I don’t think he started slow and unimaginative. He became OC in spring of 2021, new quarterback, and they chose to be run oriented, which they were effective with. First game they ran for over 250 yards in a win against a ranked opponent, Idaho. Then in the fall, against Tulsa they won by throwing for over 300 yards. His teams were generally balanced and effective. Plough never beat an FCS ranked opponent, and Cody Hawkins did three times, once each season. Idaho twice and Weber once.

Now we need a QB coach. Taylor Chapatte might be a candidate as he filled that role for two years at San Diego.
Kevin Burke Has also been a QB coach at Mount Union.

I thought our running game was the best I can recall, although I have to admit I didn’t watch much during the Gould years, so I think Mike Cody did a good job,

The Gopoly article says he’s going to be offensive coordinator for Arizona State.
Seems premature to fire him to me. He only had two seasons.

So is that his current status, or the status he’ll have when he transfers? He can be a current undergraduate and still a graduate student at his next institution, if he graduates in the meantime. Not saying if he is or is not a graduate student here but logically he doesn’t have to be.

He’s probably graduating this year which is college year five for him. Maybe he’s graduating this quarter.

And at the Cal Poly Game they would chant “You will work for us”. Kind of tasteless,

I get your point. But in this specific case it’s best to cut your losses. It’s a picturesque campus, but I don’t know what challenges they have recruiting, Maybe it’s a tough sell.

Colorado was Montana States opener, Davis blowout of Montana State was game 3 and would have been more shocking if Montana State hadn’t lost to Chadron State in game 2.
Montana States coach was a folksy guy. Here is his comment after the Chadron game:
A considerable amount of credit, Kramer said, goes to Woodhead, who dominated the game and allowed Chadron State to hold the ball for 11 minutes in the third quarter and 36 minutes of the game. "He's good," Kramer said of Woodhead. "He's really good. He reminds me of (Walter Payton Trophy candidate) James Noble of Cal Poly, and we haven't beaten Cal Poly since Robert E. Lee was marching north."

I’m sure they were devastated to lose him.
When a coach publicly blames his players for losses he has to move on.

To the extent that Davis takes it as serious, it puts them at a disadvantage, Majority of schools will just let someone enroll. Does NCAA even require a degree objective? If they do it’s likely a second BA would do, something you could gain in a quarter or two.

Too many years of eligibility is detrimental to the college game. You get guys hopping around without the degree objective as a stabilizing influence, so then teams rent a roster.
It won’t be as bad after the COVID classes attrit.

Even Smalley didn’t play much his first year.. His stats this year are nearly double those from last year, which corresponds to how much he played.
In regards to playing younger players, they’ve always played young players, if they are that good. It depends on depth at the position. Jim Speck started as a freshmen in 1973 only a year after freshmen became eligible. in Hawkins era he has played Jaylin White, Devon King, Teddye Buchanan, Jake Parks, Chubba Maae etc as new arrivals. Other recent recruits like Rex Connors had to wait a bit, as did his whole recruiting class.
This years team was very deep. When you have guys who’ve been with the program, are veterans and have significant remaining eligibility, it’s tougher for transfers or new recruits , Depth on teams is going to revert to normal in a year or two.
Kraut I think might still show something, as he was essentially changing positions.

Idahos run defense entirely collapsed in the second half. I was just thinking to myself that they were doing a lot better against S.E Louisiana than the Davis game when suddenly they ran out of gas. If the game went to overtime I wouldn’t have liked their chances.

I don’t like the snow games. Lots of missed tackles due to the weather.

Porter has already played more than most players in his recruiting class. 9 games, 22 tackles, and an interceptions. Thirteenth on the team in tackles, I imagine they think the scholarship was earned.

Tranfers have been a key. O’Hara was a huge factor for them, Davis has some impactful transfers but not at that level.

They have fifteen in the headline and 14 in the text and then in the players mentioned, 12.

Gale is great, but the roster has a number of 6’2 to 6’4” receivers. Granfors (6’4”)was injured a lot but impactful when he played, same for Chaz Davis (6’3”). Cody Hawkins said before the season that the tight ends learn each receiver position, so they’ll have him running wide receiver routes sometimes even if still a tight end.
Kraft had a similar year as a Freshman in 2018 believe it or not! Poerio is also a class of 2018 recruit, as is Lance Babb. Any of those class of 18 guys might decide five years is enough unless they go to graduate school.

I’ve wanted to see that game since the 70s.