Cole Payton will begin his fourth year on the North Dakota State football roster this fall with the biggest spotlight he's had yet.

That's including the fact that he is the backup to incumbent starter Cam Miller, who returns for his fourth season as the starter.

Payton emerged as one of the best players on the Bison football roster over the final five games of 2023, when Miller scored seven touchdowns. He racked up a total of 16 last season, becoming one of NDSU's best offensive weapons.

"I thought (last season) was a blast. Getting to go to Montana State and Montana, crazy environements and so loud, it was a ton of fun. My whole goal was to make the most of the opportunities I got and I thought I did that." Payton said.

There are noticable changes on the Bison offense heading into 2024 with Tim Polasek taking over as head coach and Jake Landry at offensive coordinator. Payton says the changes weren't a major overhaul to him during spring practices.

"It went well. Not much changed, it felt like a normal spring ball. Coach Polasek brings a level of emotion and fire. Coach Landry is a little more mellow. But the twists they brought into the offense will be a nice change."

Payton has emerged as one of the faces of NDSU's Green and Gold Collective. He has routinely put videos out on social media touting the collective and it's importance as he's seen teammates like Eli Green leave through the transfer portal.

Payton discusses as well about working with his personal quarterbacks coach in Omaha and what he's doing this summer in Fargo.

The Bison Media Zone airs each Wednesday at 10:30 on WDAY Xtra.

North Dakota State's 2024 offensive gameplans took a hit last week when standout receiver Eli Green entered the transfer portal.

Green emerged as a downfield threat over the final six games of 2023, making several acrobatic catches and scoring three touchdowns, two of them in the playoffs.

With Green's departure, that leaves NDSU without its top two receivers from a year ago after Zach Mathis graduated.

Sixth-year senior Braylon Henderson and fifth-year senior Raja Nelson return for the Bison. Nelson emerged as both a deep threat and a running back over the final few games of 2023, while Henderson had his best year as a Bison. Between the two of them, they have a combined 119 receptions.

After that, though, it's a big dropoff in the wide receiver room. Senior Tyler Terhark has the most receptions with four, with Chris Harris, Mehki Collins and Bryce Lance each with just one catch. Collins and Lance earned rave reviews during the spring and each had solid performances during the Green and Gold Showcase.

Redshirt sophomore Carson Hegerle had his spring football end early with a broken ankle and his return is up in the air for fall camp. Cedric Wall has grabbed the coaches attention during practice, but has yet to see the field yet.

NDSU has an incoming freshman in Omaha native Jackson Williams, but there are questions entering the 2024 season.

WDAY's Dom Izzo and The Forum's Mike McFeely discuss the wide receivers and what's ahead for this year.

North Dakota State women's basketball head coach Jory Collins has had a busy month.

The Bison season ended at the end of March in the third round of the Women's NIT.

Less than a week later, star player Elle Evans entered the transfer portal. Evans announced this week that she is transferring to Kansas to spend her final two years of basketball.

Collins has been busy, adding three players to his team for next season. Australian guard Amelia Hobson will join the team, along with transfers Molly Lenz from Illinois State and Sacia Vanderpool from Wisconsin.

They will join incoming freshmen Claire Stern and Marisa Frost on next year's roster, rounding it out with 13 players.

Collins also discusses the challenges of trying to keep a player like Evans and how he handles the emotions of that decision.

Bison Media Zone airs each Wednesday at 10:30 on WDAY Xtra.

North Dakota State officially wrapped up spring football for 2024 last weekend back inside Gate City Bank Field at the Fargodome.

The Bison still have plenty of question marks heading into fall camp, ranging from offensive line to secondary to wide receiver.

The Forum's Jeff Kolpack joins WDAY's Dom Izzo to try and answer some of those questions heading into the new season.

Also they discuss the addition of West Fargo native Jacksen Moni to the Bison men's basketball roster.

Moni is transferring in from Northern State University out of the NSIC. He'll have one year of eligibility remaining for this upcoming season.

North Dakota State spring football is wrapping up and one area that has both a mixture of youth, depth and experience is the defensive line and that extends to the coaching staff.

Nick Goeser is back for his 15th year on the staff, the longest tenured coach at NDSU. He got a promotion this offseason to co-defensive coordinator to go along with his defensive line duties.

The Bison return all-conference defensive end Dylan Hendricks, along with senior Loshiaka Roques and junior Kole Menz.

The interior of the line will be led by the Mostaert twins; Eli and Will, along with Kody Huisman and Jaxon Duttenhefer.

There are young players eager for a shot like Kelton McCaslin, Logan Larson, Toby Anene and Keenan Wilson.

To go along with transfer Hunter Zenzen, who missed all of last season with a foot injury.

Goeser joins the show to discuss the changes to the line and expectations for 2024.

North Dakota State has had an offensive lineman selected in the NFL Draft each of the three years and potentially could have a fourth in a couple of weeks.

That level of talent means that is extra attention that comes to that position group and its coach, Dan Larson. The Bison offensive line has some decisions to make over the coming months with three starters graduating, left tackle Jalen Sundell, right guard Jake Kubas and center Brandon Westberg.

The Bison received some welcome news in late December when senior Grey Zabel announced he was going to return to NDSU and turn down significant NIL money to transfer. Zabel started the final ten games of 2023 at right tackle. He will be joined by Ada's Mason Miller, who also is a fifth-year senior that has started 26 career games.

That experience will be huge for a group that beyond those two players has two career starts, each belonging to sixth-year player Jake Rock. Rock and fellow sixth-year lineman Hunter Poncius are in the mix to fill those open spots, according to Larson.

Larson also has his eyes on some young players that could make an immediate impact. Redshirt freshmen Beau Johnson, Jack Liwienski and Griffin Empey all have earned rave reviews during spring football.

Bison Media Zone airs each Wednesday at 10:30 on WDAY Xtra.

North Dakota State is in week three of spring football and as the practices continue, it's not just for the players to get up to speed, but for the coaches as well.

The Bison have four new staff members, including Devin Klieman, who was hired as the new safeties coach.

It's a return to Fargo for Klieman, who's dad Chris, was the head coach at NDSU from 2014-18, winning four national championships during that span.

Devin has been a graudate assistant at Kansas State the last three years, he discusses about interviewing for the job and what it meant to be hired at NDSU.

Klieman also talks about the Bison safety position, which returns starters Cole Wisniewski and Sam Jung and highlights a couple of young players.

The Bison Media Zone airs Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. on WDAY Xtra.