WITH CHARLIE YAEGER. >>> JUST OVER THREE WEEKS AGO WHILE EVERYONE ELSE WAS STILL ENJOYING THEIR SUMMER VACATION, THE 2024 EDITION OF BSU FOOTBALL TOOK THE PRACTICE FIELD FOR THE FIRST TIME AS A TEAM. TOMORROW, BEMIDJI STATE WILL TAKE THE FIELD AT CHET ANDERSON STADIUM FOR THEIR FIRST GAME OF THE 2024 SEASON, A ZERO-WEEK GAME AGAINST A NOT SO FAMILIAR OPPONENT IN MICHIGAN TECH BUT THE BEAVERS ARE LESS CONCERNED WITH WHO THEY ARE PLAYING AND MORE CONCERNED WITH HOW THEY ARE PLAYING, BELIEVING THAT IS THE KEY TO VICTORY. >> I THINK HONESTLY WE HAVE THE BEST DEFENSIVE LINE IN THE NATION. IT'S JUST US DOING OUR JOB, LOCKING IN, FOCUSING, WE HAVE A BUNCH OF OLDER GUYS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE TWO, THREE, FOUR YEARS NOW. IT'S TIME FOR US TO SHOW UP AND SHOW WHAT WE CAN DO. YOU KNOW, HANDLE THAT ASPECT OF THE GAME. I KNOW OUR LINEBACKERS ARE GOING TO DO THEIR THINGS, BUT FOR ME, IT'S THE D-LINE. I THINK WE CAN CONTROL THE WHOLE GAME. >> WE JUST NEED TO PLAY OUR GAME, PLAY PHYSICAL AND FAST, NOT MAKE MISTAKES, MAKE SURE WE KEEP OUR COMPOSURE WHEN THINGS AREN'T GOING OUR WAY. WE NEED TO PLAY BALL. YOU CAN FEEL THE EXCITEMENT STARTING TO BUILD. EVERYONE IS READY TO GO. JUST GETTING EVERYONE BACK OUT HERE, HAVING EVERYONE ON OUR SIDE, IT SHOULD BE AN EXCITING ONE. >> WE MENTIONED MICHIGAN TECH WAS AN UNFAMILIAR OPPONENT. THEY WILL BE THE BEAVS FIRST NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENT SINCE PLAYING A STILL INDEPENDENT MINOT STATE TO OPEN THE 2011 SEASON.