SEWARD, Neb. – The spotlight will be brighter this week inside Bulldog Stadium as the Concordia University Football team prepares to welcome No. 10 Morningside to Seward. The difficulty level ramps up after the Bulldogs easily handled new GPAC member Waldorf, 45-7, in this past week’s season opener. Concordia now hopes to prove itself as a legitimate NAIA playoff contender with the opportunity that lies in front of it. The Bulldogs will be playing at home for the first two games of a season for the first time since the 2012 campaign.
Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad looked the part last week in mounting a 45-0 halftime lead over the Warriors of Forest City, Iowa. Concordia dominated all statistical categories and owned a 565-201 advantage in total yards. DJ McGarvie flicked three touchdown passes and ran for another score before taking the second half off. The Bulldogs are now 3-5 in season openers during Daberkow’s tenure.
Meanwhile, the Mustangs are looking to shake off their 48-45 shootout home loss to No. 19 Benedictine College (Kan.) in their opener. Morningside found itself in a 28-3 hole before rallying back and eventually taking the lead in the fourth quarter on Ryan Cole’s two-yard touchdown run. The Mustangs finished last season at 9-3 overall while wrapping up the campaign with a loss to Indiana Wesleyan University in the second round of the NAIA playoffs. Uncharacteristically, Head Coach Steve Ryan’s program is 1-4 in its last five games. Iowa Wesleyan transfer Zack Chevalier has taken command as the quarterback.
GAME INFO
Concordia (1-0, 1-0 GPAC) vs. No. 10 Morningside (0-1, 0-0 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 7 | 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
*2024 national rankings out of 95 NAIA football programs (65 teams have played at least one game in 2024)
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 45.0 (T-7th)
Defensive PPG: 7.0 (T-12th)
Total Offense: 565.0 (6th)
Pass Offense: 322.0 (6th)
Rush Offense: 243.0 (9th)
Total Defense: 201.0 (13th)
Pass Defense: 69.0 (8th)
Rush Defense: 140.0 (33rd)
Turnover +/-: 0
Morningside
Offensive PPG: 45.0 (T-7th)
Defensive PPG: 48.0 (58th)
Total Offense: 585.0 (4th)
Pass Offense: 521.0 (2nd)
Rush Offense: 64.0 (50th)
Total Defense: 486.0 (53rd)
Pass Defense: 244.0 (47th)
Rush Defense: 242.0 (53rd)
Turnover +/-: -2
2024 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (33-36, 8th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 17/22 (.773), 220 yards, 3 td, 0 int, 206.3 effic.
Rushing: Carlos Collazo – 18 rushes, 128 yards, 7.1 avg, 1 td
Receiving: Adam Van Cleave – 7 receptions, 80 yards, 11.4 avg, 0 td
Defense: Kyle Sterup – 5 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 1.5 sacks
Morningside
Head Coach: Steve Ryan (228-46, 23rd season)
Passing: Zack Chevalier – 36/60 (.600), 521 yards, 3 td, 3 int, 139.4 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Cole – 19 rushes, 41 yards, 2.2 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Lennx Brown – 11 receptions, 122 yards, 11.1 avg, 2 td
Defense: Dijion Walls – 10 tackles, 2 pbu’s
2024 SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (1-0, 1-0 GPAC)
8/31 vs. Waldorf, W, 45-7
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.
Morningside (0-1, 0-0 GPAC)
8/31 vs. (19) Benedictine, L, 45-48
9/7 at Concordia, 7 p.m.
9/14 at Midland, 1 p.m.
9/21 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
9/28 at Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Hastings, 1:30 p.m.
10/19 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Waldorf, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 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. On the other side of things, Morningside has lived in the NAIA top 25. The Mustangs began this season at No. 10 in the NAIA coaches’ poll.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 5th
Current Massey Ratings: 29th
Morningside
GPAC preseason: 2nd
Current Massey Ratings: 14th
Last time out
There was little drama in the season opener as the Bulldogs scored on six of their first seven possessions and mounted a 45-0 halftime lead over visiting Waldorf, which made its GPAC debut. Five Concordia players found the end zone: tight end John Goodwin (twice), tight end Daylan Russell, running back Mark Arp, quarterback DJ McGarvie and running back Carlos Collazo. It was an efficient day for McGarvie, who went 17-for-22 for 220 yards and three touchdowns through the air. He was given the second half off thanks to the insurmountable scoring margin. Eight different receivers caught at least one pass with Adam Van Cleave making seven grabs for 80 yards. On the ground, Collazo ran 18 times for 128 yards and a touchdown. Defensively, Kyle Sterup and company were smothering in allowing only 3.7 yards per play. Linebackers Grant Huss and Michael Grindey led the defense with nine tackles apiece.
Underneath the lights
Concordia is in the midst of playing 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 its 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 adds to all-time passing records
DJ McGarvie made his 27th career start in the win over Waldorf. The Lincoln North Star High School alum rose to the top of the program’s all-time passing charts in 2023. His efficient performance versus the Warriors extended his program career records to 57 passing touchdowns and 6,899 passing yards. He owns a career completion percentage of 57.4 (586-for-1,021) in 30 games. 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 – 6,899
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 – 57
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. In 21 career games as a Bulldog, Jablonski has totaled 133 receptions for 1,688 yards and 11 touchdowns. On the program’s all-time receiving lists, Jablonski ranks sixth for receptions and eighth for receiving yards.
NFL bloodlines
The Bulldogs punted only twice last week as the offense rolled in the first half. When Concordia did punt, it turned to Braxtyn Koch, a freshman out of Westminster, Md. The results were solid as Koch’s two punts resulted in a 41-yard that was fair caught at Waldorf’s 36 and a 48-yarder that rolled out of bounds at Waldorf’s 13. Braxtyn is the son of former Baltimore Ravens punter Sam Koch, who spent 16 years in the NFL and was a member of the 2012 Super Bowl championship team. Braxtyn’s brother Kamdyn is a punter at the University of Nebraska.
Offensive line keeps sackless streak alive
As Coach Daberkow has indicated this preseason, expectations are high for the offensive line, which trots out 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. Dating back to last season, the veteran offensive line has gone six-straight games without allowing a sack. During that time, the Bulldogs have attempted 210 passes. The starting group versus Waldorf included tackles Cohen Carpenter and Blake Schlegel, guards Tyler Walford and Christian Schlepp and center Jackson Anderson. The average weight across the starting offensive line is 282 pounds.
Projected starters
LT – No. 54 Cohen Carpenter, Sr. (6-4, 260)
LG – No. 69 Tyler Walford, Sr. (6-3, 305)
C – No. 56 Jackson Anderson, Sr. (6-1, 245)
RG – No. 58 Christian Schlepp, Sr. (6-2, 280)
RT – No. 74 Blake Schlegel, Sr. (6-6, 320)
The ‘Corn Dogs’
The 2024 Concordia roster comes with some Nebraska Cornhusker flavor as three current Bulldogs are former University of Nebraska walk-ons: tight end John Goodwin, receiver Austin Jablonski and linebacker Nick Leader. In addition, receiver Adam Van Cleave began his college career at Nebraska (student only). All four are starters at Concordia. Goodwin saw action in two games in 2023 for the Cornhuskers before joining Jablonski, his roommate and close friend, in Seward. It didn’t take long for Goodwin to announce his presence as he caught two touchdown passes in the win over Waldorf. Jablonski and Van Cleave are both talented receivers and Leader is back in the starting group at linebacker after missing the 2023 season. Leader posted 50 tackles as a Bulldog in 2022.
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. There are 41 players on the roster listed as seniors (including the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-year players).
Around the league
Nine of the GPAC’s 11 teams opened the 2024 season last week. Three of them came away with wins: Concordia, Midland and Mount Marty. While the Bulldogs walloped Waldorf, Midland routed Clarke University (Iowa), 45-7, and Mount Marty handled Culver-Stockton College (Mo.), 42-14. The two GPAC teams that sat idle last week were Dordt and Northwestern.
Series vs. Morningside
It's been one-sided as Morningside is 21-1 all-time versus Concordia. That one win for the Bulldogs came in 2003 by a 34-19 score in Seward. Courtney Meyer was the Bulldogs’ head coach at the time. The meeting last season was a thumping in favor of the Mustangs, who cruised to a 62-6 win in Sioux City, Iowa. Morningside piled up 599 total yards and immediately got on the board with a scoop and score in the opening few minutes. It was way too little, too late by the time Austin Jablonski reached the end zone on a 15-yard strike from DJ McGarvie in the third quarter.
Scouting Morningside
Head Coach Steve Ryan’s program is well-known throughout the NAIA as a national powerhouse. The Mustangs have qualified for the NAIA playoffs in each of the last 20 years and raised the NAIA national championship banner in 2018, 2019 and 2021. Per usual, Morningside is expected to contend for a GPAC championship again in 2024. The Mustangs return AFCA NAIA Third Team All-American linebacker Isaac Pingel. Offensively, Morningside routinely produces video game-like statistics. The 2023 Mustangs averaged 36.3 points per game and averaged 431.6 yards per outing. At quarterback, Morningside had three different players attempt more than 80 passes last season. Based on last week’s season opener, the Mustangs are rolling with Iowa Wesleyan transfer Zack Chevalier. He completed 36-of-60 passes for 521 yards and three touchdowns (three picks) in the shootout loss to Benedictine. Dating back to last season, Morningside has dropped four of its last five games with the defeats during that stretch coming at the hands of strong opponents in Northwestern, Dordt, Indiana Wesleyan and Benedictine. The Mustangs lost their season opener for the first time since 2003 and haven’t started 0-2 since that same season.