April 18, 2026 • 8 mins
Jack Michaels, Mike Berg and Paul Ralston from the UND Football Spring Showcase
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Back at the Pollo Athletic Center by the way, soft
fall in action coming up this afternoon. So it's uh,
if you're around the area, that's just one of those
another beautiful, beautiful complex. Is what a blessing this is,
and it's it's it's great coming.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I drive around Grand Forks and then you just you
come over there, you take that North Columbia Loop, Renny,
and then you just start seeing this money. What the
what like the facelift has changed over here. I get it.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
It is.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
It's just it's just this booming and there's more coming up.
But it's like the progression of this and this this
Pollard Athletics Center is just second to none. It is
such a good facility. All right, fellas before we were
kicking out the door today, Uh for you guys, we'll,
I guess we'll let the chips fall where they may
when we get together again in the fall and start
broadcasting North Dakota football. I think what I have surmised
(00:54):
from both of you today and from the coaches over
here and hearing from Eric Schmidt break down everything, it
sounds like the offense is going to be in pretty
good shape. It sounds like all those things on the offense.
If if knock on what everybody stays healthy plus the edition,
it sounds like, uh that that schmidy who doesn't pull
(01:15):
any punches go. We got to work on that. The
defensive side, we lost some we lost some things back here. Uh,
we got to work on that. From the special team side,
you mentioned the young long snapper coming in that that
it's gonna fill that role. Uh, Silver Dalen Company, we'll
bolting it away special teams. Who's gonna be the return
guy going over here?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
But if you guys just kind of a look at
that pole, what did you glean from today? What are
you expecting in the fall?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Well, my last thought here from today is that the
fan base got to see a glimpse of the next
iteration of North scot To football. And it's exciting and
it's It's one of the things that as much as
we worry about who's not here in today's transfer portal
area of everything else, why should you this This staff
is detailed to go and find the individuals that will
(02:04):
continue to make this program a very formidable full for
everybody that it faces coming up here in twenty twenty six.
That's what it did to me, and it once again
taught me that once we get to the fall, once
we get to August and camp opens up, it's going
to be a countdown to begin a journey with what
I think is a program that is ready to do
(02:25):
not only this community, it's this university, but this state proud.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
There were some young guys Mike today that are still
they still have to go to prom this year that
we're here.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Yeah, I think there's five guys on this ros seniors
in high school weren't here today, they would be going
to their prom this weekend. Hey, I'm I don't want
to talk about football. I'm sitting next to Roger Thomas.
I'm excited to be here. Hey, thanks for coming back
to see put those on real quick, Roger before we not.
We certainly have time for that. If you can hear
it's so okay.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well Rogers had a headset on his entire life of
that RT at the State basketball say in Bismark, not
let you go, Roger. Good to see over here. So
when you look onto this facility and then you think
about your days in North Dakota, nothing has changed your facility.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Just talking abub a little bit a bit ago, and
I said, we were back in the old stadium with
the old carpet that went up the stairs up to
the offices. But I don't know how we recruited anybody
that had walked up that carpet. And why the heck
would I come.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
To school play football.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
I mean we had and we had to build our
own room, weight room way back when. I mean, you
just it just isn't it a different world?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
It is a different world nowadays. You know, you got
a recruit on canvas. I'm sure Roger said. Now you're like,
here's our weight room, here's our meeting room, here's our
nutrition cent your own roster.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
You were like spring great game and I'd have to
bring my snowshovel, right yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
And some of those practices we also were talking today about,
you know, and it's really hot and you're practicing, as
Mike would know that the years he had his team's
you know, you'd stop and drink water and cool off.
There were times when we'd practice outside over here next door,
and we'd stop.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
And go in. Yeah, and everybody warm up their fingers
and toes.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
They go back say, okay, guys.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
Hope you're toes and the fingers already because we're going
to go back and practice again.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Uh put. From a coaching standpoint, we talked to Schmidt
about this too, Roger, But in your day too, did
you have a pretty good idea at spring ball what
your fall depth sharper was going to be or sincerity?
Were there a lot of positions that were fought for
that you made those decisions come August.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
It was a mixture of that. Jack you know, you'd
have you'd have some positions, you'd have some veterans back
and maybe a good young guy behind them and you'd
say okay. But other ones it was a free for all.
It was a dogfight to try to determine what it is.
But the spring wall was just so good because you
just had a really good idea. And then there were
guys that put in some great time in the summer
lifting and doing things and came back in and they
(04:54):
looked like a little different player when they rolled in
the phone gave themselves a better chance. There were those guys.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, That's when I'm wondering now, because now April to
stable end, and those players that feel like I can
make a move here, I can what I got to
do to be the show. So that's that over there.
I'm gonna I'm won't be on the spot to ask
you which player you had to kick out a practice
like kick out of the way, go home, get the dorm.
You're here too long. I bet you've had a few
of those players too that were hungry workout guys.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Let me think if I could think of one. There
were lots of guys. Yeah, and that was part of
the reason we had the success we had. We had
great work ethic and they encouraged each other and they
would like some guys would say to me, there's a
day when I didn't feel like going on doing that
in my roommate grabbed me by the ear and pull me.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Along and we go help each other out. Yeah, that's
what it's telling about. Great to see your great Roger Thomas,
the legendary Roger Thomas joining us here. A big thanks
to all of our sponsors of Fining Hawks, Football, North
be Cut of Football, Paul Rolston putting this thing together.
My long time broadcast. But I can't wait for another
season under I was gonna say Season out of the Sun,
(05:58):
but we can have that too. Be the season under
a roof for the this guy.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
We'll play a couple under the sun somewhere.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
We have a couple out of the sun on that
Memorial Stadium. They're putting a few billion in the Memorial
Stadium in the Nebraska speaking of that, by the way,
or million whatever the mills and bills. Our thanks to
Sean Costis joining us today with Paul Our thanks certainly
to Danny Froyd, to Jerry Kaminski. We heard from today
from Roger Thomas who just slung by, uh here saw
(06:26):
Bill Chaves today said Jimmy Kay. Good to see Jimmy
and some of these guys. It's gonna be a fun
for again. Tune in and again on that iHeart I
heeart app. You can go to that iHeart radio app
and search hawk Talk that's Hawk Talk and listen to
this broadcast whatever and wherever you are about the football
spring showcase for Mike Fort pole Fort, Tracy Pellia, Jack
(06:49):
Michaels saying until well until game one, so long for
the Pollard Athletics Center in Grand Forks.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
On the Fighting Hawks Radio Network. From und Athletics and
Fighting Hawks Sports Partnerships, this has.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Been a presentation of un d's Spring Showcase.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
North Dakota Football has been presented by Farmer's Union Insurance,
Simply Different, The Grand Forks, Herald, Precision Plumbing Shields, proud
partner of the Fighting Hawks and Football Fans Everywhere, Rydell
proud partner of North Dakota Athletics, Express Employment, and by
Sterling carpet I. Fighting Hawks Football has been presented by
(07:36):
Northland Potatoes, The Golf Center, bud Light, Easy to Game Day,
Bear's Home Solutions, Petro Serb USA fuelid Und Athletics by
North American Coal Mining, Coal for a Better Future, Nelson
Auto by S and S Transport, official carrier of North
(07:57):
Dakota Football, Sanford Help the Route Healthcare partner of North
Dakota Athletics, First Community Credit Union. Life is Better with Community,
Badger Dental, by the North Dakota Beef Producers Beef Real
Fuel for Real Athletes, and by Jrsimplot We contribute to
feeding our world. The proceeding has been a Fighting Hawksports
(08:21):
Partnership presentation on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network. For more
information on season tickets, go to Fightinghop dot com
Back at the Pollo Athletic Center by the way, soft
fall in action coming up this afternoon. So it's uh,
if you're around the area, that's just one of those
another beautiful, beautiful complex. Is what a blessing this is,
and it's it's it's great coming.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (00:19):
I drive around Grand Forks and then you just you
come over there, you take that North Columbia Loop, Renny,
and then you just start seeing this money. What the
what like the facelift has changed over here. I get it.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
It is.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
It's just it's just this booming and there's more coming up.
But it's like the progression of this and this this
Pollard Athletics Center is just second to none. It is
such a good facility. All right, fellas before we were
kicking out the door today, Uh for you guys, we'll,
I guess we'll let the chips fall where they may
when we get together again in the fall and start
broadcasting North Dakota football. I think what I have surmised
(00:54):
from both of you today and from the coaches over
here and hearing from Eric Schmidt break down everything, it
sounds like the offense is going to be in pretty
good shape. It sounds like all those things on the offense.
If if knock on what everybody stays healthy plus the edition,
it sounds like, uh that that schmidy who doesn't pull
(01:15):
any punches go. We got to work on that. The
defensive side, we lost some we lost some things back here. Uh,
we got to work on that. From the special team side,
you mentioned the young long snapper coming in that that
it's gonna fill that role. Uh, Silver Dalen Company, we'll
bolting it away special teams. Who's gonna be the return
guy going over here?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Uh?
Speaker 1 (01:34):
But if you guys just kind of a look at
that pole, what did you glean from today? What are
you expecting in the fall?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Well, my last thought here from today is that the
fan base got to see a glimpse of the next
iteration of North scot To football. And it's exciting and
it's It's one of the things that as much as
we worry about who's not here in today's transfer portal
area of everything else, why should you this This staff
is detailed to go and find the individuals that will
(02:04):
continue to make this program a very formidable full for
everybody that it faces coming up here in twenty twenty six.
That's what it did to me, and it once again
taught me that once we get to the fall, once
we get to August and camp opens up, it's going
to be a countdown to begin a journey with what
I think is a program that is ready to do
(02:25):
not only this community, it's this university, but this state proud.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
There were some young guys Mike today that are still
they still have to go to prom this year that
we're here.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
Yeah, I think there's five guys on this ros seniors
in high school weren't here today, they would be going
to their prom this weekend. Hey, I'm I don't want
to talk about football. I'm sitting next to Roger Thomas.
I'm excited to be here. Hey, thanks for coming back
to see put those on real quick, Roger before we not.
We certainly have time for that. If you can hear
it's so okay.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Well Rogers had a headset on his entire life of
that RT at the State basketball say in Bismark, not
let you go, Roger. Good to see over here. So
when you look onto this facility and then you think
about your days in North Dakota, nothing has changed your facility.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Just talking abub a little bit a bit ago, and
I said, we were back in the old stadium with
the old carpet that went up the stairs up to
the offices. But I don't know how we recruited anybody
that had walked up that carpet. And why the heck
would I come.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
To school play football.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
I mean we had and we had to build our
own room, weight room way back when. I mean, you
just it just isn't it a different world?
Speaker 1 (03:35):
It is a different world nowadays. You know, you got
a recruit on canvas. I'm sure Roger said. Now you're like,
here's our weight room, here's our meeting room, here's our
nutrition cent your own roster.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
You were like spring great game and I'd have to
bring my snowshovel, right yeah.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
And some of those practices we also were talking today about,
you know, and it's really hot and you're practicing, as
Mike would know that the years he had his team's
you know, you'd stop and drink water and cool off.
There were times when we'd practice outside over here next door,
and we'd stop.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
And go in. Yeah, and everybody warm up their fingers
and toes.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
They go back say, okay, guys.
Speaker 5 (04:11):
Hope you're toes and the fingers already because we're going
to go back and practice again.
Speaker 1 (04:14):
Uh put. From a coaching standpoint, we talked to Schmidt
about this too, Roger, But in your day too, did
you have a pretty good idea at spring ball what
your fall depth sharper was going to be or sincerity?
Were there a lot of positions that were fought for
that you made those decisions come August.
Speaker 5 (04:32):
It was a mixture of that. Jack you know, you'd
have you'd have some positions, you'd have some veterans back
and maybe a good young guy behind them and you'd
say okay. But other ones it was a free for all.
It was a dogfight to try to determine what it is.
But the spring wall was just so good because you
just had a really good idea. And then there were
guys that put in some great time in the summer
lifting and doing things and came back in and they
(04:54):
looked like a little different player when they rolled in
the phone gave themselves a better chance. There were those guys.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
Yeah, That's when I'm wondering now, because now April to
stable end, and those players that feel like I can
make a move here, I can what I got to
do to be the show. So that's that over there.
I'm gonna I'm won't be on the spot to ask
you which player you had to kick out a practice
like kick out of the way, go home, get the dorm.
You're here too long. I bet you've had a few
of those players too that were hungry workout guys.
Speaker 5 (05:19):
Let me think if I could think of one. There
were lots of guys. Yeah, and that was part of
the reason we had the success we had. We had
great work ethic and they encouraged each other and they
would like some guys would say to me, there's a
day when I didn't feel like going on doing that
in my roommate grabbed me by the ear and pull me.
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Along and we go help each other out. Yeah, that's
what it's telling about. Great to see your great Roger Thomas,
the legendary Roger Thomas joining us here. A big thanks
to all of our sponsors of Fining Hawks, Football, North
be Cut of Football, Paul Rolston putting this thing together.
My long time broadcast. But I can't wait for another
season under I was gonna say Season out of the Sun,
(05:58):
but we can have that too. Be the season under
a roof for the this guy.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
We'll play a couple under the sun somewhere.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
We have a couple out of the sun on that
Memorial Stadium. They're putting a few billion in the Memorial
Stadium in the Nebraska speaking of that, by the way,
or million whatever the mills and bills. Our thanks to
Sean Costis joining us today with Paul Our thanks certainly
to Danny Froyd, to Jerry Kaminski. We heard from today
from Roger Thomas who just slung by, uh here saw
(06:26):
Bill Chaves today said Jimmy Kay. Good to see Jimmy
and some of these guys. It's gonna be a fun
for again. Tune in and again on that iHeart I
heeart app. You can go to that iHeart radio app
and search hawk Talk that's Hawk Talk and listen to
this broadcast whatever and wherever you are about the football
spring showcase for Mike Fort pole Fort, Tracy Pellia, Jack
(06:49):
Michaels saying until well until game one, so long for
the Pollard Athletics Center in Grand Forks.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
On the Fighting Hawks Radio Network. From und Athletics and
Fighting Hawks Sports Partnerships, this has.
Speaker 4 (07:07):
Been a presentation of un d's Spring Showcase.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
North Dakota Football has been presented by Farmer's Union Insurance,
Simply Different, The Grand Forks, Herald, Precision Plumbing Shields, proud
partner of the Fighting Hawks and Football Fans Everywhere, Rydell
proud partner of North Dakota Athletics, Express Employment, and by
Sterling carpet I. Fighting Hawks Football has been presented by
(07:36):
Northland Potatoes, The Golf Center, bud Light, Easy to Game Day,
Bear's Home Solutions, Petro Serb USA fuelid Und Athletics by
North American Coal Mining, Coal for a Better Future, Nelson
Auto by S and S Transport, official carrier of North
(07:57):
Dakota Football, Sanford Help the Route Healthcare partner of North
Dakota Athletics, First Community Credit Union. Life is Better with Community,
Badger Dental, by the North Dakota Beef Producers Beef Real
Fuel for Real Athletes, and by Jrsimplot We contribute to
feeding our world. The proceeding has been a Fighting Hawksports
(08:21):
Partnership presentation on the Fighting Hawks Radio Network. For more
information on season tickets, go to Fightinghop dot com
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