3 hours Ago By Jeff Kolpack
FARGO — Injuries to a pair of veteran North Dakota State wide receivers put an onus on three Bison underclassmen over the course of the first four non-conference games. Bryce Lance, Mekhi Collins and Chris Harris combined for three receptions last season. They produced, with 32 catches, with Lance leading the way with 20.
It’s helped soften the blow of the loss of RaJa Nelson and Braylon Henderson. Perhaps add redshirt freshman Cade Osterman to that mix. The transfer from the University of Minnesota has just two grabs, but he’s slowly being worked into the rotation.
ADVERTISEMENT “I think the confidence came from practice, moreso,” Osterman said. “But my name was called and I was ready.” His presence was needed even more when veteran receiver Tyler Terhark went down with an injury last week against Towson University.
Quarterback Cam Miller has shown no hesitancy in going to any of his younger receivers. “I feel like our chemistry is getting stronger and stronger,” Osterman said. “I’ll be ready and I hope Cam knows that.
The more confidence he has in me, the more confidence I have, too.” Osterman was the Minnesota 2022 Mr. Football at Elk River High School, a running quarterback with over 1,400 yards and 20 touchdowns his senior year and a receiving standout with 13 career touchdown receptions.
He redshirted at Minnesota last season, but opted to transfer to a school where he could make a difference. NDSU didn’t offer in the first go-around, but did when Osterman entered the transfer portal. “So we’re here now and that’s all that matters,” he said.
“I wasn’t necessarily expecting to get on the field as fast as I could. I just wanted to be making an impact somewhere as opposed to just being part of something.” He may not soon forget his first NDSU career catch, a key play late in the fourth quarter in the 38-35 rally two weeks ago at East Tennessee State.
It was a 27-yard deep middle route on third-and-18 that reached the ETSU 13-yard line. NDSU didn’t score on that drive, but it set up a field position difference that ultimately benefited the Bison. ADVERTISEMENT “I really like the way the receivers are attacking the next-man-up mentality,” said Bison head coach Tim Polasek.
NDSU veteran coaches will see one familiar face across the sideline at Hancock Stadium when the Bison play at Illinois State. Former standout Bison running back Sam Ojuri is the running backs coach for ISU, a position he’s had for five years but will be the first opposite Polasek, who coached him at NDSU. “I look past the player part now,” Polasek said.
Like the time when Polasek was the offensive line coach at Iowa and invited Ojuri to the Hawkeyes summer camp. He set Ojuri up with a couple of notable coaches, including the running backs coach with the New Orleans Saints who he knew would help Ojuri with his coaching career. “I got him with those guys for a reason, so they could talk to him about the professionalism it takes to grow in this business and what it really takes,” Polasek said.
A one-hour one-on-one session with Polasek after that turned into an overnight stay at the Polasek house. “I called my wife, made sure we had the right beverages and we hung out for about eight hours,” he said. “He’s grown so much.
I’m watching him from afar and seeing him recruit. He’s at a pretty elite level. His running backs play hard.
” ADVERTISEMENT It’s the first mostly-full week of Missouri Valley Football Conference play with the Bison and Redbirds being the marquee game followed closely by Southern Illinois at South Dakota. That is if September non-conference games were any indication. “I think most of us are kind of what we expected,” said Illinois State head coach Brock Spack.
“I think there are a lot of teams that at least can get in the playoff-caliber type of situation. If you’re not prepared every Saturday, you’re going to get rolled.” He expects depth, as usual, to play into the equation with injuries that can happen.
Spack pointed to 2015 when NDSU starting quarterback Carson Wentz missed half the season with a wrist injury. The Bison had Easton Stick as a redshirt freshman and Stick led NDSU to the title game. “That injury bug might bite you sometime and you have to be able to overcome that,” Spack said.
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