Sean Arbaut New coach Ian Shields encourages the Minot State football team during their spring game earlier this year.

Spend any time around Minot State’s new head football coach and it becomes clear Ian Shields is passionate about college football. Since taking over the Beavers program in January, his passion now includes Minot Sate.

As the Beavers open their season at home tonight, the question becomes will that passion lead to wins at a program that’s seen precious few since moving from the NAIA to NCAA Division II over a decade ago.

“What attracted me to the position is the opportunity to build a program here where I think there’s some really good things in place at Minot State, where we can do something that has not been done here before and that is have a winning Division II program,” said Shields.

Before arriving in Minot, Shields spent three seasons at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he was an assistant, analyst and advisor to head coach Marcus Arroyo. Prior to UNLV, Shields served as head coach at Jacksonville University, Lenoir-Rhyne and Eastern Oregon.

Shields cited numerous advantages in place for the program to develop including the size of the community, the unusually high retention rate of the MSU student body, low tuition that comes with being a public university and state-of-the-art facilities that standout among the school’s peers.

Not to mention the secret weapon on the recruiting trail that sits less than a mile north of campus.

“We have an airport. We can get recruits in and out of the airport,” he said. “It’s unbelievable the airport is five minutes from campus. What a resource we have here.”

All those factors have Shields believing that the time is right for Minot State to take the next step as a program, and he’s been sharing that message with anyone who will listen.

“I mean, why not watch the greatest turnaround in the history of college football? Why wouldn’t you want to see that? I mean we’re going to see the Magic City Miracle happen right here,” said Shields. “Will it all happen in one year? Maybe not, but we’re gonna make a lot of progress in year one. It’s going to be fun to be a part of that.”

The first group that Shields and his staff needed to get buy-in from were the young men in the locker room.

With a new coach, returning players could transfer out of Minot State to other schools without losing any eligibility. Some did including All-American running back Ali Mohamed who transferred to Bemidji State.

Other weapons returned such as defensive backs Knylen Miller-Levi and Isiah Bigby and linebacker Carson Cayko. Miller-Levi set the NCAA Division II single-season school record last season with six interceptions. His ten career interceptions put him within reach of the school record which stands at 15. Bigby has 149 career tackles for the Beavers, and Cayko led the team with 86 tackles last season. He also had three sacks.

“What I’ve seen from Coach Shields is the detail and everything he wants in the program and us,” said Miller-Levi, when asked what has made this camp different from previous years. “He wants us everywhere ten minutes early. Just the details and how he puts emphasis on everything. He wants us to grow every day.”

Miller-Levi, who is in his sixth year of eligibility, spoke to the difference he’s seen in this year’s team chemistry compared to his freshman year. When he first arrived, different position groups were individual groups, hardly interacting with the others. Even with over fifty newcomers to the roster, all that’s changed under Shields.

“I believe we are all close together even from the offensive and defensive side,” said Miller-Levi.

Junior running back Evan Lovett echoed those sentiments.

“It’s been more responsibility and leadership that we have as a team,” said Lovett. “I like to say, ‘iron sharpens iron’ and that’s what we’ve been doing. I think with Coach Shields, he’s been showing that he wants to bring a new philosophy to the program.”

“Our focus is internal rather than external,” said Shields. “We have to get better at playing football. We have to get better at throwing it, blocking it, catching it and tackling the guys with it. We have to do a better job here between the lines on Saturday afternoon when the scoreboard is on. That’s what we have to get fixed.”

Since moving to Division II in 2011, Minot State’s football program has never won more than three games in a season. Four times, including last year, they managed only a single victory.

Last season saw the Beavers’ offense finish with the fewest passing touchdowns, average yards per rush, yards per completion, both total and all-purpose yards and touchdowns scored since moving to Division II.

The defense and special teams did fare better, but there’s a reason Shields replaced Mike Aldrich, whose contract wasn’t renewed.

Nonetheless, everyone involved with the program seems hungry to move past that history; and according to Shields, it’s been the easiest transition he’s had as a head coach and it’s all due to the players who have bought into his philosophy.

“We have tremendous young men excited for chance, excited for what we’re doing and what our staff is saying,” said Shields. “They’re bright. They’re sharp. They care and they’re totally committed and are all proverbially drinking the Kool-Aid. It’s exciting.”

Offensively, the Beavers look to have a dominant ground game, with a passing game that complements it with some RPO plays and quarterback runs. Fans can expect an offensive identity to emerge.

Shields understands some will be skeptical of the program until the team starts winning games, but nonetheless, he wants fans to know it’s never too early to jump on the bandwagon.

“Haters and doubters and cynics are perfect,” said Shields. “Those guys give us motivation, but I think there’s a lot of people hungry to get on board. I don’t know if everyone knows how to get on board just yet, but it’s a lot easier when you start winning games. I just tell people get their ankles taped now, so they can jump on the bandwagon because it’s going to be moving.”

Minot State opens the season tonight, as the university looks to “Defend the Herb” against Southwest Minnesota State University at Herb Parker Stadium. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.

Minot State Football Schedule

vs. Southwest Minnesota State Aug. 31 6 p.m.

at Minn. State – Moorhead Sept. 9 12 p.m.

vs. Minn. State – Mankato Sept. 16 2 p.m.

at University of Sioux Falls Sept. 23 1 p.m.

vs. Wayne State College Sept. 30 1 p.m.

at Northern State University Oct. 7 2:30 p.m.

vs. Concordia-St. Paul Oct. 14 1 p.m.

vs. Minn.-Duluth Oct. 21 1 p.m.

at University of Mary Oct. 28 12 p.m.

at Michigan Tech Nov. 4 1 p.m.

at Winona State Nov. 11 1 p.m.