From the Fall 2026 issue of Bison Illustrated.
Photo by Gavin Fernholz, Dynamic Studios.
Q: What communication responsibility becomes most important when an opponent uses motion, tempo or unusual formations to create confusion before the snap?
Darius Givance: I would say a lot of nonverbals. We play in a lot of loud environments, and just being able to have everyone be visual, see what we’re trying to do and communicate at a high level helps create a lot of success on defense.
Q: Speaking of loud environments, you’re probably going into some of the loudest environments you guys have experienced. Have you talked about how to prepare for that, especially with places like UNLV and some of the bigger schools you’re going to?
Darius: We play in the Fargodome, so we won’t really have too much of a difference there. Bison Nation shows up every day. We really feel like they give us that edge on Saturdays at the Dome.
Especially being on defense on those third downs, you probably won’t even be able to hear yourself think. Having that experience already and being able to build off of it, I think we’re ready for anything.
Q: What’s your message to the fans who come to the Fargodome on Saturdays, especially with these new opponents coming in?
Darius: I would just say thank you to the fans. We’re really appreciative of the support our fans give us. There are people who wake up and drive about six hours just to get to a tailgate or get to a game, and that really means a lot to us.
It gives us another edge and something else to play for on Saturdays.
Q: Going into your last year as an NDSU Bison, what excites you most about your final season coinciding with this leap to the Mountain West?
Darius: I think it’s a new era of Bison football, and being one of the leaders, I feel like it’s a big responsibility for us to get the guys rolling and bring everybody along with us.
At NDSU, we talk about that next-man-up mentality. It’s about getting the young guys up to speed and getting ready for what’s at hand. I just can’t wait.
Q: You get to play behind Donovan Woolen. How does having someone who is so good at what he does affect your positioning and freedom within the defense?
Darius: I think all over the field, we just have dogs on the Code Green defense. At any position, I trust that the guys are going to do their job on the field.
I feel like anybody could get put on the field at any time. Like we said, it’s that next-man-up mentality. They’ll play to the best of their ability and with full confidence.
I’m super appreciative of not only the players, but the coaches as well, for having us prepared for those moments and allowing us to play at such a high level.
Q: Is there a specific Mountain West opponent you’re most excited to see this year, or are you looking forward to the conference as a whole?
Darius: I’m just excited to be a part of the Mountain West. It’s a very tough conference, and even from a geographical standpoint, you’ve got Colorado Springs up in the mountains and Wyoming up in the mountains. You’ve got the heat in New Mexico and California, and then you go out to the islands in Hawaii.
I think that’s what makes the Mountain West so special. Just being able to be a part of all these games, I think we’re very excited to get our stuff done.
Career Highlights
- 2026 Preseason All-Mountain West.
- 2025 All-MVFC Second Team.
- 2023 MVFC Honor Roll.
- Has started 28 games across the past two seasons.
- Started all 16 games during NDSU’s 2024 national championship season.
- Has recorded two interceptions in each of the past two seasons.
- Led NDSU in special-teams tackles in 2023 before becoming a full-time defensive starter.
Read the Fall 2026 magazine feature.
