Jeff Glas will not give up. Despite being passed over in the NFL draft, the former University of North Dakota kicker remains optimistic he can latch on with a team as a free agent this year.
Glas, who holds five NCAA Division II records, is working with kicking guru Doug Blevins in Virginia and awaiting an invitation to prove himself at an NFL camp.
"By no means am I devastated and going to quit working," Glas said. "It just takes awhile to get your name out there."
Glas is using former Blevins pupil and fellow small college standout, Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri, for inspiration.
A graduate of South Dakota State - which at that time was still a Division II school - Vinatieri spent a year and a half after college working with Blevins before he was given a chance.
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Glas said Vinatieri was offered a job in NFL Europe after Blevins sent a training tape of the kicker to each of the teams.
Vinatieri - who many consider the top clutch kicker in NFL history - has made 263 of 321 attempts in a10-year career.
"He's kind of the guy I look to," Glas said of Vinatieri. "There are still things I need to work on. But I don't think there is one glaring weakness keeping me from getting a shot. I'm just going to continue to work on everything."
Glas said his agent has been in contact with a few teams, including the New York Giants.
Jay Feely, acquired as a free agent by the Giants last season, drilled 35 of 42 kicks in his first season.
"Coming out here, I gave myself two or three years," Glas said. "If I don't make it, I'll try something else."
MSUM zeroing in on offensive coordinator
Minnesota State Moorhead interim football coach Damon Tomeo said he has narrowed the list of finalists for the offensive coordinator position to three.
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Tomeo said all of the applicants have experience as offensive coordinators at varying levels.
Tomeo will conduct interviews in two weeks and hopes to have a coach in place by mid-June.
"I feel confident with all three of the names on the list," Tomeo said. "All of them would be a great fit."
Tomeo said he knows each of the candidates.
The position opened when former offensive coordinator Everest Martin resigned earlier this month.
Former Dragons head coach Chad Eisele resigned in April to become athletic director at Knox College in Illinois.
Odds and ends
Jamestown College junior Chase Grinsteiner was named the most valuable men's golfer and teammate Robert Walz was selected most valuable graduating senior in the Dakota Athletic Conference. Jimmie women's golfer Gretchen Bietz was an all-conference selection. Jamestown's Jason McCloud was named coach of the year. ... Karalea Morris and Brandon Bata were named Valley City State athletes of the year. Morris has a school-record 222 strikeouts in 1362/3 innings pitched this season. Bata led the Vikings with 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Heath Hotzler at (701) 241-5562 or hhotzler@forumcomm.com
