Marker Week

[THEsocalledfan]

Re: Marker Week

IYou'll get no argument from me that this year's Bison are a very good football team, deserving of its #1 ranking. But I do not think it is the best Bison team in recent years.

Correct. I don't think, right now, they are as good as last year. Nor 2014. And don't even think about 2013. Or 2012. Maybe 2011?

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Marker Week

Okay, you have all changed my mind. Maybe I'm just having a better day. We win 41-27. #ChuckThePigskin

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Marker Week

Any of you guys coming for the game? I know thumper will be there. How about Slosho, Rabid, Rowdy, Westside? Hope to see all you guys...should be a fun tailgate.

Not this year. I have a wedding on Saturday in Estes Park. Maybe in two years I'll be up again, it's always a good time.

[i_got_a_fever]

Re: Marker Week

I'm in the downer camp. Defense won't get off the field. We lose 35-24. #9MinuteDrives

Hope I'm wrong.


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[TransAmBison]

Re: Marker Week

Correct. I don't think, right now, they are as good as last year. Nor 2014. And don't even think about 2013. Or 2012. Maybe 2011?

I was trying to figure out where this team ranks and I don't know. The defense is not as good as any of those years...but the offense is better than at least 2011.

[goon]

Re: Marker Week

We need NDSU to play in Nick Mertens is their QB and we need to be able to close out the game. I feel our lines have done nothing to show they can handle NDSU lines. They play together as a unit better then most teams in the country. our skill players are good enough to win the game. Not sure the Defense can get off the field on 3rd down. Sure hope I am wrong. seems like every other year we lay an egg up there, or we play good enough to win and lose the game late. wonder if the Wizard and God and TC can change that this year.

[thumper_76]

Re: Marker Week

I'll try to give you a little NDSU assessment.

2. Key for SDSU to win is to have a good 2 score lead in the second half. Otherwise, NDSU will NDSU you. They will hand the ball off and grind you to pulp keeping your offense off the field. (Like the classic 2013 game in Brooking where Crockett became a wrecking machine.) That is what they do; see Iowa game. Nothing has changed. This year, your choices of poison are King Frazier, Lance Dunn, and Bruce Anderson. King is the bruiser you don't want to see late in the game. Dunn and Bruce can house it at any time.
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Actually, along the "nothing has changed" line, is false IMHO. This years version of the bison is not as good at grinding long drives. Yes they get rushing yards, but they have a LOT of long plays that do it for them. I did the numbers last week comparing last year to this year for the bisons offense. And not including this week, the bison had only scored four TDs from inside the 20 yard line out of 15. Last year it was 10/18. Went from around 60% resulting in long drives in the red zone to under 33%. That's a big difference. Part of that is likely because teams are loading the box to stop the run and make Stick beat them long. That's allowed him to hit some deep throws, but also lends itself to the long rushing TDs once the rb breaks through into the second level. The other part is this bison offense just doesn't seem as consistent as years past. I would assume losing Wentz is a lot of that. If you gave last years bison O the ball four times inside the 25 you basically gave them 24-28 points. Not so much this year. The difference is Wentz there as well. A short field like that tightens the windows for passing and defensive backs aren't worried about being beat deep.

Also, watching or listening to every bison game now that I'm in Fargo, I think we can get a couple turnovers from Stick. Against MSU he got away with two throws where on one it looked like the CB just lost the ball and actually ran out of the way of the path of the ball. Stick is mobile, but he's no Kenny Hill. And if he doesn't learn to slide during before this Saturday it could be trouble for him. He's not built as big as Wentz to take the blows from a linebacker in a heated rivalry game.


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[THEsocalledfan]

Re: Marker Week

Actually, along the "nothing has changed" line, is false IMHO.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay. I would suggest rewatching the second half of the Iowa game and get back to me.

With that said, your red zone information was very interesting. Not sure what to make of that.

Stick is crazy mobile; ignore him at your own peril. He is hard to get a shot on outside the pocket.

[RowdyRabbit]

Re: Marker Week

Any of you guys coming for the game? I know thumper will be there. How about Slosho, Rabid, Rowdy, Westside? Hope to see all you guys...should be a fun tailgate.

I'd love to get up there some year. Unless something drastic happens this week, this year won't be it, unfortunately.

As for the game, SDSU's got to win again at some point. I have no idea when that'll be. I hope its Saturday, but hope is all I got.

"But we're averaging 45 pts per game, they'll never be able to keep up..."

In 2015 we averaged 43.3 pts per game coming in and only scored 7.
In 2014 we averaged 29 pts per game coming in and only scored 17.
In 2013 we averaged 36 pts per game coming in and only scored 0. Yes 0.
In 2012 we averaged 22 pts per game coming in and only scored 17.
In 2011 and 2010 SDSU was terrible so I didn't even figure those years.

Granted, as has been mentioned, this year our points are coming by way of air rather than ground like usual, so that gives me aforementioned hope (that Christion doesn't get murdered by NDSU's rush), but I'm to the point as a fan where I'll believe we beat NDSU when I see it.

Regardless, I'll be glued to whatever media will be airing the game probably at BWW's, cheering my heart out for the Yeller and blue!

[thumper_76]

Marker Week

Okay. I would suggest rewatching the second half of the Iowa game and get back to me.

With that said, your red zone information was very interesting. Not sure what to make of that.

One half of one game does not make a season. And Iowa hasn't exactly had a lock down run defense of late in spite of their traditional look.

I could just as easily reference the second half of the Illinois State game where when the bison O generated 0 points when they went into traditional grind them out mode, which is where they traditionally put up another TD or two because the D wore out.

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[thumper_76]

Re: Marker Week

One thing I'm curious about. Do the bison look at the Poly game and blitz us to death since EWU shredded them when they dropped everyone, or are they too concerned about their corners to take that risk.

Watching the SIU game it's almost like we got up by a decent amount and tried to not show too much and it almost bit us in the ass. It was like we were trying to force the ball to people other than Wieneke and Goedert. That could have been because TC was off on his long throws all night too. I think we have some interesting wrinkles left up our sleeves for the offense, and maybe even the defense.


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[THEsocalledfan]

Re: Marker Week

I could just as easily reference the second half of the Illinois State game where when the bison O generated 0 points when they went into traditional grind them out mode, which is where they traditionally put up another TD or two because the D wore out.

I was at the Illinois St game. The offense did not throw the ball nearly at all in the second half because they did not have to. (NDSU does have to throw the ball in a typical grinding drive to score.) As it was, they cranked out 194 yards rushing still at 4 yards a clip.

You have to be careful basing analysis on games that play a certain way. Illinois St offense was getting crushed so NDSU simply did not get cute. It was very similar this past Saturday. Then, the cranked out 269 yard at over 6 yards a carry. After the King TD in the 3rd, they started buttoning down the hatches again.

[THEsocalledfan]

Re: Marker Week

One thing I'm curious about. Do the bison look at the Poly game and blitz us to death since EWU shredded them when they dropped everyone, or are they too concerned about their corners to take that risk.

Watching the SIU game it's almost like we got up by a decent amount and tried to not show too much and it almost bit us in the ass. It was like we were trying to force the ball to people other than Wieneke and Goedert. That could have been because TC was off on his long throws all night too. I think we have some interesting wrinkles left up our sleeves for the offense, and maybe even the defense.


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If I am Coach K, I sit back in cover 2, but always rushing at least 4. I think our front guys can get pressure with only 4. (They were only doing 3 with EWU and it was a disaster.) If SDSU moves the ball; okay, hold to FG.

[thumper_76]

Re: Marker Week

Outside of the game, condolences to Chase Morlock and his family. His father passed from cancer this weekend. Will be an added level of emotion for the bison this week.


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[THEsocalledfan]

Re: Marker Week

Outside of the game, condolences to Chase Morlock and his family. His father passed from cancer this weekend. Will be an added level of emotion for the bison this week.


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Coach K choked up at the presser today talking about it. His classiest comment was "Football would be here for him whenever he wants to come back."