This morning I stepped out onto my deck and it felt like fall and fall means football!  Football season is here!  The spring season has thrown off my clock but I think I’m finally ready to get going.

With that being said, here are a few of the questions that are on my mind and maybe yours too.

1. Who is the QB?

• When Mark went down on the first drive of the National Championship game and rumor spread throughout the stadium that he wasn’t coming back, I began to immediately think about the fall season (way to enjoy the moment Matt). The competition to be the starting QB has been a good one through camp.  Sophomore Keaton Heide has been good and has shown improvement but it sounds like grad transfer Chris Oladokun has been better.  No matter who is the starter, they will be surrounded by plenty of weapons and a great offensive line.

2. Where does our OL depth come from?

• The starting five are the best in the FCS.  They are great in the run game and very good as pass blockers.  The cohesiveness that formed from the beginning of the season to the end is pretty remarkable.  The first two games of the spring season against UNI and UND weren’t great for the #605Hogs.  After that they were lights out.  Eddie Miller will be the top backup on the interior and Jon Gruetzmacher is also around to provide experienced depth but after that there are a lot of unknowns.  According to Matt Zimmer, Evan Beerntsen is out for the year and Bo Donald is out for the start of the season.  The offensive line remained relatively healthy in the spring, it would be tough to count on that again this fall.  Who steps up to provide quality depth?

3. How does the offense utilize both Strong and Davis?

• This is a good problem to have!  The Jacks have a 1a and 1b at running back.  Pierre Strong has done eveything for the Jacks over the past two years; even throwing a touchdown pass in the playoffs!  He is so dynamic with the ball in his hands and is a threat to take it to the house at any point either on the ground or through the air.  Davis is a homerun threat himself, as evidenced by his run in the National Championship game.  The story with Davis since he blew up at Jackrabbit prospect camp is that he is hard to tackle.  That was evident all throughout the spring.  How does Eck use both of these guys?  Will there be heavy sets with multiple TE’s, Mike Morgan, and both running backs?  I’m excited for the possibilities!

4. Who are the breakout players?

• Every year a player comes out of nowhere to surprise us.  Mark, Isaiah, and Adam Bock would fit that mold from the spring.  On offense I’m looking at Chris Oladokun, Landon Wolf, and Tucker Kraft.  If these three emerge, the Jacks offense may reach new heights. Oladokun is a dual threat QB that has the experience and arm talent to make all the throws.  It sounds like Wolf has been virtually impossible to cover in practice.  Kraft, when healthy, is a matchup nightmare with his size, speed, and strength.  These guys all are in addition to the Jankes, Strong, Davis, and tight end Zach Heins.  Good luck to opposing defenses!  
• On the defensive side of the ball I’m looking at Isaiah Stalbird, Cale Reeder, and Brandon Lane.  Stalbird has really good speed and physicality.  He was in the middle of some big plays and was close to making many more in the spring; he just needs to finish the play.  Reeder is someone who got more playing time as the Jacks had 3 and sometimes 4 safeties on the field at a time. Lane was a very highly sought after recruit that blew up in the weight room this spring and has been described as a “beast” by more than a few people close to the program.    

5. Can the kicking game be better?

• The easy answer is yes.  The return of All-American long snapper, Bradey Sorenson instantly makes this unit better and more consistent.  In terms of the kick-offs and kicks out of bounds it is hard to say if this will improve.  BUT it simply has to stop.  There were too many in the spring season including a big one in the National Championship game.  It just is unacceptable at this point.  This has been happening for the last 3 seasons far too frequently than I like. 

6. Can the secondary tighten up the coverage more consistently?

• Don Gardner emerged as one of the best and most physical cornerbacks in the FCS.  Josh Manchigiah and Michael Griffin II are two very good veteran safties and they have capable backups in Chase Norblade and Reeder.  The second corner spot was inconsistent in the spring and was often picked-on  by opposing offenses.  Both DyShawn Gales and Malik Lofton played extensively and both dealt with injuries.  I’m hopeful they can both be more consistent from snap to snap this fall.  If not, we may see one of the freshmen corners emerge.  If they can improve, this secondary and this defense as a whole, will be scary good.

7.  What does the snap count look like along the defensive line?

• The transformation along the defensive line in the last four years is remarkable.  It wasn’t that long ago we were relying on true freshmen to man the trenches.  Overall, this didn’t work and the Jacks were often ground down by the fourth quarter.  Now, both the defensive tackles and ends go 6 deep.  I think the starters on the interior will be Caleb Sanders and Xavier Ward.  Thomas Stacker had a great spring season and will be pushing for more reps.  Ryan Van Marel and Jarod DePriest played well in the playoffs and Krockett Krolikowski has played a lot of snaps and is now 2.5 years removed from his knee injury.  Brandon Lane is the wildcard of this group.  How Coach Smith and Coach Erickson divy up these snaps remains to be seen but the big boys remaining fresh throughout the game shouldn’t be a problem.
• At end, Reece Winkelman really showed up in the playoffs after a quiet regular season.  Quinton Hicks was close to a half-dozen more sacks in the spring.  If he is able to finish, or be a half step quicker, on half of those plays, he is an All-Conference end.  Tolu Ogunrinde may have been the best defensive player in the national championship game for the Jacks.  He was an animal.  I love the sub package that shifts Tolu into the interior in obvious passing downs.  Cade Teerveer and Caden Johnson play with tremendous effort.  I thought Johnson was ultra productive in his limited snaps in the spring.  The player I’m watching is second year player Randy Keumogne.  The coaches thought enough of him as a true freshman to utilize him as a pass rush specialist in 2021.  He finished with just a sack but you can tell all the tools are there.  

8. What, if any, first year player emerges to make significant contributions? Second year?

• I think the obvious answer to this either of the running backs.  Amar Johnson and Josh Buri.  The Jacks have zero experienced depth at running back outside of Strong and Davis.  If injuries become an issue Amar and Josh must be ready to contribute the best they can.  They are different backs from one another, much like Strong and Davis, with Amar being the slasher and Buri being a bigger, more physical back.  
• In terms of second year players that I haven’t mentioned, I think Dalys Beanum at cornerback and A.J. Coons at wide receiver are my top candiates.  Beanum was brought up as someone who really improved in his first season while Coons has been called “Jason Schneider 2.0” which is a very high compliment!

9. Can the Jacks run the table at home?

• The answer to this is probably not but if they do…. we have ourselves a team and are likely looking at the road to Frisco going through Brookings!  The Jacks have two non-conference games vs. D2 Lindenwood and transitioning Dixie State at home.  These should be wins by 30+ points.  The conference slate however features 4 of the top teams in the conference.  SIU, UNI, NDSU, and UND is an INSANE schedule for home.  Luckily, this means the road schedule is a little more forgiving.  

10. Is this the year? 

• I sure believe so.  The Jacks were a minute away from being the National Champions in the spring.  They know what it takes and they can do it again.  From all reports, the offense will be even better than it was in the spring. Special teams should be more consistent and the defense has tremendous depth.  The areas of major concern for me is the potential for injuries at running back or along the offensive line.  Depth there is inexperienced.  However, I just feel like this is the season.  I’ve booked my room in Frisco already and will be trying to buy tickets when they go on sale.  I just believe this is it.