Bison come out of 2015 relatively healthy; Morlock, Shepherd slated to miss spring ball

NDSU wide receiver Darrius Shepherd gets up after catching a 21-yard pass while being defended by Jacksonville State's Brandon Bender during the NCAA FCS championship game in Frisco, Texas. Shepherd is expected to be out six months with a shoulder injury. David Samson / The Forum

By Jeff Kolpack

January 19, 2016 at 4:15 PM

FARGO – Two North Dakota State players will miss spring football because of shoulder injuries, but in the grand scheme of a 15-game season, the Bison actually came out of the year in pretty good shape.

Wide receiver Darrius Shepherd and running back Chase Morlock both will be sidelined for a few months because of shoulder ailments-Shepherd, a separation that dated back to the South Dakota State game, and Morlock, a torn labrum. Both will be back for summer workouts, said head coach Chris Klieman.

NDSU won its fifth straight FCS title on Jan. 9 and the post-season injury list has been far worse in other years. For instance, eight key contributors in the 2012 title missed spring football in 2013.

"Actually it's really good," Klieman said of his team's health, although he cautioned it's possible a couple more players could face a medical procedure. "We'll find out but if not, that would be great if it were only those two."

Klieman said the fact NDSU's defense played less snaps this season was one factor. Plus, the Bison rotated more players on defense than they did last year for sure and possibly the year prior. On offense, the Bison rotated six players consistently on the offensive line. The running back depth went as far down as four players.

"It helped in that we didn't put such a load on those guys," Klieman said.

Klieman said backup defensive tackle Austin Farnlof left the team, but still plans to remain in school and graduate at NDSU. The junior redshirted in 2012 and sat out all of 2013 with an injury. He played in just three games this season.

By Jeff Kolpack

Jeff would like to dispel the notion he was around when Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, but he is on his third decade of reporting with Forum Communications. The son of a reporter and an English teacher, and the brother of a reporter, Jeff has worked at the Jamestown Sun, Bismarck Tribune and since 1990 The Forum, where he's covered North Dakota State athletics since 1995.
Jeff has covered all nine of NDSU's Division I FCS national football titles and has written three books: "Horns Up," "North Dakota Tough" and "Covid Kids." He is the radio host of "The Golf Show with Jeff Kolpack" April through August.

Bison come out of 2015 relatively healthy; Morlock, Shepherd slated to miss spring ball

FARGO - Two North Dakota State players will miss spring football because of shoulder injuries, but in the grand scheme of a 15-game season, the Bison actually came out of the year in pretty good shape.