NDSU vs JMU

[JMUSteeler]

I think that's the key for both teams actually. Stick can not turn the ball over like he did at SDSU for NDSU to win this game. Our dline has to get pressure on Schor and not allow him to extend plays like he did last year.

Are you expecting to get most of your players back for the game?

Hard to say for certain, there are a couple of OL that I don't think we'll get back but I expect the WR Miller to return.

[BisonCardinal]

per DOM Izzo, "NDSU head coach Chris Klieman says on #FCSChamp teleconference: "think we'll get Dom Davis back, outside chance to get Jalen Allison and Jaylaan Wimbush back."

Wonder how close to 100% they'd be? I'd play Bridges at 100% before I'd play either of the J's at less than 95%.

[JMUSteeler]

This will be interesting to watch because we have been lucky to have two straight coaching staffs that make great (sans the SDSU game this year) in game adjustments and many times don't see the other team adjusting to things that we are doing to them. One thing is for sure both these teams rely on something that no other team can adjust for and that is tough nosed offense and clamp down defense, wearing out the other team in the second half. I feel like even if the score does get lopsided you are going to see two completely exhausted teams at the end of this one with the depth and strength both have.

You guys have been fortunate to have the back to back coaching staffs you've had, the 2 prior to our current one were great recruiters and not bad for game preparation but were not good at all for in-game adjustments. Part of the reason JMU hasn't had the success they should have is a lack of game adjustments causing head-scratching losses to the likes of Colgate and Liberty in the playoffs. We've always had the players, but it takes so much more than to have any consistency. And yes, I expect a close game decided in the 4th quarter. Anything less than that will be surprising, and likely due to field conditions or weather conditions.

[Bison 4 Life]

Wonder how close to 100% they'd be? I'd play Bridges at 100% before I'd play either of the J's at less than 95%.

Learned that lesson with PGT last year.

Although I love that nobody knows. I remember having someone run up to me about Carson in 2015 right after Klieman's comments on Friday night.

[GOB1SON]

Lots of eye rolling comments on the JMU board. We have our share of crap on here, but most folks at least know football. Most of the JMU fans are living in la-la-land on either how good they are or how poor NDSU is.

The biggest reason seems to be their win over SDSU and I agree, it was impressive. But, most fans are giving way too much credit to the JMU defense for the 10 TO against SDSU. Watch the game again. There was something wrong with Christian. I remember reading that he had a pinched nerve or something in his shoulder the week leading up to the game (or maybe I just made that up) but at least twice the ball just fell out of his hands for fumbles. Yes, JMU got pressure and sacks, and yes, JMU's athletes covered up the fumbles and picked off the passes, but it was a shared effort for sure. Throw in the fact that Stig is just a bad, bad playoff coach (yeah, he has figured out how to attack NDSU's d in the regular season for sure) and it isn't as impressive as the final score indicates.

Also it would appear that they seem to think that Stick is a very pedestrian QB that only hands off the football.

Let's play name that QB:

Passing and rushing
228-358 63.7 3111 25-10 138 642 6 Rating: 154.1 Total TD: 31

257-385 66.8 3074 26-12 132 303 7 Rating: 149.9 Total TD: 33

151-242 62.4 2336 27-8 98 628 12 Rating: 173.7 Total TD: 39

The first line is Wentz's jr. season; the second is Schor this season; the third is Stick this season. From a scoring efficiency standpoint, Stick is having a better season than Schor. NDSU is scoring more than JMU by about 5 points per game and runs the ball much, much better.

And I'm not even going to mention the level of competition (oh wait...).

Lastly there seems to be some sort of Mike Houston is the second coming of Bear Bryant or Vince Lombardi vibe going in in Dukeville. No doubt the guy is a stud, but I have read numerous references to how the JMU coaching staff is much better than NDSU's and gives JMU a distinct advantage. Last I looked, Klieman has 2 national championship trophies and Houston one. But that said, no doubt they both are doing a phenomenal job and to think that one staff has a distinct advantage over the other is pretty ignorant. I'm guessing both staffs will be ready for the game.

This is what happens when I take some time off over the holidays, I guess. Need to find a side job for when I am on vacation so I don't end up with an aneurysm.

[CaBisonFan]

As for the game itself, our offense hasn't clicked on all cylinders for an entire game all year. Most of that is injury driven, we already knew the O-Line had some big holes to fill and now a bunch of the projected starters are out. We've been down skill players, if we get one back another goes out. I also think the explosive offense isn't really the preferred m.o. for this coaching staff, they seem to prefer a more conservative approach and once we have a lead strangle the life out of the other team. When we've needed to turn it up, we have. However, that can be playing with fire and as we saw with Weber we almost got burned.

The SDSU game talk is a little misleading, a bunch of those first half TO's were in our end. If anything, it was more indicative of what our D was giving up in terms of yards than what our O wasn't getting done. Our O did in that game what we've done all year in most games, just enough in the first half and put the hammer down in the second half. We make adjustments as well as any staff in the country, and that's been a consistent theme from day 1 with these coaches. I think looking at our O last year and comparing the two is misleading, because our D wasn't nearly as tough as it is now and we play like we don't have to score 50 to win. For those of you who watched the Youngstown game last year, I think that is more a taste of what this staff prefers. Get in control and just eat the game away playing D.

All of that being said, I think the key for you will be how much pressure do we get on Stick and how does he handle it. SDSU and Stony Brook didn't handle it at all, and we forced 15 TO's. Cantwell and Weber took that punch in the mouth and delivered a couple back.

Similar on-field goals for both teams. It probably comes down to turnovers. Stick has been playing well. We'll see. Both teams have lost a lot of players to injury.

[MNLonghorn10]

Can't wait until this game is played and over with.

Steeler guy is good company. I wish bulldogg and LOL guy were swallowed by their moms

[Bison 4 Life]

It can't be overstated that the coaching philosophies are also quite different. I wouldn't take JMU's scoring into account since they don't instinctually let off the gas.

[BisManBison]

per DOM Izzo, "NDSU head coach Chris Klieman says on #FCSChamp teleconference: "think we'll get Dom Davis back, outside chance to get Jalen Allison and Jaylaan Wimbush back."

No comment on Brooks?

[NovaBison]

Similar on-field goals for both teams. It probably comes down to turnovers. Stick has been playing well. We'll see. Both teams have lost a lot of players to injury.

Am I the only one here that is envisioning a guy in southern New Jersey with a little extra time on his hands lately possibly having a hand in the game planning, and coaching up Easton for the best game of his life? I don't know... I just have this guy feeling that Easton is going to play the best game of his career... it's probably just wishful thinking, but you never know.