North Dakota State wrapped up its spring recruiting period on Monday. Tuesday the fruits of that labor started to pay off. Late Tuesday night Marshall (MN) quarterback Trey Lance announced on Twitter that he verbally committed to play for the Bison. Lance is 6’4, 195 pounds and according to several scouting services he is recognized as the top football recruit in the state of Minnesota.
#GoBison pic.twitter.com/WEIklmoLu0
— Trey Lance (@treylance09) May 23, 2017
Marshall plays in class 4A, the fifth highest class in the state of Minnesota, the school produced the top prospect in the state last year in offensive lineman Blaise Andries, who signed with PJ Fleck and the Gophers in February. Lance led Marshall to the 4A semifinals last year, losing to eventual champion Benilde-St. Margaret’s at U.S Bank Stadium. His numbers may not blow you away, but his ability to move out of the pocket is impressive. Lance was 17 of 35 for 275 yards and three touchdowns in that loss to Benilde, he finished 2016 completing 78 of 151 passes for 1,349 yards and 16 touchdowns, adding another six touchdowns.
Lance had offers from all the usual suspects, South Dakota State and Northern Iowa, offers from the Ivy League in Brown, Columbia and Cornell, along with two FBS offers in Northern Illinois and Air Force. It bears watching how Lance adjusts to defenses focusing on him as the main threat for the Marshall offense.
It also presents what is setting up to be an interesting quarterback battle in a couple years at NDSU. Easton Stick will graduate after the 2018 season and that leaves a hole as to who will take over as the new signal caller. Here’s how it sets right now, looking to the fall of 2019:
- Henry Van Dellen – junior in 2019
- Holden Hotchkiss – redshirt sophomore in 2019
- Noah Sanders – redshirt sophomore in 2019 (if he stays at QB)
- Trey Lance – redshirt freshman
NDSU has held fast in only offering one scholarship for a quarterback and if that’s the case then the Bison already have their quarterback for the Class of 2018.
UPDATE (9:30 am) Got a couple comments about Lance being touted as the top recruit in the state, here’s an article from the Pioneer Press from February on that ranking: 