I for one agree with most of your statements on the program. The school to the south also does a lot of hiring from within, deference is that they've been winning and have proven that it works for them. Here, not so much.
Bingo. One has to look no further than the 2023 commit list. Very few with offers other than D2 schools, just one or two with offers from other MVFC teams. I know offers aren't everything but it certainly has to make a difference if other FCS or even FBS teams are looking at these players.
Team has to go in and prove they belong. Every FCS power school has had to go on the road and prove themselves at some point. They had to start somewhere!
On the roster his hometown was listed as Moorhead. Don't know where the Minneapolis thing comes in? Maybe like you said prior, but I've never heard that before.