Badlands Bowl - NDSU/UND- MSU/UM Football Recruits

[Kabooom]

http://missoulian.com/sports/college/montana/football/cats-and-griz-recruits-fortify-badlands-bowl-roster-but-where/article_3102a90a-c3c6-11e2-bde8-0019bb2963f4.html


Interesting...

I think if UM/MSU had those type of similar percentages of in state athletes as UND/NDSU, the fan base and donor support here in Montana would dwindle.....at both schools.

Both Fargo, and Grand Forks, being on the Red river are basically right in the middle of ND/MN, so maybe in that geographical fashion, there's maybe more of a fan base over the state line into MN and WISC, whereas out West, I think were a little more on an island as a state...in that regard.

q...Have the in-state percentages always been this low for NoDak kids , or as I suspect, have slipped to these figures over time??

I would guess that at some point several years ago the Dakotas and MT's had mostly in state kids...

[MplsBison]

Simple fact is that Montana has more kids ages 15-18 that are participating in high school football than North Dakota does.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was 2 to 1.


Also why Montana typically beats ND every year. It's not really a fair contest. I'd personally like to see the game switched to ND vs. SD. Montana could play a game with Idaho.

[IBleedYellow]

I feel that we go for kids from Minnesota so much more because the amount of talent that is out at those levels isn't that much better, just the fact there are more people and with greater numbers we have been able to grab some talent that might not be as easy to get off there were less kids. That and I'm not sure how great the North Dakota high school football is doing anymore. I've been hearing about less and less kids trying out for prep sports.

Nexus 4

[dakotadan]

UND and NDSU are both literally only blocks from the NoDak - Minnesota boarder. Minnesota only has the Gophers and a bunch of D2 and lower schools that play football, no FCS. And Wisconsin only has the Badgers and a bunch of D3/NAIA schools that play football, no FCS or D2 football. So both states have always been HUGE recruiting grounds for the Dakota schools. USD and SDSU are also very close to the boarder, so all 4 schools not only heavily recruit athletes from these states, but have high percentages of the regular student body from Minnesota and to a lesser extent Wisconsin.

[Vitojr130]

http://missoulian.com/sports/college/montana/football/cats-and-griz-recruits-fortify-badlands-bowl-roster-but-where/article_3102a90a-c3c6-11e2-bde8-0019bb2963f4.html


Interesting...

I think if UM/MSU had those type of similar percentages of in state athletes as UND/NDSU, the fan base and donor support here in Montana would dwindle.....at both schools.

Both Fargo, and Grand Forks, being on the Red river are basically right in the middle of ND/MN, so maybe in that geographical fashion, there's maybe more of a fan base over the state line into MN and WISC, whereas out West, I think were a little more on an island as a state...in that regard.

q...Have the in-state percentages always been this low for NoDak kids , or as I suspect, have slipped to these figures over time??

I would guess that at some point several years ago the Dakotas and MT's had mostly in state kids...

The only reason I'm even paying attention to this years Badlands Bowl is because I know 1/3rd of the UND/NDSU recruits playing in it very well (he is a close friends cousin and lived with him during my high school days). Unfortunately, he chose to be a Whouix instead of a Bison.

Anyway, I don't think the Badlands Bowl is even that big of a deal east of Bismarck. It's never really hyped up out here. Also, I think the fact that NDSU recruits MN really heavy has a large factor in it.

[JSUBison]

Simple fact is that Montana has more kids ages 15-18 that are participating in high school football than North Dakota does.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was 2 to 1.


Also why Montana typically beats ND every year. It's not really a fair contest. I'd personally like to see the game switched to ND vs. SD. Montana could play a game with Idaho.

Can't argue with results. Montana always seems to take ND to the woodshed in the Badlands Bowl. Montana leads series 14-5, and it's pretty one sided if you look at the scores. I don't know how the Missoulian missed the angle that Montana has better athletes, and more DI athletes. What should UND/NDSU do, recruit the undersized and less talented instate NAIA and DII athletes to make for a happier more feel good story? It's also somewhat insulting to UM/MSU fans in saying that if they don't have large numbers of instate kids the fans and boosters would find it unacceptable. I would think that UM/MSU fans would want the best student athletes on their team, whether they are from Montana or Kentucky, who cares? The article missed out, it could have also went into how well UM/MSU and UND/NDSU seals the borders in DI football recruits. I'm guessing both states do pretty well in keeping local talent in state. I also would have liked to see the recruit numbers from lets say the last five years instead of taking one year and using it as the whole basis of the story. Kabooom you honestly would approve of Montana offering a instate kid that is less talented, less physical, less everything than an out of state kid just because he's local?

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Can't argue with results. Montana always seems to take ND to the woodshed in the Badlands Bowl. Montana leads series 14-5, and it's pretty one sided if you look at the scores. I don't know how the Missoulian missed the angle that Montana has better athletes, and more DI athletes. What should UND/NDSU do, recruit the undersized and less talented instate NAIA and DII athletes to make for a happier more feel good story? It's also somewhat insulting to UM/MSU fans in saying that if they don't have large numbers of instate kids the fans and boosters would find it unacceptable. I would think that UM/MSU fans would want the best student athletes on their team, whether they are from Montana or Kentucky, who cares? The article missed out, it could have also went into how well UM/MSU and UND/NDSU seals the borders in DI football recruits. I'm guessing both states do pretty well in keeping local talent in state. I also would have liked to see the recruit numbers from lets say the last five years instead of taking one year and using it as the whole basis of the story. Kabooom you honestly would approve of Montana offering a instate kid that is less talented, less physical, less everything than an out of state kid just because he's local?

They have to find something to feel good about. Why not just a smug sense of self importance?

[MplsBison]

Can't argue with results. Montana always seems to take ND to the woodshed in the Badlands Bowl. Montana leads series 14-5, and it's pretty one sided if you look at the scores. I don't know how the Missoulian missed the angle that Montana has better athletes, and more DI athletes. What should UND/NDSU do, recruit the undersized and less talented instate NAIA and DII athletes to make for a happier more feel good story? It's also somewhat insulting to UM/MSU fans in saying that if they don't have large numbers of instate kids the fans and boosters would find it unacceptable. I would think that UM/MSU fans would want the best student athletes on their team, whether they are from Montana or Kentucky, who cares? The article missed out, it could have also went into how well UM/MSU and UND/NDSU seals the borders in DI football recruits. I'm guessing both states do pretty well in keeping local talent in state. I also would have liked to see the recruit numbers from lets say the last five years instead of taking one year and using it as the whole basis of the story. Kabooom you honestly would approve of Montana offering a instate kid that is less talented, less physical, less everything than an out of state kid just because he's local?

Totally understand your argument and it's not wrong at all.

But on the other hand...I also feel it's correct to say that there's something to be said for having not grown up in Montana or North Dakota for that matter, or places "closer" to them than say...California, Arizona, Texas, Florida.

In my opinion...you import kids from those states and you're literally taking fish out of water. Sometimes it all works out fine...sometimes...not.


NDSU is lucky in having goldmines like MN and WI and the fact that the big school in those states doesn't want their own in-state talent, for the most part.

Kill is obviously better than Brewster and probably about like Mason, as far as Minnesota goes. But there's always going to be that sense that it's a "Big Ten" school, they have to recruit 4 and 5 star kids nationally, can only take the cream of the crop for in-state kids, etc. from the big boosters, administration, alumni.

[Bison Fan in NW MN]

Not every good MN kid can go play for the Gophers. USD/SDSU/UND/NDSU are always going to get very good recruits from MN. Many of them could play for the U of M.

[sdgriz24]

LoL at the missoulian. Lee enterprises is garbage

[Ginsbach]

Anyway, I don't think the Badlands Bowl is even that big of a deal east of Bismarck. It's never really hyped up out here. Also, I think the fact that NDSU recruits MN really heavy has a large factor in it.

This. I grew up in Hankinson, which is pretty much as far southeast as you can get in North Dakota, and no one really cared about the Badlands Bowl. The Shrine Game was always more important.

[uofmman1122]

Can't argue with results. Montana always seems to take ND to the woodshed in the Badlands Bowl. Montana leads series 14-5, and it's pretty one sided if you look at the scores. I don't know how the Missoulian missed the angle that Montana has better athletes, and more DI athletes. What should UND/NDSU do, recruit the undersized and less talented instate NAIA and DII athletes to make for a happier more feel good story? It's also somewhat insulting to UM/MSU fans in saying that if they don't have large numbers of instate kids the fans and boosters would find it unacceptable. I would think that UM/MSU fans would want the best student athletes on their team, whether they are from Montana or Kentucky, who cares? The article missed out, it could have also went into how well UM/MSU and UND/NDSU seals the borders in DI football recruits. I'm guessing both states do pretty well in keeping local talent in state. I also would have liked to see the recruit numbers from lets say the last five years instead of taking one year and using it as the whole basis of the story. Kabooom you honestly would approve of Montana offering a instate kid that is less talented, less physical, less everything than an out of state kid just because he's local?
That mindset is something I'll never understand.

We're a division 1 football team.

Take the best kids. Period.

Even if it means the roster is only 20% Montana kids.

[AmsterBison]

I think that the main reason for lack of NDSU recruits on the Badlands Bowl roster is that the talent and skill is lower in North Dakota high schools than in Montana. Coach Bohl's staff does a great good job of evaluating in-state talent, and the guys they sign can flat-out play, but there just aren't that many of them.

As for donations dwindling, I'm pretty sure that NDSU's recruiting philosophy has not changed much at all in the last 50 years; 80-90% of the team has always come from the Upper Plains. Now, if half our roster was from states with ocean views, like Montana's, then people might get crabby, but North Dakotans aren't going to look at people from South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and other Plains/Midwest states as some sort of pernicious influence. Even the student bodies are different. NDSU has a lot more out-of-state students than Montana or Montana State. From what I could find, Montana's student body is about 73% Montanan. Contrast that to NDSU, where the majority of the student body comes from out of state (58% of the incoming 2011 freshman class came from Minnesota alone.)

[NoDak 4 Ever]

I think that the main reason for lack of NDSU recruits on the Badlands Bowl roster is that the talent and skill is lower in North Dakota high schools than in Montana. Coach Bohl's staff does a great good job of evaluating in-state talent, and the guys they sign can flat-out play, but there just aren't that many of them.

As for donations dwindling, I'm pretty sure that NDSU's recruiting philosophy has not changed much at all in the last 50 years; 80-90% of the team has always come from the Upper Plains. Now, if half our roster was from states with ocean views, like Montana's, then people might get crabby, but North Dakotans aren't going to look at people from South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and other Plains/Midwest states as some sort of pernicious influence. Even the student bodies are different. NDSU has a lot more out-of-state students than Montana or Montana State. From what I could find, Montana's student body is about 73% Montanan. Contrast that to NDSU, where the majority of the student body comes from out of state (58% of the incoming 2011 freshman class came from Minnesota alone.)

Hell, 2 years ago we LOVED 2 guys from Texas!

I think our ability to adopt Brock Jensen who is an unabashed Packer Fan from Eastern Wisconsin, should tell you all you need to know about how accepting Bison fans are.

[bisonguy]

Can't believe I am gong to use the phrase here, buthockey takes up a lot of the athletic talent in ND. It was nearly impossible to participate in both hockey and football, unlike some that would participate in football and basketball/track/wrestling/baseball.

[tourguide]

This. I grew up in Hankinson, which is pretty much as far southeast as you can get in North Dakota, and no one really cared about the Badlands Bowl. The Shrine Game was always more important.

double ditto. shrine bowl is the all star game eastsiders care about.

in my following of NDSU recruiting i can tell you its hard to find nodak or sodak kids with highlight tapes on the internet. meanwhile in Wisconsin it appears the best kid on every team has a hudl video. Sure that doesn't make one kid better than the other. What it says to me is his coach is giving him every opportunity to play the next level. im hoping with the success of both ndsu and sdsu that the in state talent and coaching improves

[tourguide]

also i should add Preston Lehman is going to NDSU to wrestle and it wouldnt surprise me if a few will walk on.

[Kabooom]

I think that the main reason for lack of NDSU recruits on the Badlands Bowl roster is that the talent and skill is lower in North Dakota high schools than in Montana. Coach Bohl's staff does a great good job of evaluating in-state talent, and the guys they sign can flat-out play, but there just aren't that many of them.

As for donations dwindling, I'm pretty sure that NDSU's recruiting philosophy has not changed much at all in the last 50 years; 80-90% of the team has always come from the Upper Plains. Now, if half our roster was from states with ocean views, like Montana's, then people might get crabby, but North Dakotans aren't going to look at people from South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and other Plains/Midwest states as some sort of pernicious influence. Even the student bodies are different. NDSU has a lot more out-of-state students than Montana or Montana State. From what I could find, Montana's student body is about 73% Montanan. Contrast that to NDSU, where the majority of the student body comes from out of state (58% of the incoming 2011 freshman class came from Minnesota alone.)

Spot on. Sometimes when you bring in a New Caddie up from Cali....and it's peers here in Montana are Non-Nancy ...-worked over 15 year old 4-wheel drive Pickups...you gotta a problem...

[NoDak 4 Ever]

I think that the main reason for lack of NDSU recruits on the Badlands Bowl roster is that the talent and skill is lower in North Dakota high schools than in Montana. Coach Bohl's staff does a great good job of evaluating in-state talent, and the guys they sign can flat-out play, but there just aren't that many of them.

As for donations dwindling, I'm pretty sure that NDSU's recruiting philosophy has not changed much at all in the last 50 years; 80-90% of the team has always come from the Upper Plains. Now, if half our roster was from states with ocean views, like Montana's, then people might get crabby, but North Dakotans aren't going to look at people from South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and other Plains/Midwest states as some sort of pernicious influence. Even the student bodies are different. NDSU has a lot more out-of-state students than Montana or Montana State. From what I could find, Montana's student body is about 73% Montanan. Contrast that to NDSU, where the majority of the student body comes from out of state (58% of the incoming 2011 freshman class came from Minnesota alone.)

That has a lot to do with being a border city. Missoula is in the middle of nowhere and hundreds of miles from the middle of anywhere. If you live in Montana, chances are UM is the closest decent sized school to where you are.

[Kabooom]

Simple fact is that Montana has more kids ages 15-18 that are participating in high school football than North Dakota does.

Wouldn't surprise me if it was 2 to 1.


Also why Montana typically beats ND every year. It's not really a fair contest. I'd personally like to see the game switched to ND vs. SD. Montana could play a game with Idaho.

Mpls....Yes..playing Idaho would even out the competition since they only have 600,000 more people as a state than we do.....xlolx..so yeah we'd probably only beat them by about 2 touchdowns...right?xeyebrowx

[MplsBison]

Mpls....Yes..playing Idaho would even out the competition since they only have 600,000 more people as a state than we do.....xlolx..so yeah we'd probably only beat them by about 2 touchdowns...right?xeyebrowx

Not ND's problem.

ND has about 700k, SD 833k and MT about 1 million. The correct choice for ND is clear: play SD in an all-star game, not MT.

[bisonnation]

3-4 is pretty typical. Most of our in state kids pan out.

Ndsu recruits most of their players from Minnesota with a heavy presence in Wisconsin. They also snag players from South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and occasionally they go to warm weather climates like Florida and Arizona. You have to remember Fargo sits on the border of Minnesota and its actually closer to Minneapolis than some parts of western North Dakota.

Also we signed Chase Morlock who is from Moorhead MN, right across the river.

The North Dakota high school football programs are not as good as Montana. Less kids.

[darell1976]

From 2012 roster and 2013 recruits UND has 15 kids from ND. A lot from MN, WI, CA, and IL. The Badlands Bowl is surely not a big deal on this part of the state, its not advertised and I think I only notice a box score in the paper.

[Vitojr130]

From 2012 roster and 2013 recruits UND has 15 kids from ND. A lot from MN, WI, CA, and IL. The Badlands Bowl is surely not a big deal on this part of the state, its not advertised and I think I only notice a box score in the paper.

^This. East of Bismarck, no one cares, and that is just where both colleges happen to be located. Also, when I was in high school (at a medium-sized high school in MN [graduated with 150 kids]), we would always go out to the football camp that Valley City State puts on. Our JV squad, and varsity for that matter, never lost a single game over my 4 years of high school at this camp. The only other teams were from North Dakota. I remember we played Wahpeton and they were the returning state champs. Our JV roster beat them something along the lines of 44-7. The only team that even strained us was Fargo North. I just don't think the push for football is as strong in North Dakota as in the surrounding states, and even if it was, schools don't put out nearly enough athletes to be able to compete.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I haven't read the article yet but what is all the "no one cares about the game" thing about? Is the article about attendance at the game? I know the MT shrine game gets much more attention here as I assume it does in ND. I still think this is a pretty cool game for the players to be involved and selected for.

[MarkyMark]

^This. East of Bismarck, no one cares, and that is just where both colleges happen to be located. Also, when I was in high school (at a medium-sized high school in MN [graduated with 150 kids]), we would always go out to the football camp that Valley City State puts on. Our JV squad, and varsity for that matter, never lost a single game over my 4 years of high school at this camp. The only other teams were from North Dakota. I remember we played Wahpeton and they were the returning state champs. Our JV roster beat them something along the lines of 44-7. The only team that even strained us was Fargo North. I just don't think the push for football is as strong in North Dakota as in the surrounding states, and even if it was, schools don't put out nearly enough athletes to be able to compete.

Wahpeton had a state football championship team?? I am guessing Wahp. was playing Class B 11 man at that time.

[THE HERD]

Bottom line is its strictly a numbers game.....Montana has many more kids to choose from, thus they we will generally field a better squad. Although I think ND should be doing better than they are....whats the record? something like MT 14 ND 5 wins.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Ok, went and read it. Still don't get the "nobody cares easy of..." whatever thing. What that has to do with anything as far as UND or NDSU recruits I do not see.

The point of the article is pretty shaky and seems ill informed though for sure. Montana fans would go ape **** if there were not a significant amount of Montana kids on the roster...trust me that part is correct. I assume the same thing with MSU.

With ND teams being located near the furthest east border of the state though I can't see how this would correlate to UND or NDSU though. I bet the majority of kids they go after are within a similar radius of those schools and the fact that an arbittrary state line is in place from the 1800's doesn't really make any difference. I haven't looked at the roster for NDSU but do any of you guys know about the average distance fro Fargo the recruits are? I don't even know how that would matter but I bet it's similar to MT or MSU is all I'm getting at.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Bottom line is its strictly a numbers game.....Montana has many more kids to choose from, thus they we will generally field a better squad. Although I think ND should be doing better than they are....whats the record? something like MT 14 ND 5 wins.

I think you're correct and I don't think the record really says anything other than that but I don't know the actual #'s of AA, A, B, etc. high schools sending kids to the game from each state. The population #'s would seem to predict more like a 12-7 record but that's real rudimentary stuff anyway. Just an all star game for the kids on their way out.

[Hammerhead]

It would be interesting to see how many players from Montana, N.D. or S.D. go outside of their home state to play FCS or FBS football. I haven't followed high school sports for a long time, but there were a couple of students a few years behind me at Fargo South that had solid careers at Minnesota back when NDSU was in D-II.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

It would be interesting to see how many players from Montana, N.D. or S.D. go outside of their home state to play FCS or FBS football. I haven't followed high school sports for a long time, but there were a couple of students a few years behind me at Fargo South that had solid careers at Minnesota back when NDSU was in D-II.

Montana loses a few to Boise, Wyoming, Oregon State, AZ State, etc. once in a while so I'd bet that is fairly simialre as well. MT players seem to go West for the most part and ND players going east seems fairly logical for the same reasons as the former discussion as to where the players come from. The recruiting circumference is likely to be in the kids general area....unless they are considered a real special player out of high school.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

It would be interesting to see how many players from Montana, N.D. or S.D. go outside of their home state to play FCS or FBS football. I haven't followed high school sports for a long time, but there were a couple of students a few years behind me at Fargo South that had solid careers at Minnesota back when NDSU was in D-II.

I was thinking that myself. When I went to South we had Fredenburg and Conzemius go the U of M and Chris Berg went to Stanford but transferred to UNI and Brock Satter ran track at Wisconsin. It seemed out of all of the elite athletes, the only one I can remember actually going to NDSU was Tony Satter.

[Bison06]

^This. East of Bismarck, no one cares, and that is just where both colleges happen to be located. Also, when I was in high school (at a medium-sized high school in MN [graduated with 150 kids]), we would always go out to the football camp that Valley City State puts on. Our JV squad, and varsity for that matter, never lost a single game over my 4 years of high school at this camp. The only other teams were from North Dakota. I remember we played Wahpeton and they were the returning state champs. Our JV roster beat them something along the lines of 44-7. The only team that even strained us was Fargo North. I just don't think the push for football is as strong in North Dakota as in the surrounding states, and even if it was, schools don't put out nearly enough athletes to be able to compete.

You must have played Wahpeton in 1972 because that was the last time they won the state championship.

[Bisonator]

That article was biased towards the MT schools and kids, obviously it would be from a MT paper. NDSU has always had 2-4 recruits and about the same # of walkons from ND even going back to the early 80's. It's simply a #'s game, ND's population simply isn't going to turn out more players then MT's. Obviously some years are better then others.

[MplsBison]

It would be interesting to see how many players from Montana, N.D. or S.D. go outside of their home state to play FCS or FBS football. I haven't followed high school sports for a long time, but there were a couple of students a few years behind me at Fargo South that had solid careers at Minnesota back when NDSU was in D-II.

I'm sure there are plenty more examples, but off the very tip top of my head I can only think of Greg Eslinger from Bismarck who had a great career as a Center at Minnesota (then not much in the NFL) and then Chad Greenway from Mt. Vernon, SD who played at Iowa and has had a fantastic NFL career with the Minnesota Vikings.

Like I said, there are probably more examples (I would think moreso from SD than ND).

[CrazyCat]

The story originated from Greg Rachac on the Cat Griz Insider(a billings based newspaper BTW). IMO, he was trying to stir up debate about the number of MT kids on MSU and UM's roster and what the effects of having fewer would be. He didn't say it directly, but this has been a point of discussion within the move up debates.

I enjoy watching the Badlands Bowl along with the shrine game every year and know that the kids take a high level of pride being named to these rosters. I know it is a goal of my sons to play in them after his Sr. year and I would be proud if he did.

[MplsBison]

Does anyone have a handy fact sheet of at least the number of high school seniors participating on varsity football squads in the states of MT, ND and SD?

That might be interesting info. Again, I'd maintain that MT probably holds something like a 2-to-1 advantage over ND. You can't base it strictly off of state population. Way too many other demographic and socioeconomic factors to consider.

[Montanan]

don't know the NCAA's position on the following, with regard to student athletes, but,

a possible positive for ND schools heavily recruiting Minnesota is the existing Minnesota / North Dakota tuition reciprocity program. Most state universities institute these programs in one form or another.



then again, maybe not.


given the non-competitive nature of the Badlands Bowl, it might be in everyone's best interest to consider other possible opponents.



then again, again , maybe not.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

Does anyone have a handy fact sheet of at least the number of high school seniors participating on varsity football squads in the states of MT, ND and SD?

That might be interesting info. Again, I'd maintain that MT probably holds something like a 2-to-1 advantage over ND. You can't base it strictly off of state population. Way too many other demographic and socioeconomic factors to consider.


Don't know the actual player #'s but MT looks to have a total of 149 teams and ND a total of 115 I didn't find the actual number of players but I'd bet someone will.

[Gil Dobie]

Don't know the actual player #'s but MT looks to have a total of 149 teams and ND a total of 115 I didn't find the actual number of players but I'd bet someone will.

Not sure if the Badlands Bowl pulls from 9-man football in ND. I know 9-man players are in the Shrine Bowl and SasKota Bowl (ND vs saskatchewan).

[Montanan]

Link:

http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2011/09/02/high-school-sports-participation-increases-for-22nd-straight-year

Click: High School Athletics Participation Survey" link.

Page 55 of .pdf for 11 man football years 2010-2011

[Montanan]

Link:
http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2011/09/02/high-school-sports-participation-increases-for-22nd-straight-year

Click "High School Participation Survey" link.

page 55 of .pdf for 11 man football, year 2010-2011

page 59 of .pdf for 6 & 9 man football, year 2010-2011

[ursus arctos horribilis]

11 Man Football

Montana:
Schools-89
Participation-4,632

North Dakota:
Schools-91
Participation-3,026

----------------------
6 Player

Montana:
Schools-35
Participation-379

North Dakota I didn't see any.

[darell1976]

11 Man Football

Montana:
Schools-89
Participation-4,632


North Dakota:
Schools-91
Participation-3,026

----------------------
6 Player

Montana:
Schools-35
Participation-379

North Dakota I didn't see any.

ND doesn't have 6 man but has 9 man football.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

ND doesn't have 6 man but has 9 man football.

MT does too but I didn't see either listed under that but could have just missed it.

[Montanan]

MT does too but I didn't see either listed under that but could have just missed it.

yup, ya missed it.

[AmsterBison]

With ND teams being located near the furthest east border of the state though I can't see how this would correlate to UND or NDSU though. I bet the majority of kids they go after are within a similar radius of those schools and the fact that an arbittrary state line is in place from the 1800's doesn't really make any difference. I haven't looked at the roster for NDSU but do any of you guys know about the average distance fro Fargo the recruits are? I don't even know how that would matter but I bet it's similar to MT or MSU is all I'm getting at.

I didn't know the average distance between Fargo and players' high schools, but I calculated it for the title game two-deep roster:

Average distance, offensive players: 216 miles
Average distance, defensive players: 418 miles (two backups from Florida kind of skews that number)
Average distance, combined: 317 miles
Median distance: 222 miles

I'm just guessing, since Montana doesn't make it easy to look at a two-deep and see where the players are from, that Montana's average distance from recruits is double or triple that of NDSU's.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

I didn't know the average distance between Fargo and players' high schools, but I calculated it for the title game two-deep roster:

Average distance, offensive players: 216 miles
Average distance, defensive players: 418 miles (two backups from Florida kind of skews that number)
Average distance, combined: 317 miles
Median distance: 222 miles

I'm just guessing, since Montana doesn't make it easy to look at a two-deep and see where the players are from, that Montana's average distance from recruits is double or triple that of NDSU's.

Yeah, as I suspected that is why this article is a bit off in it's approach. Thanks for the effort man. Hell if we get a player from Sidney or Fairview MT those guys are in state but 500 miles away. I don't need to tell you that probably. xlolx

[Vitojr130]

You must have played Wahpeton in 1972 because that was the last time they won the state championship.


Hmmm, I guess I didn't care to check into it much as I maybe should have as it was 85 degrees and we just finished up beating them... Maybe they were in the championship but didn't win it. Regardless, we were told that they had one of the better teams in their division the previous season. Also, we beat Fargo North, who has an enrollment of almost twice of what my school did, very handily. I guess growing up in MN, I just didn't see the same amount of hype for high school football in ND by high school students. I think that this, mixed with a far lower population, contributes to the amount of D1 talent that would play on in the Badlands Bowl.

[Bison06]

Hmmm, I guess I didn't care to check into it much as I maybe should have as it was 85 degrees and we just finished up beating them... Maybe they were in the championship but didn't win it. Regardless, we were told that they had one of the better teams in their division the previous season. Also, we beat Fargo North, who has an enrollment of almost twice of what my school did, very handily. I guess growing up in MN, I just didn't see the same amount of hype for high school football in ND by high school students. I think that this, mixed with a far lower population, contributes to the amount of D1 talent that would play on in the Badlands Bowl.

Wahpeton now has a UND grad running the football program, so it doesn't surprise me that they were beaten that badly.

[MNBISON]

Not sure if the Badlands Bowl pulls from 9-man football in ND. I know 9-man players are in the Shrine Bowl and SasKota Bowl (ND vs saskatchewan).

ND has two Shrine Bowl games, one 11 man and one 9 man game although it wasn't always this way Gil.

[Gil Dobie]

ND has two Shrine Bowl games, one 11 man and one 9 man game although it wasn't always this way Gil.

Might have to go north this year, my nephew is playing in the Shrine and Saskota Bowl.

[AmsterBison]

Count me among those who are big fans of the Badlands Bowl (lots of Montanan relatives.)

I really don't see why North Dakota has done poorly in the game although I suspect is has something to do with how vanilla offenses are.

The number of kids playing HS football is not all that different.

[MplsBison]

Hmmm, I guess I didn't care to check into it much as I maybe should have as it was 85 degrees and we just finished up beating them... Maybe they were in the championship but didn't win it. Regardless, we were told that they had one of the better teams in their division the previous season. Also, we beat Fargo North, who has an enrollment of almost twice of what my school did, very handily. I guess growing up in MN, I just didn't see the same amount of hype for high school football in ND by high school students. I think that this, mixed with a far lower population, contributes to the amount of D1 talent that would play on in the Badlands Bowl.

A guy like Ryan Smith makes a big difference!

Check out "high school" : http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11845&SPID=695&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=204978241&Q_SEASON=2013

[MplsBison]

Count me among those who are big fans of the Badlands Bowl (lots of Montanan relatives.)

I really don't see why North Dakota has done poorly in the game although I suspect is has something to do with how vanilla offenses are.

The number of kids playing HS football is not all that different.

Yeah, got me. I will admit I was dead wrong when it came to participation numbers and fairly shocked to see how even they in fact are.

I would say perhaps it has something to do with how many "big" teams there are versus small, rural teams...but given Montana's geographical make up, I think that's hardly the case either.

[ursus arctos horribilis]

1) Billings West High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 2143
2) Bozeman High School - Bozeman, MT - Total Enrollment: 1992
3) Great Falls High School - Great Falls, MT - Total Enrollment: 1937
4) Flathead High School - Kalispell, MT - Total Enrollment: 1867
5) Billings Sr High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 1786
6) C M Russell High School - Great Falls, MT - Total Enrollment: 1681
7) Helena High School - Helena, MT - Total Enrollment: 1623
8) Skyview High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 1612
9) Butte High School - Butte, MT - Total Enrollment: 1521
10) Capital High School - Helena, MT - Total Enrollment: 1425
11) Big Sky High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1349
12) Hellgate High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1272
13) Sentinel High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1105

Those are all the schools with total enrollment over 1,000 for Montana and those numbers are a little overstated in comparision to a pdf from MHSA by about 10%. Not sure how that compares to ND but the schools were smaller than I would have guessed.

[CrazyCat]

1) Billings West High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 2143
2) Bozeman High School - Bozeman, MT - Total Enrollment: 1992
3) Great Falls High School - Great Falls, MT - Total Enrollment: 1937
4) Flathead High School - Kalispell, MT - Total Enrollment: 1867
5) Billings Sr High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 1786
6) C M Russell High School - Great Falls, MT - Total Enrollment: 1681
7) Helena High School - Helena, MT - Total Enrollment: 1623
8) Skyview High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 1612
9) Butte High School - Butte, MT - Total Enrollment: 1521
10) Capital High School - Helena, MT - Total Enrollment: 1425
11) Big Sky High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1349
12) Hellgate High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1272
13) Sentinel High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1105

Those are all the schools with total enrollment over 1,000 for Montana and those numbers are a little overstated in comparision to a pdf from MHSA by about 10%. Not sure how that compares to ND but the schools were smaller than I would have guessed.

You forgot Glacier

[ursus arctos horribilis]

You forgot Glacier

Yeah, they were on the pdf in the Missoula school's area but not on that one I copied I guess.

[MplsBison]

1) Billings West High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 2143
2) Bozeman High School - Bozeman, MT - Total Enrollment: 1992
3) Great Falls High School - Great Falls, MT - Total Enrollment: 1937
4) Flathead High School - Kalispell, MT - Total Enrollment: 1867
5) Billings Sr High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 1786
6) C M Russell High School - Great Falls, MT - Total Enrollment: 1681
7) Helena High School - Helena, MT - Total Enrollment: 1623
8) Skyview High School - Billings, MT - Total Enrollment: 1612
9) Butte High School - Butte, MT - Total Enrollment: 1521
10) Capital High School - Helena, MT - Total Enrollment: 1425
11) Big Sky High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1349
12) Hellgate High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1272
13) Sentinel High School - Missoula, MT - Total Enrollment: 1105

Those are all the schools with total enrollment over 1,000 for Montana and those numbers are a little overstated in comparision to a pdf from MHSA by about 10%. Not sure how that compares to ND but the schools were smaller than I would have guessed.

Off the top of my head, this would be my guess for 1000+ ND schools (ie, 250+ per class 9-12 on average):

Fargo North
Fargo South
Fargo Davies
West Fargo (this is a separate city from Fargo)
Grand Forks Central
Grand Forks Red River
Bismarck
Bismarck Century
Minot
Williston
Dickinson

I probably missed maybe one or two somewhere...Devil's Lake? Turtle Mountain?

[darell1976]

Off the top of my head, this would be my guess for 1000+ ND schools (ie, 250+ per class 9-12 on average):

Fargo North
Fargo South
Fargo Davies
West Fargo (this is a separate city from Fargo)
Grand Forks Central
Grand Forks Red River
Bismarck
Bismarck Century
Minot
Williston
Dickinson

I probably missed maybe one or two somewhere...Devil's Lake? Turtle Mountain?

The only schools in ND with over 1000 enrollment:

West Fargo 1623
Fargo South 1601
Bismarck HS 1442
GF Red River 1227
GF Central 1109
Bismarck Century 1100
Mandan HS 1069

http://high-schools.com/report/nd/public-school-enrollment-rank-in-north-dakota.html

[MplsBison]

The only schools in ND with over 1000 enrollment:

West Fargo 1623
Fargo South 1601
Bismarck HS 1442
GF Red River 1227
GF Central 1109
Bismarck Century 1100
Mandan HS 1069

http://high-schools.com/report/nd/public-school-enrollment-rank-in-north-dakota.html

Um...doesn't that link look a little bogus to you?

Not that it's necessarily wrong, but come on. A little more proper link would be nice. It doesn't even show Davies, as well. South got split in half, at least.


I forgot about Mandan and would agree Jamestown is probably "up there" somewhere (though maybe not 1000). Williston and Dickinson may not be 1000. Those numbers might also be 10-12 only. I assume we're talking 9-12 here.

I've always heard Minot was the highest as it only has one high school for the entire area, which I think the fourth largest in ND. West Fargo will soon have two high schools.

[AmsterBison]

The only schools in ND with over 1000 enrollment:

West Fargo 1623
Fargo South 1601
Bismarck HS 1442
GF Red River 1227
GF Central 1109
Bismarck Century 1100
Mandan HS 1069

http://high-schools.com/report/nd/public-school-enrollment-rank-in-north-dakota.html

That data must be old.

Fargo South, Fargo North, Fargo Davies are all between 1000-1050 students.
The Grand Forks numbers look about 500 high (total.)
Minot must have over 2000 students in 9-12 because they had over 400 kids graduate this year.
West Fargo also has over 2000 9-12 but next year they will add a new high school and split the enrollment between the two so all five public high schools in Fargo-West Fargo will be in the 1000-1050 range.
Bismarck is opening a third public high school in 2015.

[darell1976]

F
That data must be old.

Fargo South, Fargo North, Fargo Davies are all between 1000-1050 students.
The Grand Forks numbers look about 500 high (total.)
Minot must have over 2000 students in 9-12 because they had over 400 kids graduate this year.
West Fargo also has over 2000 9-12 but next year they will add a new high school and split the enrollment between the two so all five public high schools in Fargo-West Fargo will be in the 1000-1050 range.
Bismarck is opening a third public high school in 2015.

I guess google works so much. I tried to find a date but didn't see one.

[CrazyCat]

Um...doesn't that link look a little bogus to you?

Not that it's necessarily wrong, but come on. A little more proper link would be nice.


Don't take this the wrong way, but didn't you originally pose this enrollment question, yet, I don't see any research on your part.

[gotts]

From: http://www.ndhsaa.com/files/MemberSchoolDirectory.pdf

1.) West Fargo High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1994 students for 2012-2013
2.) Bismarck High School: Grades 10-12................................. 1400 students for 2012-2013 (I projected this to 1862 for 9-12)
3.) Minot High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1850 students for 2012-2013
4.) Bismarck Century High School: Grades 10-12...................................1219 students for 2012-2013 (I projected this to 1621 for 9-12)
5.) Fargo Davies High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1140 students for 2012-2013
6.) Fargo South High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1100 students for 2012-2013
7.) Grand Forks Red River: Grades 9-12.................................... 1097 students for 2012-2013
8.) Mandan High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1015 students for 2012-2013
9.) Fargo North High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1012 students for 2012-2013

Other schools with enrollment around or greater than 750 (give or take):

Grand Forks Central: Grades 9-12...................................... 884 students for 2012-2013
Williston High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 755 students for 2012-2013
Dickinson High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 731 students for 2012-2013
Jamestown High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 670 students for 2012-2013


Like the Bender said before; West Fargo will split soon

Bismarck getting a 3rd high school in a couple years that will skew the numbers closer to the 1000 mark

Minot soon to be in a league of their own with at least 1.5 times the enrollment of next largest school. Have to think another public HS is in the cards for the way that town is growing.

[MplsBison]

From: http://www.ndhsaa.com/files/MemberSchoolDirectory.pdf

1.) West Fargo High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1994 students for 2012-2013
2.) Bismarck High School: Grades 10-12................................. 1400 students for 2012-2013 (I projected this to 1862 for 9-12)
3.) Minot High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1850 students for 2012-2013
4.) Bismarck Century High School: Grades 10-12...................................1219 students for 2012-2013 (I projected this to 1621 for 9-12)
5.) Fargo Davies High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1140 students for 2012-2013
6.) Fargo South High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1100 students for 2012-2013
7.) Grand Forks Red River: Grades 9-12.................................... 1097 students for 2012-2013
8.) Mandan High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1015 students for 2012-2013
9.) Fargo North High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1012 students for 2012-2013

Other schools with enrollment around or greater than 750 (give or take):

Grand Forks Central: Grades 9-12...................................... 884 students for 2012-2013
Williston High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 755 students for 2012-2013
Dickinson High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 731 students for 2012-2013
Jamestown High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 670 students for 2012-2013


Like the Bender said before; West Fargo will split soon

Bismarck getting a 3rd high school in a couple years that will skew the numbers closer to the 1000 mark

Minot soon to be in a league of their own with at least 1.5 times the enrollment of next largest school. Have to think another public HS is in the cards for the way that town is growing.

Thank you. Good link, good post!

So, overall I guess ND and MT are reasonably comparable. Still...for whatever reason...the competitiveness on the ND side just isn't there consistently. Hence, I'd still like to see the game switched to SD. Would compliment the NDSU/SDSU rivalry nicely.

[darell1976]

From: http://www.ndhsaa.com/files/MemberSchoolDirectory.pdf

1.) West Fargo High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1994 students for 2012-2013
2.) Bismarck High School: Grades 10-12................................. 1400 students for 2012-2013 (I projected this to 1862 for 9-12)
3.) Minot High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1850 students for 2012-2013
4.) Bismarck Century High School: Grades 10-12...................................1219 students for 2012-2013 (I projected this to 1621 for 9-12)
5.) Fargo Davies High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1140 students for 2012-2013
6.) Fargo South High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1100 students for 2012-2013
7.) Grand Forks Red River: Grades 9-12.................................... 1097 students for 2012-2013
8.) Mandan High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1015 students for 2012-2013
9.) Fargo North High School: Grades 9-12.................................... 1012 students for 2012-2013

Other schools with enrollment around or greater than 750 (give or take):

Grand Forks Central: Grades 9-12...................................... 884 students for 2012-2013
Williston High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 755 students for 2012-2013
Dickinson High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 731 students for 2012-2013
Jamestown High School: Grades 9-12...................................... 670 students for 2012-2013


Like the Bender said before; West Fargo will split soon

Bismarck getting a 3rd high school in a couple years that will skew the numbers closer to the 1000 mark

Minot soon to be in a league of their own with at least 1.5 times the enrollment of next largest school. Have to think another public HS is in the cards for the way that town is growing.

GFC would have more students if it wasn't for the downsizing of the Grand Forks Air Force Base. GFC gets kids from the base and Manvel.

[Vitojr130]

A guy like Ryan Smith makes a big difference!

Check out "high school" : http://www.gobison.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=11845&SPID=695&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=2400&ATCLID=204978241&Q_SEASON=2013

Haha yes I did get to play against him. But then again, we had big ol' Adam Schueller playing on our defense, as well as Josh Campion (Minnesota), so Ryan alone would not have been enough to save his team.

[Vitojr130]

Um...doesn't that link look a little bogus to you?

Not that it's necessarily wrong, but come on. A little more proper link would be nice. It doesn't even show Davies, as well. South got split in half, at least.


I forgot about Mandan and would agree Jamestown is probably "up there" somewhere (though maybe not 1000). Williston and Dickinson may not be 1000. Those numbers might also be 10-12 only. I assume we're talking 9-12 here.

I've always heard Minot was the highest as it only has one high school for the entire area, which I think the fourth largest in ND. West Fargo will soon have two high schools.

Jamestown would be comparable to where I grew up, and we didn't have 1000.

[MplsBison]

Haha yes I did get to play against him. But then again, we had big ol' Adam Schueller playing on our defense, as well as Josh Campion (Minnesota), so Ryan alone would not have been enough to save his team.

Well I'm sure Fergus has a fine program, but I hardly think you can judge ND high school football by what you did against Wahpeton and Fargo North in camp.

I haven't followed ND high school football much for a while, but Bismarck and West Fargo were generally considered the teams to beat.

[Vitojr130]

Well I'm sure Fergus has a fine program, but I hardly think you can judge ND high school football by what you did against Wahpeton and Fargo North in camp.

I haven't followed ND high school football much for a while, but Bismarck and West Fargo were generally considered the teams to beat.

It wasn't simply those two teams though... We were the only team from Minnesota to participate in the camp over the course of 4 years. There were about 10 other teams from ND that went, ranging from Sacred Heart to one of the Bismarck teams.

[MplsBison]

Like I said, unless you were playing one of the few premier programs that ND has to offer - you can't judge the entirety based on how poorly the least talented teams performed.

Bismarck also has a private school with a football team. Perhaps that's the team you were thinking of.

[Bison06]

It wasn't simply those two teams though... We were the only team from Minnesota to participate in the camp over the course of 4 years. There were about 10 other teams from ND that went, ranging from Sacred Heart to one of the Bismarck teams.

I think if anything, your experience against ND teams outlines how quickly things can changed in high school football. When I grew up we played Fergus Falls regularly(small ND school) and routinely crushed them.

[UNDBIZ]

It wasn't simply those two teams though... We were the only team from Minnesota to participate in the camp over the course of 4 years. There were about 10 other teams from ND that went, ranging from Sacred Heart to one of the Bismarck teams.

Sacred Heart is in East Grand Forks, MN, although there are probably some ND residents there because it's a private school.

Grand Forks athletics have been completely taken over by hockey. Very few athletically gifted people from there play football, basketball, etc. although there are still some. The Fargo/West Fargo schools are splitting athletes between hockey and the other sports, leading to less than optimal results in all sports. The western ND schools (Bismarck, Mandan, and to a lesser extent Minot) are all terrible at hockey, but are beginning to dominate football and basketball. Unfortunately, they're dominating because the eastern schools are that bad, not because they're that good. I know the ndsu fans will hate me for it, BUT hockey is probably one of the large contributing reasons MT high schools are putting out better football talent than ND schools.

[Vitojr130]

I think if anything, your experience against ND teams outlines how quickly things can changed in high school football. When I grew up we played Fergus Falls regularly(small ND school) and routinely crushed them.

To be fair, Fergus has only had a few good years as a football program. But, regardless of lack of championships, still drives 80+ people to the program every year...

[Vitojr130]

Sacred Heart is in East Grand Forks, MN, although there are probably some ND residents there because it's a private school.

Grand Forks athletics have been completely taken over by hockey. Very few athletically gifted people from there play football, basketball, etc. although there are still some. The Fargo/West Fargo schools are splitting athletes between hockey and the other sports, leading to less than optimal results in all sports. The western ND schools (Bismarck, Mandan, and to a lesser extent Minot) are all terrible at hockey, but are beginning to dominate football and basketball. Unfortunately, they're dominating because the eastern schools are that bad, not because they're that good. I know the ndsu fans will hate me for it, BUT hockey is probably one of the large contributing reasons MT high schools are putting out better football talent than ND schools.


South Heart, my mistake. It's out by Dickinson. That's what happens when I stay up far too late I guess.

[Bison06]

To be fair, Fergus has only had a few good years as a football program. But, regardless of lack of championships, still drives 80+ people to the program every year...

Fergus is definitely known as more of a basketball school. Man we had some battles with some great players when I was young.

Matt Johnson
Tim Erickson
Titus Christensen
Hanson boys before they went to hillcrest
Justin Arneson

Plenty more guys who were excellent basketball players. Both Erickson and Arneson were great football players too.

[AmsterBison]

I know the ndsu fans will hate me for it, BUT hockey is probably one of the large contributing reasons MT high schools are putting out better football talent than ND schools.

Hockey is definitely disproportionately resource/time intensive. In a lot of cases, hockey impacts every other sport because it's such a resource hog. Fact: hockey parents want to push that pig's snout into every trough. (I'm feeling like being controversial this week.)

Maybe that's why NDSU has had such luck with Class B and 9-man kids as those schools don't have hockey. I know the "hockey uber alles" mentality is why so many people are ambivalent about or downright opposed to NDSU getting hockey.

BTW, it should be made clear: It's not like Coach Bohl is ignoring North Dakota recruiting. The guy visits every high school with football in the state every year.

[UNDBIZ]

Hockey is definitely disproportionately resource/time intensive. In a lot of cases, hockey impacts every other sport because it's such a resource hog. Fact: hockey parents want to push that pig's snout into every trough. (I'm feeling like being controversial this week.)

Maybe that's why NDSU has had such luck with Class B and 9-man kids as those schools don't have hockey. I know the "hockey uber alles" mentality is why so many people are ambivalent about or downright opposed to NDSU getting hockey.

BTW, it should be made clear: It's not like Coach Bohl is ignoring North Dakota recruiting. The guy visits every high school with football in the state every year.

Well that's not true, but I agree that the kids in ND who deserve a look from UND and ndsu get one.

[MplsBison]

Hockey is definitely disproportionately resource/time intensive. In a lot of cases, hockey impacts every other sport because it's such a resource hog. Fact: hockey parents want to push that pig's snout into every trough. (I'm feeling like being controversial this week.)

Maybe that's why NDSU has had such luck with Class B and 9-man kids as those schools don't have hockey. I know the "hockey uber alles" mentality is why so many people are ambivalent about or downright opposed to NDSU getting hockey.

BTW, it should be made clear: It's not like Coach Bohl is ignoring North Dakota recruiting. The guy visits every high school with football in the state every year.

I wonder how some of those conversations must go every year.

Coach Bohl flies his plane to some town with 100 people and the school has 50 kids -> "Hey coach, got anyone this year?" "Nope." "Alright, good to see ya! Thanks for the coffee!"

[AmsterBison]

Well that's not true, but I agree that the kids in ND who deserve a look from UND and ndsu get one.

Just repeating what I hear from the media from time to time. Of course, misquotes are pretty common. If I ever talk to him, I'll tell him that he needs to take a photo in front of every place holding a newspaper.

Also, maybe bisonville.com needs to sponsor a road rally called The Coach Bohl 109 (where 109 is the number of HS teams in the state - not vouching for its accuracy, btw.) Not going to do that until the cluster****** out west gets sorted out though.

http://journalstar.com/sports/football/college/steven-m-sipple-bohl-finds-his-niche-at-ndsu/article_345ff9cb-f733-50fc-a41e-fb293c30e39a.html


Bohl is particularly proud that North Dakota State’s 96-player roster features 19 North Dakotans and 31 Minnesotans. Every spring, Bohl drives his pickup to every high school in North Dakota. Every single one. He also crosses the Red River and scours Minnesota. He stops in diners. He visits with men who work in the oil fields in the western part of North Dakota.

[CrazyCat]

Coach McEndoo has a great twitter page where he asks trivia questions and posts pictures for people to guess where he is at when he is driving around MT on recruiting trips.

[darell1976]

Just repeating what I hear from the media from time to time. Of course, misquotes are pretty common. If I ever talk to him, I'll tell him that he needs to take a photo in front of every place holding a newspaper.

Also, maybe bisonville.com needs to sponsor a road rally called The Coach Bohl 109 (where 109 is the number of HS teams in the state - not vouching for its accuracy, btw.) Not going to do that until the cluster****** out west gets sorted out though.

http://journalstar.com/sports/football/college/steven-m-sipple-bohl-finds-his-niche-at-ndsu/article_345ff9cb-f733-50fc-a41e-fb293c30e39a.html

Should be an interesting trip going to Grand Forks Central, and Grand Forks Red River.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

Should be an interesting trip going to Grand Forks Central, and Grand Forks Red River.

Yeah, I'm sure those enormous championship rings will get some attention.

[MplsBison]

Should be an interesting trip going to Grand Forks Central, and Grand Forks Red River.

Or for that matter, Bismarck - right?

[MplsBison]

Coach McEndoo has a great twitter page where he asks trivia questions and posts pictures for people to guess where he is at when he is driving around MT on recruiting trips.

"We're in a small town, about a hundred people, flat as a pancake, surrounded by corn fields..."

[darell1976]

Yeah, I'm sure those enormous championship rings will get some attention.

Who was the last GF kid to play for NDSU? I know UND has had some Fargo kids.

[UNDColorado]

I agree that hockey in North Dakota does drain some talent from football. Devils Lake is a great example of this: I was one of the few that played both hockey and football (maybe 5 others any given year that I was there). There were plenty of other guys on the hockey team, and basketball team even, who did nothing in the fall. There was plenty of talent that did not come out at all and I never understood why. We just could not compete in AAA with the numbers that we had; Fargo schools especially. Also, I played a lot of traveling hockey in the summers so that limited my off season participation with football.

Hockey in Montana is nowhere near the level of hockey in North Dakota...they didnt have a high school league in Montana when I played HS in the early 2000's so i'd imagine they still don't. The highest level of hockey they have for 18 and under in Montana is Midget. We have that in North Dakota as well but the kids who go out for that in ND are from small towns (who dont have HS or are too far away to commute)or the seniors or juniors who will never make the varsity HS team.

[Bison06]

Who was the last GF kid to play for NDSU? I know UND has had some Fargo kids.

Tyler Gefroh?

[BisonFan02]

Who was the last GF kid to play for NDSU? I know UND has had some Fargo kids.

Nick Mertens from E Grand Forks?

[IBleedYellow]

Nick Mertens from E Grand Forks?

He showed Grand Forks talent at its finest. You guys breed winners up there, Darrell!

Nexus 4

[darell1976]

He showed Grand Forks talent at its finest. You guys breed winners up there, Darrell!

Nexus 4

Actually he was from East Grand Forks...big difference. I prefer GFC product Phillip Moore (my classmate) who was one of the best running backs UND had. He tried out for the Cincinnati Bengals. :D

[Vitojr130]

Actually he was from East Grand Forks...big difference. I prefer GFC product Phillip Moore (my classmate) who was one of the best running backs UND had. He tried out for the Cincinnati Bengals. :D

Key words: "tried out".

[darell1976]

Key words: "tried out".

Too bad the Bengals had Corey Dillon at the time.

[MplsBison]

He showed Grand Forks talent at its finest. You guys breed winners up there, Darrell!

Wow. Ripping on a former Bison player who gave his heart and soul for the program, attempting to do the impossible: follow Steve Walker and lead the Bison to the 2008 national championship, as pre-season favorites to win the MVFC in NDSU's first year of eligibility.

For what purpose? To make a point that you don't like Grand Forks?



That's pretty disgusting.

[Twentysix]

Not sure if the Badlands Bowl pulls from 9-man football in ND. I know 9-man players are in the Shrine Bowl and SasKota Bowl (ND vs saskatchewan).

It does. Players from Hebron-Richardton have been in the badlands bowl.

[Twentysix]

Well I'm sure Fergus has a fine program, but I hardly think you can judge ND high school football by what you did against Wahpeton and Fargo North in camp.

I haven't followed ND high school football much for a while, but Bismarck and West Fargo were generally considered the teams to beat.

I think its been South Fargo and Bismarck lately.

[344Johnson]

I feel that we go for kids from Minnesota so much more because the amount of talent that is out at those levels isn't that much better, just the fact there are more people and with greater numbers we have been able to grab some talent that might not be as easy to get off there were less kids. That and I'm not sure how great the North Dakota high school football is doing anymore. I've been hearing about less and less kids trying out for prep sports.

Nexus 4

North Dakota athletics in general is getting worse in overall quality I feel. When I was in high school, I got 2nd in state in wrestling(2010). Compare me to the kids even 5 years earlier who were placing 2nd, I probably don't keep it close with plenty of them.

Seems like we are still churning out a few quality top guys, but overall depth is getting worse.


Can't believe I am gong to use the phrase here, buthockey takes up a lot of the athletic talent in ND. It was nearly impossible to participate in both hockey and football, unlike some that would participate in football and basketball/track/wrestling/baseball.

No. Hockey is not taking up talent anywhere outside of Grand Forks. Football and basketball still rules the roost and get far and away the best athletes. Especially when you take into account that only the big schools even have hockey teams, the argument that hockey is stealing a lot of the talent doesn't hold water. The kids who played hockey in my high school (not good at any sports, Jamestown blows), were typically the kids who would not have had a prayer at making the lineup in basketball, football, and may have been able to compete from an athleticism standpoint in only wrestling/swimming.

I'll just echo what most people said in the few posts I read, Montana has way more people and should be able to bend us over til they have used and abused us in high school sports.

[Ginsbach]

Eh, I don't really buy the hockey argument. There are only 18 schools in the entire state that play hockey (counting Breckenridge-Wahpeton playing in Minnnesota), with the only Class B schools being Bottineau, Grafton-Park River co-op, and Hazen-Beulah co-op. It might steal some talent away from ND football, but not a ton.

[frozennorth]

Sacred Heart is in East Grand Forks, MN, although there are probably some ND residents there because it's a private school.

Grand Forks athletics have been completely taken over by hockey. Very few athletically gifted people from there play football, basketball, etc. although there are still some. The Fargo/West Fargo schools are splitting athletes between hockey and the other sports, leading to less than optimal results in all sports. The western ND schools (Bismarck, Mandan, and to a lesser extent Minot) are all terrible at hockey, but are beginning to dominate football and basketball. Unfortunately, they're dominating because the eastern schools are that bad, not because they're that good. I know the ndsu fans will hate me for it, BUT hockey is probably one of the large contributing reasons MT high schools are putting out better football talent than ND schools.

soccer is probably much more to blame for the talent deficit than hockey over the years. During my time at South the best athletes consistently played soccer over football. Further, football and hockey don't overlap the way football and soccer do.

[344Johnson]

Should be an interesting trip going to Grand Forks Central, and Grand Forks Red River.


Jamestown would be comparable to where I grew up, and we didn't have 1000.

I am a 2010 grad from Jamestown. I graduated with 162 kids I believe. No reason for Coach Bohl to ever stop by that town. No athletic talent since Darin Erstad.


Haha yes I did get to play against him. But then again, we had big ol' Adam Schueller playing on our defense, as well as Josh Campion (Minnesota), so Ryan alone would not have been enough to save his team.

Ryan had something like 400 yards of offense when we played them in '08-09. Beat us like 63-48 or something like that.

We scrimmaged Fergus at camp. The left guard absolutely demolished me several times. Whoever the fullback was did the same a couple times. Thus ended the experiment of having a 150 pound kid at a middle linebacker spot.


I'll take Montana at the Badlands Bowl by 3 touchdowns.

[tourguide]

All he does is shine on twitter

Layne Johs-The last thing I want to do right now is practice/play in the MonDak game. This will be a waste of a week.

https://twitter.com/laynejohs/status/343805836725985280

had a partial offer from NDSU but chose not to play football. or? i dont really know with him.?.?.?.?

[JSUBison]

All he does is shine on twitter

Layne Johs-The last thing I want to do right now is practice/play in the MonDak game. This will be a waste of a week.

https://twitter.com/laynejohs/status/343805836725985280

had a partial offer from NDSU but chose not to play football. or? i dont really know with him.?.?.?.?


Apparently a significant portion of the ND roster felt the same way. Montana gets another double digit win over North Dakota, 43-29.