Western Illinois Game Provides Opportunity for NDSU Football’s Depth

NDSU FB Plans to Play Younger Player Against The Leathernecks

FARGO, N.D. — North Dakota State football starts a stretch of back to back home games this weekend beginning with Western Illinois on Saturday. The Leathernecks come into the match up with only one win over South Dakota last week.

A struggling Leatherneck team provides the opportunity for NDSU to play more of their younger talent who haven’t received a lot of reps this season. With the NCAA red shirt rule of four games, head coach Matt Entz said it gets a chance for the future of the program to see the routine of a game weekend from those who dress for game day.

“Play or not at least they have the opportunity to go through pregame, trough the Friday night logistics of meetings and team meal, the captains meeting. All those little things that we do,” Entz said. “Maybe they don’t until a year from now, they red shirt this whole year but then at least next year game one they have a little familiarity of how this operates and we can takeaway some of the normal distractions for a red shirt freshman.

The Bison won last year’s contest 34–7 in Macomb.