Bison football springs into next season
It is a little higher than 40 degrees, but the wind makes it feel like 20.
Spring football, though, is on at NDSU.
A scuffle at Friday’s practice between two Bison lineman and a touch-down celebration during an intra-squad scrimmage were good indicators of the restlessness the players have endured all winter, trapped inside the Bison Sports Arena for workouts.
The Bison return 40 letter-winners, including seven starters on offense, five on defense and three specialty performers for the upcoming season.
The hype around the spring session is certainly evident and is undoubtedly due to the anticipation for the upcoming University of Minnesota game.
“ That is a big thing,” wide receiver Travis White, a Cedar, Minn., native said about the Gopher game. “When coach told us, it took everything for me not to stand up and yell. Me being from Minnesota, it makes it that much sweeter.”
Originally, the Bison signed a contract to play the Gophers in the 2007 season, but when NDSU was unable to land another home game for Oct. 21 and Minnesota was also short a game, it was inevitable.
“ What we wanted to do was get six home games,” head coach Craig Bohl said. “When we weren’t able to do that, (playing the Gophers) was the next best thing.”
By signing a contract to play Minnesota, NDSU will be guaranteed $300,000 and a raise for the 2007 game from $275,000 to $300,000.
The Gopher game highlights NDSU’s 11-game schedule, but it isn’t the only thing on players’ minds. In addition to Minnesota, the Bison will play another Division I-A school, Ball State, Sept. 23 in Muncie, Ind.
Throw in a full Great West Football Conference schedule and a six road games in seven weeks and the Bison could have one of the toughest schedules in school history.
“ We have 10 other games besides Minnesota,” Bohl said. “We are doing a lot of things that we do in the spring to get the team ready. It certainly is a competitive schedule, but just because we’re playing a Big Ten school isn’t the only reason we have to get our players ready.”
Just like any other spring season, several injury situations tend to mix things up a bit. The most glaring issue for the team is injured junior quarterback Steve Walker, who has started under center the last two seasons. Walker, who tore the anterior cruciate and medical collateral ligaments in his left knee in the final game last season, is sitting out the entire spring to rehabilitate.
This gaping hole in Bison offense has prompted a tight battle for the back-up position among freshmen Nick Mertens and Mitch Brecke and sophomore Ryan Parsons.
Brecke and Mertens sat out in the Bison’s redshirt program, while Parsons was the back-up to Walker last season. Appearing in six games in 2005, Parsons threw one touchdown and completed 6 of 16 passes for 73 yards. All three have strengths Bohl likes, but Parsons seems to be in the lead for the job.
“ It has been good competition, and we haven’t determined to where those guys are at yet,” Bohl said of the quarterback situation. “I think right now, Ryan is certainly ahead of those other two, but it won’t be until after the spring games that we will make our final decision.”
“ All three of us are learning a lot right now,” Mertens, who traveled with the team last season as the emergency quarterback, said. “The first two days were difficult, but I am starting to learn it more and more everyday.”
NDSU will wrap up its spring schedule with the Outback Steak House Green and Gold scrimmage April 22 at the Fargodome.