Earned
Fairmont graduate Hudson Artz gets scholarship at NDSU
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FARGO - Hudson Artz was already living the dream
Walking onto the North Dakota State football team had already been something special. During his four-year Bison career, Artz played in 30 contests, won a national championship, and became a key figure on special teams in addition to his role as backup safety.
But one thing he consistently sought was a scholarship.
"It was a huge goal of mine. Something I targeted since I came in [the program] and tried to achieve," Artz said.
The possibility was discussed a few times for Artz. He recalled his end-of-season conversations this past January, hearing the coaches urge him to come back for a fifth year.
"Going into the fifth year, the coaches mentioned that they thought they could do some new things with going to FBS, and they really wanted me here," Artz said. "They definitely didn't make any promises, though. So I kind of knew there was a chance based on our postseason meetings in January."
However, it still didn't take away any of the shock when Bison head coach Tim Polasek gave Artz a call this past summer. After missing the first exchange, Artz called his coach back later in the day, receiving the good news and being overcome with joy.
"I didn't call him back for about six hours," Artz said with a laugh. "I didn't think I did anything wrong; why was the head coach calling me on a summer off-day? So I said to myself I better call him back."
"When coach Polasek called and gave the news that I was getting put on full scholarship, it was definitely an emotional moment and very exciting. The first people I thought about were my parents. I almost couldn't get off the phone fast enough because I wanted to tell them. They've been so supportive of me, and I couldn't have done this without them."
The scholarship added to Artz’s name was more than a title. It was validation for what he's given the NDSU team, coaches and fans over his successful career. A career that started by taking a walk-on opportunity for a program he always idolized.
"It really showed that the coaches valued my hard work," Artz said. "They knew I was coming back [for a fifth year] no matter what, so I was really grateful for it. It was really rewarding knowing that they saw all the dedication and grind I had to go through."
Making an impact
Artz's playing time has increased rapidly the past two seasons. Two seasons which saw appearances in all 27 games for the Bison's special teams.
His experience on multiple units garnered him the title of Ranger for the 2025 campaign. A title that was made official that year, the Rangers are made up of six players who are considered major influences on special teams. It's an honor that Artz takes to heart, and hopes to regain before the fall officially starts in a couple of weeks.
"It's a term we use for a special team's leader or captain. We name six of them to start the year," Artz said. "It's just a guy that's on almost every special team and knows that they are doing, leading the charge and helping us in that part of the game. We take that very seriously at North Dakota State, and it's something I had to work towards to have that honor."
Artz expects another year of being involved in different special teams units. A consistent presence to help lead both on and off the field. He also says this fall could be the biggest role he's seen from a backup safety standpoint.
Regardless of what happens, Artz's goal at NDSU is clear and simple; helping the team win any way he can. In his fifth and final season with the program, Artz plans on doing just that.
"I'm really excited," Artz said heading into the 2026 season. "I really felt valued by the coaches and felt like they really wanted me here and that I was a guy that helped the team win. That's really all I ever wanted. Is to be a contributing part of this team on Saturdays, and it's been a blessing to be able to do it the past couple of years."