How long until we push for the MVFC title?

[bisonmike2]

We lose a lot of talented guys this year. I'd say we have a very down year next year. 2 years from now we might push for it. 3 years is more realistic. Thoughts.

[99Bison]

Not sure, next years team will have the talent to compete. Sometimes it's better for new things, here a fresh start which may be a good thing.

Things that need to improve/refill
1. QB play making.
2. offensive line.
3. LB's obviously.
4. Both safety's.

[CaBisonFan]

We lose a lot of talented guys this year. I'd say we have a very down year next year. 2 years from now we might push for it. 3 years is more realistic. Thoughts.

We will be in the hunt next year. Senior-laiden teams aren't always the best formula for success.

The #1 ranking both nationally & in our first year in the conference had an emotional impact on all fronts...including the attitude of our opponents. There was a real "we'll show you" attitude from every team that we played.

I'd like to see a new offensive scheme that involves some option running. The teams that played us strong were in our playbook. Our version of the West Coast 'must' have an unusual kind of quarterback. There aren't many true West Coast QB's out there. That's why so many college teams have gone away from it. It is too 'quarterback' dependent. All offenses require outstanding quarterback play...but the West Coast requires a coach on the field.

Even the NFL is pulling away from it. I think that defensive coordinators have learned a lot about how to defend it. It's the containment thing that I'd written a lot about here.

I agree with 99 about the fresh start, with a new bunch of players. Something besides a QB was missing from the 2008 Bison team.

[99Bison]

We will be in the hunt next year. Senior-laiden teams aren't always the best formula for success.

The #1 ranking both nationally & in our first year in the conference had an emotional impact on all fronts...including the attitude of our opponents. There was a real "we'll show you" attitude from every team that we played.

I'd like to see a new offensive scheme that involves some option running. The teams that played us strong were in our playbook. Our version of the West Coast 'must' have an unusual kind of quarterback. There aren't many true West Coast QB's out there. That's why so many college teams have gone away from it. It is too 'quarterback' dependent. All offenses require outstanding quarterback play...but the West Coast requires a coach on the field.

Even the NFL is pulling away from it. I think that defensive coordinators have learned a lot about how to defend it. It's the containment thing that I'd written a lot about here.

It would be nice to use the players we do have to their strengths and the defense weaknesses, seems we got away from it this year.

[HerdBot]

with a few bounces we could have taken it this year. we lost a lot of close games. you can't make mistakes like think that in this league. I know coaching will work on those things next year. I expect to contend next year on mertens improvements alone.

we lost players yes but they will be replaced with better players.

[missingnumber7]

We need, as a team, to learn what level the MVC competition truely is. The same issue as the MBB team faced last year walking into the Summit. No one is going to hand you a win. Until we learn that it won't happen. It starts with the entire coaching staff, and involves teaching fundamentals like tackling.

[CaBisonFan]

It would be nice to use the players we do have to their strengths and the defense weaknesses, seems we got away from it this year.

We didn't design an offense to fit Nick's abilities. We tried to fit a square peg in a round hole. Did you notice how comfortable he looked when he did the roll-out plays that gave him the green light to run? That's his type of game.

Phil Hansen gushed about it. He thought it was brilliant.

Then we forgot about it in the 4th.

Rocket science, this was not. Nick's discomfort in the 'Houdini Walker' offense was obvious from the beginning. He sees the field, and the defensive flow better when he rolls out and knows that he can run. The option to run is his comfort zone. In that way, he's like a Tebow.

Walker was into the horizontal West Coast offense and fit it to a tee. Excellent coaches adjust.

[BisoninNWMN]

Defense should be better next year.

DL will be better RFR - DEs will be good
LBs - Humber and Maresh will be missed
DBs - Belmont returns and back-up corners will be fine

Defensively, we have the talent to have a very good D....will be at the top defensively next year.


Offfensively......hopefully we improve

RBs - Roehl will be missed. IMO, Voigtlander will be the #1 and PP #2
O-line: IMO, Lund and Landingham will be starters as RFR....should be better here
WRs - Heck will be missed....hopefully others step up
Qb - Let them battle it out for the #1

[LITTLEGUYSINGREEN]

Until we start recruiting some better talent (speed), a long time.

[Bisonfan1]

We didn't design an offense to fit Nick's abilities. We tried to fit a square peg in a round hole. Did you notice how comfortable he looked when he did the roll-out plays that gave him the green light to run? That's his type of game.

Phil Hansen gushed about it. He thought it was brilliant.

Then we forgot about it in the 4th.

Rocket science, this was not. Nick's discomfort in the 'Houdini Walker' offense was obvious from the beginning. He sees the field, and the defensive flow better when he rolls out and knows that he can run. The option to run is his comfort zone. In that way, he's like a Tebow.

Walker was into the horizontal West Coast offense and fit it to a tee. Excellent coaches adjust.

Why in the heck did it take all year for them to fiquire this out, we have all been screaming this all year long, it takes the predictable out, Mertens actually looked comfortable running. That differant demension could have been a major player in some of those loses this year, and made it tougher for other teams gameplans which were pretty easy after game 4 all year long.

[BisonNeil]

Mike, I agree, we are maybe 2 but probably three recruiting classes away. I don't agree with you CA that we will compete next year.

99, I would add WR to your list. You could count on one hand the number of receptions made by the returning WRs even if you had been in a mower sickle accident and lost two fingers.

Bisonfan, I think Phil Hansen said he figures the coaches didn't dare put Mertens out there with an option to run because they really didn't have any back ups if he got hurt.

Personally, I think next year could be a long one. Mertens MAY have shown some improvement, but has a long way to go just to get to average in my opinion. The OL is going to be thin in the interior and very inexperienced. WRs are shaky at best. With as injury prone as Henry is and with how few games he played, you could basically say the LB corp will be completely new next year. They may be talented but experience means a lot. Only one returning starting DB. I hope I am wrong, but next season could be just as long as this one. Guess we'll see!

[Bisonfan1]

Mike, I agree, we are maybe 2 but probably three recruiting classes away. I don't agree with you CA that we will compete next year.

99, I would add WR to your list. You could count on one hand the number of receptions made by the returning WRs even if you had been in a mower sickle accident and lost two fingers.

Bisonfan, I think Phil Hansen said he figures the coaches didn't dare put Mertens out there with an option to run because they really didn't have any back ups if he got hurt.

Personally, I think next year could be a long one. Mertens MAY have shown some improvement, but has a long way to go just to get to average in my opinion. The OL is going to be thin in the interior and very inexperienced. WRs are shaky at best. With as injury prone as Henry is and with how few games he played, you could basically say the LB corp will be completely new next year. They may be talented but experience means a lot. Only one returning starting DB. I hope I am wrong, but next season could be just as long as this one. Guess we'll see!

"The coaches didn't dare put Mertens out there with an option to run because they really didn't have any back ups if he got hurt"

I will buy that explanation, however the Bison shouldnt be in that kind of position, and that will not win you National Championships let alone conferance games. Who is to blame for that ? We all know the answear, this has got to get corrected.

[tony]

Heh... I think NDSU will be in a tie for first place next year going into the Bunny game next year. It seemed like just about everything that could go wrong did go wrong this year (imo, the crucial factor was the number of walking wounded among the senior class).

I guess I don't the get the big highs and lows - NDSU has a great program and even great programs have 6-win seasons occasionally. It's like one minute on this site, I hear how NDSU is going to be undefeated, Bohl is the best coach in the world, etc and then the next minute, the same folks are screaming the exact opposite - I've seen that happen about seven times in the last three years - lots of times during the span of one half of football.

I think that despite this poor season, NDSU's program is in great shape and is light years ahead of where it was in 2002 (and I wasn't even one of the guys who was calling for Babich to be fired). NDSU will be back next year.

[MNLonghorn10]

If Mertens is starting next year, atleast 1 year, probably not right away with a new QB after that, and maybe after that.

3-4 years, minimum.

[99Bison]

Why in the heck did it take all year for them to fiquire this out, we have all been screaming this all year long, it takes the predictable out, Mertens actually looked comfortable running. That differant demension could have been a major player in some of those loses this year, and made it tougher for other teams gameplans which were pretty easy after game 4 all year long.

Ironcially I think Mertens would be well suited for the spread option... He can run, and biggest of all is that he sees the field much better from the shotgun.

So yeah, agree with CA on this personnel usage ideas.

[rdh701]

I would agree with the opinions that Mertens actually looked comfortable when the play took him out of the pocket, 2 pretty well played quarters then we stopped doing that in the fourth quarter. Didn't look like the same offense.

[gotts]

It's quite simple, actually. We push for a MVFC title when NDSU allows beer sales at the Fargodome for the Bison games!