UND's emerging youth in the secondary shines at Spring Wrap-Up

Apr. 6—GRAND FORKS — The UND football team's most experienced safety returning from the 2023 season is junior Cole Davis.

Davis was the team's 16th-leading tackler in 2023.

That's a clear indication the Fighting Hawks will have a remade secondary in 2024.

During UND's Spring Wrap-Up on Saturday at the Pollard Center, a few emerging faces in the secondary provided glimmers of hope for the unit heading into the 2024 season.

UND doesn't play an actual game for the Spring Wrap-Up, but the Hawks did practice with live tackling for a number of practice scenarios.

During those live settings, a few of the players UND needs to emerge in the secondary made highlight plays.

Sophomore safety Jett Sutton cut down running back Grant Romfo for no gain on fourth-and-short. Division II transfer safety Jy Martin of West Virginia State busted into the backfield to stop Donovan Hunt during another live setting.

"I feel like the seasons I've been here, a lot of the playbook has been the same, and it's kind of clicking a lot more for me," said Sutton, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound Kansas City native. "That's allowing me to play faster and be a better player."

Sutton said he played as a safety-linebacker hybrid in high school and that background helps him in the run game.

"We do a lot guarding tight ends and have physical drills, so when we get an opportunity to tackle here, some of that background translates well for me," Sutton said.

During the spring, UND has started Davis and Ethan Ball at safety. However, they're going to be pushed for playing time by Sutton, Martin, redshirt freshman Tyler Erkman and Louisville transfer Dan Martens.

"The next wave is talented," UND defensive coordinator Joel Schwenzfeier said. "Jett, Erkman, Jy. They're all play-makers. They can get hands on the ball and tackle in space and move their feet. Martens was the same way until he was hurt here. There's talent to work with. We're not short on talent; it's experience and making sure they can execute."

Sutton is beginning to show signs he can contribute more in 2024 after recording 10 tackles a year ago.

"He can really move his feet," Schwenzfeier said. "Athleticism won't be the issue. He's reckless. For him, it's all about getting lined up and and knowing where to be and communicating. You have to be able to handle that."

Martin, meanwhile, may provide a mix of skills.

"He's just a ballplayer," Schwenzfeier said. "He can tackle and cover. He has good vision in zone coverage but has experience in man, too. He gives us a Swiss Army Knife option."

At cornerback, where UND will need to replace a graduated C.J. Siegel and a transferred Edmund Ocansey at starters, up-and-coming sophomore Antonio Bluiett had a jarring pass break-up on a pass intended for Nate DeMontagnac, while Martin's West Virginia State teammate Avery Scott had a red zone interception of Trey Feeney.

Scott has shown a pattern of disrupting passes during spring ball.

"I've been trying to get myself adjusted to the team and meet new people," Scott said. "I'm really excited (for 2024). I'm ready for fall camp and Iowa State."

UND will open the 2024 season on Aug. 31 at Iowa State in Ames, Iowa.

Offensively in the Spring Wrap-Up, UND continued to spread out snaps between four quarterbacks: Feeney, Jerry Kaminski, Simon Romfo and Cole Hentges.

The offensive clicked early during the live setting, with Kaminski finding DeMontagnac, Bo Belquist and Isaiah Smith for completed balls.

Feeney then entered and connected with DeMontagnac and Noah Schaffner.

Simon Romfo, who developed a role as a running quarterback in 2023, also hit on a pass to Belquist.

Hentges took the fourth reps and completed a pass to Elijah Klein and two balls to Caden Dennis, including a long slant into a tough window.

During red zone work, UND's lone touchdown was a Kaminski slant pass to Grand Forks Central product Sam Strandell.