Roger Thomas was hired to replace him prior to the 1986 season. To add insult to what was already a forgettable decade in the annals of UND football history that yielded no conference titles and no playoff berths, 1980 marked the last time that the Sioux would defeat the rival NDSU Bison until 1993, twelve consecutive meetings.
The hiring of Roger Thomas before the 1986 season added insult to injury for UND football, which had already experienced a lackluster decade with no conference titles or playoff wins. The 1980 loss marked the last time the Sioux would beat their arch-rivals NDSU Bison until 1993, ending a twelve-match losing streak.