CONGRATULATIONS
4 TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!
THE BEST SELECTION OF CHAMPIONSHIP GEAR
Fargo • Bismarck • Minot
CONTENTS
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“TITLE TOWN” TRADITION
Relive the 12 championship seasons throughout the history of the Bison football program.
QUAD SQUAD
Relive the 2014 football team’s season with pictures, stats, quotes and tweets from another FCS championship-winning team.
127 DIRECTING CHAMPIONS
See what Director of Athletics Matt Larsen has to say after his first championship-winning experience in Frisco, Texas.
133 STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY
NDSU President Dean Bresciani tells us his reaction to the Bison winning its fourth championship in a row.
138 THE RIGHT REGIME
Read about Chris Klieman’s reaction to winning his fourth FCS championship and his first as a head coach.
100 FRISCO EXPERIENCE
Didn’t make it to Frisco or want to remember the championship winning weekend? Take a look back at all the events that made the fourth championship one to remember.
144 JOURNAL OF A CHAMPION
Carlton Littlejohn takes you on his journey during his last week as a Bison football player.
AT A GLANCE 152 In It to Win It 162 Brian Shawn’s Top 5 166 5 Keys for the 5-peat 182 Bigger Than the Game 188 One Herd
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194 Jace’s Space 196 Walker’s Word 198 Team Makers 202 Swany Says 204 Pop Quiz
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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
156 FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Read what the six new assistant coaches had to say about an incredible first season.
170 BUILT TO LAST
The Bison may be losing a skilled senior class, but don’t sleep on the young talent across the football roster.
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FROM THE PUBLISHER
Mike Dragosavich drago@spotlightmediafargo.com
It was so cool to be in the presence of so many Bison football legends.
quadruplicate [a., adj. kwa-droo-pli-kit; v. kwa-droo-pli-keyt] verb (used with object), quadruplicated, quadruplicating 1 : to produce or copy in quadruplicate.
Can we change up the trophy one of these years?! Our cover photo is becoming challenging to make unique as the only difference in the four trophies is one number. I guess, who am I to complain? How awesome is this? Who would have thought? I’ll be honest, I thought this year would be the year we finally reached the top of the charts for most punts in a season, but I was dead wrong.
HERE ARE SOME ‘F’ WORDS FOR YOU. FRISCO - For me, this year was one for the record books. I was able to connect with many former football players and let loose. It showed me how similar we all become after four years of brotherhood at NDSU, and how similar our pride is. FOUR OUT OF FIVE PUNTERS - The last four out of five NDSU punters have been All-Americans. FOUR FINGERS - I’ve yet to miss a game since I played where I haven’t proudly displayed my four fingers in the air during the start of the fourth quarter. All to show how much pride we have in finishing and preparing ourselves to be finishers. FAMILY - If there is one way I can describe the togetherness of Bison Nation, I would say that we are all one big family. I feel lucky that I have the opportunity each month to dive into the Bison tradition with this magazine and it shows me how close everyone really is. FUN - Now this one is an understatement! Work hard, play hard. FUTURE - I believe we need to capitalize on this momentum. In the future, Bison Nation needs to help take our aggressive fan base and use it to positively impact the university, athletes and the community. Some things I would like to see is a significant rise in Team Maker memberships. (It’s only $100 a year, by the way.) I would also like to see Bison Nation keep raising the spirit and support of our other sports.
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Spot the
5 differences
CONGRATS BISON ON YOUR 4TH STRAIGHT NATIONAL TITLE!
NDSU Illinois State
29 27
1.Purse color is changed. 2. Stocking cap logo is removed. 3. Changed color of sweatshirt collar. 4. Baseball cap logo is removed. 5. Cowboy hat color is changed.
We Have Our on
eyes you! SEE YOUR BEST BUT ALSO LOOK YOUR BEST
WE NOT ONLY WANT YOU TO
701.356.3937 • eyesonfargo.com 311 Broadway • Downtown Fargo
Frisco Memories WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM FRISCO? MIKE DRAGOSAVICH Exchanging stories with former players from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, and bonding over similar life changing experiences.
FEBRUARY 2015 | VOLUME 9 ISSUE 7 Bison Illustrated is a free publication distributed monthly (12 times a year). Our mission is to help promote North Dakota State University Athletics, provide a quality and fun reading experience and to improve the way of life in our community. The publication is mailed to homes across the US and has newsstand distribution throughout North Dakota and Minnesota.
PUBLISHER
Spotlight Media
PRESIDENT
Mike Dragosavich
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER EDITORIAL DIRECTOR EDITOR
LISA MARCHAND The Block Party — how amazing was it to sing “We are the Champions” with a tent full of Bison fans?
JOE KERLIN Easy. Nothing beats Bison tailgating. It’s like Bison Nation picked up the West Lot and dropped it in Frisco.
Joe Kerlin Sarah Geiger, George Stack
CONTRIBUTORS
Josh Swanson, Joe Kerlin, Steve Walker, Terry Ludlum, Jace Denman, Brian Shawn
COPY EDITORS GENERAL MANAGER
MARKETING/SALES
Lisa Marchand, Erica Rapp, Aubrey Schield Brent Tehven Craig Holmquist Tracy Nicholson, Paul Hoefer, Paul Bougie, Alicia Stuvland
SOCIAL MEDIA
Kristen Killoran
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Codey Bernier
PHOTOGRAPHY
J. Alan Paul Photography, NDSU Athletics, Tiffany Swanson, Joseph Ravits, Andrew Jason, Dare en Gibbins, Brent Tehven
ADMINISTRATION
Heather Hemingway
SPECIAL THANKS
Ryan Perreault, Wes Offerman, Ryan Anderson, Jeff Schwartz, Colle en Heimstead
WEB DEVELOPER
Lydia Gilbertson
DELIVERY
JOSH SWANSON The final 1:38 of the game where the Bison would not be denied and the thunderous celebration that ensued. Euphoric.
Andrew Jason
DESIGN/LAYOUT
SALES MANAGER
BRENT TEHVEN It was great to tailgate with some many of my former teammates and eat brats while reliving old memories.
Paul Bougie
Chris Larson, Peyton Berger, Hal Ecker
FOR ADVERTISING CALL 701-478-SPOT (7768) or email info@spotlightmediafargo.com
Spotlightmedia JESSE HOORELBEKE My favorite memory has to be when I was at the airport in Fargo. The plane sat about 200 people and everybody was in their Bison gear.
Bison Illustrated is published monthly by Spotlight Media LLC. Print quantity exceeds 40,000 per issue. Printed in the U.S.A. Bison Illustrated does not necessarily endorse or agree with content of articles or advertising presented. Bison Illustrated assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts or photographs. Bison Illustrated is NOT an official publication of North Dakota State University. Send change of address information and other correspondence to: Spotlight Media LLC. 502 1st Ave N. First Floor Fargo ND, 58102 or info@spotlightmediafargo.com
EDITOR’S NOTE Don’t Underestimate the Heart of a Champion
FROM THE EDITOR
I thought it couldn’t get any better for the football team after finishing its 2013 season undefeated, but I should have known this senior class wouldn’t accept anything less than another trip to Frisco.
Joe Kerlin Editor, Bison Illustrated CONTACT ME
A
fter a brief chuckle and smile, for me what comes to mind while recollecting yet another FCS championship is how I shook off any notion of a four-peat while creating last year’s Commemorative Championship issue of Bison Illustrated. You folks remember this passage from Swany in last year’s magazine: “Four in a row? Four in a row?! Nobody’s done that before. It can’t be done. To that I say, true, nobody has done it before. But there’s always a first for everything.” Now, I would never belittle any statement from our columnist, but the shadow of doubt and denying any chance of a four-peat was present in my mind all spring and summer. Then Iowa State happened. If you’ve never met Colten Heagle or Christian Dudzik, you should know that these
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joe@bisonillustrated.com
@bisonmag
facebook.com/bisonillustrated
@j_kerlin
are some of the most intense individuals to interact with, especially when conversing about their football team. It’s not that they’re aggressive or abrasive; they’re simply focused on the task and would run through a wall to achieve the goal at hand. I met with Dudzik this summer and we started discussing the upcoming football season. He obviously acknowledged the fact that there was turnover on the coaching staff and how many players that haven’t been leaned on heavily would have to carry more responsibility this season. He also added his defense was going to play mean. At the time, I’m not sure I understood what he meant. The Bison defense has been an especially stingy group over the past half-decade and they’ve played with a tenacity that’s unmatched. So of course they play mean. It’s the mindset you need to have when absorbing blocks and
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
tackling ball carriers that are trying to run through you. When you pile on media, fans and FCS followers doubting if the defense could play well enough for the Bison to remain the pearl of the FCS without Marcus Williams, Grant Olson and Cole Jirik – a new genre of mean develops. Suddenly the Texas-sized chip on the Bison defense’s shoulder synergized with their God-given ability. This was a recipe for disaster for FCS foes. The ‘screw you’ attitude of the two senior safeties spread across the Bison football team. They turned into the Seattle Seahawks circa 2013 and nobody stood a chance. What has happened within the Bison football program over the past four years goes without saying, but I believe it was the attitude and attention to detail that lit the fire for the 2014 football team. This process starts from the top with the 15 seniors and trickles
down to the freshmen. The seniors have left a definitive and lasting legacy. Forget the four championships and 58 wins. Their approach to the game and preparedness has created an attitude that is built to last for the Bison program. I’ll leave it to Swany to give reasons why the success of the football team isn’t going anywhere in 2015. I just want to make one thing clear: without these 15 seniors, trips to Frisco and jubilant celebrations in Texas don’t happen. Heck, even this magazine doesn’t happen. I hope you appreciate the memories of this class because Bison Nation won’t see a group like this for a long, long time.
Go Bison,
Joe Kerlin
enjoy FROM paul bougie
T
wo hundred twelve. That’s right, 212 pages of pure Bison Pride. That’s what you hold in your hand right now (or what you’re staring at on the computer screen if you’re reading online). This kind of thing does not happen without the effort of so many wonderful people. First, it is a great start that the Bison football team won their fourth national championship, which is no small task. Then there’s all of the other student athletes, who always represent NDSU on the field, in the classroom and in the community. Next, I want to give a huge thanks to the staff at NDSU Athletics. It is your guidance that continues to guide our student athletes down the right path. Now, to the people who have worked so very hard
on this and every edition of Bison Illustrated. It is the team here at Spotlight Media that comes together every month to not only bring you Bison Illustrated, but Fargo Monthly, Design & Living Magazine and Stride. It is our dedication not only to what we do, but the commitment to providing top-quality publications to our area. So, when you show your friends and family you can be proud of what you have in your hand. So kick back in your favorite chair or kill some time in the office and enjoy a true culmination of a group of individuals who all share the same goal and the same vision of Bison Pride. Enjoy the read!
Paul Bougie
CONTACT 701-478-7768 ME paulbougie@spotlightmediafargo.com
SPOTLIGHT
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MEET THE TEAM LAST YEAR we sold:
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MIKE
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If the average egg measures two and-a-half inches in length
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WE SERVED ENOUGH EGGS TO SPAN A DISTANCE OF OVER
FOOTBALL FIELDS!
THAT’S A WHOLE LOTTA EGGS! Come be a part of the FUN! 3215 Broadway, Fargo (701) 356.2211 | theshackonbroadway.com
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Basies Jazz Night (Thursdays) and Pianist in Basies (Fridays): 7:00–9:30 pm Succulent Steaks and Seafood | Two Private Dining Rooms | Basies Loyalty Program
1635 42ND ST S FARGO, ND | 701-281-7105 | BASIESFARGO.COM 701-277-9000 | RAMADAFARGO.COM
QUAD
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SQUAD THE 2014 BISON FOOTBALL SEASON CAN BE DEFINED BY ONE WORD -- RESOLVE. Many doubted a four-peat after the loss of nearly the entire coaching staff and 23 seniors. But the Bison used the naysayers as motivation on its way to another historic season. The ebbs and flows of a season can be difficult to manage, but with strong leadership and numerous playmakers, the Bison would once again claim the ultimate prize -- a fourth straight FCS championship.
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Carson Wentz was 18-for28 passing with 204 yards in his first collegiate start for the Bison.
QB FIRST-YEAR EFFICIENCY Carson Wentz (2014) Brock Jensen (2011) Jose Mohler (2010) Nick Mertens (2008) Steve Walker (2005) Tony Straus (2003) 30
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154.14 143.93 119.01
131.98 129.72 133.77
WELCOME TO THE SHOW 34-14, IOWA STATE @ JACK TRICE STADIUM, AMES, IOWA
game
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ighty of John Crockett’s 139 yards came just over a minute into the second quarter when he broke a long touchdown run to put the Bison on the board. He would later add two more touchdowns.
I t was the second straight openinggame win for the Bison against a Big 12 opponent, which added to its five-game winning streak against FBS teams. NDSU has an unprecedented 8-3 record against the FBS.
“The changing factor was when our quarterback … he said, it was 14-0, ‘We got to battle adversity, it’s going to be okay. Take your time and let’s go out and do what we do.’ And then the next play happened and we were down 14-7.” – John Crockett
Zach Vraa @VraaMoney Big W today not only for us players, but the coaches and all of NDSU #1-0
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N
GAMEDAY QUALIFIER
DSU overcame two second quarter Carson Wentz interceptions in Weber State territory to leave Ogden with its 23rd straight nonconference victory.
24-7, WEBER STATE @ STEWART STADIUM, OGDEN, UTAH
Carlton Littlejohn had a huge game with a five-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown, a goal line tackle on a fourth down fake field goal and collected 12 total tackles.
RECORD AGAINST REGULAR SEASON NON-CONFERENCE FCS OPPONENTS
NDSU
MISSOURI VALLEY (23-1)
OPPONENTS
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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
Photo by Robert Casey - Weber State Athletics
BIG SOUTH (22-6)
CAA (24-10)
BIG SKY (13-12)
Colten Heagle makes one of his 191 NDSU career record unassisted tackles. He surpassed former leader Joe Mays against Southern Illinois on the unassisted career tackles list earlier in the season.
Lee Fitting @leefitting If @NDSUfootball wins today, @CollegeGameDay to Fargo next week. #Bizon
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#
BIO
Set NDSU single-season records in rushing yards (1,994), rushing attempts (368) and all-purpose yards (2,419). Three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and ranks second on career rushing list (4,309). Selected to the 2014 FCS Sports Network All-American second-team.
John Crockett POSITION Running Back HOMETOWN Minneapolis, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Totino-Grace High School
For the seniors, 58-3, four National Championships, can you put that into words? “…To be able to go out there with those group of guys and just the ‘never say die’ mentality that each and every one of my teammates possesses, and I think that’s what’s so special about our university is that we’re a hard working group of crazy men, and we’re just going to go out and get the job done no matter how we’ve got to do it.” 34
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
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Disclaimer
to the BIson football team on their 4th Consecutive FCS Championship! James W. Martens Proudly representing
www.martenspllc.com | 701-223-2000
.
BISON NATION!
OIL AND GAS • CRIMINAL DEFENSE • DUI • REAL ESTATE • PROBATE • TRUSTS • COLLECTIONS
# Trevor Gebhart BIO
Four-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll and will be working for Pepsi in South Dakota. 82 career receptions with 865 yards and four touchdowns.
POSITION Wide Receiver HOMETOWN Sioux Falls, S.D. HIGH SCHOOL Washington High School
What have you learned here that you can take with you for the rest of your life? “If you want to do something and accomplish something no matter if it’s sports or anything, it’s possible. To get there, it takes a tremendous amount of focus and energy and effort … it kind of just happens because you’re so focused on doing something small, it just adds up. And eventually great things happen and people start noticing. That’s when the big things happen because you have done so many of the small things right.”
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The ESPN College GameDay crowd brought more than 9,000 people to Broadway to witness the majestic scene downtown during ESPN’s second visit to Fargo.
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Lee Fitting @leefitting
Chris Fowler @cbfowler
Thank you Fargo. Today’s scene was the best ever for @CollegeGameDay. Thanks for the hospitality and enthusiasm. We will be back.
THANKS FARGO! @CollegeGameDay sequel was even more fun for us than last season! Massive Crowd left chanting “See you Next Year!”
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
THEY’RE BACK! 58-0, INCARNATE WORD @ FARGODOME
game
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DSU raised its 11th championship banner before kickoff in the FargoDome, but the banner was unveiled for the first time hours prior to the game when Brock Jensen unraveled the banner from a rooftop downtown during ESPN’s College GameDay. Former quarterback and three-time FCS champion Brock Jensen went 6-4 as guest picker on ESPN’s College GameDay. He also guaranteed the “Quad Squad” would win its fourth straight FCS championship.
ESPN COLLEGE GAMEDAY APPEARANCES COMPARED TO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
NDSU 2/12
OHIO STATE 13/8
FLORIDA 12/3
COLLEGE GAMEDAY APPEARANCES
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS
MICHIGAN 11/11
FLORIDA STATE 11/3
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John Crockett had a career high of 28 carries against Montana for 144 yards. He had 28 carries in a game three times this season and broke the NDSU single season record with 368 rushing attempts in 2014.
LONGEST BISON NON-CONFERENCE WINNING STREAK* 2011-Present 1964-66 2003-05 2007-08 1968-69 40
*INCLUDING PLAYOFF GAMES *INCLUDING PLAYOFF GAMES
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INTERCONFERENCE RIVALRY 22-10, MONTANA @ FARGODOME
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dam Keller broke an NDSU single game record with five field goals against Montana. He hit field goals from 41, 22, 32, 47 and 30 yards.
“It was even sweeter because my grandparents came in from Pennsylvania. They drove 22 hours to be here. I greeted them after the game and they had tears in their eyes. It was a special moment for me and my family that came in from Pennsylvania.” – Adam Keller
Kyle Emanuel @k_emanuel53 Shout out to the roommate @A_Kell17 on the 5 field goals. Glad the other roomie got to stay in the game @LJ38Bison after decapitating a dude. 41
#
BIO
Two-time first team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2013 and 2014. 2014 Buck Buchanan award finalist along with teammate Kyle Emanuel. Second team Sports Network All-American in 2014 and thirdteam in 2013. First in unassisted single season tackles (59) and career unassisted tackles (191).
Colten Heagle POSITION Safety HOMETOWN Appleton, Wis. HIGH SCHOOL Kimberly High School
What’s the Bison Way? “You’re going to do everything you can to be successful. At NDSU, it’s about being blue collar and how you work hard. You’re not going to be given anything here. You work hard and you work for what you get. I think that’s the epitome of NDSU and that’s never going to change.”
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GO BISON! CONGRATS ON WINNING YOUR 4TH CONSECUTIVE NATIONAL TITLE!
(701) 232-7363 201 5th St. N Fargo, ND
#
BIO
Returned for a sixth year after taking a medical hardship in 2010. 2013 AllMissouri Valley Football Conference second-team after catching eight touchdown passes. Ended his career with 68 receptions for 744 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Kevin Vaadeland POSITION Tight End HOMETOWN Park Rapids, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Park Rapids Area High School
What pushed you to come back for a sixth year? “I knew we had a good team coming back. A lot of good seniors and a lot of playing time between us all. Coach Klieman, he knows what he’s doing. Tim Polasek and Tyler Roehl had already been here so we jelled right away and I knew we had something special.”
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VALLEY OPENING SCARE
T
he Bison defense allowed 253 yards on the ground against Western Illinois, but they were able to keep the passing game at bay by only allowing 68 yards through the air.
17-10, WESTERN ILLINOIS @ HANSON FIELD, MACOMB, ILLINOIS
After much had been made about the Bison not finishing drives with touchdowns in the endzone, the offense finally broke through when John Crockett attempted his first pass of 2014 and connected with Carson Wentz to tie the game at 10s with 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.
game
SECOND HALF POINT DIFFERENTIAL BY QUARTER AND WHERE THEY RANK IN THE MVFC + 3RD
+ 4TH
1. NDSU (+173) +52
- 3RD
2. ILL. ST. (+129) +59
+121
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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
+70
- 4TH 3. SIU (+97) +48
9. YSU (-23) +19 +49
10. WIU (-42) +3 -42
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Esley Thorton recorded his first interception of his career in the second quarter against the Leathernecks. Recruited to NDSU from Bismarck High School to play quarterback, Thorton played his final three years of eligibility as a part of the “Code Green” defense.
“That’s just Johnny Rocket, the Rocket Ball, that’s what that is (laughs). It was a great catch by Carson (Wentz), great scheme and a helluva block by number 46 Andrew Bonnet. Probably, without him I would’ve gotten sacked.” – John Crockett 47
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POSITION Linebacker HOMETOWN Minneapolis, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL North High School
What’s going to stick out to you about this last championship? “This one was way more emotional because it was your last game and you’re thinking, ‘Am I going to lose this last game?’ All that went through my head after they scored that last touchdown. I was sitting on the bench thinking about everything. I was sitting on the bench, couldn’t even watch the last drive at all. I was just sitting there with my head down and couldn’t watch. Then we got a shot to go out there again and we were like, ‘They’re definitely not scoring.’”
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Carlton Littlejohn BIO
Played in 59 games at both outside and inside linebacker during his career. Named to the 2014 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first-team. Third in NDSU’s career unassisted tackles (155) all-time list and fourth on all-time total tackles list (345). Scored two career touchdowns on a fumble and interception return.
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
Wide receiver Zach Vraa hauled in touchdowns of 48 and 3 yards as the Bison beat Indiana State 34-17.
THE MISSOURI VALLEY FOOTBALL CONFERENCE RECORDS AGAINST MISSOURI VALLEY TEAMS SINCE 2011 NDSU 29-3
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ILLINOIS ST. 21-11
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NORTHERN IOWA 20-12
SDSU 20-12
YOUNGSTOWN STATE 17-15
HANDLING THE TOP 25
games
38-10, SOUTHERN ILLINOIS @ FARGODOME 34-17, INDIANA STATE @ FARGODOME
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he Bison had been milking a 29game winning streak going into its homecoming game against the 12th ranked Southern Illinois Salukis. The Bison got up early and never looked back. After a 38-10 victory, the Bison moved its homecoming record to 54-37-3 since 1919. The last time Indiana State rolled into the FargoDome in 2012, the Sycamores quieted the rowdy FargoDome crowd and snapped the Bison’s 10-game winning streak in an eerily similar situation. The Bison were undefeated, coming off a homecoming rout of a ranked team, and it was the third conference game of the season. But the ending was different this season. The Bison rolled as Carson Wentz and John Crockett led the offense to over 400 yards and 34 points. 51
# Adam Schueller POSITION Offensive Line HOMETOWN Fergus Falls, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Fergus Falls High School
BIO
Appeared in all but two games as a member of the punt shield on special teams. Saw limited action as a backup offensive line and played a crucial role in establishing the “Ram” mentality. Was named to the 2010 Missouri Valley Conference honor roll.
What is Bison Pride to you? “I knew as a young guy getting up at 5 in the morning to go run, ... It’s a lot easier when you have 60, 70, 80 guys coming to do the same thing you are. Bison Pride is doing anything for one of your teammates, even the alumni. … Those guys come down to Frisco and they love it just as much as we do.”
# Jesse Hinz POSITION Offensive Line HOMETOWN Beatrice, Neb. HIGH SCHOOL Beatrice High School
BIO
Appeared in 42 games over his career, including 23 starts. Four-time member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference honor roll. Named to the 2014 all-Missouri Valley Football Conference first-team.
LAW WITH A COMMON SENSE APPROACH. • Business • Real Estate • Estate Planning • Litigation
What will be your most memorable moment with the team? “Working out in the winter, because we’re always in there just tired, puking, just miserable and we just hated it. But then you’d look to the guy to the right and the left and you remember this isn’t about you, it’s about something bigger.”
4225 38th St SW Suite 108 | Fargo
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he combined 84 points against SDSU and South Dakota were the most points the Bison scored in consecutive games all season.
DOMINATING THE DAKOTAS 47-7, SOUTH DAKOTA @ DAKOTADOME, VERMILLION, SOUTH DAKOTA 37-17, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE @ FARGODOME
The Bison are 9-0 against teams from South Dakota in the last four years. The streak includes four Dakota Marker victories and two playoffs wins.
Trevor Gebhart @trevg3 It was a personal goal of mine to not lose to a SD school in my career at NDSU #10for10 54
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Carson Wentz showed he could move the offense with his legs against SDSU and rushed over the 100yard mark for the first time in his career. He rushed over 642 yards this season with six touchdowns.
LONGEST RIVALRY WINNING STREAK
V SOUTH DAKOTA
V SDSU
NDSU current streak
V SOUTH DAKOTA (1988-2001)
V SDSU (1976-1992)
NDSU longest streak
V NDSU (1910-1917)
V NDSU (1938-1951)
SDSU longest streak
SOUTH DAKOTA longest streak 55
The game was scoreless in the second quarter when Mike Hardie came flying around the offensive line to create a sack-fumble for the Bison. Carson Wentz and the Bison offense took over in UNI territory, but were unable to score when Tim Kilfoy intercepted Wentz’s pass on the goal line.
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STREAK SNAPPER 3-23, NORTHERN IOWA @ UNI DOME, CEDAR FALLS, IOWA
Dukes @N_Deluca49
Trevor Gebhart @trevg3
“Sometimes by losing a battle, you find a new way to win the war” #BisonPride #OneTeamOneGoal
Still have all of our goals in front of us..we’ll be just fine #Bison
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
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he Bison were held to a seasonlow of three points. A UNIDome crowd of 14,777 helped the Panthers defense surrender a miniscule 175 yards of Bison offense.
“It’s definitely a feeling we don’t want to feel again. I thought Coach Klieman gave us a great speech, talked about moving on and not letting this thing beat us more than one week. So that’s exactly what we’ll do. Look at the film, see what we can do better and move onto Missouri State.” – Kyle Emanuel
LONGEST DIVISION I WINNING STREAK 1. OKLAHOMA (1953-57) 2. WASHINGTON (1908-14) 3. YALE (1890-93) 3. YALE (1887-89) 9. NDSU (2012-14)
47 40 37 37 33 57
# Zach Colvin
POSITION Cornerback HOMETOWN Superior, Wis. HIGH SCHOOL Superior High School
BIO
Two career interceptions and returned both for touchdowns (12 and 44 yards). Made 51 career tackles, nearly all on special teams. Played an important role on kick coverage during his final three years.
What’s your bond with your fellow seniors like? “The love from your teammates gets thicker and thicker day in and day out. It’s something that people may say they feel and see, but to be a part of it, there’s not really words to explain what actually happens when you’re welcomed.”
# Why was after the game a perfect moment to propose to your girlfriend? “Just storming the field after winning a championship in and of itself is an amazing moment, and then asking the love of your life to marry you and to spend the rest of your life with you is just a huge moment, in front of everybody who matters to me, which is my family and my teammates and the fans. It was an awesome opportunity.�
BIO
Transferred from Valley City State after his sophomore season. Appeared on the offensive line six times this season. Got engaged to his girlfriend after the FCS Championship game. The video of the proposal was viewed more than one million times on social media.
Zac Johnson POSITION Offensive Line HOMETOWN Fargo, N.D. HIGH SCHOOL South High School
T
he win over Youngstown State guaranteed the Bison its fourth consecutive Missouri Valley championship. The Bison are the second Valley team to ever win four conference championships in a row. Travis Beck’s illustrious career came to an end when he went down with a torn achilles during Senior Day. Beck is most revered for his gamechanging interception in the 2011 FCS championship. He played 56 games for the Bison over his four years, made 308 tackles and epitomized the linebacker position at NDSU.
“Indescribable. It’s one of those experiences that you dream about, but you kind of dread because you know you’re a senior and you know you’re getting old. It was really tough running out of that helmet just after all the hard work you put in just to be able to run out that helmet. I’m getting emotional thinking about it. But it’s been exciting; it’s great.” – John Crockett
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Zach Vraa @VraaMoney This win tonight means so much more than just a conference title. It shows how hard our team and seniors have worked since day 1 #blessed
STRONG SENIOR RESPONSE
Senior and Fargo native Zac Johnson smiles as he is honored on one of the most sacred days for NDSU football players, Senior Day.
45-10, MISSOURI STATE @ PLASTER STADIUM, SPRING FIELD, MISSOURI 38-14, YOUNGSTOWN STATE @ FARGODOME
WINNINGEST SENIOR CLASS 1970 38-1-1
2014 58-3
1971 36-2-1
1968 38-3
1969 37-3
1967 38-4
96.25%
95.08%
93.59%
92.68%
92.5%
90.48% 61
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#
BIO
Holds NDSU records in made field goals in a game (5), season records in points scored (145), extra points (76), field goals made (29) and attempted (34), and career records in extra points (191), field goals made (56) and field goal percentage (80).
Adam Keller POSITION Kicker HOMETOWN Lewisberry, Pa. HIGH SCHOOL Red Land High School
What is Bison Pride? “Bison Pride to me is the tears that I have when I look into the eyes of the other guys in the room on Senior Day. And just we know how much each and every one of us have poured into this program and the respect that each one of us have for one another as well.�
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# Travis Beck POSITION Linebacker HOMETOWN Munich, N.D. HIGH SCHOOL Munich High School
BIO
2012 NCAA FCS Championship game MVP after intercepting a pass in the fourth quarter. Started 50 games and is 10th on the all-time total tackles (308). Named to the 2014 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference second-team.
What’s it like representing a school from your home state? “It means a lot being from the state because there are so many people from around the state that played and you’re close to all your friends and family and they all come to your games. So it’s good to make them proud. All of them that live in other parts of the country come up. It’s good having everyone have your back, back home.” 64
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to the Bison on their 4 peat!
CONGRATULATIONS
Cass County Abstract Company Red River Title Services, Inc. Serving Our Customers Since 1910
Way to Go Bison! Congratulations Seniors! 35 4th St. N, Ste. 101
. Fargo, ND . (701)232-3341 . www.rrtitle.com
F
reshman wide receiver RJ Urzendowski burst onto the scene earlier in the season against Incarnate Word, and then solidified his playmaking ability with seven catches against Western Illinois while filling in for a banged up Zach Vraa. During the second round of the playoffs, Vraa was hobbled again and in stepped Urzendowski. After starting the game with a 27-yard touchdown grab, he capped the Wentz-led gamewinning drive with an acrobatic 12-yard grab over Jackrabbit defender Dallas Brown. Urzendowski literally saved the season for the Bison and the playoff run continued.
SDSU RUNNING BACK ZACH ZENNER’S CAREER AVERAGES Overall Average VS. NDSU VS. Other 125.9
21.78
21.06
134.6
59.3
15.5
RUSHING ATTEMPTS 66
1.24
1.17 .67
RUSHING YARDS
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RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
CAN THE JACKRABBITS KNOCK OFF THEIR RIVAL? SECOND ROUND, 27-24, SOUTH DAKOTA STATE @ FARGODOME
Carlton Littlejohn brings down South Dakota State’s running back Zach Zenner on his way to 11 tackles. Zenner ran the ball 32 times in the second round but the Bison defense held stout, giving the Bison offense a chance to win the game in the final minutes.
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NDSU Bison
The
Winning Drive
1 2
3
5 4
6
DRIVE CHART
7
8
10 9 11
1. Crockett run for 13 yards – NDSU 37 2. NDSU Holding; loss of 10 – NDSU 27 3. Wentz pass to Woods for 19 yards – NDSU 46 4. Wentz incomplete to Gebhart – NDSU 46 5. Wentz run four yards – NDSU 50 6. Wentz incomplete to Gebhart – NDSU 50 7. Wentz complete to Urzendowski 29 yards – SDSU 21 8. SDSU Pass Interference; 14 yards – SDSU 7 9. Wentz incomplete to Woods – SDSU 7 10. NDSU False Start; loss of five yards – SDSU 12 11. Wentz pass to Urzendowski 12; TOUCHDOWN – 0:54
SDSU JACKRABBITS “The thing I love about RJ (Urzendowski) so much is he’s not a really emotional guy. He’s just even keel all the time. So even as a true freshman in a big situation like that to come in here and make a big play, it doesn’t even faze him. I don’t even think he got too excited either.” - Carson Wentz Photo by Darren Gibbins
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CONGRATULATIONS To the NDSU Bison Football Program on
4
Consecutive National Titles!
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#
Esley Thorton BIO
Made the transition from quarterback to linebacker in 2012 and made 20 career starts on defense. Four-time member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference honor roll. Named to 2014 MVFC AllAcademic firstteam.
POSITION Linebacker HOMETOWN Bismarck, N.D. HIGH SCHOOL Bismarck High School
What kind of legacy are you hoping your class leaves with? “How we were kind of the class that put NDSU football on the map first for Division I. There’s already a lot of tradition here in Division II, but we’re the ones that put our print on the Division I era at NDSU football. Hopefully what we did solidified the fan base and what we did made the fan base grow and the fact we got more national attention with recruiting.” 70
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# Christian Dudzik BIO
Made 61-career starts at cornerback and safety. Fourth in NDSU’s career unassisted tackles (154) alltime list. Named to the 2014 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference first team. Recorded 13 interceptions and recovered five fumbles in his career.
POSITION Safety HOMETOWN Omaha, Neb. HIGH SCHOOL Skutt Catholic High School
You’re on stage for a fourth year in a row, what’s that moment like? “It was just like, ‘What a relief.’ More because five minutes earlier we weren’t sure if we were going to be walking off the field just sad because it’s over and we didn’t win. And then five minutes later we’re on the stage and confetti is falling on us and the fans on the field were chanting with us. After Carson (Wentz) scored and then Esley (Thorton) makes that interception, at times, I was just laughing hysterically. The nerves were just up and down. It was just something else. It was a unique experience.” 71
John Crockett broke free for touchdown runs of 45 and 70 yards on his way to a careerhigh and NDSU playoff record of 227 yards. In four playoff games, Crockett averaged 142.25 yards on the ground and scored six touchdowns.
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CHANTICLEER SHOOTOUT QUARTERFINAL, 39-32, COASTAL CAROLINA @ FARGODOME
game
T 
he Chanticleers scored the most points against the Bison since 2010. But the Bison defense stepped up when it mattered most when safety Colten Heagle intercepted his third pass of the season to seal the quarterfinal victory. The Bison averaged seven yards per rushing attempts against the Chanticleers. They tallied 327 rushing yards on 47 attempts.
SCORING AVERAGE
2011 12.7
2012 11.5
2013 11.3
2014 14.1 73
#
POSITION Defensive End HOMETOWN Sioux Falls, S.D. HIGH SCHOOL O’Gorman High School
How did your teammates get you through your early-season injury when it wasn’t looking good? “I think they supported me and they were all smart with me. I remember right away, it was looking like I’d need surgery and everyone understood. They said, ‘Don’t rush it. Hopefully we can get you back. Don’t do anything that’s going to ruin your leg for the rest of your life.’ They were all so understanding because we’re all so close. We’re like a family. I leaned on them and they kept me going.”
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Mike Hardie BIO
Four-time member of the Missouri Valley Football Conference honor roll. Appeared in 46 games throughout his career. Credited with nine career sacks and three fumble recoveries. Caught a twopoint conversion during the 2013 FCS championship game.
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
T
he game was tightly contested until halftime when both teams went to the locker room, 7-3, in favor of the Bison. The Bison scored touchdowns on its last four possessions during the second half. Six current Bison football players (Kyle Emanuel, Zac Johnson, Trevor Gebhart, Zach Vraa, Colten Heagle and Mike Hardie) celebrated earning their college degrees during a graduation ceremony earlier in the day.
PLAYOFF HISTORY BY THE NUMBERS POSTSEASON APPEARANCES – 28 POSTSEASON GAMES – 67 POSTSEASON RECORD – 53-14 (18-1 FCS, 48-13 NCAA playoffs overall) POSTSEASON HOME RECORD – 28-2 (13-0, Fargodome; 15-2, Dacotah Field)
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The Bison defense responded from giving up 32 points the week prior by turning around on short rest and held the Bearkats to just three points. The Bison D bent, but didn’t break. The Bearkats were 7-for17 on 3rd down conversions.
BACK, BACK, BACK, BACK TO FRISCO SEMIFINAL, 35-3, SAM HOUSTON STATE @ FARGODOME
Kyle Emanuel @k_emanuel53
Kyle Emanuel @k_emanuel53
Playing in a national championship game 4 years in a row usually only happens in a video games. What an opportunity.
Graduation and a National Semifinal all in one day?! I better eat my wheaties this morning.
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MR. BUCK BUCHANAN
hen Kyle Emanuel scrambled
off the field at Toyota Stadium and onto the stage to receive his fourth national championship, he left the field as one of the greatest Bison football players of all time. It wasn’t because he was the first Bison player to win the Buck Buchanan Award for best defensive player in all of FCS. It wasn’t because he tied the NDSU career sack record with 41 quarterback takedowns. It’s because he’s revered as one of the greats through his head-to-the-grindstone attitude and his work when Bison Nation wasn’t looking. This four-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll student was more than a sack master, he epitomized what it meant to be a Bison.
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Q& A Has it hit you yet that you’re a four-time national champion? “You know, not really. It’s been a whirlwind. I went straight from Fargo, to Frisco, Frisco to Florida and I’m in Phoenix right now. I’ve been busy with a lot of stuff since the game. It’s hard and been a little weird. It doesn’t even feel like we won; it was just another game. But I think maybe when I get back for the Spring Game, I’ll be able to get back with some teammates and hopefully it will sink in.”
What goes in to deflecting the distractions that came with winning the Buck Buchanan Award? “Yeah, it was kind of tough right at first with all the social media stuff and then flying out to Philadelphia, but once I got back I think the coaches did a good job of keeping it like any other week. It was just something I had to put behind me and focus on Sam Houston State.”
Was being the best defensive player in the FCS always your goal? “No. My goal was to be the best player I could be and I thought I could be a pretty good player. First of all, I didn’t even know what the Buck Buchanan award was when I first got to college, but you know I never thought I’d reach that level.”
Did you complete your individual goals you made prior to the season? “Yeah, I would say so. I wanted to get on some AllAmerican list and basically have the best season of my career this year and with a lot of hard work and with the help of Coach Cain, I think I was able to reach most of those.”
What is it about Bison Pride that is going to stick with you for the rest of your life? “I think just the way we went about our business, you heard from the coaches who came in. The new coaches and players – we just did things differently at NDSU. … I just think the work and the preparation is something I’ll take with me for the rest of my life.”
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
ACCOLADES 2015 East-West Shrine Game 2014 Buck Buchanan Award 2014 AP AllAmerican First Team
Kyle Emmanuel takes a photo next to his Buck Buchanan award with presenter Georgia Buchanan, widow of Buck Buchanan.
(Below) Kyle’s parents during the FCS National Championship.
2014 Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year 3x MVFC Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award 4x MVFC Honor Roll
What will the underclassman take with them from this senior class?
Blue Key Honor Society
“I think just the way we worked and how we prepare. I always come back to that. And just the tradition, I think they (younger guys) got to see that when we were in Frisco when all those former players came out and that’s just something you don’t see at a lot of schools, so hopefully that sticks with them.”
Bachelor’s degree in Construction Management
Tell us about your experience in the Shrine Game. “It was a little bit of a different game. It wasn’t like a college game from the standpoint where you’re rotating every series, but I thought it went well. I thought it was a good experience overall. It was fun being there with (John) Crockett so it was a good experience.”
What are you doing down in Phoenix? “I’m just training. I’ll be at the same place Billy Turner was at last year. So that’s pretty much my life right now.”
Are you happy Jim Kramer isn’t around to push you to your limit? “(Laughs) I don’t know if I’m happy he’s not around. Coach Kramer, you know, those will always be one of the hardest workouts in my life. I’ll miss him for sure.”
So when will you be back in town? “The pro day and I’ll stick around a little after. I’ll hopefully be working with Kramer.”
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Photo by Darren Gibbins
“There are certain kids who are special and he’s one of those special ones. You don’t get to coach a kid like that every year. Those kids come around maybe once in your career, maybe two times if you’re lucky. I was lucky enough to coach him. He only had six or seven sacks last year and this year putting up 19 is unbelievable. The kid’s missed another six or seven; he easily could’ve had 25 or 26. He could’ve had more than what he had (laughs). But he was definitely a special kid.” - Defensive Ends Coach Jamar Cain
Carson Wentz is the first North Dakota-raised quarterback in Bison history to lead his team to a national championship. He was also named the game’s MVP after scoring the go-ahead touchdown.
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FRISCO PT. IV FCS CHAMPIONSHIP, 29-27, ILLINOIS STATE @ TOYOTA STADIUM, FRISCO, TEXAS
E
sley Thorton dropped an interception in the fourth quarter with a 23-14 lead that would have all but wrapped up the win. But he redeemed himself by stealing the ball away from the Illinois State tight end Joe Farmer for a game-clinching interception with eight seconds left. After Illinois State’s quarterback dashed his way into the endzone and interrupted many Bison fans’ dreams of another title with 1:38 left in the fourth quarter, Carson Wentz engineered a drive that will never be forgotten. The drive chart on the next page illustrates the game-winning drive that you need to see to believe.
PAST AND PRESENT FCS SCHOOLS WITH THE MOST CHAMPIONSHIPS NUMBER OF CHAMPIONSHIPS NUMBER OF SEASONS ELIGIBLE FOR FCS PLAYOFFS Georgia Southern 6/32
Youngstown State 4/37
North Dakota State 4/7
Appalachian State 3/37
Montana 2/37
Marshall 2/19
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NDSU Bison
The
Winning
1
Drive
2
3
DRIVE CHART
4
1. NDSU False Start; loss of five yards – NDSU 17 2. Wentz complete to Urzendowski 32 yards – NDSU 49 3. Wentz complete to Urzendowski 13 yards – Ill. St. 38 4. Wentz incomplete to Crockett – Ill. St. 38 5. Wentz incomplete to Albers – Ill. St. 38 6. Wentz complete to Urzendowski 33 yards – Ill. St. 5 7. Wentz run for 5 yards – TOUCHDOWN – 0:37
5
6
7
ISU Redbirds “Right when that time out had been called I came over and got on the head set and we started talking about what type of play to call. He (offensive coordinator Tim Polasek) definitely took my input there. A relationship like that is so nice and so special for the coach to have the confidence in me to almost choose what play or to at least voice my input.” - Carson Wentz 84
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Photo by Darren Gibbins
TITLE TOWN
TRADITION
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When the Bison raised their 2014 FCS championship trophy in Frisco, Texas, they stood alone as the only program to accomplish the astonishing four-peat. But take a look back at the sacred history of Bison football and you'll find that championship runs are not as uncommon as you'd think. From Darrell Mudra and Ron Erhardt to Craig Bohl and Chris Klieman, here's our recap of some of the greatest and most memorable Bison football seasons.
1960’s Championships - 3 (1965, 1968, 1969) Coaches - Darrell Mudra (1), Ron Erhardt (2)
1965
1968
1969
Record: 11-0 North Central Conference Record: 6-0 Championship Game: 20-7, Grambling, Pecan Bowl, Abilene, Texas
Record: 10-0 North Central Conference Record: 6-0 Championship Game: 23-14, Arkansas State, Pecan Bowl, Arlington, Texas
Record: 10-0 North Central Conference Record: 6-0 Championship Game: 30-3, Montana, Camellia Bowl, Sacramento, California
• The Bison only allowed 97 total yards and four first downs. Grambling’s only score came during the second half on a 93-yard kickoff return.
• The Bison jumped out to a 23-0 lead in the first half led by touchdowns from Joe Roller, Paul Hatchett and Bruce Grasamke.
• Quarterback Bruce Grasamke was 16 of 25 passing for 206 yards with one passing and rushing touchdown.
• Paul Hatchett ran for 106 yards including a 16-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He was voted most outstanding offensive player.
•The Bison accumulated 421 total yards with touchdowns from Grasamke, Paul Hatchett, Dennis Preboski and Tim Mjos.
• Ken Rota, Lowell Linderman and Roger Misch all scored touchdowns for the Bison.
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Mid ‘80’s Championships - 3 (1983, 1985, 1986) Coaches - Don Morton (1), Earle Solomonson (2)
1983
Record: 12-1 North Central Conference Record: 8-1 Championship Game: 41-21, Central State, Palm Bowl, McAllen, Texas
Record: 11-2-1 North Central Conference Record: 7-1-1 Championship Game: 35-7, North Alabama, Palm Bowl, McAllen, Texas
• Touchdowns from Stacy Robinson, Jeff Bentrim and Chad Stark sprung NDSU to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter.
• NDSU created six turnovers on defense to jump out to a 35-0 lead after a 21-point third quarter.
• The Bison scored four rushing touchdowns from four different players and tallied 314 yards on the ground.
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1985
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• Chad Stark led all rushers with 113 yards and a touchdown, meanwhile Jeff Bentrim scored two touchdowns on 43 yards rushing.
1986
Record: 13-0 North Central Conference Record: 9-0 Championship Game: 27-7, South Dakota, Division II Championship, Florence, Alabama • Jeff Bentrim capped his college career by rushing for 111 yards and scoring two touchdowns. The Harlon Hill trophy winner started in four Division II championship games and won three titles. • The Bison ran for 313 yards in the championship game and averaged 399 rushing yards a game during the 1986 playoffs.
Late ‘80’s Championships - 2 (1988, 1990) Coaches - Rocky Hager (2)
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1988
1990
Record: 14-0 North Central Conference Record: 9-0 Championship Game: 35-21, Portland State, Division II Championship, Florence, Alabama
Record: 14-0 North Central Conference Record: 9-0 Championship Game: 51-11, Indiana (PA), Division II Championship, Florence, Alabama
• Running back Tony Satter and quarterback Chris Simdorn combined for 216 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
• Running back Tony Satter ran for 174 yards and tallied 619 yards on the ground during the playoffs, breaking the Division II playoff record.
• The Bison won four Division II national championships during the 1980s and were crowned “The Team of the Decade” in the division.
• Quarterback Chris Simdorn added 145 rushing yards and the Bison went onto gain 456 rushing yards.
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
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Division I Championships - 4 (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014) Coaches - Craig Bohl (3), Chris Klieman (1)
2011
2012
2013
2014
Record: 14-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference: 7-1 Championship Game: 17-6, Sam Houston State, FCS Championship, Frisco, Texas
Record: 14-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference: 7-1 Championship Game: 39-13, Sam Houston State, FCS Championship, Frisco, Texas
Record: 15-0 Missouri Valley Football Conference: 8-0 Championship Game: 35-7, Towson, FCS Championship, Frisco, Texas
Record: 15-1 Missouri Valley Football Conference: 7-1 Championship Game: 29-27, Illinois State, FCS Championship, Frisco, Texas
• A 27-yard fake punt by punter Matt Voigtlander led to a 39-yard touchdown reception by running back D.J. McNorton to take a 10-6 lead.
• Quarterback Brock Jensen ran for three touchdowns on his way to winning his first FCS Championship MVP and his second consecutive FCS championship.
• The flood gates opened for the Bison after a blocked fieldgoal by Colten Heagle was picked up by Kyle Emanuel and he returned it to the fiveyard line. Ryan Smith broke the 7-7 tie with an end-around on the next play.
• With 1:38 left in the game, quarterback Carson Wentz capped a game-winning drive with a five-yard touchdown with 37 seconds left.
• Freshman Travis Beck’s 63-yard interception return led to a one-yard touchdown run by Brock Jensen to seal the game in the fourth quarter.
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• The Bison ran for 300 yards led by the one-two-punch of Sam Ojuri (92) and John Crockett (82).
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
• Quarterback Brock Jensen threw for a touchdown and ran for another on his way to winning his second straight FCS Championship MVP.
• After dropping an interception earlier in the fourth quarter, Esley Thorton clinched the four-peat with an interception with eight seconds left.
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CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS 1965
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O C S I R F PERIENCE EX Thousands upon thousands of Bison fans made their way to Frisco this year for the year-end celebration of another historic Bison football season. Many people we spoke to while in Frisco claimed this year's trip was their fourth time, while many others were excited to experience Frisco for the first time. But not every Bison fan could make it down to Texas this year, so to be sure those fans weren't left out we hit all the major stops this year while in Frisco. For those of you who couldn't make it,
welcome to our Frisco experience. 10 0
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
BY JOE KERLIN
. . . N O S I B A E C ON AYS A BISON ALW ver 150 former Bison football players continued the tradition for a fourth-straight season of meeting the current football players and watching them participate in one final walk-through before the FCS National Championship game. The alumni in attendance expanded from last year’s seniors to former players that wore the Bison green and gold during the '80s, '60s and possibly the '50s. Some notable alumni included Marcus Williams, Joe Mays, Sean Fredricks, Phil Hansen and Jeff Bentrim. Bentrim said he was hoping he’s the good luck charm as he stood on the sidelines with former teammates for his fourth consecutive year. 10 2
“We’ve been spoiled and we expect to win,” Bentrim said. “But it doesn’t always happen that way. I was a part of a team that lost a championship game. So I hope these guys don’t have to go through it, but that’s the reality once you get on the field. Everyone has a puncher's chance to win for either team.” The former three-time Division II champion quarterback and 1986 Harlon Hill Best Division II Player was optimistic going into Saturday’s game against Illinois State. “Coming into this year, I thought there would be a little bit of a transition or hiccup, but I figured we’d be back at it soon enough, maybe next year,” Bentrim said. “So it’s been a pleasant
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
Jeff Bentrim was back for his fourth time to catch up with old teammates and meet with the team before the game.
surprise and I think it’s fantastic.”
because I probably would’ve choked (laughs).”
Bentrim also noted the play of Bison quarterback Carson Wentz, and how impressive his poise has been throughout the 2014 season.
The championship game in Frisco, Texas, was the second time this season Bentrim has been to a Bison game, the first one was when the Bison played South Dakota State earlier in the season. He said he’s found a nice pub in Calgary, Alberta, to go watch the Bison play when he can’t make it back to Fargo.
“He’s got the same clutch gene that Brock (Jensen) had,” Bentrim said. “I wish I had it. I didn’t need it because we were always ahead so I’m glad I didn’t need to show it,
Congratulations to NDSU Bison Football You never cease
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t was Marcus Williams’ first trip to Frisco without the responsibility of shutting down the opposing team’s No. 1 receiver. This season he joined the plethora of alumni watching from the sidelines, hoping his former teammates were ready for their greatest challenge of the season. “It was definitely different, but Coach Klieman changed it up a little bit this year,” Williams said. “It was great to hear from the players and their view on what Bison Pride is and thanking the older guys for all the tradition we have created.” At the end of the walkthrough, Coach Klieman
Bison great Marcus Williams embraces his former defensive coordinator Chris Klieman before Friday’s open walk-through.
gathered his current players and the alumni at the center of the practice field for a pep talk. A handful of current players used this opportunity to thank the alumni for coming out and supporting the 2014 team on its journey for a four-peat. “Bison Pride will never change, but you just have a different view on it now,” said Williams, who spent the end of the 2014 football season with the New York Jets. Williams was originally signed by the Houston Texans before the season and was placed on the practice squad before getting released. The Jets picked up Williams at the end of September and
he made his way into the starting lineup for Week nine. Williams made seven tackles in his first game against Kansas City and was named a starter for the rest of the season.
know,” explained Williams. “It’s that Bison Pride.”
“With me at the Jets, I still practice how I would practice if I was here. I still prepare how I would prepare when I was here, because that’s all I
Williams will be entering the second year of his three-year contract with the Jets and is working out near his home in Minneapolis, Minn.
Williams intercepted his first pass in the NFL in Week 16 against Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.
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O T K BAC ROOTS HIS Marques Johnson, David Earl, Courtney Mitchell and Bobby Knodel joke with Joe Mays while watching the Friday walk-through.
It feels good to be back,” Joe Mays said after the alumni and current players wandered their way back to Toyota Stadium after the team’s open walk-through. This year was Mays’ first time back around the Bison football team in Frisco, Texas, and he assured everyone he was going to enjoy every second of it. Mays came to NDSU in 2003 and played an instrumental role as inside linebacker while the entire NDSU athletic
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program made its adjustment to Division I. Although he gave credit to the countless players before him for laying the groundwork for the success the Bison are now encountering at the FCS level, his return to the Bison football team is a symbol of a program coming full-circle since its transition in 2004. “I think we were just able to take it to another level as far as being Division I,” Mays said. “These guys right now, they’re really putting their stamp in the record books. They might be one of the best teams to play at NDSU.”
The three-time All-Great West Football Conference first-team linebacker was uncertain which championship team was the best, but he was certainly looking forward to meeting the current group of Bison players he’d seen on ESPN numerous times. Mays said he was interested in meeting a player that had especially caught his eye – senior linebacker Carlton Littlejohn. “The team as a whole caught my eye,” Mays said. “But he’s one of the leaders, he’s
the middle backer. The way he’s gone out and done what he’s done – I have thoroughly enjoyed it and I can appreciate that.” Littlejohn said that he and Mays went back and forth about watching Mays' old game film and how he was always knocking guys out. “He said, ‘Yeah, we knocked them out, but we couldn’t run that fast,’” Littlejohn said after the championship game about his encounter with Mays. Mays said the few minutes in the huddle with current players were worth coming to Frisco to see his alma mater’s football team. “It seemed like it was really quick, but it was well worth it to get around these guys and getting to listen to the message that they have to say and everything came into tune,” Mays said. “They speak
the same language we spoke when we played. I was able to follow it and I thoroughly enjoyed it.” Mays is in the last year of his contract with the Kansas City Chiefs and is now a seven-year NFL veteran. Since getting drafted by Philadelphia in the sixth round in 2008, numerous other Bison football players have entered the league. This fact doesn’t surprise Mays. “It’s proven that year in and year out, we’re going to come out and we’re going to work and if you work hard enough they’re going to find you,” Mays said. “I think everyone in the country knows that NDSU produced players and not only that, just blue-collar guys that are going to go out and get the job done and do whatever it takes to win.”
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EXCELLENCE...
ON THE FIELD. IN THE CLASSROOM. INTO T
The new NDSU STEM Classroom and
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THE WORLD.
d Lab Building
October 2014
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PEP T FES
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8,500 Bison fans packed the Allen Event Center to see former Bison football greats at the Bison Nation Celebration pep fest Friday night.
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Oh Four-Peat’s Sake I’m So Proud of Our Bison!
Congratulations!
PEP T FES
risco welcomed Bison fans with a not-soaverage pep fest. It was a full-blown rock concert that featured an all-star cast of Bison football characters that have had a monumental impact on the program. Sit down with any Bison fan that remembers a chilly playoff game at Dacotah Field and rattle off Bison playmakers of old, and more often than not, they were the ones on stage at Allen Event Center for the Bison Nation Celebration. Dan Michaels, the voice of the Bison at home games, emceed the event and kept the entertainment coming for people in green and yellow inside an 8,600-seat hockey
stadium packed to its gills. "They were there loud and proud,� former player Wayne Schluchter said. Schluchter came to the stage after NDSU President Dean Bresciani and Athletic Director Matt Larsen were introduced. Schluchter grabbed the microphone to introduce and interview Terry Hanson, Jeff Bentrim, Phil Hansen and Brock Jensen. "They all represent a handful of guys, groups of players that could’ve gone up there and been enthusiastic and say great things about Bison football," Schluchter said. "It was a huge honor to have a chance to be there with those guys." 115
G N I T A G L TAI
Former NDSU athletic director Gene Taylor’s wife, Cathy, and daughter, Casey, took in Bison tailgating before the championship football game.
e've been following the Bison tailgating scene all fall and it was in full force again the morning of the championship football game. Fans poured into the parking lot at 8 a.m. and began to line the parking lot outside
Toyota Stadium four hours prior to kickoff. The Alumni Association estimates Bison fans filled 80 percent of the seats inside the stadium. That's more than 21,000 seats occupied by fans in green and gold.
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R E Y PLA VAL I R R A
ison fans were treated to another Frisco tradition when the football team arrived to the stadium at 9:30 a.m. Fans lined both sides of the bus, creating a human tunnel for the players and coaches to walk through before hitting the locker room. The band played, fans cheered and the football players smiled, appreciating the fullest support of Bison Nation.
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G N I M R O ST E FIELD TH
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arson Wentz took a knee, players were shoved, flags flew and the NDSU bench stormed the field. It was a scene that had to be seen. The Bison were champs again and green and gold flooded over from the stands and onto the field.
G N I M R O ST E FIELD TH wo seniors celebrated the victory with engagements. Starting center Jesse Hinz and offensive lineman Zac Johnson both dropped to a knee and proposed to their girlfriends on the field after the trophy ceremony. “We looked at rings before the season started," Johnson said. "I told her if you want to look at rings we better do it now because once football starts I’m going to be busy." Trisha Goerts was told by Johnson that after he was done with football and school, he was going to ask her to get married. Johnson had graduated along with several other seniors on the day of the semifinal game against Sam Houston State and only moments after Johnson's football career ended he popped the question. "I honestly didn’t make the decision to do it until the night of the game," Johnson said. "I told my mom to bring the ring down with her. I said I wasn’t 100 128
Social media exploded when they caught a glimpse of the engagement photos. Y94 received 22,514 likes and 787 shares on Facebook and Valley News reporter Nicole Johnson’s tweet received 361 favorites and 118 retweets.
percent sure I’m going to do it and I didn’t decide until the night before the game." Hinz, on the other hand, was ready to ask Gretchen Folkerts to marry him win, lose or draw. "She thought we were going ring shopping on Monday," Hinz said. He shocked everybody by proposing after the game with the ring already purchased. Hinz and Folkerts' wedding will be this summer and Johnson and Goerts' are planning on tying the knot next summer.
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
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DIRECTING CHAMPIONS with Athletic Director Matt Larsen
131
MATT LARSEN’S TENURE AS DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY. AFTER HE WAS AWARDED HIS NEW OFFICE AT NDSU BACK IN OCTOBER, IT HAS BEEN SMOOTH SAILING FOR THE UNIVERSITY’S 18TH ATHLETIC DIRECTOR. WITH AN EXCITING FUTURE AHEAD – HIGHLIGHTED BY THE SANFORD HEALTH ATHLETIC COMPLEX – WE CAUGHT UP WITH LARSEN FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE BISON FOOTBALL TEAM TOOK HOME ITS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE FCS CHAMPIONSHIP.
Q& A BI:
We know you’ve been to Frisco before, but what really stuck out in your mind during your first trip to Frisco as A.D.?
ML:
“In years past I was able to attend as an administrator from another school and really take in all that the national championship had to offer. As the Director of Athletics at a participating school this year, the feeling was much different. This was a business trip for the Bison. There was one singular focus of the coaches, players and administrators: to win the national championship.”
BI:
The pep fest was like a rock concert. What was it like to address Bison Nation in that kind of setting?
ML:
“We are so fortunate at NDSU to have such a supportive fan base and one that is unrivaled at the FCS level. Our fans play a big part in the program’s success and are a major reason we were playing for a fourth consecutive national championship. To have the opportunity to sincerely thank them in that setting was pretty special. Bison Nation never disappoints.”
BI:
What are some characteristics you see in this football program as a whole that made this four-peat possible?
ML:
“Tradition. The Bison football tradition is strong and runs very deep. The culture of this program is like nothing I have witnessed before. The expectation of greatness extends beyond just the players and coaches; every player has a genuine respect for the history of the program and the players that have come before them. “Excellence. There is an expectation in the football program of being excellent in everything we do. The on-field success is a direct result of excellence in practice, excellence in the weight room and excellence in preparation. Winning is not a coincidence. “Selflessness. Football is the ultimate team game. For our players, it is more about the guy next to them than it is about themselves. They don’t want to let the team down. There is not a selfish player in that locker room.”
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
133
BI:
What has been the biggest learning experience for you over the first few months as A.D.?
HOW HE ENDED UP HERE
ML:
“The biggest learning experience for me has been getting to know all the passionate supporters, both on and off campus, and learning the history and traditions of Bison athletics. I have been very fortunate to have a great staff in place that have helped immensely with the transition and that the community has been so welcoming to both my family and me.”
Coming from Stony Brook University in New York, Matt Larsen served as the senior associate director of athletics before being named NDSU’s 18th director of athletics earlier this year. Larsen worked at Stony Brook for 19 years before coming to Fargo.
BI:
How has Dean Bresciani made your life easier as the new A.D. and how does your relationship with him help the university?
ML:
BI: ML:
“Dr. Bresciani has been unbelievably supportive during my transition and has welcomed my family and I with open arms. More importantly, he understands the significant role that an athletics program plays in the university community. He and I are both of the belief that the athletics program should support the overall mission of the University. I look forward to working closely with him in building upon the already rich tradition and success that is Bison athletics. Your job is only as good as your boss, and I am fortunate to have a great one in Dean Bresciani.”
Any news or announcements from Bison athletics you’d like Bison Nation to know about? “This March and the retirement of Lynn Dorn marks the end of an era at NDSU. Lynn has been synonymous with Bison athletics for the past 38 years in her role as Director of Women's Athletics. You can never replace someone of Lynn's experience and institutional knowledge. She has played a major role in the evolution of NDSU Athletics and contributed to the countless individual and team accomplishments over the years. She will be greatly missed. With her retirement, an opportunity is created to reorganize the current organizational structure and build upon the foundation that she and Gene Taylor had created. My ultimate goal is to establish an administrative structure that consistently supports the efforts of our coaches, student athletes and positions each program for continued success, both in the classroom and on the fields of competition.”
Matt Larsen hugs his son, Matthew, after Esley Thorton’s interception to seal his FCS National Championship as an athletic director. 134
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STATE OF THE
UNIVERSITY with NDSU President Dean Bresciani
137
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NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY'S PRESIDENT DEAN BRESCIANI HAS HAD THE PLEASURE OF SEEING HIS UNIVERSITY'S FOOTBALL PROGRAM BRING HOME FOUR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHIES DURING HIS FIVE YEARS AS PRESIDENT. PRESIDENT BRESCIANI HAS BEEN IN FRISCO, TEXAS, TO WITNESS THEM ALL. WE CATCH UP WITH THE PRESIDENT AND ASK HIM ABOUT HIS TIME IN FRISCO, MATT LARSEN AND WHAT'S NEW ON CAMPUS.
Q& A BI:
What was the best part about being on stage during the pep fest while you were firing up Bison fans?
DB:
“The energy of our fans was literally boiling over and I couldn’t help but be inspired by that. Their enthusiasm and passion was something I’ll never forget, and I doubt anyone there will either. I’ve tried to describe it to fans who weren’t able to make the trip, and I can’t.”
BI: DB:
We asked you this question last year, but are there any updates that you can give us about NDSU’s academic status nationally? “There sure are. On a coast-to-coast national level, NDSU’s visibility and reputation have climbed to levels never before achieved by a North Dakota university. I get reminded of that whenever I travel. In just five years at NDSU I’ve gone from having to explain what the NDSU lapel pin on my suit coat stands for, to airport TSA agents and people on the street in east and west coast cities giving me a ‘Go Bison!’ That’s because of a number of factors. “After becoming the top-ranked university in our state a few years ago, we’ve continued that trajectory and are now the top-ranked university in our five state area of North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho. We’ll continue that climb in objective rankings because while our top-tier university peers are struggling to at best maintain their status, our research productivity is running about 13 percent ahead of last year and we’ve had another year of record enrollments. “In fact, NDSU has become the university of choice for more full-time North Dakota high school graduates than any other college or university in the state, and we similarly attract more full-time out-of-state students than any other college or university in the state. “And of course our athletic success brings national attention to those accomplishments, and I’m not just talking about our NCAA history-making fourth national championship in D-I football. Our recent Capital One Cup No. 1 ranking, (which) tied with Ohio State and the University of Virginia for the fall overall most successful men’s athletic program in the nation, is nothing short of stunning in terms of the national attention it draws to NDSU. ESPN indicating that they’ll return a third time is icing on the cake. And it’s well known in university circles that our athletic performance is matched by the virtually unparalleled, award-winning academic performance of our athletes which really leaves people around the country impressed by what’s going on at NDSU.”
CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
139
HOW HE ENDED UP HERE President Bresciani is the 14th President of NDSU. Originally from California, Bresciani was the vice president for student affairs and a professor in the department of educational administration at Texas A&M before coming to Fargo.
BI: DB:
What kind of energy can a new A.D. like Matt Larsen bring to the program and what kind of importance can that have on NDSU Athletics? “It goes without saying that Matt had big shoes to fill, but I can assure you he’s doing exactly that. Anyone who meets him walks away impressed by his obviously sincere enthusiasm and passion for college sports. But he also brings an impressive business and analytic skill set to the table. “Perhaps most importantly, Matt gets the culture and values of NDSU Athletics. He gets where we’ve been and where we are now, but he also gets that we have even greater potentials. Most importantly, he knows how to lead our athletic program toward those potentials — without forgoing our culture and values.”
BI:
What are your thoughts on the resilience of Bison football this season, especially after the turnover with players and staff in 2013?
DB:
“Our team wasn’t looking to the end of the season during the season. They plan and prepare on a game-by-game basis. But they also know what success on a game-bygame basis can lead to. “The team, and particularly the seniors, were well aware that most people (understandably) presumed it couldn’t be done again. In truth you could have said that about the ‘three-peat,’ but nobody in the history of NCAA D-I football had ever accomplished four in a row. Especially after losing so many seniors, coaches and even the athletic director. In fact, at any place other than NDSU, those factors in combination would have been a recipe for disaster. “But accepting that wasn’t in the fabric of our players and particularly the team’s senior leadership. It was certainly a motivational factor of major proportions, as was the responsibility they felt to continue the winning
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tradition of Bison football. That and a very talented core of returning and upcoming team leaders complemented by an outstanding coaching staff put together by an outstanding first-year head coach was obviously a very successful combination.”
BI: DB:
We’re seeing construction on campus on our way to the FargoDome. What’s happening with that? “Through a wide variety of exceptional private support, state support, and a combination of the two through the state’s private gift matching grant program created by our governor and legislature, our aging campus is finally getting a number of overdue facility upgrades and additions. “The Sanford Health Athletic Complex and in particular Scheels Center are coming along very well. They’ll complement the fantastic new Ellig Indoor Track Facility and recently renovated Dacotah Field, which is now home to our women’s soccer program. And it’s hard to miss the new winter ‘bubble’ over Dacotah Field, which is a major game changer not just for football but probably even more so in terms of preseason preparation for our baseball, softball, golf and soccer programs. “Perhaps the most important project on campus is the new STEM Building (Science Technology, Engineering and Math), which is the first state fully-funded building on our campus in almost 40 years. When completed, somewhere between 4,000-5,000 students per day will benefit from what will arguably be the finest and most contemporary university learning environment in the state, which is intended to increase the number of graduates NDSU produces in some of the most highdemand areas of North Dakota’s economy.”
My TURF is here with the Bison. Make it yours too!
REALTOR速
Cell: 701.371.2903
RandyClark@ParkCompany.com
www.RandyC.com
28 N 10 St, Fargo, ND 58102 701.237.5031 l 1.800.288.7316
ULATIONS ON 4 IN-A-ROW! T A R G N O C FROM TWIN CITY GARAGE DOOR
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THE RIGHT REGIME
B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
Coach Klieman brought home his fourth national championship, but this one was a little sweeter.
Chris Klieman was handed the keys to the Bison football kingdom before the Bison went to Frisco to become three-peat national champions in 2013. But what he received was a program missing most of its assistants and one that had lost 23 seniors. Left over were leaders that had been bruised and battered from playing 45 games in three years. Klieman reacted how his predecessors before him had — not by rebuilding his program but restoring it with proven coaches and a talented recruiting class. The 2014 football team worked as one unit and ultimately spearheaded their way back to the champions’ podium at Toyota Stadium. Here’s what Klieman had to say after a successful journey. 14 3
John Crockett came to NDSU before Chris Klieman joined Craig Bohl’s staff, but the two have created quite the bond.
Klieman may be holding his fourth national championship, but it was the first for Athletic Director Matt Larsen.
COACH KLIEMAN’S TAKE... …on the four years of success since coming to this program.
“I kind of felt like I was a part of their senior class in the fact that I was a first year guy when all of them were freshmen and I don’t think it’s something that will ever be replicated again. It’s something that’s really hard to do with the parity in college football, but it just goes to show you the culture of football around here at NDSU and that goes way before any of us were ever here. It goes back into the ‘60s and ‘70s and so on, the foundation that was laid here. Another guy that should get a lot of credit is Jim Kramer. He keeps that same energy and same hunger and lack of complacency all the way through the offseason conditioning. Jim was a huge part of this just like our coaching staff.”
...on preparing for the National Championship.
“We went back to what we did in 2011 because that was the last time we had a three-week window. I think we took a couple more days off on the front end than we had in the years past. We gave them five days off opposed to three. But some of that had to do with how the calendar laid out and the game was a little later. I think the big key for us was to make sure we had 10 good practices in prior to us going to Frisco and that’s what I did.”
…on what was said on Friday when former and current players converged on the field.
“I’d like to keep that between the players and the alums. … We’re just so appreciative of those former players. We play for those guys. We do it for those guys. They are the ones that laid the foundation all the way back in the ‘60s and it just means so much to us as well as players that those guys come back with the great support.”
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…on the growth and continuity of the new coaching staff.
“We didn’t have any egos on our staff. There were guys that really got along and guys that leaned on each other for input. I thought Matt (Entz) and Tim (Polasek) did a tremendous job of leading both sides of the ball as well as taking great input from both sides of the ball and not making it a one-man show. Everybody contributed. ... I was so impressed with how they communicated on Saturday. And that sometimes is the hardest thing. You can see how people work on a week-by-week basis during a normal game week, but when guys can do it on Saturday and be able to communicate what they see and what the adjustments are, that’s the thing I was impressed with — with all of our staff, was the game day adjustments and halftime adjustments that they were able to do and able to make on both sides of the ball.”
…on who kept the team focused on the task at hand throughout the season.
“The entire senior class. You can’t really pick out one in particular. ... They kept everybody grounded and everybody hungry, which is probably the hardest thing because people have a tendency to get complacent after winning as much as we’ve won. This senior class wasn’t going to allow this team to be complacent; they were going to make sure they stayed hungry. We worked as hard or harder this offseason and spring and fall than we ever have.”
…on who will carry the leadership torch going into next season.
“It will be the next group of seniors. It’s just a little different this year than it has (been) in the years past. We have a lot more returners on offense than we do on defense, so I think on offense it will be your easy names like Carson Wentz, Joe Haeg, Zach Vraa and Andrew Bonnet. ... You look at the few seniors we have (on defense), I know Brian Schaetz has played an awful lot of snaps for us and he’ll be a senior, as well as CJ (Smith) and Champ (Jordan Champion). Those guys, they’ve got to step up in the leadership role, and I know that they’re willing to do it and I know they’re excited about it; it’s a challenge they have.”
…on which position group battle he’s most looking forward to this offseason.
“I think we have some really talented linebackers that — other than Nick DeLuca who has proven himself on the highest stage — we got a lot of competition between guys that have been in the program as well as some new guys that redshirted this past year. And we have a lot of athletes in the secondary. Obviously CJ and Champ will be two hard guys to beat out and those guys will anchor our secondary, but we got a lot of good athletes that we were able to redshirt that we’re looking forward to seeing who steps it up in the spring.”
Klieman led the Bison to a 15-1 record in his first season as head coach of the Bison football team.
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Former NDSU Athletic Director Gene Taylor hired Klieman in December 2013 and was in Frisco to see Klieman win his first championship as a head coach.
JOURNAL of a
CHAMPION
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I AM
CARLTON LITTLEJOHN a communications student and a fifthyear senior linebacker at North Dakota State University. I have had many great experiences and created lots of great friendships, but now it is all coming to an end. I have one week left of being a student athlete, so I want to share my last week with everyone who isn’t here to experience it.
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MON
JANUARY 5
2015
Today is the first day of the last week of my college career. I am starting my day off with a lift, but this isn’t just any lift; it's my last lift with the infamous Jim Kramer. Coach Kramer is the football team’s strength and conditioning coach and has been the backbone of this team. Without him and his staff this team would not be the same. I remember my first lift with him; I had never been so intimidated. Coach Kramer yelled the entire time. I thought to myself, “This man is crazy.” We have had our ups and downs over the past five years, but now I have so much respect for him and everything he does for this program. He is the true definition of Bison Pride. After a solid lift, practice and dinner at the Residence Dining Center, my night is busy. My roommates and I are cleaning out our apartment because we will have to move out soon after the championship game. I have lived with Kyle Emanuel and Adam Keller for the past four years. These guys have made college quite an experience for me. We consider ourselves a family within the Bison football family. It’s hard to believe guys from totally different backgrounds and cultures can come together like we did and build a friendship like we have. They have been my best friends throughout college, so it is sad to think our time living together is coming to an end. Even though we are going down different paths, I know we will continue to remain the best of friends.
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Director of Athletic Performance Jim Kramer loves getting us fired up before the games, especially when we are playing for a championship.
There are so many hardworking and unselfish people to come through NDSU. Everyone knows the names such as Marcus Williams, Brock Jensen and Carson Wentz. Many people don't know the names such as Alex Yaggie, Tyler Gefroh or Daniel Polanski. These are the players who have been around the program and worked just as hard as, or even harder than, the guys who get all of the exposure.
Photo by Darren Gibbins
TUES
JANUARY 6
2015
Yesterday I had my last lift, today I have my last practice in the FargoDome. So much blood, sweat and tears have been shed on this field (mostly tears of joy). Not many people get to see the intense practices that we go through that lead up to the games. What makes NDSU great is that we take practice seriously, not just the guys who play, but the scout guys also. There are so many hardworking and unselfish people to come through NDSU. Everyone knows the names such as Marcus Williams, Brock Jensen and Carson Wentz. Many people don’t know the names such as Alex Yaggie, Tyler Gefroh or Daniel Polanski. These are the players who have been around the program and worked just as hard as, or even harder than, the guys who get all of the exposure. Without our scout team, athletic training staff and the equipment staff, Bison football would be like any other program in the nation. Everyone plays a critical role and each of them accepts their role with pride and integrity.
(Left) Esley Thorton, Travis Beck and I mug for the camera as we checked out the field on Friday before the big game. (Right) Me when I started my first championship game in 2012 against Sam Houston State.
WED
JANUARY 7
2015
It is finally time to travel to Frisco, Texas. I boarded the plane this morning for the fourth time in my life, and each time has been so different for me. Each year I said I would finally relax and enjoy myself, but this year I actually mean it. I don’t plan on being as uptight. I will be relaxed and act like I have been here before, which is easier said than done. I don’t know what got into Texas, but the weather feels very similar to Fargo. It is about 30 degrees with 25 mph wind, so I guess calling Frisco “Fargo South” makes a lot of sense this year. Getting to the hotel is always a treat because the staff welcomes us with warm arms and treats us like family. The first day is usually very relaxed. The coaches give us some free time to get acclimated, so naturally I decide to lay in bed and take advantage of the HBO movie channel. That is considered a crazy night in Frisco for me.
THurS 2015 JANUARY 8
I don't know what got into Texas, but the weather felt very similar to Fargo. It is about 30 degrees with 25 mph wind, so I guess calling Frisco 'Fargo South' makes a lot of sense this year.
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HOURS TIL GAMEDAY
Today is usually the most exciting day while in Frisco. The first reason is we get to do our community service event. Both of the teams playing for the championship get together at an athletic complex and help special needs children play a friendly football game. It’s so fun because we get to interact with the children and help them compete and have fun. This year, I am lucky enough to be one of the referees of the football game, so I have to be fair. I’m not going to lie, I am still pretty happy to see the Bison beat the Redbirds in the football game, though. Later in the day, both teams get back together for a gaming night. It’s called the “BBQ Bowl.” It is where we eat lots of BBQ, play lots of arcade games and go bowling. We have a few friendly competitions that include an eating contest, bowling competition, billiards and a game where people have to avoid being knocked off their spot by a spinning machine. NDSU lost at every competition, but we still had tons of fun.
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FRI
JANUARY 9
2015
One of the more sentimental days of the week is today. We have an open practice and allow former players to come on the field and we talk about Bison Pride. This football team is a family, and it means so much to every person who is playing or has played in the past. Each year more players attend the practice and I get the opportunity to meet many people I have heard so much about while being in Fargo. I had conversations with Chad Stark, Joe Mays and Craig Dahl. Meeting Joe Mays was one of the most memorable experiences I have had since attending NDSU. He is practically a legend in the locker room and I am honored to finally get the opportunity to meet him. It was refreshing to know he is just a regular person. We had a normal conversation about football and our experiences at NDSU. It is great to know we have great people who come through NDSU and who come back to support the program. I play for those people because they are the ones who care the most.
Me chasing down Illinois State quarterback Tre Roberson during the game.
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HOURS TIL GAMEDAY
Meeting Joe Mays was one of the most memorable experiences I have had since attending NDSU. He is practically a legend in the locker room and I am honored to finally get the opportunity to meet him. It was refreshing to know he is just a regular person.
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Photo by Darren Gibbins
SAT
JANUARY 10
2015
Trying to summarize what happened during the game wouldn’t do it any justice. That was the most extraordinary game I have ever played in. This game tops Sam Houston State (2011), Georgia Southern (2012) and even last year against Kansas State. I have been a part of many epic games, but none of this magnitude. This game was different because it was a national championship to solidify our place in history. It gave some of these new coaches their first championship and my last college football game. My emotions were running wild that game. The last two minutes were the most stressful. I went from thinking I would win a game, to trailing, to winning a championship. At the end of the game, I felt like the happiest man alive, but at the same time I realized it was all over for me. I was officially done being a student athlete for NDSU. I can honestly say I have had the best time of my life playing football here. I met some of my best friends, was coached by the best coaches, played in front of the best fans and played on the best football team.
“In It To Win It” For Bison fans, going to Frisco for the FCS championship game means more than watching their favorite football team play for another title. Going to Frisco is always an adventure. What better way to enjoy a trip of a lifetime than spending it with people that mean the most in your life? By Joe Kerlin
When Deal was first diagnosed with cancer, she bought a new pair of cowboy boots. She then proclaimed she was going to wear them and kick cancer’s ass.
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OAN (LAUF) DEAL has made the trip to Frisco every season the Bison have qualified for the championship, but earlier this football season the season ticket holder had to put her Saturday trips to the FargoDome on hold. Deal was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in November and had surgery to remove the tumor in December. She wouldn’t attend a Bison football game for the rest of the season, including the playoffs. “I’m so blessed for the TV coverage we get,” said Deal, who moved to Pierre, S.D., five years ago with her husband Greg, who she has been married to for 23 “blissful years.” Deal was fortunate to be able to watch the Bison on TV through the playoffs and feed her Bison fandom. Deal’s Bison blood started flowing since the day she was born. Her grandmother Gladys Lauf was inducted into the Bison hall of fame in 1980, her father Robert Lauf was inducted in 1974 and her cousin Donni Lauf was inducted in 1991; the same year Deal earned her bachelor's degree at NDSU. In 2003, Deal made North Dakota State University history. She was named the first female president of the NDSU Athletics community-based support group called Team Makers. A woman so entrenched with NDSU has a coretailgating group she always goes to the games with. Since her absence, the group set up a display of Deal to show that she may not be there, but her presence is felt at every tailgate. The group spent so much time together and figured they would be going to Frisco with each other again this season. During the first playoff game against South Dakota State, the tailgating group came to the realization that if the Bison were to run the table again and earn a spot in the championship game, the trip to Frisco wouldn’t include their ill friend. That’s when the decision was made to go south, but the group took an early exit in South Dakota. Not to avoid the blizzard conditions on I-29, but to see their dear friend. “I was in utter surprise,” Deal said. “Like they said, instead of going down the interstate they took a sharp right to come see me in Pierre.” Unannounced, Deal’s tailgating group came to her door Friday night before the championship game and told her to be ready for tailgating bright and early the next morning; they would be watching the game with
Deal, in the comfort of her home surrounded by her old tailgating group. “I had no idea,” Deal said. “It was more fun than it should’ve been but it was great. It was amazing. I still can’t believe it; I’m still in utter shock.”
Deal wears the helmet she was given by a friend for the last 1:38 of the championship game.
Deal said 15 members of her tailgating group watched the Bison game in her living room. She also reassured her fellow Bison fans in Frisco that her Bison flag flew high above the Missouri River while the game came down to the final moments. Deal has made many connections at NDSU and has close relationships with the people at the Alumni Association. They have sent her various gifts since she was diagnosed. One gift included a pillow that has the phrase “In It To Win It” stitched on the front. The saying has become her inspiration through the treatment process. Another gift was a Bison football helmet signed by the team.
“I had no idea. It was more fun than it should’ve been but it was great. It was amazing. I still can’t believe it; I’m still in utter shock.” With 1:38 left and the Bison down four, somebody told Deal to get in the game; the Bison desperately needed its most beloved supporter. “The helmet went on and I wore it until the end of the game,” Deal said. The helmet worked and the Bison came back to win its fourth consecutive championship. Deal is currently receiving chemotherapy and was recently released from the hospital to return to her home in Pierre. But for one day, the cancer would be forgotten and Deal was surrounded by the love and support of her friends and fellow Bison fans. They accomplished the thing they have grown accustomed to doing every Saturday during the fall, rooting and cheering their Bison to another victory. 158
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Come celebrate with Joan Deal and the Front Fenders as she battles cancer. When: March 21, 6 p.m. Where: Alumni Association
FOR
FIRST TIME EVERYTHING
When Craig Bohl gathered the majority of the coaching staff and brought all but three of them with him to Wyoming, newly appointed Head Coach Chris Klieman would embark on one of the biggest transformations NDSU football has ever seen. He reached out to old assistants, great football minds he used to work with in the past, and what he created was a core group of guys that were ready to pick up the football program where it had been dropped off. Six newly appointed assistant coaches that never held a full-time job at NDSU were selected and they completed their mission of keeping the winning tradition alive. BY JOE KERLIN
MEET THE STAFF TYLER ROEHL
• Tight Ends/Full Back Coach • NDSU Offensive Grad Assistant for the first FCS Championship in 2011
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ATIF AUSTIN
• Special Teams Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach • Coached with Chris Klieman from 2006-09 at Northern Iowa
RANDY HEDBERG
• Quarterbacks Coach • Coached against NDSU for 14 seasons at UND, St. Cloud State and Southern Illinois
TYLER ROEHL on seeing his former Bison teammates during Friday’s walk-through… “Jerimiah Wurzbacher was someone I played with; he’s someone I still talk to and am close with. Craig Dahl was a guy I was able to talk to. He actually came and talked to the defense the night before the game and he shared his story. Joe Mays, I haven’t seen Joe in three or four years so he was great to see. … To get all those guys together and Coach Klieman shared some words and Colten (Heagle) and myself got to talk to the former players, it was a pretty cool deal.”
ATIF AUSTIN
Middle two photos by Darren Gibbins
reaction to who had watched the game…
on what makes the Bison a special program… “This is a team that prays together. When you look on the football field most of the team, I wouldn’t say 100 percent of them, but 90 percent of the team stays on the field and prays and invites the other team and that’s something special in and of itself. And another thing I told those guys (other coaches) when they asked what the secret was, I said they hold themselves accountable. The torch has been passed down so that now these guys, these freshmen, they tell them, ‘Hey this is how we get it done. This is the tradition of Bison football and this is how you’re going to carry the torch when I leave.’”
MATT ENTZ
• Defensive Coordinator/ Linebackers Coach • From the same hometown as Chris Klieman and coached under him in 2010 at Northern Iowa
RANDY HEDBERG
JAMAR CAIN
• Defensive Ends Coach • Coached against NDSU for one year at Missouri State
“We had to go down to the American Football Association coaches’ convention on Sunday (Jan. 11) in Louisville. A lot of people that don’t know you that see you’re from NDSU and watched the game would give comments about our team and all that. Lots of random people that you would see in the airport or whatever. It was pretty impressive.”
JOE KLANDERMAN
• Defensive Backs Coach • While at Minnesota StateMankato he coached against Winona State when Matt Entz was there from 2002-09 161
JOE KLANDERMAN on what seniors Colten Heagle and Christian Dudzik taught him... “I think what those guys taught me, more than anything else, was how to go about preparing as a player and my expectations of players. Those guys prepare harder than any players that I’ve ever been around. I’ve always pushed guys but I never knew the limits to which I could push them. They prepared like it was their job. They did everything and they took in everything. Just to see those guys work in the meeting room and the practice room.”
JAMAR CAIN on his emotions during the day of the championship... “I was very emotional that whole day. Maybe a day or two just because of seeing where I came from last year so it was very emotional. ... I was running down (from the coaches box) and I run into Polasek and he’s running. Words can’t describe. When I saw my wife, we both started crying and hugging each other.”
MATT ENTZ Bottom two photos by Darren Gibbins
JAMAR CAIN on his emotions after the game…
“It was an unbelievable feeling just to see that a year ago to the day you lose your job and Coach Klieman calls you up and asks if you want to be a part of Bison Nation. It was an overwhelming feeling.”
Q&A
WHO REACHED OUT TO YOU AFTER THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME THAT SURPRISED YOU THE MOST? TYLER ROEHL “We were in the airport leaving the coaches convention and Pat Fitzgerald, the Northwestern head coach, came over and talked to us. He said, ‘I really like the way you guys operate your program.’ He just congratulated us on the success that we’ve had. That was pretty cool.”
JOE KLANDERMAN “I had coached previously with the defensive coordinator at Illinois State (Spencer Nowinsky), and he had reached out to me right after the game and I didn’t get the chance to see him on the field. He wanted to congratulate me and I thought that was a pretty classy move.”
on the importance of Travis Beck, Carlton Littlejohn and Esley Thorton… “Going back to last spring, they taught me a lot of unwritten terminology that didn’t show up in playbooks that had tried to be changed in the past, and some of the ins and outs and how they had played things in the past. … They were always honest with me. I owe these three seniors a great deal, because it was an honor and a pleasure to be able to work with these guys for as long as I did.”
ATIF AUSTIN “Seneca Wallace. … We haven’t talked since we graduated back in 2003. He’s at the national championship game. The night before he comes up to our hotel room and we were talking. I was like, ‘Hey what are you doing here?’ And he said, ‘Atif, you know you’re my boy. I heard you were down here so I wanted to find you and catch up with you.’ It was like we were back in the locker room all over again just talking about stories and hugging and congratulating me.” 16 3
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OPENING MARCH 2015
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HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS
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ATIF AUSTIN on what the senior wide receivers meant to this team... “Trevor Gebhart is by far one of the best leaders I’ve ever coached. He did an awesome job, an unbelievably great job of leading the group; being the vocal leader of our group and certainly setting the standards for what Bison football is all about. I couldn’t ask anything more from that young man from a leadership point and what he brought to the group. I think the guys looked up to him. Guys like RJ (Urzendowski), he really looked up to Trevor and how he came to work everyday and the Tyler Wrice’s and even Darius (Anderson), he looked up to him.”
Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography
TYLER ROEHL on what this championship means compared to his first in 2011... “To be in the position I’m in now to being a full-time coach and having me be a little bit more involved in the game planning, more to do with the day-to-day operation, it does make it a little more messy and you know the connection I have with these guys and with my position group I feel like is pretty close.”
Photos by Darren Gibbins
RANDY HEDBERG on quarterback Carson Wentz...
Q&A
“When we played Iowa State we made some big plays in that game and we knew good things were going to happen. He’s such a great decision maker and he processes so quickly at the line of scrimmage that those decisions come easier for him because of that ability to process. ... He’s a very physical runner. I think that’s what really made it better. He was able to break the pocket and he still kept his eyes down the field and made some great throws in scramble situations.”
MATT ENTZ “Mine was probably Coach Klieman, just because of our relationship and being from the same hometown. It was an honor to come here and I’ve enjoyed my one year and 10 days that I’ve been here. I’ve worked as hard as I can to make sure that I am able to fill the shoes of the previous coordinators. … Coach said after the game, he made a point that these were my shoes now and that I had done an unbelievable job. And that probably resonates with me most.”
RANDY HEDBERG “You know there were plenty of them. I heard from some coaches that I worked with in previous times. It was kind of interesting; I got a really nice message from (Southern Illinois Head Coach) Dale Lennon that I thought was really nice. I told him how much of an impact he made on me by working with him. I really appreciated stuff like that.”
MATT ENTZ on his emotions after the championship game... “Just unbelievable happiness for our seniors to be able to finish their career that way, for all of the Bison fans that were there and even for my family. I was excited for my wife, my boys and my folks to be there and share the weeklong experience with me and we culminated it with a win.”
JAMAR CAIN “Former players are what really makes it the best. Players from Cal Poly, even former players from Wyoming reached out to me. Those mean a lot more to me than coaches reaching out to me. Vanderbilt Head Coach Derek Mason reached out to me. From guys in the NFL to Terrell Williams, it was more of the former players who reached out to me that meant a lot to me.” 16 5
BRIAN SHAWN
BRIAN SHAWN’S
TOP MOMENTS FROM THE QUAD SQUAD
B
rian Shawn is the play-by-play man for KVLY’s broadcast of Bison football home games. He’s followed the 2014 Bison just as close as anybody. We asked him to sift through the entire season to find his top moments that lifted the Bison to their fourth straight FCS title. Here’s what he highlighted.
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BRIAN SHAWN
34 STRAIGHT POINTS IN THE VICTORY AT IOWA STATE Even the die-hard Bison fans had to wonder if the magic was gone when NDSU fell behind 14-0 on the road with some players on the field playing significant reps for the first time in their careers. But a John Crockett 80-yard touchdown run took the momentum and the Bison rolled to a 20-point road victory over another Big 12 opponent.
Photo by Darren Gibbins
FOURTH QUARTER RALLY AT WESTERN ILLINOIS
CARSON WENTZ EMERGES AND BISON BEAT JACKS IN PLAYOFFS
This game is rarely talked about but, in my eyes, it was a critical piece towards building the 2014 title run. Teams are not going to play their best every single week, but great teams find ways to win ugly games, especially on the road. If the Bison didn’t storm back to eek one out in Macomb, Ill., over the Leathernecks, home field advantage in the playoffs would likely not have happened. That was a gutty performance and was important for the confidence of players having to step up in critical situations.
Beating a team twice in the same season is difficult and beating your rival twice in the same season is an even bigger challenge. I still don’t like how the NCAA factors distance and “regionalization” in the playoff field, but the Bison didn’t complain about it. They knew it was going to be a 60-minute war and it was. The game was also the first time the spotlight was squarely on junior quarterback Carson Wentz. Yes, he was battle tested, but he was not put in a position to have to win a game in the final minute until that point. The moment was not too big for him and his mental toughness was front and center for all to see. 167
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2 DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE VS. SAM HOUSTON STATE A week after giving up a season-high 32 points to Coastal Carolina in the FCS Quarterfinals, concerns and question marks swirled around an NDSU defense that all fans expected to dominate against every single offense it sees. Sam Houston State came into the semifinals gashing teams on the ground and making explosive plays in the passing game. You could tell the Bison defensive players were sick of hearing it. The group combined for 10 tackles for loss, five sacks and an interception. They played fast and hit with authority. Shutting down that attack in the first half in particular was important until the offense got rolling in the third quarter.
A SWITCH IN 2015 In 2014, most of the experience returning came on the defensive side of the ball, but it will be the exact opposite in 2015. With Zach Vraa coming back for a sixth year, the offense will have many familiar faces back on the offensive line and wide receiver. King Frazier, Chase Morlock and redshirt Lance Dunn will have to fill the shoes of John Crockett, which certainly won’t be easy, but the defense will have to rely on some players that have not seen a lot of significant games reps. It will be exciting to watch new guys on defense emerge and it should provide some great competition at the linebacker and safety position. There are capable and talented players there, but who will stand out? That remains to be seen.
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BISON CULTURE WINS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TITLE Adversity strikes every team at some point, but winning close games when the stakes are high takes leadership, belief and trust. There are new players, new coaches, a new athletic director, but the success continues. More importantly, the culture continues. A lot of programs claim to have tradition, but very few truly have it. NDSU is one of the few that really does. On the stage after the win over Illinois State, the celebration, the sheer joy, the relief, the journey meant so much to so many people. It’s historical and I feel lucky that I have had the chance to witness it. 169
JOSH SWANSON
BISON on your
4 PEAT!
ONE THUMB for the
5 KEYS FOR THE
5-PEAT
By Joshua A. Swanson
How
SWEET it is!
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nother February, another Bison Illustrated championship issue. It’s like the annual pilgrimage to Frisco each January has become habit, but it surely never gets old. With the 29–27 victory over conference foe Illinois State, North Dakota State did something never done in the history of the FCS by winning four straight titles. The four-peat. The Quad Squad. A combined 58–3 record over the course of the four title seasons. That’s more championships in a four-year span than losses. It’s a team record without equal in modern college football. Dynasty, Bison be thy name.
It’s all the more remarkable if you consider this: NDSU’s first year of FCS playoff eligibility was 2008. That means in only seven years, the Bison have firmly established themselves as the best program in the country, bar none. Nobody else is even close. Chris Fowler, host of ESPN’s College GameDay, tweeted on the dramatic championship win, “Much awe and admiration for the championship DNA of NDSU football – tremendous drive to win 4th straight FCS crown! Congrats Bison!” The show’s executive producer, honorary Fargoan Lee Fitting, anticipated yet another trip to
JOSH SWANSON
GameDay’s second home, downtown Fargo. “Wow. Bizon do it again. Congrats! Can’t wait to get back to Fargo. #1forthethumbisnext.” If your mind isn’t totally blown away by that, nothing short of landing on Mars would do it for you. If GameDay comes back next fall, the Bison will have had as many visits (three) from the biggest show in college football in a two-year span as total losses in four years. You know how many GameDay visits our neighbors to the east in Gopherland have in their history? Zero. GameDay hasn’t been to Nebraska since 2007 and last traveled to the University of Florida in 2012. Even five years ago, it would have been more likely for me to land a date with Katy Perry. Seriously. Although, Perry was a guest picker on GameDay last fall, maybe she would come to Fargo, again. Wasn’t she just here for a concert? I’ll do the Fargo Monthly interview this time, fellas. Putting that aside, enjoy it folks. It’s rare air, even for a program as steeped in tradition and success as NDSU. Our team and university are in a national limelight that’s only enjoyed by few programs – without peer on the FCS level and unrivaled by many FBS conferences like the Mid-American Conference, Mountain West and Sun Belt – and there is no indication that we’re going anywhere, anytime soon. The last three years, after winning titles, we’ve asked ourselves: “How can it possibly get any better than this?” And each year, it manages to do exactly that – it gets better and better and better. I suppose the only thing better than two GameDay visits is three; and the only thing better than a four-peat is a fifth straight, or as Fitting says, one for the thumb. Following the previous three titles, I’ve shared what I thought were the keys for the Bison getting back to Frisco and adding another year to the championship banner hanging in the south endzone of the Fargodome. In that tradition, here are my annual “Swany’s Keys to Getting Back to Frisco.”
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Photo by Darren Gibbins
AERIAL DEFENSES
The Bison will need able play from whoever replaces Colten Heagle and Christian Dudzik, the best safety duo in the FCS the last two seasons. As strong as they were in pass coverage, Heagle and Dudzik were rock solid in rush defense. Chris Board, Tre Dempsey and Andrew Smith were listed on the two-deep depth chart at the end of the regular season and are among favorites heading into spring ball. Dempsey had a key interception to clinch the South Dakota State playoff game and Board played well when he got some mid-season reps. In NDSU’s Tampa 2 defense, strong play from the safety positions is critical. Also worth mentioning is finding replacements for the trio of Travis Beck, Carlton Littlejohn and Esley Thorton at linebacker.
JUST KICKIN’ IT
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Mr. Clutch, Adam Keller, was automatic from 40 yards in and dependable from 50 yards. Keller’s three field goals against the Redbirds in the championship game were difference makers. The four-toed sensation broke FCS single-season records for kickers with 145 points and field goals made (34). In close games, Keller’s leg was often the difference. He drilled five against Montana. While a strong offense will likely lead to fewer field goal attempts for his replacement in 2015, each title team had a reliable kicker.
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CONGRATULATIONS
BISON FOOTBALL
ON ANOTHER
SPECTACULAR
CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON!
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JOSH SWANSON
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Photos by Darren Gibbins
NEXT UP
3
NDSU has been “Tailback U” for decades before moving to Division I. The Bison rushing attack has featured a 1,000-yard back every year since 2003. In the FCS championship seasons, with the exception of John Crockett’s role as the workhorse in 2014 where he ran 1,994 yards for a single-season school record, two backs topped the 1,000-yard mark in 2011, 2012 and 2013. The names and numbers run deep. From Chad Stark, Tony Satter and Lamar Gordon to Kyle Steffes, Tyler Roehl, Sam Ojuri and Crockett the Bison offense relies on strong rushers with game-changing playmaking ability. King Frazier and Chase Morlock showed flashes spelling Crockett and are early favorites, along with promising sophomore Lance Dunn, to be the one-two punch carrying this tradition-rich position group.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP Every championship team in the fourpeat featured a senior class that paved the way, limited off-field distractions and kept the team on task. This was the single most overlooked component by the experts when they wrote off the Bison going into 2014. Every program graduates guys, but not every program has leaders waiting in the wings to replace them. From vocal leaders to the locker room guys, the Bison need the steady hand of veteran leadership. There are many teams full of talent that fall short because they lack strong leadership. The big question: who joins Carson Wentz in this role when the Bison open the 2015 season with a tough road test in Missoula against perennial heavyweight Montana?
STAYING HUNGRY
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Part and parcel with strong senior leadership, the Bison haven’t fallen victim to complacency and “fat cat” syndrome after their previous championships. “Focus” is a word we’ve heard associated with these championship teams time and time again. This program is used to having the target on their back, but nobody in college football history, any division, has won five in a row since the late 1800s. How do the Bison respond to that? Can they stay focused? While there is plenty of talent coming back, especially on the offensive side of the ball, NDSU needs another stellar offseason and chip on the shoulder mentality if they’re to earn the “one for the thumb” and notch the penta-peat. 17 3
BUILT TO LAST People may be counting the number of seniors leaving the football team, but don’t count out the players who are sticking around. With a talented lineup waiting in the reserves, one thing is true, this team is built to last By Joe Kerlin Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography 174
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2015 YEAR Junior POSITION Running Back HOMETOWN Greenwood, Mo. HIGH SCHOOL Lee’s Summit High School
KING FRAZIER
STATS
• 16 games played, 111 rushing attempts, 616 rushing yards, five total touchdowns • 2014 Nebraska transfer
What’s the biggest thing you’re going to take away from the seniors?
“I’m glad I got to come to this team and be a part of what we did this year and learn behind the seniors. Dudz (Christian Dudzik), Heags (Colten Heagle) and Crock (John Crockett) played a good role for me and they meant a lot. I can’t thank those boys enough.”
JOE HAEG STATS
2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Offensive Tackle HOMETOWN Lake Shore, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Brainerd High School
45 starts • “2014 Spots Network” FCS All-America First Team • 2014 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team • Three-time Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Lineman of the Week
What was your assessment of the play of the offensive line?
“I think we played really well. For how many guys we had rotating in and out, that gave us a lot of great experience and depth for a lot of the guys to help us out this next year. I think it was great just to see these guys grow throughout the year and gain so much knowledge and experience.”
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BRIAN SCHAETZ
STATS
2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Defensive Line HOMETOWN Denmark, Wis. HIGH SCHOOL Denmark High School
44 games played, 21 starts, 90 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks • 2012 College Sports Journal FCS AllFreshman Team • 2013 Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award
How does the camaraderie of the defensive line help the position group?
“You’ll see us right when we get on the field. We’re going crazy because you don’t always get this chance. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to even step out on the field. That’s why we’re pumping our chest having a great time, laughing about it. It just comes down to happiness is the key to winning I feel like.”
STATS
2015 YEAR Junior POSITION Offensive Line HOMETOWN Beach, N.D. HIGH SCHOOL Beach High School
LANDON LECHLER 176
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25 games played, 16 starts
What’s it like for a North Dakota kid to bring the championship home?
“It’s been great. Being from the state and growing up and watching it evolve, you could say, coming from the DII ages and what the past guys did and lay the foundation for us to keep it rolling. To bring a championship to the home state makes it that much sweeter.”
2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Wide Receiver HOMETOWN Rosemount, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Rosemount High School
ZACH VRAA
STATS
43 games played, 155 receptions, 2,447 receiving yards, 23 touchdowns • Single-season records in receiving yards (1,191), receiving touchdowns (15) • 2013 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team • Four-time MVFC Honor Roll
What’s going to push this team next season to stay hungry?
“We play as a team. We’re not about having all-stars. To keep proving to everybody that we can be successful year in and year out. Just because great athletes are leaving, I think the young guys are motivated to step up to what we have accomplished in the past.”
CJ SMITH STATS
2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Defensive Back HOMETOWN Savage, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Burnsville High School
45 games played, 31 starts, 101 total tackles, 37 passes defended, four interceptions • 2013 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Honorable Mention
Where does the tenacity you and Jordan Champion play with come from?
“Probably just the competition within ourselves. Competing with each other, too, in practice. Everything we do, we compete. Even when we play (video games) we compete so I think that just shows a lot when we’re in the game. It can be anything.”
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What Makes a Champion? Talent, Courage, Mind Set Never Give Up & Never Give In
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STATS
24 games played, five starts, 29 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, three sacks • Played as a true freshman in 2013
2015 YEAR Junior POSITION Defensive End
What was an example of Bison Pride you saw in Frisco this season?
HOMETOWN De Pere, Wis. HIGH SCHOOL West De Pere High School
BRAD AMBROSIUS
“When we were in Frisco all the alumni got to be on the practice field with us on that Friday before the game. When I was standing there I was looking at all the older guys and looking at the pride, and how they all still had their letterman jackets on and I was thinking, ‘Wow, these guys really still love this program and still love this school.’”
JORDAN CHAMPION 2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Cornerback HOMETOWN Avondale, Ariz. HIGH SCHOOL Westview High School
STATS
44 games played, 18 starts, 104 total tackles, four tackles for loss, 11 passes defended
What’s the motivation to build off your success this season?
“Marcus (Williams), ‘Dre (Andre’ Martin Jr.), Shep (Bryan Shepherd), all those guys before me. If you want to talk about great DBs at NDSU, I want to be included in that conversation. That’s my motivation to keep working and to keep getting better this offseason.”
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JEDRE CYR 2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Fullback HOMETOWN Glyndon, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton High School
STATS
35 games played, four starts • 2013 Missouri Valley Football Conference Commissioner’s Academic Excellence Award • 2011, 2012, 2013 MVFC Honor Roll
What’s the biggest takeaway from this senior class for you younger guys?
“The dedication those guys put into this program and the time and effort that everybody has put in; they see what it takes to do what they need to do to be able to do the same thing.”
STATS
2015 YEAR Sophomore POSITION Wide Receiver HOMETOWN Omaha, Neb. HIGH SCHOOL Creighton Prep
16 games played, 32 receptions, 626 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns • Go-ahead touchdown in FCS quarterfinals against South Dakota State
When did you start to understand what Bison Pride was about?
“It was in that Iowa State game. We were down 14-0 and I looked over at Trevor (Gebhart) and he was completely calm and even though we were down he was like, ‘It’s fine, we’re going to win this game, and it’s all good.’ Then we came back. I started to realize it at that point.”
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B I S O N I L L U S T R A T E D F E B RUA RY 2 015
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2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Fullback HOMETOWN Council Bluffs, Iowa HIGH SCHOOL Underwood High School
ANDREW BONNET
STATS
46 games played, 45 receptions, 469 receiving yards, five receiving touchdowns • 2014 All-Missouri Valley Football Conference First Team • 2014 Sports Network All-American Third Team
What’s this “Crew Chief” mentality Tyler Roehl keeps telling me about?
“Tyler just tries to bring this toughness to our group. He tries to instill us to be head-banging guys. It’s more of a toughness and being unforgiving, relentless you could say.”
CAREY WOODS STATS
31 games played, three starts 28 receptions, 278 receiving yards, one touchdown • 2013 MVFC Honor Roll
2015 YEAR Junior POSITION Wide Receiver HOMETOWN Bemidji, Minn. HIGH SCHOOL Bemidji High School
What makes Carson Wentz a great quarterback?
“He goes through all his reads and everything. He knows more about my position than I do. This is a guy that knows everything on the field and comes in and gets extra work and extra film all the time. And you can see it on the field and … he’s progressing and getting better and better and then obviously in the championship game, he really just took off.”
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LUCAS ALBERS STATS
2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Tight End HOMETOWN Iola, Wis. HIGH SCHOOL Iola-Scandinavia High School
29 games played, 16 receptions, 220 receiving yards, four receiving touchdowns • Touchdown catch in the 2015 FCS National Championship game
What does this team need to do to return to Frisco?
“Same thing we do every year. … Winter conditioning is what it’s about, just keeping our noses to the grindstone. We’ll have a little time off here but I’m sure Kramer is itching to get us back in there. A lot of us guys are already itching to get back in there.”
STATS
2015 YEAR Senior POSITION Quarterback HOMETOWN Bismarck, N.D. HIGH SCHOOL Century High School
CARSON WENTZ 18 4
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64.9 completion percentage, 3,464 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, 734 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns • 2015 FCS Championship game MVP • Single-season records in pass attempts (358), completions (228), yards (3,111), total offensive yards (3,753) • Two-time NCAA Elite 89 Award winner
What’s it like to bring your home state a championship?
“I thought that was really cool and special for me. But not only for me, to finally play, but to do it at my home school is just another extra reward. It’s something cool to see from this program (that) in-state guys can be a huge part of a championship team at this level still. North Dakota still raises some good talent.”
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BIGGER THAN THE
GAME By Joshua A. Swanson
The Minneapolis airport was filled with green and yellow the day before North Dakota State played Illinois State for the national championship. Talk of a fourth straight title and a weekend of celebrating was thick in the air as excited fans prepared to board flights heading to Texas. With the exception of one Bison fan, he may have been the only guy in the entire airport wearing green and yellow not boarding a plane to Dallas.
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R
yan Dosch was that fan. He graduated from NDSU in 2010 with a degree in construction management, but had a much more important trip to take. He was on his way from Spokane, Wash., where he lives with his fiancé, to Bismarck to watch the game with his dad, Andy Dosch. Andy Dosch, a manager at Dan’s Supermarket in the capitol city, was diagnosed in early December with stage-three prostate cancer after visiting the doctor for abdominal pain. Ryan Dosch couldn’t stand the thought of his dad going through chemotherapy treatments and watching the game without him. As the Bison marched through the regular season, Ryan Dosch thought this was the year he’d finally get to Frisco to watch the championship in person. That changed when Andy Dosch was diagnosed. “I felt terrible that my dad had been diagnosed with cancer, and I was almost 1,000 miles away and unable to help,” said Ryan Dosch. He decided that his dad and his fight were rightfully more important than the one the Bison faced against the Redbirds in Texas. In Ryan Dosch’s mind, the choice was easy. When he started at NDSU, Andy Dosch took an interest in his son’s new favorite team — so much so that Andy Dosch started attending one
Bison football game every fall and a basketball game each winter with his son. As his father visited Fargo for all those Bison games through the years, Ryan Dosch knew he needed to be with dad for this championship game. Ryan Dosch decided to keep the visit a surprise in hopes of boosting his dad’s spirits through some tough rounds of chemotherapy. The decision was made all the more easy as Ryan Dosch teased that he could not allow his dad to watch the game alone with his younger brother, a sophomore at the University of North Dakota. Even though Ryan Dosch can watch Bison games on ESPN3 through his Xbox in Spokane, the game feed is about 30 seconds behind what his dad sees on the North Dakota NBC Network. “I learned to turn off my phone during games,” he joked, “because my dad would text me when a big play would happen and spoil the outcome for me.” With thoughts like these in mind, as he boarded his flight in Minneapolis for Bismarck, Ryan Dosch knew surprising his dad would more than compensate for watching the rest of Bison Nation flying south. “He told me he thought of all of the surprises he has had in his life, this was the best surprise.” It would only get better as the weekend moved on.
(Left) Andy Dosch was in high spirits during treatment weeks after the Bison won the championship. (Right) Ryan and Andy Dosch show their horns while watching the Bison play in Frisco.
“He told me he thought of all the surprises he has had in his life, this was the best surprise.” When Ryan Dosch arrived at home it was dad surprising him, saying they needed to start the tailgating spread for the game. “I hadn’t been home since my dad started chemo treatments, but I heard he spent most of the day in bed sleeping or just feeling nauseous so I didn’t know what to expect for the game.” Having his son home, combined with cheering the Bison towards another championship, proved the shot of energy Ryan Dosch hoped for. “Friday night when I got home, he was saying how we needed to get his football shaped crockpot out and make chili, chip dip and little smokeys. He was very excited.”
leaving the Bison only 1:38 left for a comeback attempt, it was Wentz, Thorton and the Bison lifting Andy Dosch’s spirit just as his son did with his surprise visit. “He perked up more than I have seen him in a long time when the game-winning touchdown happened.” From exhaustion and nausea, the Wentz touchdown had Andy Dosch, like the rest of the Bison Family in Frisco, fist pumping and high-fiving. “He was whooping and fist pumping, and even handing out high fives,” said Ryan Dosch, describing the scene as it unfolded.
On Saturday, just as the Bison started battling the Redbirds in Frisco, Andy Dosch was fighting his battle. “Saturday, unfortunately, he wasn’t feeling good,” Ryan Dosch said, as chemo treatments days earlier on Wednesday and Thursday started taking their toll on his dad. This left Andy Dosch exhausted and nauseous, so he started watching the game from bed. But just like their Andy Dosch sitting in his favorite team, Andy office at Dan’s Supermarket Dosch was determined in Bismarck. not to let his opponent get the better of him with his son home. “To our surprise, he walked into the living The celebration in Frisco triggered an room before the second half with his unforgettable Kodak moment in the NDSU long-sleeved T-shirt and Bison Dosch home. It was a moment, one of beanie hat on. He even got to partake in those once-in-a-lifetime moments, that the chili and smokeys.” they will never forget. “As soon as the Bison scored, he insisted I run and grab Andy and Ryan Dosch were able to watch my iPad so we could watch the trophy together, father and son, as the Bison won ceremony on ESPN3,” Ryan Dosch said. the most dramatic championship game of the four-peat with some last minute While the Bison were lifting their fourth heroics by Bismarck natives Carson straight championship trophy on the Wentz and Esley Thorton. After the stage in Toyota Stadium, Andy and Ryan Redbirds scored the go-ahead touchdown Dosch raised their own trophy, a photo 18 8
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of father and son triumphantly holding up the Bison horns, Ryan Dosch’s arm around his dad, big smiles on both their faces, a symbol of their love for each other, their shared love for the Bison and a symbol of Andy Dosch’s fighting spirit. The photo found its way onto NDSU Athletics’ Facebook page, generating an outpouring of support and prayers for Andy Dosch from their Bison family. “We had the picture taken as soon as the game was over. He was as happy as I’ve seen him in a long time, even pre-chemo,” said Ryan Dosch. Bison football brought father and son together to celebrate their relationship, the team, and the moments that make each so special. That shared passion for Bison football and the surprise visit created a moment where cancer didn’t matter, a moment when life, hope and love triumphed; a moment proving this team, that the Bison Family to which we all belong, have a power beyond being just a game. “We have watched football and basketball games together in person, watched games on TV together and apart with me avoiding his spoiler texts. We will now have this four-peat championship memory to remember for the rest of our lives,” concluded Ryan Dosch. For father and son, it was bigger than the game. And just like the championship victory, it’s something we can all celebrate.
Bison Illustrated offers our support and prayers for a full recovery for Andy and all those Bison battling cancer. The strength of the Herd is the Bison, and the strength of the Bison is the Herd.
BisoNation
Lending a Hand
One Herd clothing started with the idea of community. A community that includes North Dakota State University students, alumni, faculty and fans as well as Fargo and North Dakota residents that are members of Bison Nation. With this mindset, One Herd decided to give back to the Fargo community by donating one dollar per product sold to Lend A Hand.
O
n Jan. 17, One Herd cashed in on its promise by donating $5,000 to Lend A Hand, a program that helps families in need of financial assistance during a medical crisis. Lend A Hand is a program created through the Dakota Medical Foundation, and for every dollar given to the program, Dakota Medical Foundation matches the donation. With the matching funds, One Herd’s $5,000 gift turned into $10,000 that will be fully distributed by Lend A Hand to Cass and Clay families facing a medical catastrophe. Last year alone, Lend A Hand partnered with caring community members to raise $1.9 million for 53 of our neighbors in need. One Herd will show its Bison Pride by continuing its relationship with Lend A Hand this year. Want to show your horns by donating to Lend A Hand? Discover a way you can giveback by going to dakmed.org/lendahand and make your donation today.
CHECK OUT ONE HERD AT ONEHERD.COM.
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Jace’s Space BY JACE DENMAN
History and Tradition Spark More Than A Dynasty
W
hile watching the FBS Playoff Championship
game, I heard one of the announcers ask Head Coach Urban Meyer what winning the championship meant to him and Ohio State University. He replied with the typical sports clichés, as usual, but also referenced his team making history — referring to the first FBS Playoff Champion. Well I hate to break it to Coach Meyer, but NDSU made history two days prior to Ohio State. The Bison became the first team in FCS history to win four straight National Championships. They not only made history, but they continued a streak of dominance associated with the premier program in all of the FCS, dare I say dynasty. No wait, I take that back. The Bison are not a dynasty. Before you stop reading and curse my name, read this first: They are more than
few months I have become friends with Bison alumni and former Bison players. I had a chance to sit down and record a special episode of the PodBash previewing the championship game. We also talked about the success of former Bison players in the NFL and what it means to be a part of this Bison fraternity. The overwhelming term that is used to describe this program is “family.”
a dynasty. Over the past 198
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“Becoming a part of this exclusive club would be something that any recruit would dream of joining. Not to mention that Bison football not only sets the bar for greatness, they are the ‘bar’ by which all other schools are now measured.”
It’s an exclusive club with high
knowing where it is or how to
expectations and even higher
pronounce Bison correctly. It’s
aspirations. The Bison family
tricky, I know from experience.
predates this magazine, the
Those that do come for a visit
FargoDome and even predates
want to stay and become a part
myself. The exciting part of
of this special family. Some of
what I have briefly been able to
those that come from across the
experience has been listening to
country end up staying long
people talk about alumni they got
after college and help move our
to meet, the Friday walk-through
community forward.
they attended on the eve of the championship games, and how
What does all this mean? It
much it means to the alumni to
means that this team and this
be a part of the Bison family and
family will be a large part of
connect with current players.
our community for decades to come. The Bison program means
Becoming a part of this
so much to this community,
exclusive club would be
yet the players and coaches
something that any recruit
have the freedom to live their
would dream of joining. Not to
lives as any of us would. Just
mention that Bison football not
before Christmas I saw Head
only sets the bar for greatness,
Coach Chris Klieman shopping
they are the “bar” by which all
at the mall with his daughter,
other schools are now measured.
completely uninterrupted and peacefully enjoying the day
The expectations of this program
with his child. This program,
have been set so high that
the coaches and athletes reflect
anything less than making the
what this community is: hard
playoffs is absurd, and the idea
working, humble and great.
of not having a winning record is next to impossible. NDSU’s
This Bison family will continue
recruiting footprint will continue
to grow and more chapters will
to grow and they will bring in
be written into the record books.
better out-of-state players, but
There are many more games
the heart of the team remains its
to win, more conference titles
own local recruits.
to clinch and more National Championship trophies to
Local players still make up over
collect. As the saying goes: The
half of the roster and give this
strength of the Bison is the herd,
team a sense of local roots in the
and the strength of the herd is
upper Midwest. There are those
the Bison.
recruits that come to Fargo not
* Jace Denman is a South Dakota native that has found his way into the middle of Bison country. Denman co-hosts a weekly podcast called “Gene & Jace’s PodBash.” The podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn and at podcastgarden.com.
walker’s word BY STEVE WALKER
T
his time last year NDSU fans were celebrating backto-back-to-back national championships. Life was good, really good. But as great things happen in college sports, change and turnover soon occurred. Our head coach, who led the Bison through the Division I transition and three championships in a row, left with many coaches to take on a new challenge. Our athletic director took a new job in the Big Ten at the University of Iowa. And if that wasn’t enough change for Bison fans, our four-year starting quarterback and three-time national champion, Brock Jensen, ran out of eligibility. Three question marks for NDSU to deal with (amongst others, like two dozen graduating seniors) and they dealt with these issues FANTASTICALLY!
by becoming back-to-backto-back-to-back national champions. At times it looked almost too easy for the junior quarterback from Bismarck, but let’s reflect back on the 2014 season to see how Wentz progressed throughout his first year as a starter. Wentz got his first start as a Bison against Big 12 conference member Iowa State. Playing in front of a hostile home environment,
Carson Wentz had been waiting in the wings for three seasons, watching the Bison do the unthinkable. And it was Wentz and the seniors that rallied together and made history 200
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New Quarterback, Same Championship Results
“I believe that looking back on this season, what Wentz and the rest of the 2014 Bison experienced during the hot day in Ames, Iowa, set the stage for the entire season.”
Photo by Darren Gibbins
having more scholarships and playing as a new quarterback on the visiting team, it seemed like a good idea for Iowa State to put the Bison on the schedule. Not so fast! Although the first few offensive drives didn’t end like the Bison would have hoped, the Herd rallied behind Wentz, John Crockett and a great Bison defense. Wentz showed off the attributes that Bison fans had been hearing all about – great arm, quick feet, that amazing hurdle move he displayed against the Cyclones and the mental toughness of a champion. I believe that looking back on this season, what Wentz and the rest of the 2014 Bison experienced during the hot day in Ames, Iowa, set the stage for the entire season. Offensive coordinator Tim Polasek knew that he wouldn’t have to slim down the playbook for the first year starting quarterback and Wentz took the reins and led the Bison to another great year. Throughout the 2014 season, Wentz had some great moments that fans won’t forget. But the ingame experience, watching film during the week, knowing he was “the guy” and adapting to the weekto-week game plans proved
to get Wentz ready for his first playoff run. Watching film throughout the week is a great way to learn, but being out on the field as the plays develop and when things aren’t going right made the development for Wentz speed up (in a great way). Fast-forward to the 2014 playoffs, and there were multiple games, including the championship, where Wentz led the offense on a last minute game-winning drive. These are the kind of things that can’t be learned by watching film; you have to do them. Through the course of the season, everyone knew Wentz had the physical traits to lead this team. As the season moved along everybody knew that he had the mental side of the game taken care of to get the offense in and out of good plays. And most importantly, we all saw first-hand that Wentz has the “it” factor. He knows how to win games. No matter what changes happen this offseason, Bison Nation can go in to the 2015 campaign knowing that they have a winner at quarterback. Go Bison! *Steve Walker was with NDSU as the quarterback for NDSU from 2004-2007.
Team Makers BY TERRY LUDLUM
H
ere’s to hoping that all Team Makers and Bison faithful have had a wonderful holiday season. The new seasonal norm seems to be opening gifts (new Bison gear), taking down the Christmas tree and packing your bags for Frisco! Saying, “Happy New Year,” has been replaced by “Happy New Championship!” “Should auld (old) acquaintance be forgot...” certainly does not appear to be applicable as 17,000 Bison fans gathered again to ring out the regular season and playoffs, and ring in another championship. The game may have been one of the best college football championship games ever played. The emotional roller coaster experienced by fans throughout the nation will not quickly be forgotten and will be incredibly difficult to describe. From a fan standpoint, there will always be two game clock stoppages that will be cemented in our minds: #1 – With 1:38 remaining in the 4th quarter, Illinois State scores to take the lead 27-23. Bison fan response: “Ouch, how can I explain this game to family and friends?” #2 – With 37 seconds remaining, the Bison score to take the lead 29-27. Fan response: “Wow, how can I explain this game to family and friends?!” 202
Of the six plays run by the Bison on the final drive, three of them were completions to a particular wide receiver. Not the team’s leading receiver (a fifth-year senior who had been hampered by injuries) but a true freshman. The same freshman that when given the opportunity, made an unbelievable touchdown catch with 54 seconds remaining to get the Bison past rival SDSU in the second round of the 2014 FCS playoffs. When recalling another recent Bison athletic event on the national stage, there are similarities to note. In Spokane, Wash., March 20, 2014, the NCAA Tournament, No. 12 seeded Bison men’s basketball team playing No. 5 seeded Oklahoma. The game had gone into overtime and with 01:17 remaining, a fifth year senior (the best player on the team) fouled out. Given the opportunity to play was another true freshman. The stat-line on his 77-second performance: 1-for-1 from the field, 2-for-2 from the line and zero turnovers. While giving either of these players credit for winning the game may be misleading, each certainly contributed in a successful manner. It is important to remember that the situations described here involved student-athletes from only two of the 14 Bison athletic programs. Each respective program certainly
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The Opportunity to Fund for Success has similar situations in which underclassmen have performed above and beyond expectations and contributed to the overall success of NDSU Athletics.
success. Provide funding to the level that student-athletes have the opportunity to be successful in their respective sport, in the classroom and, ultimately, in life.
It’s probably not unique to NDSU to have this level of success from incoming student athletes. The important point that should not be overlooked is relative to the recruiting process. National top-tier athletes are going to the top-tier programs based on potential exposure to the professional ranks. Most others will want to go to a program where they can either play early in their college career or where they can work their way into playing within a successful program, both while being supported with scholarship dollars.
Even with Team Makers being one of the premier philanthropic organizations at the FCS level, there is still work to be done. Let’s take the opportunity to adequately fund all NDSU athletic programs so that as each potentially game-changing situation is presented, every student athlete has the opportunity to be successful.
To bring this into perspective from a current NDSU athletic standpoint, let us consider the following. The portion of the 2015 NDSU Team Maker budget that goes directly to scholarships is $3 million. The actual cost of all NCAA-allowed scholarships at NDSU, if fully funded, is approximately $3.6 million. Please note that this number could increase if the NCAA approves the proposal to allow funding the full cost of a student athlete’s school attendance. The Team Makers’ philosophy has always been to fund for
For those of you that are currently Team Maker members, we thank you for your commitment to excellence, and for those of you that are not currently members, please consider joining today. Go Bison! Writers note: I now know what recent Mayor and former Team Maker President Dennis Walaker was referencing when he so often finished sentences with “And So Fourth….” He was a man of vision! The FCS Championship Game Day would have been his 74th birthday. * Terry Ludlum is the President of Team Makers, a nonprofit organization committed to raising scholarship money for studentathletes.
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swany says BY JOSH SWANSON
I
llinois State players raced up and down the sideline as if they had just beat North Dakota State for their first-ever national championship. Tre Roberson’s 58-yard touchdown run gave the Redbirds a 27–23 lead over the Bison with only 1:38 remaining in the game. Fortunately, for Bison fans, that touchdown would shortly be relegated to a footnote in the history book. We know how the game ended, and know it was NDSU winning an unprecedented fourth straight FCS national championship. Of all the memories from that day, of which there are many, for me, one in particular stands out. It’s not one that was captured on camera or in the highlights. You didn’t read about it in the newspaper. It wasn’t by a Bison player. It wasn’t even on the field. But it captures the essence of the game, the essence of this Bison team and their refusal to submit to defeat. As Illinois State celebrated, one of their players turned towards the Bison crowd behind the Redbirds’ bench and started pointing, wildly thrusting his hands into the air, shouting how NDSU’s reign as champion was over. I remember thinking to myself, that guy is going to be feeling awfully different about things in a few minutes. The shouting, gesticulating and celebration, proved premature. Six plays, 61 seconds, three R.J. Urzendowski catches and 78-yards later, Carson Wentz’s five-yard touchdown run took Bison fans from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. The abrupt turnaround took that 204
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2014 Bison Will be Remembered for Their Resolve Redbirds player, and his teammates, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. Esley Thorton provided the final dagger a few plays later, when he intercepted Roberson with less than ten seconds left. Ironically, Roberson threw the pass from almost the exact same spot on the field where he began his touchdown run only moments earlier. Game, set, championship, Bison. The Bison became the first FCS team ever to four-peat. As I wrote in the pages of this magazine last February, no championship season is the same. Every championship team is different. None more so than this team. Winning a championship is tough business, notwithstanding NDSU winning four straight. Montana, the gold standard in the FCS before the Bison, has won two titles. Conference rival Northern Iowa, a strong program in its own right, has never won a title. An example from another sport best illustrates the point. Duke basketball is instantly recognizable worldwide for their success. They’ve won four national championships in its entire history, all since Mike Krzyzewski arrived in 1980. There is a strong argument that of the four-peat, this one was the hardest. A new head coach manned the helm with almost an entirely new coaching staff. Heading into the year, much more was made of the players not coming back – the seniors from the undefeated 2013 team – as opposed to the experienced and talented players who opened the 2014 campaign at Iowa State. The common refrain was that
the Bison lost too much to get back to Frisco to win another championship. “The (Eastern Washington) Eagles will knock out North Dakota State in the playoff semifinals and then go on to beat Southeastern Louisiana for another national title,” wrote Craig Haley, the FCS executive director for The Sports Network. “The Bison are Continued on next page
“That’s what I’ll remember about this team. They refused to be denied. They never doubted. To paraphrase the title from one of the greatest songs of all-time, they never stopped believing.”
“The 2014 Bison proved their point. They showed that Bison football is bigger than one year, bigger than one senior class and bigger than any departed coaches.” Photo by Darren Gibbins
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a much different team this season, having to replace 24 seniors under a new head coach, Chris Klieman.” That sums up how people outside of Fargo thought things would go. These sorts of stories and questions didn’t go unnoticed by the Bison. In spring practice, Klieman noted that Colten Heagle, a team captain, was bothered by the fact that all anyone covering the team wanted to talk about was who wasn’t there as opposed to who was. This motivated the Bison to prove Haley, and the others dismissing them, wrong. “With all the naysayers and everyone saying we lost so many, we kind of put a chip on our shoulder and that was something we needed,” said John Crockett, one of the emotional leaders of the team. “When we heard that, it was great, it was motivating and I feel that was the driving force of why we’re here in the fourth in a row.” The preseason questions now change to comparisons. Like where does this team stack up against the
previous teams in the four-peat? I’m not interested in the answer to that question. I’m not interested because we weren’t playing those teams. I’m not interested because it implies that somehow one team, or one championship, is better than the other. They’re all special. But they are all different. While the 2013 team is remembered for its sheer dominance over opponents, the 2014 team should be remembered for their sheer resolve. That’s what I’ll remember about this team. They refused to be denied. They never doubted. To paraphrase the title from one of the greatest songs of alltime, they never stopped believing. “With our guys you never saw any doubt in their mind, you never saw panic in their eyes,” said Klieman, describing the mindset of his team after Illinois State took the lead late in the game. No matter what, through sheer resolve and determination, they were going to win the championship, period. “We are a hard working group … and we’re just going to go out and get the
job done no matter how we got to do it,” Crockett said. From the opening kickoff in August, that was the attitude of this team. That’s what experts, like Haley, overlooked. The most important things, the bedrock of Bison football, didn’t go anywhere. They were abundant as they’ve ever been. “The tradition is the same. The culture is the same. The preparation is the same,” said Christian Dudzik after the win in Ames, Iowa. Dudzik started all 61 games during the four championship seasons. “Same hard-nosed offense, same gang-tackling defense. It’s the way we do things.” The Bison needed every ounce they could squeeze from their offense, defense and special teams during this championship run. Three times in the playoffs against South Dakota State, Coastal Carolina and Illinois State, the Bison trailed in the fourth quarter. Each time, the Bison were literally a play or two away from ending their season without the championship trophy. All three times the Bison rallied. It was a band of brothers mentality according to Crockett. “It’s a band of brothers going out there and basically fighting for each other and not wanting to let the other down because they know the other one is going to do everything he can not to let the other one down.” Ultimately, the Bison were out to prove a point. “It says a lot about the program. I think coming into the season everyone looked at us like our backs were against the wall,” concluded Thorton. “I think we really proved to people that this is a special program not just these few last years but for years to come. To lose what we did and reload how we did and to show people we’re still competing at the highest level is huge for the program.” The 2014 Bison proved their point. They showed that Bison football is bigger than one year, bigger than one senior class and bigger than any departed coaches. It says everything about the program.
*Swanson is a native of Maddock, N.D., a proud NDSU alum and a life-long Bison fan.
POP
QUIZ Favorite non-football related thing about Frisco?
Where do you plan on keeping you championship ring?
Which alumni do you remember meeting on Friday after the walkthrough?
The hotel beds. They were amazing.
In the case, and keep it in my study or office when I’m older.
Joe Mays
Ben LeCompte
FOOTBALL
The Bison have been known for their stout defense for years, but what has flown under the radar is the performance of their punter Ben LeCompte. The junior pinned opponents inside their own 20-yard line 23 times this season. Nobody is better at flipping field position than LeCompte.
Carey Woods
FOOTBALL
Carey Woods may have been held out of the endzone this season, but don’t let the numbers fool you. Woods is a viable deep threat for the Bison and has adding valuable depth to the receiver position during his first two years of eligibility.
My favorite non-football related thing about Frisco would be the food.
I plan on keeping my championship ring at my parents’ house back home.
I met with Ryan Smith to catch up with him a little bit.
The team BBQ on Thursday night
In some sort of display case
Ryan Smith, Tyler Gimmestad
Being on the bowling team competition and throwing 3 gutter balls.
On my hand.
Tyler Gimmestad
The warmer weather
At an undisclosed location
Andrew Grothmann
RJ Urzendowski
FOOTBALL
The last Bison to wear the number 16 jersey made a splash during his freshman year and wide receiver RJ Urzendowski did the number proud by having a massive first year at NDSU. Urzendowski’s play showed improvements since the first snap of the season.
Joe Haeg
FOOTBALL
Entering his senior season left tackle, Joe Haeg has already started in three FCS championship games and 46 total games during his Bison career. He made a flawless transition to the left tackle position this season after spending his first two season on the right side of the line.
Nick DeLuca
FOOTBALL
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Nick DeLuca was a highly-touted linebacker out of Omaha, Neb. and Bison fans got the opportunity to see why. Gawked at for his size and ability to tackle in the running alleys, DeLuca turned heads this season with his play in the passing game. The middle linebacker corralled three interceptions in only five starts this season.
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What area of your game are you looking to improve this offseason?
Who surprised you the most by reaching out to congratulate you after the game?
Eliminating touchbacks on punts and working with coverage to down the ball and giving them a better opportunity.
A high school teacher I hadn’t talked to in probably six years.
I am looking to improve my physicality in the game.
A couple friends of mine from high school that I haven’t talked to since I left for school here.
Blocking, speed in and out of my routes
Marcus Williams
Size and strength
President Obama
Becoming a dominant tackler
BisoNation - just the numbers of fans that stopped and said congrats
That’s Another, Another, Another & Another Bison...
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP A Proud Member Circle Of Champions Club
4 for 4 -National Championships & Great Pizza!
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