2023 NSU Wolves Football

[TJE_]

I’m from a coaching family…lots of years spent watching games, players and coaches. I read a ton of blogs and follow a lot of players. The transfer portal has made the league anybody’s game….meaning, you aren’t really going to know the impact of those players and “who has what” until the start of the season. Everyone at every level is losing players. Twitter is full of kids entering the portal from other teams as well. Look at UND, SMSU, and NDSU for an example. Many of them are leaving to find grad programs, get closer to family, and yes to try to find greener grass.
Witt has been pretty calm and honest in his dialogue on this feed. Where’s the positivity towards the players who you have gotten in the portal? What about the players who stayed? What have the coaches done right? What have the players done right? Listening to the half time show, a lot of the players have expressed positivity towards the program and Aberdeen.
When we say “I talked to this player”, “A parent said”, “I talked to an alum” it tends to negate the message and create gossip.
A lot of you have expressed dislike of Schmitt, but there was a lot of negativity towards Dosch. It’s part of that coaching job, but it shouldn’t be this constant. Schmitt has been hurt by the injuries this year, which couldn’t be predicted. Yes, there’s been some points of the season that were frustrating, embarrassing and irritating. My point is, move on, work towards a helpful solution, instead of continuing the same negativity.

I think you are missing the point of a big part of message boards. They are about opinions, debates, sharing good info. It’s not intended to be a place to hype things up all the time. It’s ok to be real even if it’s negative and right now there is a lot of negativity around the Northern program and rightfully so.

[Yellowfreak1!]

But opinions welcome only if that opinion is in agreement with yours, correct? Again, I’ll ask…where’s the positivity towards the players you got in the portal and those who have stayed? What has been done right?

[TJE_]

But opinions welcome only if that opinion is in agreement with yours, correct? Again, I’ll ask…where’s the positivity towards the players you got in the portal and those who have stayed? What has been done right?

Nope. Don’t have to agree with me at all.

What has been done right. Not much. Gone from 7-4, 6-5 to 5-6. Not only does Northern have an abnormally high amount of transfers every year, but a lot of times they are starters or at least contribute quite a bit. Our starting QB left after last year. When does that EVER happen. Hell, a lot of them transfer to other NSIC schools, play and/or start on teams that best us.

[FullThrottleSD]

Nope. Don’t have to agree with me at all.

What has been done right. Not much. Gone from 7-4, 6-5 to 5-6. Not only does Northern have an abnormally high amount of transfers every year, but a lot of times they are starters or at least contribute quite a bit. Our starting QB left after last year. When does that EVER happen. Hell, a lot of them transfer to other NSIC schools, play and/or start on teams that best us.

Not for nothing, but he led his team to a playoff victory over the weekend.

I also see that Ben Noland was named First Team RMAC. Another Former NSU Wolf Taylor Hojer was an Honorable Mention RMAC selection- although I believe he moved on to seek an engineering degree.

[TJE_]

Not for nothing, but he led his team to a playoff victory over the weekend.

I also see that Ben Noland was named First Team RMAC. Another Former NSU Wolf Taylor Hojer was an Honorable Mention RMAC selection- although I believe he moved on to seek an engineering degree.

Correct. It seems to be there is a real culture problem within the team as well as a W/L record going the wrong direction. This is not power 5 type kids we are talking about that all think they can play in the NFL. Most of these guys just want to have fun playing a game they love while getting a degree and then move on with their life.

With a good culture I don’t think the guys that are seeing significant playing time leave.

[Former.Husky]

As someone who transferred from Northern, I did not believe that culture was the driving factor for a good majority of us leaving. I am just one person, but for what it is worth. I normally am just a reader but wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

[vikingfaithful]

As someone who transferred from Northern, I did not believe that culture was the driving factor for a good majority of us leaving. I am just one person, but for what it is worth. I normally am just a reader but wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

Don't feel shy about posting and welcome to this forum.

[Former.Husky]

Don't feel shy about posting and welcome to this forum.

Thank you! Overall I know NSU fans may be disappointed with the past few seasons. But I really do like Coach Schmidt and think he can still turn it around there. However, I would agree that this next season is do or die.

[Thunder]

Thank you! Overall I know NSU fans may be disappointed with the past few seasons. But I really do like Coach Schmidt and think he can still turn it around there. However, I would agree that this next season is do or die.

Welcome! It's always good to have more posters contribute to the board. Former players also typically deliver good perspective. The fact that you were in Aberdeen is even better. I hope you are right in that Schmidt can turn it around. I agree with you on next season. Many Wolves fans believe "To whom much is given, much will be required" in regards to the resources that have been poured into the program.

[NorthDakotaDragon]

As someone who transferred from Northern, I did not believe that culture was the driving factor for a good majority of us leaving. I am just one person, but for what it is worth. I normally am just a reader but wanted to throw my 2 cents in.

Obviously this may be a loaded question, but if most guys are not transferring because of a culture problem, what is the reason? I'd love to see numbers on how many guys have left since Schmidt came in, but as mentioned earlier in this thread, it's one thing if guys are transferring up to chase the D1 dream, but to have so many guys transferring within D2 or even the NSIC just seem odd. Tell me what I'm missing.

[NSU4LIFE]

Obviously this may be a loaded question, but if most guys are not transferring because of a culture problem, what is the reason? I'd love to see numbers on how many guys have left since Schmidt came in, but as mentioned earlier in this thread, it's one thing if guys are transferring up to chase the D1 dream, but to have so many guys transferring within D2 or even the NSIC just seem odd. Tell me what I'm missing.

I'm sure you could get a whole lot of answers to that question, no matter who the coach is.

Why I enjoy the boards is the multitude of different perspectives. It doesn't matter if anyone agrees with me or anyone, like I've said in the past, this isn't a place for reporting (though I can be to those who choose to make it that). It's a message board of different views, pointless arguing, passionate fans or trolls.

For example, more people than not would attest to Paul Sather(former wolves basketball coach, now current UND head coach) being a good human being. Last spring some former athlete went off on Twitter non-stop about him being the opposite. And in a person in a fake country using someon else picture.

If I were to guess it would maybe be over-promising of playing time, a season just not going as hoped, just not mixing well with team or Aberdeen.

Most of us will never truly know what goes on, no matter how tight we are with players or coaches. Unless you are actually at these practices for a season, it's just based on opinions of others.

Regardless, welcome to another poster, always great to add different perspective.

[Former.Husky]

Obviously, this may be a loaded question, but if most guys are not transferring because of a culture problem, what is the reason? I'd love to see numbers on how many guys have left since Schmidt came in, but as mentioned earlier in this thread, it's one thing if guys are transferring up to chase the D1 dream, but to have so many guys transferring within D2 or even the NSIC just seem odd. Tell me what I'm missing.

I truly believe that it is a tough location to recruit and retain. Schmidt's strongest recruiting ties are to Wisconsin which is still a 7-hour trip at the shortest (Using La Crosse for this example). A lot of guys found it hard to want to stay when they could transfer to a place closer to home. Which is why you don't see a ton of NSIC schools like Mary, Minot, and Wayne recruiting a ton of Wisconsin because of the closer NSIC and WIAC options for guys to play at.

Again this is all my personal opinion, but I have seen schools with much worse culture, support, facilities, funding, and overall success have fewer transfers just because they are in a good location.

[Thunder]

I truly believe that it is a tough location to recruit and retain. Schmidt's strongest recruiting ties are to Wisconsin which is still a 7-hour trip at the shortest (Using La Crosse for this example). A lot of guys found it hard to want to stay when they could transfer to a place closer to home. Which is why you don't see a ton of NSIC schools like Mary, Minot, and Wayne recruiting a ton of Wisconsin because of the closer NSIC and WIAC options for guys to play at.

Again this is all my personal opinion, but I have seen schools with much worse culture, support, facilities, funding, and overall success have fewer transfers just because they are in a good location.

This is why I think the NSU coaching job may be tougher than some Wolves fans want to admit, especially those of us that have chosen to make Aberdeen home. I love the school and the community, but I can understand where it isn't for everybody, especially for kids coming from more metro areas. NSU needs to recruit MN and WI heavily to be as competitive as we want. There just aren't enough top end D2 players in SD. However, as you said those MN and WI kids have a lot of options closer to home. All that being said, there are plenty of schools in remote locations that have success. The facilities and resources for the program are among the best in D2 and it will be important for the program to figure out the best way to sell that to recruits.

[vikingfaithful]

This is why I think the NSU coaching job may be tougher than some Wolves fans want to admit, especially those of us that have chosen to make Aberdeen home. I love the school and the community, but I can understand where it isn't for everybody, especially for kids coming from more metro areas. NSU needs to recruit MN and WI heavily to be as competitive as we want. There just aren't enough top end D2 players in SD. However, as you said those MN and WI kids have a lot of options closer to home. All that being said, there are plenty of schools in remote locations that have success. The facilities and resources for the program are among the best in D2 and it will be important for the program to figure out the best way to sell that to recruits.

Bemidji is small community, (15.000) that's way up north in an isolated area, plus they play in an archaic stadium built in the 1930's. The Beavers seem to be able to attract and retain talent. NSU with great facilities and resources is a place that should be doing better than 5-6.

[FullThrottleSD]

This is why I think the NSU coaching job may be tougher than some Wolves fans want to admit, especially those of us that have chosen to make Aberdeen home. I love the school and the community, but I can understand where it isn't for everybody, especially for kids coming from more metro areas. NSU needs to recruit MN and WI heavily to be as competitive as we want. There just aren't enough top end D2 players in SD. However, as you said those MN and WI kids have a lot of options closer to home. All that being said, there are plenty of schools in remote locations that have success. The facilities and resources for the program are among the best in D2 and it will be important for the program to figure out the best way to sell that to recruits.

I've thought about this-I'm not sure there are...

Absolutely Maryville, MO is is a rural area, but its less than 2 hours from Omaha and Kansas City.

Big Rapids, MI also rural but less than an hour from Grand Rapids, MI with almost 200,000 ppl.

The closest example I can come up with that has a consistently high performing program is Pitt State in Kansas. They are at least 2 hours from major population centers (Kansas City, Tulsa) but I would venture to say that high school football in that area is at a higher level than in SD.

As we know Aberdeen is 3 hours from a town with more than 24,000 Ppl.

I'm sure that there are more- possibly better examples but there can't be that many. JMO