North Dakota returns 19 contributors, eyes MVFC title push in 2026

North Dakota entered spring with the kind of returning core that can keep a team in the Missouri Valley Football Conference race, not just in the bracket. The Fighting Hawks expected 19 significant contributors back for 2026, a number that gave real weight to their push to build on last year’s FCS playoff appearance and close the gap at the top of the MVFC.

The biggest uncertainty sat at cornerback, where the Hawks had to replace both the production and the experience that left with Bennett Walker. Grant Noland gave them a proven starting point after earning Freshman All-American honors, but the other side of the field remained open. Idrique Carmichael was gone after working as a backup, and that left a spring competition with real consequences for a defense that could not afford soft spots against league quarterbacks.

Evan Kludt stayed in the mix after playing roughly 100 snaps a year ago and seeing notable action against Tarleton State when injuries forced him onto the field. North Dakota also added Travis Hines II from the junior-college level, and his arrival raised the stakes of the battle even more. Hines came in after winning a national championship in JUCO, which made him an immediate developmental name to watch in a room that still needed reliable answers.

That is where the number 19 matters most. In a league where every contender has talent, the difference often comes down to whether a team can convert returning production into cleaner coverage, more turnovers and fewer hidden weaknesses. North Dakota already looked like a playoff team on paper. The question in spring was whether enough of those 19 returners could turn that paper strength into a deeper roster, especially at a position where one missed tackle or one busted assignment can decide a conference game.

If the Hawks found the right combination at cornerback, they had enough experience elsewhere to stay in the title conversation. If they did not, the ceiling could still be capped by the same kind of thin depth that separates good MVFC teams from the ones that finish first.