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Bubba Peters, Katrina Barthelt selected as BSU's NSIC Honor Student-Athlete Award winners

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 28 May 2025 16:05:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The NSIC announced that Bemidji State football player Brice Peters and soccer player Katrina Barthelt were winners of the 2025 NSIC Honor Student-Athlete Award and will receive a post-graduate scholarship.

Peters and Barthelt were nominated for the league's prestigious Britton and Kelly Awards as top male and female student-athletes within the NSIC.

The member institutions of the NSIC nominate one male and one female student-athlete for the Britton and Kelly Awards. The nominees must meet the following criteria: a grade point average of 3.5 or better (on a 4.0 scale); evidence of academic excellence beyond the minimum grade point average (scholarship prizes and other academic recognition), evidence of participation in the life of the institution, and evidence of participation in at least two-thirds of the varsity events of the individual's primary sport. The award is voted on by the NSIC Faculty Athletic Representatives.

Augustana’s Liz Dierks was the 2025 Willis R. Kelly Scholar-Athlete Award winner, and Minnesota Duluth's Austin Andrews was the 2025 Dr. William Britton Scholar-Athlete Award winner.

Peters, an Exercise Science major at Bemidji State, earned a 3.62 GPA and was a NSIC All-Academic Team of Excellence and College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District selection. On the field, Peters was an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-American Second Team, D2CCA All-Super Region 4 Second Team and All-NSIC First Team selection.

Barthelt, an Exercise Science major at Bemidji State, achieved a perfect 4.0 GPA and was named an NSIC Myles Brand All-Academic with Distinction Award winner and CSC Academic All-District selection. On the pitch, Barthelt led the Beavers in scoring and was the NSIC scoring champion with 25 points and 11 goals. She was named the NSIC Offensive Player of the Year and earned D2CCA All-Region First Team honors.

The Britton Award was created in 1985 in honor of Dr. William Britton, a longtime faculty representative at Bemidji State who served on the Athletic Board of Control for the NSIC for 25 years. Britton retired from BSU in 1982 and passed away in March 2019.

The Kelly Award is named in honor of Willis R. Kelly, an associate professor of physical education at Minnesota-Morris. A member of the NSIC Hall of Fame, Kelly also coordinated the Minnesota-Morris Physical Education Department from 1970-87. She became the first director of women's intercollegiate athletics at Minnesota-Morris in 1976 and was later promoted to athletics director for the whole department. Kelly passed away in 1988.

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Beavers ready for spring test against Golden Bears after offseason of change

Alex Faber — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 13:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Beavers’ offseason seems to be getting shorter and shorter every year.

The Bemidji State football team is back out on the field for spring practice after a winter that felt a little shorter than usual, thanks to the postseason run to the Super Region 4 Championship game.

Though there’s still quite some time until BSU’s season opener at Michigan Tech on Aug. 28, it’s already been a busy offseason.

Starting quarterback Sam McGath is gone. Star wide receiver Bubba Peters is gone. The four starters that combined for one of the best defensive lines in the nation – Marcus Hansen, Stephen Hoffman, Marco Cavallaro and Cade Barrett – are all gone.

“It’s always good to kind of turn the page,” head coach Brent Bolte said. “Every year, it’s like the offseason gets shorter, which is a good thing because you’re winning football games. But we did lose a lot of quality, quality players over the last really four cycles. Just kind of got to get the stepping stones to see who’s going to take over roles.”

Along with the typical graduations and transfers that are part and parcel of collegiate football, the Beavers have had a few shakeups in the coaching staff.

Jordan Hein is back in Bemidji as the offensive coordinator, replacing Karson Pike. Brandon Labath and Shevin Smith Jr. have joined the staff as assistant coaches.

In short, spring ball will be one of the first major steps towards a season that will look quite different from last year’s, at least in terms of roster and staff makeup.

But the Beavers are excited to be back on the gridiron and are more than ready for the competition that comes with spring ball.

“It’s amazing, we’ve got another group of guys that’s just ready to compete, ready to win,” sophomore quarterback Connor Carver said. “Last year, obviously, there was a lot of older guys. Those guys have been through a lot together. Some of those guys were even here during COVID and stuff. So it’s exciting that it feels like our time a little bit.”

Some of the returning players are already stepping into leadership roles this spring, ready to prepare their younger teammates for the coming season.

“I love working with the younger guys, really get them to get going,” sophomore defensive end Eli Coenen said. “Of course, I’m working on my game all the time too, but my goal for this is for sure getting the young guys up and ready for this next upcoming season for sure. … I feel like there’s a lot of people that stepped up in that (leadership) role.”

This weekend, the Beavers will finally have a chance to hit someone who’s not also wearing the green and white.

Bemidji State is heading down to Concordia-St. Paul on Saturday, taking on the Golden Bears for a 2 p.m. spring game.

“Eventually, you get tired of hitting somebody that is on your team, but I think I would say the guys in the trenches are a lot more excited than I am,” Carver quipped.

It’s the second iteration of the spring game in the new era.

Last spring, BSU traveled to Minnesota Duluth for the scrimmage. The Beavers look for NSIC opponents that they won’t be playing in a given season, and go from there in terms of scheduling.

Naturally, these spring scrimmages don’t play out like a traditional regular season game. Each team puts together different groupings, pitting offensive starters versus defensive starters, second-stringers versus second-stringers, etc. until they “run out of bodies.” The goal is to get around 60 plays in.

With a contingent of Twin Cities-area players on the roster, the Beavers will also be participating in a social afterwards with families, players and alumni.

However, Bemidji State still approaches it like a traditional game week in practice. There’s install on Tuesday and Thursday and a walk-through on Friday. Then it’s off to the buses on Saturday.

“It’s an opportunity to get these young guys on the road and play a road game, so to speak,” Bolte said. “We treat this as, if you want to call it minus one week or zero week, however you want to look at it. This is our first opportunity, like I said, to go out and compete against somebody different. So just kind of (gets) the juices flowing when you get to go do it against somebody else.”

For the coaching staff, the spring game is an opportunity to assess depth and positional competitions, seeing which players step up in a game-like situation.

“To round out our two deep, have a better understanding to see if we need to bring anybody in, rely on some freshman or transfers, that’s part of it,” Bolte said. “But sometimes when the lights get bright, some kids step up, some kids falter. So you want to see who’s going to step up in those situations.”

Bemidji State has lost plenty this offseason, but that’s nothing new. Last year, the Beavers were tasked with replacing program legend Brandon Alt at quarterback, star wide receiver Dhel Duncan-Busby and a collection of other top-end talent sprinkled around the roster. And BSU still ended up making the deepest run in program history.

This year’s squad is young and has plenty of question marks, but this Saturday is one of many stepping stones in seeing if the Beavers can reload yet again.

“It’ll be fun, but it’s a work day for us,” Bolte said. “We’ve got to go down and perform well. We look at as an opportunity to put things on film, and you want to go out and dominate your opponents or play well. … Like last year, I thought our team really played well at Duluth, but yet we were a really veteran group. We’re a pretty young group this year, so just see which cast of guys steps up to the plate when the lights get bright.

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Shevin Smith Jr. takes unconventional path to lead Bemidji State’s cornerback room

Alex Faber — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 12:15:00 GMT

Shevin Smith Jr. didn’t play football until his senior year of high school.

Seven years later, he met Bemidji State head coach Brent Bolte in a hotel room in Lincoln, Nebraska for an impromptu interview to be the Beavers’ new cornerbacks coach.

Smith was clued in about a job opening at Bemidji State by a trainer in California who had connections with Brandon Brooks, the Beavers’ former defensive backs coach. Smith told the trainer he was interested in the position, and the following morning, he received a call from defensive coordinator Joe Ford.

Less than 24 hours later, Smith found himself in a hotel room interviewing with Bolte

“I liked it because it was the most non-interview interview ever,” Smith said. “Bolte is such a chill, kind of old-school guy, so he was like “So what do you think about all this NIL?” and stuff like that. We just started having a conversation, not even like, ‘What do you like to teach, this, this, that,’ we were just talking about NIL, recruiting, football.”

As it turned out, Bolte was already in Lincoln, attending the Rimington Trophy ceremony alongside center Jake Gannon. Ford told Smith that, if he was interested in the position, he could meet Bolte in his hotel room before the award ceremony.

Smith obliged. The two met up and talked for about 30 minutes, discussing coaching experience and the current state of college football.

“I could tell that he was really aligned in the way that we thought about the overall philosophy of football and the football world,” Smith said.

The feeling was mutual.

“I think the big thing for me, I let coach Ford do a lot of the dirty work with who he feels comfortable with, the X’s and Os,” Bolte said. “I just want good people, that’s who I look for. (Smith and I) talked a little shop, we talked just in generalities about the sport of football, different stuff. … He’s very mature, probably beyond his years in terms of how he presents himself. Very, very knowledgeable young man as well.”

Shortly after the interview, Smith received the job offer and accepted.

From a late start to his career to playing cornerback in the Big 12, and eventually a shift to the coaching side of the game, Smith’s journey to northern Minnesota has been a nontraditional one.

From novice to D-I

Smith “never really played” football growing up. He was involved in athletics but stayed away from the gridiron in part because of his mother’s fear of potential injury.

However, Smith decided to give the sport a try his senior year of high school. Considering the late start, he entered the endeavor a little nervous.

Luckily, Smith had a former NFL safety in his corner for support. His father, Shevin Smith, was a Florida State defensive back who wound up playing two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“He was definitely the biggest influence on my self-confidence,” Smith said. “He was just like, ‘If you go out and do it, just go out and believe that you’re the best at it instead of the third (best).’ I think that’s where he influenced me more than anything else. … He’s very confident, and not in an arrogant way, but like whatever you do, just make sure you feel like you’re the best at it. Just get to the level that you feel you’re at.”

Smith found success in that senior prep season, and eventually, it was time to look to the collegiate level. Baylor’s cornerbacks coach, who knew Smith’s father, reached out and offered a tryout.

Smith made the cut, joining the Bears’ defensive back room as a corner for the next few seasons. Near the end of his collegiate career, though, Smith began to show an interest in the coaching side of things.

In the summer of 2022, he took an internship with the Indianapolis Colts. The first portion of the job was mostly spent setting up meeting rooms and other operational tasks, but as the summer wound on, Smith grew closer with the defensive staff. He eventually began helping at practice, doing smaller projects and assisting with substitutions.

“That’s when I really was like, ‘Oh, I actually really, really like this coaching aspect, I really want to go all in on it,’” Smith said.

After his internship with the Colts, Smith spent his final season at Baylor as a student coach.

“When I got to Baylor, (I was) athletic enough to certainly be amongst the people that were there, but I had to kind of teach myself football,” Smith said. ”So from there to being a coach in three years has been, it’s been a whirlwind of teaching.

“I came in so under everybody in terms of the curve that I feel like I overlearned over some people. While people are trying to learn, ‘OK, I got cover two in this coverage,’ I’m learning what cover two is, why we do over two, this, that.”

After graduating from Baylor in 2022, Smith decided to continue developing his coaching career in the Big Ten.

He joined Nebraska’s coaching staff in 2023 as a graduate assistant, working specifically with the defensive backs. It was a relatively small staff in that first year; Smith was the only grad assistant for defensive backs on a unit that had a five-DB scheme.

Smith picked up plenty in his time in the Big Ten, from coaching tidbits to his approach to the game as a whole.

“When I first started (at Nebraska) I thought I would be overwhelmed,” Smith said. “Then, as we got through the season, I just realized it’s another old day playing football, same as you’re in high school, in the backyard. … I think I learned to not be as obsessive on every little thing when I was at Nebraska – understand things are going to go wrong, things are going to go right, just try your best, put your best into it and don't overthink the moment.”

In 2024, he became a recruiting assistant for the Huskers. After that second season, though, it was time for Smith to begin a search for the next step in his coaching career.

“This year coming in, I was like alright, I learned the coaching, I learned the recruiting, I want to marry it into a position coach job,” Smith said. “Kind of have my own thing going on.”

Rising the ranks

Smith will have his first real taste of running his own position group this season, bringing a variety of knowledge from his time in the Big Ten and the Big 12 and from well-respected leaders in the coaching community, such as Nebraska head coach (and former Baylor head coach) Matt Rhule.

“I think he’s excited about coming in and proving that he can (run a room),” Bolte said. “We’re excited about what he brings to the table, not only as a hard worker but also just his football mind. He brings a lot to the table beyond his years in terms of knowledge and the schematic part.”

Spring practice is where the rubber will meet the road for Smith, offering the chance to really get to know his position group and start applying his accumulated coaching knowledge.

“I’m very excited to get some fundamental culture things down,” Smith said. “I feel like spring ball is where you kind of make an identity, summer is where you hone in on details and then the fall is when you get rolling and get your rotations and guys and little things going.

Smith doesn’t see spring camp as a way to beat up on the offensive personnel. Instead, it’s a chance to dive into the technical side of football.

“It’s can I get guys to do a technique the right way?” Smith said. “Can I get guys to play hard, the extra effort things, little things, knowing the base schemes? And if we can do that, then I'll be pleased with spring ball.”

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Brandon Labath rejoins Beavers’ offensive staff after coaching stint at St. Thomas

Alex Faber — Thu, 13 Mar 2025 16:47:00 GMT

When Brandon Labath interviewed for a coaching position with the Bemidji State football team four years ago, he was reminded of advice from one of his former coaches: “No matter what, in this profession, you want to be around good people.”

That counsel came courtesy of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz. Labath started his coaching career with the Hawkeyes, serving as an undergraduate assistant coach from 2016-20.

After graduating from Iowa, Labath joined the Beavers’ coaching staff. Early on in the interview process, he realized that BSU would be a great fit.

“To get to Bemidji and go through that interview process the first time, you could tell this is somewhere that you can come to grow and develop as a coach,” Labath said. “I’d never really heard of Bemidji before coming up this way, but I had connections that knew of Bemidji and obviously the conference they play in, and how good it is top to bottom. There's a lot of really good competition, a lot of really good coaches in this league.”

Labath wore a few different hats at Bemidji State. He coached tight ends and fullbacks and was a co-special teams coordinator before departing for St. Thomas in March of 2023.

Two years later, Labath is heading back up to northern Minnesota, rejoining the Beavers coaching staff as an assistant coach focused on the offensive line and coordinating the run game.

“Really fired up to be back to work with coach (Brent) Bolte, coach (Jordan) Hein, some of the familiar names that have been in and around the program,” Labath said. “Couple guys that I have a lot of respect for, wouldn’t be back without those guys leading the way. And I think just them having the trust in me, seeing my growth over time; coach Bolte gave me my first opportunity coming out of college, basically to run a room for the first time, go recruit for the first tim, and (to) continue to develop professionally under him has been fun.”

Labath isn’t the only coach back at Bemidji State after a brief stint elsewhere. Former BSU quarterback and coach Jordan Hein replaced Karson Pike as the offensive coordinator this offseason after calling Northern State’s offense for a year.

Hein and Labath already have experience coaching together, working on Bemidji State’s offensive staff from 2020 through the 2022 season. It was a stretch that saw the Beavers secure their first playoff win in program history and host their first playoff game a season later.

“We've had a lot of success together,” Labath said. “We’re good buddies off the field. He was really a big part of me coming back this way and wanting to work together again because we’ve had that relationship in the working world there. He’s a really, really good one. Something I just wanted to be a part of and continue to grow with him.”

Much like Hein, Labath picked up plenty of experience in his time away from BSU. Initially joining the Tommies as a tight ends coach, Labath eventually moved to coaching the offensive line.

Though every program is different, Labath has witnessed firsthand the power of a strong, consistent culture at each stop. Ferentz has been the skipper for the Hawkeyes for 27 years. Bolte was promoted to head coach at BSU in 2017 and has spent more than two decades with the program. Head coach Glenn Caruso has led St. Thomas since 2008.

“What's really neat about all three of these programs is the stability of the head coach and how long they’ve been at each spot, and that’s something that really draws my attention,” Labath said. “What I learned at St. Thomas was the importance of that stability and building a culture, and (the) importance of that in today’s world of college football.”

Bemidji State’s culture specifically meshes well with Labath. BSU’s newest assistant coach joined the United States Navy as an operations specialist out of high school, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Navy Good Conduct Award during his service.

It was an experience that helped form some of Labath’s coaching philosophy, a set of beliefs that was only strengthened at Iowa.

“I think one of the biggest things is the attention to detail in what you're doing,” Labath said. “That kind of cross-bridges at Iowa. We used a term called, ‘Being the best at the basics.’ And it’s really from your first step, all your technique and your fundamentals, those are the biggest things. Just the whole detail-oriented part of everything and being able to bridge those concepts together, those ideas that’s kind of where that mindset takes it, takes form.”

Alongside his professional background, Labath’s personal hard work ethos fits well with Bolte’s program, which is built on that oft-mentioned blue-collar outlook on the gridiron

“I feel like I kind of fit that mold, with how I was raised and kind of where I came from, going right into the military right out of high school, it's kind of that same mentality.” Labath said. “You weren’t born with the things that allow you to go do the things that you might want to do, but you kind of have to make your own path and your own way, and that’s something that I think I’ve done for not only myself, but now my family, too.”

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Paul Bunyan Communications announces 2025 Pick-It Bowl Challenge winners

Pioneer Staff Report — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 17:07:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — Paul Bunyan Communications recently announced the winners of its annual Pick-it Bowl Challenge, a free online contest for participants to pick the winners for the College Bowl games for a chance to win a credit on a Paul Bunyan Communications account.

There were 676 participants.

The following are the top 10 winners and the random credit prize winner:

Dana DeMars, of Lake George, won a $500 credit Lindsey Dougherty, of Bemidji, won a $250 credit Robert Wickman, of Grand Rapids, won a $100 credit Nicholas Brown, of Red Lake, won a $50 credit Blake Nordin, of Hackensack, won a $50 credit Norman Mattson, of Cohasset, won a $50 credit Neal Adams, of Bemidji, won a $50 credit Megan Fratzke, of Bemidji, won a $50 credit Mike Hoffman, of Bemidji, won a $50 credit Bonny Siegford, of Deer River, won a $50 credit Random credit prize winner: Kathy Wron (404th Place), of Deer River, won a $100 credit

The next Paul Bunyan Communications Pick-It Challenge is March Mania for both the College Division 1 Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments. For more information or to participate, visit paulbunyan.net.

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Clayton Birdsall enjoys unique role for Bemidji State football

Sam Stuve — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 03:50:33 GMT

BEMIDJI — The Bemidji State football team is in the midst of a historic season.

The Beavers have advanced to the NCAA DII Tournament quarterfinals for the first time ever after a Gabe Ward 79-yard fumble return for a touchdown, which gave them a 20-19 win over Western Colorado in the second round of the NCAA DII Tournament on Nov. 30.

One player who is a part of this historic run is Alexandria graduate Clayton Birdsall. The 6-foot 290-pound redshirt sophomore offensive lineman has worked himself into a unique spot in Bemidji’s offensive lineup.

Birdsall is a backup offensive line but also gets playing time as a tight end/fullback for the Beavers (10-3).

“It’s different, but it’s super fun,” Birdsall said about the role he plays on the team. “I’m a center but also have stepped into a role as a tight end and fullback. It’s been a good change that I’ve enjoyed.”

Growing up, Birsdall mostly played on the offensive and defensive line. Birdsall and his family moved from Big Lake to Alexandria ahead of the 2020-21 school year.

Being a standout at Alexandria led him to get a spot on Bemidji State’s roster. Now, he is maintaining a role as a reserve offensive lineman and becoming a fullback and tight end.

Birdsall has played in all 13 games for the Beavers this season.

Birdsall is officially listed as No. 64 on Bemidji State’s roster but wears No. 88 to be eligible in the offense.

He’s helped pave the way for a Bemidji State rushing attack that is 27th in the country in rushing yards per game (180.8).

Bemidji State is averaging 25.77 points per game this season and is holding opponents to 15.85 points per game.

Offensively, Bemidji State is averaging 359.5 yards per game.

The Beavers offensive line has done a good job of protecting the quarterback, as they’ve only allowed 15 sacks in 13 games.

Birdsall spent his first two seasons playing strictly offensive line but began playing in his new roles for the Beavers during fall camp this season.

“During fall camp, they talked about putting me in as tight end or full back in short yardage or goalline situations,” Birdsall said. “On the third play of the first game of the season, our starting fullback went down with an injury. It became my time to roll. On the sidelines, they’ve been teaching me things and telling me what to do.”

“There wasn’t too much of a transition. I’m kind of a glorified offensive lineman with how they play me. I’m in the backfield moving around and blocking linebackers.”

Birsdall is also on the Beavers’ kick return team. In a game against Wayne State on Nov. 2, 2024, he had one kick return for 10 yards.

“That’s a different role for me because I’m playing with a lot of skill guys,” Birdsall said. “It’s different but fun.”

Birdsall was recently one of 53 Bemidji State student-athletes to earn NSCI Fall Academic Team recognition for maintaining a GPA of 3.6 or higher.

Birdsall and the Beavers started their postseason with a 24-14 on the road over Angelo State on Nov. 23 in San Angelo, Texas.

The Beavers kept their positive momentum going with their 20-19 win over Western Colorado in Gunnison, Colorado.

“That was a huge accomplishment,” Birdsall said. “I’ve been with a lot of these guys for a while now, and it’s fun to have this experience with them. This is what we’ve worked for.”

In the NCAA DII Tournament quarterfinals, Bemidji State takes on Minnesota State Mankato in Mankato at 2 p.m. on Saturday. This game is being live-streamed on ESPN+ and will be broadcast on 92.1 FM.

Minnesota State Mankato defeated Bemidji State with a last-second field goal, 31-29, on Sept. 7, 2024, in Mankato.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to potentially make some more history,” Birdsall said.

The winner of the Bemidji State versus Minnesota State Mankato plays either Ferris State or Harding in the semifinals on Dec. 14, 2024.

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Sauk Rapids standout WR Hudson Omoke verbally commits to Bemidji State

Andy Rennecke — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 17:29:24 GMT

SAUK RAPIDS — Hudson Omoke's senior year of football hasn't gone exactly the way he thought it would with Sauk Rapids-Rice.

The Storm's standout wide receiver missed a game due to a concussion and his starting quarterback, Spencer Ackerman, broke the thumb on his throwing hand in the team's second game of the season on Sept. 6.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Omoke also had a decision to make about where he was going to play college football. He was able to check that off his list of things to do when he announced his commitment to play at Division II Bemidji State on "X" (formerly known as Twitter) on Sept. 29.

https://x.com/HudsonOmoke20/status/1840553330264690975

Football ended up winning out over basketball, a sport which Omoke also excels at for Sauk Rapids-Rice.

"I just like football a little more. There's something more exciting about it for me," Omoke said. "I know this season hasn't gone the way we thought it would, but I still think we have a lot of potential. Our backup quarterbacks have done their best and Alex (Zimmer) has started to play really well. If our offense keeps getting better, I feel really good about how we can do in the playoffs."

Despite playing with three different quarterbacks this season, Omoke still has 25 catches for 469 yards and two touchdowns. His yardage total is the 13th-highest in the state. Last season when he played the entire season with Ackerman, Omoke had 60 catches for 969 yards and nine TDs.

With Zimmer getting his first start on Oct. 4 at Cambridge-Isanti, Omoke went off for six catches for 170 yards and a TD. He said he also dropped a potential touchdown catch in the Storm's 66-22 win over the Bluejackets that he was still stewing about a few days later.

It was a big rebound win for Sauk Rapids-Rice (4-2) after losing 58-19 to Elk River on Sept. 27.

"We decided to scratch that game and focus on the future," Omoke said of losing to Elk River. "There was no point in looking back on that game and letting it linger."

Omoke isn't sure if he'll redshirt when he gets to Bemidji State next August. One of the big pulls for him heading north was that former Storm quarterback Cade Milton-Baumgardner is an assistant coach on the Beavers' staff.

Bemidji State is 4-2 this season and is off to a 3-2 start in the NSIC. Omoke watched the Beavers' 41-7 homecoming win over the University of Mary on Sept. 28 in Bemidji.

"I really liked the coaches and atmosphere when I took my visit up there," Omoke said. "And having Cade up there is pretty cool. Once I talked to the wide receivers coach (Austin Brown) and they offered me, it was a pretty easy decision."

Omoke said he will major in nursing at Bemidji State. He's following in the footsteps of his parents, both of whom are nurses at nearby hospitals.

"My parents have had a big influence on me and being a nurse is something I've always wanted to do," he said.

The Storm are back in action at 7 p.m. on Friday when they play host to Class 5A fourth-ranked Andover (5-1) at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle ��.

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Austin Brown recaptures Midwest roots as Bemidji State’s new wide receivers coach

Alex Faber — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 18:19:02 GMT

When Austin Brown packed his belongings into a 26-foot U-Haul and embarked on a two-day, 16-hour drive to South Dakota with his wife and young son in tow, he wasn’t exactly sure what their future held.

Brown had just resigned from his latest coaching gig as the offensive coordinator at Eastern Oregon, an NAIA school in La Grande where the offense saw plenty of progression under his tutelage. But with family roots in the Midwest, it was time to move a little closer to home.

Not for a coaching job, mind you. He helped out on the family ranch.

“We were in talks with a bunch of (football programs) initially and decided that we would move home for (the) time being until our next stop came about,” Brown said. “We were in South Dakota for a while there, in between jobs, where I grew up in Buffalo, (S.D.), on a ranch, helping my parents out for a few weeks.”

Brown’s respite on the ranch was short-lived, though. It didn't take long after he garnered interest from Bemidji State.

“When we got the call to come out and interview at Bemidji, we were really, really excited to come out this way and see what they had to offer, just seeing from afar what (BSU head coach Brent Bolte) has done here,” Brown said.

Soon after, Brown accepted Bemidji State’s offer to become the team’s new wide receivers coach and co-special teams coordinator.

A culture fit

Brown started his coaching journey as an intern at Colorado in the Pac-12 before heading over to Oregon State as a graduate assistant. He stayed out west for his next two jobs, joining Southern Oregon as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator before ascending to offensive coordinator in his second season.

His last stop before heading back to the Midwest was at Eastern Oregon as the offensive coordinator.

One coach in particular stood out to Brown among the rest: Jonathan Smith.

Smith and his staff took over Oregon State in 2018, a basement-dwelling program in desperate need of a reboot. Brown was a part of that staff as a graduate assistant from 2018-21, assisting with wide receivers.

In just four years, the Beavers earned their first 10-win season since 2006 and capped the year off by dominating Florida 30-3 in the Las Vegas Bowl. In short, Smith had put the program back on the map again.

“Being around the coaching industry for my short career so far, I’ve got to experience some (different) things and just get a view of some of the different cultures I got to work with,” Brown said. “One of the best ones was there at Oregon State and how Jonathan Smith and those guys ran that program, and how they resurrected it – really from the dead, to be honest with you there – and how they did it. The way they went to work, and just getting to be a part of that was unbelievable.”

Brown had those prior experiences in mind when he interviewed with Bemidji State. He quickly realized that Bolte’s program would be a good fit for him and his family, seeing similarities between Smith’s culture at OSU and the culture at BSU.

“Bemidji is a lot further along than we were at Oregon State, but (I just see) a ton of ties and just the staff makeup,” Brown said. “How we operate and those types of things really drew me to Coach Bolte. Just the type of man that he is, the way that he runs this program, as well as the staff. He’s got a big-time staff.”

What Brown brings to the Beavers

Brown’s attraction to Bemidji was mutual.

In his short stints as the offensive coordinator at both Southern Oregon and Eastern Oregon, both programs saw their offensive numbers soar.

Eastern Oregon’s offense improved by nearly 10 points, over 100 yards and 121 passing yards per game in Brown’s lone season as the offensive coordinator. Southern Oregon finished with the top-ranked passing offense in its conference with Brown in charge.

Of course, Karson Pike still reigns as the Beavers’ offensive coordinator, but BSU is getting a coach in Brown with experience on that side of the ball – especially with wide receivers.

“One of the things that attracted me here was the type of offense that coach Pike runs,” Brown said. “And in order to play in that type of offense as a receiver, you’ve got to be a football intelligent guy - we call it ‘FBI’ here on our end of things – football intelligence.”

That’s a big part of Brown’s coaching philosophy: making sure his players are as well-informed as possible heading into each game.

“I think the biggest thing is you’ve got to find ways to relate information to the players,” Brown said. “We run a complex offense here. I ran a multiple offense and (it was) very similar to what we’re doing here at Bemidji.”

For Brown, who had a hand in recruiting at a couple of his previous jobs, it all starts with finding the right players.

“You’re looking for guys that are football junkies, guys that just love everything about the process of becoming a better football player,” Brown said. “When opponents are watching us, hopefully (they) see that these guys play hard, they play fast and they play physical on our end of the field. We’ll play through the whistle, we’ll play with an edge on our shoulder. Those are goals that we’re trying to achieve when opponents watch us on tape.”

Brown will help address some questions about Bemidji State’s wide receivers in 2024. Last year’s top target, Dhel Duncan-Busby, was selected in the Canadian Football League’s 2024 Draft. Totaling 11 touchdowns and over 800 receiving yards in 2023, replacing him will be no easy task.

However, Bemidji State has proven commodities in the receiving room. Four of the returning wide receivers eclipsed 300 receiving yards a season ago, led by Jake Hill’s 486 yards.

“We’ve got a lot of talent in this room for sure,” Brown said. ”It’s going to be my job and Coach Pike’s job to find to use all these guys, which is a good problem to have.”

There’s still a long way to go until the 2024 season kicks off for Bemidji State. For now, it’s all about preparation.

“We’ve got a great group,” Brown said. “I know one thing is for certain: there’s a chip on these guys' shoulders to go prove that they’re more than capable of picking up some roles that need to be filled from previous seasons, guys that are ready to go. It’s fun to watch these guys work.”

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Brent Bolte details Beavers’ nonconference deal with Michigan Tech and coaching changes

Jared Rubado — Fri, 10 May 2024 17:06:22 GMT

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part Bemidji State football story.

The first part,

including a roster breakdown from head coach Brent Bolte, ran in the May 4, 2024, edition of The Bemidji Pioneer.

BEMIDJI — When Upper Iowa left the NSIC, it started a domino effect that changed the trajectory of several NSIC football teams in 2023.

The Peacocks left openings across the NSIC calendar, none bigger than on the gridiron. Programs were left with two options: leave their newly-opened week void of competition or schedule a nonconference game.

Bemidji State couldn’t find a team outside of the NSIC to fill their opening during Week 6, leaving the Beavers with a 10-game schedule. It proved to be beneficial for head coach Brent Bolte and his team, who took the two weeks following a 27-24 homecoming loss against Minnesota State to recuperate after a hard-fought first half of their season.

In January, the NCAA approved Zero Week at the Division II level, giving NSIC schools a chance to start their seasons a week earlier without having to forgo a mid-season bye week.

“It’s been quite the process — a fairly frustrating one,” Bolte said. “We could’ve gotten (an 11th game) last year, but with Upper Iowa leaving, we just had to leave that date open. If the NCAA wouldn’t have approved the Zero Week — they allow you to play a week earlier now — I honestly don’t know if we would’ve played an 11th game this year.”

Luckily for Bolte and BSU, the NCAA’s approval to extend the regular season by one week was approved, paving the way for Bemidji State’s first nonconference game since Aug. 25, 2011.

In steps Michigan Tech, a team the Beavers haven’t played since 1993.

“They’re always having problems geographically,” Bolte said. “Their closest games are against teams in their own conference. It’s the same problem we have as well. They’re a good football team that’s been hovering around .500 for a while. Strength of schedule-wise, it made sense for us to do this. They’ll be in our region next year or the following year.”

Bolte said BSU entered a three-year deal with the Huskies to play Zero Week games. Bemidji State hosts MTU on Aug. 29 at Chet Anderson Stadium. The Beavers will travel to Houghton, Mich., to open the 2025 season.

“There’s a lot of things that go into it,” Bolte said. “I’m competitive as hell, and I want to play the games. If we had a budget to go to Texas or somewhere else, we probably would’ve. It’s hard to find an opponent that would do a return game or go back and forth. … But I’m all for it. I wish we had more conferences closer to us, but it’s a no-brainer to be able to do this, and hopefully, the (NSIC) doesn’t go back to the silo approach when Jamestown comes in.”

Bolte also noted the risks of scheduling nonconference games. Bemidji State’s eight-year head coach was on the selection committee for the Division II playoffs last fall. It was an eye-opening experience.

“The more I learn about it, the more I understand that you have to play a team that will boost your strength of schedule,” Bolte said. “Sometimes, it’s almost more beneficial not to play one. You look at Duluth last year, they played a team that was 0-11. I believe (UMD) was as good as anyone who made the playoff field at 9-2. That game probably cost them getting in over (Minnesota State), a team they beat head-to-head.”

Michigan Tech finished 15-16 over the last three seasons. Bolte isn’t concerned with the Huskies holding their own in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

“For me, you just kind of have to have a historical view of what their program has been,” Bolte said. “They’ve been above or around .500 for quite some time. They’re well-coached, and they’ve played some teams tough. We got some film and watched them play really tough against Grand Valley. In my opinion, they were the second or third-best team in the country last year.”

Double the fun

In the spirit of firsts, the Beavers broke even more new ground in the new era of D-II college football, aside from scheduling their first nonconference game in 13 years.

BSU played in a second spring game in April. Players suited up for their traditional Green and White Game on April 6. Two weeks later, they hit the road for a scrimmage against Minnesota Duluth.

“I was one of the few coaches that wanted to go on the road for this thing,” Bolte said. “Let’s go to the hostile environment. Let’s get out of our routine here at home. Our kids were excited. It gets a little mundane hitting the same guys and doing the same drills in practice every day. I know our kids were hungry to go do it. They went over there and really performed well.”

Bemidji State does not play the Bulldogs in 2024, making them a perfect opponent for a newly adopted spring scrimmage format. The NCAA recently approved the ability for schools to play against each other in the spring.

“You can play the game against whoever you want,” Bolte said. “It was nice to do it against Duluth. In a normal year where we play them in the fall, I don’t know if that’s something either (team) would want to do. You don’t want to show or do too much against a rival. In terms of logistics and geographics, it made a ton of sense to go against them.”

BSU will not play UMD every spring.

“I’ve looked at different opportunities like going down to the Twin Cities, maybe doing an alumni event,” Bolte continued. “We’ll probably change the timing of it so we can do it more around our (10th) practice instead of our 15th practice, just so we have more bodies. Some guys get injured or we lose some guys. There’s some stuff to tweak, but we’ll still do those scrimmages moving forward.”

Heartfelt goodbye

Jordan Hein had been with the Bemidji State football program for the better part of 10 years. He played quarterback for the Beavers from 2014-17, earning a Harlon Hill Trophy nomination in 2016. He helped BSU to its first-ever postseason win that same year in the Mineral Water Bowl against Washburn.

Hein joined the coaching staff after his playing career. The quarterback turned into a wide receiver and co-special teams coordinator. Now, one of the most revered Bemidji State football players ever earned his shot in an elevated coaching position. Hein accepted a role as Northern State’s offensive coordinator.

“First and foremost, I want to thank Jordy for everything he’s done for the program as a player and a coach,” Bolte said. “I’ve known that guy for over a decade since his recruitment. … I’m going to miss him a lot. I love the guy outside of the coaching aspect. He’s a great alum.”

Bolte met Hein before the recruitment process started. Hein’s brother, Jesse, played center on the Beavers’ offensive line.

Over the last decade, Bolte’s relationship with Hein developed into a bond greater than football. He watched his former recruit become one of the best players in program history and a beloved coach, who’s finally getting a shot to construct an offense.

Bolte said he’s in the process of filling the coaching vacancy. He expects to finalize the hiring process within the next two weeks.

“I don’t know if you can replace Jordy with one person,” Bolte left off. “He had a great relationship with coach (Karson) Pike and our passing game. We’ll divvy up some roles, including special teams. (Alex) Ney will take more of a role. He was our co-special teams coordinator last year. But we wish Jordy well, except when he plays the Beavs. He truly deserves the opportunities he’s earned.”

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Brent Bolte outlines Bemidji State players aiming to fill big shoes in 2024

Jared Rubado — Fri, 03 May 2024 15:33:34 GMT

Editor’s note: This is the first of a two-part Bemidji State spring football story with Beavers head coach Brent Bolte. The second part, discussing scheduling, coaching changes and more, will be published online and in the Saturday, May 11, print edition of the Pioneer.

BEMIDJI – Brent Bolte believes he may have been born in the wrong generation.

The Bemidji State head football coach hailing from Waverly, Iowa, has carried small-town football values with him throughout his playing and coaching career.

As he heads into his ninth year at the helm, those same values apply to the mindset he wants his players to have when competing for open roster spots.

“You’re not entitled to anything here,” Bolte said. “Entitlement is what we try to fight in college sports and society at times. You have to come here and work hard. … The Iowa farm kid I am, I joke that I was born a generation too late. But that’s how I think when it comes to football. If you want something, go get it, go earn it. That’s what we embrace.”

The Beavers wrapped up a spring that included its traditional green and white game on April 6. Additionally, BSU traveled to Minnesota Duluth on April 17 for an in-game experience in a more formal scrimmage.

BSU took advantage of the NCAA’s ruling that allows teams to schedule spring games against opposing programs. It allowed Bolte to see how he could piece together another championship-contending team despite the departure of several impact players.

The most important shoes to fill are the ones under center. For the first time since 2019, the Beavers will have a new quarterback taking first-team snaps.

“Everybody wants to know who’s going to play quarterback post (Brandon) Alt,” Bolte said. “I really thought all three of the quarterbacks had a good spring. I thought (Sam) McGath walked out of it leading the path. He played really well in the scrimmages. We’re excited to see that. I’m really pleased where the offense is.”

McGath has the most experience among Bemidji State’s three rostered quarterbacks. The Brookfield, Wis., native has played in 38 games for BSU since 2021, completing 38 of his 71 passing attempts for 268 yards and nine touchdowns.

“He’s been a wildcat quarterback,” Bolte said. “He’s been in when Alt’s been injured. We got him some opportunities, which is priceless. You can’t replicate in-game reps. What makes Sam unique is that he’s a sixth-year senior, has those reps and has been around (offensive coordinator Karson) Pike and Alt for a while. Sam is a really cerebral kid. He can make any check you want for protections.”

McGath’s dual-threat play proved to be just that – a threat – when the Beavers scrimmaged the Bulldogs.

“We’re going to package some stuff differently for him,” Bolte said. “Obviously, he’s more of a runner. But he can throw it, too. I was really impressed with him in our scrimmages, especially over in Duluth. He didn’t get nervous and did a really nice job.”

Bolte was also encouraged by the play of Zach Romak and Conner Carver, the Beavers’ other signal callers in the quarterback room, competing to replace Alt.

“We saw good strides from Zach Romak, the backup going into this spring on paper,” Bolte said. “He operated the offense well. He’s a kid who can run around. We can do the option stuff with him. Connor Carver is a super dynamic kid, athletically. He’s got a strong, strong arm. He just needs reps. … Carver throws a great ball. He has the strongest arm out of all three of them.”

The Beavers will have plenty of weapons for their quarterbacks to work with, including Jarrett Gronski and Jayden Washington out of the backfield and Sam Kanne at tight end. Bolte’s excitement toward his skill-position players extended to his wide receivers.

“I really thought our receiving corps looked good,” he said. “Obviously, with Dhel (Duncan-Busby) getting drafted to the CFL, it kind of shows the caliber of kids we have running around out there. Aundreus Griffin was hurt last year, and Mike Schurman was on and off the field as a part-time kind of kid. Jake Hill is back in the slot, and he has a lot of experience there. It’s a deep, experienced group.”

The Beavers are built in the trenches. In addition to returning an experienced offensive line, the defensive front will be leaned on even more while the second and third levels establish new impact players.

“The strength of our (defense) is on the defensive line,” Bolte said. “We brought a majority of them back in that group. Obviously, Marcus Hanson, Stephen Hoffman, (Marco) Cavallaro, (Theodus) Ringold, Elijah Brown and DJ McCrea are all upperclassmen. It’s a deep group of dudes with experience that we’re really excited about.”

Bolte is looking at three returning players in particular to round out BSU’s secondary.

“At the safety position, it’s kind of just learning on the fly,” he added. “We lost three really good safeties last year. Caden Bolte, Maalik Knox and Tommy Lujan are all competing back there. Those are three guys that rotationally, along with L’Shawn Taylor, all did a nice job throughout the spring.”

Bolte also pointed out Jamel Stone and Savon Cameron as returning defenders who will see their roles increased this fall.

A significant vacancy on defense that Bemidji State is looking to fill is at linebacker. Max Buduris played his last game for the Beavers, leaving another hole for depth to step up.

“I thought Colton Hinrichs had a really great spring,” Bolte said. “We took a transfer in Kam Gothard, who’s slotted to replace Max Buduris at nickelback. He’s a very athletic kid. He can probably do a little more in coverage than Max could. Max was wired differently in the run game with how he played. Kam is just super athletic.”

Most importantly, Bolte was pleased with his team’s ability to stay healthy after playing in two spring games.

“I think we got through (the spring) pretty clean, for the most part,” Bolte left off. “We held out some returners with injuries after three long years of playoff runs. I’m very happy with that.”

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