GRAND FORKS, N.D. – North Dakota football capped its spring practices on Saturday with the Spring Wrap-Up inside the Pollard Athletic Center. A lively crowd took in the experience and the event lasted just over two hours.

Fans in attendance were treated to an hour and 45-minute practice session, which highlighted fundamentals and included individual position drills, in-game situations, scripted plays, team red zone drills and pass rushing exercises.

The Home of Economy Radio Network broadcasted the Spring Wrap-Up and heard insights from Coaches Bubba Schweigert, Isaac Fruechte, Joel Schwenzfeier and Shawn Kostich. Wide receiver Bo Belquist and linebacker Wyatt Pedigo also stopped by for interviews towards the end of the practice.

After the wrap-up and 15-minute autograph session, Coach Schweigert, Belquist and Malachi McNeal also met with members of the media to talk about the spring season.

"I was pleased with our guys," said Coach Schweigert. "We came for 15 workouts and had really good focus and a lot of energy. We had some changes and we had to embrace those changes and I thought our guys did a really good job of that and got better this spring. What we want to do is improve our football team and improve one day at a time and I thought our team stayed locked into that plan and kept improving."
 
"I am excited about the competition at quarterback, and we are battling. I think it really helps our football team to know there are guys in that room that are fighting for the reps. It changes your atmosphere in the weight room, it changes the atmosphere at workouts, it changes the atmosphere at practice when you have guys that are competing at that position. We have some young men that are really hungry there and really competing hard, and yet they are really getting along and being great teammates. It is college football, and we want our guys to be great teammates and be ultra-competitive. That is the neat thing about college. You see guys that are living together and competing for those reps, and they can move on after practice and after games and are rooting for each other when they get off the sideline. You want a really competitive environment, and you want great teammates."

"Coach Fruechte brings in a whole new type of offense and schemes," Belquist said. "You hear a whole completely different point of view and a different way of looking at things on the offense. I have been really enjoying it. He does a good job singling out different receivers for certain things and I am excited for the future. I think you will definitely see a different tempo this year. It is a lot higher pace. Get up, get lined up, get to the ball and create different looks. Hurry up the defense and get them out of position. I think it will help benefit us in the long run. A lot of young guys are developing and finding their role."

"I would say the spring went great for about everybody," said McNeal. "Offense and defense has a lot of competition and we got a lot of reps in for everybody. We also got to see the young guys show out and make plays today. It was really good to see. As long as we keep getting the competition level up and keep competing, we will be good. We have a really, really tough team and great guys. I need to be more vocal as a leader [in 2024] and be there for everybody. As far as my role, I need to just make sure I do my job and trust my teammates to do theirs. Just being there for the young guys when they have questions and being there for everybody when they have questions and over communicating will make sure we are all on the same page."

North Dakota will begin the 2024 season at Iowa State on Saturday, Aug. 31.