Bison Illustrated February 2024

F E B R UA RY 2 0 2 4

C O M P L I M E N TA RY

Interviews on leadership with Obe Blanc, Tyler Oakes, and Darren Mueller

p i h s r e d a e L s ’ k e s a l o P m i T h c a o C l l a b t s o n o o i F p d m a a e h H C w g e n i N A LookPhaitlosophy for Cultivat

CONTENTS

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FEBRUARY 2024

44

COVER STORY

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LEADERSHIP 20 28 34 44

Tim Polasek Obenson Blanc Darren Mueller Tyler Oaker

The 2023-2024 Season 53 Week 01 54 Week 02 55 Week 03 59 Week 04 60 Week 05 62 Week 06 63 Week 07

64 66 68 70 71 72 74 76

Week 08 Week 09 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 (FCS First Round) Week 13 (FCS Second Round) Week 14 (FCS Quarterfinals) Week 15 (FCS Semifinals)

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@bisonmag

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

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Leadership FROM BRADY DRAKE

T

Tim Polasek is the new leader of the NDSU football program and, with him, comes an emphasis on competition, improvement, and toughness. His diverse coaching experiences shape Polasek’s philosophy.

Influenced by conversations with former NDSU coach Gus Bradley and insights from leadership literature, Polasek created an environment that fosters growth, resilience, and teamwork. His standards for the program—such as

FROM THE EDITOR

urgency, positive body language, accountability, representation, and finishing tasks—are perfect for continuing the success of the program.

In this magazine, we were fortunate enough to interview Softball Head Coach Darren Mueller, Baseball Head Coach Tyler Oakes, and Wrestling Head Coach Obenson Blanc to learn more about their take on leadership as well.

The insights and philosophies shared by these coaches offer valuable lessons on leadership that transcend sports. From these leaders, we learn that effective leadership involves setting clear standards, fostering an environment conducive to growth, and embodying the values we wish to instill in others. Whether in sports, business, or personal endeavors, the principles of urgency, positive engagement, accountability, and perseverance

are key to achieving and sustaining success. By embodying these values, we can inspire those around us to reach their full potential while, at the same time, finding it within ourselves.

Sincerely,

FEBRUARY 2024 | VOLUME 19 ISSUE 1 Bison Illustrated is a free publication distributed monthly (2 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 Mike Dragosavich EDITORIAL Editorial Team Lead Brady Drake Brady@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Editors Geneva Nodland, Grant Ayers Art Director Kim Cowles Editorial Graphic Designer Ty Betts Creative Strategist Josiah Kopp Contributors Team Makers INTERACTIVE Business Development Manager Business Development Associate Videographer Director of Creative Strategies Graphic Designer Web Developer

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CHECK OUT SPOTLIGHT MEDIA'S OTHER PUBLICATIONS

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Future Farmer is our farming publication which brings great tech-focused content to readers across North Dakota and Minnesota. futurefarmermag.com facebook.com/FutureFarmerMag

You may already be familiar with our Faces of Fargo-Moorhead-West Fargo publication which we publish once per year in order to highlight the faces behind all of the great businesses in the community.

Fargo Inc! is our very successful business magazine which covers all things business in the Fargo-Moorhead area. fargoinc.com facebook.com/fargobusiness X: @fargoincmag LinkedIn: Fargo INC

Are you overwhelmed trying to plan for your big day? You're not alone. We've done our best to provide all types of local resources, expert guidance, de-stressing tips and everything in between. Your wedding day is one of the mos important days of your life. Hopefully, this issue will help you prepare for that day so it's all about you.

Josiah Kopp 20

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

TIM POLASEK'S COACHING RESUME 2003

Wisconsin-Stevens Point (QB)

2003

Wisconsin-Stevens Point (PGC/WR/TE)

20032004

Wisconsin-Stevens Point (STC/PGC/WR/TE)

2005

Wisconsin-Stevens Point (STC/DB)

2006

North Dakota State (GA)

20072011

North Dakota State (RB)

2012

North Dakota State (STC/TE/FB)

2013

Northern Illinois (TE/FB)

20142016

North Dakota State (OC/ RB)

20172020

Iowa (OL)

20212023

Wyoming (OC/QB)

2024

North Dakota State

A NEW ERA OF BISON LEADERSHIP The Tim Polasek Philosophy s I entered Tim Polasek's office at the FARGODOME, the sight of "Atomic Habits" by James Clear on his desk was an early indication of what I would come to realize: Polasek is a leader who embodies thoughtfulness, open-mindedness, and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Bison fans, you should be excited about your new head coach.

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POLASEK'S CORE VALUES "When I think of leadership, it's about staying true to our core values and the tradition and history that has been built here at North Dakota State. When I boil it down, the things that are near and dear to my heart are these values:”

COMPETE “We want to be around ultra-competitive guys. We want to set up an environment where there is competition constantly.”

IMPROVE “We want to give people the opportunity to grow their role.

The biggest thing that I want to emphasize and have our coaches drive is that we want guys who are improving daily.

Consistent improvement leads to credibility and trust. So, I think in order for guys to reach their full potential, maximize their opportunities, and have fun and a great experience, we need to be creating an environment where they can improve daily.”

TOUGH “When it comes to toughness, we want to play a certain brand of football. We are asking our guys to lead the country in physicality. If we don't demand physical and mental toughness year-round, that would be counterproductive."

According to Polasek, those core values are non-negotiable and need to be present in all three phases of life: socially, academically, and athletically.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

THE STANDARDS THAT HOLD UP THE CORE VALUES According to Polasek, the core values he is driving home within the NDSU program are held up by standards that are easily understood, easily measured, and actionable.

Some of those standards are:

HAVING A GREAT SENSE OF URGENCY "You need to value your opportunity. You need to be on time."

HAVING BIG BODY LANGUAGE "You need to possess big body language at all times—we have to have good energy. We have to be present with our energy.

Big body language sends a message to your coach, to coach you, because you want to be great."

BE A GREAT TEAMMATE, NOT A GREAT FRIEND "We want guys who are going to hold each other accountable to the core values."

REPRESENT THE PROGRAM AND THE UNIVERSITY IN A FIRST-CLASS MANNER "We need to do this."

POSSESS A GENUINE APPRECIATION FOR THE ROLE EVERYBODY HAS IN US WINNING A GAME "Whatever someone's role is in this program, we value it and we show appreciation for it. We want to be good people. Better people make better Bison.”

FINISH "We want to finish tasks. We want to learn that discipline.

Finishing things equals freedom. We don't want to just punch the target, we want to punch through it. We don't want to just run five yards, we want to run seven. We need to learn how to finish things."

COMPETE, IMPROVE, AND TOUGH IS WHAT COLORADO IS GOING TO GET. WIN, LOSE, OR DRAW, WE'RE GOING TO BE COMPETITIVE, IMPROVEMENTDRIVEN, AND TOUGH AS HELL .

HOW TIM POLASEK CAME TO THOSE CORE VALUES It all started with a conversation with former NDSU coach Gus Bradley back in 2011 or 2012 according to Polasek. Bradley, who has been an NFL head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars and who is currently the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts, was back at NDSU for their coaches clinic. During that time, Bradley challenged Polasek, who was still finding his way in the coaching ranks, to develop a coaching and program philosophy that was true to him using 22 words or less.

"I gave it a lot of thought and came up with: Compete. Improve with consistency, urgency, passion, and enthusiasm with a foxhole mentality to protect the team and what the program stands for," Polasek said.

According to Polasek, the exercise helped him realize how off he was at the time.

"Those things were always important to me, but I don't know if I was living them daily and really staying true to them as core values and as a philosophy," Polasek said. "That was a turning point for me that meant a lot. It was unbelievable. I would put it up there with the top three of four learning opportunities that I have had."

That original philosophy was widdled down over time to adjust to the fact that everyone is learning faster and quicker. The refinement was also influenced by a leadership book that Polasek came across called "The Program" by Eric Kapitulik.

"The book has some military and leadership stuff to it and they break things down to help you identify who you are as a person, who you are as a leader, and how you're going to represent yourself every day," Polasek said. "I've always valued competition. I've always valued the thought of going out and getting better and improving. I also know that the people who have physical and mental toughness are the guys who go out there and find a way to win."

DID YOU KNOW?

Tim Polasek is the 33rd head coach in the program's history.

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WHAT ELSE HAS SHAPED TIM POLASEK? It would be impossible to completely sum up the important moments that have shaped Polasek's 21 year coaching career within these pages, and we are sure we have missed some pivotal moments, but here are a few highlights.

LEARNING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF FUNDAMENTALS

into building relationships and how important that can be.

Those people who coach special teams can be so important for the morale of the team."

"When you start out, you are just trying to learn and coach and take care of your position group. You're trying to have the best tight end in the country or the best wide receiver in the country. Meanwhile, you're also trying to learn. Maybe one offseason you're trying to pick a position to study and are trying to pick the brains of of people who are experts in another spot. I would say I started doing that in 2007 and 2008 with Pat Perles, who was our offensive line coach at NDSU at the time. He was very impactful as far as understanding mentality and how technique and fundamentals can impact a game."

GOING 5-FOR-5 AND LEARNING ON AND OFF THE FIELD

THE IMPORTANCE OF SPECIAL TEAMS ON MORALE "I was also really fortunate to move into the special teams coordinator role during my first stint with NDSU. That has always stayed with me even though I haven't been a big part of that over the last 7 to 10 years. Coaching special teams was really a fascinating experience for me because I think, at that moment, I really truly learned that the ability to create relationships doesn't have to just stay with your position group as a position coach. When you're coaching special teams, you're touching so many more players because they come from all sorts of positions. Coaching the special teams and coordinating the special teams really gave me some insights

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"A very important step in my career was becoming the offensive line coach at Iowa. When I took on that position, I was coaching a position that I had never coached before, and I was doing it in the Big 10. It was the perfect timing for me because I was able to dive in and recenter on protections and run game allocation. I was able to learn the game through the offensive line and really learned how difficult it can be to go 5-for-5 every play. A lot of people don't realize this but most of the time in well-coached o-lines, the kids grade out pretty well, but that doesn't mean you're going to play well because if they all take turns making mistakes five or seven times, the o-line plays bad. They can't afford not to play connected and to be 5-for-5. What I learned through coaching the o-line is that you have to give them a chance to be successful through fundamentals and technique—now, I carry that through every position group. I've asked every coach to pair down their drill work and their fundamentals and techniques so that our kids can play fast. I think we need to be brilliant at the basics. I absolutely think it's imperative that we do simple at a really, really high level."

A LEADER CAN LEAD FROM THE BACK, HE CAN LEAD FROM THE MIDDLE, HE CAN LEAD BY EXAMPLE, BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE A VISION FROM THE BACK OF THE PACK. YOU NEED TO GET OUT AND IN FRONT AND YOU NEED TO FORECAST A VISION AND BE THE EXAMPLE .

“When I went to Iowa, I was really wanting to grow and develop. That program really introduced me to the importance of reading. Iowa was a very leadership-oriented program. Our strength and conditioning coach at the time was very focused on opening the players up to different thoughts outside of the program. The leadership council was reading one book. The whole team was reading another book. During my first day on the job, Coach Kirk Ferentz gave me a book to read that every new hire read called "The Ideal Team Player" by Patrick M. Lencioni. In that four year span, I read more books than I had in the previous 36 years of my life. That experience helped me take a deep dive and I really started to want to be a head coach.

We all say we want to be a head coach when we're young, but those experiences at Iowa helped me start to process some things from a leadership standpoint and an administration standpoint as far as how to get out in front. A leader can lead from the back, he can lead from the middle, he can lead by example, but you do not have a vision from the back of the pack. You need to get out and in front and you need to forecast a vision and be the example."

3 MORE BOOKS THAT HAVE IMPACTED TIM POLASEK

"The Energy Bus"

by Jon Gordon

REUNITING WITH COACH BOHL "I've been very fortunate in my path to get to this chair because it started with Coach Bohl at North Dakota State in 2006. I got to work with Coach Bohl again at Wyoming and see him in the last three years of his career and his principles and core values hadn't changed from his time at NDSU. In the recruiting realm, how to practice, and how to work hadn't changed. The impact of seeing him never waver late in his career crystallized it for me. I've always believed in how Coach Bohl did things at North Dakota State. I was always curious how things were done at other places—I had that opportunity at Northern Illinois. I had that opportunity at Iowa. I had that experience with Chris Klieman at North Dakota State. I'm very appreciative to have had the opportunity to be with Coach Bohl on the backend. I did get a lot of questions on why I was leaving the o-line at Iowa, but it was a very conscious decision that I made to go to Wyoming to position myself to continue to learn and grow and to get back in a leadership role because I felt like something like this could happen soon."

"The Slight Edge"

by Jeff Olson

"Culture Code"

by Daniel Coyle 25

POLASEK ON NDSU'S RECENT HIRES Throughout his career, Polasek has stretched his football knowledge by taking on various coaching positions. He has worked as a quarterbacks coach, passing game coordinator, wide receivers coach, tight end coach, special team coordinator, defensive backs coach, graduate assistant, running backs coach, fullbacks coach, offensive coordinator, and offensive line coach. All in preparation to become the 33rd head coach in NDSU history.

Those experiences of constantly learning have led him to place an importance on high-level teachers and recruiters above everything else when looking for new hires.

"As a head coach, I believe in hiring teachers, leaders, and recruiters first—more than I value finding a specific coach to do a role," Polasek said. "Is that a benefit, yes, but I think the abilities to teach, lead, and recruit need to be considered far stronger than just the position you coach. A talented guy that's willing to learn and get into a room and grow with a group of guys through a system can coach a lot of things."

Between January 25 and February 2, Polasek made three hires. Let's see what he had to say about each.

JAKE LANDRY

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR "Jake Landry is going to be a story because of getting hired at UND and the timing of him coming here, but, Jake Landry and I have been working and coaching together for about five or six years. Any opportunity that could have come up on offense at Wyoming, he was going to be a target. When I interviewed for the job here, Jake was on a shortlist for three different positions. Jake and I coached together at Northern Illinois. It was really helpful that Dan Larson had a great relationship with him. It was really helpful that Coach Tyler Roehl knew him and valued him at a high level. From the point that I coached with him at Northern Illinois in 2013, we stayed connected. I have a real appreciation for the way Jake has navigated his coaching career. He got real Division I experience coaching a position. Then, he realized he really wanted to coordinate and he had the foresight to go down and coordinate at Division III University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and learn and grow as a leader and a play caller. He did

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that and then went back to Temple. He then made his way to St. Thomas, which was a really good experience for him because he was, I would say, more about the spread offense earlier in his career and then he got to be a part of a program that ran 12 personnel, 11 personnel, and 21 personnel, which is more similar to us at North Dakota State. We have spent countless hours talking football and working through issues together over the last 10 years. We have continued to develop chemistry. We have continued to develop philosophical fit and conceptual understanding together. I really wanted someone who could come in and learn our stuff so there would be very little learning for the players—I know Jake can do that. He's got experience calling plays and he is a philosophical core value fit with who we want to be."

COACH POLASEK ON THE FM COMMUNITY "What I really love about this opportunity is the community and the city. We have a really good thing to sell here.You're not just talking about practice, the strength coach, the academics, you're talking about the fact that this community is waiting to help you. If you’re a good citizen and good Bison team member, you play good football, and do the things that you’re asked to do, there are going to be opportunities for internships and to extend yourself professionally. The truth is, all of us are thinking about going pro. Every player we have in that locker room wants to be an NFL player, but the reality is we're going to go pro in something. That's the goal. That's the objective. We want to recruit our kids, retain them, and graduate them. I would like for everyone who's associated with the North Dakota State football program to reach their full potential."

DEVIN KLIEMAN SAFETIES COACH

"Devin has been around phenomenal teachers. Devin has been around the game of football his whole life. So, it was easy to see his passion and his understanding of what this coaching profession requires. It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of sacrifice for significant others. You know exactly when you're getting time off and then when we're not off, you're working pretty extensive hours. So, I like the makeup of Devin and his understanding of what it takes to be a football coach. The way he was raised means a lot to me because Chris Klieman is an excellent leader. He is an excellent player's coach. So, I knew a lot of the DNA Devin had coming into it. And Devin,

WILL JOHNSON CORNERBACKS COACH

"Will Johnson is a guy with a great story and a really great ability to mentor. He has a great ability to impact a locker room. I think we hit a home run. The references Will Johnson had on his reference sheet were the most impressive that I've ever looked at. It was guys like Jamar Cain, who understands recruiting and teaching. It was guys like Roy Manning who is at USC now and who I think is one of the most elite recruiters in the country. When guys like them called about Will, I knew we needed to bump him up. Will was really impressive.

point blank period, won a very extensive interview process.

We had 18 guys on phone interviews. Then, there were 8 to 10 Zoom interviews that lasted an hour to an hour and a half each. He came out of that as clearly one of the top three because of his knowledge of our system and of the technique and fundamentals. He has learned a lot of things from not only his dad but also from Joe Klanderman—who is getting the job done at a very high level at Kansas State. Steve Standard has also really helped him. Devin's personality and drive to be a great football coach were so easy to see. His knowledge of North Dakota State football and the tradition was very important to all of us. Devin has positioned himself to become a great coach for us. I have high standards for him. The best job Devin did during the whole interview process was when he was teaching on the board and teaching off of film."

I like his background, his toughness, and the mental toughness it took to get to where he is now. He is from Baltimore. He had to go to prep school and then to junior college, and then played and started at Oklahoma for Bob Stoops. So, over time, his core values and his philosophies matched up with us. Will Johnson researched NDSU football and its history more than any other person that we Zoom interviewed. It was clear to me that at Oklahoma and at USC, he had been coaching and making an impact and recruiting. I'm really excited about Will and I'm more excited about how excited he is to get his first coaching position where he has his own room."

IT'S CLEAR THAT LEADERSHIP WILL BE AT THE CORE OF POLASEK'S TENURE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE, AS HE LOOKS TO BUILD UPON ONE OF THE NATION'S PREMIERE FOOTBALL PROGRAMS BY CULTIVATING A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT, DRIVING SELF-IMPROVEMENT, AND MAINTAINING THAT BISON TOUGHNESS THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE. 27

ABOUT OBENSON BLANC Obenson Blanc, NDSU's new head wrestling coach, has an impressive resume.

LEADING NDSU WRESTLING WITH HONESTY & MENTORSHIP benson Blanc is in his first season as head coach of the Bison Wrestling program, but that doesn't mean he doesn't know about leadership.

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As a competitor, Blanc made five consecutive U.S. national teams from 2009 to 2013. During that span, he was a three-time Pan-American finalist and a two-time winner of the U.S. Open and US World Team Trials. Blanc was also an alternate for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Prior to representing Team USA, Blanc wrestled at Lock Haven and Oklahoma State, earning All-American honors in 2007 at Lock Haven and amassing a remarkable 11841 career record with 25 pins​.

Blanc’s assistant coaching career started at North Carolina State where he helped the program earn multiple ACC Championships and a fourth-place finish at the 2018 NCAA National Championships.

Though he is our new favorite head wrestling coach, he is not new to the Bison program. Blanc joined the Green & Gold as an assistant in 2019 and has already made a profound impact on the program. He has already helped to mentor two All-Americans and all three of NDSU's Big 12 Conference champions, alongside 19 NWCA Scholar All-Americans.

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Q&A WITH OBENSON BLANC

Q: IF YOU WERE TO EXAMINE YOUR OWN LEADERSHIP STYLE, HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT? A: With the leadership in terms of the guys, I would say I'm pretty honest with them. I like to level with them. I really like to walk with them. I'm very mentorship-based. I like to let them know what things look like—what pressure looks like, what expectations look like. I try to let them know the perspective they should have.

When you're a young man, you're going through one of the easiest times in your life in some ways. Despite the pressure you have, your parents are still going to love you if you lose.

Your girlfriend is still going to love you. It's about trying to be your very best. This idea of pressure is false. It's about trying to help get them that perspective.

That's the kind of team I have right now. They have to be taught a lot. We have a young team.

Q: WHAT DO YOU DO AS A LEADER IF SOMEONE ISN'T GETTING THE MESSAGE? A: You try to be consistent, but you can also try different angles. When they're not getting it, I also like to ask a lot of questions. I ask them why they aren't getting it. I ask them why they get nervous.

When you do this, you can help them figure it out a little bit because when they're not getting it, that means they're not processing. So, we try to help them process their own perspective and their own views. I think the best way to do that is by asking a lot of questions because it forces them to analyze and figure out the answer.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Q: HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT LEADERSHIP WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH ADMINISTRATION? A: That's been pretty easy. Our administration is very supportive. I think being honest with them is very big as well. I think we've got good people with good experience.

When it comes to our assistants, one thing that is important is to empower them to do their job. They're competent people. However, you have to make them feel that they have autonomy to act. Delegating is important. I need to delegate to individuals based on their strengths. That's something over time that I've kind of figured out. One person can only do so many things. That's why you have a staff and that's why you empower.

Q: HOW DOES IT LOOK WHEN IT COMES TO DEVELOPING LEADERS AND EMPOWERING ATHLETES ON YOUR TEAM? A: My guys are very young. I think we are only going to graduate one guy this year. We need to make sure these young guys understand that it's okay to be leaders. I try to let them know when they have leadership traits that it's okay to speak up. If there's something that needs to be said, we have a pretty open way of doing it.

We also have our student-athletes meet with a coach one-onone every two weeks. Through that, I think there's a little bit of mentorship that happens. To me, expectations and encouragement have to be a little more interpersonal. We talk about their goals.

We talk about how they are going to achieve them. We try to give them advice. We let them know if they should speak up.

It's a little bit more about encouragement for us. I think it's hard to force guys to be leaders. Guys don't always see themselves as leaders though so I think it's important to let them know when they exhibit those traits.

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Q&A WITH OBENSON BLANC

WE TRY TO HELP THEM PROCESS THEIR OWN PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR OWN VIEWS. I THINK THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT IS BY ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS BECAUSE IT FORCES THEM TO ANALYZE AND FIGURE OUT THE ANSWER.

Q: WHAT DO THOSE LEADERSHIP TRAITS LOOK LIKE TO YOU? A: I think it starts with guys doing the right things. You see them showing up early. You see them handling their academics. You see them communicating—if there's a conflict with practice, they reach out and get ahead of it. It's having that common sense. And then its also about having that desire to elevate themselves or the program.

Sometimes there are guys who may not be the most talented, but they really care about the program—those are leaders. You can be a leader without being a starter.

I'm a big believer that you can have multiple leaders and multiple different types of leaders. You can have vocal leaders. You can have leaders that lead by example. You can heave leaders outside of the room—those guys that get people together for activities like watching UFC or going bowling or whatever—that's big as well.

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Q: IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE READERS? A: I'm still growing. I'm still learning a lot about how to be a good leader. I'm excited about it. I'm excited about learning how to continue to evolve as a leader.

Josiah Kopp 34

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

DID YOU KNOW? Mueller has won over 700 games with NDSU.

2024 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE Scan the code to view the full 2024 NDSU Softball schedule!

LEADING NDSU SOFTBALL THROUGH INNOVATIVE METHODS DSU's longtime softball coach Darren Mueller has had a storied career. He has guided the Bison to numerous conference titles and NCAA tournament appearances, as well as a Division II National Championship. Mueller's expertise in team-building and leadership is unmatched.

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Q&A WITH DARREN MUELLER

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE? A: It's always about the team first. When I talk about leadership, it's always about what's best for the team. I try to teach our team leadership as well. And I think my leadership is always changing because the environment is always changing. I think you have to change whether it's an in-game situation or an offthe-field situation.

Also, I want other people to be leaders as well. I want our other coaches to be leaders. I want our student-athletes to be leaders—I want this to basically be a player-led team.

Q: HOW DOES THAT LOOK? A: Well, obviously, I get looked at because I'm the head coach of the program. But there can be leaders in so many different ways. So for instance, we have leaders that are leaders in the infield; we have leaders on the mound; we have leaders in the weight room, and we have leaders in our leadership council.

Gercie Olson is our Associate Head Coach—she works with our defense—she's a leader. Katie Grable works with our hitters—she's a leader. Darcy Byrne is a leader. I think one of my responsibilities as a head coach is to help them grow in those areas.

other people, other business people, and things like that. It’s important to help our program get better.

Of course, there are team rules that everybody on our team knows about. Upperclassmen have been here before so they can help to teach the younger kids.

Q: HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT HELPING THOSE INDIVIDUALS BECOME BETTER LEADERS?

I think, when it comes to leadership, it's all about everybody having different roles at different times, and kind of teaching them what to do in those roles. Sometimes people just kind of become those leaders as well.

A: One example would be what happens with our leadership council. They will come to me and ask questions about how to handle certain situations when they arise. When they do this, I talk with them. I think as a younger coach, I would have jumped in and said exactly how to handle things. But, I realize now it's not always about disciplining people—sometimes you need to just have conversations. If someone is constantly showing up late to workouts, it's important to find out why they keep showing up late. Maybe something else is going on in their life and it's important for me to figure out if I can help.

I feel like one of my responsibilities is to help others grow as leaders as well—I understand this better now than I did when I was a younger coach. I also feel like I'm still growing as a leader. I want to learn constantly what to do to become a better leader. I think learning from the players is important. I think it's important to learn from conversations with other coaches,

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Q&A WITH DARREN MUELLER

I ALSO FEEL LIKE I'M STILL GROWING AS A LEADER. I WANT TO LEARN CONSTANTLY WHAT TO DO TO BECOME A BETTER LEADER. I THINK LEARNING FROM THE PLAYERS IS IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO LEARN FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER COACHES, OTHER PEOPLE, OTHER BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT’S IMPORTANT TO HELP OUR PROGRAM GET BETTER.

Q: IS THERE ANYTHING INTERESTING YOU'VE LEARNED RECENTLY WHEN IT COMES TO LEADERSHIP? A: One thing we've been doing is DISC assessments. It's a behavioral assessment to help the players and coaches understand themselves and their teammates better. This helps us respect each other and helps us know how to respond and understand where our teammates are at. That has been really helpful and it can help in identifying some of those leadership roles.

We actually started doing it last year as a study for a professor here on campus. Through it, I learned that when I get frustrated it's basically because I put too much expectations on myself for the team. Sometimes I need to step back because it might be an unrealistic expectation at that time.

I think that's good for the players to know because they can understand that I might not necessarily be mad at a particular person. I'm mad that what I thought might potentially happen didn't happen because we're not at that level yet.

One of the things I loved to share is that I had a player last year say, "Now I know there's nothing wrong with me," after taking the assessment. I thought that was great because it's helping them understand who they are.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BOOKS ON LEADERSHIP? A: Over the years, I've read tons of them. That's why I think they're still learning because there are so many.

John Maxwell had a lot of really good books. He's written a lot. There's one we're reading as a team called "The Twin Thieves," which I think is great. It touches on what most people deal with constantly—the fear of failure and the fear of fear of judgment. If we understand how to cope with that, hopefully, we become stronger.

Q: CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THIS YEAR'S TEAM? WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OUT OF THEM SO FAR? A: They work hard. It has been fun to work with them because it is such a new team. We have eight freshmen this year. Every day is always a different day. I'll use the pitchers as an example because I work with the pitchers. One day, they look great. Then the next day, they look like freshman.

I know they're going to be good—I just don't know when it's going to happen. There's a lot of competition and everyone is working really hard.

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Q&A WITH DARREN MUELLER

Q: WHO ARE SOME PLAYERS THAT FANS SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS SEASON?

They've been asking questions. They've been learning. They all have that drive to be really good as freshmen. That's really fun to see.

A: We have three seniors. Reanna Rudd has done a good job.

She got hurt near the end of last year, but she batted fourth for us and had a really, really good year. Emily Buringa, in centerfield, statistically is one of the top outfielders in the country. She just keeps continuing to grow offensively and defensively. My team looks up to her a ton. She's just a very unselfish player and she has player of the year potential in this conference. And then Anjolee Aguilar-Beaucage was at shortstop last year for half the year and then had an arm injury so she was our designated player. I think she is hitting and playing at another level right now and she wasn't bad by any means last year. Another one is Bella Dean who could have easily been freshman of the year last year. Bella still coming back a little bit from an injury, but she could have another really good year.

And then the other five—we have three shortstops that are not playing shortstop right now. They're very athletic and talented.

And then we have Macy Fry who is an outfielder. We have Jasmyn Yessian who is splitting time between Catcher and Third Base. There's a lot of power in her bat. She was an allstate athlete in California in her junior and senior years. I think we're just going to continue to see her get stronger and grow.

We also have Star Cortez who is kind of our utility player. She's a left-handed hitter who plays four different positions and has some quickness. Lately, she has really started to pick it up in our live games. Up the middle, we have Taylinn Warren and Riley Leadstrom. Riley is very, very good defensively. She is smooth and knows the game. Taylinn is also very good defensively.

She's a slap hitter and she has great hand-eye coordination. She has a little pop in her bat as well. Macy, our outfielder, has a lot of power in her bat.

Q: AND WHAT ABOUT THE EIGHT INCOMING FRESHMEN? A: I'll start the pitchers. We have Madison Wihlm, Addie Bowers, and Kaitlyn Dunford. I think they all three bring something different than our upperclassmen, Savy Williams and Piper Reed, when it comes to pitching. I think early on, there's going to be a bullpen-by-committee type of thing and we'll figure things out from there. Like I said, they have great days and days where they're just doing okay, but I'm excited to see what they can do in the future. They've been working.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

I think we have a very strong freshman class. This is probably the first time I can honestly say that everybody on our team is going to have to contribute at some point. That is something that I haven't seen.

DID YOU KNOW? Out of college, Oakes signed with the Tampa Bay Rays organization and played one season with the Princeton Rays of The Appalachian League.

BUILDING MORE THAN PLAYERS n his third season at the helm of NDSU's baseball program, Tyler Oakes is doing it his own way by prioritizing personal connections and player autonomy.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

2024 BASEBALL SCHEDULE Scan the code to view the full 2024 NDSU Baseball schedule!

Josiah Kopp 45

Q&A WITH TYLER OAKES

Q: HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR LEADERSHIP STYLE? A: I'm probably more of a soft-spoken guy. I try to stay out of the limelight as much as possible. I think our coaching staff does that in general. I'd like to think that we focus on transformational leadership. We try to give our players all the resources possible for them to continue to grow not only as baseball players but as people as well.

I really like to dive in and create relationships with them. When you invest in the person, you get the best version of the player as well. So, from a leadership standpoint, I think we want to get to a point where it's not my team or the coaching staff's team, but it's the player's team. We want them to take ownership of everything and everything they want to accomplish.

Along the way, we want to be there to provide everything they need from a resource, experience, and knowledge standpoint. We'll prepare them in practice and off the field. And then when the games come, they're just going out and kind of being the best version of themselves, and the best leaders.

We try to give them a lot of freedom. We try to develop a routine that works for each guy individually. Obviously, within our team, we have goals that we're trying to meet and expectations.

But those aren't things we talk about on a daily basis. They know what to expect of themselves both on and off the field.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Q&A WITH TYLER OAKES

Q: WHY DO YOU TAKE THAT APPROACH? A: It's how I would like to be coached. I'm not a big believer in a my way or the highway mentality. I think anyone would be foolish to not try to be in a position where they allow voices to be heard. I want to get feedback from our players on what works for them and what they're comfortable with.

We make them uncomfortable at times, but I think routines make you comfortable and when you're comfortable, that's when your true self can kind of show through a little bit more.

I don't want them to feel like they're on pins and needles every time they're around the coaching staff. If that's the case, they're probably going to clam up in a pressure situation on the field.

It's really just who I am as a person as well. I'm more low-key and easygoing.

As a coaching staff, I think we're very personable and approachable. I want them to feel that no matter what they're going through, whether it's something baseball-related or off-the-field-related, they feel comfortable coming to us. I think that's extremely important for building what you want to be as a team.

Coach Miller, our strength coach, does an awesome job with them as well. He probably doesn't get enough credit or isn't in the spotlight enough for all of the teams he works with. I just feel really comfortable about the people that we have within our program.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Q&A WITH TYLER OAKES

AS A COACHING STAFF, I THINK WE'RE VERY PERSONABLE AND APPROACHABLE. I WANT THEM TO FEEL THAT NO MATTER WHAT THEY'RE GOING THROUGH, WHETHER IT'S SOMETHING BASEBALLRELATED OR OFF-THE-FIELD-RELATED, THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE COMING TO US. I THINK THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR BUILDING WHAT YOU WANT TO BE AS A TEAM.

Q: ARE THERE ANY LESSONS YOU HAVE LEARNED RECENTLY?

Q: THREE WEEKS OUT FROM THE SEASON, WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

A: You're foolish if you think you know everything.

You have to be adaptable to different players on your team, especially in the recruiting world now. We're in an age in baseball where technology and analytics has become huge. You need to be well-versed in some of those things. You need to make sure you know about some of the tech stuff, even if it's not your forte. You also need to make sure you don't lose a grasp on what the foundation of the game is— getting people out, getting timely hits, and making plays when you need to.

A: It has been a fun group. It has been different than in past years.

Because of COVID, we've had some older guys on the roster the past few years. Those guys have graduated now and some have gone on to play pro ball. We lost Cade Feeney to the draft. Carson Jacobs signed with the White Sox organization as a free agent. So, we had some holes late in the summer that we really needed to try to fill.

You also have to be open and receptive to knowing that people are going to be able to learn in different ways. Some people are visual learners. Some people learn best by just being talked to.

So, we have about 18 new guys this year between losing guys to pro ball, graduation, and transfers. This fall has been refreshing to kind of get back to some of the basics and the foundation of what we want to be as a program and as a team. Guys have really bought in and it has been a really focused group that is eager to learn and eager to adapt.

We have guys from all over the country and a couple of guys from Canada. They've done a really nice job of coming together and gelling. So far, we really liked our team depth. I think we're going to be deep as a position player group. On the mound, I think we have a couple of guys that we'd like in a rotation. After that, it's going to be very situational.

So, compared to maybe past years where we haven't felt like the depth is exactly where we need it, we have a lot of potential for depth.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Q: WHO ARE THE PLAYERS FANS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT? A: Parker Puetz is probably the headliner in the rotation. He was a Freshman All-American last year and an all-league player. He's a guy that maybe got lost a little bit in the limelight last year with Feeney and Tristen Roehrich in the rotation. He came in as a freshman and did an awesome job. Will Busch is a senior catcher who's been around. He's basically started since his freshman year. He was part of that 2021 regional team when we went off to Stanford, and he's chomping at the bit for another opportunity to do something special. He'll catch as much as he can possibly handle. Cadyn Schwabe, from Thompson, ND, is in centerfield—he has been a two-year starter and is a guy that will hit at the top of the order. He is a pest on the base paths and he gets us really good at-bats and is kind of a table setter. We've got Jack Steil at third.

Jack was a transfer from Nebraska a year ago and he stepped in and was awesome at third base defensively. He'll hit in the middle of our order and will provide a little bit of thump in our lineup. James Dunlap is a guy that played first last year quite a bit. You'll see him probably all over the infield—he's a guy who can play multiple positions while also being a mainstay in our lineup and he can give us good productive at-bats. Skyler Riedinger from Bismarck is an all-league guy out of the bullpen. Look for a big year from him. Joey Danielson is another guy who has looked really good so far in the winter workouts. Joey and Skyler are probably going to be our first options when it comes time to close out games. There are also some newcomers that we are really excited about.

the

Season Photos by Tim Sanger/NDSU Athletics

This football season was a rollercoaster for the Bison, who suffered historic losses before eventually prevailing to earn yet another FCS Semifinal berth.

No the season did not end with the confetti falling like the NDSU football faithful are used to, but that doesn't mean there isn't plenty to celebrate about the season the green and gold put together.

Let's take a look back.

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 1-0

In a commanding display to kick off the 2023 season, NDSU clinched a decisive 35-10 victory against Eastern Washington at U.S. Bank Stadium, in the venue’s first-ever collegiate football game.

QB Cam Miller led the charge with a stellar performance, completing 18 of 24 passes for 174 yards, throwing two touchdowns, and rushing for an additional 83 yards and a score.

The Bison’s ground game was unstoppable, racking up 337 of their 513 total offensive yards.

Backup QB Cole Payton highlighted the rushing attack with a 70-yard touchdown run, while RB TaMerik Williams contributed a 54-yard TD run among his 93 yards on the ground.

The defense was equally impressive, with S Cole Wisniewski, in his first game at safety, making 11 tackles and grabbing his first collegiate interception.

Date: September 2, 2023 Location: Minneapolis, MN (U.S. Bank Stadium)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Time of Possesion

Bison 337 Eagles 72

Bison 513 Eagles 339

Bison 33:47 Eagles 26:13

Photos by Tim Sanger 53

RECORD 2-0

The NDSU defense showcased their dominance by forcing four turnovers, propelling the Bison to a 44-7 win over the Maine Black Bears in their home opener.

The Bison defense was relentless, with LB Julian Wlodarczyk and LB Logan Kopp setting the tone early by forcing turnovers in the first quarter, and S Cole Wisniewski adding two interceptions in the third. Despite these turnovers, NDSU initially settled for three field goals from K Griffin Crosa, before breaking away with touchdowns, including two impressive runs by QB Cam Miller and backup QB Cole Payton.

NDSU’s offensive line paved the way amassing 264 yards on the ground with RB Owen Johnson scoring his first career touchdown. The passing game was efficient, with Miller completing 14 of 19 passes for 152 yards and distributing the ball to nine receivers.

Date: September 9, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (FARGODOME)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Turnovers Forced

Bison 264 Black Bears 106

Bison 456 Black Bears 223

Bison 4 Black Bears 0

Photos by Tim Sanger 54

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 3-0

NDSU finished out their nonconference schedule with a 49-31 win over Central Arkansas.

In the win, QB Cam Miller completed an impressive 18 of 19 passes for 200 yards, while tossing two touchdowns through the air and rushing for another two on the ground.

The Bison came out hot, securing a 35-17 halftime lead. Among the firs half points scored by NDSU was a 35-yard interception return for a touchdown by DL Eli Mostaert.

Central Arkansas fought hard, with RB ShunDerrick Powell rushing for 218 yards and two touchdowns.

However, NDSUs early lead was too much to overcome.

Date: September 16, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (Gate City Bank Field at the FARGODOME)

Time of Possession

Total Offense

Third Downs

Bison 34:35 Bears 25:25

Bison 481 Bears 431

Bison 6-10 Bears 3-12

Photos by Tim Sanger 56

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 3-1

South Dakota spoiled NDSU’s homecoming, securing a 24-19 victory over the No. 2-ranked Bison.

The Coyotes established a commanding lead with three firsthalf touchdowns and successfully managed to maintain their lead against a determined NDSU comeback attempt in the second half.

South Dakota’s offense was carried

by WR Carter Bell, who scored on two long touchdown passes from QB Aidan Bouman. USD’s third touchdown came on the ground via RB Keyondre Jones.

Despite a strong second-half effort from NDSU, which included a 12-play, 89-yard scoring drive, the Bison’s rally fell short.

Cam Miller’s performance set a new NDSU record with 23 consecutive completions (with 18 carrying over from the previous contest), despite the loss.

Date: September 30, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (Gate City Bank Field at the FARGODOME)

Passing Yards

Total Offense

Time of Possession

Bison 159 Coyotes 168

Bison 348 Coyotes 269

Bison 35:32 Coyotes 24:28

Photos by Tim Sanger 59

RECORD 4-1

NDSU returned to the win column thanks to a career day from WR Zach Mathis.

NDSU built a formidable 28-7 lead by halftime, with a receiving touchdown from Mathis, a rushing touchdown from QB Cam Miller, a rushing touchdown from QB Cole Payton, and another passing touchdown between Mathis and Miller.

Overall, Mathis posted a career-high 160 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions.

The Bison defense was equally impressive, breaking up 11 passes and securing three interceptions with S Cole Wisniewski, CB Jayden Price, and LB Luke Weerts each delivering one.

Date: October 7, 2023 Location: Springfield, MO (Plaster Stadium)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Third Downs

Bison 258 Bears 82

Bison 534 Bears 351

Bison 5-10 Bears 3-12

Photos by Tim Sanger 60

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 4-2

The 15th-ranked University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks clinched a resounding 49-24 victory over No. 6 North Dakota State, marking their first win over the Bison since 2003. With the win UND snapped a five-game losing streak to NDSU and scored the most points ever allowed by NDSU at the Division I level.

The Fighting Hawks ignited the game with RB Luke Skokna’s 100yard kickoff return touchdown and they never looked back.

Skokna also scored a receiving and a rushing touchdown, while RB Gaven Ziebarth piled up 156 yards rushing and three touchdowns for UND. Leading 28-17 at halftime, UND extended their advantage to 49-17 before NDSU made an effort late, but it was too little too late.

Date: October 14, 2023 Location: Grand Forks, ND (Alerus Center)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Third Downs

Bison 148 Fighting Hawks 210

Bison 362 Fighting Hawks 328

Bison 5-12 Fighting Hawks 9-12

Photos by Tim Sanger 62

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 5-2

The Bison delivered a dominating performance against Western Illinois. NDSU’s offense was unstoppable, scoring touchdowns on its first five possessions and amassing 625 yards of total offense, including an impressive 425 yards on the ground.

RB TK Marshall led the rushing attack with three touchdowns, including a highlight 38-yard run. RB Barika Kpeenu and WR RaJa Nelson also made significant impacts, with Nelson breaking free for a 76-yard TD run and Kpeenu racking up 94 yards and 2 touchdowns on 9 carries.

The Bison defense was formidable, sacking the Western Illinois quarterback six times. LB Logan Kopp nabbed an interception and LB Dylan Hendricks forced a fumble in the win.

Date: October 7, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (Gate City Bank Field at the FARGODOME)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Sacks

Bison 425 Leathernecks 113

Bison 625 Leathernecks 184

Bison 6 Leathernecks 1

Photos by Tim Sanger 63

RECORD 6-2

NDSU quickly took control and never let up, defeating Murray State 38-6. Murray State, a newcomer to the MVFC, found themselves outmatched, falling to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in conference play.

NDSU’s offense was unstoppable from the outset, with quarterback QB Cam Miller leading the charge with two rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown to WR Braylon henderson in the first quarter. Miller also tossed a touchdown pass to WR Zach Mathis in the second quarter.

The Bison defense was equally dominant, limiting Murray State to just two field goals and completely shutting down any attempts to reach the end zone. LB Logan Kopp contributed across the board with seven tackles, a forced fumble, and an interception.

CB Jayden Price tied an NDSU record with a 66-yard punt return touchdown in the third quarter— the fourth of his career.

Date: October 28, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (Gate City Bank Field at the FARGODOME)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Third Downs

Bison 175 Racers 56

Bison 377 Racers 164

Bison 7-14 Racers 2-13

Photos by Tim Sanger 64

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 6-3

In a highly anticipated Dakota Marker matchup, the top-ranked South Dakota State Jackrabbits extended their winning streak over NDSU to four seasons, securing a 33-16 victory.

RB Isaiah Davis led the rushing attack for SDSU with 106 yards and a touchdown, while QB Mark Gronowski’s 213 passing yards and WR Jadon Janke’s two touchdown receptions contributed to SDSU’s balanced attack. Despite NDSU’s efforts, including two touchdown passes by QB Cam Miller to WR Zach Mathis, the Bison struggled against SDSU’s top-ranked defense and could not sustain their initial momentum.

The Bison opened the game strongly with a 75-yard scoring drive but faced challenges in converting opportunities into points.

Date: November 4, 2023 Location: Brookings, SD (Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium

Turnovers Forced

Total Offense

Third Downs

Bison 0 Jackrabbits 3

Bison 365 Jackrabbits 325

Bison 4-12 Jackrabbits 6-13

Photos by Tim Sanger 66

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 7-3

In a pivotal Missouri Valley Football Conference showdown, the Bison surged in the second half to secure a decisive 34-10 victory over No. 11 Southern Illinois.

Eight ball carriers amassed 217 yards for the Bison—the most the Salukis had surrendered all season.

RB TaMerik Williams led the way rushing for 51 yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback QB Cam Miller contributed both in the air and on the ground, rushing for two scores and passing for 232 yards.

Code Green stood strong, holding Southern Illinois to just 60 yards in the second half. DL Jake Kava’s 2.5 sacks and S Cole Wisniewski’s game-high nine tackles were crucial in the effort.

Date: November 11, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (Gate City Bank Field at the FARGODOME)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Time of Possession

Bison 217 Salukis 55

Bison 449 Salukis 206

Bison 38:15 Salukis 21:45

Photos by Tim Sanger 68

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 8-3

QB Cam Miller was instrumental in NDSU’s success, throwing for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding a rushing touchdown to wrap up the regular season in dominating fashion. His performance was complemented

by S Cole Wisniewski’s remarkable 75-yard interception return touchdown—his fifth interception of the season The Bison’s offense wasted no time asserting its dominance, with Miller connecting with WR Eli Green for a 36-yard touchdown on NDSU’s opening drive. Additional touchdowns by Miller and a 65yard touchdown run by QB Cole Payton in the third quarter further solidified NDSU’s lead. WR RaJa Nelson led the receiving corps with six receptions for 113 yards, marking a career high.

LB Oscar Benson picked off his first two passes of his career and S Sam Jung also nabbed an interception.

Date: November 18, 2023 Location: Cedar Falls, IA (UNI-Dome) Photos by Tim Sanger 70

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

Turnovers Forced

Fourth Downs

Total Offense

Bison 4 Panthers 0

Bison 2-2 Panthers 1-2

Bison 400 Panthers 407

RECORD 9-3

North Dakota State University (NDSU) delivered an overwhelming performance in the first round of the NCAA Division I Football Championship, cruising to a 66-3 victory over Drake. In the win, the Bison set a program postseason record scoring 66 points.

QB Cam Miller showcased his dualthreat capability by throwing for 206 yards and two touchdowns while adding 62 yards on the ground. QB Cole Payton also displayed the powerful running we had seen all season, rolling up 104 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns of his own.

Combined, NDSU averaged 6.2 yards per carry for a total of 318 rushing yards.

The NDSU defense was relentless, forcing five turnovers to stifle any offensive momentum from Drake.

Early in the game, despite a fumble recovery by Drake that led to their only points, NDSU quickly regained control, scoring touchdowns on its next five possessions to lead 35-3 at halftime. Overall, Code Green forced five turnovers in a dominating performance

Date: November 25, 2023 Location: Fargo, ND (Gate City Bank Field at the FARGODOME) Photos by Tim Sanger

Turnovers Forced

Total Offense

Third Down

Bison 5 Bulldogs 1

Bison 547 Bulldogs 177

Bison 7-11 Panthers 3-13 71

In a thrilling overtime battle in the NCAA Division I Football Championship’s second round, the Bison edged out the Montana State Bobcats 35-34, thanks to a crucial PAT block by OL Hunter Poncius.

The win propelled NDSU into the FCS quarterfinals for the 14th consecutive year and ended Montana State’s 26game home winning streak and set a new FCS playoff victory record for the Bison of 46 to pass Georgia Southern’s previous record of 45.

The game was a nail-biter, with neither team leading by more than seven points throughout. Key plays included RB TK Marshall’s 29-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 28 near the end of regulation and a series of defensive stops that kept Montana State from scoring in the final minutes.

In overtime, after NDSU scored on a QB Cam Miller 3-yard touchdown, Montana State answered back quickly, only for Poncius to block the PAT, clinching the win for the Bison.

In the game, RB TaMerik Williams rushed for a career-high 162 yards.

Date: December 2, 2023 Location: Bozeman, MT (Bobcat Stadium)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Turnovers Forced

Bison 296 Bobcats 278

Bison 374 Bobcats 513

Bison 1 Bobcats 0

Photos by Tim Sanger 72

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 9-3

RB #22

RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS 73

The Bison overwhelmed the No. 3 seed South Dakota Coyotes with a decisive 45-17 victory.

QB Cam Miller led the charge with a stellar performance, completing 13 of 15 passes for 210 yards, including one touchdown pass while adding a rushing touchdown. WR Eli Green emerged as a key player, recording his first 100-yard receiving game with five receptions for 116 yards.

NDSU led 35-3 at halftime In the win, CB Jayden Price set a new school record with his fifth career punt return touchdown.

S Cole Wisniewski’s continued his sensational season on two interceptions, tying the NDSU single-season record.

Date: December 9, 2023 Location: Vermillion, SD (DakotaDome)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Time of Possession

Bison 206 Coyotes 52

Bison 416 Coyotes 298

Bison 36:08 Coyotes 23:52

Photos by Tim Sanger 74

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 11-3

S #31

TACKLES

INTERCEPTIONS 75

In a heart-stopping NCAA Division I Football Championship semifinal, the No. 2 seed Montana Grizzlies edged out the NDSU 31-29 in double overtime.

With the loss, the Bison concluded their season as Montana secured their spot in the FCS championship game against South Dakota State.

The dramatic finish came down to a two-point conversion attempt in the second overtime, where Montana’s CB Corbin Walker intercepted a pass to seal the victory. The Bison had fought valiantly to tie the game in the final moments of regulation and took their first lead since the opening drive in the first overtime with a 25-yard touchdown run by QB Cole Payton.

However, Montana responded swiftly in both overtimes, ultimately taking the lead and holding on for the win.

On offense, WR Eli Green paced the Bison with 98 yards receiving and one touchdown on five reception. S Cole Wisniewski capped his stellar season by tallying 11 tackles in the win.

Date: December 16, 2023 Location: Missoula, MT (Washington-Grizzly Stadium)

Rushing Yards

Total Offense

Third Down

Bison 175 Grizzlies 124

Bison 332 Grizzlies 284

Bison 3-13 Grizzlies 6-15

Photos by Tim Sanger 76

BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

RECORD 11-4

S #31

RECEIVING YARDS

RECEPTIONS 77

TEAM MAKERS ZACHARY LUCY

Team Makers

Contributes $5.5 Million to NDSU Athletics

By Teammakers

T

eam Makers, the national fundraising arm for North Dakota State University athletics, produced another banner year in 2023, again contributing $5.5 million in support of Bison student-athletes.

Team Makers saw cash donations total over $5.5 million. Trade for goods and services totaled more than $513,430, in addition to more than $1.7 million in other revenues with the total impact for NDSU Athletics in 2023 surpassing $7.7 million from 3,518 members.

Established in 1950, Team Makers Inc. is a 501(c)(3) foundation committed

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BISON ILLUSTRATED February 2024

to supporting NDSU Athletics and its student-athletes by providing resources necessary to succeed at the highest level in the classroom and in competition.

“The Team Makers organization has a long history of supporting Bison Athletics and providing championshiplevel experiences for our studentathletes in competition, the classroom and in the community. This year was no different,” said NDSU Director of Athletics Matt Larsen.

“As college athletics continues to evolve rapidly, this level of support and investment is more critical than ever for NDSU to remain one of the top athletic programs in the country. A sincere thank you to all our current Team Makers for your support and passion for Bison Athletics.”

Team Makers memberships start at $100. Applications are accepted throughout the membership year from January 1 through December 31. Benefits include priority points, a welcome packet, exclusive access to ticket opportunities, reserved parking/ tailgating, preferred seating, and social opportunities with Bison coaches and staff at special events throughout the year.

Renewals for 2024 and new donations may be made online starting today!

Visit NDSUAthleticFund.com for more information on how to contribute.