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I don't want to look ahead, but the Rockie Mountain News has a story about our old friends the UNC bears in today's online addition:
http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nc...229462,00.html
Depth woes sour UNC's transition year
Injuries, scholarship numbers handicap Bears' move to I-AA
By Pat Rooney, Special to the News
November 11, 2005
The University of Northern Colorado football team has elevated the quality of its schedule to a level on par with the school's new rivals in NCAA Division I-AA.
However, as UNC plows through the last half of its transition period from Division II, the Bears still do not have as many players on full scholarships as most of their new opponents.
That has been a difficult combination for the Bears to survive.
Northern Colorado, which has lost four of its past five games, will try to shake the hangover from a 44-0 loss Saturday at North Dakota State when it plays its final home game of the season Saturday against Sam Houston State (noon, Altitude).
"We've got no depth. I don't make excuses, but facts are facts," said Northern Colorado coach Kay Dalton, whose team finishes the season with Great West Conference road games against South Dakota State and UC Davis.
"I'm operating on 42 scholarships. North Dakota State did it right. Their first year of their transition, they went from 36 up to 53. I feel bad for my team for putting them through this and going into I-AA with no depth."
Dalton's point has become more apparent as injuries have ravaged the Bears defensive front. Depth problems began when middle linebacker Thomas Smith, who had 95 tackles last season, was lost for the season after a preseason knee injury.
Last week at North Dakota State, Northern Colorado had to play without two of its regular defensive linemen and lost a third during the game.
The Bears are 3-5 but have recorded two of their victories against Division II opponents, Fort Lewis and Colorado School of the Mines.
Northern Colorado's injury-riddled defense has allowed an average of 243.3 rushing yards a game against its past four Division I-AA opponents.
"It's a little bittersweet," senior cornerback and Loveland native Greg Gebhardt said. "There is a lot of pride in the UNC program. But last week hurt. That was as tough a loss as I've had.
"We have three games left to redeem ourselves and come out with a winning season, and I know there is no quit on this team."
It will be the final home game for Northern Colorado's nine seniors, a group of freshmen when the Bears reached the Division II semifinals in 2002.
Dalton cited the leadership of safety Reed Doughty, quarterback Nick Hager and guard Bradley Forbush for keeping the current crop motivated as the school navigated the often frustrating transition phase.
"Going to the Division II playoffs as a freshman was amazing," said Doughty, a four-year starter who will leave ranked among the school's all-time leaders in tackles, interceptions and fumble recoveries.
"But I wouldn't change anything from the past few years. We've actually played a lot better football, it's just that we've played much better teams." . . .
Funny SDSU and UC-Davis seem to be doing ok in I-AA with the same amount (SDSU) or less sholarships (UC-Davis). Don't get me wrong I hope we move up to 57 scholarships next season like has been rumored, and I agree having less does hurt your depth, but to blame UNC's lack of competitiveness the past two seasons on a limited amount of scholarshis just doesn't ring true to me. I've come to believe that much of Dalton's success at UNC was based on riding the coattails of Joe Glenn (heck of a coach) and as each year passes that is harder to do. The Bears are looking at a second losing season in a row unless they win out and that doesn't look likely.
Go State! ;D
http://rockymountainnews.com/drmn/nc...229462,00.html
Depth woes sour UNC's transition year
Injuries, scholarship numbers handicap Bears' move to I-AA
By Pat Rooney, Special to the News
November 11, 2005
The University of Northern Colorado football team has elevated the quality of its schedule to a level on par with the school's new rivals in NCAA Division I-AA.
However, as UNC plows through the last half of its transition period from Division II, the Bears still do not have as many players on full scholarships as most of their new opponents.
That has been a difficult combination for the Bears to survive.
Northern Colorado, which has lost four of its past five games, will try to shake the hangover from a 44-0 loss Saturday at North Dakota State when it plays its final home game of the season Saturday against Sam Houston State (noon, Altitude).
"We've got no depth. I don't make excuses, but facts are facts," said Northern Colorado coach Kay Dalton, whose team finishes the season with Great West Conference road games against South Dakota State and UC Davis.
"I'm operating on 42 scholarships. North Dakota State did it right. Their first year of their transition, they went from 36 up to 53. I feel bad for my team for putting them through this and going into I-AA with no depth."
Dalton's point has become more apparent as injuries have ravaged the Bears defensive front. Depth problems began when middle linebacker Thomas Smith, who had 95 tackles last season, was lost for the season after a preseason knee injury.
Last week at North Dakota State, Northern Colorado had to play without two of its regular defensive linemen and lost a third during the game.
The Bears are 3-5 but have recorded two of their victories against Division II opponents, Fort Lewis and Colorado School of the Mines.
Northern Colorado's injury-riddled defense has allowed an average of 243.3 rushing yards a game against its past four Division I-AA opponents.
"It's a little bittersweet," senior cornerback and Loveland native Greg Gebhardt said. "There is a lot of pride in the UNC program. But last week hurt. That was as tough a loss as I've had.
"We have three games left to redeem ourselves and come out with a winning season, and I know there is no quit on this team."
It will be the final home game for Northern Colorado's nine seniors, a group of freshmen when the Bears reached the Division II semifinals in 2002.
Dalton cited the leadership of safety Reed Doughty, quarterback Nick Hager and guard Bradley Forbush for keeping the current crop motivated as the school navigated the often frustrating transition phase.
"Going to the Division II playoffs as a freshman was amazing," said Doughty, a four-year starter who will leave ranked among the school's all-time leaders in tackles, interceptions and fumble recoveries.
"But I wouldn't change anything from the past few years. We've actually played a lot better football, it's just that we've played much better teams." . . .
Funny SDSU and UC-Davis seem to be doing ok in I-AA with the same amount (SDSU) or less sholarships (UC-Davis). Don't get me wrong I hope we move up to 57 scholarships next season like has been rumored, and I agree having less does hurt your depth, but to blame UNC's lack of competitiveness the past two seasons on a limited amount of scholarshis just doesn't ring true to me. I've come to believe that much of Dalton's success at UNC was based on riding the coattails of Joe Glenn (heck of a coach) and as each year passes that is harder to do. The Bears are looking at a second losing season in a row unless they win out and that doesn't look likely.
Go State! ;D
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