct to begin with.

[jimdahl]

I still believe this shouldn't have even been a topic as these banners and other additions should have been in place as soon as the Alerus Center was opened and budgeted in as part of the building's cost. 

Yes, this is a newsworthy ND story but it shouldn't have been an issue in the first place if the planning of the building had been correct to begin with.

I agree 100% with this underlying point (and had coincidentally edited my post above to make a similar point while you were composing the quoted post!)

[The Sicatoka]

BK:

I think you missed the cynicism in my previous "note to self."

At this point I was going to mention use of media to point out lack of facilities issues (cough, Fargo Arena, cough) but I'll decline because Jim seems to have this covered.

[bisonguy]

What happened to Ross Brennan? He's listed in the Herald article as "isn't in school". Will this create a depth problem at the NG spot?

I heard on the WDAY news tonight that Ross Brennan will not play for UND this year. He is still in Grand Forks, but having personal issues. WDAY said they knew what they were, but would not reveal them out of respect to Ross. Coach Lennon apparently stated that Ross' future at UND is in the air after this year.

[UNDvince97-01]

Bison Kent,

you are right, sometimes UND does schedule pansies for non-conference games. One reason is that teams just dont want to come to UND unless the money is PERFECT. another reason is to stay healthy in non-conference so that they can whoop NDSU's butt during conference play. which, they have been doing since the early 90's consistently. if your starters are out in the second quarter, then there is less likeliness for injury. but it is a double-edged sword because you arent getting "quality" games and opponents early, which effects how you play down the road, and can effect your ranking in the region at the end of the year.

[Bison_Kent]

UNDvince97-01,

If I was a playoff voter, I would not vote for UND due to the poor non-conference schedule. UND and many of other NCC teams seem to think scheduling pansies and still finishing 2nd in the conference will result in a playoff berth. This is not the case. Strength of schedule does effect if you make the playoffs or not.

This year St. Cloud has seen the light and has scheduled Pitt St. in a non-conference game. Yes, there is a risk in scheduling these teams but I see the risk in not. If UND finishes second in the NCC, no one can complain not making the playoffs as someone from the MIAA probably will be more deserving for the final spot.

[bisonguy]

With the new "plug the numbers into the formula, absolutely no human component" playoff selection for D2 football, the key to success will be scheduling the top two NSIC teams for non-conf. games. They will both have records over .750, and are in the midwest region, so they are worth more points than a win over a IAA opponent.

[pirate]

BK and bi-guy, Given the content of your posts, both of you are saying North Dakota will have to win all non-coference games and win the NCC outright. This being based solely on North Dakota's lack of strength of schedule. I am curious as to what either or both of you think NDSU will have to do in order to make the play-offs?

[Bison_Kent]

Pirate,

I think if NDSU has three losses (one being in confrence), they would be picked over a UND if they have one conference loss and only loss this is assuming UND losses to NDSU. If UND wins, they will get the node as head to head will count more. But if both lose just one time (UND to NDSU and NDSU to St. Cloud) NDSU will get the node even if UND just losses this one game. NDSU's only plays one in-region game and that is Concordia-St. Paul. I would guess this win will count more then Crookston. All other non-conference games are not in the region.

[pirate]

Bison Kent, Using your scenario, North Dakota, must have a sense of urgency and go undefeated. I mean UND could tie with NDSU and, again using your scenario, and st. cloud and not get a playoff bid. NDSU, on the other hand, could have a three loss season and get one. 'Out-of-region' non-conference games are irrelevent. Wow, that is some formula they use to determine 'play-off' teams.

[Bison_Kent]

Pirate,

There are no ties in college football anymore with the overtime periods now. So your logic is wrong as it couldn't happen. Sure, if UND wins the NCC, they will get the playoff spot but finishing second will by no means assures a spot. By playing all sub .500 teams in the non-conference, this counts against you.

This was the arguement. The only way I see UND getting into the playoffs is by winning the NCC or a complete fallout in the MIAA. Otherwise, the best hope would be for a superior MIAA team (go undefeated) and have the second place team with 3 conference losses. This seems very impossible as the MIAA is very top heavy with Pitt St. and NW Missouri State and newly Central Missouri State as the cream of the crop. If UND finishes second in the NCC and any MIAA team finishes second in their conference, the MIAA team will most likely get the node as they will have a better "in-region" record score.

Playing Crookston and the other sub .500 seems like it would not hurt UND but it will when it comes to the playoff selection time.

On the other hand, if NDSU has just one NCC loss and three total losses (and Concordia-St. Paul does as well as they did last year in the NSIC), NDSU will have a better chance then UND in my opinion based on strength of schedule (espically inregion strength).

This is basically doing a comparison of Concordia-St. Paul and Minnesota-Crookston. If Crookston finishes under .500 on the season and our near the bottom of the NSIC, UND's in-region score goes down. If Concordia-St. Paul finishes over .500 or even near the top of the NSIC, NDSU's in-region score goes up.

All out of region games count but not as much as in-region games and head-to-head games. In-region games would be against NSIC and MIAA teams, as well as NCC teams.

I can just see the whining if UND finishes with just one loss and does not make the playoffs. I wonder if the out-of-conference schedule next year will be a little better.

[pirate]

The "tie" I refer to, would be a three-way tie for the NCC season championship.(North Dakota, NDSU and St.Cloud each with one loss). In effect, I am arguing for a more competitive non-conference schedule for North Dakota in the future. However, as the NCAA and D2 continues to evolve(expansion of the regional play-off format) certain scenarios like the one discribed above can be diminished. I will restate what I said earlier, North Dakota will just have to win-out in order to avoid being displaced by a three loss team.

[bisonguy]

pirate,

I'm stating that the D2 football playoff selection committee doesn't care about non-conf. schedules other than if it's a "W" or not. A win against a D2 in-region team with a record greater than .750 can be worth more than a win against an undefeated IAA team . There is no longer any human element to the selection. Plug the numbers into the formula, and the field is set. If a NSIC team goes 12-0, one goes 11-1, one MIAA team goes 12-0, one MIAA team goes 11-1, and the NCC champ is 10-2, there might not be a NCC rep in the playoffs. It probably won't happen, but there is no such thing as an auto bid for being a d2 conference champion. The only thing that matters to the selection committee (computer) now, is which four schools have the most points. While winning the confernce helps a team as far as W-L record, it guarantees absolutely nothing. This new selection process is another reason to say good ridance to D2.

[The Sicatoka]

bisonguy,

Are you saying the DII FB playoff selection system is now purely analytic?

As a hockey fan who is used to the purely analytic "Pairwise Ranking" (PWR) system used to round out* the 16 team DI hockey field, I guess I don't have a problem with a purely analytic system. Non-analytic systems (i.e. those that include human factors) include biases based on history or who knows what. I believe analytic systems are more fair because everyone on Day One knows what they have to do to make the playoffs. (You don't necessarily have to like the formula, but you know what it takes.)

A non-analytic system got NDSU sent to Delta State for a playoff game not long ago (and I disagreed with it then and I still do).

* DI hockey has six autobids to the six conference champions. The other ten slots are the ten highest PWRs without an autobid. The PWR calculation methodology is available on USCHO.com.

[bisonguy]

Sicatoka,

Yes, the DII Football playoffs are selected purely by the numbers. This will be the first year, I believe. I don't have much of a problem with that technique when there are autobids available to the tougher conferences, but there aren't any for DII football. There was a big discussion about this on the D2Football message board earlier this year.

How many times has the NCC champ been undefeated? It's a lot easier for a team in the MIAA(Pitt St. or NWMS) to beat one other team and have the rest of their schedule filled with W's. Teams are also penalized by scheduling out of region schools for the non-conf. schedule, by being awarded more points for a victory over an in-region opponent. This makes DII football more regionalized, and prevents teams from wanting to schedule good opponents from other parts of the country (i.e. NCC v. TAMUK, Carson-Newman, Valdosta, etc.). It also allows schools from weaker conferences(NSIC) a nearly guaranteed appearance in the playoffs. There are many scenarios that could see a team worthy of getting in the playoffs get snubbed by a team with a non-conf. schedule filled with creampuff conference teams that had a decent record. If football had as many games as hockey, it might not be as bad, but with only three or four non-conf. games, it will make all the difference in the world who a school has on the schedule.

[UNDvince97-01]

I'm sorry but,

if UND finishes with 1 loss, and NDSU finishes with 3, UND should go. However, if NDSU beats UND, and NDSU has 2 losses, and UND has 1, then maybe you have a case that NDSU should go. You know what, though? All of this is just pure speculation, and i am sick of talking about it. Everything will be settled on the field soon. God, i can't wait until football season!!