DULUTH, Minn. — Minnesota Duluth will not enter the 2026 season with the record-setting quarterback, game-breaking tight end or veteran pass rush that powered last year’s conference championship. The Bulldogs should nevertheless remain one of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference’s best teams.
That is the central expectation for coach Curt Wiese’s 14th season: UMD will defend well enough to contend for another NSIC title, but its ability to repeat will be determined by how quickly a rebuilt offense matures during a punishing opening month.
The Bulldogs finished 10-2 overall and 9-1 in the NSIC last fall, winning the program’s 22nd conference championship and advancing to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the 13th time. Wiese was named the conference coach of the year, offensive coordinator Chase Vogler was selected as assistant coach of the year and UMD averaged 37.5 points and 417.4 yards per game.
Those accomplishments came with an uncomfortable ending. Ashland defeated UMD 32-7 in the first round of the playoffs, forcing four turnovers and rushing for 245 yards. The Bulldogs managed 247 total yards and never scored after their opening possession. The playoff loss did not erase the conference championship, but it demonstrated how much work remained between controlling the NSIC and becoming a serious national contender.
The question at quarterback
Kyle Walljasper was the organizing force behind last season’s offense. He completed 66.5% of his passes for 2,328 yards and 26 touchdowns while leading the Bulldogs with 876 rushing yards and 17 more scores. His 43 total touchdowns accounted for nearly two-thirds of UMD’s scoring.
Tight end Luke Dehnicke was almost as difficult to replace. The Wisconsin transfer caught 61 passes for 1,119 yards and 14 touchdowns, earned first-team All-NSIC honors and was named the conference’s offensive newcomer of the year. Dehnicke has since transferred to Northwestern, leaving UMD without the receiver who transformed third-and-medium situations into routine conversions.
The Bulldogs also must replace all-conference receiver DaShaun Ames, offensive lineman Tait Kongsjord and several complementary receivers. That is too much lost production to expect another 40-point offensive average without a meaningful adjustment period.
Redshirt senior Jacob Eggert is the logical successor to Walljasper, although UMD has not formally named its starter. Eggert completed 18 of 29 passes for 207 yards, two touchdowns and one interception last season. His career reserve work — 65 completions, 808 yards and nine touchdowns over three seasons — gives him more practical experience than the typical first-year starter.
Eggert does not need to become Walljasper. He needs to avoid negative plays, distribute the ball efficiently and allow UMD’s defense and running game to determine games. If Eggert protects the football, the Bulldogs can win the NSIC. If the quarterback position becomes unsettled, their difficult September schedule could get away from them quickly.
UMD has several ways to create a productive running game without placing Walljasper’s former workload on one player. Francis O’Malley produced 366 rushing yards and six total touchdowns, while Zachary Welch averaged 6.4 yards on 43 carries in limited action. Ryder Patterson is the offense’s movable piece, contributing as a runner, receiver and returner, and Derrick Johnson provides another experienced backfield option.
Peyton Menzel is our choice for a breakout season. The former Hermantown standout caught only seven passes last fall, but those receptions produced 148 yards and three touchdowns. His 21.1-yard average illustrates the vertical threat UMD will need after losing Dehnicke. Ben Fritsch, Patterson and veteran tight end Nick Ojile should also have larger receiving roles.
Everything begins with redshirt junior Carter Geerts, a first-team All-NSIC guard and one of six players selected as 2026 captains. Geerts gives UMD a legitimate offensive-line anchor, but the group around him must develop quickly. Slippery Rock, Augustana and Wayne State will test that line before September reaches its midpoint.
A championship-caliber defense
UMD’s defense is the strongest reason to believe the Bulldogs can repeat. The secondary has experience, production and enough depth to be considered among the NSIC’s best.
Safety Joey Krouse led the Bulldogs with 55 tackles while intercepting three passes and recovering two fumbles. Preston McQueen and Jonathan Shrum were first-team all-conference selections, while Brock Unger intercepted three passes in a reserve role. Tyrone McCoy also returns after recording 35 tackles and four pass breakups.
Shrum, McQueen, Krouse and Unger give UMD the flexibility to challenge receivers, disguise coverage and bring pressure from different places. That matters against Augustana and Northern State, the two conference opponents most capable of forcing the Bulldogs into a high-scoring game.
Linebackers Jayce Walrath and Ross Rivord offer similar stability. Walrath made 47 tackles and intercepted two passes, while Rivord, a Superior native and team captain, recorded 41 tackles and 6½ tackles for loss. Ean Ackley is another candidate for a larger role after making 26 tackles as a redshirt freshman.
The uncertainty is up front. Mojo Weerts led the NSIC with 6½ sacks, while Allen Pearson Jr. contributed 39 tackles and five tackles for loss. Both are gone. Mark Rendl, who collected 8½ tackles for loss and four sacks, must become UMD’s primary disruptive lineman. Brysen McLeod also needs to turn his promising rotational production into dependable every-down play.
Special teams should be an advantage. Drew Henson made eight field goals last season, including one from 52 yards, and converted 50 of 52 extra points. A reliable kicker becomes more important if UMD transitions from winning 42-28 to winning 27-24.
How the NSIC race shapes up
Augustana is UMD’s most immediate challenger. The Vikings finished 9-2 last season and return quarterback Gunnar Hensley, who completed nearly 72% of his passes for 1,419 yards, 13 touchdowns and no interceptions in five games. Minnesota State will remain dangerous even though it does not appear on UMD’s schedule, and Wayne State’s running game and defense make the Wildcats a legitimate contender.
MSU Moorhead is more difficult to project after losing record-setting quarterback Jack Strand. Northern State, the only conference team to defeat UMD last season, has the offensive production to remain in the race but must improve defensively.
The 2026 schedule works in UMD’s favor after its opening month. The Bulldogs avoid Minnesota State and Sioux Falls, and four of their final five opponents finished below .500 last season. The price is a start featuring trips to Slippery Rock and Wayne State, a home game against Augustana and a late-September visit to Moorhead.
UMD should enter November in the championship race. Whether it is leading that race depends on Eggert, the offensive line and a Sept. 3 showdown with Augustana.
Game-by-game forecast
The following scores are projections, not reported results.
Aug. 27 at Slippery Rock — Slippery Rock 31, UMD 24. The Rock finished only 6-4 last season, but that record followed six consecutive NCAA playoff appearances and a trip to the 2024 national semifinals. Slippery Rock returns running back JayJay Jordan, who rushed for 1,375 yards at 8.1 yards per carry, and dual-threat quarterback DaOne Owens. That is a difficult first assignment for UMD’s new offense, particularly on the road in the programs’ first meeting.
Sept. 3 vs. Augustana — UMD 27, Augustana 24. This may be the most important NSIC game of the season, and it arrives one week after UMD travels to Pennsylvania. Hensley will test the Bulldogs’ secondary, but UMD’s defensive experience, home-field advantage and Henson’s kicking provide the difference in a one-possession game.
Sept. 12 at Wayne State — Wayne State 24, UMD 20. Wayne State closed last season by defeating Minnesota State, Sioux Falls and Augustana. The Wildcats averaged 229 rushing yards, allowed only 81 rushing yards per game and surrendered fewer than 18 points per contest. Their physical style is an especially difficult matchup for an offense still defining itself, making this our conference upset.
Sept. 19 vs. Winona State — UMD 31, Winona State 17. UMD defeated Winona State 35-7 last season and should retain a significant defensive advantage. The Bulldogs will be more comfortable offensively by the fourth game, and their running-back depth should begin producing longer, more controlled possessions.
Sept. 26 at MSU Moorhead — UMD 27, MSU Moorhead 20. The Dragons went 8-3 and averaged more than 38 points last season, but Strand’s departure changes the identity of their offense. Moorhead remains a dangerous road assignment, although UMD’s veteran secondary should control a game that will be lower-scoring than the Dragons prefer.
Oct. 3 at Southwest Minnesota State — UMD 38, SMSU 17. UMD scored 63 points against the Mustangs last season. Southwest Minnesota State should be improved, but this remains a matchup the Bulldogs can control along the line of scrimmage. Expect Welch, O’Malley and Johnson to share a heavy rushing workload.
Oct. 10 vs. Northern State — UMD 31, Northern State 27. Northern State handed UMD its only regular-season loss last fall, winning 34-31 in Aberdeen. The Wolves averaged 35 points and nearly 457 yards per game, so this will not be comfortable. UMD’s secondary, the homecoming crowd and the motivation from last season’s loss should swing the rematch.
Oct. 24 at Mary — UMD 34, Mary 20. The Bulldogs will enter this game after an open week, giving them time to prepare for a Mary offense that scored 32 points against them last season. UMD should be able to generate turnovers and separate in the second half, although the Marauders are capable of making the game untidy early.
Oct. 31 vs. Jamestown — UMD 38, Jamestown 13. Jamestown is still building the depth necessary to compete across a full NSIC schedule. UMD allowed 29 points in last year’s meeting, but its returning defensive backs should prevent a repeat. This should also provide valuable work for the Bulldogs’ younger quarterbacks and linemen.
Nov. 7 at Bemidji State — UMD 27, Bemidji State 24. Records rarely tell the complete story in this northern rivalry. Bemidji State went 4-7 last season but scored 28 points against UMD and will view this as its most important home game. The Bulldogs should win, but this has all the ingredients of a fourth-quarter fight.
Nov. 14 vs. Minot State — UMD 34, Minot State 10. UMD held the Beavers to seven points last season and should have too much defensive speed in the Senior Day rematch. If the Bulldogs enter the finale with a championship available, their veteran leadership should prevent a damaging upset.
The bottom line
My projection is 9-2 overall and 9-1 in the NSIC, with losses at Slippery Rock and Wayne State. That record should place UMD in the conference championship fight and produce another NCAA playoff berth, although nine wins may not be enough for the undisputed title if Augustana or Minnesota State navigates its own schedule cleanly.
The Bulldogs’ floor is probably 7-4 if the quarterback transition and rebuilt offensive line struggle. Their ceiling is 10-1 if Eggert plays efficiently and UMD survives its first three games with no more than one loss.
Expect a different kind of Bulldogs team. UMD may not average 37 points again, but it should defend better than most of its opponents, run the ball with several capable backs and win close games through experience and special teams. That formula is less spectacular than last season’s Walljasper-Dehnicke offense, but it remains strong enough to keep the conference championship in Duluth.
