NSD a season for hope

[GreenGiant]

Even though I swore I would be more reserved in my hopes for next year, coach Barnum has roped me in again. I think considering the recent past of the program, he did a good job getting some recruits to sign with a program that had to be a difficult sell this year.

It sounds like he got a couple of good players from the high school level, and more importantly some transfers that should be able to step in an provide some help in key defensive positions. I am always a little suspicious of transfers, especially when one of them was a touted 4 star and moves down from UCLA. There must be a reason, and maybe it might be as innocent as he wasn't quite at the level that UCLA and others thought he would be, UCLA may have let him know that he was free to pursue other opportunities, and playing with a former teammate might be what he needs.

I actually like Barnum's comment about winning today, he completely understands what is at stake for him, but he doesn't sound like he is in panic mode (yet). They are plenty deep at O line, at least for a year, and he realized where the weak spots were defensively. I also think that bringing in a transfer QB especially one that can play immediately is a good move. If Kursea is everything he seems to be, it sounds like they need to give him a legitimate shot at winning the spot. If he does, they shouldn't look back.

 

[golfer]

:clap: :thumb: good post. I agree. This has become a do or die issue. We need to become relevant again. Only winning will do it.

 

[martymoose]

I am always a little suspicious of transfers, especially when one of them was a touted 4 star and moves down from UCLA. There must be a reason, and maybe it might be as innocent as he wasn't quite at the level that UCLA and others thought he would be, UCLA may have let him know that he was free to pursue other opportunities, and playing with a former teammate might be what he needs.

I usually raise an eyebrow on FBS transfers that didn't grow up around here or were not heavily recruited by us. Like you said, there's must be a reason.

One that comes to mind that seemed a bit odd at the time was DJ Adams. A kid that grew up in Norcross, GA and scored four TDs in a bowl game for an ACC (now Big Ten) team wants to transfer all the way across the country to go down a level to little old Portland State University?!?! I think we can all agreed that whatever his reason was for transferring was, it proved to have a very successful outcome.

 

[Guychamp]

I too was pleasantly surprised by the quality of commits. There's no doubt in my mind that we have the athletes to win in the BSC.

We cannot be out motivated, out coached, or out hustled if we are going to be winners in this conference. I think motivation will be better with the new coach who seems to have much more player support. I hope he learns to make the adjustments needed (play calling on both sides) to finish second half of games. Miserable failure in that regard last year. I also hope we find a QB that will not turn over the ball. That killed us more than once. I have high hopes once again for success.

We have a lot of quality players coming back on both sides of the ball. Staying healthy and focused will be key.

9 RBs on the roster might be a little heavy. It will limit touches and exposure this spring. Personally I'm not a fan of either QB or RB by committee. It's hard for the line to get in synch as each has a different style. When DJ carried the load, things seemed to be more consistent. Once a top guy emerges from the pack at QB and RB, I hope he sticks with him long enough for the O to get in a rhythm.

OK, enough archairing for a while. Good Job Staff, it had to be tough to recruit this year and they did well.

 

[GreenGiant]

I think giving the five scholarships (don't know if that's the exact number) went a long way to improving player morale. I am very familiar with one former player that constantly had smoke blown at him telling him to just keep working hard and things would all work out. He never saw much more than garbage time, and there were opportunities to give him more than that. Sometimes you have to look at the big picture, and even though Barnum (who I have been critical of in the past) could have probably used those five scholarships on players outside the program, he saw the value of using those in house. That is the kind of view that will win loyalty among his players, and he'll need that loyalty in close games to succeed.

 

[martymoose]

9 RBs on the roster might be a little heavy. It will limit touches and exposure this spring. Personally I'm not a fan of either QB or RB by committee. It's hard for the line to get in synch as each has a different style. When DJ carried the load, things seemed to be more consistent. Once a top guy emerges from the pack at QB and RB, I hope he sticks with him long enough for the O to get in a rhythm.

I would think that Martin and Morrison will probably redshirt. But I think you're right, we're still may be a little heavy at the RB position.

 

[bigskyconf]

One that comes to mind that seemed a bit odd at the time was DJ Adams. A kid that grew up in Norcross, GA and scored four TDs in a bowl game for an ACC (now Big Ten) team wants to transfer all the way across the country to go down a level to little old Portland State University?!?! I think we can all agreed that whatever his reason was for transferring was, it proved to have a very successful outcome.

A little bit of insight on Adams that I recall back then. Talking at the time with a few James Madison fans and they mentioned a mass exodus of players from Maryland, of which JMU got five transfers (no one really knew why the players left, but they could play right away by going down to FCS). It seems that Glanville of all people planted a seed with Adams before he signed with Maryland, so when Adams left Maryland, PSU was a possible destination.

As far as our signings, I am fairly impressed. I think Kuresa could be solid if they give him a chance. My usual concern is the flock of recruits leaving the metro area for other Big Sky programs. It's one thing to say we signed this many local kids, it is another if the best available Big Sky talent in Portland is still going to Montana and EWU without even looking at us.

 

[VikHoops]

Any word on anyone deciding to transfer out? I thought in the past the online roster has been pretty up to date... in looking at the 2014 vs 2015 rosters on goviks, it appears that the only guys who are gone were the seniors. Is it possible that nobody asked to transfer out after Burton was fired?

With everything going on, rumors swirling about the program online, and only having a 1 year deal, this can't be the easiest position to be in as far as recruiting. If he truly kept everyone here, and had the recruiting class that he seems to have, it's pretty impressive.