Isaac Fruechte Explained

Isaac Fruechte
Current Team:North Dakota Fighting Hawks
Position:Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach
Birth Date:7 March 1991
Birth Place:Caledonia, Minnesota, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:3
Weight Lbs:210
High School:Caledonia (MN)
College:Minnesota
Undraftedyear:2015
Pastteams:
Pastcoaching:
  • Wisconsin–La Crosse (2018)
    Co-offensive coordinator & wide receivers coach
  • Northern Iowa (2019)
    Wide receivers coach
  • Northern State (2020–2021)
    Offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, & wide receivers coach
  • Winona State (2022–2023)
    Associate head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, & wide receivers coach
  • North Dakota (2024–present)
    Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks coach
Pfr:F/FrueIs00

Isaac Fruechte (born March 7, 1991) is an American college football coach and former wide receiver. He is the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the University of North Dakota, positions he has held since 2024. Fruechte played college football at Rochester Community and Technical College and Minnesota as well as high school in-state at Caledonia.

Early years

Fruechte is a graduate of Caledonia High School in Caledonia, Minnesota. Under the guidance of his father Carl, who is a legendary football and basketball coach at Caledonia, Isaac played as a wide receiver and safety and helped lead the Warriors to two consecutive state championships (2007, 2008), three section championships and two 3 Rivers Conference titles. He was a two-time Associated Press Honorable Mention All-State selection and a three-time All-3 Rivers conference selection. Following his senior season, he was named to the St. Paul Pioneer Press All-State team. In addition to football, Fruechte was also a standout track and field athlete at Caledonia, earning four straight berths at the state championships. He had a personal-best time of 10.82 seconds in the 100-meter dash and was timed under 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

College career

RCTC

Fruechte had been asked to walk on at the University of Minnesota out of high school, but due to Minnesota's strict admission standards, Isaac's math score in high school wasn't good enough, therefore he opted to enroll at Rochester Community and Technical College in the fall of 2010 instead. Listed at 6-foot-3, 200-pound, Fruechte played his freshman season in 2010 with the Yellowjackets, catching 30 passes for 805 yards and nine touchdowns, helping the team finish with a 10-2 record, beating Central Lakes 34-31 in the state championship game before falling to Iowa Central 32-7 in the North Star Bowl.[1] For his efforts, he was named second-team All-Minnesota College Athletic Conference. After graduating from Rochester in December, Fruechte enrolled at Minnesota for the spring semester.

Minnesota

In his first season with the Gophers, Isaac started 9 out of 12 games. He recorded 19 receptions for 256 yards and 2 touchdowns for the run-heavy Minnesota offense. The Gophers improved their record to 6-7 and went to the Texas Bowl, their first bowl game in years. Fruechte was named Minnesota's Wide Receiver of the Year at the Gophers annual football banquet.

As a sophomore in 2013, Fruechte started 6 out of 13 games. He recorded 13 receptions for 154 yards in a year where the passing game struggled and the running game flourished. The Gophers improved their record to 8-5, and went back to the Texas Bowl for the second year in a row.

During his senior year, Fruechte played in all 13 games and set career-highs in receptions with 18 and receiving yards with 292 yards. As the year went on, his role on the team expanded. He had 3 receptions for 46 yards against Northwestern in Week 6, and a 45-yard catch against Purdue the following week. On October 25 against Illinois, he had a career-game with 3 receptions for 105 yards, including his lone touchdown of the season on a 52-yard pass from quarterback Mitch Leidner. The Gophers went 8-5 again, beating Michigan, Iowa, and Nebraska, to earn a New Years Day bowl game in the Citrus Bowl.[2]

Statistics

Season Team Games Receiving Rushing
GP GS Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds Avg TD
12 9 19 256 13.5 2 0 0 0.0 0
13 6 13 154 11.8 0 3 5 1.7 0
13 3 18 292 16.2 1 2 -10 -5.0 0
Total 38 18 50 702 14.0 3 5 -5 -1.0 0
[3]

Professional career

Minnesota Vikings

Fruechte was signed by the Minnesota Vikings after going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft. On September 3, 2016, he was released by the Vikings as part of final roster cuts.[4] [5]

Detroit Lions

On September 5, 2016, Fruechte was signed to the Detroit Lions practice squad.[6] He was released by the team on September 21, 2016.

Minnesota Vikings (second stint)

On September 27, 2016, Fruechte was signed to the Vikings' practice squad.[7] With the Vikings set to take on the Chicago Bears for their last game of the regular season, the Vikings promoted Fruechte to the active roster on December 31 due to injury issues at the wide receiver position.[8]

On September 2, 2017, Fruechte was waived by the Vikings.[9]

Coaching career

In spring 2018, Fruechte was hired as the wide receivers coach for Wisconsin–La Crosse.[10] Prior to the season starting he was promoted to co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.[11]

In 2019, Fruechte was hired as the wide receivers coach for Northern Iowa.[12] [13]

In 2020, Fruechte was hired as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and wide receivers coach for Northern State.[14] [15]

In 2022, Fruechte was hired as the associate head coach, offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and wide receivers coach for Winona State.[16] [17]

In 2024, Fruechte was hired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for North Dakota.[18] [19] [20]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.postbulletin.com/sports/localsports/fruechte-signs-with-gophers/article_2330a5fe-a383-5906-886e-9d80b209b56e.html Fruechte signs with Gophers
  2. Web site: Isaac Fruechte's football dreams became reality at the University of Minnesota . December 31, 2016 . January 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170101001740/http://www.duganthomas.com/page35.php . dead .
  3. Web site: Isaac Fruechte College Stats . Sports-reference . Sports-reference.com . November 12, 2013.
  4. Web site: Vikings Announce Roster Moves, Set 53-Man Roster . Vikings.com.
  5. Web site: May 9, 2015 . Minnesota Vikings Release Isaac Fruechte . Daily Norseman . September 6, 2015.
  6. Web site: Lions sign WR Isaac Fruechte and LB Steve Longa to practice squad . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20161127232809/http://www.detroitlions.com/news/news-short/article-1/Lions-sign-WR-Isaac-Fruechte-and-LB-Steve-Longa-to-practice-squad/6c5713ba-b312-4f2a-b0c4-fe9087c57ab3 . November 27, 2016 . September 10, 2016 . DetroitLions.com.
  7. Web site: Vikings Sign Willie Beavers to Active Roster, Announce Roster Moves . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170923095954/http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Vikings-Sign-Willie-Beavers-to-Active-Roster-Announce-Roster-Moves/d2a5bd4c-a48e-4a0a-a009-e532d79c98c5 . September 23, 2017 . Vikings.com . September 27, 2016.
  8. Web site: Peters, Craig . December 31, 2016 . Vikings Place Sendejo on IR; Sign Fruechte to 53 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170202081554/http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Vikings-Place-Sendejo-on-IR-Sign-Fruechte-to-53/6de89582-a01f-4803-aebd-a98d8aaccd7e . February 2, 2017 . Vikings.com.
  9. Web site: September 2, 2017 . Vikings Announce Roster Moves, Set Roster . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20180201072934/http://www.vikings.com/news/article-1/Vikings-Announce-Roster-Moves-Set-Roster/efb3b87d-d166-482e-90a1-b23becee4af2?sf111117150=1 . February 1, 2018 . Vikings.com.
  10. Web site: Isaac Fruechte - Football Coach . February 29, 2024 . University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics . en.
  11. Web site: Tribune . Andrew Krammer Star . Isaac Fruechte, former Viking and Gopher, finding route up the coaching ladder . February 29, 2024 . Star Tribune.
  12. Web site: Isaac Fruechte - Wide Receivers - Football Coaches . February 29, 2024 . UNI Athletics . en.
  13. Web site: January 29, 2024 . New UND offensive coordinator Isaac Fruechte wants his system to be 'exciting, fast brand of football' . February 29, 2024 . Grand Forks Herald . en.
  14. Web site: Isaac Fruechte - Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers - Football Coaches . February 29, 2024 . Northern State University Athletics . en.
  15. Web site: January 28, 2024 . UND football turns to Winona State assistant Isaac Fruechte to fill offensive coordinator role . February 29, 2024 . Grand Forks Herald . en.
  16. Web site: 2024 . Isaac Fruechte - Football Coach . February 29, 2024 . Winona State University Athletics . en.
  17. Web site: January 28, 2024 . Caledonia native Isaac Fruechte named offensive coordinator at North Dakota . February 29, 2024 . Rochester Post Bulletin . en.
  18. Web site: Isaac Fruechte - Football Coach . February 29, 2024 . University of North Dakota Athletics . en.
  19. Web site: February 8, 2024 . Fruechte Hired as Offensive Coordinator at North Dakota . February 29, 2024 . University of North Dakota Athletics . en.
  20. Web site: und360-kelly . February 14, 2024 . A Look At The Hawks Offense Led By New OC Isaac Fruechte . February 29, 2024 . UND Football 360 . en-US.