North Dakota State Football Signs 17 Student-Athletes to National Letters of Intent
2/6/2008 8:15:00 PM | Football
North Dakota State University head football coach CRAIG BOHL announced the signing of 16 high school athletes and a junior college transfer to National Letters of Intent to play football and continue their education at NDSU. That announcement came today on the first day student-athletes are allowed to sign Letters of Intent.
The list includes student-athletes from seven different states including North Dakota (2), Minnesota (5), Wisconsin (3), Michigan (3), Texas (1), South Dakota (1) and California (1), along with Pago Pago, American Somoa.
There are seven offensive players, eight defense and one specialist.
North Dakota State finished with a 10-1 record for the second straight season including a 3-1 ledger in the Great West Football Conference under the direction of head coach Craig Bohl. The Bison held down the No. 1 spot in the FCS Coaches Top 25 poll for seven weeks during the regular season. NDSU posted road wins over two FBS opponents -- Central Michigan (40-14), two-time champions of the Mid-American Conference, and Minnesota (27-21) of the Big Ten Conference.
Here are the bios of the new letter of intent signees:
NORTH DAKOTA
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JOSH HORNER, RUNNING BACK, 5-9, 185, Fargo, N.D. (South H.S.)--Two-time all-state and all-conference running back and defensive back for Fargo South High School and head coach Kevin Feeney, a former Bison standout quarterback ... Named the 2007 Class AAA and North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year ... Landed a spot on the PrepNation101 All-American team ... Rushed for 1,851 yards and 28 TDs on 153 attempts ... Also caught nine passes for 137 yards and one TD ... Averaged 13.5 yards per touch ... Finished career with 2,412 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns ... Will play in the North Dakota Shrine Bowl ... Also competes in track & field for the Bruins ... Plans to major in construction management ... Son of Joe and Sandy Horner. |
AUSTIN VETTER, TIGHT END, 6-3, 215, Minot, N.D. (Bishop Ryan H.S.)--Four-year starter at tight end and defensive end for Bryan Kramer at Bishop Ryan High School ... Led team to a 10-1 record in 2007 including an undefeated mark in West Region play and berth in the state semifinals ... 2007 Class AA all-state first team selection at tight end, second team pick at defensive end ... Two-time all-conference and all-region pick ... Caught nine passes for 179 yards (19.8 ypr) and two TDs ... Recorded 64 solo tackles including 19 tackles for loss and 13 sacks ... Added 67 assisted tackles ... Also punted, averaging 37.8 yards per kick with eight punts inside the 20 and three inside the 10 ... On the basketball court, a two-time Class B all-tournament team pick ... Averaging 14.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game as Bishop Ryan is 14-1 and ranked No. 3 in the state ... On the track, a two-time region champion and all-state in the 100 and 200 meters ... Scholar athlete ... Academic interest is pre-professional ... Son of Michael and Julie Vetter.
MINNESOTA
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HAKEEM BOURNE-McFARLANE, WIDE RECEIVER, 6-1, 205, Bloomington, Minn. (Kennedy H.S.)--Special mention Associated Press all-state performer for Kennedy High School ... Finalist for Minnesota's Mr. Football after catching 62 passes for 876 yards in 2007 ... Two-time all-metro (KARE 11/Minneapolis Star Tribune), all-Lake Conference selecton ... Minnesota Vikings all-state team ... Two-time honorable mention on the St. Paul Pioneer Press all-state team ... High school coach was Dave Frisell ... Caught 173 passes for 2,302 yards and 23 TDs in career ... Played basketball and competed track & field at Kennedy ... Ran the 100 and 200 meters ... Mass communication listed as academic interest ... Son of Deena Bourne. |
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ISAAC KOLSTAD, STRONG SAFETY, 6-1, 215, Mankato, Minn. (East H.S.)--First-team all-conference and all-city selection ... Recorded 10 interceptions for head coach Eric Davis at Mankato East, the same school that produced former Bison players Craig Dahl (New York Giants) and Brian Dahl ... Versatile performer, who caught 39 passes for 710 yards and 10 TDs, rushed 62 times for 392 yards and one TD, and returned 16 kickoffs for an average of 34.1 yards per return ... Notched 66 tackles including 54 solo stops and a pair of fumble recoveries ... Competed at the state track meet in the 100 and 200 meter dashes ... Ran anchor leg of fifth-place 800-meter relay team ... Member of 2005 True Team state championship and 2007 True Team state runner-up track & field teams ... Lists business as a college major ... Son of Blaine and Teresa Kolstad. |
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JOE LUND, OFFENSIVE LINEMAN, 6-2, 295, Bloomington, Minn. (Kennedy H.S.)--First-team 2007 Associated Press all-state selection for head coach Dave Frisell and Kennedy High School ... Honorable mention on the St. Paul Pioneer Press all-state team ... First-team pick on the all-metro, KARE 11 and Minneapolis Star Tribune honor lists ... Two-time all-Lake Conference selection ... Plans to major in criminal justice ... Son of Richard and Jeanne Lund. |
JASON OBARSKI, PUNTER/KICKER, 5-11, 215, Burnsville, Minn. (Apple Valley H.S.)--2007 St. Paul Pioneer Press first team all-state, second-team all-metro (Minneapolis Star Tribune) and all-conference selection ... High school coach was Mike Fritze ... Honorable mention on 2007 Associated Press all-state team ... Averaged 38 yards per punt over past two seasons ... Connected on 62 of 66 PATs and 19 of 24 field-goal attempts during three-year career ... Lists education and coaching as academic interests ... Brother, John, member of North Dakota State football team ... Also played soccer for Apple Valley ... Son of Mark and Barb Obarski.
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DANNY OFFERMAN, DEFENSIVE TACKLE, 6-3, 270, Arden Hills, Minn. (Roseville Area H.S.)--Honorable mention all-state defensive lineman for Roseville Area High School and head coach Chris Simdorn, a Harlon Hill winner during his career at NDSU and recent inductee into the Bison Athletic Hall of Fame ... All-conference and KARE 11 all-metro first team peformer ... Recorded 90 tackles including 10 tackles for loss and seven sacks ... Also caught 28 passes for six TDs ... Also pitches for the baseball team ... Undecided on college major ... Son of Rhonda Peche. |
SOUTH DAKOTA
PRESTON EVANS, LINEBACKER, 5-11, 220, Sioux Falls, S.D. (Roosevelt H.S.)--All-state linebacker for Brent DeBoer at Roosevelt High School ... Valuable member of back-to-back Class AA football championship teams in 2006 and 2007 ... Two-time all-conference selection ... Named to the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Argus Leader's Elite 45 and all-city team as a senior ... Honorable mention all-state as a sophomore and junior ... Also competes in basketball and track & field, placing sixth in the shot put at state ... Academic interest is education and coaching ... Son of Preston and Angela Evans.
WISCONSIN
RICKY HAGEN, LINEBACKER, 6-3, 230, Colfax, Wis. (Colfax H.S.)--Two-time second team all-state performer at defensive end, honorable mention after moving to linebacker ... Recorded 80 tackles including 10 tackles for loss, six sacks and a pair of forced fumbles last year ... Colfax won the conference title in 2006 with a 6-3 record and went 4-5 in 2007 under the direction of Jason Eckert ... Finished career with 152 tackles including 22 tackles for loss, 17 sacks and six forced fumbles ... Academic interest is education ... Son of Rick Sr. and Suzanne Hagen.
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J.J. MANOWSKE, OFFENSIVE LINE, 6-3, 290, Fond du Lac, Wis. (St. Mary's Springs H.S.)--Honorable mention all-state offensive tackle for St. Mary's Springs High School head coach and Bison Athletic Hall of Fame member Bob Hyland ... Four-time all-conference performer including three first-team awards ... Playing in the Wisconsin Senior Shrine Bowl ... During St. Mary's Springs made a state semi-final appearance and had a state runner-up finish, along with conference, regional and sectional titles ... Placed fifth in the shot put (53 feet, 2 inches) at the state meet ... Plans to major in business ... Son of James Manowske. |
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GREG REID JR., LINEBACKER, 6-2, 240, Milwaukee, Wis. (Rufus King H.S.)--Three-time all-conference performer for head coach Scott Hawkins at Milwaukee Rufus King High School ... Notched 113 tackles including eight sacks and three forced fumbles during senior year ... Also competes in track & field and wrestling ... Academic interest is sports management ... Son of Greg Sr. and Lynn Reid. |
MICHIGAN
KEVIN JACKSON, STRONG SAFETY, 6-0, 185, Grand Rapids, Mich. (East Kentwood H.S.)--All-conference defensive back for East Kentwood High School ... High school coach was Eddie Ostipow ... Valuable member of two state championship track & field teams ... School record holder in 400 (48.22) ... All-state and all-league track & field performer, competing on three East Kentwood relay teams ... Clocked at 10.75 seconds in 100 and 22.65 in the 200 meter dashes... Plans to major in exercise science ... Son of Kevin Jackson Sr., and Migdalia Rivera.
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CARLIN LANDINGHAM, OFFENSIVE LINE, 6-3, 295, Muskegon, Mich. (Muskegon H.S.)--Two-time Associated Press all-state (Division 1-2) first team selection ... Selected to the Detroit Free Press Dream Team ... Three-year starter for head coach Tony Annese ... Muskegon won the Division II state championship with a 14-0 record in 2006 and compiled a 9-2 mark in 2007 ... Offense rushed for 430 yards per game in 2007 ... Selected to participate in the Michigan Prep All-Star game ... Academic interest is sports medicine ... Son of Bill and Mary Landingham. |
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BOBBY MILLER, CORNERBACK, 5-10, 180, Muskegon, Mich. (Muskegon H.S.)--Two-time all-Muskegon area and all-conference defensive back for head coach Tony Annese ... Muskegon won the Division II state championship with a 14-0 record in 2006 and compiled a 9-2 mark in 2007 ... Recorded nine interceptions over last two seasons including seven in 2006 ... Logged over 70 tackles during junior and senior years ... Currently averaging 13 points and 8 rebounds for 11-2 Muskegon basketball team ... AAU national champion and state MVP in track & field ... Best efforts of 10.9 seconds in the 100 meters and leap of 20 feet, 5 inches in the long jump ... Plans to major in elementary education ... Son of Louis Churchwell and Martha Miller. |
TEXAS
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JORDAN OSBORNE, FREE SAFETY, 6-0, 185, Spring, Texas (The Woodlands H.S.)--All-district first team standout for Mark Schmid at The Woodlands High School ... Missed four games due to injury, but recorded 82 tackles including 60 solo stops and five tackles for loss ... Added four forced fumbles, three passes defended, a sack and one fumble recovery ... Also competed in track & field with a time of 10.9 seconds in the 100 meters ... Plans to major in business ... Academic all-district ... Son of Chris Osborne and Paula Lesniak. |
CALIFORNIA
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JOSE MOHLER, QUARTERBACK, 6-0, 175, Cardiff, Calif. (La Costa Canyon H.S.)--Two-year varsity starter for La Costa Canyon High School and head coach Darrin Brown ... Passed for 1,351 yards and 14 TDs, and rushed for 580 yards and 8 TDs in leading team to Palomar League championship and the CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) semi-finals in 2007 ... Earned first team all-league and second team all-North County honors as a senior ... Passed for 1,553 yards and 14 TDs, and rushed for 630 yards and 4 TDs in 2006 ... Earned all-conference honors ... Numerous Player of the Week honors during career ... Plans to major in communications/broadcasting ... Son of Lu Mohler. |
JUNIOR COLLEGE
| YUEN (U-N) TAUFETEE (tah-FA-tee), DEFENSIVE TACKLE, 6-0, 280, Pago Pago, American Somoa (Butte-Glenn C.C./Na'uuli Poly Tech H.S., Pago Pago, American Somoa)--Member of Butte-Glenn Community College team that compiled a 7-4 record and won the Stockman's Bank Bowl Game under the direction of head coach Jeff Jordan ... Recorded 27 tackles including six tackles for loss, three sacks and one forced fumble. |
Bohl also announced four preferred walk-ons who have been accepted for admission for the fall of 2008 at North Dakota State:
PREFERRED WALK-ONS
TY BECKIUS, OFFENSIVE LINE, 6-3, 310, Mahnomen, Minn. (Mahnomen H.S.)--All-conference player for head coach John Clark Jr. at Mahnomen High School ... Son of Peter and Kathy Beckius.
REED DUCHSCHER, WIDE RECEIVER, 6-2, 205, Rugby, N.D. (Rugby H.S.)--All-state selection for head coach Scott Grochow at Rugby High School ... Son of Keith and Linda Duchscher.
LUKE POPPEL, LINEBACKER, 6-1, 220, Breckenridge, Minn. (Breckenridge H.S.)--All-conference standout for head coach Darren Baartman at Breckenridge High School ... Son of Mike and Carol Poppel.
ZACH WENTZ, QUARTERBACK, 6-2, 205, Bismarck, N.D. (Century H.S.)--All-state quarterback for head coach Ron Wingenbach at Century High School ... Will also play baseball for NDSU head coach Tod Brown ... Son of Doug Wentz and Cathy Domres.
