AJ Blazek Brings one-on-one Attention to First Season as NDSU O-Line Coach

Blazek comes to the Bison after three years as Rutgers' offensive line coach

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State football is one-third of the way through its spring practices.

You might think the team will have a different look in the 2019 season with only seven returning starters, a new head coach and five brand new members of the coaching staff.

But, they are trying to keep the same look the same.

The only position group with more than one returning starter is on the offensive line.

That is not a bad place to start in trying to build a championship program, especially with a new starting quarterback, two star running backs gone and a young wide receiver corps.

“There’s pressure on the line, and I think that’s anywhere you go,” offensive line coach AJ Blazek said. “If you’re going to play championship football, your line of scrimmage has to be dominant. It doesn’t matter what the offense is. It’s happened here. I think that’s the expectation, and guys understand it coming in here.”

Blazek is in his first season at North Dakota State. He spent the previous three years in the Big Ten as Rutgers’ offensive line coach.

Part of his transition to NDSU has involved learning about the players he inherited.

“It’s fun to watch these guys,” he said. “The older guys, they’re coaching, they’re detailing the young guys, and the young guys are really eager to not let anybody down, to keep their success going. That comes back to them on every rep.”

The players are also learning about Blazek and his coaching style.

“He’s very personable,” junior lineman Dillon Radunz said. “He’s got us all about not having the long film sessions, but then we do a lot of individual film sessions. We didn’t quite do that last year. It was just a different coaching style. Being able to be one-on-one with him more is making a different impact.”

But overall, Blazek and former NDSU O-line coach Conor Riley are pretty similar.

“Oh yes, coach Riley was screaming and yelling and this guy is just about the same thing,” Radunz said. “It’s like they’re the same person, but they deliver it in different ways. It’s so hard to explain, but have two, back-to-back over-the-top coaches is nice.”

Blazek knows he is far from a shy person.

“Am I loud at practi– I’m loud! But it ain’t name calling. It ain’t degrading. It’s loud. It is hands on. Our guys know that,” Blazek said.” If you don’t demonstrate it, how are they going to know what it feels like. I’m hands-on with them, very vocal, very matter-of-fact. I think you’ve got to be clear in your coaching, but from a teaching standpoint, not everybody learns the same.”

And, in teaching the players independently from one another, they learn the independence that helps them grow as a team.

“Coaches ain’t out there on Saturdays,” Blazek added. “My job is to jump in and how can I make these guys know I’m trying to make them better. What can I do to help them get better, to reach their goals. Those are the things where we spend a lot of time in these first three months. ‘what do you want to do? Okay, how do I get you there?’ that’s probably the biggest thing I’ve been able to help with.”

That all goes back to Blazek’s focus on more one-on-one interactions with the student-athletes, so they can get more out of each practice and each film session.

“Is it easier for me? No, it takes a little bit more time,” he said. “But, to actually know how your guys think, how their interpret coaching and what they can put on the field. Math, science, English, history, that’s what it is. You’re just doing it with football.”