FARGO — Former North Dakota State star running back Tyler Roehl will be the Bison's new offensive coordinator while it appears Northern Iowa assistant David Braun will be named defensive coordinator.
Those moves were among a handful of promotions and hires made by new NDSU head coach Matt Entz as he rounds out his staff after being hired to replace Chris Klieman, who was recently named head coach at Kansas State.
Roehl was elevated from tight ends/fullbacks coach while Randy Hedberg was promoted from quarterbacks coach to associate head coach, according to an NDSU press release Wednesday.
Also, WDAY-TV's Dom Izzo reported Entz is "zeroing in" on Braun and Rutgers assistant AJ Blazek to join his staff.
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Braun, an assistant under head coach Mark Farley at Northern Iowa the last two seasons, will replace Entz as defensive coordinator. Blazek will be NDSU's offensive line coach. He'll replace Conor Riley, who went to Kansas State with Klieman.
Braun and Blazek join linebackers coach Grant Olson as new members of the Bison staff. Olson, a former NDSU linebacker, will return to his former school after spending the last four years at Wyoming and Indiana State.
A West Fargo High School graduate, Roehl has been on the Bison staff the past six seasons. He played for NDSU from 2004-08, gaining more than 2,500 yards and scoring 34 touchdowns over his last two seasons. He replaces Courtney Messingham, who also went with Klieman to Kansas State, as offensive coordinator.
Hedberg has been with the Bison the past five seasons, helping develop quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Easton Stick. Hedberg was head coach at Minot State from 1982-89 and St. Cloud State from 1999-2007 before moving to the Football Championship Subdivision as the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator at Southern Illinois from 2008-13.
Braun and Blazek have connections with Entz through NCAA Division II Winona State, where Entz was an assistant from 2002-09. Braun played for the Warriors from 2005-07 and Blazek was on the coaching staff in 2009. Entz and Blazek also coached together at Western Illinois.
NDSU has five assistants returning for next season, including defensive tackles coach Nick Goeser, defensive ends coach Buddha Williams and cornerbacks coach Kody Morgan.
