NDSU Defense Settles in Without Former Stars

Bison are one week away from their spring game.

FARGO, N.D. — The NDSU football team is still a week away from its spring game. Until then, the herd continues to put work in to build up a defense that was one of the tops in the FCS last season.

Robbie Grimsley and plenty others return to a secondary that will look to fill the gap of former star defensive back Tre Dempsey. The same holds true in the trenches, as guys such as Aaron Steidl step into bigger roles with the departure of Nate Tanguay.

Both Steidl and Grimsley say it is an adjustment being out on the field without their former teammates.

“I played three years, my whole career with him,” Grimsley said. “It is an adjustment, but obviously I’m getting reps with James [Hendricks], Jackson [Brown], and [Jaylaan] Wimbush throughout my career too so. It’ll be interesting especially when he’s not going to be there on game day. It will be a change of pace.”

The same holds true for the defensive linemen.

“Nate [Tanguay] helped melt me and Blake [Williams] a lot,” Steidl said. “Every single play we were out there he was looking at the formation with a back and the full back he’s telling us ‘hey, it’s going to be power, or it’s gonna be zone your way.’ so without him it’s kind of different. Now we’re the ones making those calls.”

The Bison spring game is set for next Friday.