Week 7 - vs. North Dakota

[AlumniWSU]

This Wildcat football season's roller coaster ride continues, 6pm (last night game) Stewart Stadium, vs. North Dakota (former Sioux maybe soon to be "Roughriders" or "Sundogs" or "Fighting Hawks", supposed vote this month). North Dakota's football team's 1st ever visit to Ogden; the "whatevers" are 4-2 / 2-1 BSC and lost to Idaho State in Grand Forks (Bengals 1st BSC win). Will the 3-3 / 2-1 Weber State Wildcats still be UP for this one?

 

[WILDCAT]

Beware the dreaded Montana hangover

 

[talhadfoursteals]

What can we expect from the no-names?

 

[talhadfoursteals]

Looks like UND dropped a tough one to Idaho State last week. The no-names were leading virtually the entire game and ISU came back behind the arm of Micahael Sander's and his 427 yards of passing. ISU had 53 yards rushing. Actually, throughout the season, the strength of UND has been their defense, especially their rush defense.

Wyoming: 29
Drake: 38
NDSU: 115
UCD: 67
PSU: 97

Weber might need to go through the air a little more this week to get the running game going.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

Looks like UND dropped a tough one to Idaho State last week. The no-names were leading virtually the entire game and ISU came back behind the arm of Micahael Sander's and his 427 yards of passing. ISU had 53 yards rushing. Actually, throughout the season, the strength of UND has been their defense, especially their rush defense.

Wyoming: 29
Drake: 38
NDSU: 115
UCD: 67
PSU: 97

Weber might need to go through the air a little more this week to get the running game going.

WOW, could we ask for anything better? :facepalm: Pencil me in as worried.

 

[oldrunner]

You are looking at their poor pass D as a bad thing for WSU. I'm looking at it as an opportunity to make a little progress in that area of our game. I'm sure we will be trying to run as well.

What ever happens, it should be an interesting game. Our D is fairly stout. Let's see what the Prairie Chickens can throw our way. (If they don't have a name, I will call them anything I want.) :lol:

 

[WILDCAT]

University of North Dakota's first trip to Ogden Utah for a football game, I think we can expect a defensive game, there is a 50 % chance of rain Saturday which could create a two sided ground game. We know North Dakota has a stout run D so our linemen are going to need to work a little harder to open up running lanes for our RB's, and if we are forced to throw (Heaven forbid) please throw smart. Turnovers are killers and we don't need another SUU up in this place. I'm not gonna predict a score or winner, all I'm gonna say is


GO WILDCATS

 

[talhadfoursteals]

http://www.weberstatesports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=8600&ATCLID=210416498" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Game Notes.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

Unless you have a lights out defense like Portland State or North Dakota, you must be able to score points to win games in the Big Sky. --SkylineSports

Scoring Offense / Scoring Defense:
19.2 - WSU / 23.8 - UND
22.5 - UND / 27.2 - WSU

All other things being equal (which nothing is :lol: ) I give UND a 4 point advantage.

 

[talhadfoursteals]

Coach Hill's interview on 1280

http://1280thezone.com/index.php/story/read/jake_tony_jay_hill_weber_state_head_football_coach6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One thing of interest is his comment about our passing game. He said that it has to get better. He knows it is an issue and he wants to see it improved. He didn't mention changing out any QBs or utilizing a dual approach more fully, but did comment on the lack of a passing attack right now. He said he was pleased with Jadrian's running ability on Saturday, but that we have got to improve our passing game.

In my opinion, he is going to challenge UND to stop our rush, but will threaten them, more than UM, with our passing. He's probably going to have to. UND is only allowing 66 yards per game on the ground. I'm Interested to see who will be doing our passing, because to become consistently successful the Cats have got to become two-dimensional on offense. Jadrian has got to get better passing the ball, if he is going to stay our starting QB.

 

[bincitysioux]

Hey, I think this is my first post here in the football forum. Have enjoyed talking hoops with you guys the last few years though.

UND is coming into this game really banged up. Both of our starting safeties were out against ISU. That's a problem for us because we struggle against the pass. One is out for the year but hopefully we get one of them (#8, Cole Reyes) back this week. He is either our first or second best defensive player. Really missed him last week. Sounds like he is a gametime decision. Also lost a starting LB two weeks ago for the season.

On offense, we lost our best offensive lineman for the year two weeks ago. To make things worse, our starting QB left the ISU game early with a leg injury. That's bad for us because he can run it, and is 6-2 in his last 8 starts. Sounds like he is a gametime decision as well. The backup QB is solid though as a passer, but is no threat to run.

From what I see, this is a decent matchup for us. I'm confident that Weber won't be able to run the ball against us. That doesn't mean we won't give up big plays through the air though. We struggle there.

We really need to establish a run game to be successful. If we do I like our chances. If you take that away from us, that will be a big problem for us. Regardless of who starts at QB for us, we don't have very good receivers. They are slow, possession type guys. We have one fast WR on the roster that can stretch the field, but he has been out since the opener. I hear he is close, but have been hearing that for a couple weeks now. When we do pass, we like to get our tight ends involved.

I think it will be close and entertaining game.

 

[oldrunner]

Welcome back, bincity.

I think you are right. This thing will likely be close and interesting. It will most likely be a defensive struggle, and may well come down to the kick game. I like our chances in a kick game. If we suddenly find our passing game, not likely, it could change the dynamic entirely.

A little rain won't change things a lot. A downpour would.

Our injuries have been similar. One of our top O linemen and our top runningback have been out all season. One of our starting safeties has missed the last couple of games. We have also had some injuries in the linebacking corps. We have WRs with decent speed. Problem is that they have hands of stone. Maybe we can get them some stickum for the game. It will need to be industrial strength. If we have many more drops, we will be forced to get a cell phone business license. Usually a teams best hands are in the receiving corp. Ours are in our DBs. :roll: :roll:

 

[SWWeatherCat]

The threat of bad weather is looking similar to the SUU game-- not an organized storm pushing through, just a chance for some t-storms. The forecast right now is for a slight chance of little rain, with a better chance or more significant storminess on Sunday. I highly doubt weather will be factor in this game.

I worry about this match-up. UND struggles with the pass; WSU can't throw. UND shuts down the run; WSU can't throw. I expect the defense to hold their own unless they quit again (see SUU) because of an inept offense. The SUU game screwed up a nice point differential pattern WSU had going after six games for the last three seasons. The big 2013 to 2014 improvement is highly defined by the two 70 point shellackings in 2013 but it's nice to see the trend continue in 2014 to 2015, despite the SUU debacle.

YEAR | PPGF | PPGA | PDiffPG
2015 | 19.2 | 27.2 | -8.0
2014 | 20.7 | 34.5 | -13.8
2013 | 15.2 | 49.2 | -34.0

 

[talhadfoursteals]

http://www.standard.net/Weber-State/2015/10/15/weber-state-north-dakota-football-preview.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Decent write up by Garside.

Also: http://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/20874-weber-state-predictions/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The no-namer fans predicting scores.

Really nothing has changed too much from last year to this year between these teams. Last year Weber went into Grand Forks and beat North Dakota by throwing the ball. Effectively?? Well, not exactly, but just enough to get the W. The Cats rushed for 41 yards on 36 carries. North Dakota couldn't really pass the ball last year, but did have a decent day on the ground. I heard that their starting QB got injured last week and so they are going to be playing a guy who can't run as well, but is a far better passer. From what I can gather from their own fans, the reason they run so much, is because their WR's aren't the best and so, there really aren't a lot of options. Also, from the sounds of things the starting QB is their next best rusher after the freshman phenom who is getting the majority of carries.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

Last year Weber went into Grand Forks and beat North Dakota by throwing the ball. Effectively?? Well, not exactly, but just enough to get the W. The Cats rushed for 41 yards on 36 carries.

Last year Jadrian threw 19 of 31 for 235, 7.3 per throw, 3 TDs, and 1 pick-- respectable. Vs SUU, Weber was bound and determined to run between tackles against a solid run D. At UM, I thought Weber mixed it up offensively as well as any game this year and obviously found success running the ball. I really hope they don't EVER follow the SUU game plan again, but mix up some passing schemes to setup the run against a stiff UND run D.

 

[Born2BleedPurpleGuy]

Our D gas been pretty good this year but , so has theirs. We are giving up 27.16 ppg. North Dakotas D is giving up 23.83 ppg. That's only a 4 point difference so we are pretty close there. Our D has got to be consistent, create turnovers & havok throughout this game.
On the other side of the coin, we will most likely need 28 points MINIMUM to win this game so the offense as a whole gets to step up and play stellar. Thats a big task for this offense...based on results. I feel that the D will take care of business Saturday. It's time for the O to git errr done! Score: 34-24, Wildcats.

 

[SWWeatherCat]

Around the BSC:

1-5 UCDavis, who played @UND tough, gave vsUM fits, and beat vsNAU last week, down @UNC 0-21 in the 1st. The wacky sky continues....

 

[WILDCAT]

Around the BSC:

1-5 UCDavis, who played @UND tough, gave vsUM fits, and beat vsNAU last week, down @UNC 0-21 in the 1st. The wacky sky continues....

35-0 Bears over the Aggies now, Wacky Big Sky indeed :shocking:

Also Montana State up 14-7 over Portland State on Altitude

 

[ncaafootball]

Anything less than a 6 win season would be a failure.

I understand that the genius Clark the OC is planning on running the ball down the throats of UND today! I guess he thinks like others of you that WSU has a running game??? He and the rest of you are out of your minds! A team that has a running game doesn't have to punt nine straight series in row in the second half of the Montana game if you really have a running game!

Prediction, Clark tries to establish the run game time and time again and wakes up in the middle of the third quarter and finally realizes WSU doesn't have a run game. Let's face it, Clark isn't any good. He is somewhere between 45-50 in age, has been a coach is whole life and he finds himself as OC of the worst offense in the mighty big sky conference, making 72k a year living the dream in a shack in North Ogden....great ability and great accomplishment!

Clark the OC is solely responsible for WSU not having a QB. It's not like we have had any QB's get hurt or kicked out of school, hell we have 5 on the current roster. If he inherited bad QB's when he arrived he should of run the bad ones out and recruited capable JC's or transfers to come in. He brought in his hand selected transfer QB and he is a major bust and is now playing TE.

 

[WILDCAT]

Portland State ties it up 14-14, very little defense in this one,

speaking of very little defense UC Davis down 42-0 and its not even halftime yet