Ohio and Bowling Green may be from the MAC Conference and Nebraska may have outscored them 105-28 in their first two games, and North Dakota may be an FCS school, but Nebraska fans better not doubt the football played up north. North Dakota, North Dakota State, South Dakota, and South Dakota State play big boy football and could all be FBS teams if they chose to be. And just so we are clear, North Dakota State is in their first year of FBS football in the new Moutain West Conference. The four Dakota schools thrive off each other’s success and North Dakota has become an FCS powerhouse due to the competition between the four schools.

North Dakota is ranked 6th nationally in the FCS rankings coming to Lincoln.  You can say, “big deal”, but the top 10 of the FCS can compete with any of the FBS schools, especially a mid-tier Big Ten team like Nebraska. Am I slighting the Huskers? No. At least not until they prove otherwise.

The Hawks may have gone 8-6 last season, but they lost five one-score games, including a 38-35 defeat to Kansas State. The other four losses were all to FCS playoff teams, North Dakota State 15-10, South Dakota 26-21, South Dakota State 34-31 and Montana 24-23. Their most lopsided loss was to Tarleton State 31-13, which occurred in the second round of the FCS playoffs.

Going into this game Rhule needs to keep reminding his team that the FCS has defeated FBS teams 6 times already this season. It also doesn’t hurt for him to remind his team that two of their top defensive players, Andrew Marshall and Jahmir Conn, joined the team from the FCS ranks. And finally, if I were Rhule, I’d ask my Blackshirts how they like defending Husker QB Anthony Colandrea in practice, because 6’2”, 215-pound Hawks QB Jerry Kaminski is a bigger, equally talented player.

North Dakota’s capabilities are not lost on the Nebraska head coach.

“I think the football team we’re playing against is as well coached, disciplined, well playing, and executing of a team that I’ve seen in a while. Coach (Eric) Schmidt has done a great job.” Matt Rhule said earlier this week.

And if Rhule’s compliments of North Dakota head coach Eric Shmidt aren’t enough, just ask Nebraska’s new DC what he thinks of Schmidt. Schmidt played for North Dakota before becoming their head coach and got his start in coaching there. He and Rob Aurich became acquainted competing against each other when Aurich was linebackers coach at South Dakota. When Schmidt was the head coach at San Deigo State he hired Aurich from Idaho as his linebacker’s coach. The two spent a season together before Schmidt returned to North Dakota to be the head coach. They know each other very well and it has yet been determined who knows who better. Tune in Saturday.

Hawks Offense

The Fighting Hawks will be Nebraska’s toughest non-conference foe and the best offensive team the Blackshirts have faced. Offensively they averaged 387 yards and almost 33 points per game last season. And as for pigeon-holing them into one particular strength, it isn’t going to happen. They rushed for 2,978 yards and passed for 2,694 yards last season.

So far this season North Dakota is once again well-balanced, passing for 288.7 yards and rushing for 251.3 per game while averaging 50.3 points.

With quarterback Jerry Kaminkski returning for his senior season, he’s the man that powers the Hawk’s offense. If Rob Aurich wanted to get his Blackshirts work on defending a dual-threat QB, the 6’2”, 213-pound Kaminski is his man. As a Husker fan, Kaminski scares me. As I mentioned earlier, whatever the Blackshirts have seen from Colandrea in practice, they can expect the same from Kaminski. Last season he passed for 2,570 yards and completed 60 percent of his passes with a 26-to-12 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He added 607 yards on the ground and accounted for 34 total touchdowns.

So far this season Kaminski has passed for 801 yards and has an 11-to-2 touchdown-to-interception-ratio with a 77% pass completion rate. He has rushed 21 times for 75 yards. While his rushing numbers are down from last season, after seeing Ohio quarterback Nick Poulus rush for 70 yards against the Blackshirts, Kaminski could be a real challenge for Nebraska’s defensive line to contain.

The defensive line will also contend with a Hawks front-five that averages 6’5”, 308-pounds. Every bit the size of a Big ten offensive line. North Dakota’s O-Line is better than good and is led by former Nebraskan, Trace Thaden. Thaden went to North Dakota as a skinny 225-pound tight end and is now a 6’7”, 306-pound future NFL’er.

Rob Aurich and the Blackshirts will have their hands full, especially with OC Danny Freund’s run blends of power running with spread formations, run-pass options and play-action. All of which the Blackshirts have struggled with this season.

The Hawks have outscored their opponents 151-70 with players like wide receivers Korey Tai, Deng Deng, and Caleb Goode. The 5’11”, 185-pound Tai leads the team with 274 yards and 4 TDs. Deng and Goode have paired up for 291 yards, but at 6’4”, 212-pounds it’s Deng’s size that gets your attention.

At running back, the Hawks are led by 5’8”, 204-pound Charles Langama with 254 yards and a 9.0 yard per carry average. He is a big piece of the running game, and his combination of power and balance allows him to produce yards after contact. He is backed up by 5’10”, 198-pound Matt Lawson (5.3 yps) and 6’0”, 230- pound Griffin Broderrick (6.6 ypc).

Kaminski at quarterback will be the key to the Blackshirts containing the Fighting Hawks. If they can produce pressure on him when he drops back and not let him escape the pocket, limiting his rushing yards, good things will happen.

The Hawks Defense

While North Dakota’s offense was highly productive last season, it’s their defense that kept them in games. They only allowed 310 yards per game last season, which would have made them 21st had they been in the FBS. They were exceptional on rush defense, only giving up 102.7 yards and 2.68 yards per carry. They allow an average of 20 points per game.

Head coach Eric Schmidt, who is also the defensive coordinator, runs a 4-2-5 scheme. Schmidt and Aurich both came up under Kalen DeBoer, whose specialty has always been the 4-2-5. They both know what works against their defense, and you can be assured they have shared that info with their offensive coordinators.

There has been a lot made about the size of Nebraska’s defensive front, but North Dakota doesn’t play in the gauntlet that is the Big Ten. Their starting defensive front is smaller. The two interior players are Tyler Henry 6’2”, 272-lbs and Logyn Eckhart 6’2”, 295-lbs. On the edge will be Kaden Vig 6’6”, 275-lbs and Brody Thornton 6’5”, 235-lbs. Also watch for Braden Mohr.

Unfortunately for North Dakota, they’ll be without Lance Rucker, who perhaps is one of the best edge defenders the Huskers would have faced all season. Last season Rucker recorded 10.5 sacks, 63 tackles, 4 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups. The former Nebraskan is out with a foot injury.

Junior linebacker Ethan Boll, 6’1”, 227-lbs and fifth year Mike Devereaux, 6’1”, 236-lbs team up at the second level with 25 tackles and 2 sacks on the season. Boll plays the “Will” spot while Deveraux is at the “Sam”. The pair has good experience and knowledge of Schmidt’s scheme.

Much like the Huskers, North Dakota’s greatest defensive strength may be their defensive backs. They have been effective this season batting away a combined 11 passes and between them they have picked off two balls. They will be led by nickel or “Stud” 5’11, 190-lb Jonnie Wiltshire who has 10 tackles and 1 sack on the season.

At the cornerback spots will be 6’0”, 186lb Grant Noland and on the opposite side either 6’4”, 200-pound Ben Kmara or 6’3”, 189-lb Evan Kludt. Kamara and Kludt both have exceptional size, but there is rumor that if Dana Holgorsen goes after someone in the Hawks secondary it will be Kludt.

Manning the safety spot will be 6’1”,201-lbs Avery Dixon, while at rover will be 6’1”, 195-lb Tyler Erkman. The pair has 13 tackles and 1 interception.

Husker fans have been encouraged with Nebraska going 8-for-8 scoring in the red zone against Ohio and Bowling Green. Does that mean the Huskers have fixed their red-zone scoring deficiency from last season? Considering the level of competition – absolutely not. But it’s a good sign, as they haven’t shot themselves in the foot either, with stupid penalties, turnovers or plays for loss of yardage. They’ve shown some consistency so far.

Like Rhule, Holgorsen is well aware of what FBS teams are capable of and understands what is ahead of the Huskers as they face North Dakota.

“There are examples every year of FCS teams playing their tails off,” Holgorsen said. “I think it’s even more motivating for those kids with transfer portal stuff…they have an opportunity to play at this level, then they want to show that they can play at his level.”

He also understands the culture at North Dakota and the success they’ve had at Nebraska in the past. They won’t be intimidated coming in.

“Each and every year one of those kids is going to come in here with that mindset and mentality,” he continued. “When you pair that with a winning program, who’s used to winning, it’s a dangerous situation.”

Holgorsen and Aurich know how important it is for the Huskers to get off to a good start. They need to start quickly and not let up. If they don’t and they let North Dakota hang around, it’ll give them hope. And that’s bad news for a Husker team that may be a little too full of themselves.

GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST, VIOLENT!!

Art worked designed and owned by Lyle Harmon and ‘Off the Cob’.

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