Valley Rundown: Players from each Valley squad standing out early in the season

We’re only three weeks into the 2025 FCS campaign and conference play has yet to begin in the Valley, but players are beginning to make names for themselves or cement their place as some of the conference’s top talents. 

Each team has seen some standout performers, and here’s one from each:  

Illinois State – LB Tye Niekamp: Already an All-American, Niekamp has picked up right where he left off in 2024. He’s already recorded 30 total tackles, including a career-high 14 in a victory against Eastern Illinois, which earned him MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Those 30 tackles are also one of the better marks in the country. In addition, he’s recorded 2.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.  

Indiana State – DL Logan Wilson: Wilson has been one of the top defensive linemen among Valley teams through three games. He’s already tallied a conference-leading 5.5 tackles for loss, is near the top of the conference leaderboard with two sacks and has already earned a MVFC Defensive Player of the Week honor. The redshirt senior has already taken a major step forward from last season, where he didn’t record a sack and only had 1.5 tackles for loss.  

Murray State – DB Dylan Rowsey: Rowsey has been a tackling machine in the Racer secondary. He is second in the FCS with 45 total tackles and leads the country with 35 solo tackles. In a conference where having standout secondary players is a must, Murray State seems to have a budding star in the Itawamba Community College transfer.   

North Dakota – QB Jerry Kaminski: Kaminski won the starting job for the Fighting Hawks in fall camp and has not disappointed. The redshirt sophomore has UND looking like a threat in the Valley with both his arm and legs. With 812 yards of total offense and 11 total touchdowns, UND could easily be 3-0 instead of 1-2, thanks in large part to Kaminski’s performances. Expect the Fighting Hawks, under his command, to be a dark horse contender. 

North Dakota State – QB Cole Payton: Both North Dakota squads have new starting QBs, and both have been impressive early on. Payton has already thrown for 706 yards and six touchdowns with a completion percentage over 70% as the Bison have seemingly lost little in production going from Cam Miller to Payton, so far. He’s also added 175 yards and one touchdown on the ground.  

Northern Iowa – WR Tysen Kershaw: Kershaw has quickly emerged as the Panthers’ top target early in the season. His 249 receiving yards are second in the conference, and he’s already eclipsed his 2024 mark (193). He’s also caught two touchdowns and has 13 receptions through three contests.   

South Dakota – RB LJ Philips Jr.: Talk about sending a message to the rest of the conference. After Charles Pierre Jr.’s season came to an abrupt end due to a knee injury, Philips immediately showed he could fill his shoes. In his first game as RB1 against Northern Colorado, he ran his way to 301 rushing yards, the second-most in a single game in USD history. Despite Pierre’s absence, the Coyotes may see little to no drop-off in backfield production thanks to Philips. 

South Dakota State – WR Lofton O'Groske: After contributing as a true freshman in 2024, O’Groske has become Chase Mason’s go-to target in 2025. He leads the Valley with 279 receiving yards and is second with 23 receptions. Both of those numbers also rank at least top 12 in the country. Along with two touchdowns, he also has 10 more receptions than any other Jackrabbit receiver.  

Southern Illinois – DB Vinny Pierre Jr.: If I weren’t singling out players, I’d put the entire SIU defense here, but Pierre has been one of the Salukis’ top performers. He’s already nabbed two interceptions to go along with 13 tackles and half a tackle for loss. He’s already doubled the number of INTs he had last season and has been a critical piece in SIU’s secondary. 

Youngstown State – QB Beau Brungard: When I wrote my Valley preseason preview, I gushed over Brungard’s athleticism. Well, through three games, he leads the conference in rushing yards (426), rushing touchdowns (six) and boasts a 70.4% completion percentage. Youngstown State boasts one of the top offenses in the Valley thanks to him and the Penguins look primed to give every team a tough matchup.