SEWARD, Neb. – For the first time since 2015, Bulldog Stadium will be the sight of a night football game. Concordia and Doane are set to meet under the lights for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday. It will mark the season opener for the Bulldogs and the first road test for the Tigers. The game has been declared Parents’ Day to honor the parents of Concordia football players. Doane is licking its wounds after enduring a 48-7 loss at the hands of Ottawa University (Ariz.) last week.
It’s the beginning of year three as head coach for Patrick Daberkow. When the ball is kicked off on Saturday, Concordia can officially put behind a 2018 season that saw it go 3-7. The Bulldogs are optimistic that better health and a more experienced offensive line will be a key to improvement in 2019. A defense led by All-American linebacker Lane Napier could have a new star in the back end with Johnny Johnson patrolling a safety position.
On the other sideline, Chris Bessler enters his second season as head coach at Doane. His 2018 squad went 6-4 while finishing the campaign with a 21-16 home victory over the Bulldogs. The Tigers have some issues to sort out after last week’s drubbing. They were outgained by Ottawa, 567-186, and committed three turnovers. Three different Doane quarterbacks attempted a pass as they try to replace last year’s starter, Jack Kalina.
GAME INFO
Concordia (0-0) at Doane (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 7 | 6 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2018 national rank out of 90 NAIA football programs in parentheses
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 15.2 (87th)
Defensive PPG: 27.1 (38th)
Total Offense: 277.9 (87th)
Pass Offense: 185.3 (62nd)
Rush Offense: 92.6 (84th)
Total Defense: 418.9 (60th)
Pass Defense: 234.5 (59th)
Rush Defense: 184.4 (61st)
Turnover +/-: +5 (T-22nd)
Doane
Offensive PPG: 26.5 (T-49th)
Defensive PPG: 21.7 (22nd)
Total Offense: 329.9 (66th)
Pass Offense: 217.7 (39th)
Rush Offense: 112.2 (78th)
Total Defense: 381.2 (43rd)
Pass Defense: 210.0 (34th)
Rush Defense: 171.2 (50th)
Turnover +/-: +12 (T-7th)
RETURNING INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
*2018 statistics
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-11, 3rd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 81/171 (.474), 1,100 yards, 5 td, 5 int, 105.2 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 223 rushes, 821 yards, 3.7 avg, 8 td; 19 catches, 247 yards, td
Receiving: Arthur Anderson – 40 catches, 336 yards, 8.4 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 142 tackles, 12.5 tfl, 4 sacks, ff, blocked PAT
Doane
Head Coach: Chris Bessler (6-4, 2nd season)
Passing: No returners attempted a pass last season for Doane
Rushing: Jamaine Derogene – 48 rushes, 201 yards, 4.2 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Josh Baker – 38 catches, 356 yards, 9.4 avg, 4 td
Defense: Garrett Fries – 46 tackles, 2 tfl
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (0-0)
9/7 vs. Doane, 6 p.m.
9/14 at Buena Vista, 6 p.m.
9/21 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
Doane (0-1)
8/29 vs. Ottawa, L, 7-48
9/7 at Concordia, 6 p.m.
9/14 at Texas A&M Tarleton State, 6 p.m.
9/21 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Midland, 1 p.m.
In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs did not receive any votes in the preseason national poll this preseason. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 61st ranked team nationally in the NAIA.
Doane received votes nationally at one point last season, but never did break into the top 25. In the GPAC preseason polls, both the coaches and media picked the Tigers sixth. In the NAIA national rankings formulated by Massey Ratings, Doane checks in at 46th.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Aug. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 61st
Doane
GPAC preseason: 6th (coaches); 6th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Aug. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 46th
Napier on the tackle
Yes, it’s true that All-American linebacker Lane Napier had a preseason mishap involving a swimming pool, as detailed in Sunday’s Lincoln Journal Star. As of now, Napier still hopes to play Saturday versus Doane and continue to pad his gaudy tackle stats. Already a two-time first team All-GPAC honoree, the junior from David City, Neb., has piled up 239 tackles, including 20.5 for loss, over his first 20 collegiate games. The 142 tackles Napier posted last season led all NAIA players and shattered the program’s previous GPAC era season high of 110 by 2019 Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Erik DeHaven. Napier also figures to fly by former All-American safety Sean Stewart (290 tackles) for the most career tackles of any GPAC era Bulldog.
100+ tackles, single season (GPAC era)
1. Lane Napier (2018) – 142
2. Erik DeHaven (2001) – 110
3. Michael Hedlund (2016) – 107
4. Michael Hedlund (2015) – 105
4. Josh Conrad (2000) – 105
6. Sean Stewart (2001) – 102
7. Troy Schlueter (2000) – 100
Durdon climbing the ladder
The hope is that a more seasoned offensive line will pave the way for larger running lanes this season for all-conference back Ryan Durdon. The senior from Decatur, Texas, has moved up to No. 6 on the program’s all-time rushing list (see below) and has a legit chance to become the fourth player in school history to eclipse 3,000 rushing yards. Durdon’s per carry average slipped from 5.5 as a sophomore to 3.7 as a junior while working with an offensive line that was a work-in-progress. Despite that, Durdon piled up 1,439 all-purpose yards (821 rushing, 371 kick returning and 247 receiving). The key is to find more opportunities for Durdon to get the ball in space, where he can terrorize opposing defenses. He has found the end zone 17 times as a Bulldog.
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. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,068
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799
Emerging receiver group
The receiver group figures to be improved despite the graduation of 2018 top target Vincent Beasley. There’s still plenty of experience on board with Arthur Anderson (40 catches, 336 yards), Korrell Koehlmoos (29 catches, 376 yards) and Lane Castaneda all back in the fold. A star at Lincoln Lutheran High School, sophomore Logan Kreizel is an up-and-comer who provides a big target at 6-foot-4. Durdon is also a receiving threat out of the backfield. The question becomes – among those pass catchers, which includes the likes of Cayden Beran and Garrett Schardt, who becomes the No. 1 guy? Either way, there appears to be sufficient talent for the Bulldogs to increase their passing yardage per-game average of 185.3 from 2018.
Signal caller
We will all know for sure which quarterback has won the job on Saturday when the offense takes the field for the first time. At the moment, Daberkow expects more than one quarterback to get snaps. A junior from the same high school in Decatur, Texas, as Durdon, Jake Kemp seized the job out of preseason camp a year ago and has been impressive this preseason while under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Reggie Corbin. Just before suffering an injury that kept him from starting the final six games of 2018, Kemp seemed to be heating up. In the matchup at Dordt, Kemp completed 21-of-34 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns. The coaches also like the dimension that freshman Wyatt Ehlers can add to an offense with his ability as a dual threat quarterback. Returners Blake Culbert and Andrew Perea have also been in the running.
Kicking game
Concordia attempted to go for it on fourth down 39 times throughout the 2018 season. The Bulldogs expect to have the confidence to try more field goals this fall. Last season Concordia went just 1-for-3 on field goals with the only successful attempt coming in the season finale – a 26-yarder by Tate Janssen, who has graduated. Four kickers have battled for the placekicking duties: Daniel Cantu, Jorre Luther, AJ Sharp and Jordan Spilinek. At the team’s open intrasquad scrimmage, all four showed an ability to put the ball through the uprights. The freshman Spilinek may have the edge at this point.
Dogged D
Much has been made about an offense that needed to make leaps forward in obvious ways. Coordinator Corby Osten and his defense would also like to move up from 60th nationally in total yardage as it finished in 2018. The Bulldogs ended last fall by shutting down Doane’s offense in the second half of what finished as a 21-16 Tiger victory. There’s no doubt about a Concordia linebacker crew that ranks as one of the GPAC’s top units. The defensive line and secondary units will look a bit different. Now in his sixth year at Concordia, Kaleb Geiger is set to make an impact at defensive end. Geiger played four years as a member of the baseball team and had planned to play football in 2018. However, a torn ACL delayed his collegiate football debut. Geiger has always had the look of a football player and stands at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. In the secondary, transfer Johnny Johnson is a potential star at safety. The Bulldogs have had some dominant defenses in recent years, such as the 2015 team that ended up No. 4 nationally in total defense (279.6).
Series vs. Doane
From Concordia’s perspective, this series has been all too one-sided. Doane entered the 2017 matchup having won 11-straight meetings with the Bulldogs. Concordia finally killed the streak by taking a 29-18 homecoming win over the Tigers in 2017. Doane actually led 13-0 after the opening quarter before the Bulldogs dominated the rest of the way. The Tigers got back into the win column in this matchup last year in a bitter cold contest in Crete to end the season. It was another instance in which the Concordia offense struggled to produce. Prior to the 2017 meeting, the Bulldogs had not beaten Doane since 2005. The Tigers own an all-time series lead of 41-20-3. The two sides matched up as early as 1925 and have played each other every year since 1958.
Scouting Doane
Doane struggled mightily in its season opener, but take it with a grain of salt. Daberkow believes Ottawa will soar up the national rankings as the season moves along. Like Concordia, the Tigers have had a quarterback battle that seems to be ongoing. Drake Davidson, Cameron Quick and Adam Wasserman each got a chance behind center last week. However, Doane did not have much success passing or running versus the Spirt. Doane has taken a bit of a step back as a program since qualifying for the NAIA playoffs in 2015 and 2016. Its record since then is 11-10. The majority of Tiger all-conference honorees from last season were seniors, but they do return second team All-GPAC defensive lineman Anthony Malone. After what happened last week, Doane will likely be hyped up to play Concordia in a night game.