The 2011 Bison......what to think?

[WYOBISONMAN]

We are 5 games into this season. The first couple games told us little about our team since the competition was just not there. St. Francis and Lafayette were not much more that games that let the team get some reps before hitting the field against BIG 10 Minnesota. But now after watching several woeful games by the Gophers (by the way.....Jerry Kill ought to just resign now....the Gophers will NEVER be decent), I think that game with against the Gophers was nothing more that plaing a glorified NSIC team.

Next it was the Redbirds of ISU in town. The Birds were like a weed in your yard that would not quite die....no matter how much 2-4-d you kept putting on it. They were not a top MVFC team, but were not the bottom either. The Bison got a win, that while not a pretty sight, moved the Herd to 4-0. Those of us that were "Vigen Doubters" were starting to worry about the creativity in the Bison playbook, but a win was a win. It was also obvious to this fan that ISU red was a hell of a lot better team that the sorry Gophers of Minnesota.

Then came Lennon and his Salukies. The game yesterday will be remembered in my mind as "The Ugly Bowl". Painful to watch, a few of us at my house were uttering vulgarities under our breath at Vigen. (Some of them were combining F&ck and Tecmo Playbook). Then......Then......Damn Vigen runs a FLEA-FLICKER! WTF.....Vigen faked all of us out! I suspect when that play turned out flawless he thought in the back of his mind, "Take that you doubting Bisonvillers". Well, that was the spark the offense needed, eventhough the Herd only got a FG out of it. The D struggled yesterday at times, but found a way to keep stuff close until the offense kicked in...and the Herd won and is sitting 5-0.

What to make of this? We are not a team that seems to be dominating competition. We seem to be a team looking for a way to win ...... and so far finding it. This is a team that is deep, and on top of that has not been hit with injuries. This is a team that seems to be growing and figuring the game out and surviving. This is a team that is making me question how much to doubt Vigen. I am not a Vigen fan....but I think he is doing better than last year. This is a team that can sure make the fans tear their hair out from time to time, but has got the job done until now.

The bottom line....this team has to continue to grow and progress. UNI is coming up and the Herd has to be ready. If the Herd is undefeated emerging from the UNI game.......All of FCS better be worried.

This has been a fun season to watch....let's keep it going.

[Twentysix]

I think thats the second flea flicker ive ever seen.

I believe the first was at the gopher game in 07. I think it was the first touchdown of that game for the gophers.

[aces1180]

Actually, that was a 15-20 yard WR pass from Eric Decker.

[bisonmike2]

We are a talented team. I think ISU and SIU are also talented teams and we definitely didn't play our best against them. I think that's why I'm feeling pretty good about this team. Good teams can power through bad games with their talent, and I think that's what just happened. But we have got to stop this crappy start business, because we will eventually dig a hole we won't be able to climb out of.

[BisoninNWMN]

The offense will come around IMO.

We just played 2 conference teams that had Big 10 RB transfers.....and both are very good. Both teams ran a 3-4, which give us trouble. If we performed like this against Lafayette and SF then I would be worried. Ya, Vigen needs to step-up his game calling but we're 5-0 with a home game this saturday. I hope the Bison come out and keep the foot on the gas and blow these guys out.

[yellowstreak]

(Some of them were combining F&ck and Tecmo Playbook). Then......Then......Damn Vigen runs a FLEA-FLICKER! WTF.....Vigen faked all of us out!


I think the Bengals had a flea flicker play in tecmo bowl or maybe tecmo super bowl.

[KSBisonFan]

The good news is I don't think we've peaked yet and we're relatively healthy 5 weeks in. Everything I've seen so far can be fixed. Go Herd!

[BisonNeil]

I am much better this AM after getting a good nights sleep, and after studying the conference statistics which I posted in another thread.

Suffice it to say, the Bison just played two of the best defenses in the league in Ill St and SIU. UNI is the other and that game could really be ugly because they, as opposed to NDSU, have a real offense.

I agree with with Wyo, this team has to continue to improve. But most of all, the OL has to stop regressing.

The OL as a unit is not playing well right now, in fact, very poorly. When three guys can get pressure on the QB and get sacks, you know your OL is in disarray. What I thought would be a strength of the team, and the best in the MVFC, is now getting close to being a liability. Only two guys are playing the position they played last year, I think that is some of it, but they just played their 5th game, it is time for the OL to step up.

And one more thing, close games don't concern me. This is not a team so much more talented than other FCS teams, not like the 1986 DII championship team that beat every team by an average score of 42-7. EWU last year won 7 of their 15 games by a TD or less in going undefeated and winning the title (including NDSU). EWU simply found a way to win close games, just like NDSU is doing. I like a team that can gut it out and find a way to win close games.

[bisoningrandforks]

someone mentioned Brock and Warren were under the weather...Brock seemed to not have the swagger or fire in him....kudos to him in the 2nd half if he was....I'm glad we are playing against the 3-4 again next week, want to see how we come out of the gates.......speaking of the gophers, when I saw them against USC I had my doubts we could win....after we beat them they look lost, no fire, and are not as talented as we first thought...funny thing college football week to week at all levels it's so UNPREDICTABLE!!!....(that's why I love it)

[tjbison]

Offense was terrible yesterday and yes some of the play calls were not well thought out

We gave up 40 yards on the ground because for some damn reason our LB's Jemison and Evans in particular have forgot the basic fundamentals of Tackling and they would rather shoulder bump then wrap up and drive thru. Against good backs that dont cut it.

Marcus Williams what can I say man that guy kept us in the game with 2 picks cant believe they even try to throw near him....bet your ass Farley is thinking damn.

kicking game again not even going to say it

overall its a win and I hhope this is our sloppy game I really want to go into UNI 7-0

[NDSUstudent]

Since Lennon became UND's D-Cord in 1999 we have averaged 117.5 yards on the ground and we are well under 3 yards per carry against his defense. We have four rushing TDs against his 3-4 and three of those rushing TDs came in one game.

How many OC's have we had since then? Why can't anyone figure it out? The only OC who had a great game vs it was Perles.

[G-city Bison Fan]

someone mentioned Brock and Warren were under the weather...Brock seemed to not have the swagger or fire in him....kudos to him in the 2nd half if he was....I'm glad we are playing against the 3-4 again next week, want to see how we come out of the gates.......speaking of the gophers, when I saw them against USC I had my doubts we could win....after we beat them they look lost, no fire, and are not as talented as we first thought...funny thing college football week to week at all levels it's so UNPREDICTABLE!!!....(that's why I love it)

If Brock was under the weather, why on earth were so many designed QB runs called? And what happened to the screen/swing pass to the RB? That 3-4 defense blitzed plenty of times and either Vigen or Brock should have been able to take advantage of those open spaces the blitzing LB's were leaving. On the plus side, there is nothing I enjoy more than watching our defense make plays.

[BisonNeil]

But now after watching several woeful games by the Gophers (by the way.....Jerry Kill ought to just resign now....the Gophers will NEVER be decent), I think that game with against the Gophers was nothing more that plaing a glorified NSIC team.

Check out #5:

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/...g-ten-week-6-3

[bisonmike2]

Check out #5:

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/...g-ten-week-6-3

Got a different link?

NOT FOUND: http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/...g-ten-week-6-3

The URL you requested does not exist, but you may be interested in the content below.

[tojo70]

And what happened to the screen/swing pass to the RB? That 3-4 defense blitzed plenty of times and either Vigen or Brock should have been able to take advantage of those open spaces the blitzing LB's were leaving. On the plus side, there is nothing I enjoy more than watching our defense make plays.
I want to watch a replay of the game to see about the screen pass. I was only able to watch the second half of the game. It looked like there were 3-4 times that they tried to set up the screen pass, but a lineman and or LB seemed to "stay home" and disrupt the play. I think SIU scouted NDSU's offense very well and Vigen needs to realize this and mix it up more.

[houndawg]

Since Lennon became UND's D-Cord in 1999 we have averaged 117.5 yards on the ground and we are well under 3 yards per carry against his defense. We have four rushing TDs against his 3-4 and three of those rushing TDs came in one game.

How many OC's have we had since then? Why can't anyone figure it out? The only OC who had a great game vs it was Perles.

here's a newsflash: It isn't the 3-4, it's the guys playing it....

[CaBisonFan]

This team has a GREAT desire to win. There's leadership on both sides of the ball. There's great talent...especially on defense.

We're 5-0. We're the only undefeated team in the conference. We've defeated a team that lost to USC by 2 points. Don't care who they were.

Almost any team in the FCS would trade with us. Almost any coach would trade for our talent.

When I saw their 2/3 empty stadium yesterday...I thought...geez, what a depressing place. Fall break...or not. Ugh

Oh yeah...DJ looks about 50 percent. And I thought during the game...something is wrong with Brock. He looks lethargic.

[NDSUstudent]

here's a newsflash: It isn't the 3-4, it's the guys playing it....

Perhaps but we've had some great backs do nothing against it. Lamar Gordon was completely stymied by it and he is probably the best running back in school history. Lennon has had the number of our rushing game for some time now.

I'm just glad to have escaped out of his house with a win.

[LITTLEGUYSINGREEN]

If the O-line doesn't step it up, we will have 3 losses this season.

[Hammersmith]

Check out #5:

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/...g-ten-week-6-3
FYP

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/35107/what-we-learned-in-the-big-ten-week-6-3

5. Minnesota is the nation's worst major-conference team: It might sound harsh, but there's not another major-conference squad struggling as much as the Gophers, who have lost their past two games by a combined score of 103-17. After Minnesota's encouraging season opener at USC, almost everything has gone downhill. We thought Minnesota had hit rock bottom in Ann Arbor after its 58-0 loss to Michigan. But the worst came in the first half against a mediocre Purdue team, as the Gophers fell behind 31-0 and committed three turnovers. Coach Jerry Kill is dealing with a lot of young players and veterans not used to winning, but his squad needs to compete better in games. The schedule doesn't get any easier, and it'll be a long year in Minneapolis.

[IBleedYellow]

If our Offense executes, we will win.

I believe that we will win.

Wyo - check my signature.

[HerdBot]

On defense this is the best team i have seen in ages. Were still young, well coached, and have great depth. They can rush the passer better than any other team and the only spot that even shows a hint of weakness is the D tackles. Its great because besides Marcus Williams, we dont have any bonefide stars. Just a bunch of really good players that play great team defense.

This team is not our most talented team on offensive. Our On-line is decent but it lacks the stud lineman like Arndt, Safe, or Buckman. These guys are solid but after the last 2 games I'm a bit concerned. Think about the fact that Gimmestad, who played on the D-line, is starting. Turner has looked lost at times. Cornick started last year at RT and was moved after the UNI game.

I like the skilled players and the QB. When things go well. Line gets credit. When things suck. Line gets blamed

Mediocre oline play may work against Minnesota, Saint Francis, or other non conference teams but if we don't elevate the play, UNI is going to kick our ass. Heck, SDSU will kick our ass. Maybe even Missouri State.

If the defense continues to improve and if we can play consistent football on offense, we can win the National Championship. No question about it.

[CaBisonFan]

The running game is not hard-nosed enough...not in our conference. Our top two running backs aren't big enough to play hardball without excellent blocking. Our OC needs to find ways to make teams pay for putting 7 or 8 guys in the box.

Me? I'd run the fullback 3 or 4 times a game on a quick trap.

[HerdBot]

The running game is not hard-nosed enough...not in our conference. Our top two running backs aren't big enough to play hardball without excellent blocking. Our OC needs to find ways to make teams pay for putting 7 or 8 guys in the box.

Me? I'd run the fullback 3 or 4 times a game on a quick trap.

I think DJ has the ability to pound the ball. Ojuri? Not really. But I do agree we need to give the FB or a guy like Derrick Lange a few touches as they run so hard, it actually hurts to tackle them. Makes the d soften up.

SIU ran the ball better. Their back ward hard to bring down and drug people.

[BisoninNWMN]

The running game is not hard-nosed enough...not in our conference. Our top two running backs aren't big enough to play hardball without excellent blocking. Our OC needs to find ways to make teams pay for putting 7 or 8 guys in the box.

Me? I'd run the fullback 3 or 4 times a game on a quick trap.


Why not try Lang for a few series?

He is a much more physical RB than the other 2.

[tolnabison]

I am on the fence about the running game. I know DJ was banged up early in the year, and quite frankly doesn't look 100% right now. But last year when Sigers/Voigtlander were only taking 5 to 8 carries away from him, compared to this year where Sam is taking 10 to 12 carries a game away from DJ. I understand we want to keep him fresh and healthy for the whole year. But I am a believer that DJ is a runningback that gets better the more carries he gets. If you remember the Montana State game, EWU game, as the game went on, he finally started springing runs by the time he got into the lower 20s in carries. I say we have to get them ball 20+ times a game, instead of 15 to 18 like the past 5 games. Yes consistent line play would help, but that's just my two cents.

Also where was our screen passes yesterday that we ran against Illinois State and Minnesota?