Bison Game Day November 4, 2023

Presents

BISON GAME DAY NORTH DAKOTA STATE

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023

►When: 2 p.m., at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium, Brookings, S.D. ►TV: WDAY (ABC)

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

►Radio: 1660-AM, 107.9-FM

BISON GAME DAY NORTH DAKOTA STATE AT SOUTH DAKOTA STATE

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North Dakota State tight end Joe Stoffel hauls in a reception against Eastern Washington at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept.

2, 2023.

CHOP WOOD, CARRY WATER NDSU’s fullbacks and tight ends — the ‘Crew Chiefs’ — take a workmanlike mentality when playing their positions

BY JEFF KOLPACK The Forum FARGO here was never a shortage of sayings, slogans and verbal enthusiasm when Tim Polasek was an assistant coach at North Dakota State.

When he was in the room, anybody within earshot knew it.

One of his monikers is standing the test of time. When Polasek worked with the fullbacks and tight ends, he gave them the nickname “Crew Chiefs,” something that is yearly stamped on sweatshirts and T-shirts of Bison players.

It’s a reference to a job that in the military is more of a maintenance and support role to keep the ship or airplanes running.

“It’s what we look for in Bison players, being low ego and willing to do whatever,” said NDSU offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl, who works with the fullbacks and tight ends. “No job is too big or too small. It’s being of high capacity to learn, curious to learn and curious to learn the why, yet having the mentality to roll up your sleeves and just work. I think all of that embodies what a ‘Crew Chief ’ member is.”

The theme of the group in recent years has been “Chop Wood Carry Water,” something that head coach Matt Entz brought to the group. It’s actually the title of a book by Joshua Medcalf that describes the story of one boy and the process to be great.

“It’s about showing up every day,” said Bison tight end Joe Stoffel. “It’s doing everything right, doing the little things and making sure that the guy next to you is doing everything. It’s about doing your job and that’s what comes to mind when I think of the ‘Crew Chief ’ mentality and also being the most physical person on the field at all times.”

That kind of mentality will be needed Saturday when the Bison play at South Dakota State in a 2 p.m. kickoff at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. NDSU, 6-2, is a

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Forum file photo

Former North Dakota State assistant coach Tim Polasek started the “Crew Chiefs” nickname for Bison tight ends and fullbacks. major underdog against the No. 1-ranked Jackrabbits and haven’t seen the Dakota Marker since beating the Jacks in 2019 in Brookings.

It’s a mentality that’s handed down from older tight ends and fullbacks to the younger ones.

Stoffel learned the trade from former NDSU tight ends Noah Gindorff and Josh Babicz and fullback Hunter Luepke.

Fullback Logan Hofstedt mentioned those three names, also.

“A ‘Crew Chief,’ he’s a dirt dog,” Hofstedt said. “He’s a guy who will do the dirty work in the trenches, go out and block on the perimeter and he’ll catch balls if you need to. It’s a guy who knows the entire offense.

He’s a guy who shows up early every day and stays late. Just keep chopping wood and the tree will eventually fall, it doesn’t matter how big it is.”

In Roehl, Stoffel sees a coach who has a certain energy that Roehl did as a player. He started

his career primarily as a fullback out of West Fargo High School in 2004 before the Bison unexpectedly switched him to tailback.

It worked out, and then some.

Roehl still holds the single game school record for rushing yards with 263 at the University of Minnesota in 2007, and he signed with the Seattle Seahawks as a free agent before a knee injury sidetracked him.

“There’s for sure an intensity about him,” Stoffel said, “because he bleeds green and gold and he wants you to be the best player and person that you can be. He pushes you and he gets on you but that’s just because he loves you; he knows who you are and he knows you’re here for a reason.”

It’s a mentality that is taught from the first day players arrive at NDSU. Any Big Man on Campus attitude left over from high school doesn’t take long to address. It’s either assimilate to

the group or hit the road. It’s an unselfish mentality of shedding the constant want of the football in favor of blocking and teamwork.

“You get here, it’s time to buckle up,” Stoffel said. “You’re not with mom and dad anymore, you’re not playing high school, you’re not ‘that guy.’ You definitely have to learn to not be selfish anymore and how to be ‘that guy’ for the team.”

Said Hofstedt: “You have to check your ego at the door because it’s not about me.”

It starts in recruiting, Roehl said, in finding players “who will put statistics aside and personal recognition aside.”

In 2011, Jedre Cyr walked on from Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton with absolutely no fanfare. He was so off the radar that he wasn’t even a preferred walk-on and had to wait until school started to join the team.

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BISON NOTEBOOK

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North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller, center, is playing the best football of his career, according to South Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers.

SDSU head coach Rogers impressed with NDSU QB Cam Miller South Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers said the Bison starting QB is playing the best football of his career He can kill you with his legs if you’re in man coverage and he sees it he’s smart enough to come off of it and run.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE HEAD COACH JIMMY ROGERS

BY ERIC PETERSON AND JEFF KOLPACK The Forum FARGO

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outh Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers has been impressed with North Dakota State senior quarterback Cam Miller, who Rogers thinks in playing the best football of his career.

“I think he’s done a really, really good job and they’ve got great skill on the perimeter,” Rogers said. “I know there is a lot of talk of what they aren’t. I think they are a championshiplevel program and we’re going to need to bring our best this weekend.”

The Bison play No. 1-ranked South Dakota State at 2 p.m. Saturday in Missouri Valley Football Conference play at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium in Brookings.

The Jackrabbits (8-0, 5-0 MVFC) have won the past four meetings in the series, and Miller has started three of those games and came on in relief early in another during that string.

Miller has played in two Division I FCS championship games, winning one, but has yet to lead the Bison to victory against the Jackrabbits.

The 6-foot-1, 213-pound Miller has completed 76% (121 of 159) of his passes for 1,411 yards and 10 touchdowns with two interceptions through eight games.

He has rushed for 388 yards and

David Samson/The Forum

North Dakota State quarterback Cam Miller. nine touchdowns on 66 attempts to lead the Bison.

“His timing is really (good) and he’s just elusive,” Rogers said. “He can kill you with his legs if you’re in man coverage and he sees it he’s smart enough to come off of it and run.”

The Bison (6-2, 3-2) have won

two consecutive games entering Saturday’s game for the Dakota Marker.

If the Bison are to pull the upset, Miller would likely need to have a near-flawless performance.

“He’s doing a really good job of taking care of the football.”

Rogers said. “They trust him to change plays at the line of scrimmage. He delivers the ball on time and in great locations to where only him and the wide receiver can have that connection.”

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NOTEBOOK CONTINUED from G4 Weather yet to play a factor in Bison game NDSU has its new Nodak Insurance Football Performance Complex, one of the finest indoor practice facilities around, but the Bison will be doing plenty of work outdoors this week. It will be the first game this season where weather could play a factor of some sort The forecast calls for a high of 50 degrees with a 40% chance of showers in the morning. Winds,

however, shouldn’t be a factor at 5-10 mph.

“It looks like the weather isn’t supposed to be super bad,” said Bison head coach Matt Entz.

NDSU played its first four games in a dome stadium, the opener at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis and the ensuing three at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

The one outdoor game to date was at Missouri State, where it was sunny and 60 degrees at kickoff.

The last three games were, again, inside, with a road game at the University of North Dakota

McCormick and right tackle John O’Brian are in their sixth year. Greenand McCormick are Jacks capitalizing on field NFL prospects. sixth year of eligibility Wide receivers Jadon Entz said during his MonJanke and Jaxon Janke day press conference that announced after last seait seems like he’s been son they were using their talking about the same COVID-19 eligibility year.

SDSU players for at least “I think the majority of four years. In a lot of their guys that play are ways, he’s right. all part of one big class,” The Jacks have 10 play- Entz said. “I think they ers in their sixth year of have some tremendous school and not only that, players, some in-state all are starters. Perhaps guys who probably have the poster child position elevated and played well. is offensive line, where The continuity is a big left tackle Garret Greenpiece of it.”

Also in their sixth year field, left guard Mason and the last two at home against Western Illinois and Murray State.

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10-9 edge in games played for the Dakota Marker trophy.

• NDSU has the longest active streak of reaching the FCS playoffs at 13 straight years, but SDSU Etc. Etc. Etc. isn’t far behind making • NDSU has a 3-2 record against teams ranked No. the postseason in each of the past 11 seasons.

1 since 2010, including a • The Jackrabbits’ 45-21 loss against topranked SDSU is last Janu- 22-straight victories have come with a decent ary’s FCS championship strength of schedule, game in Frisco, Texas.

• The Bison have a 63-46- with 13 of those wins against ranked oppo5 series lead against the nents. Three teams are Jackrabbits, but SDSU part of two defeats in has won the past four NDSU, Montana State and meetings between the programs. NDSU has a North Dakota. are cornerback DyShawn Gales, linebackers Isaiah Stalbird and Jason Freeman and defensive linemen Ryan Van Marel and Cade Terveer.

CREW CHIEFS CONTINUED from G2 Cyr worked his way into a regular role his junior and senior seasons in 2014 and 2015, mostly because of his toughness and willingness to block.

He finished his career with two rushing attempts and two receptions, although he did find the end zone once on a touchdown catch.

Cyr passed that baton to fullback Garrett Malstrom, who walked on from Frazee, Minn., and was a regular at that position his last three years at NDSU. “You could go down the line,” Roehl said. “It’s the guys who are willing to lay it on the line. You know they would never cheat the program, they gave it 100% whether it was a Monday practice or a Friday walkthrough.

They may not be a scholarship kid but you knew they had the confidence and belief that they were going to scratch and claw to help the team win.”

But also make no mistake, if a fullback is more

North Dakota State offensive coordinator Tyler Roehl runs drills during Bison football practice on Friday, August 6, 2021. about blocking, the Bison tight end has more multiple of a role than most other players. There’s blocking. There’s running routes. There’s catching the ball in traffic. There’s finding yards after contact. There are multiple pre-snap shifts and

motions to know.

“Yeah, especially here people probably think all of us just come here to block and hit people,” Stoffel said. “But I’ll tell you one thing, everyone in the room can catch the ball pretty damn well.

Especially this year we’re

moving the ball a little bit more in the air so I think that people want to see that a little bit.”

Stoffel, who has a year of eligibility remaining because of the pandemic, said he’s planning on returning next year.

That’s another offseason

of weight training, another season of spring football and summer workouts and another 2024 of being a “Crew Chief.”

“You only get to play college football once,” he said. “We take that ‘Crew Chief ’ thing pretty seriously. We like being the

David Samson / The Forum

weird guys on our team, some would say, but we definitely take pride in that.”

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at jkolpack@forumcomm.com.

Twitter@KolpackInForum

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