9/14/19: North Dakota State @ Delaware

[bluehenbillk]

The back Easter’s are so excited about this game their pants are about half full, which is no surprise to them. So is their stadium, also no surprise.

$36 gen admin bleacher seats only available inside the 20s but their is a catch. You have to buy mini packs including the NDSU game to get inside. That’s always a sign of a big game. Shades of SDSU, which no longer does that for the Bison game. They like to sell tickets in Brookings.

https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/udelaw ... ils/FB1902

The Tubby Raymond seats 22,000.

Hopefully not too many of the disagreeable Delaware fans here will be attending without some kind of attitude adjustment. It could be a great atmosphere and a good time.

Maybe they hit 11,000. I’m taking the over for what they are telling us is the Hens biggest game since at least 1970.

How safe is the Raymond tubby? It’s pretty old, built on the cheap and it looks like they are hammering away at it pretty good. Looks like Mankatos D2 stadium only bigger.

This will be the second meeting and probably the last. I can’t see them coming back for more after this, unless they need money. Then they will be back in Fargo for a single game.

JBB you have old info - individual game tickets for this Saturday's game have been available for close to a month now - you used to have to buy a mini-plan but now you can just buy the game.

The Tub did seat 22K before its recent renovation, which you'll notice on Saturday is still ongoing. We have ghetto looking temporary press boxes chewing up seats on the visiting side for this season - capacity is now in the mid to high 16K's, it'll be just over 18K next season.

The Tub used to be a pretty rowdy place - still can be at times, most of the clientele is in their 60's & up age wise though. UD won't play FCS road games without a return visit, they won't play less than 6 home games in a year either...

[Ivytalk]

Hey I was at the UD athletic fields last Sunday. WTF is going on on the highway side of the stadium? New field house with a horrible view?

So what are they building at Torson these days?

[93henfan]

I'm not going to trade half-wit responses with Obvious Troll, but I will add some historical information to explain the current state of UD football.

Delaware's peak decade was obviously the 1970s under Tubby Raymond, but the football program has been a player at the level below D-I/FBS (called various things over the decades) since the 1940s with six national championships. Had we had an administration and an athletic department with foresight, we could have probably conveyed the 1970s success when we were playing bowl games live on ABC into a spot in the Big East and maybe risen to the level of a VT or BC. Alas, we never pursued that.

Instead, we remained a player in D-IAA/FCS, with success up through the 200X decade, with a championship in three championship game appearances last decade.

Attendance-wise, we had the longest consecutive year string of 20,000+ home attendance through 2009, before handing the baton to Montana. In 2005, we averaged over 22,000 per game: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/football_ ... e/2005.pdf. By 2010, our attendance had dropped sharply to 17K even during a championship game season. So why did that happen?

1. The economy. The great Recession hit New Castle County Delaware hard. When you're at Delaware Stadium, take a look across the street to what is called the UD Star Campus. It was the massive Chrysler Newark Assembly and Mopar Parts Distubution Center in 2008. It's not there anymore. https://www.reuters.com/article/chrysle ... 0820081023 And Chrysler was just the tip of the iceberg. The GM Boxwood plant a few miles northeast was also shuttered. There was also the massive hit of Delaware's own MBNA bank, as 3,000 jobs were cut when it was sold to BofA: https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/14/real ... aware.html And the chemical industry (DuPont et al) also took massive hits around the same time.

2. As previously mentioned, UD has never had an administration or AD with any foresight to advance the football program. We had a guy named Edgar Johnson as AD for 25 years who made the phrase "status quo" his mantra. Then we got a new university president in 2007 named Patrick Harker who came from the Ivy League right at the point when UD football was at its peak attendance and stadium enhancements should have been in order. He didn't give one fuck about football. He put in place a yes-man AD named Bernard Muir in 2009 who showed us pretty water colors of what a Delaware Stadium renovation could look like to appease a restless fan base, but he never got off his ass to do any fundraising. The plan was vaporware and dead on arrival.

3. As attendance started to wane, yet another AD, Eric Ziady came aboard. He famously mocked Georgia Southern and App State when they moved up, asking "for what?" He too couldn't get any funds raised, and he started having an antagonistic relationship with KC Keeler, ultimately resulting in the firing of Keeler, the only coach to lead Delaware to a I-AA/FCS title.

But now we at least do have a new University President and AD (Assanis and Rawak) who support the football program and were able to gin up the $60M for the in-progress Delaware Stadium renovations and new Athletic Performance Center. So I think we've hit bottom and rebounded a bit. The future finally looks a little brighter.

[Gil Dobie]

This game will be much closer than last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a different victor. Mistakes, like one or two bad passes, a fumble or bad coaching decision could determine the outcome.

[93henfan]

This game will be much closer than last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a different victor. Mistakes, like one or two bad passes, a fumble or bad coaching decision could determine the outcome.

The victor won't be any different, don't worry.

Delaware will be lucky to stay within 20.

[vutomcat]

This game will be much closer than last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a different victor. Mistakes, like one or two bad passes, a fumble or bad coaching decision could determine the outcome.

You're just making nice, right? Even the Hen fans know this should be a blowout.

But, if you do think this, I would be interested to hear what makes you think it. What are the matchups that are in Delaware's favor? Where are the holes in the Bison team that Delaware will exploit? Will the Bison be looking forward to the matchup with UC Davis?

[Gil Dobie]

This game will be much closer than last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a different victor. Mistakes, like one or two bad passes, a fumble or bad coaching decision could determine the outcome.

The victor won't be any different, don't worry.

Delaware will be lucky to stay within 20.

What does Kevin Tresolini say?

[93henfan]

The victor won't be any different, don't worry.

Delaware will be lucky to stay within 20.

What does Kevin Tresolini say?

Bison by 14.

5Dimes has Bison by 28.5.

[andy7171]

Hey I was at the UD athletic fields last Sunday. WTF is going on on the highway side of the stadium? New field house with a horrible view?

So what are they building at Torson these days?

Buildings.

[SunCoastBlueHen]

What does Kevin Tresolini say?

Bison by 14.

5Dimes has Bison by 28.5.

That's an intriguing line. I was thinking three touchdowns was a reasonable spread.

[GannonFan]

This game will be much closer than last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a different victor. Mistakes, like one or two bad passes, a fumble or bad coaching decision could determine the outcome.

The victor won't be any different, don't worry.

Delaware will be lucky to stay within 20.

Agreed, this is an NDSU win. The question is can the Hens cover. I see a late 4th quarter cover coming.

[93henfan]

Bison by 14.

5Dimes has Bison by 28.5.

That's an intriguing line. I was thinking three touchdowns was a reasonable spread.

Yeah, I was thinking +20.5 to open, but it was 7 points more than that, and it grew.

The cool thing about this game is, there is absolutely nothing to lose for the Hens. Just go out and play loose. Pull every trick out of the playbook. Who cares? Have fun. Maybe shock a bitch. I would laugh so fucking hard at these entitled NDSU twats if we pulled off the upset of the decade.

[SunCoastBlueHen]

That's an intriguing line. I was thinking three touchdowns was a reasonable spread.

Yeah, I was thinking +20.5 to open, but it was 7 points more than that, and it grew.

The cool thing about this game is, there is absolutely nothing to lose for the Hens. Just go out and play loose. Pull every trick out of the playbook. Who cares? Have fun. Maybe shock a bitch. I would laugh so fucking hard at these entitled NDSU twats if we pulled off the upset of the decade.

I've learned that this is the game of the century for the Hens, so they won't be lacking incentive.

[Gil Dobie]

Bison by 14.

5Dimes has Bison by 28.5.

That's an intriguing line. I was thinking three touchdowns was a reasonable spread.

I would take the Hens and the points. Too many betting on the Bison past history. I would say the 14 points is more realistic, and like I've said before, anygivensaturday.

[89Hen]

So what are they building at Torson these days?

Buildings.

Once they're done will they become builts?

[89Hen]

This game will be much closer than last year, and I wouldn't be surprised if there was a different victor. Mistakes, like one or two bad passes, a fumble or bad coaching decision could determine the outcome.

You're just making nice, right? Even the Hen fans know this should be a blowout.

But, if you do think this, I would be interested to hear what makes you think it. What are the matchups that are in Delaware's favor? Where are the holes in the Bison team that Delaware will exploit? Will the Bison be looking forward to the matchup with UC Davis?

You haven't been reading this thread. He's been sandbagging for a month.

[Gil Dobie]

You're just making nice, right? Even the Hen fans know this should be a blowout.

But, if you do think this, I would be interested to hear what makes you think it. What are the matchups that are in Delaware's favor? Where are the holes in the Bison team that Delaware will exploit? Will the Bison be looking forward to the matchup with UC Davis?

You haven't been reading this thread. He's been sandbagging for a month.

All you all are still confusing the 2019 Bison with the 2011-2018 Bison. 24 seniors are gone, the Bison are ripe for the picking. This years team still has a lot to prove. The Delaware game will be a legit test.

[GannonFan]

You haven't been reading this thread. He's been sandbagging for a month.

All you all are still confusing the 2019 Bison with the 2011-2018 Bison. 24 seniors are gone, the Bison are ripe for the picking. This years team still has a lot to prove. The Delaware game will be a legit test.

I hear ya, I think UD can cover.

[93henfan]

All you all are still confusing the 2019 Bison with the 2011-2018 Bison. 24 seniors are gone, the Bison are ripe for the picking. This years team still has a lot to prove. The Delaware game will be a legit test.

I hear ya, I think UD can cover.

As of today, 40-12 would be covering.

[GannonFan]

I hear ya, I think UD can cover.

As of today, 40-12 would be covering.

Yup, we got this!!!!

[89Hen]

As of today, 40-12 would be covering.

Yup, we got this!!!!

Could be close.

[Gil Dobie]

McFeely Tresolini Podcast

[GannonFan]

McFeely Tresolini Podcast

Huh, UD didn't expect to be get whipped last year??? What planet were they on? Hadn't been to the playoffs in almost a decade, starting a first year QB in I think his first road game ever, behind an OL that was a good reason for not making the playoffs in almost a decade, going up against a very senior-laden NDSU team. I think Tres is pulling someone's leg in that one, everyone knew UD was going to be blown out last year.

This year we're covering baby!!!

[93henfan]

Tresolini is not the sharpest tool in the shed. Don't get me wrong; I like him, as UD's only remaining somewhat high profile beat writer. I'm not counting whoever covers UD for the Newark Post, Delaware State News, or The Review. But Kevin has made me say "WTF" many times. When he feels the other fan base is paying attention, which is hardly ever in the CAA regular season, then he starts pandering. Here he is pandering to NDSU.

[BDKJMU]

That's an intriguing line. I was thinking three touchdowns was a reasonable spread.

Yeah, I was thinking +20.5 to open, but it was 7 points more than that, and it grew.

The cool thing about this game is, there is absolutely nothing to lose for the Hens. Just go out and play loose. Pull every trick out of the playbook. Who cares? Have fun. Maybe shock a bitch. I would laugh so fucking hard at these entitled NDSU twats if we pulled off the upset of the decade.

UD winning at -28.5 wouldn’t be close to Elon (-37.5) over JMU last year, which was the 3rd biggest points spread upset ever, and the biggest ever between 2 I-AA teams. That was the upset of the decade..
https://www.si.com/college-football/201 ... e-football