Can this team win the Championship?

[Snowgoose]

I believe this team has the defense, special teams and running game to win the championship and during the first 7 games I would have told you we had the passing game to win the championship. But honestly, the thing that we need to figure out in the next week is how to improve our passing game even with our current WR corp (whether that includes Ryan Smith or not if he is hurt). The passing game has really been weak since basically Jensen hurt his toe and almost at times has resulted in us losing rhythm and stopping drives due to big sacks or bad penalties. If we can't figure this out we almost need to go back to 4 yds and a cloud of dust.

I also do not like Vigen pass plays. We had one pass to the center of the field yesterday that is it. I have been saying this since the Indiana State game, but all of our pass plays are out patterns or comeback routes. There are no slant patterns or other patterns that give our receivers the ability to run with ball. Also, all of these deep out and comeback patterns take a while to develop and Jensen is getting hit hard against the good teams. Early in the year the average teams were allowing Jensen to stand back there forever and easily complete these routes. We need to move Holloway to the slot once and in while and run some quicker play actions passes so Jensen isn't getting clobbered.

[SmellsLikeSamHumann]

middle of field was wide open and vigen has yet to figure out a TE seam, or a crossing pattern with Veldman/Holloway that would totally screw up their LB's/Safety's or the packers pick play with 2 Wr's. Also, no screens yesterday vs JMU, correct?


as my name entails, its Title or Bust for this team in most of our opinions, anything less is disappointment.

[Snowgoose]

We did try one screen yesterday but they blew it up. I honestly thought Vigen lost his playbook and we are using Babich's playbook the last 5 weeks.

[CaBisonFan]

Cloud of turf it is. The OC won't figure anything else out.

[OrygunBison]

Sam, I've been bitching needing more TE seam routes all year. MV has been money every single time they have run that this year. The dude is a baller. Same for that other kid, #47, Bruhn, right? (Do I have that correct?) The only difference between him and MV is that he seems to really like to bust some heads after catching the ball.

As to the title of the thread, YES. I am investing in such an endeavor as we speak...

[tjbison]

We need Smith back something terrible, Warren can catch and run but his ball protection scares the hell out of me, Heagle will help if he can come back does anyone know his status?

[SmellsLikeSamHumann]

smith tweaked hamstring, he & his parents were in tears before the game, i cant imagine him being out next week, this means a lot to their family.
heagle said that he guarantee's he plays next week.

[PaBizon]

middle of field was wide open and vigen has yet to figure out a TE seam, or a crossing pattern with Veldman/Holloway that would totally screw up their LB's/Safety's or the packers pick play with 2 Wr's. Also, no screens yesterday vs JMU, correct?


as my name entails, its Title or Bust for this team in most of our opinions, anything less is disappointment.

If you can't block you have no time for a less than fleet footed tight end to get open. There was more than one attempt in the middle of the field yrsterday. The long one attempted was nixed due to the rush, another was trown behind the tight end incomplete and another was actually a completion for a big first down. If you can't hold the block long enough for the tight end to gey open why would he call the play? And yes there was a screen attempted but not successful. How can you complain about the play calling when it's as if you really didnt watch the game.

[tony]

If you can't block you have no time for a less than fleet footed tight end to get open. There was more than one attempt in the middle of the field yrsterday. The long one attempted was nixed due to the rush, another was trown behind the tight end incomplete and another was actually a completion for a big first down. If you can't hold the block long enough for the tight end to gey open why would he call the play? And yes there was a screen attempted but not successful. How can you complain about the play calling when it's as if you really didnt watch the game.

Exactly. Vigen called a great game, I thought. Heck, most people were probably thinking he was passing too much because we weren't getting much good out of the pass plays, whereas the offensive line and the backs were ripping through their line like it was made of tissue paper. JMU was schooled up on the inside screen and the outside screen is usually best employed against a blitz*... which I don't think they were doing too much of. If Lehigh starts blitzing, you'll see more screens. If Smith comes back, you'll see more passes to the middle of the field (but only if NDSU can protect our banged-up QB.)

I love that Vigen basically said, "JMU has one of the best run defenses in the FCS. Let's run through it."

* I heard somebody say this once so it must be true.

[stevdock]

The more and more I watch our offense I still think it's more Bohl telling Vigen/Jensen you protect that ball at all costs. As long as we don't turn the ball over and we score 3 TD's we are going to win. Outs and comebacks overall are very safe routes. Running the ball down the defenses throat has been very safe also. My opinion is we can stick with safe again this week, but if we get down we do have more aggressive routes in the playbook. We've seen a few of them this year. If we are to play GSU I think we've got to be all out aggressive to put up as many points as possible, but that's in a couple of weeks.

[Snowgoose]

I think the play calling was fair yesterday. It might be bohl telling Vigen no turnovers or maybe Jensen for some reason just likes to throw those routes. If you have ability to throw deep outs you sure have the ability to run quick slants and in routes I just don't see us doing those patterns the last 4 weeks not just yesterday. My statements are more along the lines of holding the linebackers and using our running game to help our passing game so we can win it all. I do think we can win this week with a similar game plan, but I want to Win It All and I think we need to use our running game more to help our passing game. If you want a recent example look at our 06 or 07 teams that would take advantage of 8 in the box and Walker would throw for some big yardage if they stacked the box. Our biggest passing game all year is 211 yards and we have only passed for 200 yards 3 times this year. I still think we can win it all with the current receiving corp, I just believe we need to take advantage of our strengths.

[steelbison]

The more and more I watch our offense I still think it's more Bohl telling Vigen/Jensen you protect that ball at all costs. As long as we don't turn the ball over and we score 3 TD's we are going to win. Outs and comebacks overall are very safe routes. Running the ball down the defenses throat has been very safe also. My opinion is we can stick with safe again this week, but if we get down we do have more aggressive routes in the playbook. We've seen a few of them this year. If we are to play GSU I think we've got to be all out aggressive to put up as many points as possible, but that's in a couple of weeks.



Great post. Vigen definitely gets his direction from the HC.



Pretty hard to have a successful passing game when were missing our 2,3,4 WR's..... I actually thought we passed too much...we could run it at will against JMU and should have pounded them into submission.

[WYOBISONMAN]

Could we try getting the FB the ball? Please??

[IBleedYellow]

Could we try getting the FB the ball? Please??

+1111111111111111

[DjKyRo]

We're one of the remaining 8 contending teams so I'd say that yes, we can win the national championship.

[ndbj52]

Its not all about the offense. We have a good defense that can score at times and our special teams are very good at changing field position for us which has been a big help. There are only good teams left so no game will be easy. It takes a team effort to win a game and overall we have a good chance to win any game we are in.

[bisontwice]

Could we try getting the FB the ball? Please??

Not that crap again. Covered in previous thread.

We could have and did run 40 power all day. Would have liked to see power pass of it but didn't really need to run it either.

[PaBizon]

The more and more I watch our offense I still think it's more Bohl telling Vigen/Jensen you protect that ball at all costs. As long as we don't turn the ball over and we score 3 TD's we are going to win. Outs and comebacks overall are very safe routes. Running the ball down the defenses throat has been very safe also. My opinion is we can stick with safe again this week, but if we get down we do have more aggressive routes in the playbook. We've seen a few of them this year. If we are to play GSU I think we've got to be all out aggressive to put up as many points as possible, but that's in a couple of weeks.
Agreed. The team you're playing and the score of the game dictate the plays called. When they're ahead they play it safer than if behind. Thats why I don't think you can say the play calling was bad. They were ahead most of the game, knew that the defense was shutting down the other team and had no reason to take chances. Give Vigen/Bohl credit for playing the game as is was dictated.

[HerdBot]

This team is good enough to win the Championship. No question about it. The question should be, are we good enough to beat Leheigh and Georgia Southern at home and beat a team out of the opposite bracket that we've beaten before like UNI , Montana, or Montana State on a neutral field . abso-fucking-lutely.

[BadlandsBison]

An easy answer is YES, we are very capable.

There is lots of football left to be played and anything can happen. Look at the UNI game, they were a stupid play away from loosing and I think they can make it to the championship. There are lots of concerns I have about our offense but I trust Bohl to have a good idea of what to do this coming week.

I don't think NDSU is physically outgunned by any remaining so that makes me feel pretty good. But like I said, anything can happen and we've found ways to win a lot of games this season.

[stevdock]

FYI I love that we are one of 2 remaining teams that made the Elite 8 two years in a row.