Bison Illustrated Special Championship Issue February 2013

Special Championship Issue

A thought with

President Bresciani Photo and text by Andrew Jason

What does the success of the Athletics Department mean to the institution as a whole?

“I argue that the success of the football team and the Athletic Program overall is really a distillation of everything that is happening at NDSU... You bring together a community with something to rally around, and when I say community, it’s not just the NDSU community or the Fargo-Moorhead community, it’s the entire state. It provides us with a point of pride that has a national audience. In fact, I’m hearing from all over the country: ‘What’s going on there?’ The football program becomes the trigger to looking at the Athletics Program, which becomes the trigger to looking at the Academic Program, which becomes the trigger to looking at North Dakota very differently...”

What’s the vision for the next 5 to 10 years?

“Institutionally, it’s a hand in glove. Like I said, the Athletic Program is a distillation of the passion people have for NDSU academically. We have become one of the top tier research universities in the nation. When you blend that with the visibility that athletics provides the institution, we start being seen with the best of the best. The opportunity for people to start mistaking us for a BCS (Bowl Championship Subdivision) school is at our fingertips.

NDSU fits into descriptions of success on virtually every measure I can imagine … We’re producing more research than ever before and increasing that productivity at a rate faster than any other university in the nation. In fact, most universities are going down at the rate we’re going up as far as our productivity in the research area is concerned. The list goes on and on. We contribute more to the state’s economy than virtually any other single source does. Almost $900 million a year is generated for the North Dakota economy because of NDSU. Our students enjoy more than a 14 percent rate of return on every dollar they put into their educations. They make almost twice as much as somebody who doesn’t have a NDSU degree on average. On every measure, the university is succeeding. The Athletic Program is what triggers people to see things that they might overlook. So in a few years, we will not just solidify our standing in the top 100 research universities in the nation, but advance our position well in to those ranks, which will allow us to tap in to the opportunities and advantages reserved for only the best universities in the nation.”

What does Bison Pride mean to you?

“Not only a feeling — but knowing — that you’re part of something unique and special. That’s something most people won’t ever get to be a part of in their lives. Knowing that you’re getting the opportunity and the privilege to be part of something that no one can ever take away from you, no matter what happens in the rest of your life. You’re going to have an incredible memory of being part of something special.“ 6

BISON ILLUSTRATED

You can read the full interview with Dean Bresciani on our website, bisonillustrated.com.

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Athletic Direction with

Gene Taylor Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography Interview by Andrew Jason

How has the success of the football team helped the success of the Athletic Program as a whole?

“The exposure throughout the playoffs and then the last two games — the semifinal game and the championship game being on ESPN — you get national exposure to people that are not connected to the program who are talking about North Dakota State. I don’t know if you can put a price tag on that. From a pure exposure standpoint, it’s huge...

What’s critically important now, is how do you continue that, what do you do next and how do you make sure those people stay connected? Not only around football, but basketball is ranked, wrestling is ranked, spring sports are going to start. Baseball is coming off a great year, softball always has a great year. Football certainly gives you the exposure, but then how do you take advantage of it and keep people connected, that’s the biggest thing.”

Team Makers contributions have more thantripled in the last ten years, what have they meant to the Athletic Program?

“Donations have gone from $750,000 my first year, to $2.8 million this year... They’re the strength of our program.

They are the folks that are there week in and week out, year in and year out. They are the people we lean on significantly and they’re a big part of who we are. The more Team Makers step up, the more we can do with our dollars.”

What are our goals for the Athletic Program for the next ten years?

“The goal has always been to continue to win conference championships and go as deep into the NCAA tournament as you possibly can. (Softball Head Coach) Darren (Mueller) made it to the Super-Regionals, that’s difficult to do.

Baseball has made it to the conference tournament, but hasn’t made it to the NCAA yet, so there are some teams with some goals still out there. Goals for sports like wrestling, an individual-type sport, is to start getting All-Americans.

They have two really good candidates this year. Like coach Roger (Kish) said, once you get an All-American then you can start recruiting more to do that. He hopes to get as many All-Americans as possible and maybe finish top-10 in the NCAA Tournament. For the basketball team, the last time they made it to the NCAA tournament was ’09, the goal is to be at least on the cusp as many years as you can. You’re not going to go every year, it’s just hard to do, but the more you’re in position to win a conference championship on a consistent basis, the better your chance to be in the national tournament... I think that’s what all of our coaches are looking for.”

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

You can read the full interview with Gene Taylor on our website, bisonillustrated.com.

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contents...

20 24 52 84 88 96 116 10

YEAR IN REVIEW

Take a trip down memory lane as we relive the season game by game.

PLAYER PROFILES

We caught up with seven of the Bison football players for a fun and unique photoshoot.

TROPHIES AND RINGS

we hunted down every championship trophy and ring. Check them out.

SWANY SAYS

Swany tells us what the Bison need to do in order to three-peat and talks about that seven letter word: Dynasty.

FARGO TO FRISCO

What’s it like to cover a national Championship? Find out from KVLY/NBC North Dakota Sports Network’s Brian Shawn.

JORDAN’S JOURNEY

The father of Jordan Peterson shares the story of his courageous son and shows us what real Bison Pride is.

THE CONSISTENT LIFE OF MARSHALL BJORKLUND

Get to know the rock of the Men’s Basketball Team that is Marshall Bjorklund.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

PHOTOS: J. ALAN PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY /BISON ILLUSTRATED/DENNIS HOFF/NDSU ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS/ ANDREW JASON COVER: J. ALAN PAUL PHOTOGRAPHY

FEBRUARY 2013 | VOLUME 6 ISSUE 7

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I have this weird feeling, like I keep repeating myself.

When it comes to what I write in my opening publisher’s note. Well, I guess I know what the Bison Football team is going through with their repeat of the national championship. What a season! The only let down for me this year was the fact that there wasn’t a fake punt in the championship. Oh well, maybe next year.

This issue you are about to read ranks up there with any other achievement I have ever accomplished.

What it took from all of us at Bison Illustrated to pull this issue off, was simply amazing, and I couldn’t be more proud of everyone involved.

Especially the way it turned out.

The best part of this edition was the process. We were able to collaborate with over a dozen former Bison legends and another dozen

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Mik

Bison supporters. In this process we gained friendships, and learned even more of the great tradition surround the Bison Nation. It was SWEET!

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I now choose to explain this issue’s month in twitter/facebook/instagram style. #bisonillustrated. (Do it!)

Pres Bresciani, Taylor, and cool pic of Bohl storming out of helmet, dinner with Satter, champ ring scavenger hunt, physcadelic photo shoot with players (#awesome) cool pic with trophy (see below), forced calls to opposing teams for photos (#keepemclose), 4a.m. design parties (not really a party) , pizza, a lot of pizza, Brian Gordon sigting, bisonville.com thread post with no vulger replys (#firsttimeforeverything), Rocky Belboa style jumps on top of stair cases the day we sent this mag to the printers (#purehappiness) -Mike Dragosavich

“Only one thing could have made this championship win better... A fake punt!”

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EDITOR DESIGN/LAYOUT ASSOCIATE EDITORS CONTRIBUTORS WRITERS

GENERAL MANAGER ADMINISTRATION

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Spotlightmedia Bison Illustrated is published monthly by Spotlight Media Incorporated. Print quantity exceeds 15,000 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.

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Year in Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

By Joe Kerlin

“Back-to-back! Back-to-back!” The chant rang out through FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas following the Bison’s second FCS Championship. Emulating last season’s success was no easy feat for the young Bison team, as they overcame obstacles both on and off the field. They started with the obliteration of Robert Morris and ended by raising the hardware in Frisco. Throughout the ups and downs, it was quite a ride for the Herd. Join us, as we take a look back at the 2012 Bison team and their journey towards back-to-back championships.

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Go Figure...

This was the first game played on the new turf at the FargoDome. It was later replaced after the game due to issues with the under layer.

3: The total number of touchdowns thrown by Brock Jensen.

22: The total amount of yards rushing gained by the Colonials.

495: The number of total yards gained by the Bison offense.

2 22 2

B I BS IOSNO NI L ILLULSUTSRTARTAETDE D

Photo Credit: Dennis Hoff

1 Robert Morris September 1 | 52-0

The Bison didn’t miss a beat coming off their ninth National Championship crushing the Colonials, 52-0 in the 2012 season opener.

The offense hit the ground running, flying down the field to end their first possession with a touchdown by Taylor Nelson from Brock Jensen. It was the first of three touchdowns via the air for the second year starter. A defense littered with new faces quieted any doubters, allowing only 88 yards of total offense and forcing the Colonials into committing three turnovers. It was the first shutout of an opening opponent since 2004 when the Bison spanked Valparaiso by the same score, 52-0.

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#23

John Crockett Total Rushing Yards: 1,038 Total Touchdowns: 9 Average Per Carry: 5.4 In his first season wearing a Bison uniform, John Crockett became an instant fan favorite. Crockett earned his first start of the season against Youngstown St. and made the most of his opportunity. He ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns, which earned him the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week. His skill set combined with teammate Sam Ojuri, makes this running back tandem the most feared in the nation.

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@ Colorado State September 8th | 22-7

Things got off to a rocky start in Fort Collins when the Bison found themselves down by a touchdown against the Rams. The offense showed a lot of poise, answering with a touchdown of their own. Sam Ojuri powered his way into the endzone from six yards out to tie the game at 7-7. A big hit delivered by Cole Jirik resulted in a safety for the Rams late in the 1st quarter giving the Bison the 9-7 lead. Key first-downs and third-down conversions kept the chains moving as the Bison offense chewed up most of the clock in the second half. The Bison passed their first test of the season, ultimately preparing them for the road ahead.

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Photo Credit: Brent Tehven

2

Go Figure...

Thousands of Bison fans traveled over 800 miles from Fargo to Fort Collins, Colorado to see the Bison play their only FBS opponent of the year.

81: The total number of offensive plays for the Bison.

135: The total number of return yards accumulated by Marcus Williams.

6-3: Record for the Bison against FBS opponents.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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#93

Cole Jirik Total Tackles: 57 Sacks: 7.5 Cole Jirik was part of the formidable Bison defensive line. In their win against Illinois State, Jirik amassed a career high, three sacks and two forced fumbles. That performance earned him the top Missouri Valley Football Defensive Player of the Week.

This junior has another bright season ahead, as he hopes to make the defense as dominant as they were this season.

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Go Figure...

605: The total number of yards gained by the Bison offense.

200: The total number of yards gained by the Panther offense.

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3 Photo Credit: Dennis Hoff

Prairie View A&M September 22 | 66-7

Still riding high two weeks after their victory at Colorado St., the following game against the Panthers was over before the crowd of 18,623 could find their seats. The Bison beat the Panthers into submission in the first two quarters, going into halftime with a 45-0 lead, the biggest point margin going into the half since 2001. Sophomore Zach Vraa had a career day, hauling in not one, but two touchdown passes from Brock Jensen. The blowout of the Panthers was the final tuneup before the Bison started their difficult conference schedule.

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#16

Brock Jensen Completion Percentage: 61.2 Passing Touchdowns: 17 Rushing Touchdowns: 12 Total Yards: 2,688 College Sporting News “Fabulous 50 FCS All-American”

With his second National Championship win, Brock Jensen now ranks among the top quarterbacks in Bison history. When people talk of Jensen, his name is mentioned among the great Bison quarterbacks like Jeff Bentrim, Steve Walker, Chris Simdorn and Kevin Feeney. To top it off, he still has another year left. Who knows what this NDSU great can do with one more season to go?

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Go Figure...

243: Passing yards for Jensen, a career-high.

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4 Photo Credit: Brent Tehven

@ #14 Northern Iowa September 29 | 33-21

In the highly anticipated Missouri Valley opener, the Bison made a statement taking care of the Panthers at the Uni-Dome. MVC Newcomer of the Week, running back John Crockett, had his coming out party putting the run game on his back, propelling the Bison to their first conference win.

The Bison defense played another stellar game causing three Panther turnovers. Two coming in the form of fumble recoveries that quickly led to Bison points. Another dominating performance by the defense gained the momentum the Bison needed to get through MVC play.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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#73

Joe Lund 2012 Recipient of FCS Remington Award First Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference As the heart and soul of the best offensive line in the country, senior captain Joe Lund had a lot to do with the success of the offense this season. Lund was the anchor of an offense that scored 33 points and averaged 370 yards per game.

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Go Figure...

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5 Photo Credit: Dennis Hoff

#3 Youngstown State October 6 | 48-7

Marcus Williams 98-yard pick6 swung the momentum in the Bison favor as they stormed past the #3 ranked Penguins. In his first career start, John Crockett ran wild helping the Bison avenge last season’s loss to the Penguins. Ryan Smith added to the blowout with an impressive punt return for a touchdown ripening his seven reception day. Along with the big plays, the pageantry of the Homecoming festivities kept the atmosphere rocking. The Bison improved their winning streak to 10 games in front of a record breaking crowd at the Fargodome.

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#4

Ryan Smith Total Touchdowns: 5 All-Purpose Yards: 1,029 Ryan Smith provided a spark for the Bison offense throughout the season. His explosiveness helped the offense be more creative, drawing two or three defenders his way on every snap.

The junior from Wahpeton is living his childhood dream and is looking forward to another National Championship run.

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6 Indiana State October 13 | 14-17

Johnny Towalid, a name Bison fans will remember for awhile, had a career day for the Sycamores returning two of Brock Jensen’s interceptions back for touchdowns in front of a stunned FargoDome crowd. The Bison made it close with nine minutes left when Jensen scored from a yard out and added a two-point conversion to put the Bison down three. Any hopes of a comeback were diminished when Larry King stepped in front of a Jensen pass to clinch the 17-14 upset. The offense was a no show against a feisty Sycamore defense that caused Jensen to throw his first three interceptions of the year.

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Go Figure...

Indiana State’s Johnny Towalid was named College Football Performance Awards’ FCS Defensive Back of the Year. He shared the honors with Missouri State’s, Caleb Schaffitzel who also returned an interception for a touchdown against the Bison this season.

2: The number of interceptions Johnny Towalid brought back for touchdowns.

140: The number of passing attempts in-a-row Brock Jensen had before throwing an interception in the second quarter.

197: Total number of yards gained for the Sycamore offense.

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#1

Marcus Williams Interceptions: 7 (18 career, which is a school record) Average Kick Return: 27.9 yards Total Tackles: 39 tackles College Sporting News “Fabulous 50 FCS AllAmerican�

Marcus Williams set the school record with his 18th interception this season. The number of awards he has received this year are too numerous to list. The junior, Williams hopes to keep up the success of the Bison next year. He has set a standard for Bison football players to reach.

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7 @ South Dakota October 20 | 54-0

The Bison rebounded quickly from their loss to Indiana St. by pounding the Coyotes in Sioux Falls, 54-0. Brock Jensen bounced back from a sub-par effort against the Sycamores by doing what he does best—barreling into the endzone. Jensen rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another two as the Coyotes had no answer for a revitalized Bison offense. The Bison attacked the Coyotes all night and went on to pitch their second shutout of the season. Many of the Bison backups logged a substantial amount of playing time including Zach Colvin, who had a 12-yard interception return for a touchdown.

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Go Figure...

The victory over the Coyotes was the 50th all-time for the Bison.

The first meeting with USD ended in a tie, 6-6, back in 1900.

36: The number of Missouri Valley Games it took for the Bison to shutout a Missouri Valley opponent.

4: The number of first downs by South Dakota.

76: The total number of yards gained by the Coyotes.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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#34

Grant Olson Total Tackles: 148 College Sporting News “Fabulous 50 FCS All-American�

Grant Olson led the Bison Defense to one of their most successful years in school history. He led the defense with 148 total tackles and just missed being named AP All-American. This team captain is returning for another year to continue the Bison domination.

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Go Figure...

55: The number of yards gained by SIU in the second half.

40:48: The number of minutes the Bison had in time of possession.

50: The number of yards gained on a double-reverse pass from Brock Jensen to Andrew Oakland.

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8 Southern Illinois October 27 | 23-17

It took a valiant 4th quarter comeback and some trickeration, but the Bison came away victorious against a stingy Saulukies team with a 23-17 victory. After tying the game early in the fourth on a Derrick Lang touchdown run, the Bison took the lead on their next possession with a five yard touchdown scamper from John Crockett. The Bison’s late offensive surge was the difference as Marcus Williams sealed the victory with another big time interception late in the game.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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Trophies & Rings NDSU will soon have to purchase more shelving to show off all of their awards.

Throughout the school’s history, NDSU football has won 10 championships. We looked high and low and were able to round up the ten rings and trophies so you can take a trip down memory lane and relive all of these championships.

1965 To understand the importance of the first NCAA Championship in Bison football history, you have to understand how far the program has come. The season prior was the Bison’s first winning record in eight years and the perfect record achieved in ‘65 capped the program’s comeback. The Darrell Mudra-led Bison defeated Grambling College, 20-7 in the Pecan Bowl to cap their perfect 11-0 season.

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Go Figure...

Missouri State quarterback Kierra Harris rushing touchdown in the third quarter was one of five rushing touchdowns allowed by the Bison all season. The least amount of rushing TD’s allowed in the country.

149: The total number of yards allowed by the Bison defense.

22: The number of passing yards for Missouri State’s Kierra Harris.

7: The number of 100-yard games by Sam Ojuri in his career.

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9 @ Missouri State September 3 | 21-17

After another shaky start by the offense, Brock Jensen settled down and led the Bison to a four point victory over the Bears. The Bison defense was at it again as the D-line harassed the opposing offense, yet again proving that they were the best in the nation.

The defense corralled the Bears quarterback for three sacks led by Kyle Emmanuel. The star defensive end also recovered a fumble leading to Ojuri’s eventual game-winning touchdown in the third quarter.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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1968 & 1969 After losing in the Pecan Bowl the year before, the Bison returned to the title game and defeated Arkansas State, 23-14.

Paul Hatchett ran for 106 yards and a touchdown becoming the first Bison in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season. 1969 was more of the same as the Bison beat Montana, 30-3 in the Camellia Bowl. Legendary head coach Rod Erhardt led the Bison to back-to-back National Championships for the first time and eventually ended his career at NDSU with a 61-7-1 record.

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Go Figure...

In their first meeting back in 1903, the Bison defeated SDSU 85-0.

43: Rushing yards by SDSU’s running back Zach Zenner, a season low. Zenner led the Missouri Valley Conference in rushing with 2,044.

17: Combined tackles for linebackers Grant Olson and Travis Beck.

56: The number of yards gained by Brock Jensen during his career-long run in the 3rd quarter.

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Photo Credit: Dennis Hoff

10 #16 South Dakota State November 10 | 20-17

The first meeting with the Jacks this year was everything a rivalry game is supposed to be. SDSU came into the FargoDome smoking hot, but the Bison had the formula to extinguish the Jackrabbits. The Bison defense stumped the Jack’s offense

all

afternoon,

sacking

quarterback Austin Sumner five times. The defense also held the Missouri Valley rushing leader, Zach Zenner, to 43 yards. Jensen led the offense with both his arm and his legs capturing the Dakota Marker for the third straight year.

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1983 The Bison defeated Central State, 41-21 for their first championship in 14 years. The offense pounced early scoring 21 points in the first quarter led by touchdowns from freshman quarterback, Jeff Bentrim, and freshman running back, Chad Stark. It was the beginning of a special run for the Bison.

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Go Figure...

Offensive Player of the Year.

12-0: The Bison’s record away from the FargoDome the past two seasons. yards rushing.

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11 @ #11 Illinois State November 17 | 38-20

After falling behind by ten in the 1st quarter, the Bison quickly responded when Marcus Williams took a kickoff back 98 yards for a touchdown. Finding themselves down again early in the fourth, the Bison captured their first lead when Brock Jensen pushed his way into the end zone. However, they didn’t stop there, eventually scoring a total of 21 points in the fourth quarter. The air raid provided by the Redbirds’ offense wasn’t enough to keep the Bison from winning their first outright Missouri Valley Conference Championship.

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1985 & 1986 After falling a yard short of repeating as champions in ‘84, the Bison took care of business in ‘85, defeating North Alabama, 35-7 in the Palm Bowl. The following season, quarterback, Jeff Bentrim, capped his incredible career as a Bison by defeating rival South Dakota, 27-7, in the championship. It was a perfect way to end the Bentrim-era that witnessed the Bison go to four championship games, coming-out victorious in three of them.

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21: Total net yards rushing for SDSU. 2: The number of receiving touchdowns for tight end, Garrett Bruhn.

100: The number of times NDSU has played SDSU. The Bison lead the series 55-40-5.

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12 # 19 South Dakota State December 1 | 28-3

In the Bison’s opening game of the FCS playoffs, with the game locked at 7-7, Bison Offensive Coordinator Brett Vigan dug deep into the playbook looking to catch the Jacks sleeping. Ryan Smith took the hand-off from Brock Jensen, hesitated for a few seconds behind his linemen and ran 32 yards unscathed into the endzone with no Jack defenders in sight. Smith wasn’t the only one making plays for the Bison when once again, the defense held up against the Jack’s powerful running game, cruising to victory in the second round.

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1988 “The Decade of the Bison�, as it was called, was topped off with the Bison winning their fourth Division II championship in six years. The Bison defeated Portland State by a score of 35-21. Running back, Tony Satter, ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns with the most impressive one coming on a 70-yard sprint in the second quarter.

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Go Figure...

Wofford running back Eric Breitenstein finished in third place for the Walter Peyton Award, FCS Player of the Year.

11: The number of games linebacker Grant Olson led the team in tackles.

234.5: The average number of yards allowed per game by the Bison defense. Good enough to rank number one in the country.

235-61: The total second half score in favor of the Bison.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

13 #9 Wofford December 8 | 14-7

The Bison knew coming into the game against Wofford that it was going to be a dogfight for all four quarters and it was a dogfight they got from the Terriers. The Bison defense steppedup exceptionally and contained the ground and pound running style from Wofford’s Walter Payton award finalist, Eric Breitenstein. The Bison offense dished out some blows of their own with the last one coming as the eventual game winner when Brock Jensen connected with Vraa for a touchdown late in the first half.

The Bison defense proved, yet again, why they were ranked number one in the country, holding Terriers without a single offensive touchdown.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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1990 The success from the 80’s carried over into the 90’s and the Bison crushed Indiana (Pa.) 51-11, finishing with a record of 14-0 to kickoff the new decade. Tony Satter was at it again for the Bison running for 174 yards on just twelve carries. It was the last championship for the legendary coach, Rocky Hager.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

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Go Figure...

The Bison defeated Georgia Southern in the 2011 semi-finals, 35-7.

3: The total number of blocked kicks in the game.

430: The total number of yards gained on offense by GSU, the most the Bison gave up all year.

166,641: The total attendance in the FargoDome during the 2012 season.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

14 #6 Georgia Southern December 14 | 23-20

In arguably the best game the FargoDome has ever seen, the Bison advanced to their second FCS championship in a nail biter against Eagles. Down 16-20 late in the fourth quarter, the Bison were facing a fourth and three when Brock Jensen called his own number surging ahead for the go-ahead touchdown. With 34 seconds left and the Bison up three, it was Carleton Littlejohn’s turn to play hero as he blocked the Eagles 50-yard field goal attempt that would have sent the game into overtime. It was back to Frisco yet again for the Bison.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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Go Figure...

17-6: The score of the 2011 FCS Championship Game, where the Bison beat Sam Houston.

300: The total number of rushing yards by the Bison.

3: The number of gamess Williams has had multiple interceptions in his career.

10-1: The Bison’s record in the FCS playoffs.

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15 #5 Sam Houston State January 5 | 39-13

For the second straight year, Bison Nation invaded Frisco, Texas and for the second year in a row, they came away victorious. The journey was completed and in front of more than 14,000 rowdy Bison faithful, the Herd played like true champions.

The Bison scored 29 points in the second half alone to put the Bearkats away. Green and Gold flooded FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco making it no question who was the best fan base in the nation. It was the Bison’s 10th time being crowned national champs and something tells us that they will be looking to add to that total in 2013.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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2011 Seven years after moving to division one football, the Bison won their first FCS championship by defeating Sam Houston State, 16-7. Game MVP, Travis Beck, led the Bison defense against the highly touted Sam Houston State offense.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

2012 It didn’t take long for the Bison to chalk up another FCS Championship.

Backed by 10,000+ Bison faithful, the Herd made Frisco their second home defeating Sam Houston State, 39-13.

The latest championship makes it ten total for the Bison.

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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Swany Says

The “D” word

By Joshua A. Swanson

Let me say what

you’re all thinking. Three-peat. That’s the expectation. Why even try ignoring the 800-pound elephant standing in the middle of the room on a unicycle wearing a North Dakota State shirt and juggling national championship trophies?

Heck, I want to give that elephant a big old hug, maybe even feed him some peanuts! There’s no getting around it, anything short of storming the field in Frisco – again – with 14,000 of my closest friends would be a colossal disappointment.

The ink has barely dried on the Bison football season that culminated in a second straight national championship victory over Sam Houston State

“There’s no getting around it, anything short of storming the field in Frisco... would be a colossal disappointment.” in Frisco and folks are already reserving hotel rooms in Texas for early January 2014, yours truly included. Come August, when tickets go on sale for the game on the NCAA website, they’ll sell out faster than John Crockett hitting Kevin Vaadeland on a jump pass. Faster than Taylor Swift breaking up with a K-Fed-esque boyfriend and writing a crappy song about it sure to be overplayed on the radio. No joke. Better get your game tickets early because come Labor Day, they’ll be rarer than a Nick Saban smile.

There’s one word that captures what’s at stake.

Dynasty. Too early for the “D” word? Probably.

At least in official circles. But I’m not in any official circles. I’m officially unofficial, like one of the

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

Kardashians. Being the unofficial, junior writer at-large, quasi-member of the chattering class by virtue of this column, I’ll throw it out there.

A dynasty is on the line. A three-peat is one of the rarest feats in sports, and it’s never happened in Bison football history. And I’m as fervent a believer as anyone out there that the table is set for special things to happen next season.

powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time.” Well, if the shoe fits.

With our impressive showings in Frisco, a squad full of veteran starters that have played and won eight straight playoff games, and a 28 – 2 record over the last two seasons, you can certainly say we’ve established ourselves as a powerful group or family. Back-to-back isn’t quite a dynasty. It’s

Maybe too excited because we’re only a few weeks removed from Frisco 2.0 and I’m already thinking Frisco 3.0. I’m more excited than the NDSU fan who cusped both hands in disbelief on his head in full glory for the ESPN cameras after the Bison turned a botched extra point snap into a miraculous two-point conversion.

pretty darn good though, a lot better than the folks at Sam Houston State or Georgia Southern are feeling about things.

But it’s one trophy removed from the dynasty talk that was last used in these parts in 1990 after a dominating 55 – 11 Division II national

This isn’t to say I’d be caught uttering the “D” word, or anything like it, around Bison head coach, Craig Bohl or strength and conditioning coach, Jim Kramer. Woe to the first sports journalist in town that broaches the topic with Coach Bohl. He’ll probably tire of the question before the third day of spring football. If he’s reading this column, he’s probably shaking his head, and not in a good way either. “Swany, come on man, let’s take a break for awhile.” A vein might pop in Kramer’s forehead if any player is foolish enough to wear championship gear in his weight room.

While it’s the forbidden word around the weight room and practice fields in North Fargo, it will be common vernacular around water coolers, coffee rooms and tailgating once Bison football, 2013, kicks off at the annual spring game in a few short months. Okay, fair enough. So let’s go get it. Circle the wagons, get a bit crazy, and write a check to Team Makers if you haven’t already. That’s the sort of support it takes to fuel a championship program.

That’s what we have, a program. A program on the verge of the “D” word.

championship

game

victory

over

Indiana

University of Pennsylvania. That capped a run of five national championships in eight years going back to 1983. The Bison also played in the 1984 championship game, only to fall on a last second, 50-yard field goal. ESPN called Alabama’s football team a dynasty after they won their third title in four years a few days after we went backto-back.

If the experts at ESPN say three is key for qualifying for the “D” word, then three is the magic number. Three is the target. Maybe that will make Kirk Herbstreit take notice. You can bet I’ll have my bag of peanuts ready to feed that 800-pound elephant come this spring. In fact, stop by my tailgater, I’ll be serving up peanuts during the spring game and next fall. We’ll call them Frisco Peanuts. They’ll join the Frisco Beard. There’s no hiding from these expectations.

There’s one destination to the “D” word, and that goes through two “F” words – Fargo and Frisco.

Merriam-Webster defines “dynasty” as “a

Everyone up for the kickoff, the march is on!

Swany Says: Frisco Three-Peat Checklist

By Josh Swanson

10.

Getting Healthy The Bison have played 30 games over the last two seasons! That’s the equivalent of three years’ worth of regular season games in only two years. The team needs to heal up to make it through another tough Missouri Valley schedule next fall.

9.

New Faces - While the Bison lose few starters from a 14 – 1 national championship team, new faces must emerge, especially to build depth at key positions. Look for guys like Carlton Littlejohn, who had monster playoffs, and Andrew Oakland to play an even greater role in 2013.

8.

Don’t Call it a Comeback - The return of key contributors from injury like Colton Heagle and Leevon Perry will bolster what was already the top defense in the country.

7.

Kings of the Valley The familiar mantra from this team is that it all starts with winning a conference championship – and it’s absolutely true. Back-to-back national championships were each preceded by conference titles.

6.

The Bison have featured a pair of 1,000 yard rushers the last two seasons. The success of the Bison offense starts on the ground. If Sam Ojuri and John Crockett each rack up 1,000 yards again next fall, the Herd will be in good shape.

5.

Stability at the top - There’s been little turnover among the coaching staff in recent years. Coach Bohl has established a proven system with experienced coaches that’s second to none. This system, and its stability, has been instrumental in guiding the Herd to back-to-back national titles.

4.

- The Bison have never lost a playoff game in the Fargodome, going 7 – 0 over the last three seasons.

This atmosphere in the Dome reaches a whole other level in the playoffs. If the Bison can secure a top-seed come playoff time, making the road to Frisco go through Fargo, you can book your plane tickets to Texas.

1.

3.

Don’t Buy into the Hype - The team avoided offseason complacency after the 2011 national championship and will need to do the same to make a run at the three-peat.

With veteran leadership, a stellar senior class, and a group hungry for perfection, this shouldn’t be a problem in 2013.

2.

Start Strong - The Herd face a tough early season schedule, opening at defending Big XII champion Kansas State, followed by two FCS playoff teams in Montana State and South Dakota State, before playing perennial Missouri Valley contender Northern Iowa. We’ll know early how good this team is.

Finish Stronger - A sign in the

NDSU locker room says it all, “Start Strong, Finish Stronger.” The last two seasons, NDSU made key plays and notched key wins down the stretch.

Championship teams know how to finish.

It’s an intangible that cannot be measured and each national title team had it in spades.

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Fargo to Frisco

From A Media Perspective

with Brian Shawn

Covering an NCAA Championship is always one of the highlights of working in the media. Certainly covering the FCS National Championship is unique due to the threeweek wait from the semifinals and the buzz it creates leading up to game day. There were a lot of highlights from the eyes of a media member that made the trip south.

10.

The day before the game, Sam Houston State decided to move their practice

to a local high school, where I was going to shoot some video for a 10 p.m. live shot. But apparently, Bearkat Head Coach, Willie Fritz, does not understand the concept of a practice ‘Open to the Media’. Once he found out I was from Fargo, he uttered, “I don’t want you here,” and escorted me out of the practice area, where he asked me to delete any video that I shot. Later, I spoke with a media member from a TV station in Texas. His response, “He’s high strung.” That is one way of putting it.

9.

Sitting Next to MVFC Commissioner in the FC Dallas After the pre-game show, I sat down next to Patty Viverito in the

FC Dallas ‘Stadium Club’. What a swanky place. It had leather recliners, fancy foot rests and a great view at the 50-yard line. What stood out to me was how loudly Patty was cheering and screaming. Every time NDSU made a play, she was going wild up there.

Summit League Commissioner, Tom Douple, was there as well. I thought it was great he made the trek south too.

8.

The Frisco Convention Center did

a great job hosting the NCAA Championship Banquet. Players, coaches and administrators from both teams were in attendance, although I have to admit that NDSU was much better dressed. The highlight video that was shown made the event worth attending all by itself, but the meal was great. Not to mention getting a chance to see the National Championship Trophy up close was cool too. I’m glad they invited the media to that event.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

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7.

Unlike Sam Houston State, NDSU actually opened its practice

to the media! Watching former players get into the huddle at midfield as practice closed was really cool to experience. They all feel like they are a part of these championships and they should. Tradition is an important component of building a strong football program and those guys helped build it.

6.

A big part of

what makes an event special is the atmosphere. Having over 9,000 Bison fans come together 1,000 miles away from home, the night before the national championship game, was incredible. Getting a chance to showcase that kind of atmosphere for the people who could not make the trip south was great.

I could not believe all the people taking photos as they were jumping and waving in the background.

I am sure the Sam Houston State players had a good view of the event, as their team hotel faced Dr. Pepper Ballpark, only a hundred yards away from the festivities.

5.

After a long day, the coverage

of the event wrapped up with a live shot from the tailgate lot at 6 p.m., Saturday. To my amazement, there were still fans there celebrating the championship. Getting a chance to recap another NDSU title from the stadium is something I will always remember.

4.

Postgame interviews are not always fun when a team loses,

but as a reporter, that is usually when you get your best quote (or ‘sound’ as we call it in the broadcast industry). Whether talking to the winning team or losing team, typically the raw emotion of a game like this takes over, even when athletes/coaches are trying to choose their words carefully. After winning a title, players and coaches finally have their chance to let their guard down a little bit and capturing that emotion on video, tells the story better than I ever could.

3.

Six months ago, never in my wildest dreams did I

think I would be co-hosting a pregame show live from the FCS National Championship game. There is nothing that can describe the pure rush and excitement from doing a show like that. Fans everywhere, kickoff nearing and a B-52 flying over your head as you bring the sights, sounds and atmosphere from Frisco, Texas to all the people in the region. Two words can explain it: Pure Joy.

2.

I had a great view from the stadium club as fans stormed the

field in the wake of NDSU’s second straight national title. How can you describe something like that?

Fortunately, there is video from on the field that really shows the exuberance of the fan base. From the stage in the south end zone, I was able to capture a photo with fans completely covering the turf at FC Dallas Stadium. That showed just how many fans came down to Frisco for the trip. Ironically, I distinctly remember seeing some Sam Houston State fans exiting the stadium late in the 3rd Quarter.

1.

In the craziness of trying to get the moment captured

on video, watching various team members hoist the championship trophy after what that team endured with expectations, injuries and some of the off field distractions, made the season unique. Sometimes maligned Brock Jensen was named MVP. Sometimes the stats aren’t pretty, but the record sure is (34-2 as starter).

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

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BY THE NUMBERS Football is a game of numbers. Stats are kept for everything. Some are fascinating, some are weird but if you do the math, the numbers add up to one of the most successful seasons in Bison Football.

19,065

The record attendance at the homecoming game against Youngstown State.

Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

1,059 Sam Ojuri and John Crockett both gained 1,059 gross yards in rushing this season.

18

Marcus Williams set a new school record with 18 interceptions throughout his Bison career. Who knows how many more he’ll have next season?

148 Grant Olson had 148 tackles throughout the season. This is the highest total since LB Jim Dick set a school record with 167 in 1985.

32-5 Brock Jensen’s record as starting quarterback for NDSU.

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10

The number of football National Championships in school history, the most by any Division I or II school since 1965.

Eight Division II championships (1965, 1968, 1969, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1990) and two Division I FCS (2011, 2012) championships.

t t t t

29

Grant Olson set a new single game record with 29 tackles in the

Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

4 &16 kicker Adam Keller during the Northern Iowa game. This tied the school record. kicker Adam Keller throughout the season.

This tied the school record.

Photographs and article by Jordan’s dad, Dan Peterson

JORDAN’S JOURNEY Jordan Peterson touched many lives with his story of his struggle against Cystic Fibrosis and his love of the Bison. His father, Dan Peterson, shared their story. This is Jordan’s Journey.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

W

hen we received a call from Chad Stark that he had gotten us four tickets to the game, we were so excited. We had no clue then what was awaiting us as we joined the Bison Nation in Frisco January 4 through the 6.

As a backdrop, our 10-year-old son Jordan has been fighting off Cystic Fibrosis his entire life.

He developed a series of lung infections that he had great difficulty fighting off that left his lungs severely obstructed and damaged, so much so, that without a double lung transplant he is not

expected to live much beyond 12 more months. After searching for a Transplant Center that would consider Jordan (there are few centers that will do lung transplants on children), we were accepted in September by Dr. Mallory and the team at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas. We were so thankful for the offer but it required us to have Jordan on site in Houston, within one hour of the hospital to be listed and for him to remain in Houston until a donor was found. For the following three months, we prayed it would be a successful surgery and made the decision to temporarily relocate our family to Houston.

On October 24, 2012, Jordan was officially listed for transplant. He has been actively listed ever since and there are no other children waiting in Houston with his size or age class. We have been told that the average wait time for a donor set of lungs to become available is about 3‐4 months. January 24 will be the date we meet the three month mark.

My wife Annette and I, along with Jordan and Jesse (Jordan’s brother), have tried to treat our time here as an adventure and part of the journey that we know Jordan

You can follow Jordan’s Journey on his CaringBridge site, caringbridge.com/ visit/jordanpeterson.

and our family must go through together. We have met so many wonderful people while in Houston and have been blessed in so many ways from our friends in Fargo.

As we prepared to leave for Frisco, we honestly thought we were just getting to go to a Bison football game. We had no idea what laid in store for us at the end of our four-hour drive from Houston to Frisco. After the call from Chad Stark on Christmas Eve, and posting the story of what led Chad to find the tickets for us on Facebook and Caring Bridge, Chad said, “the story went viral.” Robin Huebner, picked-up on the story and wrote a wonderful article that was published in the Thursday, January 3 edition of the Forum. From that, people started emailing and posting links to the story all over. On Friday morning, we found out that some of the Bison players had read the story and saw the video of Jordan and were tweeting links as examples of “Bison Pride”. Jordan was so thrilled to hear of players mentioning his name.

Upon arrival in Frisco, Norma Borgenson with the NDSU Alumni Association (whom we had never met), wrote to us and told us that our

BISON ILLUSTRATED

97

room was taken care of for two days at the La Quinta Hotel in Plano, Texas. When we got there, our room was decked out with ribbons and balloons, all in Bison colors. There were a couple of baskets on the beds with all sorts of Bison gear, from pom poms to a Bison poster signed by Coach Craig Bohl. There was candy, snacks and a wonderful assortment of Bison items. In addition, Norma told us that people had given her money and gave us an envelope with cash inside that covered all of our meals and expenses while in Frisco. We couldn’t believe what was happening.

That night we went to the Pep Rally and along with 9,000 other Bison fans, we had a wonderful time. Other than Jordan’s feet getting cold because of his lack of circulation, we had a great time and were so pumped for the next morning. Chad Stark had invited us to tailgate with him and his group called the “Grillmasters”. Arrangements were made to meet Chad the next morning.

We got Jordan up as early as possible the next morning to complete his 45 minutes of lung treatment and therapy. He was too excited to eat anything so at about 8:30 we started out for Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. We arrived just before 9 a.m. and found Chad with the entire Grillmasters group. We had never met Chad before and had a very nice time meeting with him while he presented Jordan and Jesse with their “must

“We were absolutely overwhelmed.

He handed me a box of bills that we later counted and we had close to $2,000 in it.” have” official Bison head gear for the day! The boys loved their new Bison fur hats and horns and wore them with pride. Jordan enjoyed talking with Chad one-on-one while chowing down on some delicious barbeque that was grilled up by true Grillmasters.

Chad went on to introduce us to many of his fellow players and friends. I have never seen so many championship rings in one place! Former Bison players began to introduce themselves to Jordan, sign the back of his jersey and wish him well. We all enjoyed meeting the legends, including getting to see one of our all‐time Bison favorites and Buffalo Bills Wall of Famer, Phil Hansen. (Annette and I grew up in Buffalo, NY and still love the professional version of the “Bison”.) Norma Borgenson then found us and we met her and her husband for the first time. It was so wonderful to finally meet her and to thank her for all that she had done.

We received a call from a reporter with WDAY who wanted to bring a video camera over for a picture of Jordan. We spent about 10 minutes being interviewed for the

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

WDAY newscast that was due to air back in Fargo later that day. At 10:23 a.m., Jordan received his scheduled call from the Christopher Gabriel Radio Show and was interviewed on-air. He was asked who a couple of his favorite players were. His answered, “Well, I have a couple of favorites on offense and on defense. On offense, I like Tyler Gimmestad and Brock Jensen, and on defense, I like Marcus Williams and Grant Olson.” He was then asked what he thought the keys to the game were. He responded, “Well, I think the offensive line is going to have to open some good holes for Crockett and Ojuri to run through and Brock is going to need to be careful with the ball and not throw any interceptions. And we need Marcus to have a good run-back and possibly a couple of picks”. He was then asked his prediction for the game. His answer, “24‐10 Bison!”

As we prepared to wrap up and head into the game, Chad had another surprise for us, courtesy of the Grillmasters. He told us that everyone had been putting money into a hat to cover the costs of the food and beverages for the tailgating. They had made a decision that after all the expenses were covered, they wanted our family to have the cash that was leftover to help us offset some of the costs we were incurring for Jordan’s lung transplant. He went on to say that when people started realizing that the extra would go to Jordan, they gave more. We were absolutely overwhelmed. He handed me a box of bills that we later counted and we had close to $2,000 in it. After the game, another Grillmaster member, Scott Differding, whom we also had never met found us and told us that he had been looking for us. He opened my hand and put a substantial gift in it for Jordan and told us how he would be praying for us and how much Jordan’s story had

“Wow! Not a down of football had even been played yet! Jordan took it all in and was in total awe.” touched him. We were deeply touched by the generosity of this group!

W

e went into the game with thankful hearts and nervous energy, debating about whether the Bison would perform at the peak of their abilities to beat a very good Sam Houston State Bearkat team. We arrived at our seats. They were in the very first row, right behind the Bison bench

around the 35-yard line. What a sight to behold as we watched the stadium fill-in with about 75 percent of the crowd wearing Bison Green and Gold. The sights of the Gold Star Marching Band, seeing the players run onto the field, the national anthem and an incredible B‐52 flyover. Wow! Not a down of football had even been played yet! Jordan took it all in and was in total awe.

He has loved going to the Bison Games in the “Dome” the past three years but this year we became Team Makers with season tickets, only to miss the last three home games and all of the playoffs. This was so special for him to watch the team he knew and loved so much play for the ultimate prize, the National Championship!

Halftime came and we talked about the Bison owning the second half all year. Thankfully, our Bison held true to form. The offensive line opened holes for a great rushing day, Brock was careful with the ball and ran for three TD’s and Marcus had two interceptions, just like Jordan said!

What an experience!

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As the game was winding down, team Captain and leading tackler, Grant Olson came over to Jordan and reached up and pulled Jordan down onto the field. Jordan has loved Grant since meeting him in October.

Last October there was a benefit for Jordan and a sendoff for us as we left for Houston. Grant Olson, Tyler Gimmestad, Brock Jensen and Carson Wentz all took time out of their busy weekend to come over to Oak Grove Elementary Gym and spend a few hours with kids and families.

Grant went so far as to stay well beyond the time requested, to go into the bounce house and play with kids and to allow his fingernails to be painted audacious colors to raise money for Jordan’s journey. When I asked him that day what his teammates would say about his nails, he looked up and smiled and said, “I usually wear gloves so they won’t know!” I heard Coach Bohl tell the story at a Team Makers lunch about seeing Grant’s fingernails one day after practice and was wondering about his star linebacker, who told him he was leaving the paint on as a reminder about the journey that Jordan was going through waiting for his lung transplant.

Now here, in front of Jordan, was Grant Olson again. Grant, a college junior, was taking time for others during one of the biggest achievements of his life, his second NCAA National Championship. Grant had just overcome a lot of adversity to even play in the game, having almost gone through an emergency appendectomy and had played in a tremendous amount of pain (early the following week he would be hospitalized). And yet, here he was taking a moment to think about a 10 year-old boy in the stands. Grant presented Jordan with the game ball. As he knelt and talked with Jordan, Grant told him that he was his personal hero! Jordan and all of us were so touched and moved by this incredibly special moment.

Tyler Gimmestad then came over and handed Jordan his Championship T‐Shirt and he got to have his picture taken with one of his other favorite players. Marcus Williams signed his jersey along with many others and Derrick Lang even gave Jordan his game gloves. This is Bison Pride.

HELP A FELLOW BISON OUT...

10 2

If you’re interested in donating to the Peterson family to help with their medical costs, there is an account set up for them at Bank of the West. Make checks out to Jordan’s Journey and mail them to: Bank of the West C/O Jordan’s Journey 520 Main Ave. Fargo, ND 58104

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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Congrats Back to Back Champs!

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this one time in Frisco with Kyle Roth

A

nother year, another trip to North Dakota State’s south campus (more commonly known as Frisco, Texas) and another shot for the Bison football team at a FCS national championship. I was lucky enough to staple myself onto the camaraderie of a dedicated Bison family for the second straight year, and Frisco v. 2.0 was every bit the adventure that was promised.

Here are my top ten moments of the trip up to and including NDSU’s 10th national title win.

1O

The journey to Frisco

was worthy of inclusion on this list. Spending 17 hours in anticipation of a potential 10th national championship for our favorite football team was a great bonding device and seemed to

Sporting a yellow sport jacket

that was given to me in my capacity as a student Yell Leader last season was a catalyst for plenty of photos both friendly and less so, and plenty of Bearkat faithful just had to get a picture with “the suit guy,” some of which appear in the associated collage.

Even the mayor of Frisco wanted to pose

The B-52 flyover, during the National

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Anthem of the championship game, gave the game the feel of a big-time event, the caliber of which isn’t felt at the FCS level very often. Combined with a raucous sell-out crowd and

stretch out every second of a trip that none of us wanted to end. Passing various Bison fans and hearing reports of droves of NDSU-faithful at various establishments along the way made one thing clear: this would be the trip of a lifetime.

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for a shot, and it was hard to deny him. Having a working phone this year and being able to document my trip at least partially in photos was a great advantage over last year’s trip, and the journey still feels real as I parse through the shots of the stadium and fans.

the fact that we were seated deeply into Sam Houston State fan territory gave the game a first-rate feel and an atmosphere that pervaded the deepest sense of college football tradition I’ve ever known. It was a time for the history books, to be sure.

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Quarterback father, who

Brock

Jensen’s

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I had the fortune of sitting next to during the game, was one of the many who was all highfives and bear hugs on Jensen’s third touchdown. The three scores would earn Jensen the honor of being the

The fireworks show

that heralded the end of the Friday night pep rally was an exciting conclusion to what ended up being a surprisingly full event. Seeing 9,000 or more Bison fans packed into a baseball field and hearing some of the Bison legends in attendance speak (including current St. Louis Ram

5

John Crockett’s 57-yard run in

the first quarter demonstrated that the Bison were going to try and run the ball, and it was an early spark after

The Frisco tailgate

(or “West Lot South,” as it was referred to) was every bit as action-packed as its year-old iteration, and featured plenty of food, Bison talk and even a visit from the mayor of Frisco himself.

4

Carlton

Littlejohn’s

interception

in the second half took place after an apparent 41-yard touchdown run by Southland Conference Player of the Year Tim Flanders was called back by a holding penalty. That play took whatever wind the Bearkats had remaining out

2

Hearing Jeff Bentrim speak at the

pep rally was a galvanizing event that put into perspective what the Bison were doing in less than 24 hours. Bentrim was

Watching the Bison hoist the national championship trophy for

the second straight year, with confetti and gouts of flame in the background. It

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

game’s Most Valuable Player, and put Jensen into the conversation with names like Kevin Feeney, Jeff Bentrim, and Chris Simdorn as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play for the Bison.

Craig Dahl), the ten-minute show was the perfect finish and doubtless made a point to the Sam Houston State players, staying in the overlooking hotel, that the Bison faithful had made the journey and were ready to party.

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the team’s first two series sputtered. The Bison would run the ball 45 times to just 17 passing attempts on the day, a formula that pounded the Bearkats relentlessly.

The Sam Houston State faithful tried to match their northern counterparts, but couldn’t withstand the tide of green and yellow that overtook FC Dallas Stadium’s east parking lot.

of the sails, and sent a message that any potential comeback attempt by SHSU would be met with a fierce defensive stand. From that point on, the game was solidly in NDSU’s hands.

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the icon of Bison football at its peak, and thinking that this era’s team was on the doorstep of something similar was down right chilling.

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was the cementation of a tumultuous year, and in an instant Bison fans realized that they had watched the birth of a legitimate FCS dynasty.

Circle of Friends What separates Bison Nation from the rest of the fan bases in sports? A simple stroll through the tailgating lot and you will see the passion and emotion that comes with being a Bison fan. Fans of all ages come out to show their horns for the Bison.

From teenagers to the middle-aged, children to senior citizens; Bison pride is deeply rooted within each one of us. To bleed Green and Gold with friends and families creates a bond like no other. However, there is one rule that Bison Nation must follow: once a Bison, always a Bison.

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C BISON ONGRATULATIONS

NDSU

NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! We at Lexstar Construction and Lexstar Realty would like to congratulate the Bison football team on their back-to-back national championships, and wish the best of luck to all the Bison athletic teams this year.

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the

consistent life of

Marshall

Bjorklund You would think being the star of the NDSU Men’s Basketball team and leading the country in lot of pressure. Not for Marshall Bjorklund.

By Andrew Jason

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

Photos by J. Alan Paul Photography

“When they talk about NDSU Basketball, they always talk about three years ago when they went to the tournament. Our motivation is to try and be that caliber of a team or better.”

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Position: Forward Height: 6’8” Weight: 240 Year: Junior

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

I

f you met Marshall Bjorklund on the street you probably wo u ld n’ t think he was a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court. This mild mannered, quiet 21-year-old junior grew up in the small town of Gaylord, MN. Bjorklund grew up playing basketball on his parent’s farm.

“I’ve always played basketball,” Bjorklund said. “My mom always said that if I wasn’t helping my dad on the farm, I always had a ball in my hand… I’ve always had it in my blood...”

That childhood on the farm shaped him, not only as a basketball player but as a person as well. He is going to school for Agricultural Systems Management with a minor in Crop and Weed Sciences. What exactly does that mean, you ask?

In short, it means he wants to take over his family farm with his brother and cousin.

Although he’s already thinking about his future, it doesn’t mean he’s not

enjoying every second of what he’s doing. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. That’s how I look at it. I can never play college basketball again.

In (a) little over a year from now, I’ll probably never play again. That’s one thing that keeps you motivated, knowing how many games you have left in your career and making the most of them.”

Bjorklund is definitely making the most out of his college basketball career. Last month he led the country in field goal percentage, hitting 70 percent of his shots.

He made 87 of 125 attempts, including a streak of 24 straight in a three game streak.

“Marshall is our rock, our anchor in a lot of ways,” said NDSU Men’s Basketball coach, Saul Phillips. “Not just personality wise but on the court as well.

When the ball goes to him, things settle down.

Things slow down in a good way for everyone on the court. It allows us to be tremendously efficient.”

Despite the pressure of helping lead a team that

is out to win the Summit League, Bjorklund is calm, cool and collected.

Throughout the years, he has grown comfortable and developed a better feel for the game. His strength in the paint has made him a dominant player. Despite his and the team’s success, they haven’t had any trouble handling the pressure.

“We don’t feel any pressure at all,” Bjorklund said. “We haven’t really accomplished anything. Our goal is to win

a role model for Marshall.

That incident allowed the Bjorklund family and his community to rally together and made them closer. In fact, Bjorklund’s entire basketball team shaved their head in support of his father. That incident and those hard days changed his outlook on life.

“That was a tough time for me but him being as strong as he (Bjorklund’s father) is has helped me get through it,” Bjorklund said. “He’s

“I’ve always played basketball,” Bjorklund said. “I’ve always had it in my blood...” the Summit League. We have it in the back of our minds that we haven’t really accomplished anything.”

However, it’s easy to feel any pressure when you have the type of motivation that Bjorklund has. When he was a junior in high school, his father, Dale Bjorklund, was diagnosed with cancer.

His father has always been

doing well and fine now.

He’s cancer free now but you never know what can happen. That was one of the bigger shockers to me and gave me a different perspective on life.”

That perspective has taken him far in life and hopefully will take the NDSU Men’s Basketball Team to the NCAA tournament.

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A CONVERSATION with DON LARSON ndsu men's track and field coach

D

photography by:

j. alan paul photography

article by:

joe kerlin

on Larson has been the head coach of the Men’s Track and Field team for the last 33 years. He has developed a team that can compete with any school out there. We caught up with Coach Larson and his team of outstanding coaches. bi:

TELL US ABOUT THE STORY BEHIND THE BUILDING PROCESS AND THE REMODELING OF THE BSA.

dl: "I started at Concordia in the mid-

70's and when I came here in 1979, (the) then athletic director showed me a scale model of a domed indoor football stadium. (FargoDome) Back then they were already talking about that and this project really came about because of originally looking at building a basketball facility, the original thought was ‘well hey, we’ll just put a big addition on the dome’ and there were drawings that showed the addition on the dome off of the southeast corner at an angle, then a skyway from there to the Bison Sports Arena and then just redo the BSA... There was a concept to bring the NDSU basketball facility down there in conjunction with the ice rink (Scheels Arena).

Then we thought, ‘that's not a good idea to build a basketball facility that far away from the university.'

Because, how are you supposed to get students there?... Then we had the concept: let’s remodel the BSA. Just have it for basketball and then have track in a different building. It

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BISON ILLUSTRATED

was technically only in recent years that the idea of building a separate building for track then redoing the BSA. When I say recent years, I mean, I’m sixty, so recent years isn’t a long period of time, but for you guys it’s an eternity!"

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OTHER FACTORS THAT PEOPLE AREN’T AWARE OF THAT GO INTO HAVING A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM? “A lot has to do with the philosophy of your administration towards your program. One of the huge advantages of being in this program is the assistants. You know, we have had great assistants through the years, but this is the largest collection of, not just quality coaches, but of people. Justin (St. Clair) having joined us a year ago and Stevie (Keller) has been with us for what seems like forever now.

Justin, Stevie and Ryan (the women’s coach) and Myron Loberg. There are lots of numbers, but when you get people that, in addition to having the ability to coach, have people skills.

And the athletes have tremendous respect for them.”

TRACK AND FIELD AND CROSS COUNTRY HAVE SUCH LONG SEASONS, IS IT TOUGH TO PREPARE YOUR athletes FOR IT? “First of all, you have to find kids that have passion. My attitude has always been, anyone can practice, but it’s finding kids that can line up and compete and there’s a difference in that. You work hard and train hard, but there’s times you just try to have fun, be lighthearted. It sounds cliché but you don’t want to be hardcore all the time. Yeah, there’s a time to be serious. Most of all, the kids need to realize you have an interest in them more than how fast they can run, how far they can throw, or how high and far they can jump.”

TALK ABOUT THE TRADITION YOU HAVE BUILT HERE. “We’re in this to be successful, but to do it, you have to do it the right way. And the right way is with a lot of dignity and a lot of pride.

People talk a lot about tradition, but tradition is just what people think of ya. You have to do it with character. And character is what you’re really all about. Do you really mean what you stand for?

My two favorite team rules: No whining and be polite. Some kids don’t really understand that right away (laughs).”

yconversation ou can read our whole with don at bisonillustrated.com

the coaching staff

Trevor Barry

Stevie Keller

Justin St. Claire

Don Larson

Myron Loberg

assistant coach

assistant coach

assistant coach

head coach

assistant coach

Jumps

Multi-Events, Pole Vault, Hurdles

Throws

Sprints, Hurdles

BISON ILLUSTRATED

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THE INTERVIEW...

BI: YOU THROW THE HAMMER AND SHOT PUT. DO YOU HAVE A PREFERENCE TO ONE AND HOW MUCH DO THEY WEIGH?

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CO: “I prefer the hammer. Hammer is the fun one. That weighs 16 pounds, the same as a shot put. The difference is that instead of 50 to 60 feet, it goes 200 feet. To put it in perspective, it (hammer throw) is the same as throwing from midfield on a football field and throwing it through the uprights.”

BI: YOU’RE MAJORING IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING WITH A MINOR IN COATINGS AND POLYMERIC MATERIALS. WHAT THE HECK DOES THAT MEAN? CO: “Basically, the minor is just paint and plastic. A big part of that is corrosion prevention. Painting ships, planes and cars and keeping them from rusting.”

DIFFERENT BY DESIGN

BI: YOU’VE HAD SOME HEALTH PROBLEMS. TALK ABOUT THAT.

TM

CO: “My senior year of high school, I ended up breaking my leg playing football.

It was a setback. Back then I always thought that I’d play football in college. After doing that, it kind of opened my eyes to track and it’s worked out pretty well.”

BI: WHAT’S THE ONE THING WE DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU THAT WE SHOULD?

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CO: “To go along with the injury, I have nine screws and a four inch plate in my ankle.”

Photo by J. Alan Paul Photography

By Andrew Jason

CASEY ORGON

Casey Orgon definitely doesn’t have butter fingers, he tends to have a really, really good arm for throwing and he is kind of a big deal. How good is really, really good? Well, last month he led the Bison to two team victories in the double-dual by topping the competition in weight throw with a mark of 6306.00 (19.35m). This ranked first in the league, fourth in the nation and set a new school record. See, we told you he’s a big deal.

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LAWRENCE

ALEXANDER

Photo and text by Andrew Jason

Lawrence Alexander is in his sophomore year at NDSU. This Guard has already made a considerable impact despite his young age. You may remember him from his last-second, game-winning, 3-pointer against Oakland last season that won the game for the Bison. He opens up about his role on the team, some of his role models and the difficulties of being a dad-thlete.

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THE INTERVIEW...

BI: TALK ABOUT YOUR ROLE WITH THE TEAM AND HOW YOU FIT IN. LA: “My main role is to just get everyone going. Get open for myself and my teammates. If it’s an opportunity for me to score, I’ll score. If it’s not then I’ll create enough space and attention so I can dish it out to Marshall, Mike or Trayvonn.”

BI: YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY FROM YOUR YEARS OF PLAYING AS A BISON? LA: “Having the buzzer beater against Oakland last year.”

BI: WHY DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED WITH BASKETBALL? LA: “My dad was the first one who put a ball in my hand.

He used to play basketball himself so I guess he wanted me to follow his footsteps.”

BI: IS THERE SOMEONE YOU MODEL YOURSELF AFTER? LA: “Firstly, I’d say my dad. Secondly, Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies.

BI: LAST MONTH, NDSU WAS PUT IN AS 11TH IN COLLEGEINSIDER.COM’S MIDMAJOR TOP 25. THIS WAS THE HIGHEST RATING IN PROGRAM HISTORY. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO BE A PART OF THAT? LA: “It’s pretty good to know that we’ve been taking care of business on the court but most importantly, it puts a pretty big target on our back throughout the mid major pool so we have to give 100 percent every night.”

BI: YOU HAVE A THREE YEAR OLD SON BACK IN ILLINOIS, WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE A FATHER AND A STUDENT ATHLETE? LA: “It’s kind of tough knowing that I’m here doing things on and off the court. It’s tough to know that I can’t be there to see his first day of school or just the little things about being a father.”

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BA S K

P O P ETBALL

I would have wanted to spend the night with my teammates, family and friends!

Basically just try to soak it all in and enjoy the blessings God has provided me with.

BA S

B

GOLF

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EBALL AS

K

Z I U Q

HOW WOULD YOU HAVE CELEBRATED THE CHAMPIONSHIP WIN, IF YOU WERE ON THE FOOTBALL TEAM?

ETBALL

BISON ILLUSTRATED

Reminiscing about the great memories throughout the season with teammates, friends and family.

I am not sure; to reach the ultimate goal at this level is incredible. I would probably have to sit around for a few days to let it set in before I did anything.

If I was on the football team I would have celebrated by going out with my teammates.

YOUR BEST VALENTINE’S DAY DATE IDEA? Dinner and a movie then followed by something fun like karaoke or ice skating.

Just spending the entire night with the person you love. :)

Anything spontaneous and exciting; planning dates is overrated.

FAVORITE WAYS TO STAY WARM IN FEBRUARY? Snuggling up in my blanket and drinking hot chocolate/ coffee.

Hot tubs.

Or dance parties. Or both?

I’d make a nice, romantic, Mexican dinner followed by skating on a beautiful Winter’s night under the moonlight. Then we would relax with a nice film by an open fire. Any takers?

Travel down south for some baseball! Other than that the occasional nap under a mountain of covers usually does the job.

My Valentine’s day date would be a full day.

Cook breakfast for them in the morning have a fun day planned with what they like and go out to dinner.

Stay inside, in my bed.

WHAT’S THE WORST PICK-UP LINE YOU’VE USED/ HEARD? “Can I have your number? I lost mine.”

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SONG OF ALL TIME? Probably “Never Grow Up” by Taylor Swift. It’s my mom and I’s song:)

Frontin’ by Girl, do you have 11 protons? Jamie Cullum ‘Cause you are sodium fine.

“How ‘bout we skip the chitta chatta and go right on to the part where you take me home” Parker Trewin’s go-to. Surprisingly ineffective.

“I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers

If you were a I would have booger, I would to say Biggie pick you first smalls- It was all a dream.