Dec. 2, 2024
Two-time national champion Konnor Near celebrates return to Ferris State football team after one year at University of Oklahoma
Ferris State University linebacker Konnor Near wanted to test himself against the best of the best in college football, playing for University of Oklahoma after graduating from Ferris State with two national championships on his resume.
But a year removed from Big Rapids, Near felt a tug back to Ferris State, a place that was always special to him.
Near couldn't hide a big smile while celebrating after the top-ranked Bulldogs topped Davenport University this month to bring the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship to Big Rapids for the first time since 2021.
It has been quite a journey for Near, a graduate student-athlete for the Bulldogs. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Near was a standout linebacker on Ferris State's 2021 and 2022 NCAA Division II National Championship teams.
Near was as successful in the classroom as he was on the gridiron, graduating cum laude in May 2023 from Ferris State's College of Engineering Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management.
But Near still had football left in the tank and had an opportunity to test himself against the best of the best. He transferred to the University of Oklahoma to play major Division I football for the Sooners, widely considered one of college football's "blue bloods," programs with a decorated history of dominance, prestige, and success.
But he missed all that he had with Ferris State. The feeling hit home as the Bulldogs secured an outright GLIAC championship with a 24-9 win over Davenport.
"It's 100 percent that this was one moment I was looking forward to experiencing with my teammates," said Konnor, a St. John's native who played in 12 games for the Sooners in Fall 2023 and finished with seven tackles. "It's something I've been thinking about since about May when I rolled back into Big Rapids, coming back to Ferris. I'm so happy to do this with the guys on this team."
Returning to Ferris State and his home state of Michigan, Near was welcomed by his Bulldog brothers as he joined a talent-rich linebacker corps that includes senior Jason Williams, a Detroit native, and junior Sefa Saipaia, from Fort Collins, Colorado.
"Once you're a Dog, you're a Dog for life," he said. "I made all my best friends here, and I've said that before and I'll keep saying it. There's nothing better than being on the field and celebrating success with your teammates. It's even sweeter to do it here, at Ferris State. I love it. I'll always have a bunch of family here, I really love them all, and it's definitely a good feeling to have this experience."
Near was a first-team All-GLIAC selection during the 2022 season as he helped lead the Bulldogs to a second consecutive NCAA Division II National Championship. He remembers the team falling short of claiming the 2022 GLIAC title.
"This one is pretty sweet for sure," said Near, who finished the 2022 season with a career-best 66 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and three sacks as he played in and started all 15 Bulldog games. "It feels great to know you're the best in the GLIAC. It's one of the big goals you talk about when you come into preseason camp. We're excited to reach that goal, but we're also focused on taking it one day at a time as we get ready for future goals."
Ferris State finished its 2024 regular season with a 10-1 record – winners of 10 straight games after a week-zero loss to nationally ranked Pittsburg State. Those 10 consecutive victories include a perfect 7-0 league mark.
The Bulldogs earned the No. 1 seed in Super Region 3 of the 2024 NCAA Division II playoffs. Because of that top seed, Ferris State received a first-round bye and will face No. 4 seeded Central Oklahoma on Saturday, Nov. 30, at 12 p.m. in Big Rapids.
Ferris State has a 10-year playoff stretch Under head coach Tony Annese, the longest active streak in NCAA Division II football.