North Dakota State head coach Chris Klieman held a brief conference call with the media before next Saturday’s game with James Madison (11 am, ESPN2).
The biggest tidbit concerns the two starting cornerbacks for the Bison, each who were injured during the semifinal win against Sam Houston State. Klieman said that Jalen Allison and Jaylaan Wimbush have an “outside shot to play” against JMU. Allison was injured on an interception return in the second quarter on a low block. Wimbush left the game early with a knee injury.
The news was not so good concerning sophomore running back Ty Brooks, who also was injured during the Sam Houston game. Klieman said his shoulder injury makes Brooks doubtful for the title game, but said they will know more this weekend.
I asked Klieman about playing on a grass field, this will mark the first time NDSU plays on grass since the 2016 title game with Jacksonville State. “We’ll get down there and practice a few times obviously here next week. But we practice outside so much on our practice fields on the other side of the shack that I don’t think it will be a big issue. Plus the fact that a number of our guys have played on that surface down in Frisco. Most of our guys that are playing have played on that surface.”
We’ll continue to have more coverage as we get near game week of NDSU-James Madison.