CB Marcus Williams, WR/RS Ryan Smith Named to 2012 BSN.com Preseason All-America Team

[JustinTyem]

http://www.bsncollege.com/pages/2012preseason?DB_OEM_ID=2400 Jeepers,some of these players are not even in the class as our Bison.

[CaBisonFan]

...thanks Justin...

[reformedUNDfan]

i guess this ndsu team isn't very talented. might as well start warming up Bohl's seat again.

[CaBisonFan]

i guess this ndsu team isn't very talented. might as well start warming up Bohl's seat again.

Yup...no talent on this team.

[4mcruenomore]

thanks for the link!

[SDbison]

Sam Houston has a half dozen or so players on that list. Really? Actually all that really matters is which team does better. I will take the team awards over the individual stuff anyday.

[Bison Dan]

Sam Houston has a half dozen or so players on that list. Really? Actually all that really matters is which team does better. I will take the team awards over the individual stuff anyday.
I think most people are in denial at our win over SHSU. Maybe no one watched our D-Line and LB during the playoffs? Is there really a better Safety in the FCS than Heagle?

[extremerouge]

Eastern Kentucky is probably the best team in the country.

[TransAmBison]

With the exception of MWill, the Bison team was not made up of star players, but was made up of decent players that played well together. Dare I say, they had swagger. For example, Heagle played exceptionally well during the Georgia Southern game, but he was set up for success by the play of the rest of the defense. Heck, I think Pike's pornstache was responsible for at least two interceptions.

[SDbison]

With the exception of MWill, the Bison team was not made up of star players, but was made up of decent players that played well together. Dare I say, they had swagger. For example, Heagle played exceptionally well during the Georgia Southern game, but he was set up for success by the play of the rest of the defense. Heck, I think Pike's pornstache was responsible for at least two interceptions. That sir is one fine post.

[THEsocalledfan]

With the exception of MWill, the Bison team was not made up of star players, but was made up of decent players that played well together. Dare I say, they had swagger. For example, Heagle played exceptionally well during the Georgia Southern game, but he was set up for success by the play of the rest of the defense. Heck, I think Pike's pornstache was responsible for at least two interceptions.

You dare say and you are correct. Those guys played so well together and that is the reason they won. It is also the reason that past success does not guarantee future success as it is a new dynamic each year. While many write off CABison's ramblings on the swagger and confidence of the 1980's Bison era teams, I have always felt he was right on the mark. This was the first Bison team I had seen that really had that mojo where they literally knew they would win each and every game they played if they played their game even though they only had one, maybe two bonofide "stars". My goodness, some of the evidence:

1. Jensen acting like a cold blooded killer throwing dart after dart for first downs against Minnesota.
2. Heagle being completely fearless against Georgia Southern.
3. The lack of panic against Southern Illinois when they did not have their "A" game, but found a way to win largely through the brilliance of Marcus Williams toying with QB's and receivers alike. (Not to mention Jensen's single best pass of the year in an otherwise poor performance.)
4. DJ knowing he was going to score and not letting anything stop him when he caught that screen in the championship. (It was right in front of me, he KNEW it as soon as he caught it.)
5. Ryan Smith housing a punt in Brookings to absolutely crush whatever will SDSU had left.

And still my favorite play of the year:

6. Marcus Williams making his biggest pick of the year in his home town, and literally flying through the air to house it.

Man, what an unbelievable year.

[56BISON73]

With the exception of MWill, the Bison team was not made up of star players, but was made up of decent players that played well together. Dare I say, they had swagger. For example, Heagle played exceptionally well during the Georgia Southern game, but he was set up for success by the play of the rest of the defense. Heck, I think Pike's pornstache was responsible for at least two interceptions.

Well done!!!! Its not the team who has the best players that win. Its the team who plays together the best.

[thebigund]

Well done!!!! Its not the team who has the best players that win. Its the team who plays together the best.
But you guys have the best players. Maybe not with crazy speed but football speed nonetheless.

[reformedUNDfan]

lets also not forget that when your team is loaded across the board, it alot harder to stand out for these kinds of lists.

[56BISON73]

But you guys have the best players. Maybe not with crazy speed but football speed nonetheless.

Yes we have very good players. One must remember on how they got that way. They were developed. During that development they learned they need to play together to be successful.

Case in point---Dallas a awhile back was loaded with talent. They thought it was going to be a Superbowl year. They never made the playoffs.
A bunch of stars on a team that is not disciplined and not playing TOGETHER LIKE a team wont go far.

[TransAmBison]

Yes we have very good players. One must remember on how they got that way. They were developed. During that development they learned they need to play together to be successful.

Case in point---Dallas a awhile back was loaded with talent. They thought it was going to be a Superbowl year. They never made the playoffs.Yeah, we would have destroyed Dallas.

[BlueBisonRock]

Yeah, my softball team would have destroyed Dallas.


Fixed it for you.

[TransAmBison]

Fixed it for you.You know it!

[56BISON73]

Yeah, we would have destroyed Dallas.

Didnt you mean--Buttbama ?

[TransAmBison]

Didnt you mean--Buttbama ?They wouldn't have dared schedule us when we still had teh lightning bolt.

[56BISON73]

They wouldn't have dared schedule us when we still had teh lightning bolt.

I thought thats why they didnt.

[CaBisonFan]

Fortunately, we have several players of this caliber.

[HerdBot]

But you guys have the best players. Maybe not with crazy speed but football speed nonetheless.

Its funny you say that. Everyone assumes were this slow midwestern smashmouth team that lacks speed. In the national Championship game, all everyone talked about was the Sam Houston speed on offense. How are we going to stop them!

As expected our D-line wore them out in tbe 2nd half but ironically enough it was our speed on defense that shut down Sam Houston . These guys are fast and play fast and disciplined. They react they literally FLY to the ball. It seemed lime we had an extra player on the field.

Then on offense our skilled players have speed... between Ryan Smith, Gebheart, Wahlo, and Ojuri we're pretty darn fast. But were physical too.

[td577]

I have never put a lot of stock into preseason all-anything lists. The couple of Bison on the list deserve it and their play last year reflected this. Preseason lists of any type are about promotion, not necessarily merit. Smith and Williams rose above promotion and were selected based strictly on merit.

As far as future careers in football, it really isn't necessary to spend a lot of time promoting individual players. The NFL scouting has gotten to the point there is no stone unturned. If the Bison players are worthy of the next level, they will be found regardless of any individual promotion by the school. If NDSU wanted to spend a lot of time promoting their individual players, there would be more on the list. I am glad they don't. The strength of the Bison....