Third Bison coach to go - this time it's linebackers coach Kyle Nystrom - InForum | Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo news, weather and sports

By Jeff Kolpack

January 21, 2009 at 11:00 PM

North Dakota State will be looking for an assistant coach for the third time since mid-December.

Linebackers coach Kyle Nystrom will not have his contract renewed, according to Bison athletic director Gene Taylor.

The decision was that of head coach Craig Bohl. Nystrom's contract runs through June 30, so he's still technically on staff until then. He also has the title of assistant head coach.

"I have to sit down with him and work all this out with him," Taylor said.

Neither Bohl nor Nystrom could be reached for comment.

Taylor said he believes the action came over the weekend, although Nystrom's departure has been a wide-spread rumor in recent weeks. When asked last week about Nystrom, Bohl said he was still a member of the Bison staff.

Nystrom had a meeting with Taylor on Jan. 7 to discuss Nystrom not being considered for the defensive coordinator position.

That spot came open when Willie Mack Garza left for New Mexico, and recently the University of Tennessee, in December. It still hasn't been filled.

The Bison now have three spots to fill officially, although Southern Illinois assistant Scott Fuchs is expected to be named the offensive line coach. Only defensive line assistant Scott Hazelton will return from this year on defense leaving the linebackers and defensive backs positions open.

It's expected a new defensive coordinator will occupy one of those roles.

Offensive line coach and offensive coordinator Pat Perles left for Ball State (Ind.) two weeks ago.

It's the third time in Bohl's six years at NDSU that the Bison lost three assistants in one year. Offensive coordinator Dan Enos, defensive line coach Jeff McInerney and receivers coach Van Malone left after 2003.

Offensive coordinator Tim Albin, defensive coordinator Jimmy Burrow and defensive line coach Nelson Barnes departed the following year. All six moved to higher-level programs.

Nystrom is the first assistant under Bohl to not have his contract renewed.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546.

Kolpack's NDSU media blog can be found at www.areavoices.com

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.

Third Bison coach to go - this time it's linebackers coach Kyle Nystrom

North Dakota State will be looking for an assistant coach for the third time since mid-December. Linebackers coach Kyle Nystrom will not have his contract renewed, according to Bison athletic director Gene Taylor. The decision was that of head co...