NDSU Coach Under Fire Amid Win vs. UTEP

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NDSU's offensive struggles has fans calling for offensive coordinator Dan Larson's job.

North Dakota State had a scary start against UTEP, and one Bison assistant coach could be on the hot seat.

That’s what fans are calling for despite a 31-7 win over the Miners on Saturday at the Fargodome. NDSU’s offensive struggles has fans wanting to see a change at offensive coordinator as the Bison offense has failed to score 28 or more points for a fifth consecutive game with a 3-2 record in that span.

“If the Bison can’t hang 40+ on UTEP, I’d say it’s Larson’s last game as OC,” a fan wrote via X on Saturday.

NDSU has a 7-2 record, but the Bison offense cost the team games in losses against UNLV and New Mexico. The Bison had a combined 23 points in those losses, and the Herd only put up 24 points offensively against a 1-7 UTEP squad.

Bison head coach Tim Polasek still has his team in the running for the Mountain West Conference title game and more, but the offense has been the major concern all season thus far. On Saturday, it started with quarterback Nathan Hayes throwing his eighth interception of the season, which led to a UTEP rushing touchdown.

“If Polasek doesn’t replace Larson, NDSU will be considered another failed FCS move up,” another fan wrote via X.

Other fans chimed in on X regarding the Bison offensive performance under Larson, but the second-year coordinator has been part of a team that has been 19-3 since he took the job.

Nathan Hayes Turns Things Around

Hayes started slowly with the interception, but he bounced back, going 22-32 for 240 yards and a touchdown.

He also rushed for 21 yards and a touchdown on five carries to help the Bison take control of the game. Hayes threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to tight end Reis Kessel in the third quarter to give the Bison a 17-7 lead, then ran for a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter to make it 24-7.

NDSU added another touchdown when Bison corner back Marion Moore recovered a fumble and ran it back 46 yards for a touchdown. The Bison also had 31 points in the last home game against Nevada, but nine of those points came off of a two-point conversion return and a kick-six.

Bison Running Game Improved, Receivers Step Up

NDSU bounced back from only 53 yards rushing against New Mexico last week to roll up 141 yards rushing against UTEP on Saturday.

Bison running back D.J. Scott led the way with 50 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries, and his score late in the first half put the Herd ahead to stay, 10-7. Fellow back Barry Kpeenu rushed for 41 yards on 11 carries, and Myles Mitchell had 10 yards on four carries.

NDSU also got wide receiver Jackson Williams involved running the ball with 12 yards on three carries, and he had a big day in the passing game with 10 receptions for 111 yards. That included his longest reception of the day for 48 yards.

Kessel also had a long catch at 30 yards, and he finished with six receptions for 85 yards. Wide receiver Chris Kiel had a 24- yard catch and Luke Kokat and Isiah St. Romain had receptions of nine or more yards.