MSU Athletics

Danny Friend enters his first season as Offensive Line Coach with Minot State football after being hired in February of 2021.

"I am really excited to be adding Danny to our staff.  He has been a part of a program that has a great culture and has improved drastically during his time at Indiana University.  He will bring a lot of energy and love to our offensive line and to our team as a whole. He played and coached at the NCAA Division I level and he is a great addition to our staff. Friend will help us continue to build and maintain a culture of accountability, passion, and grit within our program." -- Head Football Coach Mike Aldrich. 

Friend graduated from Indiana University where he served as a Graduate Assistant for the Indiana football team since 2018. He was responsible for national offensive line recruiting; coached the scout defense to give looks for the week-by-week opponent; assisted with the offensive line coaching responsibilities, and balanced 16-plus-hour days while going to graduate school.

Prior to going to graduate school and becoming a graduate assistant, he played football for the Indiana football team, was named 2017 Big 10 Sportsmanship Honoree, and won the 2017 Ted Verlihay Mental Attitude Award. He was invited to represent the University at local school assemblies focusing on youth empowerment and dedicated 20-plus hours a week to training, practicing, meetings, travel, and competition. 

Friend worked as a Team Coordinator/Coach at Indiana football summer camps where he coached adolescents on skills and strategies for individual and team improvement while demonstrating a number of learned weight-room exercises.

Offensive lineman (2017) and tight end (2013-16) for the Hoosiers. Played in 38 career games and made 10 catches for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Member of the 2015 New Era Pinstripe Bowl and the 2016 Foster Farms Bowl.

A native of Morris, Ill., Friend graduated from Morris Community High School.

He earned his exercise science degree in May 2017.