Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
He and lacked it with. As we with hear from
NDC football head coach Tim Polisik live for his week
week press conference. It's Mark roweek, all right, sounds like
we got coach.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I thought, overall with some of the things that were
going on in Saturday's game against Indiana State, really pleased
with our young our young men and their ability to respond.
You know, there was ten minutes left in the fourth
quarter and we were in grind mode and the score
was thirty eight to seven or Jeff, that was your prediction, right, Okay,
(00:36):
So overall it's a really good performance. When you look
back on it, you got to go study, you know,
and you're studying it against this unbelievable standard of perfection,
and that's what we're always striving for. And then somewhere
along the way, we're looking to capture excellence, okay, with
ever without ever losing the thought of just winning by
one more point than your opponent one week at a time.
(00:57):
And so when you look back on it, collected offensively,
we just didn't cultivate touchdowns. We had the ball for
ten minutes in the first quarter, and it was methodical,
it was really efficient. It was actually beautiful six seven
eight yards in the wrong game Cole extending series and
getting the ball thrown in scramble drills. But we just
(01:17):
didn't produce a twenty yard play. And we've been talking
about it all year and that was what was missing
in order for us to extend this thing and so
forth and so on, and then on top of it
for the first time this year, you know, we we
got a bad break, and that's football. The ball sometimes
don't bounce your way, so we turn it over in
the red zone. Indiana State makes a great play breaking
(01:40):
on a ball and they get it intercepted. That really
affected momentum defensively. We did change the narrative and we
asked them on Monday to change the narrative of starting
faster because we had played eighty four plays in the
two games previous. They forced two three and outs out
of their first three series. It's just special team, you know,
kind of. We just had a little bit of a
(02:02):
mistake in fundamentals and technique when we gave up the
fake punt. And I gotta be honest with you, I
just give a lot of credit to their coach. You
want to fake punt from the twenty five, you know,
and do that. That's part of the deal. So that
was kind of the just the overall dullness of the
first quarter. Defensively, I mean our performance, I just my
(02:23):
hat goes off to those guys. They played extremely well
for all four quarters basically outside of one drive, and
Indiana State was challenging us with some tempo stuff that
basically was coming after any productive play. And so we'll
work hard at improving there. And then, like I mentioned,
just offensively, we have to be really aware cultivating explosive
(02:45):
plays is a big time factor and scoring touchdowns. It
really is hard to deal with defensively. When you can
get those types of plays and whether that's pushing the
ball down field a little bit to say Bryce or
raj or somebody making their mind is up there, they're
not gonna get tackled. Okay, we have to cultivate those plays. Now,
we had nine plays of fifteen yards or more, but
(03:06):
twenty yards is the mark. And so that's that's kind
of the area that I thought if any week came
up short. I mean, I can show you guys the numbers.
They were off the charts. You know, we're at sixty
percent on third down defensively, we hit all of our goals,
you know, so it was really good performance. It just
(03:26):
was a little bit sputtering in the first half. And
we're gonna get it cleaned up. We need to get
it cleaned up. Okay. So this week the Dakota markers here,
you know, twenty twenty five Dakota markers here. And I
think that's important to note because you know, twenty one
matchups NDSU eleven, South Dakota State ten, the average score
(03:47):
is twenty four to ten or twenty four to twenty
in those games. Okay, so this will be an absolute dogfight.
So I just it's one of those deals where you
take all these numbers in these stats, okay, and then
we can do this. We can get rid of that, okay.
And because it won't be about anything about execution and
big moments, you either make the player you don't. We
watched a twenty minute tape last night of some of
(04:10):
the missed opportunities or when we broke down and they
just didn't capitalize last year. If those plays go the
other way, I don't know that We're hosting the trophy
and it's really important for our young people to matter
that are to understand that there's six plays that are
going to make the difference in this game, and we
do not know which six they are. The level of
competitiveness in this game, the physicality in this game, the
(04:34):
level of coaching and execution in this game will be
by far our best matchup. It is unbelievable when you
take it from a bird's eye view and you just
watch the pursuit and effort on both defenses, the execution
of both offenses, the quarterback, and their grit to keep
their teams on the field. It's it's going to be
a dogfight. And like I said last year, I just
(04:54):
I really respect these guys based on how they coach,
how they put their players in position to make plays,
the quality of their players, how they recruit. It doesn't
mean you got to like them and all that stuff,
but man, they do things the right way and this
should be a really fun matchup in and man, we
have to embrace this environment. We got to go down
(05:15):
there with the thoughts and the idea of efficient, productive,
fast quick start with efficient plays to try to silence
these guys. I think it's going to be a difficult environment.
I really do. Let's go, let's get some questions rock.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
And roll here, what information do you have about.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Jackson and Mackay Jackson? Okay, Now, I'm not going to
use the term like most coaches like day to day
in the sense that we don't know he's he's got
to hit some benchmarks and we're checking on those day
to day. He's not out there practicing at anytime that
occurs for an NDSU player. Okay, the chances have been
playing on a Saturday are very unlikely. But guess what,
Jackson's been your five years and he's a rock star,
(05:52):
so I just I wouldn't count him out. But he
hasn't put on the pads or his shorts or lifted
weights yet, and he has to hit some rehab things.
He has to get back with strength and conditioning to
make sure things are strong, and so I don't even
want to speculate on when he'll be back. But Jackson
is probably most likely not going to play. Who is
the other one? Mackay? Mackay, We're gonna try to get
(06:17):
up and running later in the week, just to see
how his ankle responds. I'm not overly opportunistic, but he's
a guy that would be comfortable suiting up as an
emergency only on Saturday, and that could be possible. Makay
has Jackson, I'm sorry, sting ahead, Okay, see T scans,
(06:38):
MRIs all very positive. Okay, that impact. I mean, if
you guys look at it really closely, it's like, I mean,
everything is getting driven and compressed. And so that that
was the result of not being able to feel his
hands for a moment, some lower back pain. He's just
really dealing almost like being in a car accident. Okay,
Like there's some real muscle stuff in the neck area,
(07:00):
in the trap area that is really sore. And we
know how tough he is, and so I'm gonna trust
Trish and I'm gonna trust Jackson to be positive, to
do what she asked him to do, and then when
we come through this, we'll come through it. But we're
we're just continuing to keep our fingers crossed that we
get them back this year.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
How do you face a team you're not really sure
the quarterback? I mean, how do you prepare for a
team like that?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah? No, I mean, especially if they're different. I think
you got to prepare for the starter or let's just
say there was a drastic difference in one kid's ability
to run and the other kid's ability to throw. I mean,
then you've got to have kind of two different plans. Anyhow,
I remember Mark Farley talking about it when he didn't
(07:44):
know if Carson was gonna play or not. I think
there was a time in there when that came up.
And you know, preparing for both quarterbacks, you've got to
do a little bit different. Seven on seven work is
extremely different. I think your inside run would have to
get pushed towards a different type of quarterback. But in
this scenario, we're gonna get ready that kid is. I mean,
we talk about Cole and his physicality and his physical presence.
(08:07):
This guy's six three two and forty pounds, and I
mean I remember seeing him last year, like she should
they be playing this guy at tight end or linebacker?
I mean it's almost mirrored. You know, these two kids
in their careers. So I think we have to prepare
for him, and then we got to know the backup
is very capable in the RPO world. He'll take relief.
That was proven in the Murray State game. You know,
bubble screens, the quick games. He has good footwork and
(08:29):
rhythm and that's probably a byproduct of him coming with
his coach that coached him before. So he's got a
good foundation based on footwork, rhythm, and I think he's
above the average arm or above the line arm, I
should say, not average, and he did some decent, solid
things for his first time playing. I would think he
would only improve, you know, this week in practice and stuff,
(08:50):
and then it's a matter of can you rattle them,
you know, if you get to the backup. But we're
gonna prepare for a chase.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Tavid, Sparan and Vitz As you've been down there, the
stadium is completely different.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
When do you anticipate yourself on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, you keep pointing out some of these things that
I don't even think about. That's I'm actually looking forward
to it. You know, they've upgraded their stuff like any
great program, and a lot of that right now is
centered around the Dakotas. They've all made improvements in their facilities.
I know they have a great fan base, much like ours.
I hope Bison Nation can somehow find a way to
get some of those tickets and whoever's there be really active.
(09:23):
But I'm looking forward to being down there and seeing
it honestly, and just kind of you know, what are
you up against, like in the recruiting world, what does
it look like exactly? And based on their hobo days,
which I think this game would be a click up
based on the opponent. I'm just anticipating a really electric
(09:44):
crowd that's pretty rambunctious after getting the tailgate all day.
Cole got hurt in this game last year.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Do you have a sense that this means a little
bit more for him than what happened.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Last year in this game.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I will never show you, guys that seventeen minute video
we took from the meeting last night, but it's interesting
he's in a couple of the shots that Christian. His
demeanor doesn't change. He's just he's really consistent. Last night
we were thrown up against a fifteen mile pro win
and he missed a couple like any quarterback would driving
it downfield, and I just one of those We're gonna
need to find a way, you know, get that nose
(10:18):
up and down. He said, I'm good, coach, I'm We're
gonna prepare. I mean, he just doesn't change, and he's
got a competitive burn. I think probably somewhere in there
you know, these guys are the ones that took opportunity
away for me to contribute more to the twenty twenty
four championship. Probably is in his head, but I just
don't think that'll impact when he's under center and shotgun
(10:39):
his general feeling. I think he's gonna play well. Throwing
the stats out. The game in Illinois State was a
seventeen point game. That's been your closest game this season.
Would be difficult to anticipate shout to go to State
game going like that.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
How do you kind of prepare.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
The team for a dogfight when you have not been
in a dog fight? Yeah, play with great emotion, don't
get emotional. Win one play at a time. Focus on
your fundamentals. If you find yourself getting a little bit
out of whack, a little concerned about one place, so
what now? What could keep responding because that's the kind
of fight this will be, you know, And that's where
(11:16):
you know, I try to find positives and everything. The
bottom line with like last week was how we responded
is what I'm excited for because we're trying to build
young men. You know, nothing's perfect, right in being able
to come out of the tunnel and play well in
the second half, said something about our resolve, and then
if you just look at last year's game, both games,
I didn't look beyond that. If you look at last
(11:37):
year's both games, I mean, we have the ball with
six minutes to go, and we put it up the
ras and you win. Right, they get it back, they
miss a screenplay in there. This is gonna be tight regardless.
I think special teams. I just have an eerie feeling
that special teams there's gonna be a big play in
there somewhere, and that matchup is so balanced right now.
(11:59):
They have to focus on fundamentals, the basics. We have
to focus on our effort and get into the ball
and then just make no mistake about it. Okay. Two
August is ago, I showed up Okay to fall camp
and we talked about zero to eight. We had eight
turnovers in the previous five losses, Okay, and the two
wins we've had zero turnovers. They've had too. Turnovers are
(12:23):
going to make a difference in this game as well.
So we got to value the ball, and we got
to respect the ball, and we got to be ball hawks,
and we got to get to the football with bad intentions.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
You're saying about dogfight. You know down in Brookings, the
last guy to go over one hundred yards, the last
running back for you guys was your Samuel Jerry.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Twelve years ago, twenty twelve.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Is that just the nature of the game or do
you have to try to change that for your running backs?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
No, you, I mean you just got to go down
there and try to establish the run. Both teams are
going to be trying to do that against really high
level defenses. Yeah, I'll give you a give you some
numbers here. When you look at stops defense, third down
stops our defense right now is seventy percent win rate.
There's a seventy three percent win rate. Fourth down stops.
(13:11):
Ours is fifty five percent stops. There's a sixty two percent. Conversely, offensively,
now that's where I just put We're a team. We're
gonna try to win as a team and support each other,
but we have to be that team that shows up
with sixty percent conversion team that's on third down, and
if we can extend some drives Jeff and avoid three
and outs, I think that's where you have a chance
(13:32):
to have one hundred yard rusher. But this has always
come down to you guys. Ever, notice how this has
come down to some quarterback run game. It takes plus one.
It just does. Because people are they're schooled up on defense.
They're a system outfit like we are. The kids know
the system, the coaches know the weaknesses in the calls,
and they can adjust on the fly. And then these
(13:53):
players playing defense are really good. It's hard. It's hard
to get a guy that rush for one hundred yards
with their quarterback not be mon from last year.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
And as many guys that went to Washington State as did,
how much all of your two games last year can
you take? And how much do you have to watch
this year's version of South.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
It just matters if you're I would use the are
you trying to be a PFPF PFF guy in grading
performance of individuals? You're trying to study an individual versus
studying conceptually how the defense is. Coordinators trying to structure
their defense. So those are the two things that we're
always in balance on. When we're studying film, you're studying
(14:34):
defensive structure. Okay, then match up issues trying to identify those.
But then each individual kids got to go in there
and try to study the guy they're going to play
and know how they're going to be attacked. That's the
preparation we're talking about weekly. For years. Chris, Chris Climate
always did such a good job. It's different than me,
but he would look at all those former games and
(14:56):
try to bring up the trick plays or the counter punches,
the things and dive into it. I think you can
get get lost and you'll be up there until about
twelve o'clock just fascinated drinking coffee or red Bull. And
we're trying to avoid that. So we're focused on We're
focused on the personality and the personnel of their football
team now, and then we're paying great detail to what nuanced. Okay,
(15:20):
Jimmy and their decordinator came up together, all right, Okay,
Dan Jackson is part of that. I think their DNA
is still the same. It's much like here for a
long time. You know, it was Eck and their quarterback
coach together doing it right now. The quarterback coach is
you know the offensive coordinator. Well, he coached the guy
that's at Northwestern. You see what I'm saying. So it's
(15:42):
all connected. So more structure, scheme concept. How are we
going to be attacked.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Speaking of that, they lost over twenty guys of the portal,
yet they're seven in all, so your reaction surprise.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
They're just good. It's a good program, and I think
they did a good job jumping on some portal recruiting.
You know, we had tour and engaged in some conversations
with some of the guys they had coming. But I
to their credit and much like us, how many of
those guys are starting for them? Not a lot, you
(16:14):
know what I mean. So they just they have in
their DNA, the want two to compete, the want to
to develop. It's a very well run program. And I
don't want to come off wrong here. This is gonna
be competitive. I want to win this game. This is important.
But the respect level has got to be there for
the way they develop, where they.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Better or different in areas because they graduate, not only importally,
they lost some really good players of graduation.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yeah, I mean it's Tuesday, right, there's another forty eight
hours so Thursday. Maybe I feel slightly different about what
I'm gonna say, but I think their receiver unit as
a whole is better. I think, or it feels like
there's a few more guys compared to last year. There's
a few more guys after the catch that can do
more with it. There's big play capability there. They have
(17:02):
eighteen explosive plays in the past game thirty two explosive plays. Overall,
that's gonna play a role. We have forty nine explosive plays,
so that's gonna play a role in this and that's
how you score points. The tight end group is different.
They have a really good athlete that can catch it
and do something with it, but they're playing an extra
alignment quite a bit when they want to establish the
(17:23):
run where they've been able to rely on their tight
ends in the past. Running backs. You know, I honestly,
quite frankly don't know because their health has been up
and down. I think fifteen is a really good player.
You know, James bass Singer is back. He's got forty
seven carries, and then you know Josiah Johnson's a kid
that kind of flashed on the scene from Milwaukee last week,
(17:44):
and so it's just kind of hard to tell who
they're gonna play there. Chase Mason and I think he's accurate.
He's got a humongous arm. His feet aren't always perfect,
but his arm talent is so impressive that he can
catch up to even timing routes, and he's been fairly accurate.
And then you know, the scary part about him is
(18:04):
when he gets on the perimeter a much like our guy.
That's a true dual threat. And so I'm not sure
at this moment is he playing close to where Mark
was playing? Probably at this time. I really mean that
offensive line wise, they had a group that started two
straight seasons together. Okay, this is a really solid group,
but that would be a better question for him if
(18:26):
they're as good or not. Defensively, they have good players
at all three levels. The linebackers were amazing last year
as a group, they were and this group is pretty
darn good. But that group last year was amazing, and
these guys are flying around and they kept a lot
of the same characteristics. They have eight interceptions in the
last two games, so their back end is doing a
really nice job of getting the ball. And then defensive
(18:49):
line wise, number ninety four, because he moved, they move
him inside and outside. You know, he's a powerful, short
guy that plays with a great spirit and energy, and
I think the defense takes on his personality.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
All these programs have a history of producing some high
calibrich head ends.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
In your opinion, just what is having a good tight
end do to a program? Like, how does to elevate
the what you can do on offense? Well, I think formationally,
it adds a lot of diversity if the guy is
a run pass or a run and pass player, right,
because now all of a sudden you can split him out.
You know, that's kind of what we're hopeful someday with Reese.
I mean, this guy's up to two hundred and some
yards receiving twenty one or twenty two yards per catch, Like,
(19:29):
if he can continue to develop, well, you can line
him up in the slot and then the next time
he's the nub side tight end, he's blocking in the run.
So I would just say formation diversity. It allows you
to be much more capable of closing out games. You know,
somewhere in the middle of the fourth quarter you need
to stick a three four, five seven minute drive together.
That's hard to do an eleven personnel. Sometimes you know
(19:51):
where you if you can get big and and you know,
shift trade motion a little bit. So those tight ends
allow that. That's that's what I would say. And then
the middle. Control. Controlling the midd the field with a
pass catcher not only that can catch it, but can
do something after the catch is really something I get
pretty excited about. That's that's hard to defend.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
To helping you in the run game the way you
kind of want him to.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, I don't know. A few few more weeks, you know,
man a winner camp of some playoff football. The kid
could be pretty good. We'll see, you know. I think
he's a humble guy. I think he's working at it.
It's you got to remember now, Finn Diggins was was
(20:33):
really playing at a high level in the run game,
and then Carson Williams. You know, it's a pretty high
level blocker, and so he's kind of behind some guys too,
and it just for us. We can personnel. We don't.
I don't mind running personnel groupings in because our kids
are so familiar with each other because of the double repping.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
Zach Vanderpool's rise of the depth chart and if he
has to go Saturday, what can you see out of him?
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Well, it won't be if he has to. You know,
he he's fifty to fifty right now. As far as
getting back, you know, he's struggling with some back stuff.
Typical is how I would first describe it. If recruiting's
on point, you know, six four and a half two
hundred and thirty five pound athlete, Gazer did a good
job identifying them, Matt and those guys did a great
(21:17):
job of recruiting them at two eighty or something now
to seventy eight. So just the natural progression within the program.
When you have a talented competitive guy that wants to
get better, he's just scratching the surface, you know, of
opening up his toolbox in the pass rush game. Him
and Elijah still have to detail their their fundamentals in
(21:39):
the run game. You know, they're probably a little bit
better on the move than they are just playing head
up and trying to get knocked back. Elijah playing a
lot in this game too. Then well yeah, I mean,
if if duty's out, we can't. This ain't the type
of affair where you can just send Keenan out there
for seventy two plays and go get them, buddy. I mean,
he's gonna have to. Keenan and Logan are gonna have
to empty the damn tank, and that that starts today.
(22:02):
With their nutrition preparation, their practice, habits, their sleep. That's
all got to be on point because those two are
going to war and they're on the front line. Is
that Andrews play.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
I think thirty snaps the last three weeks would have
be super good.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Yeah, I think, yeah, I think you must like Jakis
because I think that's the second time he asked me.
But I always appreciate you bringing it up. A consistent worker,
he's really embracing last year at this time. Last night
was about twenty eight to thirty degrees or something. There
was some wind. I just I don't know how that
would have went the practice it was fifty to fifty
(22:37):
whether he was going to dominate it. I thought last
night he went out there and practiced really well. And
so you're just seeing a guy that has grown his role,
which that's the job of the players is if you
want more, do more, if you want to play more,
be better. He's done a really good job with that,
and he's he's having fun playing football. He did not
try to later roll the ball to Cromby. I as major.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Last three games.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I think you've had the ball twenty minutes or more
in the second half of the last three games, which
is an oddityam I think, and.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
It's yeah the ball. Yeah, well, I think what you're
referencing is is Illinois State and southern Illinois specifically. Yeah, well,
Indiana State. We had it, like I said, we had
it for ten minutes in the first quarter. Okay, the
second quarter didn't go quite as well because of not
converting on on third and one and then not converting
(23:30):
on fourth and one, and then we had a three
and out in there. Two I maybe it's maybe there's
something to be said about just a little bit of
our still big game experience up front. Maybe we're learning
that a little bit right now that they're a little
bit better after they play some snaps and they're getting
better as they go. But I'll tell you what we
talk about that No, we coach that we must get
(23:53):
better for the sixty minutes. We have to be better
football team deep in the third quarter than we were
at the start. That's more important because everything in our
program we talk about getting the games into the fourth quarter,
relying on our toughness and our togetherness and our pride
and our conditioning, and we want four quarter games. We're
not scared of the swamp. A game like this when
you're talking about plus one run game.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Is that something that has to be in your first
fifteen It has to be a part.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Of the plan.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Are you trying to establish tiobac run game and then
you just pull a record it?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Okay, that's one that's maybe one of the first questions
I'm going to say. I'm not going to give you
too much on that. There's a couple of ways to
approach that. Get your best stuff out there and go
and that's kind of you know, it's football, and that
maybe Illinois State did a really nice job, maybe Southern
did a really nice job with their openers. Okay, and
then the defense gets time to coach and teach and learn,
(24:43):
and then we go out there and adjust and we
shut it down. That's football. And so whether you hold it,
you know, for big moments, are you holding it for
the second half? Are you going to come out with
your stuff? Do you have counter punches to it it?
Kind of I've always thought of it this way. Can
you establish the running back to tailback run game and
then kind of keep moving on you know where you at,
(25:05):
assess it and move on.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
How big a deal is this game in terms of
the future, knowing the recruits that they want you're looking
at and vice versa.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
One versus two is national television.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
The implication is beyond Saturday Night.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I think it's I think it's it's huge, right, Like
I actually gave that a little bit of thought, like
winning is the best cure for a lot of things.
You know how people feel about their experience when they're
at your institution, right because we're talking about roster management,
not just recruiting, winning big games and having fun doing it.
(25:38):
I mean, I know most of our guys whoever committed
here that had other options as far as P six,
it's because of games like this and the competition level
with South Dakota State. But I think it means everything.
Your ability to go sit in someone's home or have
them on a visit to say, hey, we are ex
versus this team and knowing that you're in a head
to head it matters. You know, our winning tradition speaks
(26:00):
for itself. But most people today right live in what's
going on right now, and you have to be able
to find a way in these big ball games versus
all the Dakotas. For us, because it's so competitive and recruiting,
they mean so much from a recruiting standpoint, what do
you make of this game?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Is both years in the regular season with you here,
it's been flex to a night game in national television.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
The spotlight at this game.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Because yes, well, I mean they called that a long
time ago, right they we got that email and stuff
months and months and months ago. So I think it's
just an acknowledgement of where both programs are and the
quality of play a football in the Missouri Valley Conference.
And I've said it time and time again, but every
time we get national opportunity, you know, for exposure, you know,
(26:42):
to represent this institution in a first class manner, you know,
to possess a genuine appreciation to play football, I think
that's big time. I think we do that as well
as anybody.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Having a very level ahead and kind of have you
had any or will you have any special conversations with
him this week because if you're Cam was pretty darn
good last year in both games, obviously, and that was
perhaps the difference in DA teams, So any special message
to call this week?
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Truthfully, I felt the need to talk to Cam and
make sure he knew that last year that this was
a team game, right, and Cam I just you could
see this like burning. I mean, just turn that film
on and see how many times he's just pure grit,
pure competitive spirit. Peer want to just wills us to
stay out there. Whether it was in the run game
(27:33):
or in the scrambles that he converted it. It's countless
if his quarterback conversions on scrambles. If it's not over ten,
I'll buy you all the soda pop. It was more
than that. I mean, he he was tough, So I
felt the need there With Cole, I just I get
the sense of a guy that's just really embracing his
first opportunity to play quarterback. He's having fun doing it.
(27:55):
He's really trusting himself. You know. All the questions about
jumping over, I mean, why do you want me to
rain this guy in? He gets he's had one year
to start football, go play Cole kind of thing. But
just I hope he understands how tight some of these
windows are going to be. I hope he understands that
that pocket's going to be a little bit more condensed
than it's been all year. They're going to try to
keep them in there, you know, And can he function
(28:17):
and make great decisions like he has for the so
far of this season when those moments just keep escalating,
because I think this will be a four quarter game.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Thank you, And there he goes the head ball coach,
Tim Polasek. It's a big one this week. Dana J.
Deck House Stadium is going to be absolutely rocking down
in Brookings. Kickoff for that one's going to be at
seven pm. You can find it on an ESPNU if
you want to watch it. But as always, listened to
this here on Bison sixteen sixty. Sam, Phil and Noah
(28:53):
will be on the call for you. Pregame coverage here
on Biden sixteen sixty. We'll start at one pm, six
hours before kickoff. Talk to guys the rest of the
week on the Insiders.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Go buy them god Junk and Fargo, Moorhead or the
Lakes area. Call one eight hundred god Junk
He and lacked it with. As we with hear from
NDC football head coach Tim Polisik live for his week
week press conference. It's Mark roweek, all right, sounds like
we got coach.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I thought, overall with some of the things that were
going on in Saturday's game against Indiana State, really pleased
with our young our young men and their ability to respond.
You know, there was ten minutes left in the fourth
quarter and we were in grind mode and the score
was thirty eight to seven or Jeff, that was your prediction, right, Okay,
(00:36):
So overall it's a really good performance. When you look
back on it, you got to go study, you know,
and you're studying it against this unbelievable standard of perfection,
and that's what we're always striving for. And then somewhere
along the way, we're looking to capture excellence, okay, with
ever without ever losing the thought of just winning by
one more point than your opponent one week at a time.
(00:57):
And so when you look back on it, collected offensively,
we just didn't cultivate touchdowns. We had the ball for
ten minutes in the first quarter, and it was methodical,
it was really efficient. It was actually beautiful six seven
eight yards in the wrong game Cole extending series and
getting the ball thrown in scramble drills. But we just
(01:17):
didn't produce a twenty yard play. And we've been talking
about it all year and that was what was missing
in order for us to extend this thing and so
forth and so on, and then on top of it
for the first time this year, you know, we we
got a bad break, and that's football. The ball sometimes
don't bounce your way, so we turn it over in
the red zone. Indiana State makes a great play breaking
(01:40):
on a ball and they get it intercepted. That really
affected momentum defensively. We did change the narrative and we
asked them on Monday to change the narrative of starting
faster because we had played eighty four plays in the
two games previous. They forced two three and outs out
of their first three series. It's just special team, you know,
kind of. We just had a little bit of a
(02:02):
mistake in fundamentals and technique when we gave up the
fake punt. And I gotta be honest with you, I
just give a lot of credit to their coach. You
want to fake punt from the twenty five, you know,
and do that. That's part of the deal. So that
was kind of the just the overall dullness of the
first quarter. Defensively, I mean our performance, I just my
(02:23):
hat goes off to those guys. They played extremely well
for all four quarters basically outside of one drive, and
Indiana State was challenging us with some tempo stuff that
basically was coming after any productive play. And so we'll
work hard at improving there. And then, like I mentioned,
just offensively, we have to be really aware cultivating explosive
(02:45):
plays is a big time factor and scoring touchdowns. It
really is hard to deal with defensively. When you can
get those types of plays and whether that's pushing the
ball down field a little bit to say Bryce or
raj or somebody making their mind is up there, they're
not gonna get tackled. Okay, we have to cultivate those plays. Now,
we had nine plays of fifteen yards or more, but
(03:06):
twenty yards is the mark. And so that's that's kind
of the area that I thought if any week came
up short. I mean, I can show you guys the numbers.
They were off the charts. You know, we're at sixty
percent on third down defensively, we hit all of our goals,
you know, so it was really good performance. It just
(03:26):
was a little bit sputtering in the first half. And
we're gonna get it cleaned up. We need to get
it cleaned up. Okay. So this week the Dakota markers here,
you know, twenty twenty five Dakota markers here. And I
think that's important to note because you know, twenty one
matchups NDSU eleven, South Dakota State ten, the average score
(03:47):
is twenty four to ten or twenty four to twenty
in those games. Okay, so this will be an absolute dogfight.
So I just it's one of those deals where you
take all these numbers in these stats, okay, and then
we can do this. We can get rid of that, okay.
And because it won't be about anything about execution and
big moments, you either make the player you don't. We
watched a twenty minute tape last night of some of
(04:10):
the missed opportunities or when we broke down and they
just didn't capitalize last year. If those plays go the
other way, I don't know that We're hosting the trophy
and it's really important for our young people to matter
that are to understand that there's six plays that are
going to make the difference in this game, and we
do not know which six they are. The level of
competitiveness in this game, the physicality in this game, the
(04:34):
level of coaching and execution in this game will be
by far our best matchup. It is unbelievable when you
take it from a bird's eye view and you just
watch the pursuit and effort on both defenses, the execution
of both offenses, the quarterback, and their grit to keep
their teams on the field. It's it's going to be
a dogfight. And like I said last year, I just
(04:54):
I really respect these guys based on how they coach,
how they put their players in position to make plays,
the quality of their players, how they recruit. It doesn't
mean you got to like them and all that stuff,
but man, they do things the right way and this
should be a really fun matchup in and man, we
have to embrace this environment. We got to go down
(05:15):
there with the thoughts and the idea of efficient, productive,
fast quick start with efficient plays to try to silence
these guys. I think it's going to be a difficult environment.
I really do. Let's go, let's get some questions rock.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
And roll here, what information do you have about.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Jackson and Mackay Jackson? Okay, Now, I'm not going to
use the term like most coaches like day to day
in the sense that we don't know he's he's got
to hit some benchmarks and we're checking on those day
to day. He's not out there practicing at anytime that
occurs for an NDSU player. Okay, the chances have been
playing on a Saturday are very unlikely. But guess what,
Jackson's been your five years and he's a rock star,
(05:52):
so I just I wouldn't count him out. But he
hasn't put on the pads or his shorts or lifted
weights yet, and he has to hit some rehab things.
He has to get back with strength and conditioning to
make sure things are strong, and so I don't even
want to speculate on when he'll be back. But Jackson
is probably most likely not going to play. Who is
the other one? Mackay? Mackay, We're gonna try to get
(06:17):
up and running later in the week, just to see
how his ankle responds. I'm not overly opportunistic, but he's
a guy that would be comfortable suiting up as an
emergency only on Saturday, and that could be possible. Makay
has Jackson, I'm sorry, sting ahead, Okay, see T scans,
(06:38):
MRIs all very positive. Okay, that impact. I mean, if
you guys look at it really closely, it's like, I mean,
everything is getting driven and compressed. And so that that
was the result of not being able to feel his
hands for a moment, some lower back pain. He's just
really dealing almost like being in a car accident. Okay,
Like there's some real muscle stuff in the neck area,
(07:00):
in the trap area that is really sore. And we
know how tough he is, and so I'm gonna trust
Trish and I'm gonna trust Jackson to be positive, to
do what she asked him to do, and then when
we come through this, we'll come through it. But we're
we're just continuing to keep our fingers crossed that we
get them back this year.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
How do you face a team you're not really sure
the quarterback? I mean, how do you prepare for a
team like that?
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Yeah? No, I mean, especially if they're different. I think
you got to prepare for the starter or let's just
say there was a drastic difference in one kid's ability
to run and the other kid's ability to throw. I mean,
then you've got to have kind of two different plans. Anyhow,
I remember Mark Farley talking about it when he didn't
(07:44):
know if Carson was gonna play or not. I think
there was a time in there when that came up.
And you know, preparing for both quarterbacks, you've got to
do a little bit different. Seven on seven work is
extremely different. I think your inside run would have to
get pushed towards a different type of quarterback. But in
this scenario, we're gonna get ready that kid is. I mean,
we talk about Cole and his physicality and his physical presence.
(08:07):
This guy's six three two and forty pounds, and I
mean I remember seeing him last year, like she should
they be playing this guy at tight end or linebacker?
I mean it's almost mirrored. You know, these two kids
in their careers. So I think we have to prepare
for him, and then we got to know the backup
is very capable in the RPO world. He'll take relief.
That was proven in the Murray State game. You know,
bubble screens, the quick games. He has good footwork and
(08:29):
rhythm and that's probably a byproduct of him coming with
his coach that coached him before. So he's got a
good foundation based on footwork, rhythm, and I think he's
above the average arm or above the line arm, I
should say, not average, and he did some decent, solid
things for his first time playing. I would think he
would only improve, you know, this week in practice and stuff,
(08:50):
and then it's a matter of can you rattle them,
you know, if you get to the backup. But we're
gonna prepare for a chase.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Tavid, Sparan and Vitz As you've been down there, the
stadium is completely different.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
When do you anticipate yourself on Saturday.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Yeah, you keep pointing out some of these things that
I don't even think about. That's I'm actually looking forward
to it. You know, they've upgraded their stuff like any
great program, and a lot of that right now is
centered around the Dakotas. They've all made improvements in their facilities.
I know they have a great fan base, much like ours.
I hope Bison Nation can somehow find a way to
get some of those tickets and whoever's there be really active.
(09:23):
But I'm looking forward to being down there and seeing
it honestly, and just kind of you know, what are
you up against, like in the recruiting world, what does
it look like exactly? And based on their hobo days,
which I think this game would be a click up
based on the opponent. I'm just anticipating a really electric
(09:44):
crowd that's pretty rambunctious after getting the tailgate all day.
Cole got hurt in this game last year.
Speaker 4 (09:51):
Do you have a sense that this means a little
bit more for him than what happened.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Last year in this game.
Speaker 2 (09:57):
I will never show you, guys that seventeen minute video
we took from the meeting last night, but it's interesting
he's in a couple of the shots that Christian. His
demeanor doesn't change. He's just he's really consistent. Last night
we were thrown up against a fifteen mile pro win
and he missed a couple like any quarterback would driving
it downfield, and I just one of those We're gonna
need to find a way, you know, get that nose
(10:18):
up and down. He said, I'm good, coach, I'm We're
gonna prepare. I mean, he just doesn't change, and he's
got a competitive burn. I think probably somewhere in there
you know, these guys are the ones that took opportunity
away for me to contribute more to the twenty twenty
four championship. Probably is in his head, but I just
don't think that'll impact when he's under center and shotgun
(10:39):
his general feeling. I think he's gonna play well. Throwing
the stats out. The game in Illinois State was a
seventeen point game. That's been your closest game this season.
Would be difficult to anticipate shout to go to State
game going like that.
Speaker 1 (10:51):
How do you kind of prepare.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
The team for a dogfight when you have not been
in a dog fight? Yeah, play with great emotion, don't
get emotional. Win one play at a time. Focus on
your fundamentals. If you find yourself getting a little bit
out of whack, a little concerned about one place, so
what now? What could keep responding because that's the kind
of fight this will be, you know, And that's where
(11:16):
you know, I try to find positives and everything. The
bottom line with like last week was how we responded
is what I'm excited for because we're trying to build
young men. You know, nothing's perfect, right in being able
to come out of the tunnel and play well in
the second half, said something about our resolve, and then
if you just look at last year's game, both games,
I didn't look beyond that. If you look at last
(11:37):
year's both games, I mean, we have the ball with
six minutes to go, and we put it up the
ras and you win. Right, they get it back, they
miss a screenplay in there. This is gonna be tight regardless.
I think special teams. I just have an eerie feeling
that special teams there's gonna be a big play in
there somewhere, and that matchup is so balanced right now.
(11:59):
They have to focus on fundamentals, the basics. We have
to focus on our effort and get into the ball
and then just make no mistake about it. Okay. Two
August is ago, I showed up Okay to fall camp
and we talked about zero to eight. We had eight
turnovers in the previous five losses, Okay, and the two
wins we've had zero turnovers. They've had too. Turnovers are
(12:23):
going to make a difference in this game as well.
So we got to value the ball, and we got
to respect the ball, and we got to be ball hawks,
and we got to get to the football with bad intentions.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
You're saying about dogfight. You know down in Brookings, the
last guy to go over one hundred yards, the last
running back for you guys was your Samuel Jerry.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Twelve years ago, twenty twelve.
Speaker 3 (12:46):
Is that just the nature of the game or do
you have to try to change that for your running backs?
Speaker 2 (12:50):
No, you, I mean you just got to go down
there and try to establish the run. Both teams are
going to be trying to do that against really high
level defenses. Yeah, I'll give you a give you some
numbers here. When you look at stops defense, third down
stops our defense right now is seventy percent win rate.
There's a seventy three percent win rate. Fourth down stops.
(13:11):
Ours is fifty five percent stops. There's a sixty two percent. Conversely, offensively,
now that's where I just put We're a team. We're
gonna try to win as a team and support each other,
but we have to be that team that shows up
with sixty percent conversion team that's on third down, and
if we can extend some drives Jeff and avoid three
and outs, I think that's where you have a chance
(13:32):
to have one hundred yard rusher. But this has always
come down to you guys. Ever, notice how this has
come down to some quarterback run game. It takes plus one.
It just does. Because people are they're schooled up on defense.
They're a system outfit like we are. The kids know
the system, the coaches know the weaknesses in the calls,
and they can adjust on the fly. And then these
(13:53):
players playing defense are really good. It's hard. It's hard
to get a guy that rush for one hundred yards
with their quarterback not be mon from last year.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
And as many guys that went to Washington State as did,
how much all of your two games last year can
you take? And how much do you have to watch
this year's version of South.
Speaker 2 (14:12):
It just matters if you're I would use the are
you trying to be a PFPF PFF guy in grading
performance of individuals? You're trying to study an individual versus
studying conceptually how the defense is. Coordinators trying to structure
their defense. So those are the two things that we're
always in balance on. When we're studying film, you're studying
(14:34):
defensive structure. Okay, then match up issues trying to identify those.
But then each individual kids got to go in there
and try to study the guy they're going to play
and know how they're going to be attacked. That's the
preparation we're talking about weekly. For years. Chris, Chris Climate
always did such a good job. It's different than me,
but he would look at all those former games and
(14:56):
try to bring up the trick plays or the counter punches,
the things and dive into it. I think you can
get get lost and you'll be up there until about
twelve o'clock just fascinated drinking coffee or red Bull. And
we're trying to avoid that. So we're focused on We're
focused on the personality and the personnel of their football
team now, and then we're paying great detail to what nuanced. Okay,
(15:20):
Jimmy and their decordinator came up together, all right, Okay,
Dan Jackson is part of that. I think their DNA
is still the same. It's much like here for a
long time. You know, it was Eck and their quarterback
coach together doing it right now. The quarterback coach is
you know the offensive coordinator. Well, he coached the guy
that's at Northwestern. You see what I'm saying. So it's
(15:42):
all connected. So more structure, scheme concept. How are we
going to be attacked.
Speaker 3 (15:47):
Speaking of that, they lost over twenty guys of the portal,
yet they're seven in all, so your reaction surprise.
Speaker 2 (15:51):
They're just good. It's a good program, and I think
they did a good job jumping on some portal recruiting.
You know, we had tour and engaged in some conversations
with some of the guys they had coming. But I
to their credit and much like us, how many of
those guys are starting for them? Not a lot, you
(16:14):
know what I mean. So they just they have in
their DNA, the want two to compete, the want to
to develop. It's a very well run program. And I
don't want to come off wrong here. This is gonna
be competitive. I want to win this game. This is important.
But the respect level has got to be there for
the way they develop, where they.
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Better or different in areas because they graduate, not only importally,
they lost some really good players of graduation.
Speaker 2 (16:41):
Yeah, I mean it's Tuesday, right, there's another forty eight
hours so Thursday. Maybe I feel slightly different about what
I'm gonna say, but I think their receiver unit as
a whole is better. I think, or it feels like
there's a few more guys compared to last year. There's
a few more guys after the catch that can do
more with it. There's big play capability there. They have
(17:02):
eighteen explosive plays in the past game thirty two explosive plays. Overall,
that's gonna play a role. We have forty nine explosive plays,
so that's gonna play a role in this and that's
how you score points. The tight end group is different.
They have a really good athlete that can catch it
and do something with it, but they're playing an extra
alignment quite a bit when they want to establish the
(17:23):
run where they've been able to rely on their tight
ends in the past. Running backs. You know, I honestly,
quite frankly don't know because their health has been up
and down. I think fifteen is a really good player.
You know, James bass Singer is back. He's got forty
seven carries, and then you know Josiah Johnson's a kid
that kind of flashed on the scene from Milwaukee last week,
(17:44):
and so it's just kind of hard to tell who
they're gonna play there. Chase Mason and I think he's accurate.
He's got a humongous arm. His feet aren't always perfect,
but his arm talent is so impressive that he can
catch up to even timing routes, and he's been fairly accurate.
And then you know, the scary part about him is
(18:04):
when he gets on the perimeter a much like our guy.
That's a true dual threat. And so I'm not sure
at this moment is he playing close to where Mark
was playing? Probably at this time. I really mean that
offensive line wise, they had a group that started two
straight seasons together. Okay, this is a really solid group,
but that would be a better question for him if
(18:26):
they're as good or not. Defensively, they have good players
at all three levels. The linebackers were amazing last year
as a group, they were and this group is pretty
darn good. But that group last year was amazing, and
these guys are flying around and they kept a lot
of the same characteristics. They have eight interceptions in the
last two games, so their back end is doing a
really nice job of getting the ball. And then defensive
(18:49):
line wise, number ninety four, because he moved, they move
him inside and outside. You know, he's a powerful, short
guy that plays with a great spirit and energy, and
I think the defense takes on his personality.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
All these programs have a history of producing some high
calibrich head ends.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
In your opinion, just what is having a good tight
end do to a program? Like, how does to elevate
the what you can do on offense? Well, I think formationally,
it adds a lot of diversity if the guy is
a run pass or a run and pass player, right,
because now all of a sudden you can split him out.
You know, that's kind of what we're hopeful someday with Reese.
I mean, this guy's up to two hundred and some
yards receiving twenty one or twenty two yards per catch, Like,
(19:29):
if he can continue to develop, well, you can line
him up in the slot and then the next time
he's the nub side tight end, he's blocking in the run.
So I would just say formation diversity. It allows you
to be much more capable of closing out games. You know,
somewhere in the middle of the fourth quarter you need
to stick a three four, five seven minute drive together.
That's hard to do an eleven personnel. Sometimes you know
(19:51):
where you if you can get big and and you know,
shift trade motion a little bit. So those tight ends
allow that. That's that's what I would say. And then
the middle. Control. Controlling the midd the field with a
pass catcher not only that can catch it, but can
do something after the catch is really something I get
pretty excited about. That's that's hard to defend.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
To helping you in the run game the way you
kind of want him to.
Speaker 2 (20:11):
Yeah, I don't know. A few few more weeks, you know,
man a winner camp of some playoff football. The kid
could be pretty good. We'll see, you know. I think
he's a humble guy. I think he's working at it.
It's you got to remember now, Finn Diggins was was
(20:33):
really playing at a high level in the run game,
and then Carson Williams. You know, it's a pretty high
level blocker, and so he's kind of behind some guys too,
and it just for us. We can personnel. We don't.
I don't mind running personnel groupings in because our kids
are so familiar with each other because of the double repping.
Speaker 4 (20:51):
Zach Vanderpool's rise of the depth chart and if he
has to go Saturday, what can you see out of him?
Speaker 2 (20:56):
Well, it won't be if he has to. You know,
he he's fifty to fifty right now. As far as
getting back, you know, he's struggling with some back stuff.
Typical is how I would first describe it. If recruiting's
on point, you know, six four and a half two
hundred and thirty five pound athlete, Gazer did a good
job identifying them, Matt and those guys did a great
(21:17):
job of recruiting them at two eighty or something now
to seventy eight. So just the natural progression within the program.
When you have a talented competitive guy that wants to
get better, he's just scratching the surface, you know, of
opening up his toolbox in the pass rush game. Him
and Elijah still have to detail their their fundamentals in
(21:39):
the run game. You know, they're probably a little bit
better on the move than they are just playing head
up and trying to get knocked back. Elijah playing a
lot in this game too. Then well yeah, I mean,
if if duty's out, we can't. This ain't the type
of affair where you can just send Keenan out there
for seventy two plays and go get them, buddy. I mean,
he's gonna have to. Keenan and Logan are gonna have
to empty the damn tank, and that that starts today.
(22:02):
With their nutrition preparation, their practice, habits, their sleep. That's
all got to be on point because those two are
going to war and they're on the front line. Is
that Andrews play.
Speaker 3 (22:12):
I think thirty snaps the last three weeks would have
be super good.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
Yeah, I think, yeah, I think you must like Jakis
because I think that's the second time he asked me.
But I always appreciate you bringing it up. A consistent worker,
he's really embracing last year at this time. Last night
was about twenty eight to thirty degrees or something. There
was some wind. I just I don't know how that
would have went the practice it was fifty to fifty
(22:37):
whether he was going to dominate it. I thought last
night he went out there and practiced really well. And
so you're just seeing a guy that has grown his role,
which that's the job of the players is if you
want more, do more, if you want to play more,
be better. He's done a really good job with that,
and he's he's having fun playing football. He did not
try to later roll the ball to Cromby. I as major.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Last three games.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
I think you've had the ball twenty minutes or more
in the second half of the last three games, which
is an oddityam I think, and.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
It's yeah the ball. Yeah, well, I think what you're
referencing is is Illinois State and southern Illinois specifically. Yeah, well,
Indiana State. We had it, like I said, we had
it for ten minutes in the first quarter. Okay, the
second quarter didn't go quite as well because of not
converting on on third and one and then not converting
(23:30):
on fourth and one, and then we had a three
and out in there. Two I maybe it's maybe there's
something to be said about just a little bit of
our still big game experience up front. Maybe we're learning
that a little bit right now that they're a little
bit better after they play some snaps and they're getting
better as they go. But I'll tell you what we
talk about that No, we coach that we must get
(23:53):
better for the sixty minutes. We have to be better
football team deep in the third quarter than we were
at the start. That's more important because everything in our
program we talk about getting the games into the fourth quarter,
relying on our toughness and our togetherness and our pride
and our conditioning, and we want four quarter games. We're
not scared of the swamp. A game like this when
you're talking about plus one run game.
Speaker 1 (24:12):
Is that something that has to be in your first
fifteen It has to be a part.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
Of the plan.
Speaker 1 (24:17):
Are you trying to establish tiobac run game and then
you just pull a record it?
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Okay, that's one that's maybe one of the first questions
I'm going to say. I'm not going to give you
too much on that. There's a couple of ways to
approach that. Get your best stuff out there and go
and that's kind of you know, it's football, and that
maybe Illinois State did a really nice job, maybe Southern
did a really nice job with their openers. Okay, and
then the defense gets time to coach and teach and learn,
(24:43):
and then we go out there and adjust and we
shut it down. That's football. And so whether you hold it,
you know, for big moments, are you holding it for
the second half? Are you going to come out with
your stuff? Do you have counter punches to it it?
Kind of I've always thought of it this way. Can
you establish the running back to tailback run game and
then kind of keep moving on you know where you at,
(25:05):
assess it and move on.
Speaker 3 (25:07):
How big a deal is this game in terms of
the future, knowing the recruits that they want you're looking
at and vice versa.
Speaker 4 (25:13):
One versus two is national television.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
The implication is beyond Saturday Night.
Speaker 2 (25:18):
I think it's I think it's it's huge, right, Like
I actually gave that a little bit of thought, like
winning is the best cure for a lot of things.
You know how people feel about their experience when they're
at your institution, right because we're talking about roster management,
not just recruiting, winning big games and having fun doing it.
(25:38):
I mean, I know most of our guys whoever committed
here that had other options as far as P six,
it's because of games like this and the competition level
with South Dakota State. But I think it means everything.
Your ability to go sit in someone's home or have
them on a visit to say, hey, we are ex
versus this team and knowing that you're in a head
to head it matters. You know, our winning tradition speaks
(26:00):
for itself. But most people today right live in what's
going on right now, and you have to be able
to find a way in these big ball games versus
all the Dakotas. For us, because it's so competitive and recruiting,
they mean so much from a recruiting standpoint, what do
you make of this game?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Is both years in the regular season with you here,
it's been flex to a night game in national television.
Speaker 4 (26:20):
The spotlight at this game.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
Because yes, well, I mean they called that a long
time ago, right they we got that email and stuff
months and months and months ago. So I think it's
just an acknowledgement of where both programs are and the
quality of play a football in the Missouri Valley Conference.
And I've said it time and time again, but every
time we get national opportunity, you know, for exposure, you know,
(26:42):
to represent this institution in a first class manner, you know,
to possess a genuine appreciation to play football, I think
that's big time. I think we do that as well
as anybody.
Speaker 4 (26:53):
Having a very level ahead and kind of have you
had any or will you have any special conversations with
him this week because if you're Cam was pretty darn
good last year in both games, obviously, and that was
perhaps the difference in DA teams, So any special message
to call this week?
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Truthfully, I felt the need to talk to Cam and
make sure he knew that last year that this was
a team game, right, and Cam I just you could
see this like burning. I mean, just turn that film
on and see how many times he's just pure grit,
pure competitive spirit. Peer want to just wills us to
stay out there. Whether it was in the run game
(27:33):
or in the scrambles that he converted it. It's countless
if his quarterback conversions on scrambles. If it's not over ten,
I'll buy you all the soda pop. It was more
than that. I mean, he he was tough, So I
felt the need there With Cole, I just I get
the sense of a guy that's just really embracing his
first opportunity to play quarterback. He's having fun doing it.
(27:55):
He's really trusting himself. You know. All the questions about
jumping over, I mean, why do you want me to
rain this guy in? He gets he's had one year
to start football, go play Cole kind of thing. But
just I hope he understands how tight some of these
windows are going to be. I hope he understands that
that pocket's going to be a little bit more condensed
than it's been all year. They're going to try to
keep them in there, you know, And can he function
(28:17):
and make great decisions like he has for the so
far of this season when those moments just keep escalating,
because I think this will be a four quarter game.
Speaker 1 (28:31):
Thank you, And there he goes the head ball coach,
Tim Polasek. It's a big one this week. Dana J.
Deck House Stadium is going to be absolutely rocking down
in Brookings. Kickoff for that one's going to be at
seven pm. You can find it on an ESPNU if
you want to watch it. But as always, listened to
this here on Bison sixteen sixty. Sam, Phil and Noah
(28:53):
will be on the call for you. Pregame coverage here
on Biden sixteen sixty. We'll start at one pm, six
hours before kickoff. Talk to guys the rest of the
week on the Insiders.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
Go buy them god Junk and Fargo, Moorhead or the
Lakes area. Call one eight hundred god Junk
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist
It’s 1996 in rural North Carolina, and an oddball crew makes history when they pull off America’s third largest cash heist. But it’s all downhill from there. Join host Johnny Knoxville as he unspools a wild and woolly tale about a group of regular ‘ol folks who risked it all for a chance at a better life. CrimeLess: Hillbilly Heist answers the question: what would you do with 17.3 million dollars? The answer includes diamond rings, mansions, velvet Elvis paintings, plus a run for the border, murder-for-hire-plots, and FBI busts.