Northwestern College Men's Football

Matt McCarty is in his 11th season as the Red Raiders' head coach entering the 2026 season, moving into the position in December of 2015. McCarty was the team's defensive coordinator for 11 years and also served as assistant head coach from 2012 to 2015. He has led the Northwestern football program to two National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Football Championship Series (FCS) semifinals four times (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023) and has made three NAIA FCS National Championship game appearances (2020, 2022, 2023). McCarty led the Northwestern football program to their first NAIA national title in 2022 since the 1983 season.  "I want to instill in our players to always do their best," commented McCarty. "I want them to do what is right and to make a difference both on and off the field. I really enjoy coaching at Northwestern with our staff because we do our best to meet our young men where they are spiritually, academically and athletically and then help them grow and become their best." In 2020, McCarty joined the NAIA executive committee as a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) sub-group, serving as the second vice president for the NAIA coaches in the association. Under McCarty's direction, the Raiders reached the national championship game in three of four seasons (2020, 2022-23). In 2023, he guided the Raiders to their first outright conference title since 1996. McCarty was a four-year player for the Northwestern football team (2000-03) under head coach Orv Otten. He was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American defensive back his senior season in 2003, helping guide a Red Raider team that went 10-2 on the season and 9-1 in GPAC play and a trip to the NAIA FCS Quarterfinal round. Additionally, McCarty was a member of the Red Raider baseball team in the spring. McCarty resides in Orange City with his wife, Alisha and their children, Brooks and Deviryn.  Coaching Experience:     2015-present: Head Coach, Northwestern College     2012-2015: Associate Head Coach, Northwestern College     2005-2015: Defensive Coordinator, Northwestern College     2003-04: Assistant Coach, Okoboji High School NWC COACHING HIGHLIGHTS: 1 NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP (2022) 3 NAIA FCS National Championship game appearances (2020, 2022-23) 4 NAIA FCS Semifinal appearances (2020-23) 8 NAIA FCS Playoff Appearances 35 NAIA All-Americans  10 GPAC Defensive Players of the Year (most recent: Trystin Voss, 2026) 3 GPAC Offensive Player of the Year (most recent: Jalyn Gramstad, 2023) 129 All-Conference Performers 56 All-GPAC First Team Performers 39 All-GPAC Second Team Performers 9 CSC Academic All-America Selections 22 CSC Academic All-District Honorees  Coaching Accomplishments: NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPION (2022) 1: AFCA NAIA National Coach of the Year (2022) 2: AFCA Region IV Coach of the Year (2022, 2023) 1: AFCA Region IV Co-Coach of the Year (2017) set a program record for most consecutive wins (27-straight) between 2022-23 seasons finalist for the Assistant Coach of the Year (2014) led the NAIA's top-ranked in total and scoring defense in 2014 (as Defensive Coordinator McCarty Year-by-Year: Year GPAC Record Overall Rank / Other 2025 6-4 (4th) 6-4 2024 8-2 (2nd) 9-3 NAIA FCS Quarterfinals; #7 in NAIA 2023 10-0 (1st) 14-1 NAIA FCS Championship; #1 in NAIA 2022 9-1 (2nd) 13-1 NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS; #3 in NAIA 2021 9-1 (2nd) 12-2 NAIA FCS Semifinals; #4 in NAIA 2020 8-1 (2nd) 11-2 NAIA FCS Championship, #2 in NAIA 2019 8-1 (2nd) 9-2 NAIA FCS 1st Round; #10 in NAIA 2018 8-1 (2nd) 9-2 NAIA FCS 1st Round; #12 in NAIA 2017 7-1 (2nd) 10-2 NAIA FCS Quarterfinals; #8 in NAIA 2016 3-5 (6th) 3-7 N/A TOTAL 76-17 96-26 (.787 winning pct.) updated May 2026

Fernstrum is in his 15th season as an assistant coach for the Northwestern College football team.  Position Group: Defensive Line Family: wife- Lisa; children - David, Johanna, & Thomas Alma Mater: Northwestern (2012) Playing Career: 2-year letterwinner (2008-09) Coaching Career: 2011-present: Northwestern assistant Fernstrum helps lead the Northwestern Network, which focuses on alumni and parent relations along with broader engagement with supporters of Northwestern. A 2012 business/education graduate, he previously served his alma mater as its director of annual giving and various roles within admissions.   NWC Advancement Profile

Byker is in his 13th season as an assistant coach for the Northwestern College football team. Position Group: Wide Receivers Family: married to Alesha, father of Finley, Griffin, Barrett, and Lottie Alma Mater: Northwestern (2014), All-Conference receiver in 2013 Playing Career: 4-year letterwinner (2010-13) Coaching Career: 2014-present: Northwestern assistant In addition to his coaching role, Byker serves as President and CEO of Sibley State Bank in Sibley, Iowa.

Kasel is in his fourth year as an assistant coach for the Red Raider football team, joining the staff for the 2020 season.  Position Group: Running Backs Family: wife - Lori; children - Kenna and Teagen Alma Mater: Buena Vista (1998) Graduate Degree: Masters of Arts - Education, Briar Cliff Playing Career: 4-year letter winner in football at BVU (1994-97) Coaching Career: 2020 - present: Assistant Coach, Northwestern College 2016-19: Assistant Coach, West Sioux 2001-15: Assistant Coach, Le Mars Community 1998-2000: Assistant Coach, Van Buren Community Schools *fifth grade teacher at Franklin Elementary

Sam Rall returned to Northwestern's football staff in March of 2020 after previously being on staff in 2016. He will be serving as a graduate assistant and work specifically with quarterbacks. "The experience that I had here as a student and as an athlete have shaped my entire life," said Rall. "To be in a place where you can emphasize Christ as the center of everything is one of the main reasons that I pursued the opportunity to coach at NWC. I want to be as Christ-like as possible as a leader and as a coach, and the best way to do that is in an environment that allows me to have Him at the center of everything we do." Prior to joining the staff at Northwestern Rall served for three and a half years in the United States Army. His coaching experience includes a stint on staff at Northwestern in 2016, and multiple years of coaching high school baseball.  Rall is a Northwestern College graduate (2015) where he received a history degree. He is currently pursuing a Masters of Education degree from Northwestern. While at Northwestern, Rall played one year of baseball in addition to his football playing career. He earned all-conference honors once for football.  His favorite verse is Matthew 20:26-28, "It references the ideology of servant leadership, and shapes the philosophy that I have tried to emulate as a coach," said Rall. "Lead as a servant. Choose to serve, not be served." Rall is still currently serving in the South Dakota National Guard. 

Gramstad joined the Red Raider football coaching staff in January 2025 as a graduate assistant. He serves as the special teams coordinator and also works with the defensive line. As a student-athlete at Northwestern, Gramstad won an NAIA national championship in 2022, a season that saw him play 13 games and record 17 tackles and 2.5 sacks. For his career, he made 43 appearances as an EDGE rusher and totaled 55 tackles and 5.5 sacks. He was a Plifeger-Olson scholar-athlete in 2019. Hailing from Lester, Iowa, Gramstad holds a degree in business management from Northwestern College and is pursuing a master's in school counseling from Northwestern. He is the son of Kjert and Michelle Gramstad, and brother to Jalyn, Mallory, Kyndra, and Kelyn. Gramstad resides in Orange City with his wife, Amber, and son, Graesyn.

Greg Will joined the Red Raider football coaching staff as a graduate assistant in August 2023, following a four-year playing career on the Red Raider offensive line. He will work with the Northwestern offensive line position group and assisting offensive coordinator Josh Fakkema.  The 2022 Associated Press (AP) First Team and NAIA Honorable Mention All-American helped the Red Raider offense that sat led the nation offensively: leading the nation in third-down conversion rate (55%) and rushing touchdowns (44), tied for second in passing touchdowns (38), sat third in scoring offense (43.7ppg), total yards (467.6ypg), ninth in rushing yards (208.1ypg), and 14th in passing yards (259.5ypg).   "I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to coach the offensive line at Northwestern. Since my football career started I have always had an interest in coaching and I know NWC is a great place to do that," said Will. "Coach McCarty hasput in a lot of work and done a great job in building a culture that is successful as players on the field and men off the field. The culture extends into the coaching offices and I am blessed to be joining that."   Helping to anchor an experienced offensive line in 2022, Will was instrumental in the offense's explosive nature and helping to secure the program's third national title last season. He was a staple on the line for three seasons, while earning First Team All-GPAC honors his senior season this past campaign. "Working with Fakkema is going to be a lot of fun. Being able to learn from a guy that I played next to will help smoothen the transition from being a player to a coach," concluded Will. "Fakkema communicates well and is a hard worker so I'm excited to get after it with him and keep the recent offensive successes rolling."   Graduating from Northwestern College in May 2023, Will earned a degree in Criminal Justice. While working as a graduate assistant, he will be working towards a graduate degree in Sport Leadership from Dordt University. 

Blake Fryar was hired in January 2026 to assume the role of offensive coordinator on head coach Matt McCarty's staff. In 2025, Fryar served as the wide receivers coach at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where his position group accounted for 261.0 yards per game and 61 touchdowns. The wide receivers' group was highlighted by First Team All-WIAC wide receiver Trevor Syse. The Pioneers advanced to the NCAA Division III Round of 16, compiling a record of 9-3. Prior to his time at UW-Platteville, Fryar spent two seasons at the University of South Dakota as a quality control coach working under offensive coordinator, Josh Davis, whom he played under while at Northwestern. Fryar's playing career at Northwestern was marked with success, throwing for 3,566 yards and 40 touchdowns. He was named an Honorable Mention All-GPAC selection in 2021 and started the 2020 NAIA Championship game. In his senior season, Fryar represented his team as a captain for the 2022 NAIA National Championship team. Fryar is a 2022 graduate of Northwestern College, holding a degree in business administration and sport management.

Brett Moser was promoted to Northwestern football's defensive coordinator role in January 2025. Moser joined the football coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2021 and was added as a full-time coach in 2023. As the team's special teams coordinator and defensive line coach, Moser's special teams group included First Team All-GPAC long snapper Ty Schafer and Second Team All-American kicker Eli Stader. Also working with the defensive line, Moser coached a group that consisted of 2024 All-American Trystin Voss and six All-GPAC selections over the last three years. Moser led the Raider special teams and defensive line units and had athletes named to all-conference teams 12 times in those three seasons. In his Red Raider career, Moser recorded 179 tackles, 12 sacks, forced a fumble and broke up four passes. He split time as a linebacker and defensive lineman as a member of the Raiders' defensive unit. He was a two-time All-Conference performer in the GPAC and received All-American accolades in the 2020 season. Moser was a part of six Red Raider NAIA playoff wins. He made two trips to the NAIA FCS Semifinals, plus a trip to the NAIA FCS National Championship game in the 2020 season. A 2021 Northwestern graduate with a degree in elementary education, Moser resides in Sioux Center with his wife, Makenna ('21), and daughter, Brooklyn. He continues to hold his family's strong ties to Red Raider football, as his father and three brothers all played in the Northwestern football program.