Albany coach Greg Gattuso, CAA Conference Call

[85CatGrad]

Listening to their coach-he reminds a little of Craig Bohl. He said all the right things, but he doesn't sound the least concerned about Montana State. He seems extremely confident in his team. So I've been having flashbacks to 2010. MSU was coming off a huge win over the griz. We secured a first round bye. We watched NDSU play Robert Morris. Even though NDSU won easily, they really didn't look that impressive. NDSU had an okay season, but their schedule and results didn't worry anyone. MSU was heavily favored and we were all super confident. NDSU had a freshman quarterback-Brock Jensen. A big strapping kid-but didn't really scare our defense. Then came game day. Beautiful weather. If I remember right, we held a slight lead going into the 4th quarter. But then our defense, worn to a pulp by a punishing NDSU offensive line, just folded and the score got out of hand really quick. Somebody talk me from the ledge. I started the week thinking we are going to roll...but then 2010 pops into my head.

settle down, UA is nowhere close to as physical or has as many athletes at the 2010 Bizon, This MSU defense is way better and deeper than the 2010 Cats were. This years MSU team is a lot more like the 2010 Bizon than anything I have seen in awhile.

In the words of Aaron Rodgers ... RELAX

Biggest difference, and only difference that matters, is Choate vs. Ash. Ash could never handle big moments and big games. Nearly always collapsed. Again, such a shame because the talent on some of those teams was incredible.

Another difference I see in Ash vs Choate teams is the Ash teams seemed to limp into the playoffs. Choate teams are still strong at the end of the regular season

Ash team's tended to peak in October, where Choate teams just continue to get better and better.

[catatac]

Well in any case...there are many similarities between our matchup with NDSU then and our matchup with Albany now. But the greatest difference is probably that there's no way in the world Albany will ever be NDSU. But still, I like to worry about stuff like that.

In fairness to Albany, nobody will ever be NDSU. Nobody!

We'll see. They're a dominant powerhouse - no doubt about that but things can and do happen. They lost to SDSU last year. This year they beat UC Davis only 27-16 in the Fargodome. NDSU's last game was a modest win 21-7 over Southern Ill.

[kmax]

Well in any case...there are many similarities between our matchup with NDSU then and our matchup with Albany now. But the greatest difference is probably that there's no way in the world Albany will ever be NDSU. But still, I like to worry about stuff like that.

In fairness to Albany, nobody will ever be NDSU. Nobody!

We'll see. They're a dominant powerhouse - no doubt about that but things can and do happen. They lost to SDSU last year. This year they beat UC Davis only 27-16 in the Fargodome. NDSU's last game was a modest win 21-7 over Southern Ill.

Point taken, but just to be clear the last time NDSU lost was the first week of November...2017. The currently are on a 33 game winning streak (tied with themselves for the record) and will set a new record winning streak if they beat Nicholl's this weekend. But hey, the Cats like breaking streaks right?

[CelticCat]

The biggest difference in the NDSU game and an Ash coached team was conditioning.
At that time in our history when the game got tight. You could see our conditioning was poor. This is no reflection on the players we had at the time. We had some great athletes. But again the conditioning was not good overall for the team.
As a fan base at that time we bordered on hubris .
Mini fans that I recall made fun of North Dakota State for being a dumb team and wouldn’t be able to play in those conditions. Surprise surprise!
None of us know what the University of Albany game will be like. That is why it’s always best to walk softly and carry a big well conditioned stick! LOL

Go Cats! Take care of business and MoveOn!

Ash teams also weren't as mentally strong IMO. There were more than a few games during the Ash golden era where the Bobcats just looked like they gave up. Had their soul taken if you will. Ash teams also lacked depth, and he rode his stars into the ground so they had nothing left in the tank in November, and sometimes were hurt enough that they probably shouldn't have even been playing let along starting and taking 90% of the snaps. So not just was the conditioning maybe not quite there but there just wasn't much depth behind the starters.

This team is more of a team than any I can recall in recent memory. Unselfish, everyone truly doing their 1/11th, and because of that they are mentally and physically strong still here in December. We are 2 deep at nearly every single position which is pretty crazy at this level. And by that I mean there isn't a huge dropoff in most areas if a starter goes out.

One more thing the culture needs is just knowing how to win. It's so much easier said than done. You could win 10 games and still not truly know what it means to win. What do you do when you're on top? How do you stay on top? How do you keep from being a flash in the pan? Any team can catch lighting in a bottle, but very few teams/cultures achieve this for any extended amount of time, but with a culture like ours that isn't so dependent on a single position or player, I like our chances to keep this growing.

[Prodigal Cat]

Well in any case...there are many similarities between our matchup with NDSU then and our matchup with Albany now. But the greatest difference is probably that there's no way in the world Albany will ever be NDSU. But still, I like to worry about stuff like that.

In fairness to Albany, nobody will ever be NDSU. Nobody!

We'll see. They're a dominant powerhouse - no doubt about that but things can and do happen. They lost to SDSU last year. This year they beat UC Davis only 27-16 in the Fargodome. NDSU's last game was a modest win 21-7 over Southern Ill.

Last years NDSU team would have competed to play in a new years 6 bowl if they played a FBS schedule. Not only did they not lose, the only team that 'competed' with them in the playoffs was EWU and they lost to them by 2 TD's. The Jack's lost to them by 3 scores.
About the only team I remember being as dominate as last years Bison team at this level was the 1996 Marshall team with Chad Pennington and Randy Moss that blew the griz off the field in the title game.

[bobcat99]

The biggest difference in the NDSU game and an Ash coached team was conditioning.
At that time in our history when the game got tight. You could see our conditioning was poor. This is no reflection on the players we had at the time. We had some great athletes. But again the conditioning was not good overall for the team.
As a fan base at that time we bordered on hubris .
Mini fans that I recall made fun of North Dakota State for being a dumb team and wouldn’t be able to play in those conditions. Surprise surprise!
None of us know what the University of Albany game will be like. That is why it’s always best to walk softly and carry a big well conditioned stick! LOL

Go Cats! Take care of business and MoveOn!

Talk to @Colter_Nuanez about the difference in conditioning between Ash and Choate.

By the end of Ash's tenure, their conditioning (or lack thereof) was borderline criminal.

[CodyCat]

Well in any case...there are many similarities between our matchup with NDSU then and our matchup with Albany now. But the greatest difference is probably that there's no way in the world Albany will ever be NDSU. But still, I like to worry about stuff like that.

In fairness to Albany, nobody will ever be NDSU. Nobody!

We'll see. They're a dominant powerhouse - no doubt about that but things can and do happen. They lost to SDSU last year. This year they beat UC Davis only 27-16 in the Fargodome. NDSU's last game was a modest win 21-7 over Southern Ill.

What Im saying is that no program will likely ever be the program that NDSU is and has been for a long time now.

[catatac]

Well in any case...there are many similarities between our matchup with NDSU then and our matchup with Albany now. But the greatest difference is probably that there's no way in the world Albany will ever be NDSU. But still, I like to worry about stuff like that.

In fairness to Albany, nobody will ever be NDSU. Nobody!

We'll see. They're a dominant powerhouse - no doubt about that but things can and do happen. They lost to SDSU last year. This year they beat UC Davis only 27-16 in the Fargodome. NDSU's last game was a modest win 21-7 over Southern Ill.

What Im saying is that no program will likely ever be the program that NDSU is and has been for a long time now.

Oh I absolutely agree with you 100%. In fact i just noticed I mis read your post and was thinking you said "Nobody will ever beAT NDSU! LOL. Yep, no college team at any level has seen that type of dominant run from my recollection.

[Colter_Nuanez]

The biggest difference in the NDSU game and an Ash coached team was conditioning.
At that time in our history when the game got tight. You could see our conditioning was poor. This is no reflection on the players we had at the time. We had some great athletes. But again the conditioning was not good overall for the team.
As a fan base at that time we bordered on hubris .
Mini fans that I recall made fun of North Dakota State for being a dumb team and wouldn’t be able to play in those conditions. Surprise surprise!
None of us know what the University of Albany game will be like. That is why it’s always best to walk softly and carry a big well conditioned stick! LOL

Go Cats! Take care of business and MoveOn!

Talk to @Colter_Nuanez about the difference in conditioning between Ash and Choate.

By the end of Ash's tenure, their conditioning (or lack thereof) was borderline criminal.

Ash used to always say "we don't run because we play at such a high pace, our conditioning is built into practices."

An understandable general premise. But as one person involved in Montana State football for more than 30 years used to always mutter when Ash said those things..."You don't run for conditioning, you run for toughness."

MSU players were physically ill Choate's first fall camp from doing pursuit drill because they hadn't done it in so long. It's a totally different deal, mentally and physically under Choate.

[grizzh8r]

The biggest difference in the NDSU game and an Ash coached team was conditioning.
At that time in our history when the game got tight. You could see our conditioning was poor. This is no reflection on the players we had at the time. We had some great athletes. But again the conditioning was not good overall for the team.
As a fan base at that time we bordered on hubris .
Mini fans that I recall made fun of North Dakota State for being a dumb team and wouldn’t be able to play in those conditions. Surprise surprise!
None of us know what the University of Albany game will be like. That is why it’s always best to walk softly and carry a big well conditioned stick! LOL

Go Cats! Take care of business and MoveOn!

Talk to @Colter_Nuanez about the difference in conditioning between Ash and Choate.

By the end of Ash's tenure, their conditioning (or lack thereof) was borderline criminal.

Ash used to always say "we don't run because we play at such a high pace, our conditioning is built into practices."

An understandable general premise. But as one person involved in Montana State football for more than 30 years used to always mutter when Ash said those things..."You don't run for conditioning, you run for toughness."

MSU players were physically ill Choate's first fall camp from doing pursuit drill because they hadn't done it in so long. It's a totally different deal, mentally and physically under Choate.

Wow, I had no idea. Thanks for sharing Colter, that's quality content in an economy of words.

[coloradocat]

The biggest difference in the NDSU game and an Ash coached team was conditioning.
At that time in our history when the game got tight. You could see our conditioning was poor. This is no reflection on the players we had at the time. We had some great athletes. But again the conditioning was not good overall for the team.
As a fan base at that time we bordered on hubris .
Mini fans that I recall made fun of North Dakota State for being a dumb team and wouldn’t be able to play in those conditions. Surprise surprise!
None of us know what the University of Albany game will be like. That is why it’s always best to walk softly and carry a big well conditioned stick! LOL

Go Cats! Take care of business and MoveOn!

Talk to @Colter_Nuanez about the difference in conditioning between Ash and Choate.

By the end of Ash's tenure, their conditioning (or lack thereof) was borderline criminal.

Ash used to always say "we don't run because we play at such a high pace, our conditioning is built into practices."

An understandable general premise. But as one person involved in Montana State football for more than 30 years used to always mutter when Ash said those things..."You don't run for conditioning, you run for toughness."

MSU players were physically ill Choate's first fall camp from doing pursuit drill because they hadn't done it in so long. It's a totally different deal, mentally and physically under Choate.

@Colter_Nuanez As the last of the Ash-era players will be moving on after this season ends maybe next summer would be a good time to write an article about the transformation of the program from the last two Ash years to the upcoming fifth Choate year. I believe you've written about this a few times to some degree but a focus on the difference between the coaches and the impact that each had/has on the team from a mindset, competitive level, success in season and in the playoffs, on campus, etc. would be interesting. Interviews with players that played under both would be cool too, especially since none of them would be on the team anymore and can speak a little more freely.