NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll Announced

[SW_Mustang]

Not surprised where SMSU was rated given the turnover, new coach, and disappointing season last year.

On the plus side, If theline is good we can play. 3 starters rutrn on the line so i am optimistic we will be better there. Sherwood can run and if we get some blocking that should help.

Also, as a reminder, last year was the first time in 2 decades we didn't have a lock down awesome qb. We have 2 good ones this year battling it out. My money is on Justus McComb ultimately being the guy who wins the job long term, but I think both will play quite a bit this year as this sorts itself out.

Last year we could hardly run and we couldn't pass. At least in the pass when the run game struggled we could throw it around and score.

Bringing back Boyer Bauman is also a good move.

Having said all that best case scenario is probably 6-5 if everything goes well. The South is just so loaded and the re are unknowns.

I think it is also clear Underwood can coach. before his budget and funding and scholarships were cut, SCSU was pretty good.

Sounds like there is a social/open practice on Monday? I'm planning to make the drive over, at least for the practice part.

SMSU QBs... always a show. I'm hoping whoever becomes "our guy" can be a leader for a few years. Seems like we haven't really had for the past 3-4 years.

I'm cautiously optimistic this year. Underwood impressed me at the spring game with his leadership, so I'm hoping between that and the new roster - maybe it won't be such a dull season. Then again, I thought the same thing every year since 2014, and...

[laker]

I have sneaky suspicion this will be the year of the Cougar in the South. In yesterday's Argus Leader story on fall practice the Coo are determined not to have an early season gaff that's plagued them recently. QB Mullen enters his 2nd season starting and the league's best RB Thuro Reisdorfer is playing his last college season, USF had the top defense last season only giving up 20 points a game.

Augustana has all the pieces to repeat as the overall league champion, The big question is at QB play after 4 mostly up years of Texas gunslinger Kyle Saddler there will be a new sheriff under center, if the play is very good the Vikings could repeat.

Don't know much about the Mavericks except their 6-5 season was probably an anomaly for the NSIC historically best program along with UMD.

Having little knowledge of UMD or BSU, I'm sure they will both challenge for the league trophy. Thankfully our media leader Matt Witwicki will fill us in with his much-anticipated FB preview. The man put's a great deal of time for us. He would be a terrific SID.

My guess.
AU. 9-2, USF. 9-2, MSU 8-3
UMD 9-2, BSU 8-3

The growth in parity has been enjoyable in recent years, Mary, Moorhead, Northern, Wayne and Winona.
Once it was the big 2, (UMD, MSU) now has grown to big 5.

Very astute post. I think that the title runs through the home of Joe Foss. We could have the top teams knocking each other off.

[vikingfaithful]

I have sneaky suspicion this will be the year of the Cougar in the South. In yesterday's Argus Leader story on fall practice the Coo are determined not to have an early season gaff that's plagued them recently. QB Mullen enters his 2nd season starting and the league's best RB Thuro Reisdorfer is playing his last college season, USF had the top defense last season only giving up 20 points a game.

Augustana has all the pieces to repeat as the overall league champion, The big question is at QB play after 4 mostly up years of Texas gunslinger Kyle Saddler there will be a new sheriff under center, if the play is very good the Vikings could repeat.

Don't know much about the Mavericks except their 6-5 season was probably an anomaly for the NSIC historically best program along with UMD.

Having little knowledge of UMD or BSU, I'm sure they will both challenge for the league trophy. Thankfully our media leader Matt Witwicki will fill us in with his much-anticipated FB preview. The man put's a great deal of time for us. He would be a terrific SID.

My guess.
AU. 9-2, USF. 9-2, MSU 8-3
UMD 9-2, BSU 8-3

The growth in parity has been enjoyable in recent years, Mary, Moorhead, Northern, Wayne and Winona.
Once it was the big 2, (UMD, MSU) now has grown to big 5.

[MrMustang]

Not surprised where SMSU was rated given the turnover, new coach, and disappointing season last year.

On the plus side, If theline is good we can play. 3 starters rutrn on the line so i am optimistic we will be better there. Sherwood can run and if we get some blocking that should help.

Also, as a reminder, last year was the first time in 2 decades we didn't have a lock down awesome qb. We have 2 good ones this year battling it out. My money is on Justus McComb ultimately being the guy who wins the job long term, but I think both will play quite a bit this year as this sorts itself out.

Last year we could hardly run and we couldn't pass. At least in the pass when the run game struggled we could throw it around and score.

Bringing back Boyer Bauman is also a good move.

Having said all that best case scenario is probably 6-5 if everything goes well. The South is just so loaded and the re are unknowns.

I think it is also clear Underwood can coach. before his budget and funding and scholarships were cut, SCSU was pretty good.

[Thunder]

8-10 wins
1. Augie
2. Bemidji
3. USF
4. Mankato
5. Duluth

4-7 wins
6. Northern
7. Winona
8. Wayne
9. Mary
10. Moorhead

0-3 wins
11. SMSU
12. Concordia
13. Minot
14. Upper Iowa

[SW_Mustang]

NSIC fans....I've been working on my preview. Writeups for 9 of the 14 teams are done. I made time to contact all 14 head coaches for a chat before drumming up my own take on who'd finish where this year..and why. My column will be wrapped up within a week..and posted here. FYI.

Curious....if you super fans here were to rank the teams this year (based on how you think they'll finish)....what's your order? Does Mankato return to the top or maybe Duluth....or do Augie and BSU have the top spots this year again?

It's just my gut feeling, but I think MSU will be better - but won't be the #1 we've been so accustomed to seeing. Augie will be #1.

[Matt Witwicki]

NSIC fans....I've been working on my preview. Writeups for 9 of the 14 teams are done. I made time to contact all 14 head coaches for a chat before drumming up my own take on who'd finish where this year..and why. My column will be wrapped up within a week..and posted here. FYI.

Curious....if you super fans here were to rank the teams this year (based on how you think they'll finish)....what's your order? Does Mankato return to the top or maybe Duluth....or do Augie and BSU have the top spots this year again?

[badboyblynn]

I see that Morningside was the #1 preseason pick again. What a dynasty.

Yep, they've got the NAIA POY back at Qb, but lost RB, Wr and some O-line. Might have to win more defensively this year, but Ryan will ALWAYS throw it around.
#3 Northwestern at #1 Morningside to start the year Sept 3rd btw

[Stanger86]

Thursday night is fine for opening weekend, other than the fact it clashes with a lot of high school games in these Minnesota markets.

[IceBoxDragon]

As a fan, I've always liked the Thursday night games. The waiting is done sooner and it's a way to get hyped up even more for the Saturday (and Friday) games during the weekend. They're especially great when your team wins, makes those Saturdays a little less stressful when you already know your team has notched a victory and you can just sit back and watch the rest of chaos play out in other games.

[Otis Day]

I don't believe so as far as I'm aware. Seems like week 1 has been a Thursday for the past few years at least. I know they were doing a "Game of the Week" on Thursday, but that didn't last long.

What do people think of week 1 on Thursday? I'm torn.

As a player... Thursday night games meant fall camp ended two days earlier. That makes it a win in my book. Though fall camp now is hardly recognizable to the fall camps of old.

As a fan, I still like the Thursday night games. It's a nice appetizer to the fall and frees up the long weekend for anything else. More football or one last summer trip.

[IceBoxDragon]

[SW_Mustang]

Mixed feelings. Home game- students can attend and still go home for the Labor Day weekend. Road game- harder to make it there. On the plus side- I can see a game on Thursday and another one on Saturday. I like being able to watch some teams that I've never seen before to add to my list. Sometimes I can make it to two games on the same day- afternoon and night.

Yeah, if I want to go I have to use vacation time to drive up to Aberdeen - so I likely won't see anything week 1. But on the flipside, it leaves my Saturday open for either other college football games or to be enjoyed as summer winds down and I can still be outside.

Sometimes it is fun to have something in the evenings on a weekday too, for whatever that's worth.

[laker]

I don't believe so as far as I'm aware. Seems like week 1 has been a Thursday for the past few years at least. I know they were doing a "Game of the Week" on Thursday, but that didn't last long.

What do people think of week 1 on Thursday? I'm torn.

Mixed feelings. Home game- students can attend and still go home for the Labor Day weekend. Road game- harder to make it there. On the plus side- I can see a game on Thursday and another one on Saturday. I like being able to watch some teams that I've never seen before to add to my list. Sometimes I can make it to two games on the same day- afternoon and night.

[SW_Mustang]

I haven't looked at a master schedule yet, but other than week 1, are there any games during the week?

I don't believe so as far as I'm aware. Seems like week 1 has been a Thursday for the past few years at least. I know they were doing a "Game of the Week" on Thursday, but that didn't last long.

What do people think of week 1 on Thursday? I'm torn.