Friday, August 2, 2013

Top 25 countdown continues, UND football notes

*Happy Friday football fans!
*The Top 25 college football countdown continues today as we reach my preseason #24 team-
#24 Oklahoma State
*This is a typical Mike Gundy squad with a lot of offensive power. The Cowboys have been picked atop the Big 12 and rightfully so. WR Josh Stewart helps whoever will be starting at the quarterback position. Stewart is a great deep threat going for over 1,200 yards last year. Running back Jeremy Smith is coming off a mid-season injury that cut his 2012 season short. This fall, he finds himself on the Doak Walker watch list.
*The quarterback battle is a good one in Stillwater. Clint Chelf and J.W. Walsh had similar numbers last year. Walsh went 2-1 as a starter last year and was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Chelf traveled a different road last season starting the season as the number three quarterback. He went on to start the last five games and win the Cowboys bowl MVP. I think JW will start the entire year unless the wheels fall off.
*The defense has some talent but needs to improve greatly if they want to win the Big 12. In last year's losses(5), the team gave up 59, 41, 44, 51, 41. Yikes.
*The schedule starts off August 31st with Mississippi State in Houston 2:30 on ABC/ESPN2. They should win that one and sweep through the non-conference with ease. I see at least two or three loses in that Big 12 schedule. At Texas and rounding out the season with OU will be their biggest games..and I think two L's.
*Regular season record: 9-3
*UND starts practice tomorrow and all eyes will be on the quarterback battle. It's been the buzz around town and I'm guessing it will be until the first kickoff. From what I say in spring ball, I would say Joe Mollberg and Ryan Bartels are dead even. The recent depth chart agrees with me. The "Pre-Fall Depth Chart" has Mollberg OR Bartels listed as the one(the only position to do so). Like Okie State, whoever does get the job will have great wide receivers to throw to.
*As Grand Forks Herald sports writer Tom Miller and I discussed, the quarterback isn't the only position battle for the green and white. Give a listen.
Tom Miller of The Grand Forks Herald and I discuss UND Football
*I'll be at tomorrow's practice bright and early. Blog to follow. Have a good weekend all.

No comments:

Post a Comment