​Deng Deng, the UND sophomore wide receiver, spent the past week leading one-day football camps for youth players in both Grand Forks and Devils Lake. In Grand Forks, Deng partnered with UND’s Sanford Health and Greater Grand Forks Youth Football to work with more than 100 young athletes at the Pollard Center. He then joined forces with quarterback Jerry Kaminski to run a camp for over 200 participants in Devils Lake. Earlier in the week, Deng noted that his off-season has been a blend of giving back through camps and pursuing personal development. “The focus of the summer has really just been training mostly,” the 6-foot-4 receiver said. “It’s fun coaching some of these camps and seeing all the little kids out here in the community. It’s always great to see the kids.” He added that his goal is to become a more well-rounded receiver who can be deployed in every situation and run every route in the playbook, while also prioritizing body, speed, strength, and agility.
As fall camp approaches later this month, Deng is expected to help expand UND’s offensive options after the team saw Nate DeMontagnac graduate to the CFL and B.J. Fleming transfer to Tarleton State. Deng conveyed optimism about the season, saying, “I feel there’s a lot of hype around it. I’m confident in our offense, defense, and coaches. We’ve all been clicking and getting better throughout the summer and spring ball. I’m really excited to go out there and showcase what we can do.” Deng began to establish himself as a freshman last year, catching one pass in each of the first five weeks, with a notable red-zone impact. Four of those first five receptions went for touchdowns, and a 21-yard catch against Kansas State helped UND reach the goal line. A multi-sport standout at Four Winds High School, Deng then went five weeks without a catch before his role expanded late in the season. He finished with five receptions for 56 yards against South Dakota State, and the following week in an FCS Playoff road win at Tennessee Tech, he posted his best game of the year with five receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown. In the season’s next rung, he had a quiet outing in a loss at Tarleton State, finishing without a catch.
Deng’s on-field chemistry with Kaminski has grown throughout the summer as Kaminski enters his second year as UND’s starting quarterback. Kaminski’s own summer highlight — winning a skills competition among top FBS quarterbacks at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana — was a source of pride for Deng. “I was hyped to see that because he was competing against the best in the country,” Deng said. “We all knew—we were joking about it—that we’d take him over any quarterback in the country for UND.”