Game Week: North Dakota State University

[jackdaniel]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

We have to get pressure on 3rd and long. I know the coaches don't trust them to be every down players but Tolu and Callender are still the best pure pass rushers on the team. Will the coaches give either of these guys a chance this week? Will the coaches use a spy to keep Stick's rushing yards in check? We can't sit back in that damn zone and watch Urzendowski find the holes. Get pressure on Stick and don't allow him to scan all over the field. The playoff loss was the most frustrating game I have ever watched live. I'm with the folks that would rather take the chance of giving up a long touchdown once or twice but getting stops, sacks, or turnovers the rest of the time if they apply pressure.

This,you just can't let a team like the Bison sit back in a comfort zone all game long....sure loss if you do.Mixing it up is good for both offense AND defense.

[BigGoosie13]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Heads up for those traveling down from Watertown, Aberdeen and areas to the north, they are also talking about some potential freezing rain (they have dialed this back quite a bit from earlier though) Saturday morning from Brookings northwards...https://twitter.com/NWSSiouxFalls/st...93975386533888

[THEsocalledfan]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Forecast for Brookings is improving which likely improves the chances for the home team.

[JackJD]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

When teams have played each other as often as NDSU/SDSU/USD have there really aren't any surprises. It comes down to execution of the game plan and I think that is where NDSU is so much better at than anyone in the country.....

Agreed: The Bison know what the Jacks will do and the Jacks know what the Bison will do. In Zimmer's analysis in the Argus Leader article "Dakota Marker: Five Keys to a South Dakota State Victory", he paraphrases Coach Klieman:

Bison coach Chris Klieman acknowledged that the formula his team wants to use to beat the Jacks is the same one they used in last year’s 36-10 playoff rout of SDSU – keep Taryn Christion and Co. off the field. SDSU ran 78 offensive snaps in their win over NDSU, just 39 in their loss.

Link to Zimm's analysis if you haven't read it: http://www.argusleader.com/story/spo...ory/820806001/

[da_coach]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Just wanted to add that "forcing Stick to pass" on 3rd downs isn't exactly ideal, either. He's a decent passer, too.

It's just that it's our only hope. (I just don't want people getting upset because they get held to 3rd and 5+ and Stick actually converts them... it's not like he sucks.) They are going to have to do it repeatedly, to have a chance.

[CappinHard]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Just wanted to add that "forcing Stick to pass" on 3rd downs isn't exactly ideal, either. He's a decent passer, too.

It's just that it's our only hope. (I just don't want people getting upset because they get held to 3rd and 5+ and Stick actually converts them... it's not like he sucks.) They are going to have to do it repeatedly, to have a chance.

He doesn't suck, but he's not a great passer either. It's known that the formula for having a chance against NDSU is to make Stick beat you. If he does, hats off to him. If you don't go in with that game plan though, NDSU will run all over you.

[91jack]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

SDSU has to stop the run on 1st and 2nd down. I am willing to take my chances on Stick having to make plays on 2nd and 3rd and long. If NDSU's yards to gain on 3rd down is at 4 yards or less, SDSU is in trouble. I also don't think that SDSU will have great success sustaining long drives to score. NDSU's defense is too good to be able to have those 13 or 14 play drives.

I get your point about 13 or 14 play drives but SDSU does not do that against anybody in the MVFC(except for SIU).
SDSU has had 56 drives in their 5 conference games. They have only had 9 of 56 drives that have lasted 10 plays or more. Of those 9 drives, 6 of them have lasted exactly 10 plays.
SDSU did have drives of 13, 14 and 11 plays against SIU but those are their only drives of 11 plays or more all conference season.
SDSU had 4 of their 6-10 play drives against Western Illinois so they has success against them.
If you take out the games against SIU and Western Illinois, SDSU has 2 of their 33 drives that lasted exactly 10 plays in 3 games.
Not to say that those defenses are bad but that's not a good trend going against NDSU. If SDSU can have 4 or 5 drives of 8-10 plays, that would be a great sign. I don't see it happening but I hope I am pleasantly surprised.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

I get your point about 13 or 14 play drives but SDSU does not do that against anybody in the MVFC(except for SIU).
SDSU has had 56 drives in their 5 conference games. They have only had 9 of 56 drives that have lasted 10 plays or more. Of those 9 drives, 6 of them have lasted exactly 10 plays.
SDSU did have drives of 13, 14 and 11 plays against SIU but those are their only drives of 11 plays or more all conference season.
SDSU had 4 of their 6-10 play drives against Western Illinois so they has success against them.
If you take out the games against SIU and Western Illinois, SDSU has 2 of their 33 drives that lasted exactly 10 plays in 3 games.
Not to say that those defenses are bad but that's not a good trend going against NDSU. If SDSU can have 4 or 5 drives of 8-10 plays, that would be a great sign. I don't see it happening but I hope I am pleasantly surprised.

I would be fine with 5 play drives if they end in TDs. We just cannot have the 3,4, and 5 play drives thst end in punts/TOs.

[SoDakJack]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Just wanted to add that "forcing Stick to pass" on 3rd downs isn't exactly ideal, either. He's a decent passer, too.

It's just that it's our only hope. (I just don't want people getting upset because they get held to 3rd and 5+ and Stick actually converts them... it's not like he sucks.) They are going to have to do it repeatedly, to have a chance.

It's picking our poison. That's what you have to do against great teams. I'm way more concerned with their rushing. There are more chances for a stop on a pass (dropped ball, bad throw, good defense) than there is on a rush IMO

[Southeast]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

I would be fine with 5 play drives if they end in TDs. We just cannot have the 3,4, and 5 play drives thst end in punts/TOs.

Me too - just score. Unless we get two or three timely turnovers, I'd guess we are going to have to put up 33+ points to win. They'll be able to pile up something like 200 rushing yards if we are playing from behind.

[CappinHard]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Me too - just score. Unless we get two or three timely turnovers, I'd guess we are going to have to put up 33+ points to win. They'll be able to pile up something like 200 rushing yards if we are playing from behind.

Try 300+... they're averaging 278 per game. If we're playing from behind, they'll go over 350.

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

Try 300+... they're averaging 278 per game. If we're playing from behind, they'll go over 350.

In all fairness that number does drop to 218 yards per contest in conference play. The last two weeks they haven't topped 200. For perspective, in conference play SDSU has rushed for 188 yards per game. We actually out rushed them against Missouri State and Western Illinois. NDSU went for greater yardage against UNI and YSU (obviously). The only uncommon conference opponent we have is SDSU played MSU (368 yards) and they played ISU (246 yards). Not exactly defensive juggernauts between the two.

Not sure what it proves. I just like stats.

[da_coach]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

the closer we get to game time, the more worried I get about the Bison. (which makes sense, as they are very good)

(however, with the way my "feelings" have gone this year... who knows?)

Just having trouble seeing the Jackrabbits scoring enough to beat them. Their defense is better than last year, and their offense is much better.

[13>1]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

In all fairness that number does drop to 218 yards per contest in conference play. The last two weeks they haven't topped 200. For perspective, in conference play SDSU has rushed for 188 yards per game. We actually out rushed them against Missouri State and Western Illinois. NDSU went for greater yardage against UNI and YSU (obviously). The only uncommon conference opponent we have is SDSU played MSU (368 yards) and they played ISU (246 yards). Not exactly defensive juggernauts between the two.

Not sure what it proves. I just like stats.

Not really disagreeing as the numbers you provided do say a lot. However, as you mentioned towards the end about not being sure what those numbers prove, there are so many different variables in play that common opponent comparisons don't always tell the whole story. I will say that RB injuries lately have played a big part in our rushing production, so much so that as many of you know we've pulled the shirt on a kid 8 games into the season. I also think that with our backup QB being out with an injury that they have limited Easton running the ball as well, and he usually contributes to those rushing totals. And this next statement isn't meant as trolling or to ruffle any feathers, but NDSU always has a huge target on their backs every time they take the field against anyone and teams get up for them probably more than anyone on their schedule. Those teams sell out like crazy to stop the run because they know that's what we do. From what I sense with some of your fans posts in this thread, the game plan of stopping the run will be the key to success against the Bison. I agree with this. I'm also a firm believer that when these two teams get together that anything that has happened up to this point doesn't mean a thing, it's a rivalry game after all. I'm getting more and more excited as Saturday approaches. Hoping for 60 minutes of clean hard hitting smash mouth football. Go Bison!

[WestSideRabbit]

Re: Game Week: North Dakota State University

the closer we get to game time, the more worried I get about the Bison. (which makes sense, as they are very good)

(however, with the way my "feelings" have gone this year... who knows?)

Just having trouble seeing the Jackrabbits scoring enough to beat them. Their defense is better than last year, and their offense is much better.

Here is the statistical breakdown of the offensive improvement in MVFC play...
2016 2017
Rushing YPG: 236 218
Passing YPG: 144 178
Points per game: 26.6 34.2


Defensively in MVFC play...
2016 2017
Rushing YPG: 106 94
Passing YPG: 206 143.4
Points per game: 13.2 12.2

In all fairness, they play the three best offenses in the conference over the final three weeks. Again, not sure what any of this means, but it is certainly interesting.