2025 NSIC Preview - Upcoming

[Matt Witwicki]

Hope you all are doing well here.

Tom and I will shoot our first show, 2025 NSIC Preview, August 19th. Things are coming up quickly! Expect our NSIC Weekly to hit Youtube on Tuesday nights. For those interested, our national show is Sunday nights, our MIAA show is Monday nights, and GLIAC is Wednesday nights..with the RMAC show on later that evening. We might also have another east coast show in the works..TBD. Here is the link for our Youtube page that has all the shows. They will also post on the website. Please subscribe if you like that kinda content.
https://www.youtube.com/@d2football1973

I've spent the week doing Witt Media Days..I've chatted with every head coach 15-30 min talks..and I have Coach OJ from Augie tmrw morning and then Brian Curtain from Winona State later in the morning..and I will have wrapped things up.

We've also wrapped up our Elite 100 Preseason squad (All American)..which will release before the show with Tom..and we will have a video for that.

Football is coming soon fellas..

[laker]

All kinds of good stuff here! Glad to hear about it.

[badboyblynn]

Laker, Witt, you guys entertaining a game in Wayne America this fall? Nebraska is my new home and Wayne is just a hop & a skip from Lincoln.

[Matt Witwicki]

Laker, Witt, you guys entertaining a game in Wayne America this fall? Nebraska is my new home and Wayne is just a hop & a skip from Lincoln.

That'll depend on the ballclub. I'm not planning out much other than the first week or two..and then adjusting what games I will attend from there.

Always good to hear from ya Barry. I will hit you up shortly to catchup.

[laker]

Laker, Witt, you guys entertaining a game in Wayne America this fall? Nebraska is my new home and Wayne is just a hop & a skip from Lincoln.

As of right now, yes, I plan on being there. The people at Wayne are always friendly and the games have been exciting.

[Millsy]

Thought I would post this here, the Bemidji Pioneer took a look at the Beavers as they started fall camp.

https://www.bemidjipioneer.com/sport...national-level


Bemidji State opens training camp with goal to win ‘at a national level’

With success last year in the Super Region 4 Tournament, Bemidji State football looks to take it up a notch and make another deep playoff run this season.


The Beavers run through a drill during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

By Leo Pomerenke
August 04, 2025 at 6:38 PM

BEMIDJI — With slight rain in an overcasted, 70-degree day, it felt like early fall at Chet Anderson Stadium.

That’s great news for the Bemidji State football team, as it began training camp on Monday in preparation for its first game at the end of the month against Michigan Tech.



“It's been a long summer,” offensive lineman Zach Ott said. “It's good to take a step back and relax a little bit, but I'm a football player at heart so I'm ready to get back at it.”

“I think every year you come in, it's a little bit of anxiousness, nervousness and just excitement,” head coach Brent Bolte said. “This time of year, it's always fun to get the guys all back together with all the freshmen and the transfers and start to get a cohesive group.”

The Beavers are coming off of the most successful campaign in Bolte’s eight-year tenure. They finished the regular season 7-3 before making a run in the playoffs, making it to the quarterfinals against Minnesota State in the NCAA Division II Tournament. Bolte’s Beavers have never lost more than four games in a season and have made the tournament every year since 2021.

Bemidji State freshman Julien Bailey (83) runs through a drill during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

With their recent playoff success, the Beavers are excited for a chance to take it to the next level and make another deep playoff run, Bolte said.

“We're the only team in the country that's made it to the second round in (each of) the last four years,” he continued. “It's hard to do that, and when you start saying that we're the only school out of (162) to do it … I think it tapers your expectations to take it further. But also, we are hungry to take it and win at a national level.”

As good as that sounds, making it to the playoffs, let alone having success in it, is a very hard thing to do in D-II football. He compared the challenge to what Bemidji State men's hockey faces come postseason time.

“It’s (63) teams, and they take, what, 16 teams to the playoffs? (D-II football) takes a whopping 28 out of (162 teams),” Bolte explained. “It's really hard to get in, and the percentages are lower. So you got to be freaking locked in. If you're 9-2, there's a chance that you're not going to make the playoffs. It's hard to make it.”



Despite the difficulty, Bolte has a lot of confidence in his players, particularly his offensive line. Even though they lost key figures Will LeMire and Jake Gannon from last season, the o-line is still a strength for the Beavers, led by Ott, Isaac Hagstrom and Conor Kovas, all three of whom were named captains over the weekend.

“We've been fortunate and blessed to have some big, strong physical kids on the O-line. We got three returning guys that have been All-Conference and All-Region type of guys,” Bolte said. “I think on offense, just collectively, it's a pretty good group. I think the only question mark we have on offense that I felt coming out of spring is probably quarterback.”

Bemidji State senior Jeremiah Robinson (32) makes a catch during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer


QB battle


Going into camp, there’s still a question over who will start at quarterback for the Beavers this season.

Three of them will be battling for the starting position this season: junior Zach Romak, sophomore Connor Carver and freshman Bart McAninch.

Carver saw the most playing time last season. Playing in four games, he was mostly used in a wildcat QB role. In 30 rushing attempts, he racked up 303 yards and ran for three touchdowns, including a 77-yarder against Minnesota State in the playoffs.

“Carver's a very dynamic player,” Bolte said. “He's got a bunch of experience from the playoffs last year.”



The Beavers run through a drill during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Despite his playing time, Carver did not throw the ball much. He ended the season 3 for 5 for 38 yards and an interception.

Romak only appeared in two games in 2024, throwing two passes and completing them both for two total yards. He also ran the ball twice for 15 yards.

“He doesn't have as much game-time experience,” Bolte said. “So, we'll figure it out as we go, but they both did a nice job in the spring scrimmages and spring ball.”

McAninch redshirted last year, and will try to make an impression on the coaches this fall.

“It's a good thing to say we've got competition with those three guys,” Bolte said.

Bemidji State Head Coach Brent Bolte encourages the Beavers as they practice a drill during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer


New captains


On Sunday, Bemidji State announced their new captains heading into the season, who are voted on by the players. They are o-linemen Ott, Hagstrom and Kovas; full back Sam Kanne; wide receiver Drayton Lehman; and defensive back Tommy Lujan.



“It feels pretty good to know that the guys look up to me in a way that they want me to be a captain for the team,” Ott said. “Just all my previous four years here, I've just kind of been going about my work here every day at the best of my ability, and I'm not going to change that just because I'm a captain.”

Bemidji State Redshirt Senior Zach Ott, right, runs through a drill during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

The highest vote getter for captain was Lujan, who transferred from Adams State in Colorado to Bemidji State last year. He was honored to be recognized by his teammates, and he wants to teach them skills on and off the football field, he said.

“Feels really good, honestly, embodying what the city is — smart, tough, relentless, passionate,” Lujan said about his captaincy selection. “I feel like I’ll just provide that leadership, that sense of urgency for a young group of guys.”

“Tommy Lujan was awesome to see on defense because he was a transfer,” Bolte said. “I think he's got a lot of respect for everybody.”

Bemidji State redshirt senior Tommy Lujan (7) talks with a teammate during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

Out of the six captains, five of them are on offense.

“Everybody's like, ‘Well, why don't we have more defensive guys or offensive guys?’” he said. “I don't care who our leaders are, but they're selected by the team and not us coaches.

“Our six guys, I think it's a good representation of who we are as a program and where we need to go.”


Bemidji State sophomore Amon Walker (25) makes a catch during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer
Bemidji State redshirt senior Tommy Lujan (7) makes a catch during the first day of fall practice on Monday, Aug. 4, 2025, at Chet Anderson Stadium.Madelyn Haasken / Bemidji Pioneer

[Matt Witwicki]

Millsy, appreciate the effort and idea here..but in the future let's not copy/paste from publications..out of respect to the coverage they are providing and how they need to go about it..often a paywall or they are wanting web traffic on their site itself. We hear back from publications when they get wind of this and we just want to do them a courtesy with the effort they are putting forward.

As for the Beavers..they have a lot to replace on that defense and break in a new signal caller. I'm very interested to see how things turn out.

[MrMustang]

Looking forward ot the NSIC show weekly. Thanks guys !