GRAND FORKS -- The University of North Dakota's first spring football practice Monday at Memorial Stadium wasn't out of the ordinary.
Tempers flared a bit; a few fumbles came on simple handoffs; and defensive players did some extra running if they lacked pursuit to the football.
"All-in-all, it was a pretty good day," UND coach Chris Mussman said.
Then again, there was the wind, which was gusting up to 33 mph out of the southeast -- making for less-than-ideal conditions.
"But it was just good to be back out playing football again," Mussman added.
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UND's football program officially took another step forward with the beginning of the spring season.
UND no longer is a transitioning Division I program. The Sioux, now playoff eligible at the FCS level, also begin Big Sky Conference play in the fall -- the move the program has been waiting for since moving up to Division I five years ago.
The first practice, not surprisingly, had its ups and downs.
"You could see tempers flaring a little bit at the end," Mussman said. "Coaches' intensity increased as the practice went on and so did the intensity from the players. That's a good thing.
"I'm OK with a skirmish here and there as long as once they leave the field, it's done. We're playing football; that's going to happen. It's natural.
"We put the ball on the ground a few times offensively by missing simple exchanges form the quarterback and running back. And defensively, you saw guys doing up-downs once in a while for a lack of hustle."
UND has 14 more practices in the spring season, which ends with the annual Green and White Game on April 21 at the Alerus Center.
Between now and the spring game, UND's goals are to develop depth -- especially defensively -- and settle on a No. 1 quarterback before the team's opener Aug. 30 against South Dakota Mines.
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Four quarterbacks took reps Monday -- Joey Bradley, Marcus Hendrickson, Chris Comes and Braden Hanson, the North Carolina transfer.
Hanson, who will be a senior, played sparingly at North Carolina. He enters the spring season at No. 4 on the depth chart and has drawn most of the media attention since his transfer at the semester break.
The former Tar Heel, however, said he just wants a chance to play.
"I came here to compete for a job," he said. "That's the No. 1 reason. I spent four years at Carolina and backed up two different quarterbacks. I wanted to go somewhere where I had a chance to play.
"I didn't want to be an insurance policy. And I think I'll have a fair opportunity here."
Mussman said it's far too early to determine who will be the starter for the 2012 season.
"Everybody had their pluses and minuses from the first day," Mussman said.
Nelson is the sports editor of the Grand Forks Herald, which is owned by Forum Communications Co.
