We’re going to preview the Division I Conferences based on the lesser-known players of all the Division I teams. Let’s have some fun and give some attention to the players you likely don’t know or talk about too much, unless something goes wrong or you say, "Hey, look at that number."

Basically, we’re going to give you each team’s (we hope their starting) Long Snapper, Punter and #69. Then we’ll give you their longest road trip of the season, last conference title, playoff appearance, and a simple Yes or No if they have a new Head Coach. I’m sure I’ll question my choice for doing season previews this way this year, but I’m limited on time due to a myriad of factors. I’ll keep dreaming of being able to do this full time. Maybe one day. If you know of any sponsors, please let us know.

***WARNING**** COMMITTEE MEMBERS WHO ARE FANS OF NORTH DAKOTA STATE AND SOUTH DAKOTA STATE COMPOSED THIS PREVIEW

Illinois State

• Where: Normal, Illinois

• Last Year's Record: 10-4 (6-2) 

• Longsnapper: Dylan Calabrese #49 (Western Michigan transfer), Bryce Waszczyk #96 a true freshman is also listed

• Punter: Ari Daniels #98 a freshman is the only one listed

• #69: Micah Barnhart, a Wyoming Cowboy transfer, also started 6 out of 9 games he played (nice)

• Longest Road Trip: @ Oklahoma, that has to be a fun opener, but they have a chance to do something incredibly funny. 

• Last Conference Title: 2015

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2024

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): No, Brock Spack has the best mustache in the entire FCS though

  

  What a stache

• Fun fact: Illinois State has 5 wins over FBS teams in its history. 

Indiana State (home of the Sickomores!)

• Where: Terre Haute, IN

• Last Year's Record: 4-8 (3-5)

• Longsnapper: #39 Joseph Sopiarz - Red Shirt Junior

• Punter: Harry Traum #46 (Aussie Aussie Aussie!) and Adam Mohamed #35 (a hometown kid)

• #69: NONE 

• Longest Road Trip: 1,709 miles @ Montana Grizzlies, September 20

• Last Conference Title: The 1964 team tied with Ball State (apparently they’re listed as a rival?), Butler, Evansville, Valparaiso for the Indiana Collegiate Conference Title. 

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2014 

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): No

Murray State (shoutout for making the College World Series)

• Where: Murray, KY

• Last Year's Record: 1-11 (0-8)

• Longsnapper: Caleb Matthews, transferred from Tulsa

• Punter: Tom O’Hara #81 (Aussie, Aussie!, Aussie!!) He ranked 2nd in the MVFC with 13 punts down inside the 20. Fourth Aussie specialist and joined from ProKick Australia

• #69: NONE 

• Longest Road Trip: 778 Miles to the Dakota Dome vs South Dakota

• Last Conference Title: 1996, back in the Ohio Valley Conference

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2002

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): No 

North Dakota

• Where: Grand Forks, ND

• Last Year's Record: 5-7 (2-6)

• Longsnapper: David Neuberger #96 (a 3 year starter) and Troy Phillips #48  

• Punter: Luke Silvernale #85

• #69: Jonah Reiling, of Lisbon, Iowa 

• Longest Road Trip: @ Murray State (16 and a half hours for conference game)

• Last Conference Title: 2016, back when they were in the Big Sky. 

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2023

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): Yes! Eric Schmidt comes from San Diego State as the Aztecs defensive coordinator. He is a Fighting Hawk through and through, as he was a part of their 2001 National Championship team

  

  The Alerus Center, home of the North Dakota Fighting Hawks

North Dakota State

• Where: Fargo, ND

• Last Year's Record: 14-2 (7-1 Conference), FCS National Champ

• Longsnapper: Caleb Bowers (first year for punts, second for PATs and FGs). 2024 honorable mention All Conference

• Punter: Aaron Bickerton (RJr) Howard Transfer (2024). Backup punter last season

• #69: Carter Dauner (Fr DE)

• Longest Road Trip: The Citadel - 1624 miles

• Last Conference Title: MVFC 2024

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2024

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): no (year 2)

Look out here comes some in-depth NSDU analysis. Commish warned you.

While NDSU notched yet another national championship last season, the 2024 Bison failed to rank in the top 50 for net punting. Somewhere Ben LeCompte weeps. QB1? RB1? TE1? Three starting OL? Eight of the top eleven tacklers? Out the door. The defense has always been a rotational effort with remarkable consistency so rebuilding an OL that ranked tied for 46th in sacks allowed last year will be a key effort to watch. The portal was surprisingly kind with only four players departing for FBS programs. (As an aside, Congrats to Texas Tech for picking up Cole Wisniewski. Thought out with injury in 2024, the man won virtually every individual award possible as a four year starter. He’s the football version of BowWow the chain chomp from Link’s Awakening. Cole would have made a difference in the Colorado game had he not been hurt).

It appears Tim Polasek stuck presumptive QB1 Cole Payton in a photocopier and filled the position room - only one of NDSU’s five quarterbacks measures under 6’3” 200+ lb. Do you like designed QB runs? Do you like six hundred eight thousand short slants to Bryce Lance? Do you like seven different running backs getting carries? Do you like a defense that picks from a box of hammers to hit you every snap? Do you like fritas from the Taco Shop on University Ave (it’s questionable The Youths™ understand this reference but the place has been there since my mom was at NDSU in 1969. They still serve the food on paper plates)? This is your team.

We will have a clear view on NDSU’s chances of returning to Frisco by November: in their first five conference games, they play four ranked teams (at #3 SDSU, vs #4 USD, at #7 Ill St, and vs #16 SIU). Another tough away game at U(sic)ND rounds out a certified gauntlet of a campaign. 

• Toughest Game: 10/25 @ South Dakota State University

• Most Sicko potential: 8/30 @ The Citadel (12pm EST / 11a CST kick); 10/18 @ Indiana State (1p EST / 12p CST kick)

• Roster Fun Facts: There are four players from Frisco on the roster. The pipeline is real!  

Northern Iowa

• Where: Cedar Falls, Iowa

• Last Year's Record: 3-9 (1-7)

• Longsnapper: Kyle Kopzynski, who is 6’7 290 at long snapper?! Gavin Averbeck #52 is also listed

• Punter: Rico Alvarenga, Blake Pankratz

• #69: Parker Thomas  

• Longest Road Trip: @ Utah Tech - 1,411 miles

• Last Conference Title: 2011

• Last Playoff Appearance:

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): Yes! Todd Stepsis comes from Drake University (where he was head coach AND offensive coordinator!)

South Dakota

• Where: Vermillion, SD (home of the DakotaDome, which actually looks more like a wastewater treatment plant)

• Last Year's Record: 11-3 (7-1)  

• Longsnapper: Duncan Viscum #41 

• Punter: Tyler Ebel #32 (a lefty punter!, won the Kevin Stemke award for best punter in the state of Wisconsin)

• #69: Carter Holmes, from Atkins, Iowa 

• Longest Road Trip: @ Lamar, just south of 16 hours, 1,083 miles

• Last Conference Title: 1938

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2024

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): Yes! In a medium level spicy turn of events, Bob Nielson unexpectedly retired leaving the keys to Travis Johansen, the former defensive coordinator. Looks like they are trying to take a page from the better South Dakota school. 

South Dakota State

• Where: Brookings, SD

• Last Year's Record:  12-3 (7-1)

• Longsnapper: Kaydon Olivia #37 (Texas State transfer)

• Punter: #40 Krayton Bergstrom, #81 Ryan Harrington, #99 Anthony Harrison (all are true freshman) 

• #69: Quninten Christensen (from Wessington Springs, South Dakota population 771)

• Longest Road Trip: @ Youngstown State, 10/4/2025. This is a conference game. Honorable mention to Big Sky Brigit’s Bobcats on September 6. Top 5 preseason matchup. 

• Last Conference Title: MVFC 2023 

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2024

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): Yes, Dan Jackson. He comes from the land of the Kibbie Dome, Vandy and our beloved Diego Pavia, but is a former Jackrabbit Assistant and player himself. 

Look out here comes some in-depth SDSU analysis not as long as the NDSU one though. Commish warned you.

South Dakota State goes into 2025 having undergone a massive turnover the program had never seen before for the program. Jimmy Rogers left for Washington State and took north of a bakers’ dozen with him, and Mark Gronowski went to the committee’s lovechild of Iowa, so the team looks immensely different from last year. The expectations are still high. Most Sicko games: Sacramento State comes to Brookings, and the interactions between Jackrabbit fans and the Sac State administration has been.. Interesting. Who knows what happens here. 

Southern Illinois

• Where: Carbondale, Illinois

• Last Year's Record: 4-8 (2-6)

• Longsnapper: Alex Broshears #55, Jace Clark #51, Ryan Algrim #48

• Punter: Elijah Gorman #92,  Paul Geelen #19 (from the Netherlands!)

• #69: Aidan Duerig 

• Longest Road Trip: @ North Dakota St

• Last Conference Title: 2009

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2023

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): No! Nick Hill is a former starting QB for the Salukis back in 2006-2007 who played for Jerry Kill.

Youngstown State

• Where: Youngstown, OH

• Last Year's Record: 4–8 (3–5 MVFC)

• Longsnapper: Byron Floyd #49

• Punter: Brendon Kilpatrick #40, Evan Anderson #37 (from Iowa City lol)

• #69: Nate Williams 

• Longest Road Trip: @ North Dakota St

• Last Conference Title: 2006

• Last Playoff Appearance: 2023

• New Head Coach (Yes/No): Doug Phillips is in his 6th season

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more previews!

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