Rochester, MN-
As the academic year begins for 2024, Minnesota College Athletic Conference (MCAC) Football is gearing up for another competitive season. The seven MCAC programs can take the field on Thursday for live game-action, and early season success will be crucial for a run at the coveted NJCAA DIII Football National Championship trophy. The MCAC has been represented in that national title game the last two seasons. However, in 2023, Rochester Community and Technical College narrowly lost to College of DuPage in the championship game. In 2022, the College of DuPage spoiled North Dakota State College of Science's hopes of walking away with the title. MCAC Football has proven to be some of the best NJCAA competition in recent years, with five of the seven programs finding themselves in the NJCAA Top-5 rankings during portions of the 2023 season.
The head coaches of each program took time to cast their preseason poll ballots and share their thoughts about the upcoming season.
North Dakota State College of Science was selected as one of the two teams expected to win the MCAC regular season title this year. After finishing the 2023 season ranked third in the national polls with an 8-3 overall record and a 5-1 conference record, the Wildcats will make a strong push to play in the MCAC Championship and NJCAA National Championship games. With the return of All-American wide receiver Trevion Carothers and the talent of a large freshmen class, Coach Issendorf should have his team ready for a deep season run.
Rochester Community and Technical College tied with NDSCS atop the coaches' poll and should contend strongly for the MCAC Championship. After going 8-3 during the season in 2023, the Yellowjackets made an incredible run at the national title, nearly defeating the College of DuPage. Running back Christian Parrish, who was sidelined much of last season, will anchor a physical offense. Terrence Isaac Sr. returns to coach his third season at RCTC, and early season matchups with Nassau Community College and College of DuPage could determine which teams will be playing for a national title in December.
Minnesota North College - Mesabi Range was voted to finish the regular season in the 3rd spot. Going 6-4 during the season last year, the Norse return several of the top players in the nation, including 2023 All-Americans Johnathan Mosely (QB) and Dennis Luchoomun (OL). With the strong leadership of the sophomore class and a talented freshmen class taking the field, Coach Tom Inforzato, in his 8th season at MNC-MR, will have a physical team ready to compete for a conference championship.
Minnesota State Community and Technical College was voted as the #4 team in the coaches poll. With new head coach Bernard Holsey taking the helm, the Spartans will be a mentally tough team that should improve on their 4-4 overall record from 2023. The many new faces that will suit up this season will determine just how deep a post-season run the Spartans will make, but with the return of Rashad Madden (RB), J.C. Johnson (WR), and Jaden Reed (SS), they should be a force to be reckoned with.
Central Lakes College was selected in a tie for 5th in the preseason coaches poll. The Raiders' new head coach, Toby Thurman, is excited to bring a new sense of pride to the field and sideline. With the return of several key offensive and defensive players and the addition of a talented freshmen class, it shouldn't take Coach Thurman long to have his Raiders playing for a championship. The Raiders finished the season 4-4 last year and aim to improve on that in 2024.
Minnesota West Community and Technical College was also selected to finish 5th in the poll, tied with Central Lakes College. After putting together a disappointing 0-7 season in 2024, new head coach Jermaine Smith will look to build a fundamentally sound and disciplined program. That should start with a talented returning class and a competitive freshmen and transfer group. Returners Joshua Yarbrough (TE) and Quonterrion Brooks (RB) will anchor the offense, and Nasim Zeidi (LB/LS), Deante Porter (OLB), and Brody Knapp (DE) will add the physicalness that Coach Smith needs to get his team to the top of the MCAC.
Minnesota North - Vermilion has been picked to finish the season in the 7th spot. Finishing the 2023 campaign at 1-6, the Ironhawks looked to be making progress in the MCAC. New head coach Tyree Johnson hopes to build on that late-season success by developing a physical, disciplined, and competitive program. Returning Ironhawk Shaquille Jackson should be a good leader for the team, and key freshmen along the offensive and defensive line should help Vermilion get back to their winning ways in 2024.
MCAC Football competes at the NJCAA DIII (non-scholarship) level.
Read on for the season preview as the MCAC football coaches share their thoughts on the 2024 season. Be sure to follow @MCACSports and @NJCAAFootball on Twitter for the latest in MCAC and NJCAA two-year college football news, rankings and season information.
For the MCAC Sports home page, click here or go to https://www.mcacsports.org/sports/fball/index for the MCAC Football home page.
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Minnesota College Athletic Conference2024 Football Preview(Listed in order of predicted finish based on coaches' poll. Ties have teams listed alphabetically.)
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North Dakota State College of Science
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Head Coach: Eric Issendorf, 7th year Overall Record: 43-10 Coaching Staff: Fernando Reese, Offensive Coordinator/QB; Bill Jarvis, Offensive Line; Isaiah Issendorf, Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs Coach; Nick Jackson, Wide Receivers Coach; Trevor Keller, Defensive Line Coach; Matt Fellows, Defensive Backs Coach; Felton Summerville, Outside Linebackers Coach 2023 Records and Finish: 8-3 overall, 7-2 in the MCAC, 2nd place finish, Region 13 Runner-Up Top returning players: Trevion Carothers, WR/Returner, Racine, WI Top incoming/new players: Sam Burkel, Hawley, MN Trenton Lewis, WR, Blythewood, SC Isaiah Renne, LB, Atwater, MN Kedrick Phillips, S, New Iberia, LA Coach Issendorf on the 2024 Wildcats team: "We have high expectations for our 2024 Wildcats Football team. We have a solid, tough, and talented group of sophomores who have worked extremely hard this off-season. Our freshmen class is large and also very talented at multiple positions, creating a high level of competition for starting and back up positions for offense, defense, and special teams." Additional information: "The coaches in the MCAC are really student-athlete centered and less contentious than previous seasons. I feel that all the coaches are competitive, humble, and want what is best for the league while serving our student-athletes." |
Rochester Community & Technical College
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Head Coach: Terrence Isaac, 3rd year Overall Record: 13-7 Coaching Staff: Dustin Beard, Receivers/Special Teams Coach; Karlus Dobbins, Offensive Line Coach 2023 Records and Finish: 8-3 overall, 7-1 in the MCAC, 1st place finish, Region 13 champs, NJCAA DIII National Runner-Up Top returning players: Christian Parrish, Athens, GA Jah'Quii Roberts, Douglassville, GA Top incoming/new players: Merrick Woods, QB, Minneapolis, MN Coach Isaac on the 2024 Yellowjackets team: "We want to be physical and control the line of scrimmage." Additional information: "We have solid leadership on both sides of the ball." |
Minnesota North - Mesabi Range
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Head Coach: Tom Inforzato, 8th year at MNC-MR, 12th overall Overall Record: 30-29 Coaching Staff: Antavius Thomas, Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator; David Wilson, Offensive Coordinator; Gary Cornell, LB Coach; Quan Wilson, Defensive Line Coach; Kane Wallner, Offensive Line Coach; Mike Ritacco, WR Coach; JR Robinson, Defensive Line Coach 2023 Records and Finish: 6-4 overall, 5-4 in the MCAC, 3rd place finish Top returning players: Johnathan Mosley, QB, Stuart, FL Dennis Luchoomun, OL, United Kingdom Brysen McLeod, DE, Cloquet, MN Antonio Hunt, Ruskin, FL Top incoming/new players: Marco Mayora, OL, Cloquet, MN Daniel Kokoska, LB, Czech Republic Coach Inforzato on the 2024 Norsemen team: "Looking to build off last year's success with strong sophomore leadership." |
Minnesota State - Fergus Falls
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Head Coach: Bernard Holsey, 1st year Overall Record: 0-0 Coaching Staff: Dante Wright, Todd Hendricks, Alex Hendricks, Malik Smith, Jarvis Green, and Dade McKeever 2023 Records and Finish: 4-4 overall, 4-2 in the MCAC, 4th place finish Top returning players: Rashad Madden, RB, Omaha, NE J.C. Johnson, WR, Gary, IN Jaden Reed, SS, Minneapolis, MN Top incoming/new players: "We have many new key incoming players." Coach Holsey on the 2024 Spartans team: "Mental toughness in all facets of the game is our goal. That aspect will take care of everything else." Additional information: "We will change the way we act on and off the field." |
Central Lakes College
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Head Coach: Toby Thurman, 1st year Overall Record: 0-0 Coaching Staff: Kent Janicke, Auqueith Bradshaw, Troy Schreifels, Zac Peacock, Armon Walker, and Connor O'Neal 2023 Records and Finish: 3-6 overall, 2-4 in the MCAC, 5th place finish Top returning players: Elijah Ward, DE, Minot, ND Elijah Moore, LB, St. Paul, MN Chisum Schmiedeberg, RB, Lancasterk, MN Derick Cox-Payton, RB, St. Cloud, MN Top incoming/new players: Jacori Luckey, RB, Dallas, TX Derron Tumpkin, LB, Brainerd, MN Jaykwon Armour, CB/FS, Chicago, IL Isaiah Brown, QB, Roseville, MN Coach Thurman on the 2024 Raiders team: "I want my guys to play like we practice, which is full speed and until they hear the whistle. I want them to show the utmost humility at all times with a Christ-like way of handling obstacles in their lives." Additional Information: "We are excited about the new sense of pride that us as coaches are instilling within the football program." |
Minnesota West Community & Technical College
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Head Coach: Jermaine Smith, 1st year Overall Record: 0-0 Coaching Staff: Blake Tucker, Christian McCora, Timothy Mack, Tyree Mack, and Dom 2023 Records and Finish: 0-7 overall, 0-6 in the MCAC, 7th place finish Top returning players: Joshua Yarbrough, TE Nasim Zeidi, LB/LS Deante Porter, OLB Quonterrion Brooks, RB Brody Kropp, DE Top incoming/new players: Josh Noble, OL, Campbell University Elijah Alexander, QB, Bethany College David Okoli, DB, West Virginia University Khary Shaw, DB, Iowa Western CC Ashton Sandbulte, RB, Northwestern College Coach Smith on the 2024 Bluejays team: "Our goal is to be an all-around sound, disciplined football team that competes at a very high level every Saturday that we have an opportunity to step on the field." Additional information: "We look forward to having a very competitive conference with one of us representing and winning the D3 National Title." |
Minnesota North - Vermilion
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Head Coach: Tyree Johnson, 1st year Overall Record: 0-0 Coaching Staff: Mike Williams, Offensive Coordinator; Zuriel Cook, Defensive Coordinator 2023 Records and Finish: 1-6 overall, 1-5 in the MCAC, 6th place finish Top returning players: Shaquille Jackson Top incoming/new players: Kendall Acquire, DE, Freeport, IL Trevor Hass, OL, Palmer, AK Coach Johnson on the 2024 Ironhawks team: "This year, we expect a physical, competitive, disciplined team. We are expecting a group of young men who will have a lot of fight in them, and they won't give up easily." |
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About the Minnesota College Athletic Conference
The Minnesota College Athletic Conference is the organizational body for NJCAA-affiliated two-year technical and community college athletic programs in the Minnesota State system. The mission of the Minnesota College Athletic Conference is to advance intercollegiate athletics by providing an engaging and supportive environment for success of our student athletes and competition among member institutions. The MCAC is committed to the guiding principles of encouraging the development and success of student athletes, promoting the integrity, honesty and loyalty to member schools as well as upholding the sustainability of conference athletic programs.