Nine titles in 11 years
NINE TITLES IN 11 YEARS
Still crazy to think about!
Because of the conquests everyone in the country who follows college football has heard about NDSU. Over the decade plus of dominating the subdivision it's become almost a foregone conclusion what would happen each season but as the saying goes, pigs get fed, hogs get slaughtered. If there is any complacency in this current group of players the fact that not a one of them has played an FBS game should help dispel it.
This year is no exception though. The goal is to make it down to Dallas and falling short of that is a failed season.
The team will once again have one of the best defenses in the nation.
It will once again be as stout along the line as most any team in the country regardless of classification.
This squad also may be one of only a few who could improve if the backup quarterback is forced into the starting role. That's no shot at Cam Miller who has already been getting some draft buzz but is just an acknowledgement that Cole Payton has a different level of potential.
The question mark that will be most closely monitored over the first few games of the season is who will step up in the absences of Christian Watson & Josh Babicz. Noah Gindorff's last ride is the most obvious answer to handle the TE duties while at least one or two of the eight other options will certainly get chances to impact past the line of scrimmage.
Receiver is still a much more murky situation. Perhaps this will be the season that Phoenix Sproles rises from the ashes be the best of the group. There is skepticism but it would be great to see! Sproles & Zach Mathis will be rewarded for their dedication to the program with the first opportunities to pile up yards & point while the other 14 on the roster try to work their way up the depth chart.
With Hunter Luepke, Dom Gonnella & Tamerik Williams set to spear-head the attack from the backfield the need and opportunity to spread the ball around will still be scarce. This may also be the start of the Barika Kpeenu era. As a homer it's already a great story for him & Nate Goldade but getting one or both (along with some of their fellow West Fargoans) on the field would make it an even more fun trip down South.
For all the words about the offense they may be the lesser of the two main parts of the team. There appear to be no weaknesses at any of the 11 spots. Second & third string guys might be starters this year at 70% of the FCS. That's just a ball park number but you get the drift. Code Green will put every offense on alert & will come in waves from game 1 through the end of the season.
You will have to wait for each game day for score predictions but here's a broad-strokes take on the outcomes.
Drake (W)
North Carolina A & T (W)
Arizona (W)
South Dakota (W)
Youngstown State (W)
Indiana State (W)
South Dakota St. (W)
Illinois St. (W)
Western Illinois (W)
Souther Illinois (W)
North Dakota (W)
A loss along the way wouldn't spoil the team's chances at home field again but there isn't an obvious loss in the lot.
As usual it will be fun to see how everything unfolds this season and fun should still be as much of an objective as the destination is!
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