The Missouri Valley Conference is arguably the SEC of Football Championship Subdivision football; perhaps arguable the SEC is the MVC of FBS.
On the field, the product is the elite of the elite at college football's second NCAA Division I level.
Carry that battle royale to the coaching ranks.
Sources tell FootballScoop that South Dakota State is working to make Danny Freund its new offensive hire. The Grand Forks Herald has reported the move as well.
The Jackrabbits, who just polished their 15-0 FCS Playoffs championship season with an 23-3 smothering of Montana in the FCS National Championship, are set to have Freund, a North Dakota alum and the program's veteran offensive coordinator, replace Zach Lujan working with the quarterbacks.
Lujan, as FootballScoop first reported last week, was identified and then hired by Big Ten program Northwestern as the school's new offensive coordinator under David Braun.
Freund played quarterback at North Dakota and has been an integral part of the program for some 13 years. The Fighting Hawks were 7-5 in 2023, advanced to the FCS Playoffs and averaged more than 31 points-per-game under Freund's guidance.
SDSU just wrapped up its second-straight FCS crown, having first downed archrival North Dakota State last year before toppling Montana last weekend.
The Jackrabbits are slated to open their 2024 season Aug. 31 at Big 12 program Oklahoma State.
Update> Pete Thamel has now also reported on the hire, sharing that Freund will have co-offensive coordinator / quarterbacks title while Ryan Olson will move from run game coordinator / offensive line to offensive coordinator / offensive line.