FARGO – As a redshirt last season, Tre Dempsey watched the Coastal Carolina at North Dakota State playoff game from the first row of the NDSU student section. It was a familiar opponent to him.
The cornerback made a recruiting visit to Coastal while in high school in Lakeland, Fla., and he said he was about to commit to the Chanticleers when North Dakota State called with an offer.
He accepted the latter and will probably see a lot of playing time today when NDSU again hosts Coastal in an FCS quarterfinal playoff game at Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome. Dempsey sees the field when the Bison add another defensive back in passing situations
“It’s a big game for me,” he said. “(CCU) is a nice school and I was cool with the defensive backs coach, but I came to North Dakota State and it’s worked out for the best. It’s the best decision I’ve made in my life.”
Dempsey said he knows a couple of players on the Chanticleers, who have mainly players from South Carolina and North Carolina. Had Dempsey gone with CCU, he would have been the fifth player from Florida on this year’s roster.
NDSU’s Keller one of 10 finalists
Bison kicker Adam Keller is one of 10 finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award, which goes to one kicker in all of college football who excels on the field and in the community.
The senior broke NDSU’s career records in PAT kicks with 180 and field goals made with 52 last week in the
second-round win over South Dakota State. He set the school record earlier this season for most field goals in a game with five against Montana.
The winner will be announced next Thursday and the award will be presented Feb. 16 at the National Football Foundation Chicago Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall in Chicago.
Other notable finalists are Northern Iowa kicker Michael Schmadeke and Concordia-St. Paul kicker Tom Obarski, whose brother Jason Obarski started his football career at NDSU before finishing at St. Olaf.
Former Fargoan has unique view
JT Dietrich lived in Fargo for 14 years, raised three kids with his wife, who worked as a nurse at Essentia Health. He’ll be watching the game today from near his home in Phoenix with a unique perspective: He has degrees from both NDSU and Coastal.
He first attended CCU for four years getting a degree in interdisciplinary studies business writing.
“I met my wife on spring break, moved to Fargo and attended NDSU,” he said.
He graduated with a degree in English from NDSU.
“I might be the only guy in the country with bachelor degrees from NDSU and Coastal Carolina,” Dietrich said. “Should be a good game.”
Etc. etc. etc.
NDSU is making its fifth straight appearance in the quarterfinals, just the fourth team in FCS history to do that. The other four all did it six straight years: Georgia Southern twice (1985-90, 1997-2002), Marshall (1991-96) and Appalachian State (2005-10).
The Bison are 11-0 at home in the FCS playoffs.
NDSU linebacker Carlton Littlejohn and safety Christian Dudzik are tied for fourth in school career solo tackles with 141. They need six to tie New Orleans Saints linebacker Ramon Humber for third place.
The 95 total plays Coastal Carolina ran against Richmond last week in the second round was a school record.
CCU set a Big South Conference record by scoring at least 30 points in its first 11 games. It is the first Big South program to start a season 11-0.
Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack can be reached at
(701) 241-5546.
