Kari Gibb/MDN The MSU Beavers in their last session before game day. The season opener takes place today at 6 p.m. at Herb Parker Stadium against Valley City State.
The countdown is on. Game day is here. Minot State University (MSU) kicks off its 2024-2025 season today at 6 p.m. at Herb Parker Stadium. It’s time to take a look at the keys to the game and check out the opponent when it’s time to face the Vikings.
“I am encouraged,” said MSU head coach Ian Shields in his second season with the Beavers. “We’re a year further along, the team has a very positive energy and the culture feels positive. Now we just have to play the game.”
In terms of evolving culture, the Valley City State Vikings are on the opposite end of the spectrum from MSU in terms of timing. Dennis McCulloch was entering his 31st year at Valley City State, his 28th as the head football coach, when the 2024 season began.
According to his bio, McCulloch led the Vikings to a 163-107 record, six conference championships and four NAIA playoff appearances. He was named conference coach of the year six times in his career. During McCulloch’s tenure, 23 Vikings were honored with NAIA All-American honors while 101 players were named NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
The Vikings had a 7-3 overall record in 2023, a 6-2 record in the conference and finished second in the NSAA standings.
Defensive lineman Riley Gerhardt is one of the Vikings’ returning star players. Last year, he was named 2nd Team All-American for the second year in a row. He set new Vikings career records for sacks and tackles for loss.
While it is important to know your opponent, knowing your own team is crucial for game planning.
“For us, the keys to the game are pretty simple,” said Shields. “We have to play hard, like we’ve trained. We have to have a solid kicking game – which is always difficult at the beginning of the year. And finally, we have to take care of the football. The goal is one or fewer turnovers on offense and three or more turnovers on defense.”
As a team, Valley City State has only five seniors, but 21 juniors and 23 sophomores. Many of the team members are from Alaska – the weather shouldn’t be a problem for either team. Early season matchups often come down to making mistakes or taking advantage of the other team’s mistakes.
“Ultimately, our goal is to avoid SIN (self-inflicted negative things) while we play,” said Shields. “If we can avoid hurting ourselves and everyone does their best, we look forward to the opportunities this year will bring.”
Records, successes, speculations and plans culminate in a clash with the whistle and kick-off.
“Ultimately, everything in the run-up to the game is just rhetoric,” said Shields. “You don’t know what you’re about as a team until you play the game.”
