Kyle Walljasper 6’ 1” 235
Go to link below for Kyle’s 2023 complete game schedule & results
https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/schedule
2023 University of Minnesota Duluth Roster
https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/roster/kyle-walljasper/7037
Go to link below for Kyle’s Fond du Lac HS football career stats & records
https://www.cardinalathleticalumni.com/kyle-walljasper-fond-du-lac-football-career-seasons/
2022
Played in 10 games for UMD…Was an asset to the Bulldog’s offense as he recorded an impressive 11 rushing and 10 passing touchdowns…The QB made 146 rushing attempts for 705 yards with his longest at 51 yards…Averaged 70.5 yards rushing/game…Completed 61 passes for 772 yards…Longest pass at 75 yards…64% pass completion…Averaged 77.2 yards passing/game.
Go to link below for Kyle’s 2022 complete game schedule & results along with complete stats
https://www.cardinalathleticalumni.com/kyle-walljasper-university-of-minnesota-duluth-football/
2021
Was redshirted as a first-year freshman
BEFORE UMD: Lettered all four seasons at Fond du Lac H.S. while serving as a team captain during his junior and senior seasons. Earned multiple awards including a unanimous All-Conference selections, Conference Back of the Year, Offensive Player of the Year, amd WFCA All-Region. While at Fond du Lac H.S., also lettered in basketball and track. Sprinted for the Cardinals for three years.
PERSONAL: Is the son of Chris and Lisa Walljasper … Has one sibling (Zachary) … majoring in chemical engineering while at UMD.
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Kyle Walljasper’s 2023 Post Season Awards & News
Congrats to Kyle Walljasper on his 2023 Second Team All NSIC Selection!
https://x.com/umd_football/status/1725192070560719133?s=51
Kyle Walljasper put up one of the most impressive seasons by a Bulldog quarterback in years, compiling 22 passing TDs to pair with 16 rushing touchdowns and one TD reception for a total of 39 on the year. His first NSIC season-long honor, the Fond du Lac, Wis.product ran for 1,073 yards this season and ranked first in NSIC in six different categories, including total points scored (102), scoring (9.3), rushing TDS (16, where he also ranked 7th in the NCAA), points responsible for (21.5, 4th in the NCAA), and points responsible for season (236, 3rd in the NCAA).
12 Bulldogs Named to 2023 NSIC Football All-Conference Teams
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/11/15/12-bulldogs-named-to-nsic-2023-football-all-conference-teams.aspx
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Kyle Walljasper One of 38 Players Nominated for the 2023 Harlon Hill Trophy
#12 Kyle Walljasper
QB 6′ 1″ 240 Redshirt Sophomore
University of Minnesota Duluth redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper is one of 38 players across the nation that has been nominated for the 2023 Harlon Hill Trophy as the Division II College Football Player of the Year.
One of 10 nominees from Super Region 4, Walljasper had a breakout season for the Bulldogs in 2023. The product of Fond du Lac, Wis., had 39 total touchdowns this season — tying him for the second most touchdowns in a single season in program history. Walljasper ran for 1,073 yards and 16 touchdowns, while passing for 1,580 yards and 22 TDs and added one touchdown reception. While leading the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference with his 16 rushing TDs across all positions, Walljasper also posted a league-best 9.3 points per game average over the entire season, and turned in eight games where he scored three or more touchdowns, including five contests where he accounted for four or more TDs.
A total of 10 nominees hail from Super Region 1, eight from Super Region 2, 10 from Super Region 3 and 10 from Super Region 4. The sports information directors at the 161 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions nominate and vote on the award. The 38 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on Monday, November 27. The winner of the 2024 award will be announced on Friday, December 15 and the winner will be honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club awards banquet on Friday, January 12, 2024. The group of 38 candidates includes 17 quarterbacks, eight running backs, five defensive linemen, three linebackers, two defensive backs, two wide receivers and an offensive lineman, and features 19 seniors, 11 juniors and eight sophomores.
The Hill Trophy is named for the late Harlon Hill – the former University of North Alabama standout – who excelled with the Lions from 1950-53 before going on to fame in the National Football League with the Chicago Bears.
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/11/27/football-walljasper-one-of-38-players-nominated-for-the-2023-harlon-hill-trophy.aspx
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2023 University of Minnesota – Duluth Football Schedule & Results
(H) Northern Michigan W 47 – 10 Go to game highlights below
September
@ Northern State (S.D.) W 41 – 21 Go to game highlights below
(H) Sioux Falls (S.D.) W 42 – 34 Go to game highlights below
@ Southwest Minnesota State W 33 – 0 Go to game highlights below
(H) Winona State W 38 – 14 Go to game highlights below
October
@ Wayne State (Nebraska) L 18 – 28 Go to game highlights below
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(H) Mary W 46 – 0 Go to game highlights below
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@ Minot State (ND) W 42 – 7 Go to game highlights below
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(H) Bemidji (Minn) L 31 – 38 Go to game highlights below
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(H) Concordia. St. Paul W 44 – 32 Go to game highlights below
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@ Mnnesota State W 33. – 21 Go to game highlights below.
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Totals 11 Games
Passing 118 / 202 1680 yds 22 TD 3 INT
Rushing 168 1,141 yds 16 TD
Link below for cumulative stats
https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/stats/2023
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No. 24 Bulldogs Make Statement with 33-21 Win Over No. 9 Minnesota State in Mankato
The triumph pushes the Bulldogs overall record in the regular season to an impressive 9-2 and 8-2 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
1st score of the came on a six yard run for the Mavericks from Hayden Ekern at the 8:10 mark, but exactly two plays later, quarterback Kyle Walljasper hit WR DaShaun Ames down the sideline for a 44 yard TD.
MSU got on the board with 6:36 left in the fourth on a 19-yard run from Hayden, but Kyle Walljasper found Jimmy Durocher just over a minute later on a 62-yard touchdown pass to make it a 33-21 game with 5:30 left.
Walljasper recorded 210 yards in the air with two TDS and added 98 on the ground with one rushing touchdown, Durocher and Ames had career days for UMD.
UMD will wait to see if an NCAA postseason awaits it when the NCAA Selection Show gets underway Sunday night at 5:00 p.m.
Kyle’s game stats
Passing 10 / 18 210 yds 2 TD’s
Rushing 24 / 79 yds 1 TD
BULLDOG TOUCHDOWN!! The Bulldogs bite back with a 44-yd TD from Kyle Walljasper to Ames, and we have a 7-7 game in Mankato 7:18 in the second!
Review link below
https://twitter.com/UMD_Football/status/1723411763423584569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1723411763423584569%7Ctwgr%5E373471612b16297422bdd7bc5e25893b16289fe0%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fumdbulldogs.com%2Fnews%2F2023%2F11%2F11%2Ffootball-no-24-bulldogs-make-statement-with-33-21-win-over-no-9-minnesota-state-in-mankato.aspx
BULLDOG TOUCHDOWN!!! Kyle Walljasper hits Jimmy Durocher for a 62 yard TD to go back up on the Mavericks 33-21!!
Review link below
https://x.com/umd_football/status/1723439616567419213?s=51
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UMD Football Defeats Concordia St. Paul 44-32 on Senior Day
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper found Sam Pitz for a 25 yard touchdown at 10:23, and less than a minute later, UMD’s defense logged a safety after Jacob Mogensen stuffed the Golden Bears in their end zone. Just a little over two and a minutes later, Walljasper was on the receiving end of a touchdown after Jimmy Durocher tossed him the ball, and Walljasper ran it in from 34 yards out to make it a 24-0 game with 14 seconds left in the opening frame.
CSP got on the board at 12:01, but UMD scored twice in the final 3:38 of the second quarter – a two yard reception TD from Walljasper to Nick Ojile and then another two yard touchdown from Walljasper to Nathan Litke with 18 seconds left in the quarter. A Golden Bear field goal with no time remaining made it a 38-11 Bulldog lead into halftime.
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/11/4/umd-football-defeats-concordia-st-paul-44-32-on-senior-day.aspx
Passing
21 / 29 206 yds 3 TD’s
Rushing
11 / 56 yds
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No. 25 Bulldogs Comeback Bid Falls Short in 38-31 Setback to No. 16 Bemidji State
The Bulldogs responded with a single second left in the quarter, a eight yard pass from redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper to redshirt senior Sam Pitz to cut the deficit in half. Pitz’s touchdown was his eighth of the season, and it doubled as Walljasper’s 16th passing TD.
After being outscored in the first half, the Bulldogs flipped the scoring in their favor in the second, putting a total of 21 points up while they held BSU to 10. After the Beavers hit a 21 yard field goal at 9:13 of the third quarter, a mere minute later, UMD scored its first of three TDs in the half.
The first was a 78 yard touchdown pass from Kyle Walljasper to DaShaun Ames right up the middle of a wide open secondary that made it a 31-17 contest at 8:13.
Kyle Walljasper pounded in back-to-back rushing touchdowns from a yard out at 13:43 and 9:29 of the final quarter to put the Bulldogs back within just a single score of BSU
The game featured two of the best quarterbacks in the conference, and both players under center delivered. Walljasper was responsible for four total TDs – two in the air and two on the ground, and threw for 135 yards and ran for 131, while Ames posted a career-best 86 receiving yards along with his touchdown, his second of the season and first out of the air. Super senior BSU QB Brandon Alt threw for 271 yards and two touchdown passes, and got 120 yards of rushing and one TD from Booker.
BULLDOG NOTES: Kyle Walljasper’s 78 yard TD connection to DaShaun Ames was the longest passing touchdown so far of the season … Logan Kubus averaged an impressive 40.4 yards in five punts Saturday despite wind and 30 degree temperatures … Kobus’ longest punt was 54 yards … Walljasper has now recorded four or more touchdowns five times this season, and now has 17 passing TDs to pair with 15 rushing touchdowns for a total of 32 TDs this season … the last UMD QB to turn in 30 or more touchdowns in a season was Drew Bauer, who was responsible for 36 in 2016.
Passing 10 / 19 135 yds 2 TD
Rushing 25 / 131 yds 2 TD
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/10/28/football-no-25-bulldogs-comeback-bid-falls-short-in-38-31-setback-to-no-16-bemidji-state.aspx
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McKnight and Walljasper Help Bulldogs Rush Past Minot State in 42-7 Win
ND to improve to 7-1 overall and 6-1 in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.
Led by the dual rushing threat of a three-touchdown effort from running back Jaylen McKnight and a two TD showing from quarterback Kyle Walljasper, UMD notched three touchdowns from the ground before half and had hammered out all five before the end of the third quarter.
Waljasper – who has rushed for at least a TD in 7-of-8 games he’s been under center this season, ran another touchdown in for the Bulldogs at 10:38 of the third quarter, a 2-yard effort to give UMD a 28-7 lead. The redshirt sophomore quarterback did it again in the same frame less than four minutes later, a 45-yd run that registered as his third longest TD of the season, to extend UMD’s choke-hold on the scoreboard to 35-7.
BULLDOG TOUCHDOWN!! Another rushing touchdown for Kyle
Walljasper. He carries it 45 yards and into the endzone! Go to link below
https://twitter.com/UMD_Football/status/1715818634524696961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1715818634524696961%7Ctwgr%5E0f5608fd2234ca16038689cb2a201ccfeabb74bd%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fumdbulldogs.com%2Fnews%2F2023%2F10%2F21%2Ffootball-mcknight-and-walljasper-help-bulldogs-rush-past-minot-state-in-42-7-win.aspx
McKnight and Walljasper both went over 100 rushing yards on the day, the first UMD duo to do that in a single game in five years. McKnight ran for a season and career-best 109 yards and now has four TDs on the season, while Walljasper had a game-high 113. It marks the sixth time this season the QB has run for over 100 yards in a game.
Kyle. Walljasper,
Passing (8 / 12 81 yds)
Rushing (8 / 113) 2 TD’s
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Toyota Athlete of the Month
Football’s Kyle Walljasper is the Toyota Student-Athlete of the Month for the month of September. Walljasper led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 record during the month throwing 11 touchdowns, while also running for nine TDs. He is responsible for 20 of the team’s 27 touchdowns through September 30. That ranks fourth in all of NCAA Division II.
Link to Toyota Award
https://umdbulldogs.com/awards.aspx?aow=12
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UMD Football Shuts Down Mary with 46-0 Triumph
Offensively overwhelming the University of Mary 46-0 to improve to 6-1 overall and 5-1 in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action. Pouring on the second most points of the season, UMD torched the Marauders in the air with a season-best five receiving touchdowns. The Bulldogs – who have now scored 40 or more points in a game four times this season – were a perfect 6-of-6 in redzone, scoring six TDs.
UMD, which has been aggressively scoring points in the first half all season, did it again Saturday, and it started with one of two Kyle Walljasper to Jimmy Durocher TDs in the half. The first came at 11:46 of the first quarter, a 17-yard toss and the second was from 10 yards out, a scoring connection that has now happened between them four times this season. In between the Walljasper to Durocher TD passes, Walljasper found Sam Pitz on a six-yarder at the 4:44 mark of the first, and Walljasper ran in his own TD from 17 yards, his 11th touchdown on the ground this year at 14:10 of the second frame.
Kyle Walljasper threw for three total touchdowns and ran for one in the first half.
Passing 8 / 12 96 yds 3 TD’s
Rushing 3 / 18 yds 1 TD
Go to link below for complete game individual & team stats
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/10/14/umd-football-shuts-down-mary-with-46-0-triumph.aspx
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No. 17 UMD Football Upended by Wayne State 28-18
After a 51-yd run set the Bulldogs up just outside the redzone, a few players later, redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper ran a touchdown in from up the middle from a yard out to retake the 10-7 lead.
Kyle’s game stats
8 / 18 72 yds 1 TD 1 INT
24 / 126 yds 1 TD
Go to link below for the complette game results
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/10/7/no-17-umd-football-upended-by-wayne-state-28-18.aspx
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University of Minnesota – Duluth 38 Winona State 14
No. 19 Bulldogs Stay Unbeaten with 38-14 Win Over Winona State
The Bulldogs compiled 420 yards of total offense with four passing touchdowns, while the defense held WSU to -28 rushing yards and sacked Warrior quarterback Cole Strenstrom eight times – tying a season-high.
UMD went to the air in the first half to score, and the first touchdown of the game came after a nine-play, 85 yard drive that ended with a 18-yard TD toss by redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper to senior running back Daniel Mitchell.
After UMD’s defense again kept WSU away from the endzone, Walljasper and Co. needed just 2:11 to take a 21-0 lead. Walljasper hit Pitz right up the middle for a 37 yard touchdown pass, and a Marcus Glodowski interception on UMD’s 22-yd line secured the commanding 21-0 advantage at halftime.
UMD again stretched out its lead with a 11-play, 73 yard march down the field punctuated by the Walljasper to Pitz connection for a third time on the afternoon. Walljasper hit Pitz in the end zone for a 14-yd TD at 4:02 of the third, also giving the QB his third passing touchdown on the day.
UMD rolled up 420 total yards of offense, the third time this season the Bulldogs have been at 420 or more in a game. Walljasper, who did not play the final 10 minutes of the fourth quarter, racked up 122 yards on the ground, while Jimmy Durocher had 93 yards and a team-best six receptions. All told, UMD had 198 yards on the ground and 222 in the air. Pitz paced the Bulldogs with three TDS – a career best effort, while Walljasper had three touchdown passes.
Go to link below for the game recap
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/9/30/football-no-19-bulldogs-stay-unbeaten-with-38-14-win-over-winona-state.aspx
Go to link below for the stats of the game
https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/stats/2023/winona-state/boxscore/9438
Kyle’s game stats
Passing 11/22/173 yds 3 TD
Rushing 19/122 yds
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University of Minnesota – Duluth 33 Southwest Minnesota State 0
Go to link below for the recap of the Southwest Minnesota State game
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/9/23/football-no-23-bulldogs-blank-southwest-minnesota-state-33-0-to-improve-to-4-0.aspx
Six days removed from breaking into the national rankings for the first time this season, the University of Minnesota Duluth football team proved it was every bit worthy Saturday with a 33-0 win over Southwest Minnesota State University at Mattke Field at The Schwan Regional Event Center Marshall, Minn. The win, the Bulldogs fourth in a row to open the season 4-0, also doubles as UMD’s third-straight triumph in Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference action. The Bulldogs are off to their best start since the 2019 season, and the fourth 4-0 record to begin a season in head coach Curt Wiese‘s career. Saturday also marked UMD’s first shutout since it blanked the University of Minnesota Crookston 63-0 back on Nov. 2, 2019.
11 plays and 40 yards later, the Bulldogs picked up their first touchdown of the day when redshirt sophomore Kyle Walljasper punched a rushing TD in from a yard out at 12:54 for the 13-0 lead. UMD then made it a 20-0 game before half when sophomore running back Daniel Mitchell hit the jets for a 28 yard touchdown with 1:16 remaining before halftime, his first touchdown of the season.
UMD struck one final time with 3:36 left in the game on a quick pitch from Walljasper to Cameron Miller for a 3-yd TD, that coupled with a Cox point after, stretched the Bulldogs winning margin to 33-0.
Overall, the Bulldogs had 349 yards on offense, with 187 rushing yards and 162 passing. Kyle Walljasper’s 162 yards of passing offense was mostly divided between Jimmy Durocher, with 74 yards on three receptions, and DaShaun Ames, who had a team-high four catches for 66 yards. While it was the Bulldogs second best day in the air over their first four games, it was it also marked their second game this season without a turnover.
Kyle’s game stats
Passing 11/22/162 yds 1 TD
Rushing 14/46 yds 1 TD
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Go to link below for ESPN 2 nominated for “Player of the Day”
Kyle on ESPN 2
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Brawny QB has a linebacker mentality
Kyle Walljasper is not a prototypical quarterback. He doesn’t pretend to be. For starters, his Minnesota Duluth bio says he weighs 232 pounds, which causes him to chuckle when asked to verify. It’s wrong, he admits. “I’d say 240,” he said.
In high school, he played quarterback next to current Wisconsin star running back Braelon Allen, and it was Walljasper who led the squad in rushing by averaging 19.1 yards per carry. Unlike his weight, that number isn’t a misprint.
He is a chemical engineering major learning about computational methods this semester. His formula on the football field is to play quarterback with a linebacker’s mentality. He loves to smash defenders when they try to tackle him. “You always want to be the hammer,” he said, “and not the nail.” His coaches would rather he put the hammer away on occasion and maybe, you know, slide to avoid a big collision. Walljasper has an opinion about that. “If I’m a baseball player, I’ll slide,” he said.
He leads the Bulldogs in carries and rushing yards, more than double any UMD running back in both categories. Lest anyone assume that he’s strictly a one-trick Bulldog, Walljasper passed for a career-high 270 yards Saturday to help his team remain undefeated with a win over Sioux Falls.The sophomore also tied his career high with four rushing touchdowns, giving him eight for the season, which ranks first in Division II. Before the snap, he often hears opponents yelling from the sideline, “Watch the QB run.” “Then you hit them with a pass and they’re like, ‘Oh, I wasn’t expecting that,’ ” he said.
Walljasper has become one of the top performers in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference in his first season as the full-time starter. He ranks second in rushing yards per game. He ranks near the bottom of the conference in pass attempts, but he is third in touchdown passes and first in efficiency. He leads the nation in points responsible for by a wide margin. He’s at 90.
“He has worked himself into being a good thrower at our level,” UMD coach Curt Wiese said. Walljasper was a capable passer in high school. He just didn’t need to use his arm that often. He and Allen formed a powerhouse tandem for Fond du Lac (Wis.) High. “Basically, either he ran or I ran,” Walljasper said. “We’d throw a deep shot every once in a while.”
Walljasper took a redshirt season and then was used mostly as a wildcat quarterback option as a backup last season before an injury thrust him into a starting role. He devoted his summer to becoming a better passer by working on his mechanics and studying defensive coverages. Wiese said he sensed that Walljasper felt “boxed in” by being labeled a onedimensional quarterback. “He wanted to get better and become more versatile in the position,” Wiese said.
A junior academically who is studying engineering, Walljasper’s daily schedule includes classes, studying, studying football video, practice, weight room training and physical recovery work. He’s mastering it all. Not that anyone is surprised. “I’ve been around high school football my whole life,” former Fond du Lac coach Steven Jorgensen said, “and he is the best leader I’ve ever coached.”
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UM – Duluth 42 Sioux Falls, SD 34
UMD: Walljasper,Kyle (270 yds passing) Walljasper,Kyle (136 yds rushing)
Scoring
1st |
08:57 |
UMD – Walljasper,Kyle 1 yd run (Cox,Curt kick), 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 04:33 |
2nd |
07:03 |
UMD – Walljasper,Kyle 46 yd run (Cox,Curt kick), 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 01:27 |
3rd |
11:40 |
UMD – Walljasper,Kyle 15 yd run (Cox,Curt kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:20 |
4th |
05:09 |
UMD – Walljasper,Kyle 17 yd run (Cox,Curt kick), 8 plays, 60 yards, TOP 04:51 |
Go to link below for the UMD vs Sioux Falls game recap
https://umdbulldogs.com/news/2023/9/16/football-wiese-reaches-100-career-wins-in-umds-42-34-triumph-over-sioux-falls.aspx
The University of Minnesota Duluth football team delivered a 42-34 win over the University of Sioux Falls Saturday afternoon at James S. Malosky Stadium on Military Appreciation Day, in a game that also doubled as the 100th win of head coach Curt Wiese‘s career.
The game started offensively for UMD just as its past three games have, with a flash of offense in the first quarter. The Bulldogs first TD came from redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper, who capped off a 73 yard, nine-play opening march down the field with a 1-yard run at 8:57.
Walljasper needed just three plays and under a minute and half to help UMD retake that lead, running for 46 yards to push the Bulldogs into a 21-14 advantage they would hold at halftime.
It was Walljasper again to open the second half, scoring on a 15-yd run to complete a six play, 75-yard drive that doubled UMD’s lead to 28-14. Graduate senior running back Chamere Thomas then spun out of the Cougars’ grasp for a 31-yard rush TD to stretch the Bulldog margin to 35-14 with 6:01 left in the third quarter.
USF countered with two rushing TDs early in the fourth quarter by Dylan Rudningen just over a minute apart, but UMD and Walljasper again ran in the Bulldogs overall sixth rushing touchdown of the afternoon at 5:09 to push UMD back on top 42-27. The Cougars punched in one last TD in by Dean at 2:03, but the Bulldogs, who never trailed in the contest, held on to their 42-34 final.
Walljasper passed for a career-high 270 yards, while his four rushing touchdowns tied a career mark set last Oct. 8, 2022 against the University of Mary, and his total of 407 offensive yards against USF also marks a high among all NSIC players so far this season. Sam Pitz had eight catches for 133 yards – a career best for the redshirt senior tight end, and the Bulldog offense had a season-high 550 yards on offense, including an even split of 280 on the ground and 270 yards in the air. UMD also had a season-best average of both yards per rush (8.75) and yards per catch (11.74).
Go to link below for box score for the Sioux Falls game
https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/stats/2023/sioux-fallss-d-/boxscore/9436
Kyle’s game stats
Passing 17/23/270 yds
Rushing 13/137 yds 4 TD
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9/11/2023
Kyle Walljasper Named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week
University of Minnesota Duluth redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Week after leading the conference with six touchdowns in the Bulldogs 41-21 win over Northern State University Saturday night.
The product of Fond du Lac, Wis. tied for the most rushing touchdowns in the league (2) and the second-most passing TDs (4), and turned in the third most rushing yards in the NSIC with 110. Walljasper ranked second in the conference with a 7.33 yards per rush average on 15 attempts, and had 120 passing yards for a total of 230 yards against the Wolves.
Walljasper has now had back-to-back games with five or more touchdowns, having passed for seven in the air and run in four. in all of 2022, Walljasper had 10 passing TDs over the 2022 season alone — the QB already has seven in two games.
The reigning POW and the rest of the Bulldogs will host the University of Sioux Falls this Saturday for UMD’s football’s 10th annual Military Appreciation Day. Kick-off is set for 2:00 p.m.
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Go to link below with the NSU game stats
https://umdbulldogs.com/sports/football/stats/2023/northern-state/boxscore/9435
UMD Defeats Northern State 41-21 in Aberdeen to Improve to 2-0
On the road for the first time this season, the University of Minnesota Duluth football team used a 35-point first half to overwhelm Northern State University 41-21 at Dacotah Bank Stadium in Aberdeen, S.D.
UMD, appearing in its first Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game of the season, was again led again by redshirt sophomore quarterback Kyle Walljasper, who compiled three passing touchdowns in addition to a pair of rushing TDs for his second-straight game with five touchdowns. Overall, the Bulldogs recorded a total of 313 yards on offense, including 199 rushing yards. The win not only puts UMD 2-0 on the young season, but also marks the 99th career win for head coach Curt Wiese.
The Bulldog offense took almost no time to ignite, and within four minutes, UMD marched down the field off the opening kick and scored on a 8-yard pass up the middle from Kyle Walljasper to redshirt sophomore tight end Sam Pitz.
After NSU picked up a 2-yard rushing touchdown at the 8:54 mark, UMD responded quickly with a shotgun pass from Kyle Walljasper to sophomore wide receiver Jimmy Durocher in the back of the endzone for a 22-yard touchdown. An extra point by Curt Cox made it a 14-7 game, but the Bulldogs were far from done.
The Wolves struck on another rushing TD by quarterback Colton Hackel less than two minutes into the second quarter, but it was all UMD from there. Kyle Walljasper threw 17 yards to the back right of the endzone to Pitz again, and the TE managed to get his foot down for his second TD of the night and third in two games at 10:27.
UMD added one last touchdown run with 11 seconds left in the second quarter, a 1-yard run by Kyle Walljasper for the Bulldogs fifth TD of the half. Cox hit his fifth extra point through the uprights, and UMD owned a 35-14 lead at halftime.
After a scoreless third period by both sides, UMD’s defense delivered its second interception of the night off a red zone stand that was completed with a pick by Tim Pokornowksi at 14:35. Pokornowski returned his interception a whopping 95 yards to NSU’s 4-yard line, essentially setting up Kyle Walljasper’s eventual 1-yard rushing TD a little over a minute later to give the Bulldogs a 41-14 lead.
Offensively, Kyle Walljasper was 7-11 in the air for 114 yards, and a UMD-high three of those receptions were hauled in by Pitz, who logged 35 yards with his two TDs for a 11.7 yard per catch average. Outside of Kyle Walljasper’s 15 carries on the ground for 113 yards and two touchdowns, senior running back Daniel Mitchell had seven carries for 39 yards, while Chamere Thomas had 40 yards over four carries, including a team-long 25 yard run. In all, UMD outran NSU 199-171, but the Wolves had 224 passing yards to the Bulldogs 114.
Kyle’s game stats
Passing 8/12/120 yds 4 TD
Rushing 15/113 2 TD
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