2026 UND Football Season Thread

[bubbaball69]

2 minutes ago, Parkers Pros said:

Yes and no. If he goes to an FCS school he is running from something, OC,  or he hears footsteps, Chuck and Colt and worries about snaps. Or he worries about the beating he gets in the Missouri Valley.I am pretty confident in who we have in the running back room if SS leaves. He’s a third down scat back for an FBS team unless he puts on 15 pounds of muscle over the summer. He’s a tremendous talent and would be a big loss. But this is the type of thing we need to be ready for a year after year.
 

We need to keep Rucker and the defensive line depth. Devereux is huge with Malachi  leaving. Would be nice to get one experienced field, flipping type of receiver, from the portal. 

SS has already said he intends to portal.

[tnt]

17 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Won’t say what my sources say

To NDSU like Starcevic I suppose. 

[tnt]

26 minutes ago, gfhockey said:

Won’t say what my sources say

My sources are telling me what to think of your source.

[Sioux94]

2 hours ago, Parkers Pros said:

Yes and no. If he goes to an FCS school he is running from something, OC,  or he hears footsteps, Chuck and Colt and worries about snaps. Or he worries about the beating he gets in the Missouri Valley.I am pretty confident in who we have in the running back room if SS leaves. He’s a third down scat back for an FBS team unless he puts on 15 pounds of muscle over the summer. He’s a tremendous talent and would be a big loss. But this is the type of thing we need to be ready for a year after year.
 

We need to keep Rucker and the defensive line depth. Devereux is huge with Malachi  leaving. Would be nice to get one experienced field, flipping type of receiver, from the portal. 

Wasn't there some grumbling of SS not being happy about something right before the season even started?  I remember posting back around August....something along the lines that I think SS should start over Z as he is the most talented back we've got, and ride him as much as we feel we need to because he's probably gone after this year. 

I would agree that I can't see him being a starting RB at an FCS school because of his size. Although for his size he really ran tough,  definitely a talented kid. Definitely will be a huge kick in the ass if he goes to any of the Dakota or Montana schools.

[UND1983]

$$$

[Sioux90]

On 12/6/2025 at 9:58 PM, UND69er said:

7 Gophers entering portal already. Any Help??

No

[The Sicatoka]

Can Sulik and Higgins push Kaminski? 

We need an experienced back; need depth there. 

And corners ... 

[forksandspoons]

My hope for the portal:

2 CBs

1 safety 

1 nickel 

1 LB

1 edge 

1 RB 

 

Maybe:

1 WR 

1 QB 

1 DT

 

[F'n Hawks]

Just now, forksandspoons said:

My hope for the portal:

2 CBs

1 safety 

1 nickel 

1 LB

1 edge 

1 RB 

 

Maybe:

1 WR 

1 QB 

1 DT

 

I would remove WR from maybe. We need a playmaker in that room. You could tell by the end of the year how little defenses respected their ability to create separation and get open.

[UND-FB-FAN]

37 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Can Sulik and Higgins push Kaminski? 

We need an experienced back; need depth there. 

And corners ... 

 

32 minutes ago, forksandspoons said:

My hope for the portal:

2 CBs

1 safety 

1 nickel 

1 LB

1 edge 

1 RB 

 

Maybe:

1 WR 

1 QB 

1 DT

 

 

30 minutes ago, F'n Hawks said:

I would remove WR from maybe. We need a playmaker in that room. You could tell by the end of the year how little defenses respected their ability to create separation and get open.

Based on how this season went, any and all competent quarterbacks and wide receivers in the portal should be strongly entertained.

Y’all contribute to NIL funds (701 awards, 1883 sports) now ya here, let’s get these boys here to Grand Forks to check out the new facilities and get them signed.

[bubbaball69]

2 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

 

 

Based on how this season went, any and all competent quarterbacks and wide receivers in the portal should be strongly entertained.

Y’all contribute to NIL funds (701 awards, 1883 sports) now ya here, let’s get these boys here to Grand Forks to check out the new facilities and get them signed.

 

35 minutes ago, forksandspoons said:

My hope for the portal:

2 CBs

1 safety 

1 nickel 

1 LB

1 edge 

1 RB 

 

Maybe:

1 WR 

1 QB 

1 DT

 

 

41 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Can Sulik and Higgins push Kaminski? 

We need an experienced back; need depth there. 

And corners ... 

Im interested in the Brooks Hendrickson  the 3 star qb we just signed on national signing day. If they think hes the real deal might have a chance to compete. He is enrolling early so he will be able to play spring practice/game. I believe they will be at least making calls on qbs in the portal to see if we can get anyone to bite.

[UNDBIZ]

16 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

 

 

Based on how this season went, any and all competent quarterbacks and wide receivers in the portal should be strongly entertained.

Y’all contribute to NIL funds (701 awards, 1883 sports) now ya here, let’s get these boys here to Grand Forks to check out the new facilities and get them signed.

My personal preference for NIL is that it be used to keep/reward players currently on the team who have earned it rather than taking flyers on guys in the portal who are unproven in our system.

[siouxfan512]

Overall, I was really happy with Jerry this season. He put us in a position we were not expecting after everything that happened in the offseason. That being said, he clearly regressed as the year went on. Could be injury, could be burnout, could be something else. I'm sure he will come back strong next season and hopefully with some better tools. Appreciate all of the effort Dennis gave us over the years, but I'm looking forward to seeing what some of these incoming receivers from FL and TX can do ... more Hromadka and hopefully a strong stable of RB despite SS leaving. All that being said, if Hendrickson or a transfer can come in and push for the job .... then great. Competition is the key to success, and I want whoever will win.

Biggest offseason question for me is OC. Does Fruechte stay or go?

[UND-FB-FAN]

7 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

My personal preference for NIL is that it be used to keep/reward players currently on the team who have earned it rather than taking flyers on guys in the portal who are unproven in our system.

Disagree. Can’t have a strong stance like that. Need to be open-minded if gonna win championships. Best players play and need support regardless of where they come from and how they get here.

[UND-FB-FAN]

5 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

He put us in a position we were not expecting after everything that happened in the offseason.

Speak for yourself. Let’s raise the expectations a bit shall we?

[UND-FB-FAN]

6 minutes ago, siouxfan512 said:

Biggest offseason question for me is OC. Does Fruechte stay or go?

Agree with this completely 

[UNDBIZ]

2 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Disagree. Can’t have a strong stance like that. Need to be open-minded if gonna win championships. Best players play and need support regardless of where they come from and how they get here.

They thought JTJ was the best player and burned $100k on him.  Funding is limited, spend it wisely.

[sioux24/7]

Just now, UNDBIZ said:

They thought JTJ was the best player and burned $100k on him.  Funding is limited, spend it wisely.

Now it’s $100k?

[UND-FB-FAN]

@UNDBIZ

You may need to expand on your stance. 

You don’t think using NIL in recruiting new student-athletes is relevant currently in college football? Or something UND should do?

Adopting that approach would put UND at a major competitive disadvantage. 

But don’t get me wrong, need to support the current student-athletes also, but it should not be limited to just that group if there’s an opportunity to do something different (i.e., give to a transfer) to help the program. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

2 minutes ago, UNDBIZ said:

They thought JTJ was the best player and burned $100k on him.  Funding is limited, spend it wisely.

Hindsight is always 20/20, Nostradamus. 

[UND-FB-FAN]

1 minute ago, sioux24/7 said:

Now it’s $100k?

Ha ha ha

the plot thickens, and the fish in the fish story always grows 

[siouxfan512]

3 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Speak for yourself. Let’s raise the expectations a bit shall we?

You expected Schmidt to compete the way we did this year? I thought we did a fantastic job overall FOR THE FIRST YEAR UNDER A NEW COACH. To be clear, I expect a sizeable step each year under Schmidt, but we took a great step from last year and Jerry was a part of that. That being said, I would also expect a full season out of the kid, but we don't know if there were other factors that led to the decline in place we saw. 

Compare this season as it played out to what would have happened if Bubba was coaching. Jerry may not have even played, and we would have had Simon going. We don't compete in Manhattan or Montana. We certainly don't win as many games on the road. Our defense doesn't getter better. We don't hold the Bison to 15 and compete there. Can't fix it all with the snap of the fingers. There is a process, and Schmidt was also working with plenty of what was already here, then filled in with some of his own guys... It SHOULD only get better.

My expectations are plenty high for this team and program. But I'm also going to be realistic with a timeline for improvement when competing in the Valley. Jerry was a stud early in the year ... if he can't get back to that then you move on, but I'm hopefully he returns to form and don't see any reason to think he won't (at this point).

[Long Snapper 92]

33 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Speak for yourself. Let’s raise the expectations a bit shall we?

How much is Schmidt paying you?

[UND92,96]

I think it would be fine to bring in a quarterback to compete with Jerry, but I feel like the odds of a new OC/QB coach fixing whatever was wrong with him in the second half of the season are much higher than finding a clearly better quarterback in the portal. I fully expect that Jerry will be the starter, and Sulik the likely backup.

I did a little checking on transfer quarterbacks UND has brought in over the years. The rosters on the UND athletics only go back to 2003, but since that time I counted nine QB transfers. Braden Hanson obviously worked out in the one season he was here. Nate Ketteringham had his moments. The rest played either sparingly, or not at all, and generally only lasted a season or two on the roster before transferring out. 

 

[UNDBIZ]

43 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Hindsight is always 20/20, Nostradamus. 

Which is why my preference is to spend on guys we know.