MARQUETTE, Mich. – Noah Dobert, NMU's star senior running back, is best known for his many on-field accolades, but he is also deeply involved in the Marquette community.

In a season of change under a new coaching staff, we sat down with Dobert to reflect on his time in Marquette, the many special moments with his teammates, and his future plans. He explains his hobbies beyond the classroom, his journey to Marquette, and how he's fallen in love with the city.

On the field, Dobert racked up 406 rushing yards against Wayne State last season, breaking NMU's single-game rushing record. For him, it meant everything to do it in front of the home crowd, but he focused not on his own record, but rather on how proud he was of the team for securing their first home victory during his time on the team.

"Oh, it was awesome," Dobert said. "It was definitely one of the best days, just a really great feeling, seeing everyone out there. Especially since we won our last two games after struggling for three years and were finally seeing some wins. That was great. And I just topped it off with that rushing performance, and it was fun. Just a dominating win. It was a surreal feeling."

Last season, he earned several accolades, including Second-Team All-American, All-GLIAC First Team, and GLIAC Offensive Back of the Year. He said he was proud of the accolades but emphasized that he wants to continue to improve.

"I have to just not be satisfied. Accolades are great, but I still have football left to play, and I'm going to keep doing everything I can and not become complacent. I try to be humble about it and keep a good head on my shoulders. I keep striving to become the best version of myself that I can because there are always ways to improve. It's just not being complacent with it."

He doesn't just want to improve on his performance from last season; he's also looking forward to his new role in the offense, now with an entirely new scheme and coaching staff. He's excited about the new offensive versatility and the variety of roles he's already getting to play.

"When you look at last season, it was very run-heavy. It was mostly run through the tackles almost every time. I think with the new offense and the new staff, it's a lot more balanced and spread out. It's easier to see the field in a different way. That's been a breath of fresh air, and it's a lot more sustainable on the body too. I like that aspect of being able to be more versatile as a running back in general, which can include catching passes and outside zone, inside zone, running all the gaps and more. It helps me have a better understanding of the running back position."

Dobert also earned a 2025 GLIAC Academic Excellence Award, showcasing his achievements both on the field and in the classroom. For him, the skills he learned on the field translated into the classroom and helped him balance his academic commitments with his time on the field. He believes maintaining this balance is difficult, especially as an athlete, but says it's doable and deeply rewarding.

"It's definitely tough. But I think sports teaches you discipline and time management. Building those skills, like people skills such as communication, time management, and discipline, is so important. I've been able to develop those over the past couple of years, and I've been able to stay on top of my commitments. Everyone has enough time to do things. It's definitely tough, but it's doable. It's all the guys on the team doing this; all the student-athletes do it. As I said, athletics develops that sense of discipline and time management."

When asked what he wanted fans to know about him beyond his football accomplishments, Dobert reflected on how much he loves Marquette and how the community has enriched his experience at NMU, both on and off the field.

"A lot of people see me as a football player. But I love the Marquette area, I love the people, I love to be outside, and I love to try new things. One of the main reasons I've continued to stay at NMU is because of the people, the community, and the recreation. There have been so many opportunities, like basketball, that build me as a person, and it will prepare me for more life experiences. It's one thing I've really been able to appreciate. I've been able to be around a good group of guys and do a lot of fun things beyond football."

Beyond football, Dobert has developed a variety of interests and hobbies and has really made the UP his own. He enjoys the outdoor recreation NMU has to offer and spending time with friends while experiencing everything Marquette has to offer.

"I love to spend the summers outside and go to the beach with the guys. The outdoor recreation here is awesome, including the hikes and the landmarks. It's all about getting outside and trying new things and seeing new sights with beautiful views. I picked up skiing my freshman year and have loved it, and I also like snow hikes. I just love that there's so much to do here. There's never a time when I'm struggling to find something to fill my time with, beyond football and school."

In his free time, Dobert continues to pick up new hobbies. Recently, he's been learning the guitar. He was asked about it after posting about it on social media.

"It's funny because I've actually been learning the guitar. I started a couple of months ago and it's just a hobby that I love to do to get my mind off school and football. I feel like I've made a lot of progress. It's been fun. I go on YouTube and find songs, and find these little tutorials and teach myself. It's a fun little side hobby."

Despite his success on the football field, Dobert's journey to Marquette was a little unconventional. While underrecruited out of high school in Dearborn, Dobert fell in love with the UP and committed to NMU because he felt it was the best community for him. He knew the program, community, and team would be the best fit for him. Looking back, he's glad he chose NMU.

"In high school, I wasn't recruited very highly. I had a couple of D3 offers, and then two D2 offers. My final two were probably Northwood or Northern Michigan. I went and visited both, I came up here, and I fell in love with the area. I felt like I could have gotten so much more out of this school, outside of football, than I could have anywhere else. Northern provided the best financial opportunity for me, and I wanted to play football at a high level. GLIAC football is probably about as good as it gets in Division 2. And of course, the school. Northern's business program is pretty good, especially for athletes. I know a lot of people who are also in the same general fields as me. Those aspects helped me make the decision. I don't regret a thing."

Dobert has had many enjoyable experiences throughout his time in the UP, but one stands out. When NMU played Davenport last season, the Wildcats won 47-45 in four overtimes in a game they were projected to lose. It meant everything to him to celebrate the win with his teammates.

"One of my favorite experiences last year was against Davenport. We went to four overtimes, and it was crazy. We were expected to lose that game. Just going there and getting that win under such extreme circumstances, and just laughing, being in the locker room with the guys afterwards was a core memory that I'll have for the rest of my life. I think part of the reason I enjoy this so much is because of the people I've been able to be around and the great group of guys that I've developed relationships with."

Dobert enjoys learning about people's financial experiences and hopes to use his experience as a finance major at NMU to help others with their financial goals after graduation and the conclusion of his football career.

"I want to go into financial advising, which is helping other people reach their financial goals and being a manager for them. I've been able to work at offices both in my hometown of Dearborn and Marquette this past summer, and I developed a new passion for it. I want to prepare myself for that future career because, no matter how long my football career goes, it's eventually going to come to an end one day, and I want to be able to have a good career afterwards."

When asked what message he wanted to share with the NMU community, Dobert expressed gratitude for the time he's spent in Marquette and the continued support of fans for him and the team.

"I thank the fans. It's been great to see the amount of support we've gotten from everyone in the area, and obviously, things haven't been going our way overall as a football program, but it's been great to meet all these people and alumni as well as all these friends and the community. Marquette is awesome and I know I talk about it all the time, but I just express my gratitude."