I SEE THINGS....   (9/7/2005) Off My Office Floor.... Top and bottom.... After the spanking the Bison put on Arkansas-Monticello last Thursday night, it was evident that the Boll Weevils aren’t the cream of the crop in Division II football. Of course, we already knew that walking into the Fargodome. But this week brings a tale of two contrasts for the Bison football team and coaches. The trip to Northwestern State this weekend will bring into view a program that is the one of the elite in Division I-AA football this season. More speed, more athleticism, more talent... I’ll be curious in talking with a few Bison players after their trip to see if the difference between the two teams is markedly evident on the field. If nothing else the difference should be quite apparent on the scoreboard… Katrina.... Sports can do wonderful things during rough times. Three hours at the ballpark or the stadium offers us an escape from cruel reality. But that hasn't necessarily been the case this week. Sports, too, at least in the Gulf South, haven't provided too much in the way of a respite. College athletics didn't avoid the wrath of the storm. The Tulane football team has set up shop at Louisiana Tech while the LSU Tigers have already moved their home game with Arizona State to Tempe, Arizona upsetting many fans hoping for a temporary ‘getaway’ from life. Why? Sport & competition has amazing psychological healing quality. For example, in the incredible wake of 9/11, the country... specifically New York... used such competitions as a welcomed diversion from the frightening images of the destruction of two of the world's most recognizable landmarks in the world. Sports won't solve the decades of problems Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama face in their rebuilding effort. Sports won't bring back the loved ones lost in Katrina and her nasty aftermath. However the games and the entertainment will provide people... many of whom possess nothing more than the clothes on their body... a brief distraction from the images of polluted waters, dehydrated humans and a city in shambles. And at this point in time, we all need a dose of healing... so Gulf South athletic directors... find an available high school/college field, or empty stadium and play the game. Time will heal some of the wounds, but football may be a key to tolerance in the affected areas. The Spotlight.... Sometimes a good ole’ game of ‘smash mouth’ football is what’s needed... And the Northwestern game might be a good time to break out the fullback dive. Well, considering that we’ve never seen Andy DelaBarre run the ball and Tyler Roehl is still rehabilitating his broken leg, Tyler Jangula may be just the man to get the job done. Tyler Jangula, a 6’ 1 243 pound redshirt freshman from Williston, North Dakota, has history on his side. Tyler ran for 1,051 yards and 9 touchdowns his senior year at Williston High School. After spending his redshirt season being groomed play linebacker for the Thundering Herd, Tyler has made the switch to fullback, put on 20-25 pounds and could definitely be a force between the tackles for the Bison running game. It’s time to bring back those images of Chad Stark in my head to the field... it’s time to see what Mr. Jangula has got. On a side note…. The Bison athletic department still needs to work on their pre-game activities/show. Too much dead time... Though I did like the return of the motorcycle. One simple touch would be to leave the lights dim just a while longer when the Bison hit the field, keep the music cranked and circle some spotlights. It just seems that when the lights come on suddenly the excitement deadens to quickly. Gotta get those people who sit on their hands the whole game cranked up... I don’t know what it’s going to take, but I just don’t get that good ole’ college Dacotah Field atmosphere when I watch a game at the Fargodome. I miss it and I don't know how to get it back... One more time…. A tip: Bison fans and media you have got to let this UND thing go!! I’m a so tired of reading the paper, watching the news and reading on message boards about UND. I don’t care if the Sioux have to change their nickname. I don’t care who the Sioux play. I don’t care anymore what Roger Thomas or Upchuck say!! I don’t care if NDSU ever plays UND in anything again. The leaders at both institutions (mainly UND) have killed any feeling... And did I mention I don’t care. Quite frankly, other than how UND spends our tax dollars, neither should any Bison fan. Enough said... An experiment.... Lately, Dave our web dude has been experimenting with the music on the homepage of BI... I've told him to just get rid of the music but he's quite adamant about keeping the music. It's getting to the point where I think I'm going to ask my wife to fire him. But anyway... If you want to give Dave a suggestion for music (song) drop us an email at info@bisoninsider.com. The request lines are open... The Northwestern State Offense.... Base Offense: West Coast Option... Leading the UAM offensive attack is senior QB Davon Vinson. The 6-3, 230 pound Kilgore, Texas product accounted for 311 yards of total offense in a comeback 27-23 comeback win last week over DI-A Louisiana-Monroe. Vinson was named national I-AA player of the week by The Sports Newtork and was one of four players cited as I-AA.org All-Stars... Leading the Demon ground attack is RB Shelton Sampson (5-11 232 Sr Baton Rouge, Louisiana). Last week, Sampson rushed the ball 16 times for 40 yards. In 2004, Sampson shared the backfield with current Green Bay Packer running back Derrick Johnese. The wide receiving corp is headed by All-American candidate senior Toby Zeigler. The 6-0, 198 pound product from Monroe Louisiana scorched the Louisiana-Monroe secondary last week on a 85 yard touchdown pass from Davon Vinson. Versus ULM, the Demons racked up 350 yards of total offense, including 120 yards by land and 230 yards through the air... The Northwestern State Defense.... Base Defense: 4-2-5... On the defensive side of the ball, the Purple Swarm is led by CB David Pittman (6-0 162 Sr Gramercy, Louisiana). Pittman, a Preseason All-American is one of 16 candidates for the Sports Network Buck Buchanan Award presented to the top defensive player in NCAA Division I-AA football. Pittman has 11 career interceptions (including one last week versus Louisiana-Monroe)... three returned for TDs. The ‘star-studded’ NSU defense also includes SS Jason O’Brien (5-10, 191 Jr Abbeville, Louisiana)... 10 tackles last week, DE Ed Queen (6-2 265lb Jr Baton Rouge, Louisiana)... 12.5 TFL last season including 7.5 sacks, All-American candidate FS Russ Washington (5-10 175 Jr Lamarque, Texas) 7 tackles versus ULM including 1 for loss... Last season, the NSU defense was ranked first in the nation in total defense (250.2 ypg) and rushing defense (78.2 ypg). Versus Louisiana-Monroe the Purple Swarm uncharacteristically gave up 411 total yards, including 128 rushing yards and 283 yards through the air… History.... This will be the second meeting between Northwestern State University and North Dakota State University. The Bison defeated the Demons in the Fargodome last year by a score of 30-17. Show Me the Keys.... * As was the case most every week last season, the Bison offensive line has a huge weight advantage over the opposing defensive line... But a defensive line build on tremendous speed. Which may lend itself to a good ole’ game of smashmouth. Don’t expect to see a lot of sweeps from the Bison offense, but a good dose of runs between the tackles is a good bet... * Bison QB Steve Walker must limit interceptions... A controlled passing game is a must for a victory this week. The Purple Swarm secondary WILL be the best the Bison offense will see this season. No doubt about it. Quick slants by the wide-outs and tight-end dumps will be a staple for the Bison offense. Might be a field day for TE’s DelaBarre and Cooper over the middle... * Kick returner Shamen Washington may be a major factor in the outcome of this game. As this game may turn into a battle of field position... * Sacks, interceptions, fumbles... Goal for takeaways this week for the Bison defense? Three... Three turnovers from the Bison defense equals a quality win this Saturday... Four-five sacks means a Bison comfortable win. The Bison defense may have to win this game... * The full stable of Bison wide receivers; Marques Johnson, Nick Jackson, and Kole Heckendorf will not have a speed advantage this weekend versus the Northwestern State secondary. Southern college football teams are known for their speed.... Football talent is the key.... Watch the matchup of Demons’ corner David Pittman and Bison wide-out Kole Heckendorf. If the redshirt freshman Heckendorf can beat the press coverage by Pittman, the Bison may have found a superstar. But my guess is... the Bison will desperately miss the services of WR Travis White. * Score early! Always a premium stat when playing on the road… A must when your playing a high-powered team like Northwestern State. * The Bison coaching staff must be prepared to contain NSU QB Davon Vinson... not only can Vinson score on a defense utilizing his arm, but his feet may be the best part of his game. The defensive line must maintain their rush lanes... One last thing; my sources tell me that if you control the running of Vinson… the Demons’ running backs aren’t good enough to eat up large chunks of yardage. * One word -- 'Consistency'.... from play to play; from game to game.... Bison consistency on both offensive and defensive will make the Bison awfully tough to contain. The maturation of young players such as LB Nick Compton, LB Mike Maresh, FB Tyler Jangula, WR Kole Heckendorf, FS Nick Schommer and any possible true freshman (Humber, Mitchell, and Ogbetola) will play a major factor in the success of the Bison program this year. And keep the Bison on the fast track to the top of the Division I-AA mountain.... Jottings.... - The weight in the trenches: Offensive line: NDSU 307, Northwestern State 294 Defensive line: NDSU 275, Northwestern State 267 - Injuries this week: FB Travis Roehl - out; WR Travis White - out. - Next week the Bison host the Wildcats of Weber State University in the Fargodome. To order your tickets... visit GoBison.com or call 1-800-231-NDSU... - NSU starting center Mark Rabalais, a second team Preseason All-Southland Conference selection, was lost for the season with a knee injury during fall camp... The loss of Rabalais leaves the Demons with only one returning starter on their offensive line, RG Brian Booth, a 6-2 262lb Sr. from Baton Rouge, Louisiana... - Demons OT Woody Telfort, a transfer from South Carolina, has been cleared to play... Tiefort was one of six South Carolina players charged last January for taking items from the university’s football offices and stadium after the university told the team last season, it would not participate in a postseason bowl game... - Audio of Northwestern State University football games is available on the internet free of charge. Click Here to listen... - Former Bison DL Isaac Snell made the 53-man New York Jets roster... Former NDSU running back Lamar Gordon was waived by the Miami Dolphins this past week, but was subsequently picked up by the Philadelphia Eagles to backup starter Brian Westbrook... Former Bison All-American center Rob Hunt was picked up on waivers from the Indianapolis Colts by the Denver Broncos who placed him on their 8-man practice squad... - Northwestern State has not lost a home game in 11 years to a non-conference opponent... - Next week the Demons take a bus ride down the road to DI-A Louisiana-Lafayette... Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. - ESPN reached a five-year agreement (through 2010) with the Southland Conference for coverage of football and men’s basketball. ESPNU will televise two Thursday night games featuring Southland teams; Alcorn State vs. SE Louisiana on this coming Thursday (Sept. 8th) and the Stephen F. Austin-Northwestern State game on Thursday, Nov. 17... - Poll Watch: The Bison are currently ranked #22 by the Sports Network; #18 by AnyGivenSaturday.com; and #16 in the Bison Insider Top 20.... Northwestern State is ranked #9 by the Sports Network; #4 by AnyGivenSaturday.com; and #12 in the Bison Insider Top20.