October 14, 2025 • 5 mins
UND Head Football Coach Eric Schmidt previews the upcoming matchup against Southern Illinois. He reflects on how many players and coaches in the football world have ties to Illinois, making this game feel a bit more personal. Coach Schmidt also addresses the pressure some of his players are feeling and highlights the importance of physicality and adaptability. He says the team must stay flexible and make adjustments to keep opponents off guard.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
All right, we're back here at the five oh six
Pub downtown. Grand Fok says, we continue with hawk Talk,
and of course, if you miss any of our conversations tonight,
you can go back at any point and listen back.
Just search hawk hawk Talk inside the iHeartRadio app and
iHeartRadio dot com and you'll be able to go back
and listen to our conversations with all our coaches and
(00:26):
guests here tonight. Before we get back into football. I
know we won't be talking you and de volleyball, but
they picked up a nice win on Saturday, and in
doing so, Paige Barber earned her second Some of League
Offensive Player Peak Performer of the Week. And let's give
it up for Page because I don't know if you
know this, but Page, on Saturday at the Betty she
(00:47):
hit for over six hundred in the match with twenty
four kills and that was just in four sets of work.
That's absurd. Basically, imagine, hitting percentage is basically just like
a batting app in baseball. So if you hit six
eleven in the game on on quite a few swings,
you're doing something. So good job, Page Barber. We're happy
(01:08):
she continues to collect the Awards. Now we turn our
attention back to North to go to football. As Eric
Schmid in his final segment with US and coach Southern
Illinois back to Carbondale. You're you you've spent time there.
You you actually I think one of your children were
born there, so this is not a community unfamiliar for you.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah, the the two programs are, uh, there's a there's
a lot of you know, experience. And yeh, DJ Davis,
who's our running backs coach played there, was a really
good player there. Trevor Olser offensive line coach coach there
at one time. Off of it, obviously, Coach Steps was
there when I was there on coach linon staff. His
wife was was an athletic director there too as well.
(01:47):
So those two programs have have you know, crossed a
lot of pass here over the years. And and Nick Hill,
who's the head coach there now when we were there,
he was the head high school coach at Carbondale High School,
So there's a lot of familiar.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
With quarterback himself, I believe right played.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
There, had a really good career there too as well.
And then like you said, our oldest daughter actually had
to go to Saint Louis to to be able to
uh have the birth for her. But my middle son
was born right in Carbondet High School, which is right
down the street from from Sluky Stadium. So yeah, it'll
be uh, definitely some familiar faces there. I'm sure it's
changed a lot. I mean I haven't been there in
a decade, so I know, uh, Nick's there, and I
(02:23):
know there's Roger Lights there yet, who was an FCA
director when I was there before. But you know, like
everything else, you know, things change and turnover, especially in
college athletics, so they'll be, uh, there'll be a few
familiar faces. It'll be good to see.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
So we just talked about your ability to try to
wrangle at least and contain somewhat a very talented, elusive
quarterback in both run guard against Youngstown State on Saturday.
Here yet again you get DJ Williams for Southern Illinois.
How are they different? How are they alike? How do
they stress to you basically going into this one?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, physically they're you know, just their statures different. I
mean DJ six three, two hundred and fifteen pounds bow
was you know, maybe five to eleven, you know, but
but very strong like, you know, you look at him,
he was put together. So both of those guys can
break tackles. I think Bow's got a little bit you know,
he'll shake guys and things like that. He'll he does
a good job of not trying to take the big hits.
(03:16):
He's always working himself to the sidelines and things like that.
I think DJ is a big physical guy that you know,
when he gets up to full speed. Both those guys
really like they can run away from defensive players. So
there's some familiarity there, you know. I just think like
in the pocket, obviously, with his body type and stature,
like DJ can make all the throws. He's got a
really strong arm, he can see real well, being six
(03:38):
to three, all those things. Yeah, So I just think
that's probably the difference. Now, I will say Bo's become
a better quarterback. You saw the other night. They have
you know, some really good weapons. So there's definitely some
similarities as far as how they're doing things with you know,
run pass options and giving those guys the opportunity if
people are covered, they're they're you know, working lineman down
the field on different QB run type games and in
(03:59):
schemes there too. As well. So we'll definitely have to
be able to do some things similar that we did
and now we put on tape, you know, some of
the things that we did. So now teams will be
a little bit more familiar with how we're trying to
how we're trying to adapt. So we'll have to come
up with a few new things too as well to
make sure that we keep people off off guard.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
What is your North Dakota offense, Jerry and the running game,
the tight ends, the offensive line, the receivers, what are
they gonna face when they face that Saluki defense.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I just think that's where they're probably, as you know,
most improved on that side of the ball. I think
they do a really good job with different coverages, putting
their corners in the flats, you know, trying to take
away a lot of the quick game stuff. You know,
they're not obviously afraid to put those guys in the
run fit too as well. I think their secondary as
a whole probably as good as any secondary that we've played.
(04:44):
Just safeties, corners, you know, I mean, all those guys
back there I think can all cover. They all do
a good job of being able to fit correctly in
the run game. So I thought, you know, just watching them,
they're they're very coordinated, they're very disciplined in what they do.
And then I think, you know, they have two really
good defensive ends too as well. Anytime that I think
you can be good at corner and good on the
edges off of it up front, I think you got
(05:05):
an opportunity to be able to be a really good defense.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Simply put, when you find success against that defense, you've
earned it, basically.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Sure, so that's what you're up against on Saturday. Coach Smith,
thanks for dropping in with us again. Congratulations on the win,
but again we just keep moving on to the next one,
and it's another great opportunity save travels and to have
a great Saturday ahead here.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Okay, sounds good, Thanks Paul.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
All Right, there's head coach Eric Schmidt. Big one coming
up here for the Fighting Hawk football program Saturday in Carbondale, Illinois,
Saluki Stadium. Jack Michaels, Mike Berg, Joel Hike Camps slides
in for me and should be a great great broadcast
coming your way with coverage on the bud Light UNDI
football tailgate show at one and the kick at two
(05:47):
Central All across the Fighting Hawks Radio network. We go
from the grid iron to the ice when we return
with more Hawk talk all across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
All right, we're back here at the five oh six
Pub downtown. Grand Fok says, we continue with hawk Talk,
and of course, if you miss any of our conversations tonight,
you can go back at any point and listen back.
Just search hawk hawk Talk inside the iHeartRadio app and
iHeartRadio dot com and you'll be able to go back
and listen to our conversations with all our coaches and
(00:26):
guests here tonight. Before we get back into football. I
know we won't be talking you and de volleyball, but
they picked up a nice win on Saturday, and in
doing so, Paige Barber earned her second Some of League
Offensive Player Peak Performer of the Week. And let's give
it up for Page because I don't know if you
know this, but Page, on Saturday at the Betty she
(00:47):
hit for over six hundred in the match with twenty
four kills and that was just in four sets of work.
That's absurd. Basically, imagine, hitting percentage is basically just like
a batting app in baseball. So if you hit six
eleven in the game on on quite a few swings,
you're doing something. So good job, Page Barber. We're happy
(01:08):
she continues to collect the Awards. Now we turn our
attention back to North to go to football. As Eric
Schmid in his final segment with US and coach Southern
Illinois back to Carbondale. You're you you've spent time there.
You you actually I think one of your children were
born there, so this is not a community unfamiliar for you.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Yeah, the the two programs are, uh, there's a there's
a lot of you know, experience. And yeh, DJ Davis,
who's our running backs coach played there, was a really
good player there. Trevor Olser offensive line coach coach there
at one time. Off of it, obviously, Coach Steps was
there when I was there on coach linon staff. His
wife was was an athletic director there too as well.
(01:47):
So those two programs have have you know, crossed a
lot of pass here over the years. And and Nick Hill,
who's the head coach there now when we were there,
he was the head high school coach at Carbondale High School,
So there's a lot of familiar.
Speaker 1 (02:00):
With quarterback himself, I believe right played.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
There, had a really good career there too as well.
And then like you said, our oldest daughter actually had
to go to Saint Louis to to be able to
uh have the birth for her. But my middle son
was born right in Carbondet High School, which is right
down the street from from Sluky Stadium. So yeah, it'll
be uh, definitely some familiar faces there. I'm sure it's
changed a lot. I mean I haven't been there in
a decade, so I know, uh, Nick's there, and I
(02:23):
know there's Roger Lights there yet, who was an FCA
director when I was there before. But you know, like
everything else, you know, things change and turnover, especially in
college athletics, so they'll be, uh, there'll be a few
familiar faces. It'll be good to see.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
So we just talked about your ability to try to
wrangle at least and contain somewhat a very talented, elusive
quarterback in both run guard against Youngstown State on Saturday.
Here yet again you get DJ Williams for Southern Illinois.
How are they different? How are they alike? How do
they stress to you basically going into this one?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, physically they're you know, just their statures different. I
mean DJ six three, two hundred and fifteen pounds bow
was you know, maybe five to eleven, you know, but
but very strong like, you know, you look at him,
he was put together. So both of those guys can
break tackles. I think Bow's got a little bit you know,
he'll shake guys and things like that. He'll he does
a good job of not trying to take the big hits.
(03:16):
He's always working himself to the sidelines and things like that.
I think DJ is a big physical guy that you know,
when he gets up to full speed. Both those guys
really like they can run away from defensive players. So
there's some familiarity there, you know. I just think like
in the pocket, obviously, with his body type and stature,
like DJ can make all the throws. He's got a
really strong arm, he can see real well, being six
(03:38):
to three, all those things. Yeah, So I just think
that's probably the difference. Now, I will say Bo's become
a better quarterback. You saw the other night. They have
you know, some really good weapons. So there's definitely some
similarities as far as how they're doing things with you know,
run pass options and giving those guys the opportunity if
people are covered, they're they're you know, working lineman down
the field on different QB run type games and in
(03:59):
schemes there too. As well. So we'll definitely have to
be able to do some things similar that we did
and now we put on tape, you know, some of
the things that we did. So now teams will be
a little bit more familiar with how we're trying to
how we're trying to adapt. So we'll have to come
up with a few new things too as well to
make sure that we keep people off off guard.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
What is your North Dakota offense, Jerry and the running game,
the tight ends, the offensive line, the receivers, what are
they gonna face when they face that Saluki defense.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I just think that's where they're probably, as you know,
most improved on that side of the ball. I think
they do a really good job with different coverages, putting
their corners in the flats, you know, trying to take
away a lot of the quick game stuff. You know,
they're not obviously afraid to put those guys in the
run fit too as well. I think their secondary as
a whole probably as good as any secondary that we've played.
(04:44):
Just safeties, corners, you know, I mean, all those guys
back there I think can all cover. They all do
a good job of being able to fit correctly in
the run game. So I thought, you know, just watching them,
they're they're very coordinated, they're very disciplined in what they do.
And then I think, you know, they have two really
good defensive ends too as well. Anytime that I think
you can be good at corner and good on the
edges off of it up front, I think you got
(05:05):
an opportunity to be able to be a really good defense.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Simply put, when you find success against that defense, you've
earned it, basically.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Sure, so that's what you're up against on Saturday. Coach Smith,
thanks for dropping in with us again. Congratulations on the win,
but again we just keep moving on to the next one,
and it's another great opportunity save travels and to have
a great Saturday ahead here.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
Okay, sounds good, Thanks Paul.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
All Right, there's head coach Eric Schmidt. Big one coming
up here for the Fighting Hawk football program Saturday in Carbondale, Illinois,
Saluki Stadium. Jack Michaels, Mike Berg, Joel Hike Camps slides
in for me and should be a great great broadcast
coming your way with coverage on the bud Light UNDI
football tailgate show at one and the kick at two
(05:47):
Central All across the Fighting Hawks Radio network. We go
from the grid iron to the ice when we return
with more Hawk talk all across the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
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