Fred Oien

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Fred Oien

Fred was integral in the move to D1 but he was not the catalyst.

According to that story Fred met with some of the higher ups at NDSU in Fargo who said NDSU was going DI. He called Dr. Miller and asked for a meeting when he got back and announced they'd be studying a potential move to DI. From the story it seems like Fred was the catalyst....

Is there more to the story?

[BTownJack]

Re: Fred Oien

According to that story Fred met with some of the higher ups at NDSU in Fargo who said NDSU was going DI. He called Dr. Miller and asked for a meeting when he got back and announced they'd be studying a potential move to DI. From the story it seems like Fred was the catalyst....

Is there more to the story?

Fred was absolutely the catalyst. He was the one that had to get Miller and other admins on board once he came back from the NCC meeting referenced in the article. Thankfully they did get on board.

[Jackedforlife]

Re: Fred Oien

My bad, although I did hear at one point that when Dr Miller first started her vision included moving the university up in status. Whether athletics was in this strategic outlook I don't know.

...and one could say NDSU was the catalyst, Fred being the point man.

[BTownJack]

Re: Fred Oien

My bad, although I did hear at one point that when Dr Miller first started her vision included moving the university up in status. Whether athletics was in this strategic outlook I don't know.

...and one could say NDSU was the catalyst, Fred being the point man.

One could argue Northern Colorado was the catalyst. They are the ones who went first. They were actually a year ahead of us in the D-I move.

[Hammersmith]

Re: Fred Oien

One could argue Northern Colorado was the catalyst. They are the ones who went first. They were actually a year ahead of us in the D-I move.

It's nitpicking, but I'm not sure who decided first: UNC or NDSU. Back then, you could declare for DI as late as Dec 31 of your first year. UNC decided to push ahead and filed their paperwork to retroactively declare the current year as their exploratory year. NDSU decided to go DI, but to wait and declare the following year as the exploratory year in order to recruit more NCC members to be part of the move; SDSU was the only one willing. It doesn't really mean much in the end, but UNC and NDSU decided within a couple months of the other.

[Nidaros]

Re: Fred Oien

Can you tell the Oien story without the the personal problems, maybe...but should you tell it that way? It's ugly in it's core but it was his doing and he has accepted that.

Fred was integral in the move to D1 but he was not the catalyst. Dr Miller had that vision, pursued it and encouraged her people to get on board. Fred got on board and did a great job. He supported it, helped refine the vision and we as fans should be grateful. Although I think most ADs in that position would've driven it that way. Some not as successfully and others more successfully.

I have to appreciate Fred and his willingness to stay away out of respect for the Dept and Justin. I am aware of a couple other depts where the old timers do not stay away and they make it stressful for the current faculty.

I think this is a thoughtful post and rep pts were given. Also Jacn#1fan brought up an interesting point in the timing of and place in the newspaper that this article appeared. I had not thought much about this but have since Jack#1fan brought it up. I don't think Fred would have allowed the Argus past the front door without some reason. Maybe this was his chance to redeem himself by telling his side of the story, and that he did. I am sure he is enjoying his retirement and he more than earned it.

Several years later it is interesting to hear the details about the Big Sky Conference commissioner meeting in Fargo. More interesting is the detail that he got as far as the Hilltop Coffee and Gas stop at the Summit exit and he called President Miller about an afternoon meeting that not only included President Miller but all the VP's in admin. The wheels were starting to turn.

[goon]

Re: Fred Oien

It's nitpicking, but I'm not sure who decided first: UNC or NDSU. Back then, you could declare for DI as late as Dec 31 of your first year. UNC decided to push ahead and filed their paperwork to retroactively declare the current year as their exploratory year. NDSU decided to go DI, but to wait and declare the following year as the exploratory year in order to recruit more NCC members to be part of the move; SDSU was the only one willing. It doesn't really mean much in the end, but UNC and NDSU decided within a couple months of the other.

Or could go back and say UNI was the catalyst. UNC yes was much closer to the time the xdsus went.

[JackJD]

Re: Fred Oien

Or could go back and say UNI was the catalyst. UNC yes was much closer to the time the xdsus went.

As I was getting caught up on the posts in this thread, I had the same thought as goon (now that’s scarey!). I remember UNI making the jump and NDSU questioned whether it should follow—that was the late 1970s.

[Nidaros]

Re: Fred Oien

As I was getting caught up on the posts in this thread, I had the same thought as goon (now that’s scarey!). I remember UNI making the jump and NDSU questioned whether it should follow—that was the late 1970s.

This is correct as I recall UNI reason for leaving the NCC was that they were a dominant force and were winning all the championships. A real debateable point to say the least.

[Jacks#1Fan]

Re: Fred Oien

I have probably said enough, but just a little more information. The catalyst for the move was what was happening in Division II. Smaller colleges were moving from NAIA into our division and so the voting was changing at the national level. Reducing the number of football coaches and football scholarships was being pushed. As Fred said then, it was only a matter of time before that happened. He felt strongly that was a detriment to the larger D-II universities, and that we needed to decide who our competition was going to be. The meeting in North Dakota was a joint event. Both NDSU and SDSU came out of that joined at the hip. Fred pushed the agenda with President Miller and she understood and provided the approval and support to move to Division I. It was not done just for athletics...it was needed to recognize that the university was indeed already Division I academically, but not recognized as such. God bless them both!

[Nidaros]

Re: Fred Oien

This is correct as I recall UNI reason for leaving the NCC was that they were a dominant force and were winning all the championships. A real debateable point to say the least.

UNi in football could not stop The NDSU veer option.

[Nidaros]

Re: Fred Oien

I have probably said enough, but just a little more information. The catalyst for the move was what was happening in Division II. Smaller colleges were moving from NAIA into our division and so the voting was changing at the national level. Reducing the number of football coaches and football scholarships was being pushed. As Fred said then, it was only a matter of time before that happened. He felt strongly that was a detriment to the larger D-II universities, and that we needed to decide who our competition was going to be. The meeting in North Dakota was a joint event. Both NDSU and SDSU came out of that joined at the hip. Fred pushed the agenda with President Miller and she understood and provided the approval and support to move to Division I. It was not done just for athletics...it was needed to recognize that the university was indeed already Division I academically, but not recognized as such. God bless them both!

A refresher and excellent post. I must spread rep pts