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Grand Forks Herald
UND's run game starting to find traction ahead of Portland State matchup
- Story byGrand Forks Herald
- UND's run game starting to find traction ahead of Portland State matchup
Sep. 8—GRAND FORKS — The UND football program came out of a season opener with questions for the running game.
The Fighting Hawks scored 42 first-half points against Long Island University, but it was hard to ignore UND's longest run against LIU — despite the blowout — was 13 yards.
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UND's run game started to answer those questions in last Saturday's 62-26 win over St. Thomas at the Alerus Center. The Fighting Hawks rushed for 295 yards and were more explosive — highlighted by a 49-yard run from Charles Langama, who finished with a career-high 120 yards rushing.
The Hawks, now ranked No. 6 in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25, hope to build on that performance in Saturday's 9 p.m. kickoff at Portland State.
"Sometimes it has to do with the scheme and the opponent at times, too," UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund said. "There was a sense of urgency and a better demeanor about that group. It was really cool to see the guys up front play collectively better together."
UND is now averaging 5.2 yards per carry, led by Langama, who's averaging 7.4 yards per carry.
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"We talked Friday night about just having a little more of an edge to us, playing a little more nasty up front and really playing to the echo of the whistle — just kind of establishing our physicality and our toughness with how we want to play the game," Freund said. "I think that'll have to show up this weekend when you talk about a Valley opponent going to play a Big Sky school. We need to have a better pad level, better physicality, and I think that's really going to be a key to the game this week — how physical we are up front."
Langama has led the team in carries, despite Illinois State transfer Matt Lawson starting the first two games. Colton Brunell and Griffin Broderick have also seen action in the backfield.
"I think it can be any given Saturday that one of those guys starts getting a hot hand," UND head coach Eric Schmidt said. "When you ride that guy as you go through the day, that just happened to be Chuck (against St. Thomas). I just think he's grown a lot. I just think his understanding of having a plan for the second-level defenders ... how he hugs gaps and makes sure he does a great job of seeing where the unblocked player is. He has better answers. He's more confident in meetings because he's got more reps now doing those things."
The running of Broderick late in games in the first two weeks may earn the Minot native more action as the season progresses.
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"I think there are certain plays and certain schemes that each guy does better," Schmidt said. "I think Griff is more of that downhill type of player for us. He's continuing to carve out a bigger role for himself. The best part about saying all those things is that it's ultra competitive in that room, which is really good. I think all those guys ... there's not jealousy in that room. They're genuinely happy. Whoever is out there getting yards, they're happy for those guys."
