8 things to know about UND’s opponent Murray State

Sep. 26—GRAND FORKS — Murray State will come to Grand Forks for the first time with a 1 p.m. Saturday kick at the Alerus Center to take on the No. 9 Fighting Hawks, who are playing in a fourth-straight home game.

Here are eight things to know about the Racers.

Murray State quarterback Jayden Johannsen is familiar with UND and the Alerus Center.

The Sioux Falls native started his career at North Dakota State and was one of the top players in NCAA Division II last season at South Dakota Mines.

Johannsen scored his 100th career touchdown against Mississippi Valley State.

On the season, Johannsen is 26-for-47 for 237 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. On the ground, he has 18 carries for 50 yards with a long run of 64 yards.

Johannsen threw for just 41 yards in a loss to Butler earlier this season. Murray State’s longest throw this year is 38 yards.

At Mines, Johannsen threw for more than 8,100 yards, rushed for more than 1,600 and scored 98 touchdowns.

Murray State’s top wide receiver has a basketball background.

Justice Hill, 6-foot and 170 pounds, is playing competitive football for the first time in six seasons after a college basketball career.

Hill was the 2018 Gatorade Player of the Year in Arkansas after passing for 3,084 yards and 37 touchdowns.

In his two seasons of basketball at Murray State, Hill scored 603 points to average 10.1 points per game. His 266 assists ranks fifth all-time at Murray for two-year players and 18th all-time.

His father, Fitz, was football recruiting coordinator at Arkansas from 1998-2000 and San Jose State head coach from 2001-04.

Murray State quarterbacks coach is Zeb Noland, who played part of his college career at North Dakota State.

Noland spent 2023 as the offensive coordinator for his dad at Jefferson High School in Georgia.

Before coaching preps in Georgia, Noland worked as…


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Author : Grand Forks Herald

Publish date : 2024-09-26 14:32:00

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