The football season is in full swing and our favorite team from Fargo is climbing to reclaim the FCS crown. Prior to the season, we sat down with a couple of players stepping into bigger roles.
*Interviews conducted prior to the start of the 2023 season.
Q&A with #28 RB TK Marshall
Career Stats
Games Played: 28
Carries: 222
Rushing Yards: 1,474
Rushing Touchdowns: 20
Yards Per Carry: 6.6
Ever since you’ve been here, every time we’ve touched the ball, you’ve had great production. Are you excited about the opportunity to be featured more in the backfield this season?
I have a lot of excitement because, just like you said, being able to go out there and just be able to work effectively whenever I have a chance, I’m excited to share what I’m capable of. And I can’t wait, obviously, you know, I love the summer, and I love fall camp, but I just want to get to the season. We’re going to keep our heads down and grind, but I’m excited about this.
What do you think having to have that patience has done for you as a person and an athlete?
It’s taught me to be patient. You can’t just always get what you want right away. You have to work and pay attention to the details. You have to work to get the product that you want. I think it’s going to be helpful in the long run.
With the ability to transfer so readily available these days, why stay?
It says in the locker room, “Those Who Stay Will Be Champions.” I’d be a liar if I didn’t say, that those thoughts crossed my mind. Every football player asks themselves if they should transfer. One thing that my mom always taught me is to never quit no matter how hard things get. If it’s what you love, you’re not gonna quit. I know this just seems like the right place for me to get my opportunity. NDSU loves their running backs. And I knew regardless of when I got my opportunity, I was going to do something great.
What motivates you?
My family, that’s probably number one. I want to say I can motivate myself, but it’s my family
Q&A with #82 TE Joe Stoffel
Did You Know?
Joe Stoffel was second on the team in receptions (25) and receiving yards (276) in 2022.
Career Stats
Games Played: 39
Receptions: 26
Receiving Yards: 284
Touchdowns: 2
Last year was your first season getting really extensive playing time here? What do you think that’s done for you as a player? And how do you think that’ll help you heading into this year?
It’s definitely helped me be more comfortable on the field. Also, knowing our opponents, I definitely feel more prepared this year. I feel like I have a better idea of what they’re going to do. I also feel like I know our offense better and what we’re going to do. It has helped me out a lot.
I think the tight end room looks pretty deep this year even though not a lot of the players have experience playing for the Bison. Can you kind of speak to that and what you’re seeing out of the group so far?
I agree with you. I think that there have been a lot of snaps between a few of us guys, but I think that even the guys that haven’t had those snaps look very good. We have a very deep room and I will stand by that. A lot of guys have worked really well through spring ball and through camp so far. So I’m really excited to see where this is going. I know that we have a very tight-knit group.
What were some important things you learned from the players that came before you at the tight end position?
Guys like Josh Babicz showed me that you show up every day. For me to just see how they go about their day, how they go about being advised, and how they go about just being a student and an athlete was definitely really important to see. Noah Gindorff was one of my biggest mentors and so was Josh, they really brought me under their wing and showed me how to be advised to be a good football player.
How long did it take you to really feel like you got a grip on things with the offense, being that tightened is such a difficult thing to learn.
It’s definitely one of those things where you have to learn everything. You have to learn what the offensive line is doing and what the receivers are doing. Like I said, those guys that were ahead of me did a really good job of teaching me and showing me how to learn that stuff and how to really put it in my mind and go out there and execute it. But yeah, it definitely took me a while.
Q&A with #3 RaJa Nelson
(Left to Right Back Row) #83 WR Giancarlo Volpentesta, Senior, Highland Park, IL; #19 WR Jake Lippe, Senior, Port Washington, WI; #0 WR Zach Mathis, Senior, Tampa, FL; #6 WR Tyler Terhark, Junior, Horace, ND; #5 WR Bryce Lance, Sophomore, Marshall, MN; (Left to Right Front Row) #3 WR RaJa Nelson, Senior, Lakeville, MN; #1 WR Braylon Henderson, Senior, Wylie, TX; #13 WR Eli Green, Sophomore, Farmington, MN
Did You Know?
RaJa Nelson was a two-time all-state player for Lakeville North High School.
Career Stats
Receptions: 33
Receiving Yards: 241
Touchdowns: 1
What is it like having your brother on the team?
It’s obviously a blessing. Not many people get to say that they have the opportunity to play with their brother. I did get one year in high school to play with him. But right now, he’s been doing really good and I’m hoping to just see him on the field, which would be great.
Who gets who in one one-on-ones?
I’ll be fair, it’s 50/50. We’re all gonna win some and we’re all gonna lose some. But we’re here to make each other better. The cliche saying ‘iron sharpens iron’ is true. So, in practice, it’s fun. But yeah, we’re definitely making each other better.
What are you most excited about for the season?
I’m excited to see what this team has in store. I feel like we’ve always had that target on our back, but we have a bad taste in our mouths after last year. We are definitely chasing that championship.
In his press conference, Coach Entz talked about how you’ve really grown in your flexibility and versatility. What does he mean by that?
We have four or five different receiver positions. Coming in, I was told to learn one or two at first, and then, after I got real comfortable with that, I just, on my own, started to expand my knowledge within the other positions. Just because at any point in a game, you could find yourself in a different position very quickly.
Is there anything else you’d like to say to the readers?
Just know we’re going to have a great season and we’re going to get that championship.
Q&A with #74 OL Grey Zabel
Did You Know?
NDSU was second in the FCS in rushing in 2022.
(Left to Right Back Row) #78 OL Jake Rock, Senior, Delafield, WI; #72 OL Jalen Sundell, Senior, Maryville, MO; #63 OL Jake Kubas, Senior, Dickinson, ND; #76 OL Hunter Poncius, Senior, Buffalo, MN
(Left to Right Front Row) #73 OL Mason Miller, Senior, Ada, MN; #77 OL Brandon Westberg, Senior, Cambridge, MN; #74 OL Grey Zabel, Senior, Pierre, SD
Did You Know?
Grey Zabel has already appeared in 31 games for the green and gold.
With a couple of key pieces leaving, do you see yourself taking on a bigger role off the field this season?
For sure. With Nash [Jensen] and Cody [Mauch] graduating, a lot of leadership kind of moved on and moved on to a bigger part of their lives. So there are some leadership roles that need to be filled. And I think a lot of us on the offensive line are kind of moving into that leadership position of trying to push kids further and better them every single day.
How do you personally go about that?
I would consider myself a lead-by-example guy. I try and help guys out here and there with little bits and pieces out on the football field. A lot of times, I’d rather have them just kind of watch and see how I work and how I do things. You kind of have to be vocal as well and I’m trying to step into that position, which has been tough for me, but I’m gradually working on it every single day.
You’ve been moved around the line quite a bit during your career. Where are you playing right now in camp?
I’m still kind of bounced around all over and just playing wherever they need me to play.
What do you think you improved on most over the offseason?
I would just say my body and developing my feet and hands which are just a huge part of what you do. And then in the weight room with Coach Kramer. He did an awesome job this offseason, putting on a few extra pounds of good weight.
Q&A with #54 DE Jake Kava
(Left to Right Back Row)
#55 DE Kole Menz, Sophomore, Horace, ND; #56 DE Loshiaka Roques, Junior, Maple Grove, MN; #99 DE Hunter Zenzen, Junior, Barnesville, MN; (Left to Right Front Row) #95 DE Dylan Hendricks, Senior, Pulaski, WI; #54 DE Jake Kava, Senior, Moorhead, MN
Did You Know?
Jake Kava totaled 312 tackles in his high school career.
Career Stats
Games Played: 31
Tackles: 39
Tackles for Loss: 12.5
Sacks: 6
How are you feeling coming off of last year’s injury?
I feel really good actually. I was able to take that time to get back in the weight room and rehab the pec that I tore. One of the silver linings of not playing is that my legs feel great. My body feels great and I’m ready to go.
Coach said in the press conference that you are really not taking anything for granted after that, would you say that’s true?
For sure. I mean, obviously, injuries are part of the game. Football is a violent sport. But when you do have those injuries happen, and you have to kind of take a step back, it does give you a greater appreciation for when you’re not hurt. Otherwise, you can kind of find yourself feeling sorry for having a tough day or your body hurting. But then, once you actually have one of those major season-ending injuries, you kind of realize you liked it when it sucked a little bit and that the tough days were fun.
I think I have a different perspective on the game. Obviously, I realize you don’t get to play this game forever. I wasn’t planning on coming back for my fifth year. And then when I did get injured, I kind of sat with my family and talked about how if I followed through with my plan, I’d be done with football for the rest of my life. I have been playing this game since kindergarten and I wanted to rehab and come back for one more year with the boys.
What does it mean to be able to play on such a big stage in front of your hometown?
It’s awesome the relationships I have with people in this community. It’s awesome what this community has meant to me. I hope I’ve represented it well in my six years here. It has been a dream come true.
I’ve felt a responsibility as kind of being one of the local guys, especially now as an older leader on the team, that it’s on our shoulders to make sure this program keeps on improving. We have a long tradition of winning and winning championships here.
Personally, how do you go about trying to make sure the program keeps improving?
It’s a tough question. Personally, I would just say pouring into the younger guys. When I was younger, I had guys like Easton Stick, Aaron Steidel Derek Tuszka, Ben Ellefson, and James Hendricks—some of those older guys— pour into me and kind of teach me the ropes of what it means to be a Bison and how we do things here and why this place is different. So, it’s just taking the lessons I’ve learned from those guys and passing them on. The older guys like Easton Stick would probably say the same thing about Carson Wentz and Brock Jensen and guys like that. They just passed on the tradition of the young guys. I think that’s probably the biggest thing is the standard here, which hasn’t changed since the 1960s.
Q&A with #21 Reggie King
(Left to Right Back Row) #24 CB Jenaro Ocama, Senior, Woodbury, MN; #23 CB Jayden Price
Senior, Derby, KS; #21 CB Reggie King, Sophomore, Grandview, MO; #10 Marcus Sheppard, Senior, Novi, MI
There’s a lot of opportunity to earn playing time in the backend, How are you feeling about that?
I love the opportunity to just go out and compete every day against my teammates and just be able to make each other better by just pushing each other and being great ourselves. And the opportunity just gives me drive to be a better player and do my job for the team better. In the end, it’s going to make us all better.
NDSU has always been strong in the defensive backfield, Why do you think that has been the case?
I would just say the people. We drive each other to be the best we can be and we rely on our men upfront to get to the quarterbacks so they can make mistakes and do things they shouldn’t be doing. Doing our job will allow them to do the job they need to do.
How did Coach Walker help you grow in his first year with the program?
Coach Walker pushed me in ways that no other coach has before. Not knocking any other coaches or anything like that, but he pushed me more to step outside of my comfort zone and to just be more physical. He’s encouraging me to do things that are hard for me.
What do you think you have improved on the most heading into this season?
I mean, obviously, I know the playbook a lot better now since I’m coming from safety to corner. I’m also a lot more physical, coming from safety down to corner.
Q&A with #39 K Griffin Crosa
#41 P Kaedin Steindorf, Junior, Sherwood, OR; #48 LS Caleb Bowers
Redshirt Freshman, Whitefish Bay, WI; #49 LS/FB Hunber Brozio, Senior, Lakeland, FL; #39 K Griffin Crosa, Senior, Dublin, OH
Career Stats
Games Played: 31
Field Goals: 23-28
Long: 47 yards
Did You Know?
Griffin Crosa had to play in 14 of 16 games his true freshman year because starter Jake Reinholz was injured?
You had family members that kicked as well, How did that help you in your career?
My brother played college football. He started at Bowling Green then went to Western Illinois, and finished up at Cincinnati. It helped a lot. I mean, he’s four years older than me so I could learn from him in any aspect of life. I could see the mistakes he had been through and could benefit from that.
Growing up, did you talk about kicking and work on things together?
We still do. I’ll call him a few times a week and we’ll talk about how practice is going and stuff like that. We did certainly when I was younger as well because he was leaving high school right as I was coming in. He kind of helped guide me through high school as I was really getting into kicking. He’d give me tips and try to help with things I was struggling with.
How did you guys get into that? Did you grow up playing soccer?
Yeah, we grew up playing soccer. My dad kind of wanted to see if we would enjoy kicking. He actually played semi-pro football and was a kicker.
Do you remember the first time you put one through the uprights?
I remember my first field goal. It was in seventh grade. It was actually one of my best friends that got in field goal range. We weren’t very good that year so it was my only attempt and it was at the end of the game and we just wanted to put some points on the board. I hit a 28-yarder and I’ll never forget it.
What did that feel like? Not many people are kicking at that age.
Yeah, we were probably the only team that actually kicked extra points. I felt pretty cool. Looking back now, I must have been pretty nervous.
Do you still get nervous?
Yeah, but it’s more like pressure. It’s good butterflies. I don’t get stressed out, but I think something would be wrong with me if I didn’t get butterflies out there.
What are you most excited about this season?
I’m excited for it all. I think it’s going to be pretty cool to play in US Bank Stadium. I’m a big-time Patriots fan and I went to the Thanksgiving game last season. That was my first time there and it was a sweet atmosphere. I’m excited to play there.
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