- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 435,140
- Reaction score
- 44
Apr. 28—GRAND FORKS — The UND football program completed spring ball last Friday with the Spring Showcase at the Pollard Center.
With spring ball completed, the Herald's Tom Miller took questions from readers about the Fighting Hawks.
Q. Is defensive tackle UND's weakest position and the position where we need the most additions?
A. UND's biggest need in the transfer portal, far and away from any position group, is at defensive tackle.
Brennen Blegen played late in the year in 2024 as a true freshman at nose guard in the 3-4 and really impressed, although he's had a couple of injuries slowing down the momentum. UND will need him in the mix in 2025.
But to the question, if the defensive tackle summary starts with an unproven rookie, you're not in a great spot.
Emmanuel Olagbaju has the frame UND needs at defensive tackle. The transfer from St. Thomas only lasted a few snaps of spring ball, though, before suffering an injury. However, he was able to make it back for the last handful of practices.
It's too early to tell what kind of impact Olagbaju can have because he didn't play enough during the spring to show it, but he at least possesses the body type.
After Olagbaju's injury, UND moved Wyatt Bell from the offensive line to defensive tackle. Bell, a 6-3, 295-pound redshirt freshman from Rogers, Minn., is worth monitoring. He made some plays during spring ball.
Bell needs to transform his body this offseason to fully embrace the change but UND might've struck some decent luck there if defensive tackle help was discovered within the roster depth.
UND also has Logyn Eckheart, Montre Samuels-Parker and Sam Hindbjorgen at defensive tackle.
The Hawks will be looking for multiple bodies at defensive tackle in the spring and summer. The staff will likely be held back by team roster size limitations, otherwise it would make sense to bring in as many as four at this spot.
Q. Of the newest transfer portal additions, who did you see making the biggest impact during the spring?
A. I can't say I saw one dominant transfer portal addition, but I'll go with the top three in terms of early returns: cornerback Bennett Walker of San Diego State, safety Zach Lewis of Northern Arizona and wide receiver Kristen Hoskins of Minnesota.
As we wait to see on the development of San Diego State quarterback Javance Tupou'ata-Johnson, Hoskins has been the most intriguing offensive addition. As a short, quick threat, Hoskins has been slippery at times and could have an impact in the return game, as well.
Walker and Lewis came to the defense with the best Division I backgrounds, and you can see the results during spring ball.
Q. Usually, with a new coach, you see turnover with a team. This team appears to have become closer and rallied around Coach Schmidt. Is this something you have noticed through spring?
A. You do hear a lot of players using the phrase "everyone is buying-in," and I think there are a few factors at play to that sentiment.
Yes, I believe players, fans and coaches are rallying behind some of the energetic messaging of a new head coach with Eric Schmidt.
Let's also remember, it's likely an exciting time to be a UND football player because they just finally constructed a new weight room, new coaching offices, new meeting rooms and a new locker room.
The whole UND football connected ecosystem is finally online after decades of dreaming.
To directly answer the question, I think there wasn't major turnover because players like the early vibes from Schmidt, but it's also suddenly a lot cooler to be a Hawk thanks to the facility overhaul.
Q. Who starts Week 1 at QB?
A. For the second year in a row, this is an incredibly difficult question to answer.
If Week 1 is tomorrow, I believe Jerry Kaminski had a slightly better spring than Tupou'ata-Johnson and Jack Sulik. Then, figure in, that we didn't even see 2024 starter Simon Romfo in the spring as he recovers from an injury.
Tupou'ata-Johnson has a fantastic fastball and, although hard to discern in a practice setting, will likely be quite elusive in the scramble game.
Right now, he's struggling with touch, timing and consistency. There is belief at the Pollard that Tupou'ata-Johnson will be an improved product in the fall with additional time to learn his new offense and jell with his targets.
So if I'm betting, I'm leaning to Tupou'ata-Johnson to start come late August, based on the unpolished high-end skill set, but it's going to be a four-man race — Sulik included.
As I've told many at spring ball, I won't be stunned if any of the four candidates emerge to start Week 1 at QB. The race is that close.
Q. How much have the new facilities impacted our current recruiting class?
A. They're huge. You can't hold one facility against UND in the recruiting game anymore, which you could do for a while, especially the locker room.
I believe we saw signs of the facilities impacting the 2025 recruiting class, and it's an even bigger talking point of recruits in 2026.
UND is winning more contested recruiting battles in 2026 than ever in the Division I era. The pitch of a new era from a new coaching staff is being made much easier by the new digs.
Another perhaps underrated piece of the recruiting pitch has been the increased emphasis on nutrition, an element many in the 2026 class have mentioned as a key draw.
Q. Will this year's defense in Year 1 be better than last year's defense?
A. I think based on averages and outcomes, the defense will be better than last year.
I say that based more on last season's complete lack of confidence, especially on the road.
However, this is not to say there aren't major concerns about the 2025 UND defense — even beyond the fact that it's a new style to almost everyone on the roster.
UND lacks proven leadership on defense outside of Malachi McNeal at linebacker.
A lot of things need to break right for the Hawks on defense. Zach Lewis and Bennett Walker need to be good, Tyler Erkman needs to shake off the injury that made the young safety miss all of spring ball and the defensive line needs transfer upgrades.
As we sit here in late April, this defense still has huge holes. By August, I'm willing to adjust the outlook ... but they need help.
Q. How good can next year's offensive line be?
A. The UND offensive line is the No. 1 reason to believe in the 2026 Hawks.
UND returns Seth Anderson, Liam Beecher, Ben Buxa, Trace Thaden, Caleb Olson, Carter Gorder and Ayden Teeter.
That's seven deep of experienced options with a good balance of interior and exterior.
This group gained experience in 2024 because Easton Kilty, Sam Hagen and Cade Borud transferred. Most of the returners played a year earlier than they should have developmentally and still became an above average Missouri Valley Football Conference offensive line.
Coaches have loved the progression of Beecher and Thaden this offseason.
Q. What's the biggest surprise of the spring?
A. My biggest surprise was the overall increase in physicality in the practice setting.
We'll see if Schmidt continues that trend in coming years but UND did much more live tackling this spring than I've ever seen.
UND started to collect quite a few injuries late in the spring, although some of the more memorable injuries came on simple collisions during no-tackle settings.
Q. What's the biggest concern of the spring?
A. I could pick defensive tackle, but I'll go with the passing game. UND lost Bo Belquist, Quincy Vaughn, Jaden Norby and Isaiah Smith to graduation this offseason. In 2024, those were the main targets.
So there was bound to be growing pains. Then, you take out your 2024 starting quarterback in Simon Romfo due to injury, and you have a lot of inexperience trying to complete balls.
UND needs to show improvement at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end. As roles settle and the staff starts to give more reps to starters, perhaps that'll iron out to some extent. Right now, though, it doesn't make for pretty practice.
Q. Who do you see as the biggest impact returning player for the 2025 season?
A. With the offensive line as a strength and the passing game a work in progress, I think a player like Sawyer Seidl makes a lot of sense to be a big impact player in 2025.
Seidl had plenty of moments in 2024, and he'll probably be asked to do more in 2025 without Isaiah Smith in the mix.
One hold-up on predicting a step forward from Seidl is he didn't play at all at spring ball as he recovered from an injury.
The other hold-up for Seidl's breakout is UND may still bring in a transfer back to compete for carries. UND has already offered a couple of drop-down FBS options in the transfer portal this spring.
Q. Are any of the freshmen coming in this fall high enough caliber to get playing time immediately as true freshmen?
A. That's always hard to say before I can see anybody up against a Division I player in practice, but it's even more difficult this spring because a lot of the players recruited in the 2025 class weren't recruited by the current staff, so the current staff has much less of an idea right now about what to expect.
When I ask this kind of question lately, most position coaches are saying ... who knows? We'll see.
If I had to guess, I'm curious to see Maple Grove running back Charles Langama. Running back is a bit easier to be physically ready as a young player, although still rare.
Q. Any indication of fan excitement and attendance yet for 2025 compared to recent years based on season ticket sales or the spring ball game?
A. I have yet to request season ticket data for UND football, but I was surprised with the turnout for the Spring Showcase. The Pollard Center was packed.
I think fans are excited about a new era. It's especially exciting this spring because the new staff is unbeaten.
Q. Which wide receiver steps up in the absence of Bo Belquist?
A. I'll choose Korey Tai. Part of the reason his impact was limited last season was Tai has some of the same skillset as Belquist and UND wasn't giving up any of Belquist's routes.
UND needs Tai to break loose at fall camp. There's an opportunity for someone to step up and demand targets, but I've yet to definitively declare that anyone appears ready to do that.
Deng Deng, B.J. Fleming, Caden Dennis, Tai, Kristen Hoskins, Sam Strandell and Jamal Young II each had signs of promise this spring but nobody has jumped out as a new No. 1.
Nate DeMontagnac, who missed almost all of spring ball with an injury, will also have another shot to carve out a significant role at fall camp.
Q. Which defensive player benefits the most from the scheme change?
A. I'd say Lance Rucker and Paine Parks. Rucker and Parks both need to add some weight to play a slightly different position, but they both possess the athleticism UND is looking for in these spots.
Parks probably wasn't the big-body inside linebacker UND wanted in the 3-4, but he can cover ground that's going to be needed in a 4-2-5.
Q. Who surprised you the most this spring?
A. Sam Strandell stood out to me daily. The wide receiver from Grand Forks has speed limitations and likely would have a specific role in an offense that might not be for fantasy football numbers but nobody competes as hard on as consistent of a basis as Strandell.
I'm not privy to practice data but UND tracks practice yardage. I'd guess this spring's receiving yards leader was Deng Deng, and I'd bet Strandell was second.
That's a pat on the back for Strandell but also highlights the overall woes in the passing game as the transfers try to get up to speed.
Continue reading...
With spring ball completed, the Herald's Tom Miller took questions from readers about the Fighting Hawks.
Q. Is defensive tackle UND's weakest position and the position where we need the most additions?
A. UND's biggest need in the transfer portal, far and away from any position group, is at defensive tackle.
Brennen Blegen played late in the year in 2024 as a true freshman at nose guard in the 3-4 and really impressed, although he's had a couple of injuries slowing down the momentum. UND will need him in the mix in 2025.
But to the question, if the defensive tackle summary starts with an unproven rookie, you're not in a great spot.
Emmanuel Olagbaju has the frame UND needs at defensive tackle. The transfer from St. Thomas only lasted a few snaps of spring ball, though, before suffering an injury. However, he was able to make it back for the last handful of practices.
It's too early to tell what kind of impact Olagbaju can have because he didn't play enough during the spring to show it, but he at least possesses the body type.
After Olagbaju's injury, UND moved Wyatt Bell from the offensive line to defensive tackle. Bell, a 6-3, 295-pound redshirt freshman from Rogers, Minn., is worth monitoring. He made some plays during spring ball.
Bell needs to transform his body this offseason to fully embrace the change but UND might've struck some decent luck there if defensive tackle help was discovered within the roster depth.
UND also has Logyn Eckheart, Montre Samuels-Parker and Sam Hindbjorgen at defensive tackle.
The Hawks will be looking for multiple bodies at defensive tackle in the spring and summer. The staff will likely be held back by team roster size limitations, otherwise it would make sense to bring in as many as four at this spot.
Q. Of the newest transfer portal additions, who did you see making the biggest impact during the spring?
A. I can't say I saw one dominant transfer portal addition, but I'll go with the top three in terms of early returns: cornerback Bennett Walker of San Diego State, safety Zach Lewis of Northern Arizona and wide receiver Kristen Hoskins of Minnesota.
As we wait to see on the development of San Diego State quarterback Javance Tupou'ata-Johnson, Hoskins has been the most intriguing offensive addition. As a short, quick threat, Hoskins has been slippery at times and could have an impact in the return game, as well.
Walker and Lewis came to the defense with the best Division I backgrounds, and you can see the results during spring ball.
Q. Usually, with a new coach, you see turnover with a team. This team appears to have become closer and rallied around Coach Schmidt. Is this something you have noticed through spring?
A. You do hear a lot of players using the phrase "everyone is buying-in," and I think there are a few factors at play to that sentiment.
Yes, I believe players, fans and coaches are rallying behind some of the energetic messaging of a new head coach with Eric Schmidt.
Let's also remember, it's likely an exciting time to be a UND football player because they just finally constructed a new weight room, new coaching offices, new meeting rooms and a new locker room.
The whole UND football connected ecosystem is finally online after decades of dreaming.
To directly answer the question, I think there wasn't major turnover because players like the early vibes from Schmidt, but it's also suddenly a lot cooler to be a Hawk thanks to the facility overhaul.
Q. Who starts Week 1 at QB?
A. For the second year in a row, this is an incredibly difficult question to answer.
If Week 1 is tomorrow, I believe Jerry Kaminski had a slightly better spring than Tupou'ata-Johnson and Jack Sulik. Then, figure in, that we didn't even see 2024 starter Simon Romfo in the spring as he recovers from an injury.
Tupou'ata-Johnson has a fantastic fastball and, although hard to discern in a practice setting, will likely be quite elusive in the scramble game.
Right now, he's struggling with touch, timing and consistency. There is belief at the Pollard that Tupou'ata-Johnson will be an improved product in the fall with additional time to learn his new offense and jell with his targets.
So if I'm betting, I'm leaning to Tupou'ata-Johnson to start come late August, based on the unpolished high-end skill set, but it's going to be a four-man race — Sulik included.
As I've told many at spring ball, I won't be stunned if any of the four candidates emerge to start Week 1 at QB. The race is that close.
Q. How much have the new facilities impacted our current recruiting class?
A. They're huge. You can't hold one facility against UND in the recruiting game anymore, which you could do for a while, especially the locker room.
I believe we saw signs of the facilities impacting the 2025 recruiting class, and it's an even bigger talking point of recruits in 2026.
UND is winning more contested recruiting battles in 2026 than ever in the Division I era. The pitch of a new era from a new coaching staff is being made much easier by the new digs.
Another perhaps underrated piece of the recruiting pitch has been the increased emphasis on nutrition, an element many in the 2026 class have mentioned as a key draw.
Q. Will this year's defense in Year 1 be better than last year's defense?
A. I think based on averages and outcomes, the defense will be better than last year.
I say that based more on last season's complete lack of confidence, especially on the road.
However, this is not to say there aren't major concerns about the 2025 UND defense — even beyond the fact that it's a new style to almost everyone on the roster.
UND lacks proven leadership on defense outside of Malachi McNeal at linebacker.
A lot of things need to break right for the Hawks on defense. Zach Lewis and Bennett Walker need to be good, Tyler Erkman needs to shake off the injury that made the young safety miss all of spring ball and the defensive line needs transfer upgrades.
As we sit here in late April, this defense still has huge holes. By August, I'm willing to adjust the outlook ... but they need help.
Q. How good can next year's offensive line be?
A. The UND offensive line is the No. 1 reason to believe in the 2026 Hawks.
UND returns Seth Anderson, Liam Beecher, Ben Buxa, Trace Thaden, Caleb Olson, Carter Gorder and Ayden Teeter.
That's seven deep of experienced options with a good balance of interior and exterior.
This group gained experience in 2024 because Easton Kilty, Sam Hagen and Cade Borud transferred. Most of the returners played a year earlier than they should have developmentally and still became an above average Missouri Valley Football Conference offensive line.
Coaches have loved the progression of Beecher and Thaden this offseason.
Q. What's the biggest surprise of the spring?
A. My biggest surprise was the overall increase in physicality in the practice setting.
We'll see if Schmidt continues that trend in coming years but UND did much more live tackling this spring than I've ever seen.
UND started to collect quite a few injuries late in the spring, although some of the more memorable injuries came on simple collisions during no-tackle settings.
Q. What's the biggest concern of the spring?
A. I could pick defensive tackle, but I'll go with the passing game. UND lost Bo Belquist, Quincy Vaughn, Jaden Norby and Isaiah Smith to graduation this offseason. In 2024, those were the main targets.
So there was bound to be growing pains. Then, you take out your 2024 starting quarterback in Simon Romfo due to injury, and you have a lot of inexperience trying to complete balls.
UND needs to show improvement at quarterback, wide receiver and tight end. As roles settle and the staff starts to give more reps to starters, perhaps that'll iron out to some extent. Right now, though, it doesn't make for pretty practice.
Q. Who do you see as the biggest impact returning player for the 2025 season?
A. With the offensive line as a strength and the passing game a work in progress, I think a player like Sawyer Seidl makes a lot of sense to be a big impact player in 2025.
Seidl had plenty of moments in 2024, and he'll probably be asked to do more in 2025 without Isaiah Smith in the mix.
One hold-up on predicting a step forward from Seidl is he didn't play at all at spring ball as he recovered from an injury.
The other hold-up for Seidl's breakout is UND may still bring in a transfer back to compete for carries. UND has already offered a couple of drop-down FBS options in the transfer portal this spring.
Q. Are any of the freshmen coming in this fall high enough caliber to get playing time immediately as true freshmen?
A. That's always hard to say before I can see anybody up against a Division I player in practice, but it's even more difficult this spring because a lot of the players recruited in the 2025 class weren't recruited by the current staff, so the current staff has much less of an idea right now about what to expect.
When I ask this kind of question lately, most position coaches are saying ... who knows? We'll see.
If I had to guess, I'm curious to see Maple Grove running back Charles Langama. Running back is a bit easier to be physically ready as a young player, although still rare.
Q. Any indication of fan excitement and attendance yet for 2025 compared to recent years based on season ticket sales or the spring ball game?
A. I have yet to request season ticket data for UND football, but I was surprised with the turnout for the Spring Showcase. The Pollard Center was packed.
I think fans are excited about a new era. It's especially exciting this spring because the new staff is unbeaten.
Q. Which wide receiver steps up in the absence of Bo Belquist?
A. I'll choose Korey Tai. Part of the reason his impact was limited last season was Tai has some of the same skillset as Belquist and UND wasn't giving up any of Belquist's routes.
UND needs Tai to break loose at fall camp. There's an opportunity for someone to step up and demand targets, but I've yet to definitively declare that anyone appears ready to do that.
Deng Deng, B.J. Fleming, Caden Dennis, Tai, Kristen Hoskins, Sam Strandell and Jamal Young II each had signs of promise this spring but nobody has jumped out as a new No. 1.
Nate DeMontagnac, who missed almost all of spring ball with an injury, will also have another shot to carve out a significant role at fall camp.
Q. Which defensive player benefits the most from the scheme change?
A. I'd say Lance Rucker and Paine Parks. Rucker and Parks both need to add some weight to play a slightly different position, but they both possess the athleticism UND is looking for in these spots.
Parks probably wasn't the big-body inside linebacker UND wanted in the 3-4, but he can cover ground that's going to be needed in a 4-2-5.
Q. Who surprised you the most this spring?
A. Sam Strandell stood out to me daily. The wide receiver from Grand Forks has speed limitations and likely would have a specific role in an offense that might not be for fantasy football numbers but nobody competes as hard on as consistent of a basis as Strandell.
I'm not privy to practice data but UND tracks practice yardage. I'd guess this spring's receiving yards leader was Deng Deng, and I'd bet Strandell was second.
That's a pat on the back for Strandell but also highlights the overall woes in the passing game as the transfers try to get up to speed.
Continue reading...
