North Dakota State head coach Tim Polasek is on a mission to make the FBS move thrive in Year One, and he didn’t hold back with a recent message to his players.
“Some teams are loading up with talent through the transfer portal. Some teams are loading up with money. That don’t beat discipline and connection,” Polasek told his players in a recent video by NDSU athletics. “Got to be coming together, so we’re the most connected group in the Mountain West football conference. That’s a tough out. I’ve been there.”
The video continued and concluded with highlights of players working out. NDSU players themselves expect big things.
“We gotta come into the weight room to prove something,” junior quarterback Nathan Hayes told Bison 1660 AM. “But I mean, we’re proving a little more now.”
“We’re proving … that this was the right move that we can compete,” Hayes continued. “So like you should have seen the energy in the weight room today. I mean, guys flying around, We’re pushing weight. We got to be strong, we gotta be fast in order to compete at the FBS level.”
NDSU dominated the FCS level before with 10 national championships between 2011 and 2024. The Bison became a big brand with multiple former players succeeding in the NFL and three College GameDay appearances along the way.
Tim Polasek Makes Admission on Transfer Portal
When NDSU approached the transfer portal, the FBS move was only a possibility, and Polasek recognizes that would have made a difference.
“That’s one of the things you’re hopeful that, especially regionally, recruiting-wise, and I’m talking about bounce backs out of the portal, you hope you’re seen in a little bit different light,” Polasek told On3.com. “I don’t know that we would have necessarily been financially any different at that time than what we had. The answer is probably yes, but I do like the way our portal guys are working and how they’re fitting in right now as well.”
NDSU acquired three Power Four players in the transfer portal from Midwest schools. That included former Kansas offensive lineman Kene Anene, former Minnesota punter Caleb McGrath, and former Kansas State edge Truman Griffith. The Bison also landed former Cornell linebacker Keith Williams Jr.
Conversely, NDSU lost linebacker Nathaniel Staehling to Michigan, long snapper Caleb Bowers to Florida State, offensive tackle Beau Johnson to Vanderbilt, offensive lineman Trent Fraley to Michigan State. Edge Toby Anene and kicker Eli Ozick also transferred to Power Four programs — Colorado and Iowa, respectively. The Bison also lost cornerback Jailen Duffie to a newer Power Four team in UCF and cornerback Jaquise Alexander to Delaware, formerly an FCS power.
Tim Polasek Details Future Roster Building
Polasek expects the same process for roster development, though recruiting will take on new dynamics as an FBS program.
“Where we are going to be tested the most, if you look at some of the guys that are even playing in the NFL, not a lot of people recruited them,” Polasek told On3.com. “It takes two and a half to three years of development before those guys are really good players. We want to stay true as much as we can. We want to stay true to that developmental piece, especially with the O-line, the D-lines, tight ends.”
“This should put us in a position to compete much better regionally for FBS-level running backs, receivers, and cornerbacks. I have a great deal of respect for the skill level in the Mountain West Conference,” Polasek continued. “I have a great deal of respect for the strength levels of the defensive fronts. A little bit bigger and stronger, but that’s been our ace in the hole, right? It’s been our development.”
North Dakota State Coach Sends Strong Message to Team