歪歪漫画

MOORHEAD 鈥� Ryan Bieberdorf often contorts his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame to make acrobatic catches often along the sidelines or back of the end zone. He has a penchant for the highlight play.

Minnesota State Moorhead football head coach Steve Laqua likes to joke that the junior wide receiver's ability to control his body to make spectacular catches has artificial help.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got like a magnet in his cleats that comes down just inside the sideline, comes down just inbounds,鈥� Laqua said with a laugh. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a magnet just pulls his foot right to the right spot with no room to spare.鈥�

The football had a magnetic pull to Bieberdorf鈥檚 hands last Saturday when he caught 12 passes for 198 yards and a touchdown in a 36-14 home victory against Minot State. Bieberdorf, a 2019 Bemidji High 歪歪漫画 graduate, exhibited his aforementioned knack for getting a foot down in the field of play with his 4-yard TD catch.

The Dragons next play Bemidji State 鈥� Bieberdorf's hometown team 鈥� at noon on Saturday, Oct. 15, in Moorhead.

David Samson/The Forum

BSU (4-2, 4-2 NSIC) has won four consecutive games and are averaging 41.3 points per game. The Dragons (2-4, 2-4) are attempting to win back-to-back games for the first time this season.

鈥淓veryone wants to keep stacking wins on top of wins,鈥� Bieberdorf said. 鈥淏emidji is always a good game so it would be really fun to win that one. 鈥� There is just a lot of history between us and them.鈥�

Bieberdorf has familiarity with BSU, having attended BHS before joining the Dragons. He was a three-sport athlete for the Lumberjacks, also competing in basketball and track and field. Bieberdorf said MSUM and Bemidji State were among his final two college choices.

鈥淚 really do like Bemidji State, but for me personally I wanted to get out of my hometown, I kind of wanted to experience life outside of that and this was the best place for me to do that,鈥� Bieberdorf said.

Jillian Gandsey / Bemidji Pioneer

Bieberdorf has 25 catches for 361 yards and three touchdowns this season, the most experienced player among MSUM鈥檚 receivers.

鈥淚 think of a leader on our team who is a great person overall,鈥� Dragons redshirt freshman receiver Gage Florence said of Bieberdorf. 鈥淩ight when I came into the program, he kind of took me under his wing. He helped me progress a lot as a receiver. I know he鈥檚 a guy on the team that everybody looks to when they help with something. 鈥� He is a facilitator for sure.鈥�

The 5-foot-10, 185-pound Florence leads the Dragons with 52 catches for 545 yards and two touchdowns. Laqua likes the dynamic that Bieberdorf and Florence bring to the Dragons offense, with each having the ability to play inside and outside receiver spots.

鈥淲henever you鈥檝e got an offensive like ours, you want to have kind of a 1-2 punch, a dynamic duo that goes hand in hand. They are able to feed off of that.鈥� Laqua said. 鈥淭he versatility of those two guys is something more than we鈥檝e had in the past.鈥�

Laqua said Bieberdorf has an ease and smoothness to him as he moves around the football field, comparing his playing style to jazz music.

鈥淚t鈥檚 that soft music that can lull you to sleep and then there it is,鈥� Laqua said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 sneaky fast, he鈥檚 got sneaky good hands, he鈥檚 a sneaky good player.鈥�

Laqua said Bieberdorf has a craftiness when it comes to catching the ball and deceiving defensive backs.

鈥淗e鈥檚 got a knack for really being late with his hands to catch,鈥� Laqua said. 鈥淎t the last second he puts his hands up, the ball drops in there and it didn鈥檛 even look like the ball was going to go to him.鈥�

Bieberdorf is trying to set an example for the younger receivers on the team, like former Dragons receivers Grady Bresnahan and Jack Richter provided for Bieberdorf after he first joined the MSUM program.

鈥淭hey really expanded my football knowledge,鈥� Bieberdorf said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 what made me a better receiver.鈥�

Bieberdorf likes the direction the team is trending, including the play of true freshman quarterback Jack Strand, who passed for at least 340 yards in each of the past two games. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound Strand is set to make his fourth collegiate start against the Beavers.

鈥淗e has raw talent,鈥� Bieberdorf said. 鈥淗e has such a big arm and he鈥檚 getting better as the season goes on. 鈥� From his play, you can tell he鈥檚 becoming more confident in himself and his abilities. That鈥檚 really nice to see.鈥�