Congrats to you guys. Amazing performances all throughout the playoffs.

heres a few comments on UNC msg board!
http://www.scout.com/college/north-carol...ins-it-all

(01-08-2017 12:29 AM)Kaydub Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 05:53 PM)Wear Purple Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 05:51 PM)Dukes94 Wrote:  

(01-07-2017 04:51 PM)lakesbison Wrote:  Congrats from BisoNation.

Enjoy OUR national championship trophy, we will let loan it to you for 1 year :)

It would be an honor to meet you in the playoffs again next year...in Harrisonburg.

Can they stand playing a game in cold weather? :>)

Depends on what you consider cold. Our windchill advisory the other day was for -61F?

Come on Kaydub, you guys play in 60 - 70 degree temps with zero wind, who are you trying to kid. Tailgating in the snow at -40° has no bearing on the game other than forcing all your fans inside which puts the advantage at about 15 playing against 11. You have some great fans, but the only time you play in the cold is for an away game.

(01-09-2017 10:11 PM)BleedingPurple Wrote:  Come on Kaydub, you guys play in 60 - 70 degree temps with zero wind, who are you trying to kid. Tailgating in the snow at -40° has no bearing on the game other than forcing all your fans inside which puts the advantage at about 15 playing against 11. You have some great fans, but the only time you play in the cold is for an away game.

This has been my favorite battle cry from the Bizon. HEY IT'S REAL COLD HERE, EDGE BISO NATION. You play in a heated dome. Why are we talking about this.

Looking at your entire roster and I only saw 14 seniors. You guys should be tough again next year. How many starters will be back next year? Abdullah will be a pretty big loss but any other impact players graduating?

(01-14-2017 10:36 PM)Bisonlurker Wrote:  Looking at your entire roster and I only saw 14 seniors. You guys should be tough again next year. How many starters will be back next year? Abdullah will be a pretty big loss but any other impact players graduating?

We lose 4 All Americans including Abdullah. Aside from Abdullah this is the big losses:

• Center - Rigney
• Guard - Frank
• Tackle - Kirsh (All American)
• WR/KR - Ravenel
• WR - Taylor
• WR/KR/PR - Davis (All American)
• P - Kane
• DT - Stone
• MILB - Steele (Captain)
• DB - Reynolds (All American)
  

The hardest replacements will be on the offensive side of the ball in terms of talent, but a lot of us are confident in the backups on the OL. The WR is going to be a bit of an unknown depending on if our #2 WR (Alls) got kicked off the team or not.

Our defense had a lot of sophomores so not only are we returning a strong core, many of them have 2 more years left. Losing Steele's leadership will hurt some.

Georgia Tech starter Marcus Marshall could be Abdullah's replacement plus we should get back a healthy Cardon Johnson and returning Sharp and Woods so our running backs will be just as good as last year.

As I'm sure you know getting back to the top is not going to be easy, but if there was a team build to do it, this is the team.

(01-15-2017 09:37 AM)JMaddy Wrote:  

(01-14-2017 10:36 PM)Bisonlurker Wrote:  Looking at your entire roster and I only saw 14 seniors. You guys should be tough again next year. How many starters will be back next year? Abdullah will be a pretty big loss but any other impact players graduating?

We lose 4 All Americans including Abdullah. Aside from Abdullah this is the big losses:

• Center - Rigney
• Guard - Frank
• Tackle - Kirsh (All American)
• WR/KR - Ravenel
• WR - Taylor
• WR/KR/PR - Davis (All American)
• P - Kane
• DT - Stone
• MILB - Steele (Captain)
• DB - Reynolds (All American)
  

The hardest replacements will be on the offensive side of the ball in terms of talent, but a lot of us are confident in the backups on the OL. The WR is going to be a bit of an unknown depending on if our #2 WR (Alls) got kicked off the team or not.

Our defense had a lot of sophomores so not only are we returning a strong core, many of them have 2 more years left. Losing Steele's leadership will hurt some.

Georgia Tech starter Marcus Marshall could be Abdullah's replacement plus we should get back a healthy Cardon Johnson and returning Sharp and Woods so our running backs will be just as good as last year.

As I'm sure you know getting back to the top is not going to be easy, but if there was a team build to do it, this is the team.

There are few concerns on defense if this defensive coaching staff comes back.

Offensive Line , and offensive depth are the concerns on offense and of course is the offensive coaches come back.

QB - we should be better off than last year. Tons of depth

RD - I don't anticipate much if any fall off. "Could" be better. Tons of Depth

WR - Some falloff, but still pretty solid group "if" Alls returns. Certainly not the depth, but still a strong receiving group. Losses are great here losing 3 of 4 top receivers, but solid vets to step in.

TE - Klu with continue to be the man if healthy so no falloff here.

OL - Tackle to Tackle - IMO the biggest area of concern based on loses and importance. There will be fall off. But, one thing the hurt of this year will help us next year - Tyree playing this year all the way to a championship for our injured all American. Though he struggled with the NDSU noise, and a bull rush by a pro caliber YSU end - I think he played pretty well. I watched him a lot during the NC game and I think he held his on against one of the best DEs in FSC. Now we still need to fill two other spots and most importantly center. We'll have to see how that pans out. Once again we did get some experience there due to injury in the NDSU game, but still not comfortable there. Also throw in lack of depth. A quality OL transfer would be helpful here, but once again "if" this coaching staff stays in place I think we can build a pretty solid group by playoff next year.

Other than OL, I think the biggest falloff will be Punt Return - Rashard Davis was a "10" in FCS. He was great and made everyone else better on the punt return unit. No doubt he was part of the reason for the block and shank on the first 2 punts in the NC. He was a difference maker. Best in FCS. With that said, John Miller could be one of the top 5 punt returners in the nation next year. As a senior he has everything it takes to excel - speed, maturity, experience, talent, proven big play maker.

Biggest keys to next year in my opinion -

- Retain Coaching Staff
- rebuild OL
- improve kicking game

I think Frank and Kirsch will be formidable losses to replace. Rigney however had virtually no playing experience ( other than mop up) as a center prior to this year. Career backup who performed well for us in part due to his maturity. Gotta figure if our O-line coaches could make him a solid center, they will be able to bring Mac Patrick up to speed.

(01-15-2017 10:34 AM)Dukester Wrote:  Other than OL, I think the biggest falloff will be Punt Return - Rashard Davis was a "10" in FCS. He was great and made everyone else better on the punt return unit. No doubt he was part of the reason for the block and shank on the first 2 punts in the NC. He was a difference maker. Best in FCS. With that said, John Miller could be one of the top 5 punt returners in the nation next year. As a senior he has everything it takes to excel - speed, maturity, experience, talent, proven big play maker.

We also have Tutt who did well when he returned kicks as a true freshman. Between him and Miller I think we should be fine.

Madia article on the subject. It suggests Alls is coming back, but doesn't say whether that's been confirmed with the program.

https://jamesmadison.rivals.com/news/and...ring-back-

There are a great many players that received valuable experience and are ready to step up. I am confident that our coaching staff will develop replacements and new depth at every position. This is a very experienced team returning with some young, tall receivers.
A great recruiting class, Marcus Marshall, Gus Little etc. will fill in all of those holes. While I know of no specifics, I expect this recruiting class to have some top recruits that as yet have not been identified. Next man up.

To the ndsu fans lurking on this board, I'm curious to hear your take on how the bison were able to not rebuild each year, but just reload. Any keys to the accomplishments of the coaching staff other than the obvious of just good recruiting top talent?

(01-15-2017 02:01 PM)Potomac Wrote:  To the ndsu fans lurking on this board, I'm curious to hear your take on how the bison were able to not rebuild each year, but just reload. Any keys to the accomplishments of the coaching staff other than the obvious of just good recruiting top talent?

NDSU has a pipeline from Minnesota. It helps that there is only one D1 program in Minnesota (and that is questionable). Everything else is D2 or D3. Minnesota HS produces a lot of talent.

(01-15-2017 02:01 PM)Potomac Wrote:  To the ndsu fans lurking on this board, I'm curious to hear your take on how the bison were able to not rebuild each year, but just reload. Any keys to the accomplishments of the coaching staff other than the obvious of just good recruiting top talent?

They have established some good connections in the Omaha area and one area in Florida that keeps pumping in talent. Having only 1 Fbs school in the area does help especially with the inept recruiting the Goofers do. The biggest thing I think is they don't take many transfers and develop within the program, even give the walkons a serious chance to play. After 2 or 3 seasons In the program they usually contribute in some way. Transfers work in some programs but rarely seem to add much at NDSU. Not sure why that is.

Sounds like you guys will lose some good talent but should have plenty coming back to make a serious run again next year.

How do you think Fleck's hire at Minnesota will affect NDSU recruiting?

(01-15-2017 06:04 PM)HyperDuke Wrote:  How do you think Fleck's hire at Minnesota will affect NDSU recruiting?

I honestly don't know alot about him but he will have to change the recruiting attitude there to make a difference. I think it's something that the Gophers just need to realize is that they just aren't going to get the top area recruits when they are competing with the Wisconsin and Iowa who have historically had better programs. By the time they focus on the lower rated kids they are usually snatched up by smaller successful programs like NDSU. If he does turn it around there will defiantly be some that will take the walkon offer there over NDSU scholarship as with the big ten network they will get more exposure. We just hope that never happens!

Minnesota needs a complete overhaul/re-branding of their colors, logo, uniforms. Butt Ugly. Come into the 21st Century.