2009 - First FCS Playoffs, Led by Nick Mertens

[RunDMc34]

I agree...and thanks for the names. Gratzek (spelling?) had a bit of a coming out party this fall. Should be better next year. Those defensive ends, the ones that Phil Hansen projects as up-and-comers, should give us a legitimate pass rush. Matt Anderson fits in somewhere. There will be some depth at LB.

I'll add Cyrus Lemon as a real leader, head-hunter, outstanding range, gamer, cover guy in the backfield.

The cupboard is 'not' empty.

LB - Depth yes talent .... questionable WE WILL MISS Humber just like we missed Mays. Hopefully someone steps up and actually tackles.

Lemon - Will probably lose his job to Kyle Belmont I would assume which is a good thing imo Lemon was a weakness this season.

One player I do like in the cupboard not empty cattegory is Eaves who i really feel will step in and add speed to the D at FS next season

[NDSUFREAK]

still no faith in mertens...wont have faith until he wins a game because of him. oh, and doesn't ef it up

[CaBisonFan]

LB - Depth yes talent .... questionable WE WILL MISS Humber just like we missed Mays. Hopefully someone steps up and actually tackles.

Lemon - Will probably lose his job to Kyle Belmont I would assume which is a good thing imo Lemon was a weakness this season.

One player I do like in the cupboard not empty cattegory is Eaves who i really feel will step in and add speed to the D at FS next season

Didn't realize that Lemon was a problem. Whatever...if we have someone better...bring it on.

Is Eaves a redshirt this year?

[CaBisonFan]

still no faith in mertens...wont have faith until he wins a game because of him. oh, and doesn't ef it up

I have a nephew in Mayville that has the same opinion of Mertens. Nick didn't give us a lot of reasons to believe this year. I'll admit that. Whatever the case...I hope that we can bring in a transfer or two, and recruit a really good freshman. Mertens or no Mertens, it would be great to have some depth and real competition for the QB job...and if the starter falters...someone to actually go to.

[WYOBISONMAN]

I seriously doubt that Mertens is the guy to take us to the playoffs next year. I am hoping that a solid JUCO prospect shows up and gives us a shot. We also need a kicker that we can count on, as well as having some significant holes to fill on offense due to graduation.

The playoffs next year will be an uphill climb, but not unatainable. But, if we still have Mertens at QB and an unreliable kicker, we won't be playing in the post season.

[rutlandbison]

Dude, like, man, CABison's been, like, holdin' out on me, man, with the green stuff??

Dude! All them snotty PMs you sent me about drugs and them pictures of your wife, and, like, you're the biggest toker here!??!?!?!?!!!!!!???



Like, here's my cell phone number, CABisonDude: 406.233.9119, if you wanna, like, give some o' that up, brotha!


"Man, CADude, like, I knew there was some kinda spark, like, between us!"

wow..........

[RunDMc34]

Didn't realize that Lemon was a problem. Whatever...if we have someone better...bring it on.

Is Eaves a redshirt this year?

Well Belmont was the starter this year before he got hurt so I think he has to be the starter again next year.

Eaves redshirted last year played a little bit when schommer was hurt and in a few blowouts.

[BisonCardinal]

Mertens will not be the one taking us to the playoffs.

Mertens does not have a good arm. I don't know how many yards we lost by having the receivers wait for the ball and how many receivers were hung out to dry with a pass too high. Last year Kole had the out route down so well that it seemed like he was already sliding out of bounds, because he knew Walkers pass was going to be there. This year, it seems like the receivers had to take a dodge ball stance because they had no idea where the ball was coming.

Mertens also does not have a strong arm. If he did he wouldn't be throwing rainbow interceptions like the ones that ended the Western Ill and SDSU games.

Mertens apparently can't run either. The coaching staff finally unleased that weapon in the final game of the year. Whoopity Do.

It kind of bugs me that our highly paid coaching staff has let our qb depth sink so far. Typically, in our elite program, our second string qb would start at most other mid range programs. Hell, I would trade the Indiana State qb for Mertens. At least he had some good touch on his passes and could run.

It would have been nice to have Parsons and Brekke to fall back on.

Ok, I am done bashing Mertens. What other position could he play?

[bisonmike2]

Mertens will not be the one taking us to the playoffs.

Mertens does not have a good arm. I don't know how many yards we lost by having the receivers wait for the ball and how many receivers were hung out to dry with a pass too high. Last year Kole had the out route down so well that it seemed like he was already sliding out of bounds, because he knew Walkers pass was going to be there. This year, it seems like the receivers had to take a dodge ball stance because they had no idea where the ball was coming.

Mertens also does not have a strong arm. If he did he wouldn't be throwing rainbow interceptions like the ones that ended the Western Ill and SDSU games.

Mertens apparently can't run either. The coaching staff finally unleased that weapon in the final game of the year. Whoopity Do.

It kind of bugs me that our highly paid coaching staff has let our qb depth sink so far. Typically, in our elite program, our second string qb would start at most other mid range programs. Hell, I would trade the Indiana State qb for Mertens. At least he had some good touch on his passes and could run.

It would have been nice to have Parsons and Brekke to fall back on.

Ok, I am done bashing Mertens. What other position could he play?

I disagree with some of that. I think Mertens runs pretty well, especially for a QB. The problem is you haven't seen it because the coaches only let him do it for 2 quarters the whole season. And I think his rainbow interceptions were more of a result of him being tentative and unsure with where he was going with the pass than a question of his arm strength.

[CaBisonFan]

Mertens will not be the one taking us to the playoffs.

Mertens does not have a good arm. I don't know how many yards we lost by having the receivers wait for the ball and how many receivers were hung out to dry with a pass too high. Last year Kole had the out route down so well that it seemed like he was already sliding out of bounds, because he knew Walkers pass was going to be there. This year, it seems like the receivers had to take a dodge ball stance because they had no idea where the ball was coming.

Mertens also does not have a strong arm. If he did he wouldn't be throwing rainbow interceptions like the ones that ended the Western Ill and SDSU games.

Mertens apparently can't run either. The coaching staff finally unleased that weapon in the final game of the year. Whoopity Do.

It kind of bugs me that our highly paid coaching staff has let our qb depth sink so far. Typically, in our elite program, our second string qb would start at most other mid range programs. Hell, I would trade the Indiana State qb for Mertens. At least he had some good touch on his passes and could run.

It would have been nice to have Parsons and Brekke to fall back on.

Ok, I am done bashing Mertens. What other position could he play?

Not having real backups, like Parsons & Brekke, had an unsettling effect on Mertens...and the rest of the team. It also changed the coaching philosophy. Things became bass ackwards. Confusion 'reigned.'