VikingLand encompasses much more then the great state of Minnesota, and for that reason this week's spotlight shines to our northern neighbor to the west. North Dakota has shared more than a border with Minnesota long before the Louisiana Purchase made us official government-sanctioned brethren. From the unexplainable regional reference to hot dish to the unbelievable weather extremes, Minnesota and North Dakota are home to a people that take great pride in the place they call home.
The University of North Dakota has called Grand Forks home since 1883. The oldest university in the state was established six years prior to statehood and continues to be one of the most recognizable entities in the Peace Garden State. The Fighting Sioux athletic teams, including the football program, are in the midst of a transition to Division 1 athletics, joining the school’s successful hockey program. The man selected to lead the transition is no stranger to the program and the rich tradition of UND football.
Chris Mussman was introduced as the head coach of the Sioux in January after serving on the staff for the past nine years. Last season, his seventh as UND’s offensive coordinator, Coach Mussman led what could have been the most prolific offensive unit in program history. UND finished the 2007 season, its last in the North Central Conference (NCC), as the conference’s top-ranked offense in scoring, total offense, total first downs, third-down conversions, and time of possession. In a state with the 47th ranked population density, Mussman’s offense played the game like the field was as wide open as North Dakota.
Along with the added responsibility of being the head coach comes an increased pressure to continue the success of the program at a new level. The Division 1 Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) determines its champion on the field in a 16-team, single-elimination tournament. Although the Sioux are not eligible to participate in the tournament during their five-year transition period, the team is playing with the same high expectations that Coach Mussman helped to build. During his tenure, the Sioux have compiled a 90-24 record, won a Division II championship in 2001, won five NCC titles, and made five postseason appearances.
The transition to D1 means more than a change in conference and opponents on the schedule. It means additional scholarships, revenue, and national exposure for the team, the state, and football in the region. Grand Forks may have been built around the Great Northern Railway in the late 19th century, but Mussman’s squad is more likely to rely on UND’s renowned School of Aerospace Sciences. When the Sioux left the NCC and more local opponents, it meant an increased reliance on airplanes to travel. The six-hour bus ride to Duluth is now a four-hour flight the University of California-Davis. Coach Mussman and the Sioux will be racking up the miles on their charter plane when they schedule non-conference opponents as well. In the upcoming seasons, UND will travel to Texas Tech and Hawaii to not only play against the best teams in the country, but also to help promote and attract players from outside the region to come to North Dakota.
While the majority of players that make up the roster may know what -40 degrees feels like walking to class in February, Mussman hopes to recruit top athletes from around the country to a city that could potentially experience rain, snow, hail, and arctic-like temperatures one month and tornadoes, thunderstorms, and desert-like heat in another. The climate may be ever-changing outside, but inside the Alerus Center the temperature, like the football team, should remain constant. More than 13,000 fans will pack the home of the Fighting Sioux for many Saturdays to come to see a tradition evolve to a new level. The opponents may change, but the players Mussman will lead on the field will continue to be fine student-athletes who understand the important role they play for the University, the Greater Grand Forks Area, and the state of North Dakota.
Coach Mussman and his wife, Shelly, are proud to be members of the Grand Forks community and along with their two sons, Jacob, 12, and Jackson, 10, are excited for the future of UND football.
North Dakota Update
The Fighting Sioux are currently 4-1 and will have two bye weeks before Homecoming weekend in Grand Forks on October 18. UND will host Western Washington at 1 p.m.
Comments, questions, suggestions or random rambling … send me a note at weber.trent@gmail.com
Trent Weber is in his first season as a freelance writer for vikings.com. Trent graduated from St. John’s University in 2004 with a degree in Communications. He currently lives and works in Plymouth, where he holds a position in advertising.
Previous Spotlights
Tim Brewster - University of Minnesota
Steve Johnson - Bethel University
Glen Caruso - University of St. Thomas