The Bobcat Nation

...so far. Appalachian State > Monmouth = True.

However, is ASU as good as SMU? Is Panhandle State (4-6 in 2012; 75-0 loser to Lamar yesterday; Lamar went 4-8 in Southland Conf. last year) as good as Mesa (5-5 last year)? Is South Dakota (1-10 last year, but a 10-7 winner over UC Davis) as good as Monmouth (5-5 last year)? Is North Dakota better than SFA?

Fairly comparable non-conference schedules if ask me. Incredibly stupid discussion topic, I know.

@SMU > ASU
DII = DII
@UND = @SFA
@USD > MU

I call it a wash

cats2506 wrote:@SMU > ASU
DII = DII
@UND = @SFA
@USD > MU

I call it a wash

The the way App State played, I'd say that they were worse than Monmouth. App looked absolutely awful and it made the griz look much better by comparison.

After watching the game I thought that Appy St. was suffering from the same problem that the Griz had last year.....lack of consistent QB play. Their QB's just didn't have any rythym to sustain drives. This was not the Appy State of the last 10-12 years where they had some big, stout, defensive lineman and some animals for LB'ers. Armanti Edwards was just about as good a FCS QB as you would find.....fast and slippery with some top notch receivers to throw to. I guess to really be fair to the new coach..... the simple fact that he just didn't have the talent that was brought in my Moore for the last twenty some years to work with. Yeah....it's only one game....but it takes a pretty vivid imagination to picture these guys having any success in FBS in the forseeable future.

Bobcat Sig wrote: The the way App State played, I'd say that they were worse than Monmouth. App looked absolutely awful and it made the griz look much better by comparison.

Pffffff.. The way App St played. That's funny! A lot of people were thinking App St was going to win the game but all of a sudden they suck because Montana whooped their butts? Monmouth was slow and out of position most of the game until your 2's and 3's started playing.

I'd put money on it that the Cats couldn't hold App St out of the endzone. Its been 8 years since a team has done that. I'm looking forward to conference play. The Big Sky is going to be a dog fight, a lot of good competition.

Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffff. That's all I got.

Bobcat Sig wrote:

cats2506 wrote:@SMU > ASU
DII = DII
@UND = @SFA
@USD > MU

I call it a wash

The the way App State played, I'd say that they were worse than Monmouth. App looked absolutely awful and it made the griz look much better by comparison.

Bobcat Sig wrote:

cats2506 wrote:@SMU > ASU
DII = DII
@UND = @SFA
@USD > MU

I call it a wash

The the way App State played, I'd say that they were worse than Monmouth. App looked absolutely awful and it made the griz look much better by comparison.

Do you think Monmouth would beat ASU? I don't know the answer and neither do you. It is easy as fans to minimize our rivals opponents. Is ASU that bad this year, or are the Griz significantly better than they were last year? Maybe a little of both. Remember we only lost by one touchdown at Boone last year and had 4 or 5 turnovers. Only one yesterday and we were at home. We are comparing apples to oranges. These arguments keep us busy and might make some of us lose sleep, but they really are pointless. One game is too early to make these judgments.

It's true, the Griz have a tougher schedule. They have to play us.

It's just the way it goes in sports. It was just one game in both instances and sometimes teams just don't play as well as they can, especially in season openers. Remember UM losing at home to Hofstra in its opener in 2000, then going all the way to the championship game? MSU started a 2002 and 2003 at 2-4, 1-3, but still won the Big Sky. MSU started 2006 1-3, but still got an at-large bid and won a playoff game. Monmouth and ASU are probably better than they played. Both schools ran into a buzz saw.

Also, there's more to a game than the final score. Finals can be awfully deceptive. ASU wasn't exactly getting steamrolled or out of the game. Down 16-6 in the third quarter is still very much alive. They couldn't make a play, however, and a turnover in their own end set UM up and the Griz, as good teams do, took full advantage. UM tacked on another TD for good measure and there's your 30-6 final. That's called pulling away late, not steamrolled. Calling that steamrolled is hyperbole.

Just the opposite happened in Bozeman. MSU did, by most people's definitions, steamroll Monmouth. Three TDs in 12 plays and a 39-3 halftime lead with nearly 400 yards of total offense. Game over. That's steamrolled. But Monmouth was able to make the final score respectable, because it scored a pair of TDs late in the game against MSU's 2s. And at least four of those 2s were 3s due to Gale, Bignell, Vunipola and Walsh all being out of action.

As bad as ASU looked on offense OR as good as UM looked you'd probably be surprised to know that ASU ran the ball better (4.7 to 3.3 ypc) and had a better yards per play (5.6 to 5.1) compared to when it beat UM in Boone last year. The big differences between the two games were UM's offense turned the ball over a lot less than last year and third downs. UM was 9 for 15 to ASU being 3 for 13. UM's punt teams also played well. A blocked punt by the punt cover team and a 54.3 average by Shaw.

TomCat88 wrote:It's just the way it goes in sports. It was just one game in both instances and sometimes teams just don't play as well as they can, especially in season openers. Remember UM losing at home to Hofstra in its opener in 2000, then going all the way to the championship game? MSU started a 2002 and 2003 at 2-4, 1-3, but still won the Big Sky. MSU started 2006 1-3, but still got an at-large bid and won a playoff game. Monmouth and ASU are probably better than they played. Both schools ran into a buzz saw.

Also, there's more to a game than the final score. Finals can be awfully deceptive. ASU wasn't exactly getting steamrolled or out of the game. Down 16-6 in the third quarter is still very much alive. They couldn't make a play, however, and a turnover in their own end set UM up and the Griz, as good teams do, took full advantage. UM tacked on another TD for good measure and there's your 30-6 final. That's called pulling away late, not steamrolled. Calling that steamrolled is hyperbole.

Just the opposite happened in Bozeman. MSU did, by most people's definitions, steamroll Monmouth. Three TDs in 12 plays and a 39-3 halftime lead with nearly 400 yards of total offense. Game over. That's steamrolled. But Monmouth was able to make the final score respectable, because it scored a pair of TDs late in the game against MSU's 2s. And at least four of those 2s were 3s due to Gale, Bignell, Vunipola and Walsh all being out of action.

As bad as ASU looked on offense OR as good as UM looked you'd probably be surprised to know that ASU ran the ball better (4.7 to 3.3 ypc) and had a better yards per play (5.6 to 5.1) compared to when it beat UM in Boone last year. The big differences between the two games were UM's offense turned the ball over a lot less than last year and third downs. UM was 9 for 15 to ASU being 3 for 13. UM's punt teams also played well. A blocked punt by the punt cover team and a 54.3 average by Shaw.

Very well said. But even with the information available we won't know which of our beloved teams is better until November. Until then, every griz fan knows that their team is "scary good."

Team10 wrote:

TomCat88 wrote:It's just the way it goes in sports. It was just one game in both instances and sometimes teams just don't play as well as they can, especially in season openers. Remember UM losing at home to Hofstra in its opener in 2000, then going all the way to the championship game? MSU started a 2002 and 2003 at 2-4, 1-3, but still won the Big Sky. MSU started 2006 1-3, but still got an at-large bid and won a playoff game. Monmouth and ASU are probably better than they played. Both schools ran into a buzz saw.

Also, there's more to a game than the final score. Finals can be awfully deceptive. ASU wasn't exactly getting steamrolled or out of the game. Down 16-6 in the third quarter is still very much alive. They couldn't make a play, however, and a turnover in their own end set UM up and the Griz, as good teams do, took full advantage. UM tacked on another TD for good measure and there's your 30-6 final. That's called pulling away late, not steamrolled. Calling that steamrolled is hyperbole.

Just the opposite happened in Bozeman. MSU did, by most people's definitions, steamroll Monmouth. Three TDs in 12 plays and a 39-3 halftime lead with nearly 400 yards of total offense. Game over. That's steamrolled. But Monmouth was able to make the final score respectable, because it scored a pair of TDs late in the game against MSU's 2s. And at least four of those 2s were 3s due to Gale, Bignell, Vunipola and Walsh all being out of action.

As bad as ASU looked on offense OR as good as UM looked you'd probably be surprised to know that ASU ran the ball better (4.7 to 3.3 ypc) and had a better yards per play (5.6 to 5.1) compared to when it beat UM in Boone last year. The big differences between the two games were UM's offense turned the ball over a lot less than last year and third downs. UM was 9 for 15 to ASU being 3 for 13. UM's punt teams also played well. A blocked punt by the punt cover team and a 54.3 average by Shaw.

Very well said. But even with the information available we won't know which of our beloved teams is better until November. Until then, every griz fan thinks that their team is "scary good."

FIFY

The Griz last 6 games of the season should tell it all. Much too early still although we'll see how much the secondary has improved against UND here. Those last 6 games is a tough ending though (Weber may be better than advertised).

10/19 Cal Poly * 1:30 pm UM Parents Weekend
10/26 Eastern Washington * 1:30 pm TV: ROOT Sports
11/2 @ Sacramento State * 2 pm TV: Max Media
11/9 @ South Dakota 12 pm TV: Max Media
11/16 Weber State * 12 pm TV: Max Media
11/23 @ Montana State * 12 pm 113th Meeting

CARDIAC_CATS wrote:The Griz last 6 games of the season should tell it all. Much too early still although we'll see how much the secondary has improved against UND here. Those last 6 games is a tough ending though (Weber may be better than advertised).

10/19 Cal Poly * 1:30 pm UM Parents Weekend
10/26 Eastern Washington * 1:30 pm TV: ROOT Sports
11/2 @ Sacramento State * 2 pm TV: Max Media
11/9 @ South Dakota 12 pm TV: Max Media
11/16 Weber State * 12 pm TV: Max Media
11/23 @ Montana State * 12 pm 113th Meeting

They play at NAU in week five (4th game). That will tell us a lot. NAU has 18 starters back.

Bobcat Sig wrote:

Team10 wrote:

TomCat88 wrote:It's just the way it goes in sports. It was just one game in both instances and sometimes teams just don't play as well as they can, especially in season openers. Remember UM losing at home to Hofstra in its opener in 2000, then going all the way to the championship game? MSU started a 2002 and 2003 at 2-4, 1-3, but still won the Big Sky. MSU started 2006 1-3, but still got an at-large bid and won a playoff game. Monmouth and ASU are probably better than they played. Both schools ran into a buzz saw.

Also, there's more to a game than the final score. Finals can be awfully deceptive. ASU wasn't exactly getting steamrolled or out of the game. Down 16-6 in the third quarter is still very much alive. They couldn't make a play, however, and a turnover in their own end set UM up and the Griz, as good teams do, took full advantage. UM tacked on another TD for good measure and there's your 30-6 final. That's called pulling away late, not steamrolled. Calling that steamrolled is hyperbole.

Just the opposite happened in Bozeman. MSU did, by most people's definitions, steamroll Monmouth. Three TDs in 12 plays and a 39-3 halftime lead with nearly 400 yards of total offense. Game over. That's steamrolled. But Monmouth was able to make the final score respectable, because it scored a pair of TDs late in the game against MSU's 2s. And at least four of those 2s were 3s due to Gale, Bignell, Vunipola and Walsh all being out of action.

As bad as ASU looked on offense OR as good as UM looked you'd probably be surprised to know that ASU ran the ball better (4.7 to 3.3 ypc) and had a better yards per play (5.6 to 5.1) compared to when it beat UM in Boone last year. The big differences between the two games were UM's offense turned the ball over a lot less than last year and third downs. UM was 9 for 15 to ASU being 3 for 13. UM's punt teams also played well. A blocked punt by the punt cover team and a 54.3 average by Shaw.

Very well said. But even with the information available we won't know which of our beloved teams is better until November. Until then, every griz fan thinks that their team is "scary good."

FIFY

You guys thought your teams were "scary good" every year since, what, 2009? Only to embarrass yourselves (and the conference) in the playoffs each time.

TomCAt, that was a very good write-up. Their scary good team doesn't look that scary based on the facts you provide.

Htowngriz wrote:

Bobcat Sig wrote:

Team10 wrote:

TomCat88 wrote:It's just the way it goes in sports. It was just one game in both instances and sometimes teams just don't play as well as they can, especially in season openers. Remember UM losing at home to Hofstra in its opener in 2000, then going all the way to the championship game? MSU started a 2002 and 2003 at 2-4, 1-3, but still won the Big Sky. MSU started 2006 1-3, but still got an at-large bid and won a playoff game. Monmouth and ASU are probably better than they played. Both schools ran into a buzz saw.

Also, there's more to a game than the final score. Finals can be awfully deceptive. ASU wasn't exactly getting steamrolled or out of the game. Down 16-6 in the third quarter is still very much alive. They couldn't make a play, however, and a turnover in their own end set UM up and the Griz, as good teams do, took full advantage. UM tacked on another TD for good measure and there's your 30-6 final. That's called pulling away late, not steamrolled. Calling that steamrolled is hyperbole.

Just the opposite happened in Bozeman. MSU did, by most people's definitions, steamroll Monmouth. Three TDs in 12 plays and a 39-3 halftime lead with nearly 400 yards of total offense. Game over. That's steamrolled. But Monmouth was able to make the final score respectable, because it scored a pair of TDs late in the game against MSU's 2s. And at least four of those 2s were 3s due to Gale, Bignell, Vunipola and Walsh all being out of action.

As bad as ASU looked on offense OR as good as UM looked you'd probably be surprised to know that ASU ran the ball better (4.7 to 3.3 ypc) and had a better yards per play (5.6 to 5.1) compared to when it beat UM in Boone last year. The big differences between the two games were UM's offense turned the ball over a lot less than last year and third downs. UM was 9 for 15 to ASU being 3 for 13. UM's punt teams also played well. A blocked punt by the punt cover team and a 54.3 average by Shaw.

Very well said. But even with the information available we won't know which of our beloved teams is better until November. Until then, every griz fan thinks that their team is "scary good."

FIFY

You guys thought your teams were "scary good" every year since, what, 2009? Only to embarrass yourselves (and the conference) in the playoffs each time.

I'm not embarrassed to lose to Sam Houston or NDSU... And what some of your players did.. And past coaches ignoring it, all over the National news..and we're the ones embarrassing the conference..hummmmm weird..

BFcatfan wrote:
I'm not embarrassed to lose to Sam Houston or NDSU... And what some of your players did.. And past coaches ignoring it, all over the National news..and we're the ones embarrassing the conference..hummmmm weird..

+1

That sir is a smack down.

The Butcher wrote:

BFcatfan wrote:
I'm not embarrassed to lose to Sam Houston or NDSU... And what some of your players did.. And past coaches ignoring it, all over the National news..and we're the ones embarrassing the conference..hummmmm weird..

+1

That sir is a smack down.

It really should not ever be about what some kid did, they are kids and some do dumb things. It was what the supposed responsible adults did, or more precisley what they did not do, in response to what the kids did.

allcat wrote:

The Butcher wrote:

BFcatfan wrote:
I'm not embarrassed to lose to Sam Houston or NDSU... And what some of your players did.. And past coaches ignoring it, all over the National news..and we're the ones embarrassing the conference..hummmmm weird..

+1

That sir is a smack down.

It really should not ever be about what some kid did, they are kids and some do dumb things. It was what the supposed responsible adults did, or more precisley what they did not do, in response to what the kids did.

Yet most of their fans are supporting O'Day and Pflugrad. And blaming Engstrom, who O'Day and Pflugrad are also blaming. Why? Both of them had to know what was going on. It was their job to know and it was right in front of them, yet somehow its Engstrom's fault because he didn't fight the NCAA. O'Day knew his "friend" and assistant was basically housing a player and Pflugrad has admitted he only looked so far into the Tru-Kemp fiasco (and that's exactly what it was from the moment the cops came to their party the first time to now having Kemp's grandaddy say its discrimination).

Many of their fans also believe JJ did nothing to create the situation he got himself into and that he did nothing wrong and that the girl is making a false claim. To them there is just no way it could be anything else. A thread about jj's parents being at the game doubled down on that thought process yesterday.

The win at all costs mentality is alive and well at um.