SEWARD, Neb. – Now on week four of preseason preparation, the Concordia University Football team is prepared to take on Waldorf University for the 2024 season opener. The two sides will clash underneath the lights inside Bulldog Stadium on Saturday night. A couple of ‘firsts’ will occur as the Warriors play their first game as a member of the GPAC and Concordia-Waldorf meet on the gridiron for the first time in history. This will also mark the first time the Bulldogs will have played a game in August since the 2012 season.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow is set to begin his eighth season leading his alma mater. In preparation for the 2024 campaign, Concordia has held the Blue-White intrasquad and a scrimmage with Nebraska Wesleyan over the past two Saturdays. The Bulldogs will debut a squad featuring a veteran two deep and a senior class of greater than 40 players. Concordia is coming off a 5-5 record in 2023 and was picked fifth in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll.
Waldorf officially became a GPAC member over the summer. The Warriors transitioned from the North Star Athletic Association. Waldorf finished last season with a 4-6 overall record and was pegged 10th in the GPAC poll. The team’s head coach, Tyler Chapa, is a Doane graduate and has been part of the Warrior staff since 2019. Waldorf’s 2024 schedule is made up of 11 games, including a Sept. 7 nonconference home game versus the University of St. Francis (Ill.).
GAME INFO
Concordia (0-0, 0-0 GPAC) vs. Waldorf (0-0, 0-0 GPAC)
Saturday, Aug. 31 | 7 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast: Concordia Sports Network
Live Stats: Presto Stats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2023 national rankings out of 96 NAIA football programs
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 30.3 (T-35th)
Defensive PPG: 31.9 (64th)
Total Offense: 411.9 (22nd)
Pass Offense: 267.9 (10th)
Rush Offense: 144.0 (44th)
Total Defense: 430.0 (87th)
Pass Defense: 276.4 (94th)
Rush Defense: 153.6 (59th)
Turnover +/-: -3
Waldorf
Offensive PPG: 23.3 (59th)
Defensive PPG: 31.2 (60th)
Total Offense: 335.1 (54th)
Pass Offense: 144.6 (79th)
Rush Offense: 190.5 (16th)
Total Defense: 369.3 (58th)
Pass Defense: 166.4 (15th)
Rush Defense: 202.9 (85th)
Turnover +/-: 0
2023 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (32-36, 8th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 210/368 (.571), 2,642 yards, 17 td, 10 int, 127.2 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 201 rushes, 795 yards, 4.0 avg, 11 td
Receiving: Austin Jablonski – 91 receptions, 1,134 yards, 12.5 avg, 8 td
Defense: Kyle Sterup – 69 tackles, 19 tfl’s, 3 sacks, 2 ff, 1 fr, 1 blocked punt
Waldorf
Head Coach: Tyler Chapa (4-6, 2nd season)
Passing: Jordan Cooper – 105/182 (.577), 1,428 yards, 7 td, 6 int, 129.7 effic.
Rushing: Jatoviay Hill – 124 rushes, 886 yards, 7.1 avg, 12 td
Receiving: Malik Adams – 37 receptions, 583 yards, 15.8 avg, 2 td
Defense: Will Stricklin – 72 tackles, 2 pbu’s, 1 tfl, 1 ff
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (0-0, 0-0 GPAC)
8/31 vs. Waldorf, 7 p.m. (parents weekend)
9/7 vs. Morningside, 7 p.m.
9/14 at Dakota Wesleyan, 2:30 p.m.
9/21 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m. (homecoming)
10/5 at Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/19 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m. (senior day)
11/16 at Midland, 1 p.m.
Waldorf (0-0, 0-0 GPAC)
8/31 at Concordia, 7 p.m.
9/7 vs. St. Francis (Ill.), 1 p.m.
9/14 at Doane, 5 p.m.
9/21 at Mount Marty, 4 p.m.
9/28 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/5 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/9 vs. Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/16 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
In the rankings
Concordia landed at No. 5 in the 2024 GPAC preseason coaches’ poll. The Bulldogs did not generate any votes in the NAIA’s national poll this preseason. The program’s most recent NAIA top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they checked in at No. 25. Massey Ratings heading into the 2024 season list Concordia at No. 38 and Waldorf at No. 63 in the NAIA.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 5th
Current Massey Ratings: 38th
Waldorf
GPAC preseason: 10th
Current Massey Ratings: 63rd
Previewing 2024
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow and his staff return an experienced 2024 roster, featuring 41 players listed as seniors (including fifth- and sixth-year players). The Bulldogs welcome back 18 starters with every starter returning on the offensive and defensive lines. Offensively, Concordia expects to be high-powered thanks to the presence of fourth-year starting quarterback DJ McGarvie and First Team All-American receiver Austin Jablonski. Due to the wealth of returning talent and experience, the Bulldogs believe the time is now. For a detailed 2024 season preview, click HERE.
Underneath the lights
Concordia will play its first two games of 2024 underneath the lights at Bulldog Stadium. This past 2023 campaign, the Bulldogs played one home night game, Sept. 30 versus Briar Cliff, and came away with a 35-23 win. Prior to that particular game, Concordia had not hosted a night game since defeating Hastings, 34-28, in overtime on Sept. 19, 2020. A key for the Bulldogs this fall will be protecting their home turf. Concordia went 2-3 in 2023 home games. Two of those defeats came by a combined six points and the other loss was a shootout (48-35) with top-ranked Northwestern. The most recent instance of the Bulldogs going undefeated at home was 2016 (5-0).
Coach Daberkow + staff
Patrick Daberkow’s history at Concordia dates back to his first season as a Bulldog football player in 2003. This is Daberkow’s 17th season as part of the program’s staff – eighth as head coach. He served as defensive coordinator for seven years before being named as head coach in December 2016. Daberkow assumed offensive play calling duties in 2022 before turning that role over to Greg Nelson, former Lincoln Lutheran head coach, in 2023. Meanwhile, his full-time staff includes Defensive Coordinator Corby Osten, Special Teams Coordinator Trent Laune and Assistant Coach Grady Koch (who specializes in coaching the offensive line, among other duties). Former Nebraska Wesleyan assistant Kevin Crume is in his second season at Concordia. Former Head Coach Courtney Meyer again works with the specialists and has spent more than 50 years coaching football.
McGarvie ready to add to all-time passing records
With 26 career collegiate starts under his belt, DJ McGarvie enters this season as one of the more experienced quarterbacks in college football. The Lincoln North Star High School alum rose to the top of the program’s all-time passing charts in 2023. This fall, he’ll add to his school career records of 6,679 passing yards and 54 touchdown tosses. While leading the GPAC in passing yards per game (264.2) in 2023, McGarvie became the first Bulldog quarterback in the GPAC era (2000-present) to be named either first or second team all-conference. By season, McGarvie has turned in touchdown-to-interception ratios of 19-7 in 2021, 18-6 in 2022 and 17-10 in 2023. Worth noting, McGarvie’s passing has helped a Concordia receiver lead the NAIA in receptions (during the regular season) in back-to-back years: Korell Koehlmoos (95) in 2022 and Austin Jablonski (91) in 2023.
Concordia all-time passing yards leaders
1. DJ McGarvie – 6,679
2. Jarrod Pimentel – 6,435
3. Von Thomas – 5,662
4. Rod Giesselmann – 5,519
5. Kurt Earl – 4,158
Concordia all-time passing touchdowns leaders
1. DJ McGarvie – 54
2. Von Thomas – 49
2. Jarrod Pimentel – 49
4. Rod Giesselmann – 47
5. Kurt Earl – 37
All-American Jabo among NAIA’s top returning pass catchers
Austin Jablonski ranks among the very best receivers in the entire NAIA. In his first full-time season as a receiver in 2023, Jablonski reeled in 91 receptions for 1,134 yards and eight touchdowns. He was recognized as an NAIA First Team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. The dynamic playmaker and former University of Nebraska walk-on can be used in a variety of ways. Last season, Jablonski also ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass. Jablonski opened the 2022 season as the team’s starting quarterback before settling into his current role. The accounting major is an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, a team captain and an exemplary member of the program. As the numbers below show, Jablonski was remarkably consistent in 2023 as he caught at least six passes in each game and notched at least 56 receiving yards in every outing. This preseason, Victory Sports Network named Jablonski to its “NAIA 99” as one of the top returning players in the country.
Jablonski 2023 game-by-game receiving numbers
9/2 vs. Northwestern: 9 for 122, 2 TD
9/9 at Jamestown: 5 for 85
9/16 at Dordt: 10 for 75
9/23 vs. DWU: 15 for 142
9/30 vs. Briar Cliff: 8 for 78
10/7 at Morningside: 6 for 56, TD
10/14 at Hastings: 11 for 162, 2 TD
10/28 vs. Midland: 11 for 157, TD
11/4 vs. Doane: 10 for 156, TD
11/11 at Mount Marty: 6 for 101, TD
Defensive line headed by Sterup
The defensive line returns intact from a unit that produced at a high level in 2023. The 6-foot-5, 250-pound Kyle Sterup enters his senior season after having been named First Team All-GPAC in 2023. He posted 69 tackles and 19 stops for loss last fall. Fellow starters Devon Polley (14 TFL) and Carson Fehlhafer (9.5 TFL) also wreaked havoc in opposing backfields. The defensive line depth continues with the likes of Stephen Hughes, Carson Adams and Joe Kahrs. In terms of depth of talent, this is the strongest and most proven unit on the Concordia defense.
O-line experienced and battle-tested
As Coach Daberkow has indicated this preseason, expectations are high for the offensive line, which is projected to start a senior at all five positions. That crew helped pave the way for the 2023 team to average 30.3 points per game while breaking a school record for total yards per game (415.3). Two of the returners earned 2023 All-GPAC recognition: guard Tyler Walford and tackle Blake Schlegel. Both of whom started all 10 games last fall. Impressively, Concordia did not allow a single sack over the final five games of the 2023 season, a stretch that saw the Bulldogs attempt 190 passes. The average weight across the projected starting offensive line is 282 pounds.
Shoring up the pass defense
While things came together offensively last season for the Bulldogs, the pass defense struggled as injuries to the secondary mounted. Concordia used plenty of freshmen in 2023 while filling the void. The goal for the Bulldogs is to cut down significantly on the 276.4 passing yards per game they allowed last fall. Fortunately, Concordia is in a better spot in terms of experience. At the close of last season, Daylan Henson, Luke Penrod, Will Potratz and Jaden Seier had all been listed as starters as underclassmen. The crew here also features Braxton Borer, Jha’mauri Erilus, Calvin Sassaman and Dylan Smith.
Oldies but goodies
The dynamics of recent years (COVID-19, redshirts, etc.) have made for a large volume of fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year players within the program. Two offensive linemen, Toby Hager and Christian Schlepp, are back for their sixth years as Bulldogs. In addition, two-time All-GPAC linebacker Michael Grindey checks in at 24 years of age. As Daberkow has mentioned this preseason, several players on the roster are married men. As a result, Concordia boasts a high level of maturity inside the locker room. Daberkow has praised this senior class as being one of the best he’s been around for its all-around leadership.
Around the league
Six GPAC football teams are set to kick off the 2024 season this Saturday. Concordia-Waldorf will be the only league game taking place. The other five teams will be taking on nonconference foes. The matchups include Doane hosting Graceland, Mount Marty at Culver-Stockton, Briar Cliff at St. Ambrose, Hastings hosting Peru State and Morningside hosting Benedictine. According to the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll, Concordia is expected to place fifth behind Northwestern, Morningside, Dordt and Midland. As a major offseason storyline in the GPAC, star Red Raider quarterback Jalyn Gramstad chose to transfer to the University of Nebraska as a walk-on. Despite his departure, the GPAC projects to be one of the top conferences in NAIA football.
Series vs. Waldorf
Though situated within the same general region, Concordia and Waldorf having never played each other on the gridiron. This will be the first ever meeting between the two sides.
Scouting Waldorf
The 4-6 record posted by Waldorf in 2023 marked a rare losing season as compared to recent years for the program. From 2017 through 2022, the Warriors went a combined 27-13 with four seasons of exactly seven wins. Though this is its first season as a GPAC member, this will be the fourth-straight year that Waldorf has opened a campaign against a GPAC opponent. Waldorf kicked off each of the past three years by beating Briar Cliff, including the 35-20 victory over the Chargers in 2023. Last year’s Warrior squad was able to lean upon a strong running game led by the now graduated Jatoviay Hill, who ran for 886 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2023. Waldorf averaged 190.5 rushing yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry. On the flip side, its opponents averaged 202.9 rushing yards per game. Doane alum Tyler Chapa was named the program’s interim head coach in June of 2023 before having the interim tag removed last September. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Chapa graduated from Doane in 2016 and spent three seasons as an assistant coach for the Tigers. Chapa now oversees a new era for Waldorf as the program ventures into the GPAC.