2011 Senior: D.J. McNorton

[tony]

D.J. McNorton's career highlight film will be so long that it'll need an intermission. When he came in, there were plenty of people who doubted his size and ability to withstand the physical nature of the MVFC.

Once D.J, got to NDSU, he played behind Roehl and/or Pat Paschall for two years before exploding his junior year for 1559 yards rushing and 2019 all-purpose yards (that last bit is an NDSU record.)

Then his senior year, as a preseason All-American, he split carries evenly with Sam Ojuri.

3rd string, linebacker(!?!) starter, then splitting his carries - DJ always seemed to be putting the team first. If there is a common theme with the 2011 team, it is that they were a team first - no pouty prima donnas at all ('least not that I could see.) Nobody exemplified the team-first attitude better than DJ McNorton and Matt Voigtlander.

Can't even pick his biggest play. Was it the "he-will-not-be-denied" 60-yard TD run that broke JMU? Was it the 39-yard total-team-effort middle screen TD in the National Championship game?

His biggest game was probably the road playoff game against Montana State where he set NDSU records for most rushing yards and TDs in a postseason game (207 yards, 4 TDs.)

As far as I'm concerned. D.J. is everything you could ask for in a student-athlete.

[344Johnson]

This year, his HE WILL NOT BE DENIED td was baller. Last year, his entire game against USD was a thing of beauty.

[NDstateBison81]

NFL material?? I think so :biggrin:

[CAS4127]

NFL material?? I think so :biggrin:

I always felt good when the ball was in his hands! Did he always make a big play? No. Was the potential and sheer desire there for him to do so?! He'll yes!!

I will wait patiently for another player I can feel that way about. A threat to score from anywhere . . .

I have seen him play so much I feel like he is a friend, yet I don't even know the man personally!!

Thanks, DJ, thanks indeed!!

[344Johnson]

I have seen him play so much I feel like he is a friend, yet I don't even know the man personally!!Thanks, DJ, thanks indeed!!

I remember arguing with fellow Bison fans at lunch about his potential....when I was a JR in high school! Seems like so long ago. I will miss him a lot. When I am old like you guys and have a tailgating rig (its an inevitability), DJ will be welcome to stop by, and my kids better damn well know who he is.

[onbison09]

I thought he was a "dancer" at first but damn did he prove me wrong. Also with everything he went through, it's very inspiring

[HerdBot]

DJ is the most complete back we have ever had. First off he was great at blitz protection. He could make you miss or run you over. But what set him apart was his ability as a receiver. On top of that he was a solid return man and even played linebacker. He really showed up for the big games. Watching a punt return in '09 I knew he was going to be special but it was the South Dakota game last year that I knew he had arrived. He will be missed!

[344Johnson]

I thought he was a "dancer" at first but damn did he prove me wrong. Also with everything he went through, it's very inspiring

Up until the last game...my Dad always found a carry every single game to send me a text about "dancin" DJ. I can only wish he was as healthy as his Junior year. We can all agree he was a beast last year. He ran hard...yet danced almost at the same time. We saw it a bit later once he got healthy on a couple of runs. The JMU run was BEAST. He had a couple of nice runs against GSU as well.

[CaBisonFan]

I remember showing his high school highlights to some members of my family. They basically said..."he'll never make it at NDSU." I replied by saying that he'll be an All-American before he's done. Let's see guys (message to family)...wonder who got the closest?... :biggrin:

DJ...thanks for everything. You were better than an All-American. You gave your talent to the team.

[HerdBot]

NFL material?? I think so :biggrin:


i see him in the mold of Chester Taylor with the Vikings. Great 3rd down back with starting ability.

[NDSUBowler]

EVERY time he got the ball on a screen, I got excited because I knew something awesome was about to happen.

[Gully]

As others have said, excellent receiver, great blocker, really good runner, off the charts team-player. My favorite play of his career was one of his TD runs at Montana State where he started into the line to the left, waiting for blocks, and then made a couple moves in succession and split the defense wide open for a TD. It will be weird to not see him around.

One last comment is how much he improved through his career. Has natural ability, but he clearly worked at it and improved greatly over the years.

[stevdock]

To me what set DJ apart from some of the other backs we've had recently was how good he was at blitz pick up. He would see the blitz coming and absolutely stand that blitzer up and give Brock the extra time to find the right receiver. So important in the college game considering how many teams consistently blitz. With him being so good at that, it just helped set up the screen even more.

[JSUBison]

I'll add a couple more memories to the list: his 2nd half against RMU, and his late 1st half run in this years Gopher game when he cut right and broke the ankles of Minnesota's good DB. That was fun to see.

[Thunder_Struck]

Would love to hear from The Ol Ball Coach in this thread. It's been awhile since he's posted.

[westnodak93bison]

I agree with what has been said above. I was really impressed how he took blame for the Youngstown game. IMHO, he never lost the game. The whole team was in a funk that day but he put in on himself. Good leadership imho. It will be interesting to see if he can get a FA look.

[Professor Chaos]

I've posted it before but I'll post it again cuz it deserves it. This is the story Bison Illustrated ran on DJ before this season focusing on how he lost his mom before the 2010 season: http://www.bisonillustrated.com/s.php?s=671. This shows, beyond all that happened on the field, that DJ came NDSU as a boy and is leaving as a man.

I can't add much more than what has already been said but DJ personifies everything that I'm proud about when it comes to being a Bison fan. Sacrifice, selflessness, and superiority. From the dominating 2010 playoff run to the personal concessions he made this season to become a champion, thanks for the memories DJ.

[Bison03]

The guy just wanted to do everything to help the team win. He played linebacker when the team was down with a lot of injuries. He never complained about playing time as an underclassman. After last years numbers and preseason hype nationally for him, a lot of guys would be thinking me first and not wanting to split time with another back. DJ not only did this, he embraced this. He knew the goals that the team had set out and new that one guy could not do it alone. Man, what a team player. Every interview I have heard him give he gives all the credit to the success he has to his o-line, coaches, and overall game plan done by the whole team. Seeing him catch that screen pass in Frisco and running untouched into the endzone to score the eventual game winning score was awesome to see. For a guy to go through and do what he has done for the program the last 4 years; it was fitting that he was the one to shine in his home state on the biggest stage. He may or may not go on to the next level, but will always be able to return home to Fargo for years to come not only as an NDSU football legend, but a champion. Thank you DJ, you have made Bison Nation proud.

[SDbison]

Seems like yesterday that I was getting fired up watching DJ's recruiting videos. How fast the time went and I never would have guessed things turning out the way they did.......from the unexpected tough years of 2008 and 2009, to a surprising finish in 2010, and then the phenominal success of 2011. DJ hung in there, learned the system, dealt with disappointment and loss, improved his style, endured injuries and came out on top.
DJ, Thanks for chosing to be a Bison and helping to make the Bison DI National Champions! Good Luck in your future endeavors!

[herdmember]

The tributes from everyone else have summed up many of my thoughts perfectly. A couple things I'll add...

As a kid growing up in North Dakota during the Bison hey days, there were certain guys that stuck out and those are the guys I have told my kids about. (Satter, Bentrim, etc) DJ McNorton will be that guy for my kids. If you interview any kid under 12, 99% of them their favorite player is DJ McNorton. My kid is crushed he's graduating.

The only 'knock' ever on DJ was if he did or didn't dance too much. I found it ironic that in the national title game, that was about the only style that worked as our runners had a D lineman in their face almost immediately after being handed the ball. DJ was more effective in that game because he made that first guy miss.

You are the man DJ. I hope you get an NFL shot and have an NFL coach smart enough to see all of your intangibles.

[td577]

I thought the whole being a dancer thing was a valid argument earlier in his Bison career. I think by the end, DJ had a really good feel for the timing of a play. While there was a lot of credit given to the OL for the play against the 3-4 defenses this year, it was as much about DJ as the line. He always had a good ability to change speeds but he coupled that with knowing when to change speeds. I thought Sam danced too much, as well, and you have to think DJ had mentored him this year. By the end of the year, both backs brought a little different flavor that mad it very difficult for defenses to get a feel for how to defend the Bison running game.

I think the bearkats' coach said it best when he made the comment that if either back were the feature back, either one would have easily been all-American.

[tony]

Was it the UNI game that DJ caught a pass in the flat with a defender right in front of him? He stopped, faked the guy out of his shoes but that gave three defenders enough time to get between him and the endzone... so he broke all three tackles. Veldman had to give him a little push to get him in.

Lots of similarities between DJ and Tony Satter.

[EmbdenBison]

I loved many performances that DJ put on but especially the performance he put on against Montana State last year. Watching him run over and around the Bobcats defense in a playoff game, in the cold, with snow piled up around the stadium brought back many good memories of Bison playoff games of Yesteryear. Here is a guy from Houston who looked like he grew up in Fargo playing in the cold and snow. He just looked like a Bison runningback we come to expect and even better.

Of all of the seniors leaving I am going to miss DJ the most. DJ, I wish you the best of luck in your journey ahead!