UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund leaving to join national champion South Dakota State

Jan. 9—GRAND FORKS — UND head football coach Bubba Schweigert will need a new play-caller next season.

Fighting Hawks offensive coordinator Danny Freund, who has been on the coaching staff for the past 13 seasons, is leaving Grand Forks to join the offensive staff at two-time defending national champion South Dakota State.

“Today, coach Freund informed me that he’ll be stepping away from UND football to accept another position,” Schweigert said. “We’re immediately moving forward to name the next offensive coordinator and excited for that person to help us keep moving UND football forward.”

SDSU offensive coordinator Zach Lujan has been reported to be leaving Brookings to join the staff at Northwestern.

After learning of Freund’s potential departure, UND put together an offer to entice the coach to stay in Grand Forks but Freund ultimately elected to move within the Missouri Valley Football Conference.

Freund, known for his infectious energy and creative play-calling, has been the offensive coordinator at UND for the past five seasons.

“Really, really hard decision personally but professionally — and for my family — I thought it was the right move at the right time,” Freund said.

Before Schweigert tagged Freund to replace Paul Rudolph as UND offensive coordinator following the 2018 season, Freund was a position coach for UND wide receivers (2014-18), quarterbacks (2013) and running backs (2011-12).

Freund was elevated to associate head coach status prior to last season.

Across Freund’s five seasons as UND’s offensive coordinator, the Hawks have made the FCS playoffs four times.

UND’s remaining position coaches on offense (tight ends/special teams coach Shawn Kostich, offensive line coach Joe Pawlak, wide receivers coach Sam King and running backs coach Donnell Kirkwood) don’t have prior coordinator experience.

In 2023,…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/und-offensive-coordinator-danny-freund-013200645.html

Author : Grand Forks Herald

Publish date : 2024-01-10 01:32:00

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