Kade Fee (6)
The young football season has already been one filled with ups and downs for Devils Lake. It’s shown versatility and multifacetedness, but it’s also experienced sloppiness and imperfection.
Here are three keys to the Devils Lake offense.
Quarterback Mason Palmer’s value as a leader
Whichever style of play the Firebirds go with, or whatever their plan of attack happens to be on a certain play — it all starts with Palmer.
Palmer is just beginning his first sports season as an upperclassman. He’s already accomplished so much, from providing key minutes off the bench for the state champion basketball team, to playing a pristine shortstop and hitting third on the baseball team, to also being one of the best pitchers on the baseball team. But his days as a freshman and sophomore are behind him, and he’s established a role as a through-and-through leader of the football squad, both on and off the field.
“The kids respond to him in the huddle,” head coach Todd Lambrecht said. “And he knows the game. He understands the game. He knows what he’s supposed to do. And he gets guys in good situations.”
Though Palmer collected more than 2,200 yards last year, it hasn’t been a complete display of dominance so far this season. He’s overthrown the ball at times, and he got intercepted three times in the first two games. Devils Lake fell a touchdown short in its first game — and even in its first victory of the season, a 26-6 defeat of Watford City, the coaches still weren’t satisfied with a 26-point offensive performance.
The Firebirds have had to find creative ways to score points, whether it’s a heavy series of running plays or a happenstance pick-six from defenseman Brody Forsberg. But the head of the ship through it all is Palmer.
“As a quarterback and as one of our leaders, it’s one of those things to where he has high expectations, and those guys try and meet ‘em,” Lambrecht said. “So it’s great to watch him play. I get goosebumps sometimes at the some of the stuff that he does, just that pocket presence that he has. And knowing when to move and stuff, and where to throw the ball.”
Bryar Exner showed star potential in Game 2
In the first game, it seemed like the Firebirds were trying everything. They threw the ball. They ran the ball. They gave chances to a variety of playmakers. They eventually lost, 34-27.
But in the second game, their strategy was more obvious from the beginning. They were going to win or lose this game at the hands of Exner. Back after an injury, Exner has made an immediate difference.
Handing the ball to Devils Lake’s speedy running back became the team’s go-to play. And it worked. Exner consistently found open routes to gain ground. He even made something out of nothing on several plays, fighting off would-be tackles and making the Wolves have to beat him multiple times. If the Firebirds needed a short gain, they’d simply hand it Exner.
“It’s great. I know I trust them; they trust me,” Exner said after the win. “I love it. Our bond is great together. We rely on each other, and it worked today.”
Both Lambrecht and Exner credited the work of the offensive line, which helped create some of those openings for Exner. The Firebirds’ offensive worked cohesively in the first victory of the season, with Exner as a valuable weapon against opposing defenses. Like Palmer, he’s just entering his junior season, and his development and continued improvement will be a key trend to watch as the fall chugs along.
Wide receiver Oliver Wirth can impact the game in big ways
Coming into the season, Wirth had the most hype of any Devils Lake football player.
The senior has received Division II recruiting interest. In the Grand Forks Herald’s preseason 12 players to watch from all around northeast North Dakota, Wirth was right in there as a key name.
He’s yet to really carry this team, though, despite still making some big-impact plays that have helped boost the Devils Lake offense. Part of that is just the strategy the Firebirds have been going with; they went so heavy on running plays in the second game that Wirth didn’t have a ton of chances to begin with. And on a couple of occasions, Palmer has overthrown the 6-foot-6 Wirth.
Still, when he has the ball, it’s apparent the kind of damage he can do. On one of the first plays of the season, Wirth caught a routine pass and muscled his way through the defensive line for a gain of 11 yards on fourth down. He had two key catches that stood out in the second game, too. On a third-down play, Wirth had a reception and a gain of 18, avoiding two tackles yet again. Late in the game, Wirth somehow caught a pass that was nearly intercepted, bouncing off multiple Wolves’ fingertips before landing in Wirth’s lap.
Wirth is tall for a wide receiver, but it only makes him that much more of a force. He’s already shown that his size can be too much for opposing defenses to handle. Not to mention his speed and agility, being a member of the basketball team and a solid high jumper as well.
Wirth has been slightly overshadowed by Exner so far, but his potential impact can’t be overlooked. Devils Lake could benefit from utilizing him a bit more often, and the offense could be much more lethal as a whole if the Firebirds can really get him going.
