Had a nice conversation with former NDSU head coach Rocky Hager earlier this week on my story with the NDSU defense. How quickly things change in this business: on Monday, we’re doing something on this defense having the potential to be the best ever at the school. On Tuesday, there’s a Craig Bohl press conference on voter fraud allegations.
Anyway, Rocky is in his first year as the defensive line coach at Bryan College (R.I.), which plays in the Northeast Conference, the same league as Robert Morris. He was a high school coach last year in New Jersey, a job that I get the impression didn’t hold up to his high dedication of football. Rocky can talk Xs and Os all night if you let him.
You talk to a kid about something, but he may be the best basketball player in the school and probably thinking more on those lines, he said. Interesting tidbit: Rocky still gives examples of the 1986 and 1990 Bison defense as the ideal way for linemen to run to the ball.
not interrested in that story
Nice story. Rocky was always good for a one liner. Yes, his D Line was excellent. However, I always felt his O Line was something to behold. It was the foundation of the Bison Veer.
If it weren’t for the Omaha flash Entzion (sp) , the Rock would have probably been the coach for quite a few more seasons, and we wouldn’t have had to endure the Babich regime. Maybe it was karma; we had to endure Babich or get Bohl.
how did rocky get fired again?
NDSU had one year contracts for coaches at the time and NDSU put language in his contract that basically prevented him from signing it. I think there were some triggers that would cause a firing that Rocky didn’t agree with.
The Rock was NDSU football. He lived it and bled green and gold. He was a true North Dakotan and just got caught up in the crap that all coaches have to deal with as well as get the accolades when things go good. I am sure if he could, he would coach at NDSU in a minute. He was a great coach as is Bohl and those that surround them. My favorite is Tim Polasek.
Coaching is not easy by any stretch of the imagination.
Go always. Bison.
Hager was fabulous with X’s and O’s. He was a terrific coach. I hope he gets another shot at a head coaching position somewhere in DI. I think it’ll happen. I hope so.
Looks like they need Rocky to come back and clean things up. It’s getting a little around NDSU.
It is getting a little messy around NDSU, I meant to say. Entzion looks pretty good about now too.
Rocky slowly ran the program into the ground. He isn’t a FCS caliber coach.
As far as Babich, look at the players he recruited for the ’06/’07 season. You have to remember, Bohl went 3-8 one season too.
If you’re that sort, perhaps Entzion would look good at any time.