FCS Championship Coaches Craig Bohl, Willie Fritz Have Bright Futures

North Dakota State won its first championship in over two decades, and first at the Division I level using a dominating defense to stifle arguably the most prolific offense in the FCS. Such is the M.O. of Craig Bohl-coached teams. The Bison play aggressive defense with a front seven that gives no quarter.

Linebacker Preston Evans and defensive end Coulter Boyer each have futures playing this game on Sundays. The same could very well be true for running back D.J. McNorton. His production was perhaps less than might have been expected coming into the season, but he certainly closed out in appropriate fashion, as a champion. The senior leaves having carried on a tradition of great rushers.

McNorton graduates having carried the touch from Pat Paschall, and Sam Ojuri has already ensured the flame would continue to burn bright. Meanwhile the development of quarterback Brock Jensen added that necessary additional dimension to make NDSU so well-rounded, it could not be stopped in its pursuit of the NCAA title.

The Bison’s 14-1, title winning campaign is the pinnacle of an impressive nine-year run Bohl has led since transitioning the program from Division II to the Championship Subdivision. NDSU has beaten BCS conference foes three of the last five seasons, won nine-plus games four of the past six, and shows no sign of stopping in padding Bohl’s already impressive 74-31 career record.

Regardless of what, or where the future brings Bohl, things look bright. Stay at NDSU, and Bohl has laid a foundation to establish the Bison as the next FCS dynasty a la the Georgia Southern of the 1980s and 1990s and modern Appalachian State. At 53 years old, his prospects are wide open.

Don’t be surprised if Bohl’s is a name popular on the coaching carousel next holiday season. He was a coach I touted for the Kansas vacancy after Turner Gill was fired. Bohl had already proven he could be the Jayhawks, after all. He coaches the kind of gritty style that would play well in the Big Ten someday, and he’s proven his ability to mine the upper Midwest for recruiting gems.

Willie Fritz’s Sam Houston State Bearkats came out on the short end of today’s championship affair, his team’s sole loss of the 2011 season. SHSU was a team predicted to finish as well as sixth in the Southland Conference, a league that has rarely produced championship contenders. What he’s accomplished in just two years as the head man in Huntsville is nothing short of astounding regardless of today’s finish.

The 14-1 Bearkats could very well be better in 2012. Tim Flanders and Brian Bell are just sophomores, and the two driving forces behind SHSU’s explosive offense will be back with the motivation of coming so close to the prize pushing them.

Flanders is a special talent who could develop into an NFL-ready third down back. He has flourished in offensive coordinator Bob DeBesse’s innovative offense.

The Bearkats ran their way — literally — into the championship. But while other teams rack up big rushing yards via the option, Fritz employed a neat formation that varied between a Chris Ault-like Pistol, a pure read option, and the Wildcat (of course, dubbed the Bearkat at SHSU) when lining up Richard Sincere behind center.

SHSU was equally intimidating on defense. The Bearkats finished the season tops in the FCS against the rush, and even in today’s loss, stifled the talented Bison backfield. That balance is rare, but Fritz has cultivated a well-rounded style in his time at SHSU and JUCO powerhouse Blinn College.

Fritz has a future in the FBS ranks. DeBesse is already bound for New Mexico, joining the staff of Bob Davie and leading a team that he helped beat this past season. Fritz couldn’t be far behind.