2015 Frontier Preview: MSU-N's Christensen ready for debut

Now a full year after the departure of Dickinson State University, the Frontier Conference looks to be very stable in football. And the coaching ranks is very, very stable.

There are a host of extremely experienced and tenured coaches in the conference entering the 2015 season, none more experienced than Carroll College field general Mike Van Diest. The Frontier also has a defending national champion coach in Craig Howard of Southern Oregon, and a bevy of coaches who have now been through the trenches of Frontier football.

But that’s not the case at Montana State University-Northern.

On Aug. 22, in Dickinson, North Dakota, Aaron Christensen will make his official debut at MSU-N’s new head coach. Christensen was hired to officially replace Mark Samson back in December. In the interim, Northern defensive coordinator Jake Eldridge was the man in charge of the Lights last season, but he now returns to his duties as defensive coordinator on Christensen’s staff.

Christensen, who came to MSU-N after a successful stint as offensive coordinator at NAIA powerhouse Missouri Valley College, is third coach in as many years to make his head coaching debut in the Frontier. UM-Western’s B.J. Robertson and College of Idaho’s Mike Moroksi were the last two to do it.

Before arriving at MVC, Christensen attended Huron University where he earned All-Conference honors as a tight end. Following his playing career, Christensen spent two seasons as a student coach coaching the tight ends at Huron. Prior to Huron, Christensen played at San Jose City College near his hometown of Hayward, Calif.

Christensen has been at the helm of Northern’s program since the beginning of January. In that time, he signed nearly 40 new athletes to compete for the Lights this fall, ran a winter conditioning program and oversaw spring drills for the first time. Now, the Lights are set to begin fall camp in just a few days in preparation for their season-opener at Dickinson State on Aug. 22.

Here’s a glance at the bios of the rest of the head coaches in the Frontier Conference heading into the 2015 season.

Mike Van Diest, Carroll College

In over 16 years as head coach at Carroll College, Mike Van Diest has led the Fighting Saints to six National Championships, 14 Frontier Conference Championships (including twelve straight titles from 2000-2011) for one of the most dominating runs in college football history. The Saints have posted a 186-30 record during the past fifteen seasons. This includes a Frontier Conference mark of 130-11 for an impressive winning percentage of 92%. Over the past 13 years the Fighting Saints have a remarkable 160-15 record for a winning percentage of 91%. The Saints have compiled a playoff record of 39-8 over the past twelve years.

Van Diest is a 1970 graduate of Helena High School. His career has included stops at his alma mater, the University of Wyoming, the University of Montana, the University of Massachusetts, and the Big Ten representative, Northwestern University, as an assistant coach. Van Diest has won titles at Montana (Big Sky Champions, 1982), Wyoming (two Western Athletic Conference Championships and one Pacific Division Championship, 1986) and 14 Frontier Conference Championships at Carroll, as well as the 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2010 NAIA National Championships.

He and his wife Heidi have two sons, Shane, 28 and Clay, 21.

Craig Howard, Southern Oregon

In just four years in the Frontier Conference, Howard has led the Raiders to two Frontier championships and a 2014 NAIA national championship. Raised in Grants Pass, Howard returned to the Rogue Valley after a highly successful high school football coaching career in Florida.

Prior to SOU, Howard went 76-23 over his last eight years as head coach at Nease High School (2003-07) and Columbia High School (2008-10) in Florida. At Nease High School he led the squad to the state title game three times, winning a state championship in 2005. His star pupil during his run at Nease was Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. Over his last three years at Columbia High School, Howard's teams broke 30 school records.

Howard also has a background in college coaching and served as the head coach at Oregon Tech from 1991-92, where he compiled an 8-13 record and was undefeated against Southern Oregon. He served as defensive coordinator for the Owls from 1978-81 and again from 1987-89 and was defensive coordinator at Portland State from 1982-83.

Brian Armstrong, Rocky Mountain

Armstrong enters his ninth season at Rocky Mountain College and seventh as the head coach. Armstrong was also recognized as the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year in 2010 and 2013. Before becoming the head football coach, Armstrong was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.

Armstrong comes to RMC after having been the head football coach at Kathleen High School in Lakeland, Fla., where he compiled a 21-6 record in two years. In his two years, his teams won two District 10 titles and were regional finalists in 2005 and regional semi-finalists in 2006. Armstrong was also voted regional and District 10 "Coach of the Year" while at Kathleen.

Before taking the head coaching position at Kathleen, Armstrong spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons as a graduate assistant at Utah State University, working with the offensive line and special teams.

Armstrong graudtaed high school at Helena High and was an eventual NAIA All-American at UM-Western.

Tim Camp, Eastern Oregon

Tim Camp enters his seventh season at the helm of the Mountaineer football program in 2014. Coach Camp was named the head coach of EOU football in February of 2008. During his time as head coach, he has compiled a record of 35-30, which is the second most wins in the programs history. He sits 14 wins away from becoming the All-Time Winningest Football Coach at EOU.

Prior to be named head coach at EOU, Camp served as an assistant coach for two years at EOU. He served as an offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator and camp coordinator. Before coming to EOU, Coach Camp served as the offensive coordinator at Bucknell University and the offensive line and tight ends coach at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. From 1997-2002, Camp served as offensive line coach, recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coordinator at the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. In 2000, he was promoted to offensive coordinator.

Camp's collegiate coaching career began in the fall of 1996 at Western Oregon University, where he coached the offensive line, tight ends and special teams. Camp earned a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Oregon State University in 1995. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Beavers, and received All-Pac-10 honors. Camp signed a free agent contract with the San Diego Chargers after his OSU graduation. 

Chuck Morrell, Montana Tech

Head coach Chuck Morrell begins his fifth campaign at the helm of the Oredigger football program. He starts the 2015 season with a 15-27 overall record at Montana Tech and for his career.

Morrell arrived at Tech from the University of South Dakota, where he served as the defensive coordinator in 2009.  Prior to his stint at USD, Morrell coached at the University of Sioux Falls from 1998-2009, where he served as the defensive coordinator and assistant head coach.

During his time at Sioux Falls, the Cougars played in five NAIA national championship games, winning three titles (2006, 2008, 2009).  From 2006-2009, the Cougars were the most dominant program in the NAIA, with a record of 56-1 and their only loss in that span was in the 2007 national title game. 

  As a player at Sioux Falls, he was the leading tackler on the 1996 NAIA Division II national championship team.  Coach Morrell, who produced 44 All-Conference and 11 All-American defensive players at Sioux Falls, has released numerous DVDs on his "uptempo 3-4 defense." 

B.J. Robertson, UM-Western

2014 was B.J. Robertson's second season as head coach for Montana Western. He returned to his Alma Mater as head coach for the 2013 season after building a successful career as an assistant coach in programs at Rocky Mountain, Southern Oregon, and Rockford College. In his first season at the helm the Bulldogs finished 4-6 and improved to 6-5 during the 2014 campaign.

Robertson has served as assistant head coach, strength and condition coach, recruiting coordinator, special teams and as a position coach on both sides of the ball.

Robertson, originally from Sheridan, was a running back on the 1994 Frontier Conference champion and Montana Western Hall of Fame Bulldog team. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Montana Western in 1998 and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Rockford College

Mike Moroski, C of I

Mike Moroski is in his third year as head coach at the College and has a 4-7 all-time record.  Was named head coach in January of 2013 and led the Yotes through their "zero year" program, prior to the return to the field in September of 2014.

Moroski came to the College after three decades at UC-Davis – both as a player and a coach.  As offensive coordinator from 1993-2010, his schemes helped the Aggies to eight NCAA Division II postseason appearances, including three trips to the national quarterfinals and trips to the national semifinals in 1996, 1997, 2000 and 2001. In 2000, his offense averaged 47 points per game, ranking second in Division II, while in 2001, his offense averaged 41 points and 511 yards per game, helping Moroski earn Division II National Assistant Coach of the Year honors.

With Moroski serving as offensive coordinator, UC-Davis posted an overall record of 148-80, including a 98-32 record as a Division II school. Moroski coached every offensive group during his tenure at UC-Davis – quarterbacks (1987-88), wide receivers (1992-97), offensive line (1998-2009), tight ends (2010-11), and running backs (2012), while serving as the junior varsity head coach from 1989-91. He helped the Aggies in their move from Division II to the Football Championship Subdivision in 2003, with UC-Davis transitioning to the Great West Conference and and the Big West Conference.

Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of a complete breakdown of the upcoming Frontier Conference football season. For a look at the top quarterbacks in the Frontier, see Monday’s Havre Daily News.