2021 SMSU Mustangs

[SW_Mustang]

Sauter seems very invested in the program. Not sure whats being said this year.

I get that impression too. He's also a dedicated community guy, IMO. He loves living here and doesn't seem like he wants to leave, whereas a lot of coaches might have. And, for what it's worth, he is primed to become the all-time winningest coach in SMSU history. Granted, that won't come with an above .500 record, but it's still worth mentioning.

As for my opinion, I think we need to sit back and see how a few external factors play out. The new president hit the ground running before COVID completely stopped everything, so I want to see how the admin handles things as we come out of it. We also have a new interim AD who may or may not be the full-time guy moving forward. Then COVID still being an ongoing situation...

[SW_Mustang]

Here's an interesting numbers breakdown going back to when Blake Gimbel got hurt against MSUM in 2017.....

We won that game to move to 1-1. Barely beat Minot the next week. That 2-1 start pushed us to 15-10 (.600) over 2.25-year period. But since then, we were 7-26 (.212) going into Saturday's win over UMary.

IMO, that injury really ended our run of stable QBs who could anchor the offense. We had Peschong, Kern, and Gimbel for the vast majority of the years prior. Curiously, based on your stat, it didn't seem to hinder us that much to start with. Obviously the team is more than just the QB, but it's worth noting.

This is the QB timeline from 2017 - now:

(2017) Gimbel - Wilkie - (2018) Gimbel - (2019) Nava - Bouman - (2021) Haidet/Nava(?)

Both Haidet/Nava are seniors, so that means we get another new QB in 2022 - which right now would be Jakob Olson, who would then also be a senior, I believe.

[Twincitiesmav]

IMO, that injury really ended our run of stable QBs who could anchor the offense. We had Peschong, Kern, and Gimbel for the vast majority of the years prior. Curiously, based on your stat, it didn't seem to hinder us that much to start with. Obviously the team is more than just the QB, but it's worth noting.

This is the QB timeline from 2017 - now:

(2017) Gimbel - Wilkie - (2018) Gimbel - (2019) Nava - Bouman - (2021) Haidet/Nava(?)

Both Haidet/Nava are seniors, so that means we get another new QB in 2022 - which right now would be Jakob Olson, who would then also be a senior, I believe.

You guys might be better off developing a freshman QB to start for multiple seasons.

[SW_Mustang]

You guys might be better off developing a freshman QB to start for multiple seasons.

Yeah, I think so too...

Seems to me that we're having trouble keeping QBs down the depth chart to be able to develop as of late. I think the transferring just comes down to youthful arrogance and/or entitlement, but I'm also not in the locker room.

[MrMustang]

Here's an interesting numbers breakdown going back to when Blake Gimbel got hurt against MSUM in 2017.....

We won that game to move to 1-1. Barely beat Minot the next week. That 2-1 start pushed us to 15-10 (.600) over 2.25-year period. But since then, we were 7-26 (.212) going into Saturday's win over UMary.

yep

[MrMustang]

I get that impression too. He's also a dedicated community guy, IMO. He loves living here and doesn't seem like he wants to leave, whereas a lot of coaches might have. And, for what it's worth, he is primed to become the all-time winningest coach in SMSU history. Granted, that won't come with an above .500 record, but it's still worth mentioning.

As for my opinion, I think we need to sit back and see how a few external factors play out. The new president hit the ground running before COVID completely stopped everything, so I want to see how the admin handles things as we come out of it. We also have a new interim AD who may or may not be the full-time guy moving forward. Then COVID still being an ongoing situation...

Corey can coach. There are challenges. But we need to be competitve. 6-5 , 5-6 pop up to 8-3 like we did a few years back. That is what people want. Starting 0-3 not ok, coaches know it, admin knows it. It is a marathon not a sprint. lets see how it plays out. But we can't play like crap like we did for 3 weeks. That is why people were mad. Had we lost them all in close games there would have been disappointment, but not anger.

[MrMustang]

IMO, that injury really ended our run of stable QBs who could anchor the offense. We had Peschong, Kern, and Gimbel for the vast majority of the years prior. Curiously, based on your stat, it didn't seem to hinder us that much to start with. Obviously the team is more than just the QB, but it's worth noting.

This is the QB timeline from 2017 - now:

(2017) Gimbel - Wilkie - (2018) Gimbel - (2019) Nava - Bouman - (2021) Haidet/Nava(?)

Both Haidet/Nava are seniors, so that means we get another new QB in 2022 - which right now would be Jakob Olson, who would then also be a senior, I believe.

Bouman was really good too. He was hurt part of the year or we would have won more games that year.

[MrMustang]

You guys might be better off developing a freshman QB to start for multiple seasons.

Justus McComb is the starter next year. Reshirting this year from San Diego area.

[SW_Mustang]

Bouman was really good too. He was hurt part of the year or we would have won more games that year.

Wasn't aware he got hurt - is there another QB in there I missed?

Nava showed a lot of promise against MSU in 2019 - even looked like they might take it, but he got injured and hadn't played another snap that season if I remember correctly.

[vikingfaithful]

Justus McComb is the starter next year. Reshirting this year from San Diego area.

McCombs had a helluva high school career. He should give the Mustangs 4 good years. Nice that he can run as well.

[MrMustang]

Wasn't aware he got hurt - is there another QB in there I missed?

Nava showed a lot of promise against MSU in 2019 - even looked like they might take it, but he got injured and hadn't played another snap that season if I remember correctly.

Nava played because Bauman got hurt.

[MrMustang]

McCombs had a helluva high school career. He should give the Mustangs 4 good years. Nice that he can run as well.

Certainly high expectations. Maybe unfair ones, but he seems to be confident;.

There will be some learning curves as a freshman, but sitting for a year as a redshirt should help.

I think he will be pretty good.

[SW_Mustang]

Nava played because Bauman got hurt.

I thought it was the other way around, but I checked and that is correct - Bouman started the season, then Nava played in two games, gets hurt, then Herrera plays against USF, then Bouman comes back.

[SW_Mustang]

Corey can coach. There are challenges. But we need to be competitve. 6-5 , 5-6 pop up to 8-3 like we did a few years back. That is what people want. Starting 0-3 not ok, coaches know it, admin knows it. It is a marathon not a sprint. lets see how it plays out. But we can't play like crap like we did for 3 weeks. That is why people were mad. Had we lost them all in close games there would have been disappointment, but not anger.

I get it, but if someone was expecting this team to go 4-7 this year and then gets upset when they don't - their emotions are on them. The writing was on the wall before camp even opened. That's just reality sometimes. NSU honestly should have blown us out by 25+, but didn't for some odd reason. Not a whole lot different than being upset because the basketball team was 3-8 during the winter.

That aside, yes - I do agree with those records and they are rational expectations the team and coaching staff should be held too. 6-5 every year would be a dream for this program. Maybe even beating Mankato for once in our lives... I'll go back to being disappointed/upset once we get an actual DII roster again.

[Twincitiesmav]

I get it, but if someone was expecting this team to go 4-7 this year and then gets upset when they don't - their emotions are on them. The writing was on the wall before camp even opened. That's just reality sometimes. NSU honestly should have blown us out by 25+, but didn't for some odd reason. Not a whole lot different than being upset because the basketball team was 3-8 during the winter.

That aside, yes - I do agree with those records and they are rational expectations the team and coaching staff should be held too. 6-5 every year would be a dream for this program. Maybe even beating Mankato for once in our lives... I'll go back to being disappointed/upset once we get an actual DII roster again.