2022 Game 2 Preview: NDSU vs Maine

[bruinbison]

https://twitter.com/DomIzzoWDAY/status/1698782264438534581?s=20

Dom posted this weeks two-deep roster.
It does not seem to have changed from Eastern Washington,
but perhaps someone else will notice a difference.

Maine lost their 1st game to Florida International 14-12.
FIU was 4-8 last season, 2-6 in Conference USA.
FIU lost their 1st game this year to conference mate Louisiana Tech 22-17.

Maine was 2-9 last season, 2-6 in the CAA.
The Black Bears were a preseason pick to finish 13th among 15 teams.

[KSBisonFan]

I watched part of Maine's game at FIU. Neither team is good. Maine's QB was running for his life, but they still outgained FIU and dominated TOP. Their defense held FIU to 13 yards rushing.

FIU tried to give away the game with some really undisciplined play, but Maine couldn't capitalize.

[HerdBot]

I dont put any stock into a depth chart 2 days after a game

[Bison03]

FARGO — North Dakota State and the University of Maine for the second time are scheduled to play a game at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome, with the first one canceled in 2001 because of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Unrelated to that season, but perhaps appropriately being so close to Sept. 11, the Bison will honor first responders at the 2:30 p.m. nonconference game this Saturday.
Three Fargo police officers who were involved in a July 14 shooting that killed officer Jake Wallin will be doing the pregame coin toss. The parents of Wallin have been invited to the game while the players will have a “Fargo” on the back of their helmet instead of the traditional “Bison.”
“Thought it would be a good way to recognize them,” said NDSU head coach Matt Entz.
Officers Tyler Hawes and Andrew Dotas, who were shot in the ambush, along with officer Zach Robinson, who ended the assault, will flip the coin.
“We have a dozen players on our team currently that have parents that are serving in fire, police, sheriff, EMT — some sort of first responder,” Entz said.

He said the team is in the process of collecting a hat from all of their organizations and the plan is for at some point in the game either a coach or a player on the sideline like a quarterback will wear one of them.
Putting “Fargo” on the back of the helmet in the white stripe is a chance to recognize the community,” Entz said.

“This is Fargo’s team,” he said. “Not only in the state of North Dakota and in the Upper Midwest but there are a lot of positives. Fargo is an easy sell when you talk to recruits and it’s been a tremendous home for me the last 10 years. I know our players enjoy every minute of it.”

[bruinbison]

I dont put any stock into a depth chart 2 days after a game

One thing I noticed during the game:

RG Jake Kubas went out for a few plays due to injury;
Mason Miller slid over from RT to RG, and Jake Rock was in at RT.
So, not exactly how the depth chart is displayed…

One cool thing about the depth chart is I am counting 14 PWO’s
on the 2 deep. Not counting specialists.
Would guess most of the 14 PWO’s are now partial schollies this fall.
Could be off on my number, but think it is close.

[mtoutfitter]

One thing I noticed during the game:

RG Jake Kubas went out for a few plays due to injury;
Mason Miller slid over from RT to RG, and Jake Rock was in at RT.
So, not exactly how the depth chart is displayed…

One cool thing about the depth chart is I am counting 14 PWO’s
on the 2 deep. Not counting specialists.
Would guess most of the 14 PWO’s are now partial schollies this fall.
Could be off on my number, but think it is close.

Who are the PWOs Bruin? I'm guessing here but Terhark, Kubas, Hofstadt, E Moestart, Benson, Satter, Steindorf and Crosa?

[bruinbison]

Who are the PWOs Bruin? I'm guessing here but Terhark, Kubas, Hofstadt, E Moestart, Benson, Satter, Steindorf and Crosa?

Well, totally from old memories, I guess these 14
(I did not add in special teams 2 deep)

C Hayden Johnston
RG Kubas
RG Bryce Friday
WR X Terhark
WR Z Eli Green
WR Z Jake Lippe
FB Hunter Brozio
FB Logan Hofstedt
DE Jake Kava
DE Kole Menz
LB Marcus Gulley
CB Jenaro Ocama
FS Sam Jung

I could be wrong on some, of course.
My memory on Eli Mostaert is he ended up being scholly right away.
But I saw that 247 note where they did list him as a PWO. Went and looked at that after you mentioned him before.
If that’s right, wow, what a PWO catch he was!

https://247sports.com/recruitment/eli-mostaert-119377/recruitinterests/

[mtoutfitter]

Well, totally from old memories, I guess these 14
(I did not add in special teams 2 deep)

C Hayden Johnston
RG Kubas
RG Bryce Friday
WR X Terhark
WR Z Eli Green
WR Z Jake Lippe
FB Hunter Brozio
FB Logan Hofstedt
DE Jake Kava
DE Kole Menz
LB Marcus Gulley
CB Jenaro Ocama
FS Sam Jung

I could be wrong on some, of course.
My memory on Eli Mostaert is he ended up being scholly right away.
But I saw that 247 note where they did list him as a PWO.
If that’s right, wow, what a PWO catch he was!

Yep, per 247 he was a walkon. According to that site Green and Lippe were scholarship guys. When you look at their commitment list for an individual year walkons are not listed.

[bruinbison]

Tried to find Green, but he remains a man of mystery to me.
NDSU’s announcement that year tells you who is a PWO - at the bottom of the page

https://gobison.com/news/2019/12/18/bison-football-national-signing-day.aspx

2nd signing day

https://gobison.com/news/2020/2/5/ndsu-signs-two-adds-four-walk-ons-to-2020-football-recruiting-class.aspx

edit: well, I was in the wrong class for Green. This NDSU announcement didn’t break out who the PWO’s were like the 2020’s did

https://gobison.com/news/2020/12/16/north-dakota-state-adds-24-to-football-program-on-national-signing-day.aspx

edit edit:

Eric Peterson had it in his commitment article - Green being a PWO

https://www.inforum.com/sports/college/bison-football-gets-commitments-from-bismarck-and-farmington-minn-pass-catchers

[Professor Chaos]

Bison open as 30.5 point favorites on 5dimes with an O/U of 50.5: https://madduxsports.com/college-football-lines.php

IIRC they were roughly 21-22 point favorites last week so the computers must like EWU better than Maine.

[BigHorns]

I watched part of Maine's game at FIU. Neither team is good. Maine's QB was running for his life, but they still outgained FIU and dominated TOP. Their defense held FIU to 13 yards rushing.

FIU tried to give away the game with some really undisciplined play, but Maine couldn't capitalize.

That would be incredibly impressive, if it wasn't FIU.
Sagarin: FIU #168, Maine #198

Its still noteworthy that they held any team to 13 yards.
If we can run on them, this shouldn't be close.

[tony]

I've seen a couple Maine games in the past - they were always a very physical team.

[blackdiamond2]

Entz mentioned Alexander was supposed to be 3rd corner but he was dealing with an injury.

[El_Chapo]

Maine had some tough players on defense, and offense is our struggle bus sometimes.

I definitely see a NDSU win and a 31-10 or 34-13 football game 30 spread ? yikes.

[Bison03]

Game likely wont be close. But who doesn’t live watching Bison touchdowns right?! Who cares. Its the home opener. It will be fun in the tailgate lot, awesome to honor the Fargo police officers and all first responders pregame, and watch a Bison win!

[bruinbison]

Maine pregame notes, including roster and two-deep (page 6)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/umaine.sidearmsports.com/documents/2023/9/5/GM2_NDSU.pdf

The Black Bears do have MVFC type size on their lines.
(sometimes non-conference teams don’t)

6’ 5” 315
6’ 4” 300
6’ 1” 300
6’ 1” 330
6’ 6” 310 with a 6’ 4” 250 TE

On D

6’ 5” 265
6’ 1” 300
6’ 4” 285
6’ 3” 245

[BisonHorns]

6’ 5” 265
6’ 1” 300
It will be interesting to see these two guys stand beside each other.

[Hammerhead]

We'll see if that size is all muscle or just belly fat like the Jacksonville State team we played in the championship game.



Maine pregame notes, including roster and two-deep (page 6)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/umaine.sidearmsports.com/documents/2023/9/5/GM2_NDSU.pdf

The Black Bears do have MVFC type size on their lines.
(sometimes non-conference teams don’t)

6’ 5” 315
6’ 4” 300
6’ 1” 300
6’ 1” 330
6’ 6” 310 with a 6’ 4” 250 TE

On D

6’ 5” 265
6’ 1” 300
6’ 4” 285
6’ 3” 245

[cbline]

We'll see if that size is all muscle or just belly fat like the Jacksonville State team we played in the championship game.

Or the Sam Houston State playoff team in the Dome that had to endure the same running play over and over and over and over.

[bruinbison]

We'll see if that size is all muscle or just belly fat like the Jacksonville State team we played in the championship game.

Yes!

But also, do they rotate depth players in on the DLine?
And, if they do, will they be able to hold up against the Rams?

[GreenfieldBison]

We'll see if that size is all muscle or just belly fat like the Jacksonville State team we played in the championship game.

Sadly, the roster photos, like ours, do not display more than shoulders up. https://goblackbears.com/sports/football/roster

But I've gotta believe that 6' 1" people at 300+ are just as wide as they are tall. Big gap fillers/creators. But can they move?

[KSBisonFan]

From what I saw in Maine's first game, I think our D-line is going to dominate their offensive line. FIU is bad and would lose to most of the MVFC. Maine was worse.

[GreenfieldBison]

Here is a little Maine based preview...

https://goblackbears.com/news/2023/9/6/preview-football-hits-the-road-to-take-on-2-2-north-dakota-state.aspx

[gumby013]

It's flight stalking time!

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY4701/history/20230908/1700Z/KBGR/KFAR

[BigHorns]

Yes!

But also, do they rotate depth players in on the DLine?
And, if they do, will they be able to hold up against the Rams?

THIS is the key matchup to watch and will likely determine the final margin of victory.

[Bisman]

THIS is the key matchup to watch and will likely determine the final margin of victory.

Per McFeely article: According to Pro Football Focus, an analytics website, the Bison blockers graded just OK (against EW). Miller was tops with 74.2 (of 100) overall, but just 68.0 run blocking. Sundell was

at 64.3 overall, 56.9 run blocking. Zabel was at 58.5 overall, 58.4 run blocking. Sundell and Zabel let an Eastern Washington defensive end split them for a sack. You get the picture. Those numbers need

to be in the high 70s and 80s, or higher. That's the Bison offensive line standard.

[cbline]

It's flight stalking time!

https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/AAY4701/history/20230908/1700Z/KBGR/KFAR

You complete me.

[Bison03]

Fun fact: Randy Moss’s son Montigo is a wide receiver on Maine’s football team. Think Randy will be at the dome tomorrow? Lol