UND football's Jonnie Wiltshire and Avery Scott still waiting on eligibility status
Jul. 15—GRAND FORKS — Two UND football players’ status for the 2026 season remains unclear, Fighting Hawks head coach Eric Schmidt said Tuesday at the Missouri Valley Football Conference Media Day at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls.
Jonnie Wiltshire and Avery Scott are pursuing options for an injunction through a court process with the state of North Dakota as the defensive backs are seeking an additional year of eligibility in 2026.
“Their waivers have kind of been put on hold a little bit with the NCAA, so there’s a few other guys that have been in their position (who have pursued state input),” Schmidt said. “I think that’s probably the clearest path to be able to get those guys a decision on their futures.”
Wiltshire had a breakout season in 2025 in UND’s new 4-2-5 scheme. Playing in a nickel role, the Dodge City Community College transfer collected three interceptions including returning one for a touchdown against Murray State. He added 4.0 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss en route to all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honorable mention honors.
Scott, also playing in a nickel role, recorded 23 tackles, eight pass break-ups and had an interception against Portland State. The West Virginia State transfer was injured late in the year at Murray State and missed UND’s two FCS Playoff games.
“We just want to give them an opportunity, yes or no, so that they can either move on or be able to play here,” Schmidt said. “You get to this point in July, and you’re still waiting to see what’s going to happen. It’s really something that I feel bad about for them. They’ve been waiting and working on their own and just trying to get a decision here moving forward.
“Hopefully, in the next few days we’ll be able to get that process rolling. The way I understand it, it’s not always a drawn-out process to get an injunction. It’s something that a judge can rule on in a pretty short amount of time.”
UND football players will report for fall camp earlier this summer than previous years. The team reports Tuesday, July 28, with the first practice coming Wednesday, July 29.
