SEWARD, Neb. – It’s back to Bulldog Stadium for the Concordia University football team after another trip to Dordt last week. Despite mounting injuries, the Bulldogs trailed just 21-19 in the third quarter in Sioux Center, Iowa, before things went south in a 38-19 loss. Concordia will have a chance to get back on track Saturday when Dakota Wesleyan visits Seward.
Sophomore quarterback Jake Kemp showed immense improvement last week while leading a passing attack that accumulated a season high 257 yards. Kemp delivered touchdown passes to Logan Kreizel, Korrell Koehlmoos and Vincent Beasley. Both Kreizel and Kohelmoos found the end zone for the first times in their careers. However, the Bulldogs were unable to effectively capitalize on a plus-four turnover margin.
Head coach Ross Cimpl’s squad is seeking its first GPAC win having dropped conference games against No. 2 Morningside, No. 5 Northwestern and at Briar Cliff. Three of Dakota Wesleyan’s losses have come at the hands of teams with top 25 rankings at the time of kickoff. Even faced with a tough schedule to open up the season, the Tigers have averaged nearly 300 passing yards per game while breaking in a new starting quarterback.
GAME INFO
Dakota Wesleyan (1-4, 0-3) at Concordia (2-2, 1-2)
Saturday, Oct. 6 | 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: 16.8 (78th)
Defensive PPG: 26.5 (40th)
Total Offense: 263.3 (85th)
Pass Offense: 148.0 (T-73rd)
Rush Offense: 115.3 (72nd)
Total Defense: 388.8 (52nd)
Pass Defense: 224.0 (50th)
Rush Defense: 164.8 (49th)
Turnover +/-: +6 (T-6th)
Dakota Wesleyan
Offensive PPG: 24.2 (50th)
Defensive PPG: 38.2 (75th)
Total Offense: 424.4 (28th)
Pass Offense: 295.4 (8th)
Rush Offense: 129.0 (65th)
Total Defense: 490.2 (79th)
Pass Defense: 301.8 (85th)
Rush Defense: 188.4 (64th)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-36th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (8-6, 2nd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 54/95 (.568), 525 yards, 5 td, 2 int; rushing td
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 88 rushes, 440 yards, 5.0 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 20 catches, 202 yards, 10.1 avg
Defense: Lane Napier – 42 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 3 sacks
Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Ross Cimpl (45-25, 8th season)
Passing: Steve Slaughter – 101/215 (.470), 1,470 yards, 6 td, 8 int; rushing: 33 att, 112 yards, 3.4 avg, 2 td
Rushing: Luke Loudenburg – 83 rushes, 263 yards, 3.2 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Daniel Libolt – 25 catches, 479 yards, 19.2 avg, 4 td
Defense: Dillon Rork – 28 tackles, 3.5 tfl, 2 sacks, 2 int, fr
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (2-2, 1-2)
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, 1 p.m.
10/13 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
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.
Dakota Wesleyan
8/23 vs. (25) Dakota State, L, 18-27
9/1 at Presentation, W, 64-37
9/15 vs. (2) Morningside, L, 13-66
9/22 vs. (5) Northwestern, L, 13-41
9/29 at Briar Cliff, L, 13-20
10/6 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/13 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/20 at Midland, 1 p.m.
10/27 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
11/10 vs. Hastings, 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 four 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 48th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.
Dakota Wesleyan has been no stranger to the national rankings during Cimpl’s tenure as head coach. The Tigers checked in at No. 23 in the 2017 NAIA postseason coaches’ poll. Dakota Wesleyan has not received any national poll votes so far in 2018 and is ranked 51st in the NAIA by Massey Ratings. The Tigers were picked in the preseason to finish sixth in the GPAC by coaches and media.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 1): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 47th
Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC preseason: T-6th (coaches); 6th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 1): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 51st
Kemp catches fire
Perhaps things would have been different last week had Jake Kemp not been forced to leave the game with a hand injury. The sophomore signal caller from Decatur, Texas, made his fourth career start his best one yet. He completed 21-of-34 (.618) pass attempts for career highs of 224 yards and three touchdowns. Three touchdown passing efforts have not necessarily been the norm for Concordia, although Riley Wiltfong accomplished that feat twice in 2017. Kemp and backup quarterback Andrew Perea completed passes to seven different receivers in the game at Dordt. Since being picked off twice in the season opening win over Buena Vista University (Iowa), Kemp has thrown for a combined four touchdown passes without an interception over three games. Kemp’s status appears to be in question moving forward because of the injury.
Walter emerges
Junior linebacker Zac Walter is playing the best football of his career. The native of Lincoln, Kan., recorded the first two interceptions of his career in the game at Dordt while also racking up a team high 12 tackles. With 38 stops (3.5 for loss) on the season, Walter ranks second behind only Lane Napier (42 tackles) for the most among Bulldogs. Walter’s first interception last week set up the Logan Kreizel 15-yard touchdown reception that gave Concordia an early lead. Walter now has 71 career tackles, including 11 in the backfield. He made 7.5 stops for loss last season as a sophomore.
Kolpin joins starting group up front
The Bulldogs got some help on the offensive line last week with senior Stuart Kolpin returning to make his first career start at guard. Concordia’s starting group also included Cole Baumgartner and Keegan Hornung at the tackles, Roy Garza at another guard spot and Johnny Robinson III at center. Concordia is still without two seniors who were projected starters in the preseason – tackle Grady Koch and center Evrett Shaw. Koch is the most experienced after claiming honorable mention All-GPAC accolades last season. Of the aforementioned names, only Koch was a regular on last season’s offensive line that helped pave the way for running back Ryan Durdon to rush for 1,247 yards in 2017.
Opposition focused on Durdon
Ryan Durdon entered this season as one of the few proven commodities on Concordia’s offense. Naturally, opposing teams have game planned to stop the run. After busting loose for 250 rushing yards in game No. 1, Durdon has been limited to 190 rushing yards on 46 carries over three GPAC games. Eighty-four of those yards came on one rush that ended the first half against Midland. Durdon has still managed to average 110.0 rushing yards per game (14th best among all NAIA players). Already ranked in the top 10 on the program’s all-time rushing list, Durdon has run for 1,687 yards and 12 touchdowns over his 14 career games.
Busy day for Beasley
Senior Vincent Beasley has emerged as the favorite target in the passing game. Beasley even did something four-time All-GPAC receiver Jared Garcia never did – catch at least 10 passes in a single game. Beasley wound up with 11 grabs for 89 yards last week at Dordt. Though Concordia has played fewer games than most teams in the GPAC, Beasley ranks tied for ninth among conference players for receptions (20). He has essentially doubled his career reception total which jumped from 23 entering this season to 43 at the moment. Beasley also leads the team with 202 receiving yards.
Up and comers
Plenty of young players are seeing playing time all over the field. On defense, sophomore linebacker Caydren Cox made his presence felt last week with a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception as part of a four-takeaway day for the defense/special teams. Offensively, sophomore Korrell Koehlmoos was featured more frequently. He caught three passes for 53 yards with one of his receptions being a 34-yard touchdown play. Additionally, freshman corner Exavier Jackson got the start last week at corner. He was credited with two pass breakups.
Series vs. Dakota Wesleyan
Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan met on the gridiron only twice (1984 and 1985) before both programs became GPAC members in 2000 (first year of the conference’s existence). With the exception of 2008 and 2009, the two sides have gone head-to-head every season since then. Thanks to last season’s 38-16 win over the Tigers, Concordia evened up the all-time series (9-9). Dakota Wesleyan had won the 2015 and 2016 matchups.
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 11 of their last 13 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 13 home games
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 Dakota Wesleyan
At 1-4, Dakota Wesleyan finds itself in unfamiliar territory. The Tigers have won at least five games in each of the past eight seasons with a high water mark of nine victories in 2015. Part of the slow start is due to having already played the two highest rated teams in the GPAC. Those opponents have exposed weaknesses in a Tiger defense that has allowed 38.2 points and 301.8 passing yards per game. At quarterback, junior Shaye Slaughter has taken over for All-American Dillon Turner. The results have been mixed. He has thrown for 1,470 yards and six touchdowns, but has completed only 47.0 percent of his passes and has been intercepted eight times. So far, Dakota Wesleyan has had to rely on the passing game with its rushing attack averaging only 3.4 yards per carry. On the other side of the ball, senior linebacker Dillon Rork is a playmaker. He has a pair of sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery on the season. The Tigers ended up dropping a close one last week at Briar Cliff despite Daniel Libolt taking the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Libolt is also a game-breaking receiver that will require Concordia’s attention on Saturday.
SEWARD, Neb. – It’s back to Bulldog Stadium for the Concordia University football team after another trip to Dordt last week. Despite mounting injuries, the Bulldogs trailed just 21-19 in the third quarter in Sioux Center, Iowa, before things went south in a 38-19 loss. Concordia will have a chance to get back on track Saturday when Dakota Wesleyan visits Seward.
Sophomore quarterback Jake Kemp showed immense improvement last week while leading a passing attack that accumulated a season high 257 yards. Kemp delivered touchdown passes to Logan Kreizel, Korrell Koehlmoos and Vincent Beasley. Both Kreizel and Kohelmoos found the end zone for the first times in their careers. However, the Bulldogs were unable to effectively capitalize on a plus-four turnover margin.
Head coach Ross Cimpl’s squad is seeking its first GPAC win having dropped conference games against No. 2 Morningside, No. 5 Northwestern and at Briar Cliff. Three of Dakota Wesleyan’s losses have come at the hands of teams with top 25 rankings at the time of kickoff. Even faced with a tough schedule to open up the season, the Tigers have averaged nearly 300 passing yards per game while breaking in a new starting quarterback.
GAME INFO
Dakota Wesleyan (1-4, 0-3) at Concordia (2-2, 1-2)
Saturday, Oct. 6 | 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: 16.8 (78th)
Defensive PPG: 26.5 (40th)
Total Offense: 263.3 (85th)
Pass Offense: 148.0 (T-73rd)
Rush Offense: 115.3 (72nd)
Total Defense: 388.8 (52nd)
Pass Defense: 224.0 (50th)
Rush Defense: 164.8 (49th)
Turnover +/-: +6 (T-6th)
Dakota Wesleyan
Offensive PPG: 24.2 (50th)
Defensive PPG: 38.2 (75th)
Total Offense: 424.4 (28th)
Pass Offense: 295.4 (8th)
Rush Offense: 129.0 (65th)
Total Defense: 490.2 (79th)
Pass Defense: 301.8 (85th)
Rush Defense: 188.4 (64th)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-36th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (8-6, 2nd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 54/95 (.568), 525 yards, 5 td, 2 int; rushing td
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 88 rushes, 440 yards, 5.0 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 20 catches, 202 yards, 10.1 avg
Defense: Lane Napier – 42 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 3 sacks
Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Ross Cimpl (45-25, 8th season)
Passing: Steve Slaughter – 101/215 (.470), 1,470 yards, 6 td, 8 int; rushing: 33 att, 112 yards, 3.4 avg, 2 td
Rushing: Luke Loudenburg – 83 rushes, 263 yards, 3.2 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Daniel Libolt – 25 catches, 479 yards, 19.2 avg, 4 td
Defense: Dillon Rork – 28 tackles, 3.5 tfl, 2 sacks, 2 int, fr
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (2-2, 1-2)
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, 1 p.m.
10/13 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
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.
Dakota Wesleyan
8/23 vs. (25) Dakota State, L, 18-27
9/1 at Presentation, W, 64-37
9/15 vs. (2) Morningside, L, 13-66
9/22 vs. (5) Northwestern, L, 13-41
9/29 at Briar Cliff, L, 13-20
10/6 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/13 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/20 at Midland, 1 p.m.
10/27 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
11/10 vs. Hastings, 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 four 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 48th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.
Dakota Wesleyan has been no stranger to the national rankings during Cimpl’s tenure as head coach. The Tigers checked in at No. 23 in the 2017 NAIA postseason coaches’ poll. Dakota Wesleyan has not received any national poll votes so far in 2018 and is ranked 51st in the NAIA by Massey Ratings. The Tigers were picked in the preseason to finish sixth in the GPAC by coaches and media.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 1): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 47th
Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC preseason: T-6th (coaches); 6th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 1): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 51st
Kemp catches fire
Perhaps things would have been different last week had Jake Kemp not been forced to leave the game with a hand injury. The sophomore signal caller from Decatur, Texas, made his fourth career start his best one yet. He completed 21-of-34 (.618) pass attempts for career highs of 224 yards and three touchdowns. Three touchdown passing efforts have not necessarily been the norm for Concordia, although Riley Wiltfong accomplished that feat twice in 2017. Kemp and backup quarterback Andrew Perea completed passes to seven different receivers in the game at Dordt. Since being picked off twice in the season opening win over Buena Vista University (Iowa), Kemp has thrown for a combined four touchdown passes without an interception over three games. Kemp’s status appears to be in question moving forward because of the injury.
Walter emerges
Junior linebacker Zac Walter is playing the best football of his career. The native of Lincoln, Kan., recorded the first two interceptions of his career in the game at Dordt while also racking up a team high 12 tackles. With 38 stops (3.5 for loss) on the season, Walter ranks second behind only Lane Napier (42 tackles) for the most among Bulldogs. Walter’s first interception last week set up the Logan Kreizel 15-yard touchdown reception that gave Concordia an early lead. Walter now has 71 career tackles, including 11 in the backfield. He made 7.5 stops for loss last season as a sophomore.
Kolpin joins starting group up front
The Bulldogs got some help on the offensive line last week with senior Stuart Kolpin returning to make his first career start at guard. Concordia’s starting group also included Cole Baumgartner and Keegan Hornung at the tackles, Roy Garza at another guard spot and Johnny Robinson III at center. Concordia is still without two seniors who were projected starters in the preseason – tackle Grady Koch and center Evrett Shaw. Koch is the most experienced after claiming honorable mention All-GPAC accolades last season. Of the aforementioned names, only Koch was a regular on last season’s offensive line that helped pave the way for running back Ryan Durdon to rush for 1,247 yards in 2017.
Opposition focused on Durdon
Ryan Durdon entered this season as one of the few proven commodities on Concordia’s offense. Naturally, opposing teams have game planned to stop the run. After busting loose for 250 rushing yards in game No. 1, Durdon has been limited to 190 rushing yards on 46 carries over three GPAC games. Eighty-four of those yards came on one rush that ended the first half against Midland. Durdon has still managed to average 110.0 rushing yards per game (14th best among all NAIA players). Already ranked in the top 10 on the program’s all-time rushing list, Durdon has run for 1,687 yards and 12 touchdowns over his 14 career games.
Busy day for Beasley
Senior Vincent Beasley has emerged as the favorite target in the passing game. Beasley even did something four-time All-GPAC receiver Jared Garcia never did – catch at least 10 passes in a single game. Beasley wound up with 11 grabs for 89 yards last week at Dordt. Though Concordia has played fewer games than most teams in the GPAC, Beasley ranks tied for ninth among conference players for receptions (20). He has essentially doubled his career reception total which jumped from 23 entering this season to 43 at the moment. Beasley also leads the team with 202 receiving yards.
Up and comers
Plenty of young players are seeing playing time all over the field. On defense, sophomore linebacker Caydren Cox made his presence felt last week with a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and an interception as part of a four-takeaway day for the defense/special teams. Offensively, sophomore Korrell Koehlmoos was featured more frequently. He caught three passes for 53 yards with one of his receptions being a 34-yard touchdown play. Additionally, freshman corner Exavier Jackson got the start last week at corner. He was credited with two pass breakups.
Series vs. Dakota Wesleyan
Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan met on the gridiron only twice (1984 and 1985) before both programs became GPAC members in 2000 (first year of the conference’s existence). With the exception of 2008 and 2009, the two sides have gone head-to-head every season since then. Thanks to last season’s 38-16 win over the Tigers, Concordia evened up the all-time series (9-9). Dakota Wesleyan had won the 2015 and 2016 matchups.
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 11 of their last 13 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 13 home games
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 Dakota Wesleyan
At 1-4, Dakota Wesleyan finds itself in unfamiliar territory. The Tigers have won at least five games in each of the past eight seasons with a high water mark of nine victories in 2015. Part of the slow start is due to having already played the two highest rated teams in the GPAC. Those opponents have exposed weaknesses in a Tiger defense that has allowed 38.2 points and 301.8 passing yards per game. At quarterback, junior Shaye Slaughter has taken over for All-American Dillon Turner. The results have been mixed. He has thrown for 1,470 yards and six touchdowns, but has completed only 47.0 percent of his passes and has been intercepted eight times. So far, Dakota Wesleyan has had to rely on the passing game with its rushing attack averaging only 3.4 yards per carry. On the other side of the ball, senior linebacker Dillon Rork is a playmaker. He has a pair of sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery on the season. The Tigers ended up dropping a close one last week at Briar Cliff despite Daniel Libolt taking the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Libolt is also a game-breaking receiver that will require Concordia’s attention on Saturday.