DAWN OF DI ERA Valpo
By Jeff Kolpack The ForumFargo
North Dakota State
defeated Valparaiso (Ind.) 52-0 in the first Division I football game played at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome. It was in 2004 and the marketing blitz the NDSU administration put into the game bordered on all-out effort.
It worked. The game was a sellout, rare in those days. After the game, then-athletic director Gene Taylor told assistant athletic director Troy Goergen that university president Joe Chapman wanted to see him in his office.
Goergen wondered if he was in trouble. Taylor and Chapman played it up like he was.
“I think he was a little nervous, put it that way,” Taylor said this week.
Once in Chapman’s office, the administrators presented Goergen with a “pet rock” after Forum newspaper columnist Mike McFeely wrote the marketing campaign was “one of the most masterful marketing jobs since the Pet Rock.”
They all had a good laugh.
Goergen still has the rock with Valparaiso coming to the dome for the second time Saturday afternoon for a 2:30 kickoff.
Seventeen years later, the Valpo program has pretty much remained what it was while NDSU went on to win eight FCS national titles in a nine-year span.
It had to start somewhere.
When it comes to the NDSU game-day atmosphere, perhaps the beginning date was Aug. 28, 2004, with the Valparaiso game. It was the culmination of a marketing effort that started earlier that year and never fell off.
For starters, Bison fans needed an education on the different levels of Division I football from the FBS Big Ten Conference to the non-scholarship FCS Pioneer League, of which Valparaiso is a member.
NDSU began play in the five-team Great West Football Conference that season, but nobody really knew much about the rest of the FCS, which was Division I-AA back then.
For many fans, their footprint of football for decades consisted of
the NDSU Division I train
and funding and making sure when we got there we were as completely funded as we could possibly be. But we knew we had an advantage with facilities and tradition, particularly in football. And Craig was building it.”
That was head coach Craig Bohl, whose previous coaching stops included five Division I schools. He knew the level of play.
It was everybody else who really didn’t know.
“It’s easy to look at now but back then Valpo wasn’t looked at like that,” said Justin Swanson, director of development for the NDSU Foundation, who was a student manager in 2004.
“There was a different type of buzz. You could feel it.”
Swanson said the evenkeeled Bohl knew what kind of opponent the Bison had in the Crusaders, who changed their nickname to the Beacons this summer.
“He was not going to tip his hand to the players though,” Swanson said.
Besides, it was more about creating an atmosphere. In 2003, Bohl started the pregame intro of lights out and a tunnel walk from the locker room to the field that was filmed live to the stadium video boards.
Chapman assembled an on-campus group to coordinate the marketing effort for the 2004 season.
“The focus and the goal was to sell the game out and usher in the Division I era,” Goergen said. “In hindsight, people knew the potential of what the Fargodome could be for fans. It’s become a badge of honor for fans to be part of a top college atmosphere in the country. So many things went into it. That was the start of the era.”
the old North Central Conference teams mainly in North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.
“They just assumed we weren’t ready or other DI teams were always better,” said Taylor, now the athletic director at Kansas State. “We felt pretty good about our team, but there was definitely an educational period.”
The marketing tools were anything and everything, from bartenders wearing Bison jerseys with the No. 1 on them to yard signs.
A large Division I football banner, probably the largest ever seen in Fargo, hung on the north wall of the Bison Sports Arena for a long time.
A lot of what NDSU did before the ‘04 game is still around today, like the yard signs. It was an election year in 2004 when the idea first surfaced.
“Every politician had a yard sign and we thought we should too,” Goergen said.
NDSU distributed 2,500 this year.
“We were at Scheels last week, it was pouring rain and 150 people were standing in line in the rain for 600 yard signs,” Goergen said.
The official attendance for the Valpo game was 18,655 in a stadium that carries a capacity of 18,700. Keep in mind NDSU averaged 11,567 fans in 2003 and 10,620 in 2002.
“We watched other schools ease into it,” Taylor said of the Division I move. “We went aggressive in terms of scholarships
The advent of tailgating coincided with the Valpo game. NDSU, in a news conference 12 days prior to the game, announced alcohol was going to be allowed in the west parking lot. The rules and times allowed for tailgating have not changed since.
On the field, running back Kyle Steffes ran for 175 yards and four touchdowns. Quarterback Tony Stauss threw touchdown passes to Travis White and Marques Johnson. Defensive end Alvin Robinson had 10 tackles.
Division I football became a thing.
Dom
The energy will not be the same as the first time Valpo came to town but the Bison defense will make its presence known with a defensive touchdown or two Bison backups should get plenty of reps NDSU 48, Valparaiso 10
Logan Campbell WDAY-TV Record: 1-0
After a strong run game last week, Dominic Gonnella and Kobe Johnson will continue to build off of their success and lead the Bison offense to victory against the Beacons NDSU 42 Valparaiso 7
T E A M S C H E D U L E S
Long snapper Florentine adapting to college ball as true freshman
By Jeff Kolpack The Forum FargoIt’s doubtful North Dakota State will use the true freshman eligibility of more than one player this season, at least if the season opener against the University of Albany was any indication. Long snapper Mike Florentine may be it.
There was an immediate need at the position with the graduation of Ross Kennelly and sophomore Logan Hofstedt being unavailable.
There were no glaring errors in Florentine’s first day on the job.
“I’ve learned a ton,” said Florentine, from Frankfort, Ill. “I’m truly blessed to be in an environment that is surrounded by people that know a lot about the position because not a lot of people do.”
NDSU has a Division I FCS history of outstanding long snappers with Jeff Curtis, Michael Murphy, James Fisher and Kennelly. Around every four years, a new guy comes into the mix.
Curtis is still around helping as a volunteer and is the NDSU campus ministry director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
“He helps me through my
progression and everything,” Florentine said. “He acts as a second special teams coach and it’s a huge advantage to have.”
NDSU head coach Matt Entz said an emphasis with the young Florentine is not only about the snap, but what happens after it on a punt. Kennelly, who came to NDSU as a linebacker, was often one of the first players down on coverage.
“We expect the same thing,” Entz said. “We’ve asked him to mature at a quick rate and he has so far shown he can handle it.”
Change to No. 4
meaningful for Kobe
NDSU running back Kobe Johnson switched numbers this season and it didn’t come without meaning. His No. 4 is the same number he wore in high school in Lawrenceville, Ga., because his father, Eric Johnson, takes it to heart.
“My dad told me he loves No. 4 because it represents my two older brothers, myself and my younger sister,” Kobe said. “So that number means a lot to me in that regard.”
Johnson previously wore No. 24. The No. 4 was taken by senior running back Dimitri Williams in 2019 and quarterback Logan Graetz,
who transferred to Minnesota Duluth, last spring.
The other number of significance for Johnson is 100, as in 100 percent healthy after suffering a knee injury last season. He played in six of the 10 games and finished as the team’s fourth leading rusher.
“We’re good now, we’re rolling now, yes sir,” Johnson said. “It’s exciting. The true test began Saturday. Going out there and cutting loose and being able to play at full speed again was a lot of fun.”
Johnson had 77 yards on 11 carries averaging 7.0 per attempt. He went over 1,000 career yards in the process and is averaging 6.4 yards per carry in his 21 career games.
NDSU’s triple threat on offense
The Albany game was perhaps the real debut for junior Hunter Luepke as not only the starting fullback but the triple threat option of a running back and tight end as well. Luepke was forced into a running back spot last spring because of injuries and responded with some big plays.
Against Albany, he had a seven-yard touchdown run in his two carries for 15 yards and caught a pass for 14 yards.
“I just want to hammer down my technique for blocking and getting as many looks as I can this season,” Luepke said.
He’s actually a little lighter this season at 6-foot-1 and 236 pounds. Asked about preparing for a team that lost to an NAIA opponent last week, Luepke quickly shifted the focus to his team.
“It’s all about us,” he said. “We have to get better every day in practice, that’s our mindset.”
Valpo nickname change came quick
It didn’t take long for Valparaiso to take action. The school officially changed its nickname in early August to the Beacons after the previous name, Crusaders, was retired last February because of a negative association with religious oppression and hate groups. The school has for a long time been a target of possible change.
The university, in a release, said the Beacons connect to the university’s motto of “In Thy Light We See Light.”
It’s also been the title of the school’s yearbook for the last 80 years.
The nickname was picked from a process that included
nearly 1,000 suggestions and input from students, studentathletes, faculty, staff and alumni.
Head men’s basketball coach Matt Lottich told NWI. com newspaper that there will be former athletes who will still identify with Crusaders but changing the nickname was the right decision at the right time. Etc. etc. etc.
► NDSU is 4-0 against teams from the Pioneer League. Besides the win over Valparaiso in 2004, the Bison defeated the University of San Diego twice in the playoffs and beat Butler in the 2019 season opener at Target Field in Minneapolis. The Missouri Valley Football Conference is 45-3 against the Pioneer.
► The last time Valparaiso played a ranked opponent was in 2016 when the Beacons lost 50-13 at Illinois State.
► Valpo head coach Landon Fox is in his third season with a 5-14 record, but was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award that goes to the FCS coach of the year with the Beacons’ 4-2 spring record, the best winning percentage since 2003. That included beating San Diego, snapping a 14-game losing streak against the Toreros.
Presbyterian QB tosses 10 TDS and Eddie George’s debut
By Craig Haley Stats PerformAll of the FCS boys are back in town, and it feels like FC-yes!
The majority of schools kicked off their 2021 season in a much-anticipated Week 1, when 82 games (following three cancellations) were spread over five days. The festive atmosphere across the country was so different from last season, when the pandemic played havoc with schedules and the action was delayed mostly to this past spring with over 20 percent of FCS programs not even suiting up.
Six FCS wins over FBS opposition helped highlight Week 1, but the fun came from all directions.
Here are 10 takeaways from the action:
Big Sky steals the show
The Big Sky became the first FCS conference to post three wins over FBS opponents in the same week since CAA Football in 2009. Thursday night, UC Davis topped Tulsa 19-17 as a 23-point underdog before Eastern Washington matched its status as a twopoint favorite at UNLV with a 35-33, double-overtime triumph. Saturday night, Montana used a huge defensive performance to stymie Washington 13-7 and present coach Bobby Hauck with his 99th win with the Griz.
Coaching debuts
Eddie George’s debut with Tennessee State against Grambling State on Sunday was going to wrap up the weekend for new FCS coaches. The level of competition was a big factor:
Presbyterian’s Kevin Kelley (St. Andrews) and Stetson’s Brian Young (Warner) earned wins, but absorbing losses were Colgate’s Stan Dakosty (Boston College), LIU’s Jonathan Gill (FIU), Montana State’s Brent Vigen (Wyoming), Norfolk State’s Dawson Odums (Toledo), Northern Colorado’s Ed McCaffrey (Colorado), Southern’s Jason Rollins (Troy) and Western Carolina’s Kerwin Bell (Eastern Kentucky).
This is not a misprint
About the only thing wilder than non-scholarship Presbyterian having a transfer quarterback from the University of Michigan is that he threw for an FCS-record 10 touchdowns in his first game. Redshirt sophomore Ren Hefley fueled the double-take result of the week, completing 38 of 50 passes for 538 yards and the double-digit TDs in an 84-43 win over St. Andrews, an NAIA program from North Carolina. Tyler Huff, the Blue Hose’s starting signal caller in the spring, also threw for a pair of TDs, giving them 12 overall.
Bearkats’ winning streak by the dozen
Top-ranked Sam Houston, the defending FCS champion, showed little sign of slowing down with a 42-16 romp at Northern Arizona - the Bearkats’ FCS-leading 12th straight win. Quarterback Eric Schmid (297 yards of total offense, three touchdown passes) directed a 562yard offensive assault and linebacker Trevor Williams’ 75-yard interception return for a third-quarter score
provided a 28-10 cushion. A 10-0 regular season appears attainable for coach K.C. Keeler’s program, with the two biggest obstacles being AQ7 games at Central Arkansas and versus Jacksonville State.
Kelley, Barriere, Chestnut start fast
The three players who were invited to the Stats Perform 2020-21 FCS Walter Payton Award announcement in May picked up where they left off. Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Cole Kelley, the award recipient, accounted for 306 yards of total offense and four touchdowns in a 49-28 victory at North Alabama. Runner-up Eric Barriere of Eastern Washington directed the program’s 11th all-time FBS win by passing for 374 yards and three touchdowns against UNLV, while Sacred Heart’s Julius Chestnut, who finished third, rushed for 170 yards (his 10th straight game over the century mark) and a TD in a 21-0 shutout of Bucknell.
Transfer QBs in the Spotlight
Talk about pressure, how about the transfers being given the keys to the offense at national powers South Dakota State and North Dakota State. Chris Oladokun, from Samford and replacing injured MVFC offensive player of the year Mark Gronowski, delivered three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) in No. 3 SDSU’s 42-23 pounding of Colorado State. Quincy Patterson, from Virginia Tech, seeks to steady the subpar play behind center at eight-time FCS champ NDSU this past spring, and
he was solid with a TD pass against Albany, although the run game fueled the No. 4 Bison’s 28-6 win.
SoCon celebration
The Southern Conference continues to celebrate its 100th anniversary, so ETSU’s 23-3 FBS upset of Vanderbilt and wins over opponents from four different FCS leagues were the perfect gifts. Quay Holmes rushed for 149 yards and Stephen Scott scored on a 27-yard fumble return as ETSU spread around the gutty efforts. Furman’s 29-18 win over No. 25 North Carolina A&T in a first-time meeting was particularly noteworthy, and Samford beat Tennessee Tech (Ohio Valley), defending champ VMI topped Davidson (Pioneer) and Wofford edged Elon (CAA). That Chattanooga, the SoCon’s preseason favorite, lost to Austin Peay in the season’s first game between two nationally ranked teams, added to the notion that the conference race will be wide open.
Patriot League delights
The Patriot League has struggled mightily out of league in recent years, but it enjoyed some nice season-opening highlights, the biggest being Holy Cross’ 38-28 win at UConn for the fourth FBS victory in school history and the first by a league team since 2015. Quarterback Matthew Sluka accounted for 235 yards of offense and three touchdowns, and defensive tackle Jason Modak had a pick-six. Additionally, Fordham linebacker Ryan Greenhagen set the FCS single-game record with 31 tackles (14 solos and 17
assists) in a loss at Nebraska. It was originally thought Greenhagen had 30 tackles to tie three other players for the FCS single-game record, but the two schools later changed a tackle that was incorrectly credited to one of his teammates.
Alabama A&M flexes muscle
It feels like there are more legitimate contenders than not in the bigger, stronger, 12-school SWAC, but Alabama A&M can believe it’s the one to beat as the defending champion (not to mention, reigning HBCU national champion). The Aggies edged MEAC favorite South Carolina State 42-41 as SWAC offensive player of the year Aqeel Glass passed for 426 yards and four touchdowns with one rushing score. In his three career games over 400 passing yards, he’s thrown for 14 TDs without an interception.
CAA fills its plate
The 10-game CAA Football schedule was fascinating because it had a little bit of everything, including conference matchups that are uncommon to start a season (New Hampshire winning at Stony Brook and No. 5 Delaware at Maine in entertaining games), intersectional (Albany losing at No. 4 North Dakota State), FBS (William & Mary falling at Virginia) and the kind of intrastate matchups that help define the FCS due to regional pride and easy travel (Villanova winning at Lehigh and Rhode Island over Bryant and Towson bussing less than five miles to Morgan State to win “The Battle for Greater Baltimore”).