April 18, 2026 • 16 mins
Jack Michaels, Mike Berg and Paul Ralston from the UND Football Spring Showcase
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I've always gonna man.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's ties right over it, catch it, catch it touchdown,
Cory tilenu down bigot free not the Coota's back of
the board, trailing in thirty one twenty seven Kivinski County board.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Give it to gap No, keeps it slam.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Touchdown, tank Dang touch down, Tang tang twenty.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
One nothing flagship You how about that? Kivinski rolled it
up and he throws to the corner.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
He's got a man pull in touchdown, Tang Tang?
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Is it good?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, sir? Touchdown nor nactuna?
Speaker 5 (00:37):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
It's twelve nothing fighting hawks misky gonna pass since Horner's
cot Touchdown't.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Cory tie touch downe Cory tie.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Tounch down on the couta twenty two fourteen flag ship
you back of the brisk modeth that they sent it here.
Cameras of going to kinda University of North Dakta, Jack Migels,
Mike Berg, Paul Ralston and that other boys you just
heard right there is a very familiar voice that is
(01:10):
the beloved and I say beloved Danny Froyd from from
a player's dad point means a lot of this university
I think from a fans standpoint, bringing Danny back in
here calling the shots on the offensive side of things,
and and Danny, you get these guys in these showcase
Mike and Danny's gotta have one eye on the field,
one mouth on us.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I guess Danny, good to see. Hey you do, Bud,
I'm good.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Thanks for having me up here. Man, this is all
it's fun.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
We just heard that bum bag. We were talking during
the break about the receiver's room, and you heard a
couple of touchdowns from Corey Tye. Dang Tang was like
the Chris Carter last year for the first four games
there was touchdown touch It's four catches, four touchdowns on that.
But Danny, when you look at the offensive side of.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Things, you're the chef. What kind of ingredients do you
have to work with here in the upcoming season?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest two positions would
be quarterback.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Right, you got a.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Year one starter coming back for year or two, had
a great season. There's a lot to build on there.
And then the offensive line, the seven to one moving
company with those guys coming back, all the experience because
if if on offense, if you can secure your offensive
line and be good there and have a really good
quarterback that's a good leader, making good decisions like the
tight ends, running backs, receivers. You can kind of mix
(02:20):
and match that to you know. But we feel really
good about our skill guys, how they've developed, and Jerry
taking a jump from year one to year two so
should be really exciting. But we got to continue to
push and progress here throughout the summer into fall camp right.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Now, and fans, by the way they started this drive,
I guess at the fifty that's that's the benefit of
a showcase. You can you can work on a lot
of different things and show the fans this Javans is
in there at this juncture too.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Well.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I might get a question here too, but Mike had
mentioned to me that Jerry's had a pretty good spring.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Talk about Jerry's spring.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Yeah, he's He's got to just take the reins and
just kind of take a jump in terms of like, hey,
you're the guy. Now, you're the senior, you're the junior,
you're the leader of the team. There's a lot more
that he can become more consistent out of that position.
I think starts with just like completion percentage, like we
got to complete more passes, Like I think we're a
fifty eight percent last year. That's got to be up
mid mid sixties. And then just being able to use
(03:14):
his feet when it's not there. I think those are
situations that come up within a game that it's really
hard to defend if you're playing on defense.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Complete.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Yeah, I think like the leadership that the ability to
use his feet more, and then just becoming a consistent
player in situational football, whether that's third downs, two minute
red zone, just understanding the game like a coach and
knowing when to take risks with the ball and when
to hey, it's okay to throw it away or use
your feet. I think we can take a big jump
there in terms of helping the team because I feel
like we're gonna be really good on defense. You know,
we're gonna be able to move the ball on offense.
(03:45):
It's just kind of playing that conmentity football and understanding
the management side of the game. I think you can
take a big jump.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
I'm going to try and attempt a field goal tiller part.
We'll get into the kicking game as well too, So
flies in the polar Yeah pretty good to me.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Yeah, we need those points.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Man.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
That's Danny Bryant Johnning Is I've benually god to in
the University of North Dakota Kaminski. Danny's right. Fifty nine
percent completion percentage last year. The touchdown interception ratio was
tremendous at the start, and then the pick started coming
up a little bit and granted, uh, through the course
of the season. Danny, you know, teams aren't going to adjust.
There's gonna be times where you're gonna you gotta probably
(04:25):
try to porce it. That's what you're talking about, the
development of the decision making when to throw, when to eat,
when to run.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah, right, and the just the overall confidence, like you
gotta have that position when you lose confidence, Like you
can watch those last five or six games and its
just like it slips. So just being able to like
call it in a way that helps him get that
back right and figure out, hey, how can we get
easy completions, how can we stay ahead of the stick
so we don't end up in third and long and
he's gotta drop back and see all these different looks.
(04:52):
So I think just from that standpoint, like teaching him
has been really fun. He wants to grow, he wants
to learn. He's obviously got you know, a lot of time,
but there's so much he can improve on from a
physical standpoint and a mental standpoint that that's what I
think the fans are going to see a jump there
this fall, and we're excited to work with him.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
We'll let Danny get going here in a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Now out there we are saying, it looks like Jack Sulica,
I believe you've got at the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Now, well we get some of this personnel.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I got a question too, Danny, And imagine there's still
quote unquote position battles being fought for every single day,
no matter what university is going on because of that competition.
But for an offensive coordinator, in your relationship with a
head coach and how you're designing offenses and how do
you come up with a fit?
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Does it?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Does it happen through the spring game, through full practice
of the first couple of non conference games. When do
you get a feel that this package these guys together work,
this is where we're going to be most effective. Take
us through that thought process, Danny.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
From an offensive mitt Yeah, I think like there's certain
philosophies that you have right, and then it's kind of
trying to match Oh we got to block the corner there.
We we got to match our fullies with the personnel
on the field, and then get together as a coaching
staff and figure out, hey, like we did this last year.
So I think every year it's kind of a you
start over in January and you have your philosophies, but
(06:09):
it's also the same, Hey, what are the best you know,
personnel groupings this year? Are there some new things that
we can add to our run game that are gonna
make it better pass game wise? Like, hey, these are
our base concepts. How can we dress those up? A
bunch of different ways to do that. But I think,
like what you said Jack, like early in the year,
like you're always learning from week to week who you're
playing matters. I think designing a game plan like to understand, hey,
(06:33):
we're gonna be able to do this week against this opponent,
but maybe not the next week. So I think it
all kind of factors in nice run, He's gonna be good. Hold, wow,
holl he fumbled that.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Oh boy, what a play there, guys with the first
cut was amazing, but not security that will allow the
defense to lick their chops a little bit and celebrate.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Hey, this defense for North the Kelta is pretty oppartimistic too.
Even heard Danny's saying that the previous run when when
Tubulata Johnson scrambled out because nothing was there. You might
you heard Danny under his breath, go protect the ball.
You know that that is so is so ingrained.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
It is here the deal Jack, Danny is joining us.
He does not want to be with us right now.
Don't don't be offended that he's not looking to us.
He's he's watching what's going on out there, and he's
working back talking us at the same time.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Before we kick you back downstairs, Danny, we appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Is the football is? Is college football? Is it no
longer run to set up the pass?
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Is it evolved to something now with so much skill,
so much misdirection, so much you know, pressures that are
coming from other edges.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
There's no true maybe.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Way to move that football and get first downs and
score touchdowns.
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
I think I think defenses kind of has started to
like do a better job of presenting so many looks,
and it's it's becoming harder and harder to move the ball.
We're going deep there you go good. But yeah, I
think like there's a philosophy. Hey, we want to run
the football. We always want to run the ball. But
(08:13):
it's like how do we do that? Like sometimes you
put all these tight ends in the game, you get
more people in the box and that might create some
one on ones in the rpo game on the outside,
or you spread people out, you know, and that creates
more space on the field. You may one guy miss
it turns into explosive play or it's a side tackle
for four or five yards. So there's I think there's
different ways. But we're gonna run the footba, We're gonna
find ways to do that. We're gonna find ways to
be unpredictable. I think the best offenses are, Hey, they
(08:36):
go tempo at times, they huddle at times, they you know,
take shots on first down, they throw the ball and
third and short. So you're you're trying to be unpredictable
with how we play is a is a big thing.
And then just like fundamentally, like getting the guys to
play with good fundamentals and then just believe in what
you're doing. I kind of figured out like as I
get older, like the plays of the plays. If the
(08:56):
guys believe in the plays and there's a culture and
like a leaf and confidence, hey like this is gonna work.
They're gonna make it work, you know, because they believe
in the coaches, they believe in what you're doing. So
just as the season goes on, just creating that belief
and just like that confidence of how we're gonna play,
I think matters a lot. But you'll see you'll see
a lot of different things, and we're gonna try to
figure out what works. Obviously, offensive coordinators, they look great
(09:17):
when you run the plays at work, and then when
they don't work right, you gotta find ways to get
better and learn from it and grow. So yeah, it's
all a blend. And I feel like as long as
you've got the right people in the room creating the plan,
and then the right people on the field. Our guys
have done such a good job of working hard and
they're serious about learning football and want to get better.
So that's been really cool coming back to Coach Schmidt
(09:38):
and the culture of this place and just seeing the
type of guys that we have. It's it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
The well Giviny frouing offensive coording and joining us here
on a broadcast for the spring showcase is North Dakota's
offense movie the ball down the field. Prior to that,
that was nice a crossing route by Dang Dang that body.
By the way you look at physical specimen of the dictionary,
Dang Dang's picture probably comes up. But we'll leave by
the little quarterback option off the side, Danny in a
(10:06):
word or two, your running back group is, what your
tight end group is, what your wide receivers group is.
What if you have to fill each each group with
a word, whether it be versattle, strong, speedy, whatever.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Yeah, the running back room, I would say versatile. Like
there's four guys in there right now that are all,
you know, super talented, and they all have different strengths,
and I think that puts pressure on a defense when
you can get a Colton Burnell who can get the
inside yards and break it down, and then Chuck goes
in and he can cut on a dime, Matt Lawson
really good explosive player that we got in from Illinois State,
(10:39):
and then Griffin and bigger back that they all can
catch it out of the back field. Their versatile like that.
So Brunell a little bit of a banger. Yeah. So
like that room, the tight end room is is deep.
I would say, like the length in there, the ability
to play on the line of scrimmage, play out wide.
We have some flexibility with those guys. So I think
it's a deep room and we're gonna have to be
creative with how we get into twelve and thirteen personnel
(11:01):
and not just get into type formations. Maybe spread people
out that way. And then the receiver room, I credit,
you know, Coach May's came in here and done a
great job of just creating it. Maybe a different mentality
in that room as far as like whatever it takes
right to go block, to go make plays. But I
would say that room is explosive. Like those guys. We're
gonna have some guys that can make plays. Nice job that. Yeah,
(11:24):
all right, get Jerry out of there. Jerry's done. We're
gon We're gonna got developed develop some of these other guys.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Hey, Danny, let me ask you a question before you
get out of here. Uh, nothing to do with football.
How was it to have uh be back to Grand
Forks with Ann and the family, back in familiar territory.
How are things going. Yeah, that quick train, I mean
a lot of a lot of moving parts.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, yeah, you know, like I would say, it's been
it's been really good to come back to a familiar
spot with people that are so special and like the
relationships are built up over the years and there's some familiarity.
All your kids were all my kids were born here,
wife was raised here, so like I this is home.
So like you come home when you just feel like
(12:05):
a certain sense of appreciation for you know, having the
opportunity to come back, because when we left, we didn't
you know, you don't anticipate being back in a couple
of years, you know. But it also at the same time,
you're like this place means so much. So like that's
been great. There's been challenges, like it's not the easiest
thing to do to move your family around. Then you
go to Washington. We loved it in Pullman, like just
(12:27):
people there, special community, special place. Like we just got
something in the mill yesterday from their basketball teams, Joss
and Tucks basketball team. The kids signed it, Like, hey,
my wife coached them. So it's just like it's tough
to leave those you build these relationships and then you
just rip them like after a year, and that's the
nature of obviously what we're doing. We didn't expect to leave,
but so yeah, there's there's challenge and then and then
(12:50):
you know, in our profession, I would say the the
we leave to go work, my wife has to sell
a house, pack up everything you just put like if
I didn't have her, like it would be. That's so
I think, like it's you know, the growth that happens
within a family and within like professionally when you have
to move, like whether you're learning football from different people,
(13:11):
you're just like you've become closer as a family, and
I think ultimately that leads to growth as an individual.
So that part has been really good. But just like yes,
being back in Grand Fork's familiar spot, like you know
with coach Schmidt, that's the other thing, Like he he's
a great leader, and like for him to come back
at this time last year and like just to see
(13:33):
his imprint on the program from when he went away
to when he came back, Like you want mentors guys
you can learn from and continue to grow. So it's
it's it's been a really positive experience and can't wait
for the fall.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Well, I know that that bringing Danny back in and
then the community obviously you know you're standing in the community,
so that had to help too. That, as Mike said,
just people open arms, whether you're hearing God here come
back and.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
The pack such a like for like four months like
this will probably go on the rest of the I
But it's like you hear the question are you happy
to be back? I'm like, it's just like a loaded question.
I'm really happy to be back. It's like it's also had.
It's you know, like, of course we're happy to be back.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
You know, it's just you'll be happy if you raised
that MS championship.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I tell you what we got. We got the we
got the people in place to do it, the facilities,
the you have Bill Chase and you Army costs a
lot of credit for this building and what we've done
with the campus. Couldn't be more excited to just like
be a part of this because you can see the
direction that's going.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
His energy is infectious. Those that don't haven't been around
Danny Freud. You can't double negative might my late father
would be mad at me if you using a double name.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
You can't not.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Well well, Danny's excited about the season, excited to be here.
We're equally or more so excited on our end. So
thanks for joining us today, Danny. They have work to
do yet today. Day's not done for you there.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
You know what, you know, the boys were playing pretty
well when I was up here, so maybe I'll just
chill out out here. The fumble, the yeah, the fumble.
That's good stuff. Thank you, Denny. Yeah, day, Thank you guys.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Danny Fryan joining us here at the Pollard. It's good
to have you on board today with the showcase today
on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
We'll take your time out, will come back.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
We'll hear We've heard a lot of talk about that
quarterback Jerry Convincedki. We'll hear from Jerry around the corner
and more. Bill Shames is here today. Good to see Bell,
of course he's here. Director of Athletics Tracy Pye producing
our game. Remind you to show you U n D
pride with First Community Credit Unions Exclusive Fighting Hawks U
n D cards. Good order yours today at my FCCU
dot com, forward slash und and for all your insurance needs,
(15:40):
contact your local Farmers Union insurance agent or go to
www dot f U, m i C dot com for
more information. Farmers Union Insurance a proud broadcast sponsor of
Fighting Hawks football. It is the Spring Showcase, Jack, Mike,
Paul and you on the Fighting Hawks Radio.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Network eight eight e
I've always gonna man.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
It's ties right over it, catch it, catch it touchdown,
Cory tilenu down bigot free not the Coota's back of
the board, trailing in thirty one twenty seven Kivinski County board.
Speaker 3 (00:17):
Give it to gap No, keeps it slam.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
Touchdown, tank Dang touch down, Tang tang twenty.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
One nothing flagship You how about that? Kivinski rolled it
up and he throws to the corner.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
He's got a man pull in touchdown, Tang Tang?
Speaker 4 (00:34):
Is it good?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Yes, sir? Touchdown nor nactuna?
Speaker 5 (00:37):
How about that?
Speaker 1 (00:39):
It's twelve nothing fighting hawks misky gonna pass since Horner's
cot Touchdown't.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Cory tie touch downe Cory tie.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Tounch down on the couta twenty two fourteen flag ship
you back of the brisk modeth that they sent it here.
Cameras of going to kinda University of North Dakta, Jack Migels,
Mike Berg, Paul Ralston and that other boys you just
heard right there is a very familiar voice that is
(01:10):
the beloved and I say beloved Danny Froyd from from
a player's dad point means a lot of this university
I think from a fans standpoint, bringing Danny back in
here calling the shots on the offensive side of things,
and and Danny, you get these guys in these showcase
Mike and Danny's gotta have one eye on the field,
one mouth on us.
Speaker 3 (01:27):
I guess Danny, good to see. Hey you do, Bud,
I'm good.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Thanks for having me up here. Man, this is all
it's fun.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
We just heard that bum bag. We were talking during
the break about the receiver's room, and you heard a
couple of touchdowns from Corey Tye. Dang Tang was like
the Chris Carter last year for the first four games
there was touchdown touch It's four catches, four touchdowns on that.
But Danny, when you look at the offensive side of.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Things, you're the chef. What kind of ingredients do you
have to work with here in the upcoming season?
Speaker 4 (01:56):
Yeah, I mean, I think the biggest two positions would
be quarterback.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Right, you got a.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
Year one starter coming back for year or two, had
a great season. There's a lot to build on there.
And then the offensive line, the seven to one moving
company with those guys coming back, all the experience because
if if on offense, if you can secure your offensive
line and be good there and have a really good
quarterback that's a good leader, making good decisions like the
tight ends, running backs, receivers. You can kind of mix
(02:20):
and match that to you know. But we feel really
good about our skill guys, how they've developed, and Jerry
taking a jump from year one to year two so
should be really exciting. But we got to continue to
push and progress here throughout the summer into fall camp right.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Now, and fans, by the way they started this drive,
I guess at the fifty that's that's the benefit of
a showcase. You can you can work on a lot
of different things and show the fans this Javans is
in there at this juncture too.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Well.
Speaker 1 (02:47):
I might get a question here too, but Mike had
mentioned to me that Jerry's had a pretty good spring.
Speaker 3 (02:52):
Talk about Jerry's spring.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Yeah, he's He's got to just take the reins and
just kind of take a jump in terms of like, hey,
you're the guy. Now, you're the senior, you're the junior,
you're the leader of the team. There's a lot more
that he can become more consistent out of that position.
I think starts with just like completion percentage, like we
got to complete more passes, Like I think we're a
fifty eight percent last year. That's got to be up
mid mid sixties. And then just being able to use
(03:14):
his feet when it's not there. I think those are
situations that come up within a game that it's really
hard to defend if you're playing on defense.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Complete.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Yeah, I think like the leadership that the ability to
use his feet more, and then just becoming a consistent
player in situational football, whether that's third downs, two minute
red zone, just understanding the game like a coach and
knowing when to take risks with the ball and when
to hey, it's okay to throw it away or use
your feet. I think we can take a big jump
there in terms of helping the team because I feel
like we're gonna be really good on defense. You know,
we're gonna be able to move the ball on offense.
(03:45):
It's just kind of playing that conmentity football and understanding
the management side of the game. I think you can
take a big jump.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
I'm going to try and attempt a field goal tiller part.
We'll get into the kicking game as well too, So
flies in the polar Yeah pretty good to me.
Speaker 4 (04:01):
Yeah, we need those points.
Speaker 3 (04:03):
Man.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
That's Danny Bryant Johnning Is I've benually god to in
the University of North Dakota Kaminski. Danny's right. Fifty nine
percent completion percentage last year. The touchdown interception ratio was
tremendous at the start, and then the pick started coming
up a little bit and granted, uh, through the course
of the season. Danny, you know, teams aren't going to adjust.
There's gonna be times where you're gonna you gotta probably
(04:25):
try to porce it. That's what you're talking about, the
development of the decision making when to throw, when to eat,
when to run.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
Yeah, right, and the just the overall confidence, like you
gotta have that position when you lose confidence, Like you
can watch those last five or six games and its
just like it slips. So just being able to like
call it in a way that helps him get that
back right and figure out, hey, how can we get
easy completions, how can we stay ahead of the stick
so we don't end up in third and long and
he's gotta drop back and see all these different looks.
(04:52):
So I think just from that standpoint, like teaching him
has been really fun. He wants to grow, he wants
to learn. He's obviously got you know, a lot of time,
but there's so much he can improve on from a
physical standpoint and a mental standpoint that that's what I
think the fans are going to see a jump there
this fall, and we're excited to work with him.
Speaker 3 (05:09):
We'll let Danny get going here in a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
Now out there we are saying, it looks like Jack Sulica,
I believe you've got at the quarterback.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
Now, well we get some of this personnel.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I got a question too, Danny, And imagine there's still
quote unquote position battles being fought for every single day,
no matter what university is going on because of that competition.
But for an offensive coordinator, in your relationship with a
head coach and how you're designing offenses and how do
you come up with a fit?
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Does it?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
Does it happen through the spring game, through full practice
of the first couple of non conference games. When do
you get a feel that this package these guys together work,
this is where we're going to be most effective. Take
us through that thought process, Danny.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
From an offensive mitt Yeah, I think like there's certain
philosophies that you have right, and then it's kind of
trying to match Oh we got to block the corner there.
We we got to match our fullies with the personnel
on the field, and then get together as a coaching
staff and figure out, hey, like we did this last year.
So I think every year it's kind of a you
start over in January and you have your philosophies, but
(06:09):
it's also the same, Hey, what are the best you know,
personnel groupings this year? Are there some new things that
we can add to our run game that are gonna
make it better pass game wise? Like, hey, these are
our base concepts. How can we dress those up? A
bunch of different ways to do that. But I think,
like what you said Jack, like early in the year,
like you're always learning from week to week who you're
playing matters. I think designing a game plan like to understand, hey,
(06:33):
we're gonna be able to do this week against this opponent,
but maybe not the next week. So I think it
all kind of factors in nice run, He's gonna be good. Hold, wow,
holl he fumbled that.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Oh boy, what a play there, guys with the first
cut was amazing, but not security that will allow the
defense to lick their chops a little bit and celebrate.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Hey, this defense for North the Kelta is pretty oppartimistic too.
Even heard Danny's saying that the previous run when when
Tubulata Johnson scrambled out because nothing was there. You might
you heard Danny under his breath, go protect the ball.
You know that that is so is so ingrained.
Speaker 5 (07:11):
It is here the deal Jack, Danny is joining us.
He does not want to be with us right now.
Don't don't be offended that he's not looking to us.
He's he's watching what's going on out there, and he's
working back talking us at the same time.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Before we kick you back downstairs, Danny, we appreciate your time.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Uh.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Is the football is? Is college football? Is it no
longer run to set up the pass?
Speaker 3 (07:38):
Is it?
Speaker 1 (07:39):
Is it evolved to something now with so much skill,
so much misdirection, so much you know, pressures that are
coming from other edges.
Speaker 3 (07:46):
There's no true maybe.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Way to move that football and get first downs and
score touchdowns.
Speaker 5 (07:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
I think I think defenses kind of has started to
like do a better job of presenting so many looks,
and it's it's becoming harder and harder to move the ball.
We're going deep there you go good. But yeah, I
think like there's a philosophy. Hey, we want to run
the football. We always want to run the ball. But
(08:13):
it's like how do we do that? Like sometimes you
put all these tight ends in the game, you get
more people in the box and that might create some
one on ones in the rpo game on the outside,
or you spread people out, you know, and that creates
more space on the field. You may one guy miss
it turns into explosive play or it's a side tackle
for four or five yards. So there's I think there's
different ways. But we're gonna run the footba, We're gonna
find ways to do that. We're gonna find ways to
be unpredictable. I think the best offenses are, Hey, they
(08:36):
go tempo at times, they huddle at times, they you know,
take shots on first down, they throw the ball and
third and short. So you're you're trying to be unpredictable
with how we play is a is a big thing.
And then just like fundamentally, like getting the guys to
play with good fundamentals and then just believe in what
you're doing. I kind of figured out like as I
get older, like the plays of the plays. If the
(08:56):
guys believe in the plays and there's a culture and
like a leaf and confidence, hey like this is gonna work.
They're gonna make it work, you know, because they believe
in the coaches, they believe in what you're doing. So
just as the season goes on, just creating that belief
and just like that confidence of how we're gonna play,
I think matters a lot. But you'll see you'll see
a lot of different things, and we're gonna try to
figure out what works. Obviously, offensive coordinators, they look great
(09:17):
when you run the plays at work, and then when
they don't work right, you gotta find ways to get
better and learn from it and grow. So yeah, it's
all a blend. And I feel like as long as
you've got the right people in the room creating the plan,
and then the right people on the field. Our guys
have done such a good job of working hard and
they're serious about learning football and want to get better.
So that's been really cool coming back to Coach Schmidt
(09:38):
and the culture of this place and just seeing the
type of guys that we have. It's it's exciting.
Speaker 1 (09:42):
The well Giviny frouing offensive coording and joining us here
on a broadcast for the spring showcase is North Dakota's
offense movie the ball down the field. Prior to that,
that was nice a crossing route by Dang Dang that body.
By the way you look at physical specimen of the dictionary,
Dang Dang's picture probably comes up. But we'll leave by
the little quarterback option off the side, Danny in a
(10:06):
word or two, your running back group is, what your
tight end group is, what your wide receivers group is.
What if you have to fill each each group with
a word, whether it be versattle, strong, speedy, whatever.
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Yeah, the running back room, I would say versatile. Like
there's four guys in there right now that are all,
you know, super talented, and they all have different strengths,
and I think that puts pressure on a defense when
you can get a Colton Burnell who can get the
inside yards and break it down, and then Chuck goes
in and he can cut on a dime, Matt Lawson
really good explosive player that we got in from Illinois State,
(10:39):
and then Griffin and bigger back that they all can
catch it out of the back field. Their versatile like that.
So Brunell a little bit of a banger. Yeah. So
like that room, the tight end room is is deep.
I would say, like the length in there, the ability
to play on the line of scrimmage, play out wide.
We have some flexibility with those guys. So I think
it's a deep room and we're gonna have to be
creative with how we get into twelve and thirteen personnel
(11:01):
and not just get into type formations. Maybe spread people
out that way. And then the receiver room, I credit,
you know, Coach May's came in here and done a
great job of just creating it. Maybe a different mentality
in that room as far as like whatever it takes
right to go block, to go make plays. But I
would say that room is explosive. Like those guys. We're
gonna have some guys that can make plays. Nice job that. Yeah,
(11:24):
all right, get Jerry out of there. Jerry's done. We're
gon We're gonna got developed develop some of these other guys.
Speaker 5 (11:29):
Hey, Danny, let me ask you a question before you
get out of here. Uh, nothing to do with football.
How was it to have uh be back to Grand
Forks with Ann and the family, back in familiar territory.
How are things going. Yeah, that quick train, I mean
a lot of a lot of moving parts.
Speaker 4 (11:45):
Yeah, yeah, you know, like I would say, it's been
it's been really good to come back to a familiar
spot with people that are so special and like the
relationships are built up over the years and there's some familiarity.
All your kids were all my kids were born here,
wife was raised here, so like I this is home.
So like you come home when you just feel like
(12:05):
a certain sense of appreciation for you know, having the
opportunity to come back, because when we left, we didn't
you know, you don't anticipate being back in a couple
of years, you know. But it also at the same time,
you're like this place means so much. So like that's
been great. There's been challenges, like it's not the easiest
thing to do to move your family around. Then you
go to Washington. We loved it in Pullman, like just
(12:27):
people there, special community, special place. Like we just got
something in the mill yesterday from their basketball teams, Joss
and Tucks basketball team. The kids signed it, Like, hey,
my wife coached them. So it's just like it's tough
to leave those you build these relationships and then you
just rip them like after a year, and that's the
nature of obviously what we're doing. We didn't expect to leave,
but so yeah, there's there's challenge and then and then
(12:50):
you know, in our profession, I would say the the
we leave to go work, my wife has to sell
a house, pack up everything you just put like if
I didn't have her, like it would be. That's so
I think, like it's you know, the growth that happens
within a family and within like professionally when you have
to move, like whether you're learning football from different people,
(13:11):
you're just like you've become closer as a family, and
I think ultimately that leads to growth as an individual.
So that part has been really good. But just like yes,
being back in Grand Fork's familiar spot, like you know
with coach Schmidt, that's the other thing, Like he he's
a great leader, and like for him to come back
at this time last year and like just to see
(13:33):
his imprint on the program from when he went away
to when he came back, Like you want mentors guys
you can learn from and continue to grow. So it's
it's it's been a really positive experience and can't wait
for the fall.
Speaker 1 (13:43):
Well, I know that that bringing Danny back in and
then the community obviously you know you're standing in the community,
so that had to help too. That, as Mike said,
just people open arms, whether you're hearing God here come
back and.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
The pack such a like for like four months like
this will probably go on the rest of the I
But it's like you hear the question are you happy
to be back? I'm like, it's just like a loaded question.
I'm really happy to be back. It's like it's also had.
It's you know, like, of course we're happy to be back.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
You know, it's just you'll be happy if you raised
that MS championship.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
I tell you what we got. We got the we
got the people in place to do it, the facilities,
the you have Bill Chase and you Army costs a
lot of credit for this building and what we've done
with the campus. Couldn't be more excited to just like
be a part of this because you can see the
direction that's going.
Speaker 1 (14:33):
His energy is infectious. Those that don't haven't been around
Danny Freud. You can't double negative might my late father
would be mad at me if you using a double name.
Speaker 3 (14:41):
You can't not.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Well well, Danny's excited about the season, excited to be here.
We're equally or more so excited on our end. So
thanks for joining us today, Danny. They have work to
do yet today. Day's not done for you there.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
You know what, you know, the boys were playing pretty
well when I was up here, so maybe I'll just
chill out out here. The fumble, the yeah, the fumble.
That's good stuff. Thank you, Denny. Yeah, day, Thank you guys.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
Danny Fryan joining us here at the Pollard. It's good
to have you on board today with the showcase today
on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
We'll take your time out, will come back.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
We'll hear We've heard a lot of talk about that
quarterback Jerry Convincedki. We'll hear from Jerry around the corner
and more. Bill Shames is here today. Good to see Bell,
of course he's here. Director of Athletics Tracy Pye producing
our game. Remind you to show you U n D
pride with First Community Credit Unions Exclusive Fighting Hawks U
n D cards. Good order yours today at my FCCU
dot com, forward slash und and for all your insurance needs,
(15:40):
contact your local Farmers Union insurance agent or go to
www dot f U, m i C dot com for
more information. Farmers Union Insurance a proud broadcast sponsor of
Fighting Hawks football. It is the Spring Showcase, Jack, Mike,
Paul and you on the Fighting Hawks Radio.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Network eight eight e
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.