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Get To Know The Great West: North Dakota Anxious For D-1 Transition
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| North Dakota linebacker Bobby Stroup (44) pursues South Dakota running back Amos Allen during their matchup in the DakotaDome last November. UND, like USD, is a former North Central Conference program in the first year of its transition to NCAA Division I. (P&D File Photo) |
BY JEREMY HOECK
jeremy.hoeck@yankton.net
EDITOR’S NOTE: The University of South Dakota will begin play in the Great West Conference this fall in football. This week, the Press & Dakotan will look at each of the four opponents in USD’s new home. This is the third story in the series.
Change is the name of the game in Grand Forks, N.D.
After establishing themselves as a Division II powerhouse, the Sioux of the University of North Dakota are embarking on their first year in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formally known as Division I-AA, football.
With the transition comes scheduling and funding obstacles, but in the minds of those inside the UND football program, the move brings plenty of reason for excitement.
“We’re anxious to take the step up, especially with the new teams and new challenges,” said UND senior quarterback Danny Freund, who returns after throwing for 2,860 yards and 24 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
“You can definitely sense a buzz around campus and around the team; we’re ready to be a Division I team.”
North Dakota, along with the University of South Dakota, will begin play this season in the Great West Conference, a league that also includes Cal-Poly, California-Davis and Southern Utah. UND, which opened its season Thursday against Texas A&M-Kingsville, already boasts a Division I hockey program and developed itself as one of the best Division II football programs in the nation.
The Sioux made two national title game appearances in the last seven years — winning the D-II championship in 2001 — and qualified for the playoffs 14 times. UND also won at least 10 games six times during this decade.
But now, with first-year head coach Chris Mussman manning the ship, the Sioux will have to contend with an increase in scholarships, more non-conference games to schedule and games against teams already familiar with D-I football.
“It hasn’t been easy. We’ve had our fair share of bumps along the way,” Mussman said during a coaches’ teleconference this week. “Every day is a learning experience for all of us, but at least every day is exciting.”
The 2008 schedule for the Sioux begins with three straight home games in the Alerus Center, against Texas A&M-Kingsville, St. Cloud State (Sept. 6) and Wisconsin-LaCrosse (Sept. 13). UND will face three Great West Conference opponents this season, with Cal-Poly the only team the Sioux will not play this year.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us,” Mussman said of the Great West. “We don’t start conference play until later than usual, so it’s tough to get a gauge on the teams in the league.”
In addition, following a late September road showdown with Southeastern Louisiana, UND will have two straight bye weeks. And prior to a Nov. 22 season-ending game against USD in Vermillion, the Sioux will have yet another bye week.
“We look at it like we have two completely different halves,” Freund said. “I’ve never seen it where you have two breaks like ours. I guess we’ll see what it’s like when we get there.”
The Sioux return 12 starters this season, including seven on defense and four on offense. Freund will lead a UND offensive unit that averaged 39 points a game a year ago, with an average of 494 yards of total offense. The No. 1 receiver will be junior Brady Trenbeath (54 catches, 5 TD), while sophomore Josh Murray (530 yards, 4 TD) will carry the running load.
“We’re leaning on Danny quite a bit, but I’m asking him to be more of a point guard,” Mussman said of his offense. “We need to distribute the ball better then we did last year; to get more touches to more people.”
Senior free safety Rory Manke (2007 All-North Central Conference selection) will lead a Sioux defense that allowed only 18 points a game last year. The linebacking unit brings back senior Brett Holinka, as well as a trio of juniors.
The football program at UND is far from the only team that had significant success in Division I prior to leaving, as national titles were won by men’s hockey (7 times) and women’s basketball (1997, 1998, 1999). In its new home at the D-I level, the goal for the Sioux is simple, Freund said.
“We want to take this program to Division I and continue our tradition without a serious drop-off.”
Change is the name of the game in Grand Forks, N.D.
After establishing themselves as a Division II powerhouse, the Sioux of the University of North Dakota are embarking on their first year in Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formally known as Division I-AA, football.
With the transition comes scheduling and funding obstacles, but in the minds of those inside the UND football program, the move brings plenty of reason for excitement.
“We’re anxious to take the step up, especially with the new teams and new challenges,” said UND senior quarterback Danny Freund, who returns after throwing for 2,860 yards and 24 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
“You can definitely sense a buzz around campus and around the team; we’re ready to be a Division I team.”
North Dakota, along with the University of South Dakota, will begin play this season in the Great West Conference, a league that also includes Cal-Poly, California-Davis and Southern Utah. UND, which opened its season Thursday against Texas A&M-Kingsville, already boasts a Division I hockey program and developed itself as one of the best Division II football programs in the nation.
The Sioux made two national title game appearances in the last seven years — winning the D-II championship in 2001 — and qualified for the playoffs 14 times. UND also won at least 10 games six times during this decade.
But now, with first-year head coach Chris Mussman manning the ship, the Sioux will have to contend with an increase in scholarships, more non-conference games to schedule and games against teams already familiar with D-I football.
“It hasn’t been easy. We’ve had our fair share of bumps along the way,” Mussman said during a coaches’ teleconference this week. “Every day is a learning experience for all of us, but at least every day is exciting.”
The 2008 schedule for the Sioux begins with three straight home games in the Alerus Center, against Texas A&M-Kingsville, St. Cloud State (Sept. 6) and Wisconsin-LaCrosse (Sept. 13). UND will face three Great West Conference opponents this season, with Cal-Poly the only team the Sioux will not play this year.
“We’ll have our work cut out for us,” Mussman said of the Great West. “We don’t start conference play until later than usual, so it’s tough to get a gauge on the teams in the league.”
In addition, following a late September road showdown with Southeastern Louisiana, UND will have two straight bye weeks. And prior to a Nov. 22 season-ending game against USD in Vermillion, the Sioux will have yet another bye week.
“We look at it like we have two completely different halves,” Freund said. “I’ve never seen it where you have two breaks like ours. I guess we’ll see what it’s like when we get there.”
The Sioux return 12 starters this season, including seven on defense and four on offense. Freund will lead a UND offensive unit that averaged 39 points a game a year ago, with an average of 494 yards of total offense. The No. 1 receiver will be junior Brady Trenbeath (54 catches, 5 TD), while sophomore Josh Murray (530 yards, 4 TD) will carry the running load.
“We’re leaning on Danny quite a bit, but I’m asking him to be more of a point guard,” Mussman said of his offense. “We need to distribute the ball better then we did last year; to get more touches to more people.”
Senior free safety Rory Manke (2007 All-North Central Conference selection) will lead a Sioux defense that allowed only 18 points a game last year. The linebacking unit brings back senior Brett Holinka, as well as a trio of juniors.
The football program at UND is far from the only team that had significant success in Division I prior to leaving, as national titles were won by men’s hockey (7 times) and women’s basketball (1997, 1998, 1999). In its new home at the D-I level, the goal for the Sioux is simple, Freund said.
“We want to take this program to Division I and continue our tradition without a serious drop-off.”
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| Cyclones Pick Off Five Passes In 44-17 Rout Of SDSU |
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