North Dakota State compiled a 7-4 overall record last season, including a fourth-place 6-3 mark in the North Central Conference. The Bison have won five NCAA-II Playoff titles and have claimed eight national crowns since 1965.

Pierce, the 1995 GLIAC Coach-of-the-Year, served 12 years as a Bulldog assistant prior to being named head coach in ‘95. He was FSU's’ defensive coordinator for seven years.

Senior tailback Mo Harris (Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough) led the GLIAC in rushing with a career-high 1,424 yards and 13 TD’s en route to attaining all-league first-team and Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette Honorable Mention All-America kudos. Senior tackles Dennis Strey (Gobles) and Jonathon Griffin (Tampa, Fla./Thomas Jefferson) are the top returning linemen after garnering second team and honorable mention all-conference recognition last year.

Senior defensive end Jeff Puffer (Manton) spearheads the Bulldog defense. Puffer, a two-year starter, notched a career-best 68 tackles last season to place seventh on the squad. He led Ferris in tackles for loss with 14.5 for 57 yards, including 9.5 quarterback sacks for 46 yards. Joining Puffer up front are junior tackle Ryan Morris (South Lyon) and junior end Dave Zuiderveen (Kalamazoo/Christian). Morris made 58 tackles last fall to place ninth on the squad while Zuiderveen was 15th with 25 stops. Sophomore outside linebacker Adam Riley (Corunna) and junior strong safety Ryan Hodges (Montrose) are other notable defenders. Riley tallied 43 tackles a season ago to place 12th among the team’s leaders while Hodges placed fourth with 76 stops. Senior Doc Proctor (Big Rapids), a ‘98 first-team All-GLIAC kicker and second-team all-league punter, is back for his fourth year as the regular placekicker and punter. Proctor connected on a school-record 19 field goals and ranked second nationally in field goals per game (1.73 avg.).

FSU in the Preseason: Ferris is nationally ranked in one preseason poll - 25th by Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette. Senior placekicker-punter Doc Proctor has been selected a NCAA-II Preseason Second-Team All-American by Hansen’s Football Gazette. Proctor garnered Hansen’s Football Gazette All-America Honorable Mention and Daktronics NE Region All-America First-Team accolades in ‘98. Hansen’s Football Gazette selected Mo Harris to its second team while Dennis Strey, Clarence Coleman, Neal Mozdzierz, Matt McCarthy, and Jeff Puffer garnered honorable mention honors.

North Dakota State Football - 1999: The Bison are ranked nationally in several preseason NCAA Division II national polls - 16th by the NCAA, 18th by Street & Smith College Football, and 19th by Don Hansen’s National Weekly Football Gazette. Junior Ryan Johnson (11-29, 116 yds, 1 TD) assumes the starting quarterback duties this fall following the graduation of record-setting QB Kevin Feeney. NDSU returns its top rusher in sophomore tailback Lamar Gordon (139-698, 8 TD’s) and its top receiver in senior split end Tim Strehlow (37-600, 6 TD’s). Senior strong safety Aaron Skyberg (67 tackles) and junior free safety Luke Shafer (61) are the top returning NDSU tackles leaders. The Bison return 42 letterwinners from Ô98, including 19 starters.

Thursday, Sept. 2

Ferris State at North Dakota State, 8:05 p.m.
Saginaw Valley State at Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 7 p.m.
South Dakota State at Grand Valley State, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 4

Hillsdale at Edinboro (Pa.), 1 p.m.
Indianapolis at St. Joseph’s (Ind.), 1 p.m.
Wayne State at Mercyhurst*, 1:30 p.m.
Westminster at Michigan Tech*, 2 p.m.

All times are Eastern *GLIAC Game

First place votes in parentheses. Voting was conducted among the GLIAC football coaches; coaches were not allowed to vote for their own team. Points were assigned as follows: First-11 points; Second-10 points; Third-9 points; Etc.

FSU On The Internet: Ferris State University Athletics’ world wide web home page can be accessed through the University’s home page address at http://www.ferris.edu. The football section features a wide variety of Bulldog gridiron information.

Bulldog Captains: FSU has named its captains for the 1999 season. The offensive captains are quarterback Matt McCarthy and tailback Mo Harris, while defensive ends Jeff Puffer and Josh Fricke (Kingston) will captain the defense.

Inside the GLIAC: The following is where Ferris finished in the final GLIAC team and individual statistics for the 1998 season (GLIAC games only).

Punting - 1st (36.5 yards per kick)
Punt Returns - 2nd (15.4 yards per return)
Total Offense - 3rd (452.4 yards per game)
Pass Offense - 3rd (292.4 yards per game)
Scoring Offense - 4th (32.3 points per game)
Rush Offense - 9th (160.0 yards per game)
Scoring Defense - 10th (31.5 points per game)
Turnover Margin - 10th (-0.3 pg.)
Kickoff Returns - 12thT (17.4 yards per return)
Total Defense - 13th (436.3 yards per game)
Pass Efficiency Defense - 13th (139.0 rating pts.)
Rush Defense - 14th (248.6 yards per game)

Rushing - Mo Harris (1st - 129.5 ypg.)
Field Goals - Doc Proctor (1st - 1.73 fgpg.)
Receiving - Neal Mozdzierz (1st - 7.3 rpg.), Clarence Coleman (3rd - 6.0 rpg.), Brian Busen (5th - 5.2 rpg.)
Punt Returns - Clarence Coleman (1st - 17.8 ypr.)
Punting - Doc Proctor (2nd - 41.8 avg.)
Passing Yards - Matt McCarthy (2nd - 285.7 ypg.)
Total Offense - Matt McCarthy (3rd - 281.2 ypg.)
All-Purpose - Mo Harris (3rd - 140.1 ypg.), Clarence Coleman (4th - 138.6 ypg.), Neal Mozdzierz (10th - 115.3 ypg.)
Scoring - Doc Proctor (3rdT - 8.5 ppg.), Mo Harris (5th - 7.6 ppg.)
Pass Efficiency - Matt McCarthy (4th - 125.1 rating points)
Kickoff Returns - Kelly Snell (4th - 26.5 ypr.)
Tackles - Charles Anderson (5th - 11.8 avg.), Sean McLafferty (6th - 11.5 avg.)

Home games listed in bold
HC - Homecoming