I took up watching recordings of FCS football games on YouTube as an interest when COVID took away live sports in the spring of 2020. Had always been fascinated by what NDSU has built and wanted to see more of it up close.
This led to also taking an interest in SDSU as I learned more about the different teams in the Missouri Valley Conference. I appreciate and respect that they are the only school of the main Dakota four who opts to play home games outside. With a stadium that is less than 10 years old, that was hopefully a deliberate decision given that USD, NDSU, and UND all play indoors.
Between what they have accomplished in football, and mens/womens's hoops, I would say that their department has accomplished more than most of the MAC schools and performed very well on their respective levels/conference. The men's basketball team has been in the dance on a pretty regular basis and their women's program went three years in a row from 22-24. Seems like Slade knows what excellence on the field/court looks like and will want to hold Ohio to similar standards. He is definitely inheriting a strong football program (best in the modern era IMHO) and will hopefully elevate the programs that are struggling a bit.
I like his fundraising background and being from western South Dakota strikes me as he won't experience much culture shock moving to Southeast Ohio and should help him connect well with the local population. Athens and Brookings appear to be about the same size in population so that won't be a major shift, either.
Best of luck to him and here's hoping Ohio Athletics will continue to climb!
Ohio-The State University