(UPDATED at 1:30 p.m. with comments from NDSU coach Chris Klieman.)
FARGO (KFGO-AM) -- Quarterback Derek McGinnis and tight end Justin Axelson, both backups, have left the North Dakota State football program, according to an athletic department spokesman.
Media reports Tuesday also had receivers Demitrius Gray and DeSean Warren leaving the team, but Bison sports information director Ryan Perrault could not confirm it Wednesday.
McGinnis was a sophomore from Crete, Neb. He was third on the depth chart in 2014 behind junior starter Carson Wentz and redshirt freshman Cole Davis. Highly touted QB recruit Easton Stick redshirted this season and will compete for the backup job in spring ball.
"He and I visited on Sunday morning after we got back (from the national title game in Texas) and he just said, 'Hey, I've enjoyed this, I've got a couple national championship rings, but now I want to play.' I don't blame him. He sees that Carson has another year. Derek's going to be a junior and he wants to play a couple years," coach Chris Klieman told 740 The Fan. "We'll do anything we can to help him. He's a great young man who has a lot of ability and wants to get on the field."
Axelson was a redshirt freshman from Spring Lake Park, Minn.
The only games McGinnis and Axelson played in this season was against Incarnate Word in September, a game won 58-0 by the Bison.
When asked if he knew of other players leaving the program, Klieman said: "We'll find that out in the coming weeks. We just obviously dropped our bags Saturday night and then left Sunday morning for a convention, so we'll find out."