.... or maybe here ...
... or perhaps here ...
Now after the abomination last week, we get FCS North Dakota. And I'll be honest, I just don't have much to say. If you'd like to see the thoughts of a North Dakota fan, check out Siouxfan512's thoughts on the 2016 Hawks here.
Defense vs North Dakota
- The QB will be Keaton Studsrud. 6-1 195 junior. The only video I've found is high school highlight video and by that I'd say he has good arm strength and mobility.
- UND is not a pass first offense as his stats last year may indicate. 99 for 165, 1262 yards, 12 TDs / 3 interceptions.
- Against Stony Brook last week, he went 13 for 25, 114 yards, no TDs or interceptions. He nearly had a pass TD last week but the receiver was injured near the goal line and the drive ended on a fumble.
- As a pass-second offense, the receivers aren't exactly imposing. No receiver had more than 3 receptions or 34 yards last week.
- Sophomore Luke Stanley was the leader with 3 for 34. He also led last year in all measures with 26 receptions for 312 yards and 5 TDs.
- Yes, that was last year's leading receiver in every stat.
- He's a good sized guy at 6'4 220. As our secondary was physically dominated last week, I don't care to see a big possession receiver.
- The second leading receiver last week was Travis Toivonen. 6'3 205, so good size also.
- After our pass D returning only one major player from last year got torched so badly last week, it would be awfully nice to shut down a pass offense, even if we're talking about run-first North Dakota.
- Sophomore Luke Stanley was the leader with 3 for 34. He also led last year in all measures with 26 receptions for 312 yards and 5 TDs.
- As stated, this is a run-first offense. The leading rusher both last year and last week is John Santiago.
- Last year he rushed for close to 1500 and 16 TDs, averaging 6.5 per rush. Good average.
- Last week he was a bit less productive. 16 carries for 51, 1 TD.
- Santiago is a 5'9 180 sophomore. 4.43 40. Great speed and is a home run threat.
- The offensive line looks to be good sized. However, the run offense never really got going against Stony Brook and the line gave up four sacks. So I don't know what to think.
- Here's what I'm most looking for on defense. Coach Jinks said Monday that the defense gave up around 28 points just on being unable to scheme against Ohio State.
- What I figure that to mean is Coach E would like to have brought pressure but knew damn well he would just be wasting a tackler against that big offensive line.
- Now that we aren't going up against Ohio State, I am hoping to see an actual defense. I want to see some pressure, I want to see defensive backs challenging the receivers, and I want to minimize the missed tackles.
- OK, let's get this out of the way first things first. What ... the ... f**k ... was up with all those damn dropped passes?
- I lost count. I think there were double digit dropped passes. And so many were drive killers early in the game.
- If our receivers held onto those passes, we could have moved the ball more, likely scored more, and importantly would have given the defense time to rest which would have prevented the blowout from starting so early.
- So the biggest thing I want to see is better play out of our receivers. Knapke put the ball where it needed to be more often that not. And hell, the receivers were getting open. His receivers let him down by dropping everything. This cannot happen again.
- OK. Back to ND. Here's the biggest thing to know. UND finished 6 in FCS in rush defense and near bottom in pass defense. This is likely a mix of good run defense and such a bad pass defense that teams had little reason to bother running.
- Remember in 2006 when the athletic department loved to exclaim how we had a top 25 pass defense? Well, it was true that by the stats our pass defense was good. That is because the opposing QBs never really had to do anything other than hand the ball off to the back.
- Stats can be deceiving.
- The leading tackler last week was junior LB Connor O'Brien. 6'1 225, so good size for a LB. 11 total tackles and half a sack.
- Siouxfan512 highlighted safety Cole Reyes. Impressive stat line against Stony Brook: 8 total tackles, 2 TFLs, a sack, a forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and he came up a safety after a fumble in front of the end zone.
- Junior DE Drew Greely is undersized at DE. 6'3 240. That didn't stop him from gaining 1.5 sacks last week.
- I only have stats, not video of last week. I do not know what kind of scheme they run and I have no indication of defensive team speed or how effective they are at tackling.
- Overall, UND held Stony Brook to 62 rushing yards, 159 passing yards, and one total TD (rush). So against a Stony Brook offense which in 2015 scored 30+ twice, exactly 20 twice, and teens or below the rest of the season, UND had a nice defensive outing.
- Knapke should have a solid outing. And I sure would like to see the run offense get going.
- North Dakota entered the game ranked #19 in FCS but lost 13-9 to Stony Brook. This game could have easily been a win and was lost on a single sequence.
- UND completed a pass to a receiver who was injured on the play and fumbled the ball at the 2. Stony Brook recovered and UND came up with a safety on the ensuing drive.
- Instead of gaining a TD, UND only gained a safety.
- UND did very little on offense and the RB Santiago, who was the offensive leader last year, was ineffective.
- The defense was effective all game long.
- If you like offense and you went to the game, I hope you brought a drink with you.
- After last week, I want to see a solid outing by BG and a solid win.
- Take away the X factors of the new coaching staff and just look at stats to stats, players to players, program to program, and we should expect a solid win.
- If the team is solid, I can call last week an anomaly.
- If the team is sluggish, ineffective, or even God forbid we lose, I will seriously be worried about the outlook of the 2016 team, the program, and the new coaching staff.
- There could be rainstorms. Not that our receivers need any more difficulties in catching passes.
- What I expect is for the offense to be far more effective than last week and for us to see a more aggressive and solid defense.
- Specifically I expect our run game to get moving which will make the pass game effective.
- And lastly as I have little to say, a few quick thoughts, less pertinent to UND and more pertinent to the season.
- James Morgan looked good against a very soft prevent defense. He showed great arm strength and accuracy and he threw a pretty arc.
- Am I asking for Knapke to be benched? No. Knapke played quite well.
- I would however like to see Morgan get some good playing time. We need QB depth.
- 2007 Central Michigan was defending conference champions going through a coaching change to a first time head coach who had previously been a WR coach at West Virginia with a unique and prolific offense. Some scores to note ...
- Kansas 52, CMU 7
- Purdue - a terrible Purdue team at that 52, CMU 31
- North Dakota State 45, CMU 22
- Clemson 70, CMU 14
- CMU went on to win the MAC. The MAC championship was a blowout. Their only loss was a shootout against EMU. And in the bowl game, they nearly beat the same terrible Purdue team that earlier won in a blowout.
- No need to worry after one blowout. That Ohio State team was far more talented than any of CMU's 2007 opponents. Our team can come around, and if they do, the opener will just be a hiccup on the season.
- James Morgan looked good against a very soft prevent defense. He showed great arm strength and accuracy and he threw a pretty arc.
- I expect a bounceback win and the first win of the Jinks era. I also expect to see fundamentally improved football - on defense and especially in the receivers.
- What I want to see ...
- Better football on all fronts
- Especially in the receivers. No more dropped passes.
- A solid win
- No injuries for either team
