Montana just showed the blueprint for beating the Bison

[ysubigred]

  I watched this game also and it was a total beat down by the Bizon!! "IF" and "WHEN" they get the offense on track they'll be unstopable the final score was no indication of the domination. Funny how NDSU loses so much from last year and they continue to roll on without a hitch. 

[Dmorton]

That used to be us!  Reload, not rebuild.

[IAA Fan]

The blueprint to defeating the bison was shown in their loss to YSU in 2011. NDSU to establish their running patterns on offense. Once they established their comfort, we switched up to a HS run-stopping defense and the Bison lost. Think "Tresselball". Shut down any possibility of the run and dare them to beat you in the air.

- Zenner did not have a particularly strong game and Hess did. For those of you that remember, we put up well over 400-yards in offense.
-Again the Bison staff tried to adjust the run game & only managed 1 score (a FG) in the second half. We kept it close in the first-half.

So the key is make dramatic change, keep it close in the first half, and keep that pressure at the line on defense.


The reason NDSU lost was because they kept thinking they could re-establish the run game and did not throw again our porous pass coverage.  I am not sure those exact things can happen again, but we will need to find out.

[lakesbison]

Montana, the #4 team in FCS never led in this game. They lost 22-10. How on Earth did they show the blueprint for beating NDSU? They may have showed the blueprint for putting a scare into NDSU, but I fail to see how never leading in the game, and being held scoreless in the 2nd half revealed a blueprint for beating NDSU.

Remember, this was the #4 team in FCS that faced the Bison on Saturday.

Of course NDSU can be beaten. ANY team can be beaten. And, it would not surprise me if NDSU were to lose a game in the MVFC this season. Just not sure how this game provided a blue print on how to beat NDSU? If anything, this game showed how well the coaching staff and players can adjust at halftime, and then put those adjustments to work in the 2nd half. It also proved NDSU once again has a great defense.

Great point here, hell if NDSU trades 1 of those 5 FGS for a TD and its 26-10 or 29-10 with 2.....and everyone talks about a blowout.

NDSU is not invinceable, but dam close, especially with our defense.

[IAA Fan]

Lake, look at my previous post. The fact that the Bison had 5 FG's shows a big weakness. So obviously your offense is weaker against the .05 and .10 packages, typically run in the red-zone. Same thing in 2011 YSU game. We lined up in a good-old smash-mouth defense and your run game collapsed.

At that point, we need to rely on our secondary to work without the aid of the LB's; which they have yet to be able to do under coach W. This is why we complain on this board every weak about are secondary. The fact that YSU runs a finesse game means that we are never going to be able to line-up and shut a team down on defense ...while adapting to score points on offense. Until this happens, we are never going to compete in this conference. Do you know that we defeated McNeese in '97, in a game that featured only 1 TD and a combined 130-yards rushing? The teams were ranked #1 & #2 in rushing ...and #1 and #3 in defense going into the game.

No I do not favor that style of offense, but the results speak for themselves. The Bison do nothing fancy ...well until this year and even that is somewhat limited ...they just win football games.

Georgia Southern took it from EKU.
YSU took it from GA Southern.
Appy State took it from YSU
NDSU took it from Appy State.

Coordinators have to try and stop"fooling" other teams to win games. Instead try "out performing" the other teams. As YSU's coach H and coach T used to say ...who cares if they know what's coming if your opponent cannot stop it.

[HappyPenguin]

Lake, look at my previous post. The fact that the Bison had 5 FG's shows a big weakness. So obviously your offense is weaker against the .05 and .10 packages, typically run in the red-zone. Same thing in 2011 YSU game. We lined up in a good-old smash-mouth defense and your run game collapsed.

At that point, we need to rely on our secondary to work without the aid of the LB's; which they have yet to be able to do under coach W. This is why we complain on this board every weak about are secondary. The fact that YSU runs a finesse game means that we are never going to be able to line-up and shut a team down on defense ...while adapting to score points on offense. Until this happens, we are never going to compete in this conference. Do you know that we defeated McNeese in '97, in a game that featured only 1 TD and a combined 130-yards rushing? The teams were ranked #1 & #2 in rushing ...and #1 and #3 in defense going into the game.

No I do not favor that style of offense, but the results speak for themselves. The Bison do nothing fancy ...well until this year and even that is somewhat limited ...they just win football games.

Georgia Southern took it from EKU.
YSU took it from GA Southern.
Appy State took it from YSU
NDSU took it from Appy State.

Coordinators have to try and stop"fooling" other teams to win games. Instead try "out performing" the other teams. As YSU's coach H and coach T used to say ...who cares if they know what's coming if your opponent cannot stop it.

I miss those days 

[Lets_Talk]

1AA Fan, I would also include Marshall and Montana, plus put Georgia Southern as the dominate team a 2nd time(98,99,00).

Georgia Southern took over from EKU
YSU and Marshall took over from Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern then took dominance back, with titles in 98,99 and 00
App State and Montana then took over from Ga Southern... I included Montana because they made the Title game in 00(lost), 01(won), 04(lost), 08(lost) and 09(lost). 

Then NDSU took over in 2011, although they also made the playoffs in 2010, the 3rd season in which they were eligible:

Marshall deserves credit as a dominant program for making the NC game in 91,92,93,95,96 even if they went only 2-3 in those 5 games. Five Title games in Six years is a great accomplishment(Marshall also made Title game in 87 and lost 43-42 to NE Louisiana. YSU is T3rd with Marshall at 6 title game appearances.

Montana deserves credit for making the Title game in 95(win), 96(loss), 00(loss), 01(win), 04(loss), 08(loss), and 09(loss).... that is 7 trips to Title Game from 95-09, with 4 different HC's leading the team to the NC game. Also, with Montana making the playoffs every year from 93-09, several teams had to go through Montana to win an NC Title, or get to the Title game. YSU beat Montana in the 94 semi-finals at home, and in the 99 1st round at Montana. Nny program that can make the playoffs 17 years in a row, and the NC game 7 times in those 17 years deserves to be mentioned among the teams that had impressive runs in FCS football.

The only team to make the Finals more than Montana is Georgia Southern with 8.

[IAA Fan]

Good points Talk. I should have said that every coach patterns his team off of another ...like a blue print. Coach Tressel admits he patterned his team off of Georgia Southern. GSU was a high-powered independent team, with an option offense. At that time, Marshall was already in the SoCon. (in fact it was Marshall that kept GSU out of the SoCon, much like they kept YSU from entering the MAC ...but that has already been covered.) Tressel initially patterned himself off of EKU, as we were in the same conference.

Each of those teams patterned themselves. In fact, the senior Harbaugh admits that he adjusted WKU to be just like YSU, as Tressel had converted to the guins the pro-set, so Harbaugh was very smart & took our older (much more effective) style. The result was a national championship for them.

The rest of those clubs all played the same style of ball that GASouthern started years ago. Each having tremendous success.

[penguinpower]

I watched the entire game.   NDSU is vulnerable this year.  We are better than Montana on the LOS on both sides of the ball.  Montana has a better QB than us and he was able to extend plays but we will be able to provide better protection to ours.  They also have one exceptional skill guy but we have multiple good skill guys.  Overall we are better and match up better and we are better equipped to beat NDSU. 

NDSU's qb had all day to throw and he missed people.  They are hiding their qb's weaknesses in their run game. They dont let him make the throws they let Jensen take. 

NDSU's defense showed vulnerability on the edge and deep down the middle.   Montana had the right game plan but they didn't have the horses.  Now that I've had the opportunity to watch several ranked teams and top 10 teams I realize how well we stack up against the best and the news is very good.   Our biggest issue will be depth and piss poor management of the game.  As long as we can stay healthy going into play the best teams in the Valley we have a chance to get through with excellent results.  Our kids just need to believe it, which up to this point under Wolford it appears they start doubting when faced with adversity. 
The Missouri Valley is heads and shoulders better than anyone else.  The road to the national championship goes through the valley and we have a chance.   

BTW I can't believe I just wrote that but I had a night to sleep on it and I am still thinking the same way.  We still have to eliminate the defensive lapses and play an entire game....
That still holds true.

I  resurrecting this because there is is more evidence that NDSU is extremely vulnerable.   We have a good shot at them this year.  Our defense was good enough to cover up our offensive and special teams deficiencies.   We had pressure on their qb all day against their all conference OL.  Use of time outs was vastly impoved.  We need to get rid of the ball faster on punts or we will have another one blocked.  Has anyone looked at the box score?  Complete domination.   We made their Qb look really bad and we were able to contain him which is another stunning head scratcher when comparing the last several years.  Play calling must improve especially after halftime.   I think they should have two game plans......One for dealing with adjustments and one to stick to what is working (if it's still working).  That was an impressive win and we definitely have a shot to win this conference with an average qb.  Recall Demond Tidwell....average at best but surrounded by excellent OL and skill players.  We just can't make stupid mistakes.   As I said before maybe we aren't as good on offense this year but we are better on defense and we are not as good on special teams but we are drastically more well rounded than we've ever been under Wolford.

[seanbryan3]

I agree that NDSU is vulnerable. They are the not the same NDSU from the past couple seasons. Very winnable game, and beatable team.. But we just need to take one game at time right now, as the last couple years we hit a  rut in each of the seasons that crushed playoff hopes.

[lakesbison]

if NDSU scores a TD on those 5 FG possessions everyone is talking about a 26-10 game or 30-10 game. real deceiving actually.

NDSU choked in the red zone, period.     

To beat NDSU you need to match them physically and outsmart them with some ingenious plays.

[penguinpower]

if NDSU scores a TD on those 5 FG possessions everyone is talking about a 26-10 game or 30-10 game. real deceiving actually.

NDSU choked in the red zone, period.     

To beat NDSU you need to match them physically and outsmart them with some ingenious plays.

NDSU's qb is inexperienced and they are trying to hide it with their complete emphasis on the run game this year.   That is a fact and the reason they didn't get into the end zone.   However the defense is up to their normal standard.

Your lack of offense made Montana look better than  they are

[ScarletRook]

To beat NDSU you need to match them physically and outsmart them with some ingenious plays.

I don't think many teams will outsmart them.