SEWARD, Neb. – It will be Military Appreciation Day at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday when rival Hastings makes its way to Seward for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. Both sides are looking to bounce back after suffering GPAC losses last week. The Concordia University football team is 2-1 at home this season with wins over Buena Vista University (Iowa) and Dakota Wesleyan. The Broncos are 2-1 on the road.
Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad managed only 252 yards of total offense in last week’s 23-14 defeat at Briar Cliff. A trio of fumble recoveries kept the Bulldogs in it. They led 14-13 as late as the 2:03 mark of the third quarter. The highlights for Concordia were an 83-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon and a 21-tackle performance by linebacker Lane Napier.
Tony Harper is in his eighth season as head coach at Hastings. The Broncos have dropped three of four since a 2-0 start prior to league play. They fell by a 36-15 score at home to Midland last week despite limiting the Warriors to 59 yards rushing. On the flip side, Midland effectively contained Hastings star back Tahj Willingham (23 carries for 60 yards). Three different Bronco passers were intercepted in the contest.
Attendees who present a military ID will be admitted free of charge on Saturday. Area service men and women will be honored during ceremonies throughout the game. Concordia will also welcome back alum Major General K. Luke Reiner ’86, who will participate in the pre-game coin toss. In addition, a cannon and other military equipment from the Nebraska National Guard will be available for viewing. The cannon will go off at the end of the national anthem and after every touchdown scored by Concordia.
GAME INFO
Hastings (3-4, 1-4) at Concordia (3-3, 2-3)
Saturday, Oct. 20 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
Live Stats: Stretch Internet
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*National rank out of 90 NAIA football programs in parentheses
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 15.8 (86th)
Defensive PPG: 23.0 (T-26th)
Total Offense: 272.5 (85th)
Pass Offense: 155.3 (72nd)
Rush Offense: 117.2 (74th)
Total Defense: 397.2 (52nd)
Pass Defense: 230.3 (54th)
Rush Defense: 166.8 (46th)
Turnover +/-: +10 (T-4th)
Hastings
Offensive PPG: 17.0 (T-79th)
Defensive PPG: 34.1 (65th)
Total Offense: 321.6 (T-69th)
Pass Offense: 181.7 (T-58th)
Rush Offense: 139.9 (55th)
Total Defense: 414.3 (59th)
Pass Defense: 220.0 (49th)
Rush Defense: 194.3 (66th)
Turnover +/-: -6 (T-74th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-7, 2nd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 31/63 (.492), 364 yards, td, int
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 130 rushes, 654 yards, 5.0 avg, 6 td; 9 catches, 45 yards
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 30 catches, 312 yards, 10.4 avg, td
Defense: Lane Napier – 76 tackles, 7 tfl, 3 sacks, ff
Hastings
Head Coach: Tony Harper (37-42, 8th season; head coach at Dakota Wesleyan from 2002-04)
Passing: Clark Livingston – 114/212 (.538), 1,150 yards, 4 td, 6 int
Rushing: Tahj Willingham – 169 rushes, 670 yards, 4.0 avg, 5 td; 18 catches, 88 yards, td
Receiving: Jordan Johnson – 35 catches, 551 yards, 15.7 avg, 3 td
Defense: Wesley Jardim – 56 tackles, 0.5 tfl, sack, fr
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (3-3, 2-3)
9/8 vs. Buena Vista, W, 27-20
9/15 at Jamestown, W, 16-13
9/22 vs. Midland, L, 7-35
9/29 at Dordt, L, 19-38
10/6 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 14-9
10/13 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-23
10/20 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/27 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. (4) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.
Hastings (3-4, 1-4)
8/25 vs. Peru State, W, 25-21
9/1 at Panhandle State, W, 26-17
9/15 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-26
9/22 vs. Dordt, L, 17-55
9/29 vs. (2) Morningside, L, 0-65
10/6 at Doane, W, 22-19
10/13 vs. Midland, L, 15-36
10/20 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/27 vs. (3) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
In the rankings
Concordia cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll last Nov. 6 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs did not receive any votes in the preseason national poll this preseason or in the first six regular-season polls. They were picked fourth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 47th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.
Hastings appeared in the “receiving votes” category of the NAIA national poll on Sept. 10 but has since fallen off the radar after losing to Briar Cliff on Sept. 15. The Broncos did crack the top 25 in three separate polls in 2017, rising as high as 19th in the middle of October. Under Tony Harper’s direction, Hastings’ top ranking was 14th in October 2012. In the 2018 GPAC preseason polls, the Broncos were pegged sixth by the coaches and eighth by the media. They are currently ranked 39th in the NAIA by Massey Ratings.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 15): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 47th
Hastings
GPAC preseason: T-6th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 15): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 39th
Bulldogs continue to feast on turnovers
While Concordia has been outgained by its opponents on average, 397.2 to 272.5, turnovers have been a great equalizer. The Bulldogs have taken the ball away 13 times and have given it away three times. Their +10 differential ranks as the fourth best turnover margin in the NAIA this season. Concordia had a positive turnover margin again last week. It forced four Briar Cliff turnovers and recovered three of them. The Bulldogs did turn it over once (Andrew Perea interception), which marked their first turnover since the opening game against Buena Vista. Concordia still has yet to lose a fumble and its three giveaways are the second fewest in the nation.
Durdon climbs all-time rushing list
The Bulldogs have not produced more than 330 total yards of offense in a single game this season, but running back Ryan Durdon continues to be a reliable big-play threat. He broke off an 83-yard touchdown run (longest of his career) in the second quarter at Briar Cliff. He ended up with 129 rushing yards on 14 attempts. The big touchdown burst moved Durdon up to No. 8 on the program’s all-time rushing list. Now at 1,901 career rushing yards, Durdon needs 99 more to become the seventh Bulldog in school history to reach the 2,000 mark. Durdon has also found the end zone 14 times over his 16 career games.
Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
7. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
8. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 1,901
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799
Napier rises back up tackle charts
Sophomore linebacker Lane Napier appears to be well on his way to a 100-tackle season after putting up a career high 22 stops last week at Briar Cliff. The David City, Neb., native now ranks fifth nationally with an average of 12.8 tackles per game (77 tackles overall). Merely in the middle of his second collegiate season, Napier has amassed 174 career tackles over 16 games with the Bulldogs. The program GPAC era record for career tackles is 290 by Sean Stewart (1999-02). This season Napier has also totaled seven tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. Napier is the leader for a linebacker crew that includes Zac Walter (54 tackles, five tfl’s) and Derek Tachovsky (44 tackles, 4.5 tfl’s). Formerly a fixture at linebacker, Kordell Glause (37 tackles, five tfl’s, three sacks) has started the past three weeks at safety.
Rudloff on the spot
As part of a three turnover performance by the defense last week, Aaron Rudloff forced a pair of fumbles in addition to making a career high 12 tackles. Rudloff has been a major factor in the defense’s ability to take the ball away. He has now forced four fumbles, has recovered two fumbles and has intercepted a pass from his defensive end spot. The junior from Battle Creek, Neb., owns season totals of 34 tackles (ties a career high), three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. As a unit, Concordia has recovered seven of the eight fumbles it has forced. Additionally, five different Bulldogs have picked off a pass.
Trickeration
Concordia has used a couple variations of a reverse play to pull one over on the opposition the past two weeks. In the 14-9 win over Dakota Wesleyan, a reverse flea flicker (referred to as the “criss cross special”) worked for an 82-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Perea to freshman tight end Garrett Schardt. Then last week, another reverse resulted in Perea catching a 10-yard touchdown toss from sophomore receiver Arthur Anderson. In his career, Perea has thrown for six touchdowns, has run for one and has caught one. Such wrinkles in the offense are likely to reappear for an offense that enters the week ranked 85th in total yards per game.
Offense looking for breakout
Through the first six games, Concordia has produced offensive total yards outputs of 310, 144, 274, 325, 330 and 252, respectively. The team’s season high point total was 27 in the season opening win over Buena Vista. Perhaps this could be a week for a breakout. Hastings enters this week allowing averages of 34.1 points and 414.3 yards per game. Quarterback Andrew Perea will make his third start in a row in place of Jake Kemp, who suffered a hand injury in the loss at Dordt on Sept. 29. The team’s top receiving threat is Vincent Beasley, who has career highs of 30 receptions and 312 yards receiving yards.
Series vs. Hastings
Concordia and Hastings have met 50 times on the gridiron with the very first matchup taking place in 1966 (6-6 tie). The Broncos have the upper hand with an all-time series record of 35-14-1. The Bulldogs have had better success in recent years, winning three of the last five meetings, including triumphs in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The home team has won each of the last seven get-togethers in the series. In last season’s meeting, Hastings earned a 38-18 victory while out-gaining Concordia, 472-292. Bronco running back Tahj Willingham ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns.
Home cooking
Concordia saw its 10-game home win streak snapped by Morningside in the final game of 2017, but then got back to protecting its home turf in game No. 1 this season versus Buena Vista. Winners of 12 of their last 14 at home, the Bulldogs went 5-0 at home in 2016 and then 4-1 inside Bulldog Stadium in 2017. The only GPAC teams Concordia hasn’t defeated at home since the start of the 2015 campaign are Dordt, Jamestown and Morningside. Jamestown has never played at Concordia and Dordt has not been back to Seward since 2014.
Last 14 home games
10/6/18 | W, 14-9 | Dakota Wesleyan
9/22/18 | L, 7-35 | Midland
9/8/18 | W, 27-20 | Buena Vista
11/11/17 | L, 0-35 | No. 3 Morningside
10/28/17 | W, 38-16 | Dakota Wesleyan
10/14/17 | W, 44-14 | Midland
9/23/17 | W, 29-18 | No. 7 Doane
9/9/17 | W, 24-6 | Ottawa (Kan.)
11/12/16 | W, 31-28 | Hastings
10/22/16 | W, 20-14 | No. 22 Midland
10/8/16 | W, 56-0 | Briar Cliff
9/17/16 | W, 9-7 | Northwestern
9/3/16 | W, 23-7 | Mary (Kan.)
11/14/15 | W, 48-0 | Briar Cliff
Scouting Hastings
Hastings has surprisingly had issues running the football despite the presence of start tailback Tahj Willingham, who is averaging 4.0 yards per carry after gaining more than 6.0 yards per attempt in each of his first three seasons. The career numbers are impressive for Willingham, who has run for 3,089 yards and 37 touchdowns as a Bronco. Like Concordia, Hastings has had problems putting points on the board. The Broncos have not scored more than 26 points in any of their seven games. Defensively, the Broncos are anchored by returning first team All-GPAC defensive lineman Austin Bretting, who has made six tackles in the backfield (1.5 sacks). Though Hastings is 1-4 in conference play, its four GPAC losses have come against teams that are a combined 21-6 overall this season.