News

Coach Q&A: Craig Bohl, NDSU

10/13/2011 9:00 AM

Jay Elsen  | @ElsenMidco

North Dakota State University football program is coming off an historic season. After securing their first-ever berth in the FCS playoffs, the Bison recorded a win over Robert Morris in their first NCAA home playoff game.

Head coach Craig Bohl, who was rewarded with a five-year contract extension in June, is hoping to build on that success in 2011.

Q. Looking back at last year...Was it a good season, a great season, or an okay season?

 A. It certainly was disappointing. We didn’t accomplish all we wanted to accomplish, but we certainly made strides. It was the first time we’d been in the playoffs and that was a great experience for our club, our fan-base. They remembered the Division II days, and so it was good for them to be a part of the playoff system. And I think it really gave our players a taste of where we can go. As close as what we were, we lost to the national champion in overtime, we were also 4-4 in the Valley. So I think it gives our fan-base a sense of the parity and the level of competition in the Valley.
 
 
Q. One of those losses was 3-0 at Missouri State. What sticks out about that one?

A. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought the game would turn out to be 3-0. It was a disappointing loss. Their team played well and played hard. Our team played hard. They played a little bit better. It really put our playoff berth in jeopardy. If we’d have won the game, I think there would’ve been no doubt that we would’ve been one of the teams selected. We’re excited about playing them this next year and we’re glad to be playing them in Fargo.

Q. Is SDSU still a special game for you guys?

A. The two schools linked arms several years ago, as we made this move in transition. John Stiegelmeier and the coaching staff, they do a great job. A lot of the guys that we have on our team, they’ve been recruited by both schools. Two schools that have similar missions, land-grant national research institutions. So it’s a big, big ballgame for us. Our guys are certainly excited. It’s good to have that competition.

NDSU, recently picked to finish 2nd in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, is ranked No. 10 in College Sporting News' Preseason Top 25. The Bison open the season against Layfayette on Sept. 3 at the Fargodome.

 

Catch the Bison on MidcoSN

North Dakota State football will be highly visible this season, with a school record 10 games being televised. Two of those contests will be live on Midco Sports Network.

  • Saturday, Oct. 15: Missouri State at NDSU, 1 p.m.
  • Saturday, Oct. 22: NDSU at SDSU (Dakota Marker), 2 p.m.

 

***Follow @ElsenMidcoSN on Twitter for blog updates, regional sports news, MidcoSN schedules, etc.


Filed Under Football | College