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NDSU
- Thread starter PDXGrizzly
- Start date
We are still real thin at DT, so one injury to Tanquay or Schaetz could really hurt our D. Last year we rotated 5-6 guys at DT this year only 3 in the Iowa St. game. We seem to still be very deep at the Oline, since they rotated 7-8 guys that first game and our QB Wentz seemed to be everything most of us Bison fans expected him to be.......we are only one game in though so we will see. Really looking forward to the Griz coming to Fargo, see ya in a few weeks!
The Bison looked way better than Wyoming, especially on offense.
George Ferguson
Well-known member
Putter, just curious how "not being able to run the ball" is the same song as last year??? The Griz were second in the Big Sky in rushing. Canada rushed for 1,100 yards and 16 TDs, while Van rushed for 566 while missing three full games. I wouldn't quantify any of those facts as "can't run the ball". I will agree that so far in 2014, the Grizzlies haven't been able to run the ball, FOR A WHOPPING ONE GAME.
havgrizfan said:
Good info and good point. I was wondering how a fan can conclude--after one game against a Mountain West team which now has a head coach known for excellent defenses and who said his team was going to focus on stopping the run--that UM, with an inexperienced but developing o-line, won't be able to run the ball for the season.
PlayerRep said:
OK, lets see:
App St. (terrible last year) 246 yards rushing
UND 233
OK Panhandle St 262
NAU 55
Portland St 378
UCD 255
Cal Poly 73
EWU 146
Sac St 91
USD 53
Weber 338
MSU 115
Coastal Carolina 169
So last year, when we played a quality team with athletes Montana had trouble running the ball. Go back and look at our huge rushing games, they were against weak teams. The best team we ran against was Eastern. Remember also, this thread is about NDSU...another very strong team with good athletes at every defensive position. Tell me how I was wrong to say Montana struggling to run against quality teams was incorrect?
George Ferguson
Well-known member
Putter, first go back and look at your OP. NOWHERE does it say "Montana struggled running the ball against quality opponents". Secondly you completely FAIL to show the attempts in those games that you highlight. Sac. State was a passing shootout and YOU KNOW THAT. South Dakota turned into one too. I'll give you NAU and Cal Poly as teams the Griz struggled to run the ball on. and YET, Montana finished second in the league in rushing.
Bottom line, the Griz were an excellent running team last season. PERIOD. But that doesn't mean they were necessarily a run-first team.
But then again, I'm guessing you are one of those fans who has never been happy with any offensive scheme the Griz have run, EXCEPT 1994-1996 and 2001 and 2011. I'm guessing EVERY OTHER YEAR the Griz have sucked offensively.
Bottom line, the Griz were an excellent running team last season. PERIOD. But that doesn't mean they were necessarily a run-first team.
But then again, I'm guessing you are one of those fans who has never been happy with any offensive scheme the Griz have run, EXCEPT 1994-1996 and 2001 and 2011. I'm guessing EVERY OTHER YEAR the Griz have sucked offensively.
SWeberCat02
Well-known member
So you're saying we don't have a chance this Saturday. :?
putter said:
You said nothing about running against "quality" teams. You said this: "
"Griz can't run so they will be easily defended."
It is not true that UM only ran well last year against weak teams. That's just not consistent with the facts. Coastal was a very good team. PSU was 3d in the conference in rush defense last year. UM got more rush yards against App St than App St gave up on average. SS didn't have a good rush defense last year; UM just passed for alot of yards and didn't rush that much, or well.
George Ferguson
Well-known member
name callin????
havgrizfan said:
You're saying I am a 'never been happy unless" . Been a fan a long time and have friends who played for the Griz and took in what they have seen. I don't think I am totally off base like you and PR have said. Yes you can pick apart specific wording etc. however, those games that we rushed for less than 100 yards did not all turn into passing fests because the Griz chose to. Montana could not move the ball against those teams. IMO only, Montana - even with a more experienced O-Line last year struggled against the better teams they played last year which continued against Wyoming. Yes it is the first game but, again IMO, continues from last year and I think you will see the same against NDSU. I hope I am wrong and this squad gels because they have some great weapons in the backfield that can control/change games.
putter said:
Yes, you are a longtime fan and you know something about football. However, I agree with Hav that you are frequently negative and often a glass half-empty type on the board. You grossly overstated the case by indicating that UM can't and hasn't been able to run the ball, and then later amended by saying they can't run against good teams. Finishing 2d in the conference in rushing last year proves that UM ran the ball well, or very well, last year. You then overstated your case that UM couldn't run the ball against good teams last year, and that some of the low games didn't involve passing shoot outs. Yes, CP and NAU, with good rush defenses, caused the run game not to get many yards. SS turned into a passing shoot out. In the USD game, UM had 24 rush attempts and 50 pass attempts. My recollection is that USD, like Wyo., worked to shut down the running game. Some coaches will work hard to do that. Sometimes that opens up the passing game. Sometimes it does make an offense one-dimensional.
Wyo. pretty much shut down the run game, with a few exceptions/drives. Bohl said he wanted to do that. I don't know how much of the Wyo. success was due to Bohl's efforts, like packing the box, or UM's weakness in o-line blocking. I agree that the run blocking appears to be a concern. Hopefully, UM can improve, or even improve significantly. As for NDSU, they are very good at stopping the run. The head coach is last year's d-coordinator, I believe. I share your concerns about NDSU stopping the run, and also being a very good defensive team that just stops most teams. NDSU held Iowa St. to 102 rush yards and 151 yards passing. Got 4 sacks and 2 interceptions. NDSU held 8 teams to less than 100 yards last year. NDSU was 3d in the nation in rush defense last year, allowing 91.3 per game. Ferris St. got the most on them, with 228. Without NDSU playing subs against Ferris St, NDSU would have been 1st in the nation in rush defense. If UM's rushing offense had looked good against Wyo., I would still be concerned about NDSU's defense.
WILDCATFAN
Well-known member
SWeberCat02 said:
There is always a chance, that is why they play the game. Any given Saturday you know?
It's just very very very very very very very and another very unlikely.
statler & waldorf
Well-known member
The term 'reloading' used to be a Griz trait.
NewPapaBear
Well-known member
AZGrizFan said:
Patience AZ 75% of people here dont accurately comprehend team strengths/areas for improvement/weaknesses let alone have a clue on how to scheme them successfully
NewPapaBear said:
This is a message board, not coaching clinic 101 and everyone seems to overlook the title of this thread. NDSU. PR actually stated it better than I originally did but my comments were in the context of looking at playing NDSU. IMO, like I said, Montana has to be able to have some sort of running threat against the Bison or it will be a long day. Maybe I stretched by saying they "can't" run but I was thinking about those games last year against the quality defenses we played against. I apologize to all of you ex-coaches that know the game backwards and forwards and that I did not eloquently put it to keyboard as you all write your posts out and proofread before you type. Oh, and being objective and not being positive 100% of the time has nothing to do with supporting the team, I'm there every Saturday. It is being realistic.....
I am looking forward to a great game with Montana. It is a lot of fun to have the powerhouse school from the state next door come over for a rumble in the Fargodome. Clearly this is one of the most anticipated regular season home games for NDSU is a while. This one is the only game I am heading back to see in Fargo during the regular season. Hats of to the Montana Grizzlies for coming to town!
By the way. I would suspect this game is going to be a lot closer than many of you think. NDSU has only played one game. No one really knows what the team is like this year. So many changes from last year.
By the way. I would suspect this game is going to be a lot closer than many of you think. NDSU has only played one game. No one really knows what the team is like this year. So many changes from last year.
putter said:
Just thought I'd add to your post to see some comparisons between how well (or bad) we ran against teams compared to what those teams held defensively.
Team-yards/game-Yards Rushing
App State (4-8) - 220.2 - 246
North Dakota (3-8) - 180.2 - 233
OK Panhandle (4-7) - ??? - 262
N. Arizona (9-3) - 133.4 - 55
Portland St. (6-6) - 154.6 - 378
Cal Poly (6-6) - 106 - 73
E. Washington (12-3) - 156 - 146
Sac State (5-7) - 192.5 - 91
South Dakota (4-8) - 177.5 - 53
Weber State (2-10) - 185.5 - 338
Montana State (7-5) - 152 - 115
Co. Carolina (12-3) - 218 - 169
