Biggest Offseason Questions For The Top MVFC Teams

Timothy Rosario | Apr 8, 2025

Samantha Laurey / Argus Leader / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As teams head into spring football, we take a look at some of the biggest question marks for some of the top teams in each FCS conference.

Each team will have an opportunity to address their question marks through development and the upcoming spring transfer portal window. The next portal window will open on April 16 and close a few days later on the 25th.

We take a look at the top MVFC teams based on last season's final standings.

North Dakota State

Who Will Start At Quarterback?

Entering the 2025 season, North Dakota State will have to replace a two-time FCS national champion in Cam Miller. Senior Cole Payton appears to be the front-runner after gaining plenty of in-game experience over the last few seasons. Payton is an explosive athlete that has amassed over 1,100 rushing yards and averaged over 7.5 yards per carry. There are questions about Payton's development as a passer, only throwing 58 passes in four seasons.

The darkhorse in this race will be quarterback Nathan Hayes. Hayes earned some playing time in 2024 after Payton's season-ending injury. In five games, he completed 12-of-19 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns. He also showed an ability to generate explosive plays with his legs, highlighted by his 51-yard touchdown against Tennessee State.

Can The Offensive Line Replace Key Pieces?

North Dakota State will need to replace three of five starters along the offensive line, including two All-American tackles in Grey Zabel and Mason Miller. Zabel will likely be the first FCS player selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. Sophomore Beau Johnson and junior Josh Magin have the most experience entering the season. Neither have any starting experience, combining for only 176 combined snaps.

South Dakota State

Can Chase Mason Replace Mark Gronowski's Production?

South Dakota State will face the difficult task of replacing Walter Payton Award winner and two-time FCS national champion Mark Gronowski. Gronowski is the best quarterback in program history and started every game the past three years for the Jackrabbits. He finished with over 10,000 yards and 93 touchdowns in his career.

It appears to be Chase Mason's time to step into the spotlight and he has some big shoes to fill. Mason has some in-game experience over the past two seasons, including scoring the team's only touchdown in the first matchup against NDSU last season. Mason has proven he is a dynamic athlete with over 600 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. More questions exist with Mason's arm. In a small sample size, he has played well, with 400 passing yards and three touchdowns. It will be interesting to see if he can elevate an unproven wide receiver core in his first season as a starter.

How Will The New Staff Revamp The Defense?

South Dakota State's defense is losing over 3,000 combined snaps from last season's defense due to the transfer portal. After you factor in players who graduated, the Jackrabbits only return four of their top 22 defensive players from a year ago. Up to this point, the Jacks have added three Division I transfers that have only played 51 combined snaps. This unit could use a few more transfer additions with playing experience. It remains to be seen if this defense can meet the standard of the past few seasons.

South Dakota

How Will They Replace Lost Talent On The Line Of Scrimmage?

The Coyotes were expecting to replace a majority of its defensive line production, including all four starters from last season. Luckily, South Dakota returns three players who saw action as rotational pieces and added a solid transfer in Jeff Bowie from Iowa. The question will be if these new pieces can play at the same level that last season's defensive line.

The more concerning question for South Dakota is the offensive line, which saw multiple starters leave during the spring. Bryce Henderson and Joe Cotton both unexpectedly entered the portal, leaving the Coyotes with only two returning starters. The Coyotes lack experience in multiple key spots on the offensive line, including both starting tackle positions.

Illinois State

Can Tommy Rittenhouse Take The Next Step?

The MVFC will be returning several quarterbacks who had promising seasons in 2024. Tommy Rittenhouse was arguably the best of that group, leading the Redbirds to the quartefinals of the FCS Playoffs. He finished the season with over 3,000 passing yards, 28 total touchdowns, and rushed for over 600 yards.

While he flashed a lot of promise, he lacked the consistency needed to make the Redbirds an elite team. If Illinois State wants to make some noise next season, it will need Rittenhouse to take the next step and become one of the top quarterbacks in the nation.

Other Potential Contenders

Which Returning QB Can Lead Their Team To The Postseason?

Youngstown State, North Dakota, Indiana State, and Southern Illinois shared a lot in common last season. All four teams debuted new starters at quarterback that showed a lot of potential in key moments, but each program finished below .500 in conference play and missed the playoffs. Each player is set to return next season, priming each program as a potential breakout candidate in the conference.

The group is headlined by DJ Williams at Southern Illinois, who was limited to three games after a season-ending injury. He led the Salukis to a massive win over Incarnate Word and could be a name to watch as a darkhorse for the Walter Payton Award.

Indiana State's Elijah Owens earned Freshman All-American honors last season. He is emerging as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the subdivision, rushing for almost 700 yards in 2024. Beau Brungard and Simon Romfo both led their programs to Top 25 wins last season. Each player will look to take the next step in 2025, leading their team to the postseason.

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