October 22, 2025 • 7 mins
UND Football Head Coach Eric Schmidt says that college football is a special journey, the team has challenges ahead and hopes that his team can continue to heal and come back. Talks about next opponent Indiana State.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
And we welcome you back here to another segment of
Hawk Talk downtown Grand Forks all across the Fighting Hawks
Radio network. We'd like to welcome all our listeners tonight
on fourteen forty kkxl AM. And we'd also like to
welcome all our listeners on the mighty seven ninety kfg
OT in Fargo, Moorhead and beyond as well, and across
the Fighting Hawks Radio network. If you're streaming live on
(00:29):
that iHeartRadio app at kkxl AM, so go back and
stream there, and of course hawk Talk we'll have all
the interviews from tonight posted a little bit later on
this evening. So we're with part two with head coach
Eric Schmidt and coach let me ask you this. And
as far as Indiana State, certain fans are going to say, oh, well, look,
you know, look, we'll beat them recently and look at
(00:49):
their you know, their record recently. And yet I look
at an Indiana State team that wasn't that far away
from knocking off South Dakota and they were in a
game here just up until the half until paying the
Lake game. So this is a Sycamores team that is
still bought in. They're still playing hard.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I just think, you know, just the nature of college
football when you watch week to week and how things change.
And you know, guy, you know teams that you thought
were you know, out of it two or three weeks
ago now coming in and winning football games. And let's
call it what it is like our business that we're in.
This is what have you done for me lately? You
know what I mean? Business? And I told our guys that,
you know, yesterday morning we have our first team meeting,
(01:27):
and you know this is you know, college football is special,
not because of the transfer portal or nil. It's specially
because of the journey you get to go on. And
every step in that journey, you know, is important. And
I think you hit the nail right on the head
like Indiana State now is you know, nobody understands that, Hey,
they were banged up or in the year, they lost
their starting quarterback, they lost their backup quarterback. You know
(01:47):
who they're at Montana, they're at Southern Illinois playing with
their number three, and you know, just on the field
a lot and defensively, you know, just weren't able to
get off the field and giving up some rushing yards.
But now if you look at they start to get
some of their weapons back. I have a receiver that's
a really good player, number eight transfer from Rutgers. That's
one of the elite, you know, kicking punt returners in
(02:07):
our league too as well. You know, had a really
big game last year against US I think caught six
balls a touchdown, you know, and it was really a
handful for our guys in the back row to be
able to handle. So they're just they're in a sending
football team. They're getting better, they're getting healthy. Like you said,
they played South Dakota, they had the ball at the
end of the game midfield down five to be able
to have a chance to be able to go win.
(02:27):
Last week against NDYSU, they missed the field goal in
the first half and they're down ten to seven. So
and just I know those guys, I know coach Mallory
and he does it right, he does it the right way,
and those guys, you know, have had some success in
our building in the past and feel like, hey man,
that can still continue you know this year too as well.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
One thing before I let you go and you talk
about the challenge ahead, one thing that was talked about
quietly by your offensive coordinator in the press conference, and
I don't know how many people clipped it out, but
he said he had to go and talk to the
work team specifically and say, fellas, you're starting to hit
on it. You're starting to give us great looks in
these weeks of practice. Keep doing that because it's paying off.
(03:07):
And so your work teams right now have given you
some good looks. Well, I think the depth that that
that's the depth of your team right there.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
And I've said it for weeks now, like our work teams,
you know, the way that we see it on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, the looks that we're getting are the
exact same looks that you know we're seeing on Saturday
too as well. It was a big thing a year ago.
I was at San Diego State. We didn't have enough
offensive lineman to be able to put together a work team.
So it was one O lineman, two tight ends playing guards,
and two DT's playing tackles, and we just, you know,
(03:34):
as the week went along, like you'd have one guy
that would just go blow up, you know, I mean
a running play and the linebackers and the safeties wouldn't
see it like, hey, it's not going to look like that,
you know, on Saturday, and it just it was was
it was what it was. And our guys, you know,
the way we practice, it's we want to make our
practices challenging, you know, and really, you know, I think
that's how you develop skills. Like it's time on task
and it's making sure that it's precise and done the
(03:56):
right way. And I think that has really helped our guys.
And you talk about starting fast and things like that, well,
you know, if we can continue to practice the way
we've practiced and our guys continue to get our guys
ready to go, like not only are players getting better
and we're winning games, but those other guys you know
that are going against good people all single all day,
like some of those young old o i'man Michael Wagner
and Alex Michaels and those guys are there. You can
(04:16):
tell like they're getting better. It's harder now for Lance Rutcker,
you know, he's not just big boy and bullying and
that kid every single day I practice like it's starting
to get you know, a little bit harder for him
and Caden Viig and some of those guys. So we
definitely have some guys that are, like I said, getting better,
And that's a huge piece to us being successful is
our work. Team's giving us the right looks during the week.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Speaking of offensive lineman, I see kleb Olson. He's always
got well maybe you know, a little bit here and
there if I get a little healthier. But I also
just think the guys like having him around as far
as his insight and just you know, his leadership abilities,
whether he's healthy or not. I just think he's such
a good person to have, not only in the trenches
as a leader, but also just in the team.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, I just think his presence means so much to
our team. You know, he's he loves his place. He
is he is carvering out a role for himself every
single day. He's probably halfway close now to being back.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
He's close, you know, and braid More's running around now
off of it. So those guys are you know, they
have a goal to be able to play football yet
this year. But in the meantime, like you know, even
z Barth came up to me the other day and
was like, Hey, what do I need to do to
help you guys here? The next you know, four weeks
until I can get back. So there's those guys are
bought in. You know, they want to help the football
team anyways they can. And you know, those are our
(05:27):
best players being able to go do that. So when
our younger guys see, you know, that level of commitment
and just humility to be able to, hey, any way
I can help. You know, I want to help while
I'm well, I'm hurting while I'm working. And that means
a lot to us as coaches, and you know, it
shows a lot as far as you know, the type
of culture we have on our team.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Well, it's another opportunity to have a home game in
front of the home fans meaningful football, Missouri Valley football.
Should we fill the corners?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, we need to. Like it's you know, it's really
important that we walk into that building there's the right
buzz and the right energy and you know that that
that really you know, we feed off of that, and
and obviously, you know it's our job to make sure
that that we continue to to you know, to make
sure that people can can have something to cheer about
and continue to have that type of energy in the building.
But yeah, man, we need everybody to be able to
(06:13):
come in there and help us. And you know every
week is going to be tough in our league, so
you know, we got to make our place one of
the you know, one of the toughest environments in college football,
especially at our level, and can't wait to see that place.
Hopefully everybody will come out and help us on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well, it is to make a Difference week and there's
a make a Difference ticket special, So if you haven't
found that out there, I think there's some tickets available
for just twelve dollars, so take advantage of that because
that doesn't come around every time. We'll see everybody out
there on Saturday. Coach Smitt, thanks for this, have a
great week an.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Head Thanks Paul, you have a great week all right.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Eric Schmidt, head coach North Dakota Football. Continuing to stay
near the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Inside
a full house here at the five oh six Pub.
When we return, we're going to talk North Dakota hockey.
They had a great, fun, exciting electric weekend at Ralph
Inglestead Arena, and of course now they turn their attention
to a team from the ECAC. Dane Jackson joins our
(07:06):
program next to talk North Dakota Hockey, and that's all
part of Hawk Talk from downtown Grand Forks in the
five oh six Pub, and you're listening all across the
Fighting Hawks Radio network
And we welcome you back here to another segment of
Hawk Talk downtown Grand Forks all across the Fighting Hawks
Radio network. We'd like to welcome all our listeners tonight
on fourteen forty kkxl AM. And we'd also like to
welcome all our listeners on the mighty seven ninety kfg
OT in Fargo, Moorhead and beyond as well, and across
the Fighting Hawks Radio network. If you're streaming live on
(00:29):
that iHeartRadio app at kkxl AM, so go back and
stream there, and of course hawk Talk we'll have all
the interviews from tonight posted a little bit later on
this evening. So we're with part two with head coach
Eric Schmidt and coach let me ask you this. And
as far as Indiana State, certain fans are going to say, oh, well, look,
you know, look, we'll beat them recently and look at
(00:49):
their you know, their record recently. And yet I look
at an Indiana State team that wasn't that far away
from knocking off South Dakota and they were in a
game here just up until the half until paying the
Lake game. So this is a Sycamores team that is
still bought in. They're still playing hard.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
I just think, you know, just the nature of college
football when you watch week to week and how things change.
And you know, guy, you know teams that you thought
were you know, out of it two or three weeks
ago now coming in and winning football games. And let's
call it what it is like our business that we're in.
This is what have you done for me lately? You
know what I mean? Business? And I told our guys that,
you know, yesterday morning we have our first team meeting,
(01:27):
and you know this is you know, college football is special,
not because of the transfer portal or nil. It's specially
because of the journey you get to go on. And
every step in that journey, you know, is important. And
I think you hit the nail right on the head
like Indiana State now is you know, nobody understands that, Hey,
they were banged up or in the year, they lost
their starting quarterback, they lost their backup quarterback. You know
(01:47):
who they're at Montana, they're at Southern Illinois playing with
their number three, and you know, just on the field
a lot and defensively, you know, just weren't able to
get off the field and giving up some rushing yards.
But now if you look at they start to get
some of their weapons back. I have a receiver that's
a really good player, number eight transfer from Rutgers. That's
one of the elite, you know, kicking punt returners in
(02:07):
our league too as well. You know, had a really
big game last year against US I think caught six
balls a touchdown, you know, and it was really a
handful for our guys in the back row to be
able to handle. So they're just they're in a sending
football team. They're getting better, they're getting healthy. Like you said,
they played South Dakota, they had the ball at the
end of the game midfield down five to be able
to have a chance to be able to go win.
(02:27):
Last week against NDYSU, they missed the field goal in
the first half and they're down ten to seven. So
and just I know those guys, I know coach Mallory
and he does it right, he does it the right way,
and those guys, you know, have had some success in
our building in the past and feel like, hey man,
that can still continue you know this year too as well.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
One thing before I let you go and you talk
about the challenge ahead, one thing that was talked about
quietly by your offensive coordinator in the press conference, and
I don't know how many people clipped it out, but
he said he had to go and talk to the
work team specifically and say, fellas, you're starting to hit
on it. You're starting to give us great looks in
these weeks of practice. Keep doing that because it's paying off.
(03:07):
And so your work teams right now have given you
some good looks. Well, I think the depth that that
that's the depth of your team right there.
Speaker 2 (03:13):
And I've said it for weeks now, like our work teams,
you know, the way that we see it on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday, the looks that we're getting are the
exact same looks that you know we're seeing on Saturday
too as well. It was a big thing a year ago.
I was at San Diego State. We didn't have enough
offensive lineman to be able to put together a work team.
So it was one O lineman, two tight ends playing guards,
and two DT's playing tackles, and we just, you know,
(03:34):
as the week went along, like you'd have one guy
that would just go blow up, you know, I mean
a running play and the linebackers and the safeties wouldn't
see it like, hey, it's not going to look like that,
you know, on Saturday, and it just it was was
it was what it was. And our guys, you know,
the way we practice, it's we want to make our
practices challenging, you know, and really, you know, I think
that's how you develop skills. Like it's time on task
and it's making sure that it's precise and done the
(03:56):
right way. And I think that has really helped our guys.
And you talk about starting fast and things like that, well,
you know, if we can continue to practice the way
we've practiced and our guys continue to get our guys
ready to go, like not only are players getting better
and we're winning games, but those other guys you know
that are going against good people all single all day,
like some of those young old o i'man Michael Wagner
and Alex Michaels and those guys are there. You can
(04:16):
tell like they're getting better. It's harder now for Lance Rutcker,
you know, he's not just big boy and bullying and
that kid every single day I practice like it's starting
to get you know, a little bit harder for him
and Caden Viig and some of those guys. So we
definitely have some guys that are, like I said, getting better,
And that's a huge piece to us being successful is
our work. Team's giving us the right looks during the week.
Speaker 1 (04:34):
Speaking of offensive lineman, I see kleb Olson. He's always
got well maybe you know, a little bit here and
there if I get a little healthier. But I also
just think the guys like having him around as far
as his insight and just you know, his leadership abilities,
whether he's healthy or not. I just think he's such
a good person to have, not only in the trenches
as a leader, but also just in the team.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, I just think his presence means so much to
our team. You know, he's he loves his place. He
is he is carvering out a role for himself every
single day. He's probably halfway close now to being back.
Speaker 1 (05:05):
That's awesome.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
He's close, you know, and braid More's running around now
off of it. So those guys are you know, they
have a goal to be able to play football yet
this year. But in the meantime, like you know, even
z Barth came up to me the other day and
was like, Hey, what do I need to do to
help you guys here? The next you know, four weeks
until I can get back. So there's those guys are
bought in. You know, they want to help the football
team anyways they can. And you know, those are our
(05:27):
best players being able to go do that. So when
our younger guys see, you know, that level of commitment
and just humility to be able to, hey, any way
I can help. You know, I want to help while
I'm well, I'm hurting while I'm working. And that means
a lot to us as coaches, and you know, it
shows a lot as far as you know, the type
of culture we have on our team.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Well, it's another opportunity to have a home game in
front of the home fans meaningful football, Missouri Valley football.
Should we fill the corners?
Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, we need to. Like it's you know, it's really
important that we walk into that building there's the right
buzz and the right energy and you know that that
that really you know, we feed off of that, and
and obviously, you know it's our job to make sure
that that we continue to to you know, to make
sure that people can can have something to cheer about
and continue to have that type of energy in the building.
But yeah, man, we need everybody to be able to
(06:13):
come in there and help us. And you know every
week is going to be tough in our league, so
you know, we got to make our place one of
the you know, one of the toughest environments in college football,
especially at our level, and can't wait to see that place.
Hopefully everybody will come out and help us on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Well, it is to make a Difference week and there's
a make a Difference ticket special, So if you haven't
found that out there, I think there's some tickets available
for just twelve dollars, so take advantage of that because
that doesn't come around every time. We'll see everybody out
there on Saturday. Coach Smitt, thanks for this, have a
great week an.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Head Thanks Paul, you have a great week all right.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Eric Schmidt, head coach North Dakota Football. Continuing to stay
near the top of the Missouri Valley Football Conference. Inside
a full house here at the five oh six Pub.
When we return, we're going to talk North Dakota hockey.
They had a great, fun, exciting electric weekend at Ralph
Inglestead Arena, and of course now they turn their attention
to a team from the ECAC. Dane Jackson joins our
(07:06):
program next to talk North Dakota Hockey, and that's all
part of Hawk Talk from downtown Grand Forks in the
five oh six Pub, and you're listening all across the
Fighting Hawks Radio network
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