NSU Wolves 2025

[Thunder]

In my opinion, the game today should not be close. Neither team has much to play for, but if the Wolves are engaged and not checked out, the Jims shouldn’t be able to keep this close.

[Thunder]

All-time missed opportunity for the Wolves this season. Win a couple games you are supposed to win and NSU is in the playoffs for the first time ever. Admittedly, this defense would be absolutely shredded in the playoffs, but it’s fun to think about what could have been.

[Thunder]

Today, and to a large extent most of the season, was not good enough on defense. I understand there was an extraordinary amount of injuries, but it still wasn’t good enough. Building that much depth is almost impossible at this level, but the adjustments and planning didn’t seem to put the players that were left in a position to succeed. I think there needs to be some changes in coaching responsibilities. Schmidt seems to have done well in hiring Coach Brown for the offense (that will be the most important recruiting pitch this offseason), and it appears there needs to be something similar with the defense.

[NSU4LIFE]

Today, and to a large extent most of the season, was not good enough on defense. I understand there was an extraordinary amount of injuries, but it still wasn’t good enough. Building that much depth is almost impossible at this level, but the adjustments and planning didn’t seem to put the players that were left in a position to succeed. I think there needs to be some changes in coaching responsibilities. Schmidt seems to have done well in hiring Coach Brown for the offense (that will be the most important recruiting pitch this offseason), and it appears there needs to be something similar with the defense.

We were traveling so didnt get to watch. It feels weird to be disappointed in 7-4, but when you knocked off the conference champ and beat Moorhead and Wayne and now both might get into postseason play, I think it justifies the frustration.

[TJE_]

Today, and to a large extent most of the season, was not good enough on defense. I understand there was an extraordinary amount of injuries, but it still wasn’t good enough. Building that much depth is almost impossible at this level, but the adjustments and planning didn’t seem to put the players that were left in a position to succeed. I think there needs to be some changes in coaching responsibilities. Schmidt seems to have done well in hiring Coach Brown for the offense (that will be the most important recruiting pitch this offseason), and it appears there needs to be something similar with the defense.

Well said. Didn’t injuries hurt? Of course. But other teams were banged up as well. It’s part of the game. Schmidt has to make coaching changes on defense. He needs a DC and better assistants. He can’t be the HC, DC and special teams coach. Player development is basically non existent on the defensive side of the ball. And they guys they bring in rarely work out. Hopefully Nate our AD is sitting down with Schmidt and demanding changes.

I believe we have reached our ceiling with Schmidt though. Same thing every year we are 7-4, 6-5 or 5-6. One years offense os good and defense is terrible or vice versa.

[#WolvesNation]

Well said. Didn’t injuries hurt? Of course. But other teams were banged up as well. It’s part of the game. Schmidt has to make coaching changes on defense. He needs a DC and better assistants. He can’t be the HC, DC and special teams coach. Player development is basically non existent on the defensive side of the ball. And they guys they bring in rarely work out. Hopefully Nate our AD is sitting down with Schmidt and demanding changes.

I believe we have reached our ceiling with Schmidt though. Same thing every year we are 7-4, 6-5 or 5-6. One years offense is good and defense is terrible or vice versa.

Couldn’t disagree more. Guessing other teams didn’t lose the conference player of the year (all American), conference leader in sacks, and best corner in the league. That’s impossible to replace. The good news: most everyone is back.

I’m guessing we won’t have the funds to bring in a studly DC. My assumption is the reason we have Brayle as OC is because we were able to pay him a little more than the average D2 position, by not having a DC to pay. All that being said, I think Schmidt will take a long look in the mirror on 2025, take it personal, and be ready for 2026.

Our ceiling hasn’t been reached. It shows by beating a top team (atleast 1) in the conference every year. Our ceiling is best in the conference. We need to take care of the lesser opponents… that has always been the thorn in his side (and be ready to play our first game of the season). Full faith in him to keep building this program.

[TJE_]

Couldn’t disagree more. Guessing other teams didn’t lose the conference player of the year (all American), conference leader in sacks, and best corner in the league. That’s impossible to replace. The good news: most everyone is back.

I’m guessing we won’t have the funds to bring in a studly DC. My assumption is the reason we have Brayle as OC is because we were able to pay him a little more than the average D2 position, by not having a DC to pay. All that being said, I think Schmidt will take a long look in the mirror on 2025, take it personal, and be ready for 2026.

Our ceiling hasn’t been reached. It shows by beating a top team (atleast 1) in the conference every year. Our ceiling is best in the conference. We need to take care of the lesser opponents… that has always been the thorn in his side (and be ready to play our first game of the season). Full faith in him to keep building this program.

In order to be successful in this conference you can’t afford to have so much drop off between the 1’s and 2’s and have as many recruiting misses as we did on defense. That shows a lack of development. The drop off was dramatic. Our defense wasn’t that great when we had everyone healthy as well.

Braylee came in with essentially the same players on offense as last year plus a few transfers. Probably finished in the top 10 for offense in D2. Complete 180 from last year. Thats the kind of coaching and development that is sorely lacking on defense.

This was the fifth season for Schmidt and we aren’t moving forward. Wayne St just won the South. Not as good as facilities as Northern and in a very small town in the middle of nowhere Nebraska which has to be a challenge to recruit to. The Northern community didnt spend 50 million to go 6-5, 5-6 and 7-4 every year. Was doing that playing at Swisher. The drop off in attendance this year is further proof that the shine has worn off.

[Thunder]

The biggest difference between the Schmidt and Dosch eras is this: With Dosch I never felt we had a chance to compete with the conference elite. We knew going into games with Mankato, Duluth, etc. that we were getting blown out by 30+. However, Dosch teams seemed to usually take care of business when we were expected to win, therefore ending in 5, 6, or 7 wins a season. With Schmidt, I feel NSU can actually beat anyone in the conference. He has picked up one big upset every season at NSU. But, we also lose a game every year that we should not, therefore ending in 5, 6, or 7 wins a season.

[Thunder]

I think this may be the best all around team Schmidt has had in his tenure at Northern. He always seemed to have either a good defense OR a good offense but never both. This year I would say both sides of the ball are above average.

This was after the Wayne game, when we still had a healthy defense...

[#WolvesNation]

In order to be successful in this conference you can’t afford to have so much drop off between the 1’s and 2’s and have as many recruiting misses as we did on defense. That shows a lack of development. The drop off was dramatic. Our defense wasn’t that great when we had everyone healthy as well.

Braylee came in with essentially the same players on offense as last year plus a few transfers. Probably finished in the top 10 for offense in D2. Complete 180 from last year. Thats the kind of coaching and development that is sorely lacking on defense.

This was the fifth season for Schmidt and we aren’t moving forward. Wayne St just won the South. Not as good as facilities as Northern and in a very small town in the middle of nowhere Nebraska which has to be a challenge to recruit to. The Northern community didnt spend 50 million to go 6-5, 5-6 and 7-4 every year. Was doing that playing at Swisher. The drop off in attendance this year is further proof that the shine has worn off.

I wonder who beat Wayne State this year by holding their team to 3 yards per rush and their worst statistical offensive game of the season with a healthy defense? The same team that ran for 388 yards on Mankato and 345 yards on Augie.

We are moving forward under Schmidt and it's very easy to see it. We've got more talent on this team than I've seen on an NSU field and, as I posted earlier this year, this stadium created an unrealistic expectation among some that we should win national championships every year. If you think this year's team is the same caliber as the teams playing at Swisher, then you just didn't watch NSU football prior to 2021. By saying we've reached our ceiling with Schmidt, I guess I'm reading between the lines that you'd prefer we move on from him. Would be a horrible mistake to even consider that. Again - unrealistic expectations.

The team went 5-1 at home, so the investment must be doing something for the team. We beat the South champ, the North champ, and another 8-3 team. Not too bad of a home field advantage! Shine must be doing okay...

[#WolvesNation]

I think this may be the best all around team Schmidt has had in his tenure at Northern. He always seemed to have either a good defense OR a good offense but never both. This year I would say both sides of the ball are above average.

What changed in 2 months, besides injuries?

[TJE_]

This was after the Wayne game, when we still had a healthy defense...

Early on I thought that. But once we had injuries everything fell
apart. Showed a complete lack of depth. Can do that and be successful.

[TJE_]

What changed in 2 months, besides injuries?

The lack of development and depth were exposed.

[Waldo]

Are you expecting us to have backups who are All-Americans? I’m honestly confused about how anyone is supposed to replace the best three players in the conference, if not the entire nation, at their respective positions. I’m just as disappointed as anyone with how the season ended, but a lack of depth or development is the last thing I’d point to as an issue with Schmidt. We had back ups that were also out on the defensive side of the ball. On another note I am sick and tired of the 15 yard penalties for taunting the other team or talking to the refs. If there is one thing that needs to be fixed it is that.

[Tommy Kramer fan]

Are you expecting us to have backups who are All-Americans? I’m honestly confused about how anyone is supposed to replace the best three players in the conference, if not the entire nation, at their respective positions. I’m just as disappointed as anyone with how the season ended, but a lack of depth or development is the last thing I’d point to as an issue with Schmidt. We had back ups that were also out on the defensive side of the ball. On another note I am sick and tired of the 15 yard penalties for taunting the other team or talking to the refs. If there is one thing that needs to be fixed it is that.

This is my biggest question mark with Schmidt’s leadership. Granted, it appears they have cleaned things up a bit from the days of multiple dead ball fouls that were nothing more than lack of discipline but the end of the UJ game on Saturday was downright ridiculous. UJ recovers an onside kick, scores a touchdown to get within a score and then following the extra point a Northern player stays on the field screaming at the officials and gets not one but two personal fouls. By the time he was done, Jamestown was trying another onside kick fairly deep in Northern territory. That guy would have found his own ride back home in some programs but it’s the kind of stuff that seems to get condoned or not dealt with on Schmidt’s teams in a way that causes it to repeat itself.