Polasek's Coaching Staff Discussion

[CentennialBison]

38 points per game is inept huh? I can only imagine if it was "ept"... on top of that I hear Entz recruited a bunch a bums. So a real OC with real recruits would put something like 70 a game I guess...

Just because he scores 38 a game doesn't mean he has good play-calling. NDSU plays a lot of terrible opponents, how does he do against good competition? We have failed to develop a clutch QB, the running game is poor, too many QB runs (basically putting the season at risk), lack of screens, lack of situational calling, lack of planning. Just because NDSU runs out FBS level players is the only reason there was a 38-point average. There is no outthinking opponents, there are no special plans for SDSU (how many times have they beaten NDSU in the past 4-5 years?). Player development is below average as well. I don't hate the guy, I even saw him running around campus when I was at NDSU, but he needs to go get experience at other schools and learn more systems. Let Messingham come back and run a good offense. He wasn't good enough in the B12, but he works for FCS where the coaches aren't as good.

This doesn't take away from the fact that NDSU defense is the main issue and we need wholesale changes there.

[Professor Chaos]

Just because he scores 38 a game doesn't mean he has good play-calling. NDSU plays a lot of terrible opponents, how does he do against good competition? We have failed to develop a clutch QB, the running game is poor, too many QB runs (basically putting the season at risk), lack of screens, lack of situational calling, lack of planning. Just because NDSU runs out FBS level players is the only reason there was a 38-point average. There is no outthinking opponents, there are no special plans for SDSU (how many times have they beaten NDSU in the past 4-5 years?). Player development is below average as well. I don't hate the guy, I even saw him running around campus when I was at NDSU, but he needs to go get experience at other schools and learn more systems. Let Messingham come back and run a good offense. He wasn't good enough in the B12, but he works for FCS where the coaches aren't as good.

This doesn't take away from the fact that NDSU defense is the main issue and we need wholesale changes there.

45 points against USD (who gave up 17.7 on average), 34 against SIU (who gave up 16 on average), 49 against Central Arkansas (who gave up 23 on average). They had the 3rd toughest schedule in the FCS this season overall and were #4 in scoring offense, #9 in total offense, #4 in rushing offense (#6 in yards per carry), and #2 in team passing efficiency.

This shit you guys throw against the wall about the offense being a problem this year isn't sticking. The offense is the main reason they went as far as they did and they were plenty good enough to go further if the defense and special teams hadn't fallen off so much from the championship years.

[BigLakeBison]

45 points against USD (who gave up 17.7 on average), 34 against SIU (who gave up 16 on average), 49 against Central Arkansas (who gave up 23 on average). They had the 3rd toughest schedule in the FCS this season overall and were #4 in scoring offense, #9 in total offense, #4 in rushing offense (#6 in yards per carry), and #2 in team passing efficiency.

This shit you guys throw against the wall about the offense being a problem this year isn't sticking. The offense is the main reason they went as far as they did and they were plenty good enough to go further if the defense and special teams hadn't fallen off so much from the championship years.

I agree with what your saying in large part. The offense was good enough to win a championship IF the defense was on par with past teams. Many on this board, including myself, criticized the BSC for years (i.e. EWU) for not having a defense that could hold up and give their offense a better chance to win. There was also a fair criticism that maybe it would be in their best interest to design an offensive gameplan that kept their own defense off the field a bit more and limit the offensive possessions of their opponents. Football is the ultimate team game and given the fact that the NDSU defense wasn't to that level, the offense had to make up for it. Is that fair? Nope. Is it reality? Yep. I just think at times the play calling and execution on the offensive side of the ball didn't play complimentary to the defense that NDSU had. Does that mean that TR should be fired? I guess I don't feel that way but I also feel like there are improvements that can and should be made and I think some criticism is warranted. There were too many times this year in big games where the offense went 3 and out or were unable to hold the ball for extended drives and they failed to give the defense a rest after just coming off the field. Given the shortcomings on defense already, that just seemed to make matters worse. I think our smash mouth, ball control style of offense during the run made our defense even more dominating. Now it feels to me like our offense sometimes makes our limited defense even more suspect. All of those things make it very hard for me to hold the offense up on a pedestal and put this all on the defense/special teams. Again, football is the ultimate team game and the TEAM wasn't championship caliber so the offense doesn't get that label either.

[Professor Chaos]

I agree with what your saying in large part. The offense was good enough to win a championship IF the defense was on par with past teams. Many on this board, including myself, criticized the BSC for years (i.e. EWU) for not having a defense that could hold up and give their offense a better chance to win. There was also a fair criticism that maybe it would be in their best interest to design an offensive gameplan that kept their own defense off the field a bit more and limit the offensive possessions of their opponents. Football is the ultimate team game and given the fact that the NDSU defense wasn't to that level, the offense had to make up for it. Is that fair? Nope. Is it reality? Yep. I just think at times the play calling and execution on the offensive side of the ball didn't play complimentary to the defense that NDSU had. Does that mean that TR should be fired? I guess I don't feel that way but I also feel like there are improvements that can and should be made and I think some criticism is warranted. There were too many times this year in big games where the offense went 3 and out or were unable to hold the ball for extended drives and they failed to give the defense a rest after just coming off the field. Given the shortcomings on defense already, that just seemed to make matters worse. I think our smash mouth, ball control style of offense during the run made our defense even more dominating. Now it feels to me like our offense sometimes makes our limited defense even more suspect. All of those things make it very hard for me to hold the offense up on a pedestal and put this all on the defense/special teams. Again, football is the ultimate team game and the TEAM wasn't championship caliber so the offense doesn't get that label either.

Yet the offense had a higher average TOP this year than they've had since 2017. 3rd down conversion rate on the season was 49% which is right in line with numerous past championship teams. They weren't flawless as you can find plenty of examples I'm sure to illustrate but they pulled their weight. If the offense can maintain their efficiency next year and the defense can get back some of their previous swagger they're more than capable of beating every team on their schedule - Colorado and SDSU included. Job #1 though is the defense needs fixing.

[130Bison]

45 points against USD (who gave up 17.7 on average), 34 against SIU (who gave up 16 on average), 49 against Central Arkansas (who gave up 23 on average). They had the 3rd toughest schedule in the FCS this season overall and were #4 in scoring offense, #9 in total offense, #4 in rushing offense (#6 in yards per carry), and #2 in team passing efficiency.

This shit you guys throw against the wall about the offense being a problem this year isn't sticking. The offense is the main reason they went as far as they did and they were plenty good enough to go further if the defense and special teams hadn't fallen off so much from the championship years.

Preach


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[BigLakeBison]

Yet the offense had a higher average TOP this year than they've had since 2017. 3rd down conversion rate on the season was 49% which is right in line with numerous past championship teams. They weren't flawless as you can find plenty of examples I'm sure to illustrate but they pulled their weight. If the offense can maintain their efficiency next year and the defense can get back some of their previous swagger they're more than capable of beating every team on their schedule - Colorado and SDSU included. Job #1 though is the defense needs fixing.

Now do the games in which we lost. Again, the offense was absolutely championship caliber if the defense was top 5 in the nation level. The defense wasn't and therefore the offense doesn't get to claim they were National Champions because they weren't. The offensive identity of NDSU has traditionally complimented the defense. I'm not sure it is set up to do that as much currently. Is that because of personnel, play calling, lack of execution? Probably all of the above.

[TransAmBison]

Yet the offense had a higher average TOP this year than they've had since 2017. 3rd down conversion rate on the season was 49% which is right in line with numerous past championship teams. They weren't flawless as you can find plenty of examples I'm sure to illustrate but they pulled their weight. If the offense can maintain their efficiency next year and the defense can get back some of their previous swagger they're more than capable of beating every team on their schedule - Colorado and SDSU included. Job #1 though is the defense needs fixing.

I agree #1 is fixing the defense...no questions there. But #2 has to be to fix our run game. Our running back stats are pathetic...and that translates to a lot of 3rd and longs...which we were fortunate to convert a fair share of...but that comes back to bite a team against good competition.

[Professor Chaos]

Now do the games in which we lost. Again, the offense was absolutely championship caliber if the defense was top 5 in the nation level. The defense wasn't and therefore the offense doesn't get to claim they were National Champions because they weren't. The offensive identity of NDSU has traditionally complimented the defense. I'm not sure it is set up to do that as much currently. Is that because of personnel, play calling, lack of execution? Probably all of the above.

In the 4 losses the TOP dipped from 32:59 to 31:29 and their 3rd down conversion rate dipped from 48.9% to 36.7%.

I'm not claiming the offense were national champions - I'm saying they were championship caliber. I'd go further and say they were better than offenses on some previous teams that won championships (such as 2011, 2012, and 2014). To be honest I think your comments about the offense not complimenting the defense is just an excuse for the subpar defense compared to previous years.

Complimentary football means that when one unit isn't bringing their "A" game the other does. This year they didn't win a single game when they scored less than 30 points - every year going back to 2011 they had won at least 3 games when they scored less than 30 points some years as many as 7 games. You're right that we didn't see complimentary football this year but your reasoning is faulty as to why.

[Kevin]

I agree #1 is fixing the defense...no questions there. But #2 has to be to fix our run game. Our running back stats are pathetic...and that translates to a lot of 3rd and longs...which we were fortunate to convert a fair share of...but that comes back to bite a team against good competition.

We should listen to tab here. With his decades of experience he has a keen eye for and understanding of patheticism.

Make the offensive line great again.

Stop calling qb power.

Run from under center.

Problem solved.

[Professor Chaos]

I agree #1 is fixing the defense...no questions there. But #2 has to be to fix our run game. Our running back stats are pathetic...and that translates to a lot of 3rd and longs...which we were fortunate to convert a fair share of...but that comes back to bite a team against good competition.

The RB stats were far from pathetic there just wasn't enough volume. Williams averaged 6.2 per carry, Kpeenu averaged 5.2, and even Marshall averaged 4.9 (which surprised me given how much I thought he struggled this year). Go back and compare those to RBs like McNorton, Ojuri, and Crockett and you'll be surprised how well they compare - the difference is those guys got a lot more volume.

I think criticism of Roehl's dependence on the QB run is warranted - it goes all the way back to his first year in 2019. When the chips were down in tough games against SDSU and JMU he ran Trey Lance into the ground. I also would also love to see them get back to 1 or 2 "feature" backs. Polasek said on his interview on 1660 yesterday that he doesn't care how they get their rush yards but that they need to be effective in the run game so I don't think the QB run is going to disappear but I hope his influence can help them be less reliant on it.