Grand Forks native and former UND wide receivers coach Sam King heading to Washington State

GRAND FORKS — Sam King and Danny Freund appear to be reuniting. King, the Grand Forks native and former UND wide receivers coach, is joining the Washington State staff, according to a report by Football Scoop on Thursday night. ADVERTISEMENT Freund, a former UND quarterback and offensive coordinator, will be a first-year offensive coordinator at Washington State in 2025.

King was with UND's staff for the last eight years, including the last six as wide receivers coach. He was not brought back to the Fighting Hawks' staff during the transition of head coach from Bubba Schweigert to Eric Schmidt this offseason. King, a former quarterback at Grand Forks Red River and Bemidji State, joins the Washington State staff now headed by former South Dakota State head coach Jimmy Rogers.



Freund left UND last offseason to join Rogers as co-offensive coordinator of the Jackrabbits. After one season in Brookings, Freund left SDSU with Rogers and was named the full offensive coordinator and play-caller in Pullman. The report didn't say exactly what role King will hold at Washington State.

The report claims King "had been approached about an offensive coordinator position in the NCAA ranks before sources said he accepted the opportunity to be on Rogers' inaugural Washington State staff." The Cougars' coaching staff has another familiar face to King next season. Robbie Rouse is now the running backs coach at Washington State.

Rouse spent the 2020 season at UND as running backs coach before stops at Cal Poly and South Dakota State. Washington State opens its season Aug. 30 at home against Idaho.

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