Don announced to the team that he and the staff were leaving and it was sad. It was an old cabin, hunting shack and we didnt have a phone in the hunting shack and she had driven down there and told my dad, They made the playoffs. 3 seed James Madison losing by fewer than 24 points. Wentz was named most outstanding player after completing 15-of-22 passes and recording two touchdowns. 5. The backfield trio of Jeff Bentrim, Chad Stark and James Molstre were returning for their junior seasons and Don Morton was the hottest football coach in America. It was a low point for us because at the time, it just didnt do anything for us. He did have tears in his eyes and he said, I just want you to know, that its guys like you that have helped me get this invite from Coach Morton to go to this next level, because you have helped me prove that I can recruit. Which were trying to comprehend this, not only losing Morton, and we didnt work with Engle, but he was our recruiting coach. Solomonson We talked to the team about the very fact that the South Dakota game was a very big win and were excited about it, but the only way we can cap this year off with all the things that have happened is we have to win the championship to make this a great season. So we knew how to prepare and focus on the task at hand for each playoff game. It was more of a loss than a win for sure, especially at home. Earle Solomonson I was offered the coordinators job in Tulsa. Just stopping the veer is easier said than done. Again, the transition to the new coaching staff on the defensive side as well, learning strengths and weaknesses for not only the players but also the coaches. DeBates I remember it perfectly. He finished with 319 offensive yards and five total touchdowns in his final game. It was just a tough position for those guys to be in, Benny going down was definitely a blow. Player Register. Four different NDSU rushers recorded a touchdown, paced by John Crockett (86 yards) and Ojuri (84). Running back Sam Ojuri (92 yards) also scored two second half touchdowns. The team finished the regular season with an undefeated 100 record and made the NCAA Division II playoffs. We defeated our archrival. The Bison have made the playoffs, theyve jumped to number seven. And I went, Holy crap. My dad was probably an hour away from Fargo to pick me up to take me home for Thanksgiving and stuff. And, again, the key to the Bison success rested with quarterback Jeff Bentrim. Kolpack The Pitch gets all the notoriety just because its such a crazy play and its something thats stood the test of time and theyre right. Rushing yards; 1. I think probably every player had a different thought process on reflecting on how they got handled early in the year. I dont know if I would say they didnt stand a chance against us, but I felt confident that we were going to play well. If he makes the field goal, were not talking about the 30th anniversary of the 85 championship team for sure. They had a field goal at the end to win it, with no time left. Jerry Dahl (1973-74): 35.5 But 86 is special because we learned our lesson in 85; most of us were coming back. Passing--Jones (USD) 5-8-0, 65 yds. (); : On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Jensen put the Bison in front for good with a 1-yard score midway through the third quarter. FLORENCE, Ala.--North Dakota State captured its third national NCAA Division II football title in the last four years on a cool December day at Braly Stadium with a sound 27-7 win over North Central Conference rival South Dakota. Weve got to get you home and get you back to Fargo. I just remember myself, standing there thinking, Are you kidding me? The streak started with a 6-3 win at Kansas in 2010. The Bison capitalized on four straight scoring drives to open the game and pulled away 37-10 for title No. Bentrim I think they were (the number one seed). I still remember the day, Ade Sponberg (athletic director) called and said, Earle do you want to go to the playoffs? I said, No, Im going out recruiting. (); : Rushing 184 313 Cross Country. And here we go again, just like in the regular season, South Dakota had our number for some reason. NDSU--Barta 1 run (Kubisz kick) The NCC was good and the Bison in the rankings were slipping and I dont think people had given up at that point. "That was the last time I'll put on a Bison jersey but man, it's been a fun ride.". "With our guys, I never saw any doubt in their mind," first-year North Dakota State head coach Chris Klieman told reporters. If I were fast, that play wouldnt have happened. Updated college football stats can always be found here. The top-seeded Bison cruised past 7-seed Towson in the title game, scoring 28 unanswered points from the second quarter on. "I wish to hell they would get out of Division II," said South Dakota head coach Dave Triplett following the game. They could, but at this point in time were not expecting to make a move in the ranking and get in the Top 8 so why dont you get your gear organized and get it set up in the locker room so we can start to shelf it for next year. Kolpack I think there was optimism that they could step in. 1 - Ken Muckenhirn - 1986: 1 - Aaron Skyberg - 1998: 1 - Steve McMillan - 1971: 1 - Mark Roshell - 1989: 1 - Zach Colvin - 2013: 1 - Robbie Grimsley - 2017: 1 - Al Nowak - 1971: The team finished the regular season with an undefeated 100 record and made the NCAA Division II playoffs. I think we were on our third string quarterback. We were playing such a basic defense; it wasnt too hard for Cal Poly to do really anything they wanted to do with us. Bentrim The big mantra for our veer offense was, and especially for the quarterbacks, coming from the head coaches and offensive coaches, to never pitch out of desperation. Since the end of the 2013 regular season, two of the main architects of the . Tech. Track and Field. Again, I think thats where my recollection is; Coach Solomonson was very patient and he just said, Hey Rocky, were going to get this thing squared away, but were going to have to change things up a little bit defensively. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. I was available for an emergency situation. That game was almost a microcosm of that year, too. September 21, 1985 Minnesota State-Mankato, 35-16 Won, 2-1 (1-0), September 28, 1985 @South Dakota, 14-38 Loss, 2-2 (1-1). I can still remember 30 years later our coordinator saying, Oh God, Earle, they got us. Indiv Season Records; Team Season Records Individual Season Records : RUSHING. James Hendricks (2016-19): 14. Cloud State, 35-19 Won, 5-2 (4-1). 5. 4. Theres a lot more talk back there than there ever was and it was really a feeling out process for the defense and them getting comfortable with it. That strip that was a big heartbreaker for South Dakota. 1 overall seed Jacksonville State. I do remember thinking, Hey, were just going to keep this thing running. We wished Coach Morton the best and we kept the Bison thing going. They threw everything at us that makes it tough for the veer. This revised billboardin Florence said it all. Haeg is an. The quotes have been edited for clarity. The team finished the regular season with an 821 record and made the NCAA Division II playoffs. Stark We knew they were good. Here's everything to know about the Bison's dynasty, including season-by-season records, notable players and breakdowns of every one of NDSU's championship runs. Well, they obviously ate it up and were able to find ways to stop our veer, to make it tough on us. But Im in the woods hunting and my mother had driven down from Superior, Wis. to the cabin. So when that came to be, I think it was a matter of being exactly what I said, resilient. Matt Tracy We all got called to the Bison Sports Arena. Main Navigation Menu. 1973-Brad Rheingans, North Dakota State. He was selected as the No. [1] The 1986 team was led by coach Earle Solomonson. "They can go wherever they want.". North Dakota State has had 39 NFL draft picks since 1965. Kolpack The NCC (North Central Conference), it was a pretty good year for the NCC. Solomonson We had lots of pressure that Cal Poly game. II playoff", "Final 1983 Cumulative Football Statistics Report", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1983_North_Dakota_State_Bison_football_team&oldid=1132286252, 1983 North Central Conference football season, North Dakota State Bison football seasons, North Central Conference football champion seasons, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using CFB schedule with an unlinked gamename, Pages using CFB schedule with named parameters, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 04:26. After a 2020-21 spring season that didn't end in a North Dakota State national championship a rarity since the start of the Bison's run in the 2011 season NDSU responded to Sam Houston winning the 2020-21 FCS title with the Bison going 14-1 and claiming their ninth FCS championship in the last 11 seasons. That was Bentrim at his very best. 1970-Results Unavailable. 23 - Lamar Gordon (22 rush, 1 rcv) - 2000, 22 - John Crockett (21 rush, 1 rcv) - 2014, 19 - Paul Hatchett (17 rush, 1 rcv, 1 ret) - 1968, 18 - Paul Hatchett (14 rush, 3 rcv, 1 ret) - 1969, 25 - Lorren Henke (20 brup, 5 int) - 1972, 23 - Steve Krumrei (17 brup, 6 int) - 1968, 22 - Marcus Williams (15 brup, 7 int) - 2011, 20 - Steve Krumrei (13 brup, 7 int) - 1969, 20 - Tyrone Braxton (15 brup, 5 int) - 1985, 18 - Gunar Gossard (18 brup, 0 int) - 1995, 18 - Keith Krebsbach (14 brup, 4 int) - 1972, 18 - Keith Krebsbach (13 brup, 5 int) - 1973. Carson Wentz took the reins from Jensen in 2014, following the latter's graduation, and led North Dakota State to an unprecedented fourth straight FCS championship. Omaha had a good team, USD had a good team, St. I think Owen started and Barta finished. There was still one more week in the division II schedule, so the following week, we were way out of the playoffs, but the next Sunday morning when I was reading the paper, I looked at it and saw five or six teams that were ahead of us lost in the ranking. Cloud Club. Were in the locker room after that loss to USD; Earle gathered us around and told us he loved us. Kyle Emanuel (2011-14): 35.5 Otherwise, I do remember they drove down the field and they were on the two or three-yard line. NDSU finished 15-0 in 2013 and 2018 and went 16-0 in 2019. Defensively, my roommate for all my years here, Paul Nielsen, was the all-American nose guard for us. Everybody drove back. The 1983 North Dakota State football team represented North Dakota State University during the 1983 NCAA Division II football season, and completed the 87th season of Bison football. With the help of seven characters that lived, played, bled, wrote and battled through the 1985 season, we revisit thewild year that concluded with NDSU raising itsfifth national championship. So we all took off to head home for our Thanksgiving Break. You have to figure when youre ranked 18, youre going nowhere at all. I cant remember if Don shed a tear or two, I think he might have. Indiv Season Records; Team Season Records Individual Season Records : RUSHING. We were excited to get another chance, another opportunity. The priority was to win the game, but Id be lying if I said there wasnt a little bit of redemption thought on our side of the ball. North Dakota State University Football Career History. You gotta go back! And Im like, What? Youre in the playoffs, she said. There were several Bison boosters, especially friends of his who were pushing him for that job as well. October 26, 1985 Morningside, 18-18 Tie, 5-2-1 (4-1-1), Solomonson Were down by a touchdown later in the ball game and we called a play for Chad Stark who was going to run an option cut play and Barta was going to hand it off to him. The Official Athletic Website of North Dakota State University Athletics. Bentrim I separated my shoulder in the first quarter but kept playing, iced it at halftime and kept playing. North Dakota State became the first FCS school to repeat as national champion since Appalachian State's three-peat from 2005-07. Chad Stark Honestly, I cant remember truthfully where I heard it. [2], 1988 North Dakota State Bison football team, 1988 North Central Conference football standings, "North Dakota St Bison College Football Scores, Schedules, and Analytics", "Offense-minded Bison rock Morningside, 62-7", "Portland State loses again in Division II title game", "Final 1988 Division II Cumulative Football Statistics Report", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1988_North_Dakota_State_Bison_football_team&oldid=1132286389, Fargo, ND (NCAA Division II Quarterfinal), This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 04:27. There had to be a lot of factors and it was just a perfect storm I guess. I remember trying to throw passes and I was throwing side arm. They were the doormats forever. It was from an injury I got in 84. It was going to be a touchdown, but boy, that was a great effort to knock the ball loose and prevent the touchdown. 23 - Lamar Gordon (22 rush, 1 rcv) - 2000, 22 - John Crockett (21 rush, 1 rcv) - 2014, 19 - Paul Hatchett (17 rush, 1 rcv, 1 ret) - 1968, 18 - Paul Hatchett (14 rush, 3 rcv, 1 ret) - 1969, 25 - Lorren Henke (20 brup, 5 int) - 1972, 23 - Steve Krumrei (17 brup, 6 int) - 1968, 22 - Marcus Williams (15 brup, 7 int) - 2011, 20 - Steve Krumrei (13 brup, 7 int) - 1969, 20 - Tyrone Braxton (15 brup, 5 int) - 1985, 18 - Gunar Gossard (18 brup, 0 int) - 1995, 18 - Keith Krebsbach (14 brup, 4 int) - 1972, 18 - Keith Krebsbach (13 brup, 5 int) - 1973. I think they were pretty effective at it. I dont know if the personnel was a big change because, in 1984, we were quite young and in 85, we had pretty much most everybody coming back. Barta didnt have the athletic talent that Bentrim had, but he was a smart guy, good leader, knew the offense well. The official 1986 Football Roster for the North Dakota State Bison . Mike got better and better at learning the calls and playing against higher competition. Murray Rocky came over to take over the defense. I was piled on, I remember my back crank and Im thinking I could barely move because there were a couple guys on me, but I heard a cheer. I cant remember what station, and then I remember someone calling me from the radio station and they asked me what I thought. Murray There certainly were references made during the motivational conversations about what had happened (earlier in the year), but the priority was never lets beat them because they beat us earlier. We certainly felt rejuvenated and we also knew we had a chance at redemption. Individual Career Records Individual Career Records : RUSHING. March 25, 1985 Don Morton Abruptly Takes Job At Tulsa. It was like, Crap, we had a chance, but it is what it is. Then, we got new life. The nice thing was we knew what they were running and I think it was just a reverse option, and Murr (Murray) just got in there and their quarterback was carrying it around like a loaf of bread. It was at the end of the year that people were thinking that they might be in trouble if things didnt start happening here. The 1985 North Dakota State football team represented North Dakota State University during the 1985 NCAA Division II football season, and completed the 89th season of Bison football. Anthony Chiusano is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and has been with Turner Sports since 2016. The official 1986 Football Roster for the North Dakota State Bison. [2], Senior quarterback Jeff Bentrim was awarded the inaugural Harlon Hill Trophy, which honors the best football player in Division II, at the end of the season. Men's Sports. The 1988 team came off a 6-4 record from the previous season. Its just great the referees didnt blow a whistle. I think all the expectations were that the Bison were going to go down there and knock them off their perch. Murray I was blessed enough to knock the ball loose and Todd DeBates recovered it, which I think, if they wouldve scored there, we wouldve been down 14-0. We went in and got a call from the coach and he said, Get back, we have a game. It was incredible from the lows. It was an unbelievable football play. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NCAA or its member institutions. Visit ESPN to view the North Dakota State Bison team roster for the current season It looked like he was going to be down, hes parallel to the ground and has the ball, he flipped it out somehow. [1] The 1983 team was led by coach Don Morton. "One thing we talk about all the time is leaving a legacy,"Klieman said after the game, according to the AP. Hendricks also had eight tackles and a 20-yard touchdown run on a fake field goal in the first half. Then a few minutes later, I think it was Rocky who called me at my buddies place (laughed), and he said, You better get your ass up here., Tracy I came home that week before the Saturday deer-hunting opener. 08-01-2007, 11:53 PM. The Bison played their home games at Dacotah Field in Fargo, North Dakota. You watch it live and youre almost amazed that the ref didnt blow it dead. David Samson / The Forum FARGO - North Dakota State's football team has enjoyed a stretch . Bentrim I was in my apartment at F court in the University Village and I was watching Jim Adelson, the old sportscaster, and he just said, We have unbelievably great news. Typically, if theyre eliminating that then Benny should be able to get outside, but they were making sure the edge was contained too. We have to consistently get positive yards play after play and when theyre able to have a play where we get negative or zero yardage, it really puts us in a bad situation. Stark I was just thinking, its frickin Benny making a play again. Punts 3-36.7 1-32.0 *Won at least a share of conference championship. He only attempted 10 passes (6-of-10) as the Bison racked up 281 yards on the ground. The true NDSU Bison Nation knows the name of it is The Block That Led to the Pitch. I know how you guys like to keep things short. If that wouldve happened under Morton, Morton wouldve probably chewed us out and been very emotional and very on point about execution and fundamentals. The Bison have the most regular season and playoff wins among FCS teams since 2010. The Bison defeated the North Alabama Lions 357 in the National Championship Game en route to the program's second NCAA Division II Football Championship.[2]. Three of No. Jeff Bentrim I do remember that there were rumors after the season that he was getting interests from other schools and that he was interested in another job. 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Think we were excited to get another chance, another opportunity going out recruiting got a call from the title!, Paul Nielsen, was the all-American nose guard for us because at the top of the page across the! The time, it just didnt do anything for us NCC ( North Central Conference ), it been.