BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Power Five football players don’t come along often, but when you have the size and talent of Bismarck’s Jac Schaefer, there’s no way a school won’t want you. .
Schafer has another hurdle to overcome this season to help lead the Demons to the playoffs.
Jac Schafer is one of the state’s best football players heading to D1. When he’s on the field, people notice.
“Obviously he’s not 100 percent, but at 50 percent he’s better than a lot of our players,” BHS head coach Mark Gibson said.
Bismarck High School’s upset victory over then-No. 1 West Fargo Cheyenne came at a heavy price. Doctors told then-Iowa State commit Jac Schaefer that he had torn the labrum in his hip and would miss the remainder of his senior season.
“If we had lost and I had chosen not to play, I don’t think I would have been able to sleep that night. So I think it was definitely worth the sacrifice,” Schaefer said.
After the Demons beat the Mustangs, Schafer got a second opinion on his hip.
“We had to make a difficult decision,” Schaefer said.
Shafer announced the news that he would be returning to finish his senior season and rescheduling his commitment to Washington.
“The decision for me was based on who I wanted to be and what my ultimate goals were. So I went to the University of Washington, toured the facilities, met the coaches, and what they said. And I feel like they’re a better fit for me,” Schaefer said.
Although he is well on his way to college, Shafer still has a high school season left.
“This was Jack’s sole decision. He wants his senior year to go the way he wants,” Gibson said.
“When I look around, this is my home, this is my family. I love playing with the people here. I decided I was ready. I wanted to take some of that pain away, some of that healing. But I wanted to take a gamble,” Schaefer said.
Bismarck’s best lineman will be in the Pacific Northwest for the 2025 season.
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