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Post by #1CoyoteFan (Admin) on Jan 30, 2011 0:44:23 GMT -6
This is what is disturbing to me and isn't targeted at one individual in particular. I realise that most want to be hopefull but don't mistake blind faith with reality here. There is almost no real indication that USD is about to play this schedule at 8-3 or even 7-4. That is just not realistic. Lets face it the Wisconsin and Air Force games are each to be considered a 90% chance of a loss of greater. Neither is a Minnesota and the stars had to allign near perfectly for USD to walk out of TCF Bank Stadium with a win. For USD to even finish 7-4 they would need to go 7-2 with the rest of the schedule. I think it's amazing that people would count the game in Grand Forks as a win. What has it been, since at least 1980 something since USD has won up there. I put the odds of a win even if things are looking "up" as no greater than a 33% probability. Right now it's a 20% probability. The Big 3 at home that are considered swing games are against E. Washington, UC-Davis and Southern Utah. USD has not been able to win all their games at home for a few years now and the odds of them winning all 3 are well below 50%. The logical conclusions point to a down year. With what is coming back at the key positions combined with the off season momentum, combined with a new DC I would like to know what elements about this team should we conclude are going to get better. The part of this team that stands out like a sore thumb and screams poor coaching is the certain but steady decline of a young football team through a season that should have gained momentum, not lost it. To not capitilize on the biggest win, prehaps in program history, is alarming. USD should become better by playing games against Minnesota and Northern Iowa but for whatever reason the program gets beaten and battered by them instead and generally regresses from them instead of building from it. I was completely shocked by 2 games. The game at S. Utah with a potential share of the conference title on the line should have brought out the very best and an urgency in the team. Instead quite the opposite. It's like the team didn't understand the significance of the game and what a win could mean. Then to go play the kind of game to end the season at Lamar shows me that the Yotes were much more in the mindset of wanting to put the pads away rather than taking care of business in a game most thought they should win by a comfortable margin. USD under Meierkort is not a team that can play a difficult schedule with minimal cupcake games and come through it strong. They have never proven they are able to do it so why should we be assuming they will suddenly start in 2011. They say the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect a different result. We have our same team and to expect better than 6-5, well you draw the conclusion. Bottom line is that the USD program should have moved in a new direction in the off season so the real opportunity to do something in the FCS ranks will just have to wait at least another season. Coyote Fan, as much as I think 7-4 would be tough to get, it isn't unrealistic since USD does have the talent to do it. If you don't believe me, was it realistic for Indiana State win six games after winning only one game over three years prior to that? Oh, and they were 2-60 as well. Riddle me this..... You tell me USD hasn't won up in Grand Forks in how long? That is true, but Indiana State hadn't won anywhere until this year, and USD is ripe for the picking anywhere this year. I will say this is Ed's do or die year with this schedule. If they are not competitive against EWU and if they drop games a combination of two games like UC Davis, Lamar, UND and Southern Utah, then the writing is on the wall. But, it isn't unrealistic to think USD can go 7-4. Difficult yes, unrealistic, no.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Jan 30, 2011 0:59:25 GMT -6
#1 CF,
Good post. I can't disagree with much of what you said. I think the talent is there on parts of the team and maybe not so much on others. What the Yotes need to do is show up week in and week out and stop having head scratcher games like Lamar and S. Utah. That is really on Ed and the preperation. When I was watching hoops tonight it was very refreshing to see the Yotes come through in the clutch. To take control of the game when it's all on the line. I would love nothing more for the football team to do the same. I am predicting doom and gloom but I will remind predicting and hoping are two different things.
I want this team to win the national title in 2013. When the Yotes run out of that tunnel during their first year of eligibility I don't want it to come without the fans truley saying that they believe the team is close to realizing that. It may seem like a stretch but there is no reason the team should not set that as a goal and play every game like it's urgent and a part of the entire picture of making a serious run at winning it all. I think alot of the urgency in the program is missing right now. I hope we as fans expect to win a national title. It may not happen but without the team believing it can win it all, it certainly won't happen.
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Post by #1CoyoteFan (Admin) on Jan 30, 2011 1:05:03 GMT -6
Yes, I want the team to win a championship, but it takes more than just believing the team can win a championship. Everything has to go right, including luck, remember that as well. (This post was meant in no disrespect or argument, just fun).
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Post by Coyote Fan on Jan 30, 2011 1:16:47 GMT -6
I agree that it does take some luck, just look at Eastern Washington. They needed to beat NDSU in OT to make the semi-final and obviously had a great second half comeback in the national title game. Throughout the year I am not sure that they were a top 10 team. Maybe, maybe not but they did get the breaks and took advantage of home field as well. They got an extra home game or two because of potential higher seeds getting beat before them. They had the stars lineup for sure. That is not to discredit their accomplishments though because I kind of like them and they definately had a good team, probably in that #5-#15 range in the country. I definately like their black and red uniforms. My favorite two colors.
Hey CF#1 were getting along tonight. It's been awhile. :-)
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dozy
Freshman Member
Posts: 2
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Post by dozy on Jan 30, 2011 10:19:53 GMT -6
Great to see EWU on your schedule! I'm a NW Iowa kinda guy (went to Northwestern College in Orange City) now in Washington and am looking forward to seeing you in September.
You'll find our fans to be fun, enthusiastic, sarcastic on the boards, but not disrespectful. The best thing about us is we aren't anything like NDSU fans (I've never met a bigger bunch of A-holes!!).
We really are bringing back most of our National Championship team. Gonna miss JC Sherritt at LB but the rest of the defense is back. Also, we're gonna miss Taiwan Jones but got used to playing without him as he often watched from the sidelines with injury. He was the most electric FCS player I'd ever seen. Proved we could win without him, though. It'll be fun to see him in the NFL.
Likely will be coming in looking for our first win of the season after playing at the University of Washington the week before. I'm guessing the boys will be hungry.
See you soon (I'm actually flying into Sioux Falls this Thursday!). Looking forward to playing in the Dome!!
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Post by Yote 53 on Jan 30, 2011 11:59:28 GMT -6
USD graduated 5 players from last years team. We were very young last year and with youth comes inconsistency. Next years team will be more experienced and more mature. That makes a huge difference and can turn those close games that we lost into close games that we win. Experience and maturity will make the most difference on the D line, which we all can agree was a big weakness last season.
That is the reason, I believe, many of us believe good things for next season.
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Post by GoYotes on Feb 3, 2011 17:51:03 GMT -6
Mick stated in today's live chat that Lamar is trying to get out of making the return trip to the Dome this coming fall. Anybody know any details?
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Post by BisonKent on Feb 16, 2011 5:41:06 GMT -6
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Post by pierreyote on Feb 16, 2011 7:34:35 GMT -6
Interesting. I see SDSU had to pay 180k for SUU. If that is the going rate for a FCS team then I would assume we might see a lower level team as a replacement. Too bad they bailed after we announced and so late in the off season when most teams have their schedule filled out. This seems to happen and not much you can do when you are the return game short of demanding a huge buyout.
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Post by Yote 53 on Feb 16, 2011 8:32:54 GMT -6
I heard they had to pay heavy for that buyout. Lamar screwed us on this deal, I don't see us ever calling them again.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Feb 16, 2011 9:37:06 GMT -6
As far as Lamar is concerned USD needs to learn from this as they have been screwed out of a return trip at least 3 times if not more. They need to set the buyout very high. It's kind of sad that a first year program is doing this to us. As part of the buyout it was agreed that we will launch a few intercontinental balistic missles pointed their way with a payload of Missouri River water waste, more specifically directly from the Vermillion sewer system.
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Post by yotemeal on Feb 16, 2011 9:53:04 GMT -6
Instead of Lamar playing us away, they're hosting something called "Incarnate Word," which is a D-II school that finished last season 3-8. An exciting development for Cardinal Nation.
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Post by Yote 53 on Feb 16, 2011 10:21:41 GMT -6
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Post by #1CoyoteFan (Admin) on Feb 16, 2011 13:46:03 GMT -6
Luckily it wasn't Eastern Washington, but I don't know how big the buyout was. This is a contract from the Nielsen era and even though I bet the contract buyout was high, I am not for sure.
Maybe USD just shouldn't trust Southland Conference teams at all. McNeese and Lamar and West Texas A&M (not a SCC team, but still). This sucks, but won't have to worry about this much longer thankfully with being in the MVFC at least. That's the good news i guess?
BTW, how can a program get an ego after one year, jeez. This is why I dislike all Texas football.
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Post by yotefan on Feb 16, 2011 15:40:19 GMT -6
I have been away too long. Coyote Fan's message about launching an ICBM full of waste water in Lamar's direction showed me how much I have been missing. =)
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