By Larry Scott
It’s been over 30 years since Randy Sullivan checked into his first football camp at Moorhead State University. It would mark the beginning of an illustrious career that still conjures up great memories three decades later, and it serves as a cautionary tale about the real uncertainty of recruiting.
A native of tiny Stewart in southeastern Minnesota, Sullivan charted a prosperous prep career, doing all he could to catch the eye of college coaches and adapting well when Stewart High School dropped from the 11-man game to nine-man football in his senior year.
“It was my understanding I led the state in rushing as a junior and senior,” Sullivan recalled. “I think I averaged about 185 yards a game my senior year, but we never made it to state, in fact we never made it out of our conference. (Maybe) I was naive to think that I could end up doing what I did coming from a small school with no real guidance or training.”
Even after all these years, Sullivan clearly remembers the recruiting process. There was some interest, most of it from small private schools, and a couple of opportunities to walk on. Somehow, through the recruiting haze came an emissary from MSU Moorhead, and the fog began to lift for Sullivan.
“The first coach I had contact with was (defensive coordinator) Dave Olson,” said Sullivan. “I came up for a visit, and the number one factor (in my decision) was the winning tradition. There were a lot of good players here and a good history.”
“There were no real promises other than I could come up and compete. I was pretty sure I was going to play offense, but coach Olson talked about me playing defense. Fortunately, the head coach was an offensive guy, and I got to stay on offense.”
Sullivan would quickly benefit from the coaching wisdom of Fortier.
“Ross was the first real football coach I had; my high school coach really was a basketball coach,” said Sullivan. “Coach Fortier taught me the game. He was very organized, very consistent, and we always knew what we would be doing. We didn’t try to do a bunch of things; we just had to execute to be successful. Because of his commitment to doing the best at whatever we were doing, we knew we could succeed, even if the defense knew what we were doing.”
Years later, Sullivan remains impressed about the splendid relationship between Fortier and Olson.
“I got to spend every day with coach Fortier because he was runningbacks coach and offensive coordinator. Dave was a little more outspoken and interactive, but it was a perfect blend. Ole was the rah-rah guy who got us fired up, while Ross was always thinking two and three series ahead. He had great calmness and unwavering confidence in what we were doing.”
“It was very intimidating, coming from a small school,” Sullivan said. “I didn’t know anybody who had played college football, and when I got here, I was impressed with how big they were and how fast they looked. I remember after my second day being so sore and stiff. . . calling back home and talking to my mom about how maybe this isn’t for me. . . but after the two-a-days were over, I felt more comfortable.”
It didn’t take Sullivan long to make an imprint at State.
He spent most of his rookie season with the Dragon junior varsity, and was voted Most Valuable Freshman, but he was also included on the travel roster for the post-season playoff game at Pittsburg (KS) State. He was the lone freshman added to the limited roster.
“I felt very comfortable in my ability against the other freshmen. I won the freshman award, but I never started a game for the freshman team. We had four other backs, and we had a rotating system. Just by chance I never got to start, but I led the team in rushing.”
“I got to travel for the playoff game and return kickoffs,” said Sullivan. “That was my first (varsity) action. I’ll never forget before the game (captain) Randy Bjorklund grabbed me by the shoulder pads and said, ‘Don’t fumble.’ I didn’t.”
“The next spring they moved me to fullback because Jerry Allen was back. We ran mostly open backs, but I was the fullback in the I-formation and won the position that spring before my sophomore year.”
He became the feature back in the Dragon offense as a sophomore in 1982 and rushed for 972 yards and 16 touchdowns on 176 carries. He also finished second in scoring on the final NCAA Division II national chart with 12.2 ppg, and sixth in rushing, 108.
His numbers spiked considerably in 1983 as a junior. Sullivan’s workload increase to 233 carries, and he produced 1,123 yards with 10 touchdowns and finished third nationally with 126.3 yards a game.
Crafting an encore for his senior year would be tricky stuff for most backs, but Sullivan set a single season record with 1,406 rushing yards on 285 carries with 20 touchdowns. He reached a memorable personal goal by leading the nation in both rushing, 140.6, and scoring, 13.2.
He exited as the Moorhead State’s career leader for rushing (3,515) and scoring (316), and set a career record with 52 touchdowns.
He reached the 100-yard plateau19 times, including nine of 10 games as a senior, and scored five touchdowns against Minnesota Morris in 1984. He also scored four touchdowns on three other occasions.
He was a three-time NIC rushing and scoring champion and a first team All-NIC pick all three years. He was decorated with NIC Player of the Week honors eight times. A first team All-NAIA District 13 selection as a senior, he was voted the top player in the district.
Sullivan was an NAIA Honorable mention All-American as a sophomore, a second team pick as a junior and a first team choice as a senior.
Sullivan burst upon the regional and national scene with a breakout performance in a 30-9 victory over Concordia College in game two. Sullivan rushed for 163 yards and four touchdowns.
After the game, he was quick to deflect praise to others. “They were keying on (Jerry) Allen,” he offered.
“That was my most memorable game, and it solidified with my teammates that I could play, that I could contribute. It was my second start, and I was the only new starter on offense. The next day there was a picture of me scoring a touchdown in the Minneapolis Tribune; that was neat.”
There would be a long line of memorable games in Sullivan’s portfolio, including a 227-yard rushing harvest against Kearney State as a senior and a 175-yard, five-touchdown day in a wild 45-42 loss at Minnesota-Morris as a senior.
By his sophomore year Sullivan became a marked man, the focal point of opposing defenses. It would extract a toll, and while Sullivan would receive more than his share of big hits, he never missed a game. “I missed about three quarters of the Winona State game as a senior with a back spasm,” said Sullivan. He would bounce back the next week to score five touchdowns against UMM.
There was a time when Sullivan thought briefly about testing his skills on a bigger stage.
“I considered transferring to Nebraska after my sophomore year,” Sullivan said. “I was confident I could play at the highest level. Nebraska was an I-formation team, and I was an I-back. I talked to coach Olson about it. He had left Moorhead State, and I knew he would be honest with me. He gave me nothing but encouragement, and said I could play there, but he also said I would have an incredible future here, so I stayed.”
A Construction Management major at Moorhead State, Sullivan is convinced college football provides a rich learning experience beyond the classroom, “There’s not a better education,” said Sullivan. “Getting the degree is great, but the best education is the one you get in the locker room.”
Today Sullivan looks back on his collegiate career with a sense of satisfaction and melancholy from his home in Hawaii. It was a magical time in his life, but he knows they are gone for good, and only the memories remain.
“I was thankful for the great teams we had, and all the success we had. It was always fun, especially game day. I had the fortune of playing behind a lot of good blockers.”
There is a special connection, a team bonding that is at the very heart of successful programs. It’s also something that cannot be replicated, a feeling that will be missed.
“The camaraderie, you’ll never get that back,” Sullivan said. “Guys from all walks of life getting together for six days a week; that’s the most hurtful part of leaving the game. You just can’t get that back.”
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