• Hi Guest,

    We've updated the site to combine all the forums that were part of the Big Sky Fans Network into one location. This will make it easier to navigate and participate in all the discussions for each school without having to have multiple accounts, etc. We are still working out some tweaks but please let us know if you notice anything.

    With the migration, in some circumstances, your username could have been merged with one of your other usernames from the other forums. If this is the case, you can request to change your username in your account details page of your profile.
  • Hi Guest, want to participate in the discussions, keep track of read/unread posts and more? Create your free account and increase the benefits of your eGriz.com experience today!
  • Guest, do want an ad free experience on BigSkyFans.com among other benefits? Upgrade your account today!

    Simply click your profile name > account upgrades > BigSky Club > choose between the year long subscription (two free months) or month to month

    Thanks for the continued support. Cheers!

Week 12 - Sac State at Cal Poly

I’m fairly sure all that “secured” NIL money we have been hearing about is money that is intended to be available IF/WHEN we move up to FBS.
 
What have you seen this season that gives you confidence to say AT & Bobby will somehow fix this for next season?

If you know something that others on this page do not…. Please share how and where you see this upside for next season?
Long post alert!

I trust Coach Thompson and Coach Paulson will put their heads together and sort the defense out. As much as I hate the injury excuse, the defensive front hasn't been the same with Knott, Cashiola, and Jackson out. The secondary was always a mess and likely always will be, most FCS secondaries are. The challenge with the secondary is to just not be gawdawful and be advantageous with turnovers. The Hornet secondary was nabbing picks earlier in the year when the defensive front was getting pressure. That has disappeared since the front became much less effective...because of injuries. There will be some personnel issues to address this offseason at linebacker and defensive line due to graduation.

Coach Fresques is another matter. My thinking is if the coaches surround Conklin with enough talent, then he will continue to shine. I believe Conklin is that good that it's worth keeping a subpar play caller like Bobby around for at least one more season. Firing Bobbly likely sends Conklin into free agency and at this point I don't think that is worth the risk unless Andy has the inside track on bringing in an offensive coordinator with a proven quarterback in tow. Yes Conklin has some more development to go (mainly ball control when scrambling/running), but clearly he's the foundation to build around. As Conklin continues to gain experience and garners freedom to audible, this offense will be fine if the talent around him is there.

Offensive line will be solid so long as Coach Richardson is here. We're playing 2nd and 3rd stringers as starters now due to injuries and they are still holding their own. Conklin has seen pressure, but still has time to make plays. As bad as the play calling was against CP, Bobby called a lot of quick hitters to get the ball out of Conklin's hands quickly. In turn, Conklin was making the right reads and getting completions. In the run game, Bobby is just getting too fancy with misdirection and stretch plays, especially with so many starters out. Just let the big uglies up front pound forward and run the ball north and south for a handful of yards. A talented back will bounce it outside when the opportunity presents itself. Bobby can throw in an occasional fly sweep to placate his need to be cute in the running game.

We've got talent at running back, and will be fine if ETT declines the bags that will be thrown his way this offseason. Borders has promise but he needs to hit the weight room hard this offseason. I was hoping we'd get more looks at Morris the past few weeks, he seems to have good size and would appear to be useful between the tackles. I'm sure the coaches will hit the waiver wire for additions here but if we retain who is on the roster, the talent will be there for '25.

Biggest question mark is at receiver/tight end. Scudero is going to be the only notable starter returning. Gandy looks like a shell of his former self coming off those knee injuries and we haven't gotten much looks at the young receivers on the roster. At tight end, if Kuntz gets healthy and returns this offseason we'll be fine in '25. Flaig looks promising but he needs to bulk up or else he'll keep getting blown up on run plays. Coaches need to hit free agency hard here. An experienced upperclassman at receiver and/or tight end is a must have for next season.

Most people in this place are just looking at final scores, see the fall from the Taylor glory days and start spouting nonsense about "winning now" and "fire Andy and Bobby"...similar to last season even though this program was a playoff caliber team with postseason success. I refuse to join the doomer party for now. If we suck again next season, then yes, sign me up for the train to doomersville and fire everybody.
 
If any one who believes just banking on Conklin’s development and we’ll be ok next year is a moron.
Disagree. Name another freshman quarterback in this programs history that has displayed all the skillsets we've seen from Conklin so far. Biggest detriment we've seen is ball security, and that can get rectified.
 
Of course but the team doesn’t immediately get to upgrade players when they turn FBS
Correct. A wholesale overhaul of the athletic department and most of, if not all, of the athletic programs will need to happen. We'll have that conversation if/when we get an FBS invite.
 
Disagree. Name another freshman quarterback in this programs history that has displayed all the skillsets we've seen from Conklin so far. Biggest detriment we've seen is ball security, and that can get rectified.
Hmm, Conklin is in his second year with the program, Safron and Kham did really well early on with the program and we lost a lot then too. We’re in a 3-8 season and we just lost to fucking Cal Poly!! Stop ringing in praise to this season, it makes no sense.
 
Long post alert!

I trust Coach Thompson and Coach Paulson will put their heads together and sort the defense out. As much as I hate the injury excuse, the defensive front hasn't been the same with Knott, Cashiola, and Jackson out. The secondary was always a mess and likely always will be, most FCS secondaries are. The challenge with the secondary is to just not be gawdawful and be advantageous with turnovers. The Hornet secondary was nabbing picks earlier in the year when the defensive front was getting pressure. That has disappeared since the front became much less effective...because of injuries. There will be some personnel issues to address this offseason at linebacker and defensive line due to graduation.

Coach Fresques is another matter. My thinking is if the coaches surround Conklin with enough talent, then he will continue to shine. I believe Conklin is that good that it's worth keeping a subpar play caller like Bobby around for at least one more season. Firing Bobbly likely sends Conklin into free agency and at this point I don't think that is worth the risk unless Andy has the inside track on bringing in an offensive coordinator with a proven quarterback in tow. Yes Conklin has some more development to go (mainly ball control when scrambling/running), but clearly he's the foundation to build around. As Conklin continues to gain experience and garners freedom to audible, this offense will be fine if the talent around him is there.

Offensive line will be solid so long as Coach Richardson is here. We're playing 2nd and 3rd stringers as starters now due to injuries and they are still holding their own. Conklin has seen pressure, but still has time to make plays. As bad as the play calling was against CP, Bobby called a lot of quick hitters to get the ball out of Conklin's hands quickly. In turn, Conklin was making the right reads and getting completions. In the run game, Bobby is just getting too fancy with misdirection and stretch plays, especially with so many starters out. Just let the big uglies up front pound forward and run the ball north and south for a handful of yards. A talented back will bounce it outside when the opportunity presents itself. Bobby can throw in an occasional fly sweep to placate his need to be cute in the running game.

We've got talent at running back, and will be fine if ETT declines the bags that will be thrown his way this offseason. Borders has promise but he needs to hit the weight room hard this offseason. I was hoping we'd get more looks at Morris the past few weeks, he seems to have good size and would appear to be useful between the tackles. I'm sure the coaches will hit the waiver wire for additions here but if we retain who is on the roster, the talent will be there for '25.

Biggest question mark is at receiver/tight end. Scudero is going to be the only notable starter returning. Gandy looks like a shell of his former self coming off those knee injuries and we haven't gotten much looks at the young receivers on the roster. At tight end, if Kuntz gets healthy and returns this offseason we'll be fine in '25. Flaig looks promising but he needs to bulk up or else he'll keep getting blown up on run plays. Coaches need to hit free agency hard here. An experienced upperclassman at receiver and/or tight end is a must have for next season.

Most people in this place are just looking at final scores, see the fall from the Taylor glory days and start spouting nonsense about "winning now" and "fire Andy and Bobby"...similar to last season even though this program was a playoff caliber team with postseason success. I refuse to join the doomer party for now. If we suck again next season, then yes, sign me up for the train to doomersville and fire everybody.
I agree with a lot of your comments. However Bobby F isn’t in the best interest of our program as OC.

Bobby F can be QB Coach again. Focus on refining technique, game film review etc with QB’s. Mentor them. It’s his best fit!

We will not be a winning program at FBS with Bobby 3/4 of a game OC calling plays. He needs to check his ego and know his strength to the program,

If HC Thompson recruits well, gets his D fixed! And gets us an OC that can bring back play calling to maintain drives, Time of possession and deliver 30+ points of offense per game average we should be competitive.

Again that’s assuming HC Thompson gets Defense FIXED. If not then our OC needs to deliver more to offset his failed Defense.

Bobby F for QB Coach at the minmun
Charge to staff. (His best fit)

Richardson is great! Respect! (Add depth)

RB’s are solid. (More strength & conditioning)

Last season we barely made playoffs. We got beat by UCD as they began to improve and we had already began to decline.

Our conference is tough. Look how we handled the TX teams.

We need to build for FBS level staff. SJSU made a good pick! Montana St w Virgen solid, Montana is consistent without excuses. Respect!
 
Conklin is serviceable, but to be honest, the only player I think who had a good year consistently was Grover.

There are no standouts on this team anymore. No Pierre Williams, Marshel Martin, Fulcher, Ohara, Lynch, Mapu, etc.

The team is made up of not one player who is a cut above or performing a cut above. This has to do with coaching. Vanilla performing players who are playing for a vanilla coaching staff.

I sure hope Salerno is correct in his X post, I cant take another Moose type year. Not one positive phase of the program this campaign produced. Hell, Sears was better than this.
 
Buckle up for an epic ass whipping against FUCD, 54-13 in the last game played in Hornet stadium, cough, cough.

Think I will miss this game, my season is over. Better time spent doing yard work. Or shoveling up dog shit in the yard.
 
Conklin is serviceable, but to be honest, the only player I think who had a good year consistently was Grover.

There are no standouts on this team anymore. No Pierre Williams, Marshel Martin, Fulcher, Ohara, Lynch, Mapu, etc.

The team is made up of not one player who is a cut above or performing a cut above. This has to do with coaching. Vanilla performing players who are playing for a vanilla coaching staff.

I sure hope Salerno is correct in his X post, I cant take another Moose type year. Not one positive phase of the program this campaign produced. Hell, Sears was better than this.
And before stingthemasshat opens his pie hole, Conklin is a finalist for freshman award and Slater is a NFL pick, in my mind they didnt move the needle.
 
Conklin is serviceable, but to be honest, the only player I think who had a good year consistently was Grover.

There are no standouts on this team anymore. No Pierre Williams, Marshel Martin, Fulcher, Ohara, Lynch, Mapu, etc.

The team is made up of not one player who is a cut above or performing a cut above. This has to do with coaching. Vanilla performing players who are playing for a vanilla coaching staff.

I sure hope Salerno is correct in his X post, I cant take another Moose type year. Not one positive phase of the program this campaign produced. Hell, Sears was better than this.
GROVER has been a solid performer all season and last. Mature / Professional & Focused
 
Hmm, Conklin is in his second year with the program, Safron and Kham did really well early on with the program and we lost a lot then too. We’re in a 3-8 season and we just lost to fucking Cal Poly!! Stop ringing in praise to this season, it makes no sense.
I liked KHam, he didn't have an offensive line here. I pointed out his potential and caught flak for "ringing in praise" for him as well. KHam then transferred to UND and led them to the playoffs in a tougher conference.

Safron (he redshirted his first season here btw) developed into a stellar player here with lesser talent around him in his earlier seasons. Conklin is light years ahead of where Safron was as a redshirt freshman. The two have similar stat lines in their first full season as a starter (Safron's first full season was as a sophomore in '12), so you can see why I am "ringing in praise" for the promising quarterback we have now.
 
Conklin is serviceable, but to be honest, the only player I think who had a good year consistently was Grover.

There are no standouts on this team anymore. No Pierre Williams, Marshel Martin, Fulcher, Ohara, Lynch, Mapu, etc.

The team is made up of not one player who is a cut above or performing a cut above. This has to do with coaching. Vanilla performing players who are playing for a vanilla coaching staff.

I sure hope Salerno is correct in his X post, I cant take another Moose type year. Not one positive phase of the program this campaign produced. Hell, Sears was better than this.
Conklin is 4th in the BSC in passing yards and ETT is 6th in all purpose yards with 1 less game played than those above him on the list. Grover and Gipson are 6th and 7th in the BSC in receiving yards, respectively, with Scudero at 11th. 3 of the 5 players I mentioned have eligibility left.

You (and probably others) think we don't have any standouts...um no, we have multiple standout players but none of them have eye popping stats because all of these guys are getting touches...significant touches.
 
Safron (he redshirted his first season here btw) developed into a stellar player here with lesser talent around him in his earlier seasons. Conklin is light years ahead of where Safron was as a redshirt freshman.
Safron was a running QB, so was Thompson. Oil and water compared to Conklin.

:rolleyes:
 
What is up with this "make Fresques QBs Coach again" nonsense? How many coaches would just sit there and accept a demotion? He'll be out of here quick, just like any other coach with any sort of pride. Just look at what just happened with Daniel Jones with the Giants; sure, he's not a coach yet, but he had the pride to request his release after they sent him from starting quarterback to fourth-string safety. It'll be the same with Fresques.
 
What is up with this "make Fresques QBs Coach again" nonsense? How many coaches would just sit there and accept a demotion? He'll be out of here quick, just like any other coach with any sort of pride. Just look at what just happened with Daniel Jones with the Giants; sure, he's not a coach yet, but he had the pride to request his release after they sent him from starting quarterback to fourth-string safety. It'll be the same with Fresques.
Better to have him quit than fire him. The players would accept that easier. Retention, PRIDE isn’t a thing when you STINK at your job compared to peers in high level FCS.

If he was putting up 50 ppg then we’d never mention BF as OC.

We would be saying why is our DC giving up so many big plays. WT F…. Both OC & DC and WR coaches need to improve

He can be an OC in a lower division CFB or in a weaker FCS conference.
Semantics when you want somebody out of a position but you want both active roster and recruiter to feel he was treated with respect and dignity.

Honestly. I only care about our program getting back on track, consistency has been lost.

Accountability needs to be held to a high standard.

I like the coaches personally. Not an easy situation but this is the WINNING game sport!

No trophy last place! 🗑️🔥 (Dumpster Fire)
 

Latest posts

Back
Top