For the first time in 25 years, the University of Minnesota Duluth football team and Northern Michigan University will hit the gridiron together to jump-start the 2023 season at James S. Malosky Stadium this Thursday night at 6:00 p.m.
A BLAST FROM THE PAST: Thursday's showdown will mark the first time UMD has faced Northern Michigan University since the 1998 season. It will also mark the first time the Bulldogs have faced a non-conference opponent in a non-conference regular season game since Aug 28, 2010, a 35-10 win for UMD over Central Washington.
Of note, UMD has played one non-conference regular season game against an NSIC opponent since then -- a 20-12 win over Augustana in Sioux Falls on Sept. 3, 2011.
OPEN IT UP: As a program, UMD is an impressive 63-22-4 all-time in season-opening games. Bulldog head coach Curt Wiese is 6-3 over his tenure in openers, and UMD brings three-straight opening wins into Thursday's contest.
WIESE WIN WATCH: UMD head coach Curt Wiese begin his 11th season with the Bulldogs and 13th overall as a head coach just three wins shy of a 100 career wins. All-time, Wiese is 97-32, with a 88-21 record at the helm of the Bulldogs.
SNEAK ATTACK: Kyle Walljasper's 11 rushing touchdowns last season were the most by UMD QB since Drew Bauer ran in 13 in 2014. Prior to Bauer, the last Bulldog QB to rush for 11 or more rushing touchdowns? Current offensive coordinator Chase Vogler, who had 17 rushing TDs to pair with 19 passing touchdowns over 2012 season.
Walljasper's 21 combined touchdowns last season was also the most by a UMD quarterback since the 2019 season.
THE MATCHUP: It's been a long time since UMD and Northern Michigan hit the gridiron together -- 25 years, to be exact. In the meantime, UMD has had four head coaching changes over that span, while the Wildcats have undergone six. The point is while the all-time record favors NMU, Thursday is a clean slate because of the decades in between the two program's last meeting.
All-time, the Wildcats have posted a 11-1 record against UMD, outscoring the Bulldogs 355-147 in a series that largely took place in the 1980's (seven-straight games happened between 1982-1988, to be exact).
NOTES ON NORTHERN MICHIGAN: Former NMU football player Shane Richardson was named the 23rd head football coach, a position he took over on Dec. 28, 2022. Richardson was the head coach at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Pembroke for the past eight seasons. During his tenure, the school played as an NCAA independent until 2020 when it became a member of the Mountain East Conference. He compiled a 37-48 record, including a 10-2 mark in 2016, leading the Braves to the second-round of the conference playoffs.
Under a completely new coaching staff and a roster consisting of many new faces, the NMU was picked to finished seventh in the 2023 GLIAC Preseason Poll. Reigning national champion Ferris State stands atop the poll, receiving five of seven first-place votes, with perennial powerhouse Grand Valley State taking the second slot with a first-place vote and Davenport sliding in at number three, also garnishing a first-place nod. The Wildcats went 4-7 overall and 1-5 in the GLIAC in 2022. NMU averaged 22.2 points a game while surrendering 28.8 to its opponents. The Wildcats scored just 13 touchdowns on the ground in 11 games, while throwing for 17. Out of seven teams in the GLIAC, NMU finished sixth.
SEASON PREVIEW
A LOOK AT THE OFFENSE: UMD put up the third most touchdowns in the NSIC last season -- 51 in 11 games for an average of 33.4 points a game.
The Bulldogs ranked 13th in the nation in 2022 with a rushing offense that accrued 220.2 yards a game on the ground. UMD ran in 25 touchdowns and had a total of 2,422 yards racked up. 14th in the nation and second in the conference in third down conversions last season, the Bulldogs converted 46.8 percent of the time on 73 conversions on 156 attempts. UMD also led the nation in time of possession, averaging 35 minutes a game with the ball.
While the Bulldogs lost four big names on offense from a year ago, including offensive lineman Brent Laing, tight end Zach Ojile, running back Wade Sullivan, and wide receiver Armanai Carmickle -- all NSIC selections -- they also return four players who earned the same conference honors.
UMD will continue with its tradition of excellence on its offensive line with NSIC All-Conference First Team selections and graduate seniors Arik Johnson and captain Treyvon Cahalan, and redshirt senior Aiden Williams, an NSIC All-Second Team honoree, all returning up front.
Redshirt senior Sam Pitz becomes the Bulldogs top tight end after earning an all-second team nod last fall with two touchdowns and an average of 14 yards a catch.
Under center is redshirt sophomore Kyle Walljasper, who played in 10 games for UMD last season. Walljasper recorded an impressive 11 rushing and 10 passing touchdowns and made 46 rushing attempts for 705 yards. The 2023 captain averaged 70.5 yards rushing a game and completed 61 passes for 772 yards for an average of 77.2 yards passing/game. Walljasper's 21 combined touchdowns last season was the most by a UMD quarterback since John Larson threw for 19 and ran for two over the 2019 season.
In fact, Walljasper's rushing touchdowns last season were the most by UMD QB since Drew Bauer ran in 13 in 2014. Prior to Bauer, the last Bulldog QB to rush for 11 or more rushing touchdowns? Current offensive coordinator Chase Vogler, who had 17 rushing to pair with 19 passing touchdowns over the 2012 season.
A LOOK AT THE DEFENSE: UMD ranked fifth in the NCAA in first down defense, holding opponents to an NSIC-low 149 first downs. The Bulldogs finished the season sixth in total defense, holding foes to just 4.68 yards a play -- the lowest in the league.
UMD had the third-ranked defense in all of the NSIC last season, and the Bulldogs will look to improve on their 18.7 points per game against in 2023. With just 28 touchdowns allowed, UMD actually allowed the second-fewest in the conference. The Bulldogs had 13 interceptions last season, including one returned for a TD.
While UMD's offense graduated some key seniors, the defense not only returns mostly intact, but also reloaded. NSIC First Team selections sophomore Landon Carter, graduate seniors Brad Dati and Marcus Glodowski, as well as redshirt senior Drew Hennessey return, joined by second-team honorees graduate seniors Nathan Bursch and Tim Pokornowski.
While the Bulldogs lost the services of league interception leader Dayvia Gbor (he had seven last season), they retain the likes of Carter, who ranked ninth in the NSIC in 2022 in sacks, with four solo sacks for the defensive lineman and one assist. Carter tallied 15 tackles with 11 solo and four assisted and one interception in his own right.
Dati, a now two-year captain, only dressed in seven games in 2022 after suffering a season-ending injury. The linebacker recorded 42 tackles -- 34 of them solo efforts and turned in four tackles with a loss of 14 yards, as well as one sack for a loss of 5 yards in his shortened season.
Glowdowski, one of three defensive captains for the Bulldogs this season, returns after his second consecutive year making an NSIC All-Conference squad. The defensive back made 40 tackles, including 27 solo takedowns, and notched one interception for a gain of 22 yards.
Playing in eight of 11 games for UMD, Hennessey made his mark in 2022. The linebacker finished the season with 12 tackles -- 10 solo efforts, and recorded 6.5 tackles for a loss of 54 yards. Hennessey also had six sacks for a loss of 53 yards, as well as a forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Burch, a 2023 captain, had a total of eight tackles, including three solos to compliment five assists. The defensive lineman compiled 2.5 tackles for a loss of 11 yards and earned 1.5 sacks for a loss of nine yards.
Pokornowski ranked third among all Bulldogs with 30 solo tackles last year, in addition to 10 assists. The defensive back competed in all 11 games for UMD and made one interception and one fumble recovering en route to an NSIC All-Second selection.
New to the Bulldogs this fall, but not locking down opposing receivers, will be defensive backs and twin brothers Ty'Rhae Gibson and Ty'Rese Gibson, who transferred from the University of Mary. Ty'Rhae Gibson was selected to the NSIC First Team All-Conference last season for the Marauders, and ranked eighth in the league with eight broken-up passes and three interceptions, as well as 28 solo tackles in 11 games. Ty'Rese Gibson turned in 19 solo tackles while having assisted on three in nine games.
A LOOK AT SPECIAL TEAMS: UMD returns its kicking core, including placekicker Curtis Cox. The redshirt senior played in all 11 games last season and scored four field goals and 39 PAT for a total of 51 points Cox -- a three-time NSIC Special Teams Player of the Week in 2021 -- attempted 54 kickoffs and totaled 2,910 yards, an average of 53.9 yards per kick.
Junior punter Logan Kobus will assume punting duties once again after he punted a total of 34 times for 1276 yards -- his longest 51 yards. Kobus averaged 37.5 yards per punt last season.
Tim Pokornowski will take over kick and punt returns for the Bulldogs after returning two for a total of 48 yards last season.
REPORTING FOR DUTY: The Bulldogs have five captains for the 2023 season -- graduate seniors , Brad Dati, Treyvon Cahalan, Marcus Glodowski, and redshirt sophomore Kyle Walljasper.
