We found out quite a bit about the NDSU football team in last week's 34-14 drubbing of the Iowa State University Cyclones. It changed my expectations for the 2014 season.
What it didn't change is how I felt this game against the WSU Wildcats was going to go.
This game is going to be a mess. NDSU may get to 40 points before halftime. I'm not kidding.
What are you looking for as a fan of NDSU from this game?
I'm glad you asked!
Pinto's Point #1:The Back-Up Quarterback
The Bison still aren't sure who they prefer at back-up QB. Is it Derek McGinnis or Cole Davis? Best way to figure this out is let them have a fair shot at running the offense late in the game.
I think this one will be put away sometime soon after halftime, meaning the Bison are going to want to take Carson Wentz out to preserve him for games they will actually need him.
Bring in the back-ups and let them sling it around for awhile. See who performs better. You don't have to make a decision on your back-up in Ogden, Utah. You can wait when this situation presents itself the next week in the form of Incarnate Word.
This will still be a game you are going to want to figure out what back-up quarterback's bandwagon you are jumping on.
Pinto's Point #2: King Frazier and Chase Morlock
John Crockett ran the ball 17 times against ISU, while Frazier had nine carriers and Morlock seven. Collectively, the group averaged 7.9 yards per carry. They also scored all of the Bison's touchdowns.
Frazier and Morlock will again get a solid amount of carries against Weber State. This is going to be fun to watch because we will be watching the newest version of NDSU's two-headed running back attack.
These two will be the focus running backs in 2015 and the next two weeks will give fans a good idea as to how good they will be when they are the feature backs. Morlock is already a fan favorite since he is from Moorhead. Frazier has had some lofty expectations put on him since he is coming from the University of Nebraska.
While watching this game, pick your favorite and see who ends up with more yards. The loser has to buy the next case of beers for tailgating. Repeat this game against Incarnate Word.
Pinto's Point #3: The Defensive Line
It could be worse than just six weeks. A hamstring tear is not something you just wrap up and play with. The Bison d-line, which was already trying to address depth issues, now just became a little more interesting.
The interior part of the line looked solid against ISU, with junior Brian Schaetz and redshirt freshman Nate Tanguay combining for seven tackles and 1.5 tackles for a loss. Kyle Emanuel, the senior defensive end, accounted for nine tackles, four for loss and two sacks. He was rewarded for his efforts .
In place of Hardie, the Bison will go with sophomore Brad Ambrosious. You will also see redshirt freshman Alex Hahn have an impact as well. Hahn ended up with a sack against Iowa State to go along with his three tackles.
The loss of Hardie is not catastrophic but it does force the Bison to play younger players before they might be ready. Good thing they get two pretty easy games before Montana on September 20 to get their feet wet.
Pinto's X-Factor: Grant Morgan
Last week, I said Tyler Wrice. This week, I'm going with defensive tackle, redshirt freshman Grant Morgan. Weber State's sophomore running back. Zach Smith, ran for 128 yards and a touchdown on 16 carriers last week against #19 Arizona State University.
Smith averaged eight yards per carry and had a 60 yard run. Best way you can prevent from a repeat performance by the sophomore is to have a strong interior line.
Coach Chris Klieman also said at his weekly press conference he wanted to play Morgan more. Expect the coaches to call his number and sophomore Austin Farnlof's number quite a bit as the game moves along.
Pinto's Prediction: NDSU 45 Weber State 7
As I have said over and over again, this and Incarnate Word are tune-up games for the Bison as they get ready for the more difficult part of their schedule. Montana and the Missouri Valley Football Conference schedule loom.
Expect NDSU to play a ton of players, if the score allows, in the next couple weeks. These games do wonders for a team's overall depth and NDSU will use that to their advantage.