Hager returns to battle the Bison
Former Bison football coach on other sideline for Saturdayís game
One of the most successful coaches in Bison history will make his return to Fargo on Saturday.
Rocky Hager may be unfamiliar with the visiting locker room, but he will certainly be no stranger to the F-M area when he brings his Northeastern Huskies to the Fargodome.
However, the game itself almost seems to be an afterthought.
Hager’s tenure at NDSU moves the spotlight squarely on the head coach.
He started his collegiate coaching career with the Bison back in 1979 when he was a graduate wide receiver’s assistant.
In 1985 and ‘86, Hager took over as defensive coordinator and was a large part in the Bison winning Division II national championships in both seasons.
Hager showed his coaching versatility in 1987, taking over as not only the head coach but also the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
By 1988, the offense was already a juggernaut, averaging 39.6 points per game and propelled the Bison to another national championship, going 14-0 that season.
The Bison equaled that record in 1990, bringing the total number of national championships for NDSU to eight with Hager playing a prominent role in four.
His remarkable tenure came to an end in 1997 when Hager was fired when he and former athletic director Bob Entzion disagreed over a clause in Hager’s contract.
Prior to the contract ordeal, there was a swirl of controversy around some of the coach’s disciplinary decisions regarding his players.
In his ten years as head coach, he compiled a 91-25-2 record, which makes him the winningest coach in Bison history.
If Hager is victorious on Saturday, it will be the 100th of his career.
All of that comes full circle with his return to Fargo, and Hager is doing everything he can to make this game business as usual.
“ It’ll be good to see old friends again but there’s a football game to be played and that is a profession I’ve chosen to be a part of,” Hager said. “I need to be able to allow our players and myself and our staff (the ability) to keep the focus on what we need to do to be successful on this Saturday evening.”
Hager is not the only person in this match-up who realizes the hype around the game and also not the only person looking to downplay the significance of the coaching duel.
“ Coach Hager and I are friends,” said Bison head coach Craig Bohl. “We discussed that and it (the game) is about the players.”
Bohl also acknowledged the reputation that Hager carries nationally and especially in the Fargo area.
Hager has not been a stranger to North Dakota since his departure as he said he still makes trips up to Lake Sakakawea to go walleye fishing.
Hager, when asked if he had any North Dakota left in him, showed the he still has plenty of Bison blood left in him.
“ You can take the kid out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the kid, although the kid is a 65-year-old man now so you probably better say you can’t take the country out of the old man,” Hager said.