Spring ball starts up at NDSU

[FargoBison]

It's 30 degrees outside and there is still a half a foot of snow on the ground but it's time for spring practice at NDSU. Here a story from the Fargo Forum about NDSU and how the team stacks up heading into spring ball.

There are no billboards for spring football practice. But if North Dakota State were to put up a few around the Fargo-Moorhead area, they could portray the three starting linebackers as government workers with the following caption: The Department of Defense.

Joe Mays, Mike Maresh and Ramon Humber are on their way to becoming the best trio of linebackers in school history.

Mays, who will be a junior next fall, established himself last season as a team leader and somebody who understands the Bison defensive philosophy. Maresh started all 11 games as a freshman and Humber came on strong at the end of his true freshman season.

All three can run, hit and defend.

“These guys are good players,” said Bison head coach Craig Bohl, shaking his head as if to find better descriptive words.

Those three head a list of six returning starters on defense and seven returning starters on offense as spring football begins today. The Bison have 14 practices culminating with the annual intrasquad Spring Game on April 22 at the Fargodome.

In short, NDSU is on its way to becoming more athletic on defense, having better depth on the offensive line and sorting out a revised defensive line.

The least of Bohl’s worries are his linebackers. Maresh is moving to the weakside position from the strongside spot. Senior Brett Itterman will back him up.

Humber will take over the strongside position with sophomore Mike Brower backing him up.

The Bison moved sophomore Nick Compton from linebacker to defensive end where he’ll compete with sophomore Joe Lardinois. Compton showed promise at linebacker, but a lack of depth on the defensive line and the team’s goal of putting the best players on the field necessitated the move.

“We’ve recruited well at linebacker,” Bohl said, meaning the Bison had the luxury of moving Compton.

Senior Justin Frick returns at defensive tackle and freshman Michael Fairbairn will get the first shot at noseguard. Freshman Ryan Schuttloffel is moving from the offensive line to noseguard.

Bohl feels the cornerback situation, once a trouble spot, is making progress. Sophomores Richard Bowman and Nate Agbetola return at right cornerback. Junior David Earl will duel with junior college transfer Jimmie Johnson at the other spot.

“We’re certainly faster and athletically better,” Bohl said.

Senior Craig Dahl and sophomore Nick Schommer return at the safety positions. Senior Barry Quickstad is behind Schommer and senior Ryan Olson may battle freshman Kyle Belmont to back up Dahl.

“The safeties are solid,” Bohl said.



http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=121403&section=Sports

[X-Factor]

I drove by the practice field the other day and yes, there is at least 6inches of snow on the level, and still plenty of those huge drifts in the corner by the trees. I can't imagine it will be melted by monday, or even close for that matter. I wonder how they deal with the snow?

[FargoBison]

I drove by the practice field the other day and yes, there is at least 6inches of snow on the level, and still plenty of those huge drifts in the corner by the trees. I can't imagine it will be melted by monday, or even close for that matter. I wonder how they deal with the snow?

I think they are planning to practice at the Fargodome or Dakota field until the practice fields are ready.

[X-Factor]

I think they are planning to practice at the Fargodome or Dakota field until the practice fields are ready.


http://www.in-forum.com/articles/index.cfm?id=121403

Yeh, I just read Kolpack's article in the Forum. Makes sense.

[GABison]

I liked how many times the words freshman and sophomore popped up in the article. Makes me think depth will become a term common to NDSU in the not-to-distance future.