NDSU Spring 2021

[WestSideRabbit]

Time to move on past the Illinois State decision.

NDSU has been very good since they were embarrassed by SIU. They still aren't getting a ton of production from the QB position and their freshman QB Cam Miller may have injured his wrist on Saturday. In addition, their homerun hitting RB, Kobe Johnson, suffered a leg/ankle injury on a noncontact play. Speculation is an achilles injury. However, Hunter Luepke, their fullback returned against UND and had a monster game with 190 yards. The one thing that their QB Zeb Noland does well is throw the deep ball and Christian Watson has been his favorite target. They have two big and athletic tight ends that are good run blockers and reliable receivers. They'll likely try and run the ball 50+ times against us so our interior has to be ready, our linebackers have to fill correctly, and our safeties have to not let Watson or a tight end get behind them for a cheap score.

Their defense is good as always and plenty fast. Spencer Waege, Jackson Hankey, and Michael Tutsie are the players to watch, IMO.

Good special teams as usual. Entz has also shown a propensity to go for two on extra points in his two years as HC.

They play USD this week in Vermillion at 1pm and I wouldn't be shocked if they rushed for 350+ yards on that defense. Hopefully USD can make it a game and make NDSU play a full four quarters.

[Mr_Tibbs]

I feel like this NDSU team is going to have trouble chasing points if they get down early. I'm not sure how possible that is against their D, but they don't seem like a team built to come from behind. On one hand, it feels like there's blood in the water this year and we have the team to take it to them, but on the other hand, you can never underestimate the weird way the ball always bounces in the Fargodome. Should be 9000 plus at the game, making it, by far, the toughest road atmosphere qe have faced this spring.

For the first time in a long time, we don't have to worry about the QB run as much. I'd still be surprised if they don't go to it a few times, and I'm sur Zeb can scramble well enough with deep coverage to hurt us.

We have to force 3rd and long and hope we can get pressure fast enough onc3rd and long to hurt Noland's accuracy.

On offense, I'd like to believe we can sustain the momentum from Carbondale and ground pound these guys, but I think it'll be a tougher go. Mark and the WRs will need to have a clean game. I think our TEs will be the key, and it wouldn't shock me to have some designed packages for them this game now with Tucker healthy too.

Turnovers are going to kill us and simply can't happen. Same with special teams errors. I'm not sure if NDSU is the best team we will play this season, but I think we are going to have to play our most mistake free game to get the win. Based on what we've seen this season, if we play to our potential, and they play to theirs, I think we are the more complete team. But a few small mistakes might impact that outcome, so the team has to have even better focus than they did last week.

If we rush for more than 250 yards, I'll go Jacks, 28-14.
If NDSU holds TOP for 35 minutes or more: Bison 24-10

We haven't beat the Bison this decade by relying on the ground game, but I think this might be the one where we do it.

[Jackedforlife]

CoVid strikes and the bison/USeD game is cancelled.

[jakejc795]

CoVid strikes and the bison/USeD game is cancelled.

Would've been nice for the Valley to pre-empt WIU-USD game and re-schedule the Bison-USD game for 4/17, but I guess now the Jacks and Bison should play same number of conference games, assuming no other cancellations occur.

Hopefully the media can get details on when the Bison personnel tested positive, as it could have bearing on next Sat.

[Mr_Tibbs]

What a mess. How thisbimoacts playoffs, I'm not sure. It will change NDSU's win percentage, but they still have the extra win from the fall. How is this going to impact our game next week? Will it happen at all? How would that cancelation impact playoffs?

This sucks.

[jakejc795]

What a mess. How thisbimoacts playoffs, I'm not sure. It will change NDSU's win percentage, but they still have the extra win from the fall. How is this going to impact our game next week? Will it happen at all? How would that cancelation impact playoffs?

This sucks.

If Izzo's source is accurate, and Bison had positives on Wed. and allowed game to proceed, their protocol should be viewed with skepticism (if not sanction by Valley and/or NCAA)

[Mr_Tibbs]

Does the mere presence of a positive cause a shutdown, or is it a certain percentage with contract tracing? I heard they had 4 positives, which doesn't seem like enough to shut it down on its own.

[jakejc795]

Does the mere presence of a positive cause a shutdown, or is it a certain percentage with contract tracing? I heard they had 4 positives, which doesn't seem like enough to shut it down on its own.

The issue is that you have UND cancelling their game against YSU due to a positive test (well before the game), but NDSU not despite three to four positives in days prior.

This makes cancellations subjective, and if reports are accurate, the Jacks are going into a game against a team utilizing what appear to be weaker Covid protocols

[Mr_Tibbs]

The issue is that you have UND cancelling their game against YSU due to a positive test (well before the game), but NDSU not despite three to four positives in days prior.

This makes cancellations subjective, and if reports are accurate, the Jacks are going into a game against a team utilizing what appear to be weaker Covid protocols

So there isnt any standard procedure or threshold where you have to cancel? A team could have one positive and call it, while another could have a half dozen and not call it? That doesn't seem right based on Nick Hills press conference where he went through some of the roster allowances the league agreed to.

[jakejc795]

So there isnt any standard procedure or threshold where you have to cancel? A team could have one positive and call it, while another could have a half dozen and not call it? That doesn't seem right based on Nick Hills press conference where he went through some of the roster allowances the league agreed to.

What exactly did Nick Hill say, because the written reports I've linked to clearly suggest the postive tests/cancellations were handled differently by UND and NDSU?

Also, Nick Hill's "narrative" has reportedly differed from other Valley coaches (e.g., Nielson re. Redbird cancellation), and this is distinct from roster allowances

[Mr_Tibbs]

Hill mentioned that all teams agreed that if they had 53 players available for a game, they would play. He said there was debate about whether to count walk on towards that 53 or not, but that the league also set standards for how many in a position group woukd be okay to go forward, etc. Point being, unless the contract tracing has shown that the 4 positives would cause a major portion of them to quarantine, it doesn't seem to add up, for either UND or NDSU. I'm not claiming collusion or anything, just wondering why a game is cancelled if there were only 4 positives?

[THE PRIDE IS BACK!!!]

Hill mentioned that all teams agreed that if they had 53 players available for a game, they would play. He said there was debate about whether to count walk on towards that 53 or not, but that the league also set standards for how many in a position group woukd be okay to go forward, etc. Point being, unless the contract tracing has shown that the 4 positives would cause a major portion of them to quarantine, it doesn't seem to add up, for either UND or NDSU. I'm not claiming collusion or anything, just wondering why a game is cancelled if there were only 4 positives?

Probably contact tracing. Don't want to take the chance of a super-spreader throughout the program if others are sick from the 4 positives. Isolating the contacts until proven negative is the best way to keep their program afloat.

[jakejc795]

Probably contact tracing. Don't want to take the chance of a super-spreader throughout the program if others are sick from the 4 positives. Isolating the contacts until proven negative is the best way to keep their program afloat.

If that's the explanation and Izzo's report/timeline is accurate, NDSU's testing & tracing strategy is unique (and highly suspect) -- refuse to report/disclose the mid-week positives, travel, and have another positive on the road

[Mr_Tibbs]

https://mobile.twitter.com/JackIllus...21144216391680

Some tickets are still available for this game.. I assume if you buy and the game gets postponed to 4/17, your ticket is still good, so low risk. Could be as many as 9000 fans there, so every rabbit fan helps.

[WestSideRabbit]

Here is my preview of NDSU. The names are different but they still do what they do.

https://jackrabbitillustrated.blogsp...view-ndsu.html