Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (32-36, 8th season)
2023 Record: 5-5 overall, 5-5 GPAC (T-4th)
Key Returners: RB Mark Arp; S Braxton Borer; LB CJ Dyhrkopp; DL Carson Fehlhafer; LB Michael Grindey; WR Austin Jablonski; QB DJ McGarvie; S Luke Penrod; DL Devon Polley; OL Blake Schlegel; OL Christian Schlepp; DL Kyle Sterup; WR Adam Van Cleave; OL Tyler Walford.
Key Losses: WR Carsen Arline; DB Carson Core; LB Michael Doiel; S Gabe Knisley; TE Luke Lang; RB Devin Zeigler.
2023 NAIA All-America: Austin Jablonski (First Team).
2023 GPAC All-Conference: Austin Jablonski (First Team); Kyle Sterup (First Team); Michael Grindey (Second Team); DJ McGarvie (Second Team); Tyler Walford (Second Team); Devin Ziegler (Second Team); Carson Fehlhafer (Honorable Mention); Devon Polley (Honorable Mention); Blake Schlegel (Honorable Mention).
Outlook
The feeling inside the Concordia locker room is that the time is now. It’s time to get over the hump and truly challenge for a spot amongst the elite teams in the GPAC, which has been headlined for several years by the usual suspects. There are 18 starters back in place from a squad that finished 2023 at 5-5 overall in an up-and-down campaign that fell below on-field expectations. Eighth-year Head Coach Patrick Daberkow is convinced that he has the right mix of talents and personalities on board capable of combining for the program’s best squad in several years.
Talk to many of the veterans on the roster and you get the sense that there’s a quiet confidence building within the confines of Bulldog Stadium. At some point, you have to prove it. The 2024 Bulldogs believe they will begin to do just that when the lights come on Aug. 31.
“It’s evident that they understand the talent that we have and the opportunity we have with that talent,” Daberkow said. “Along with that talent, we have some locker room leadership that’s just phenomenal. We have a locker room that has bought into what we’re doing and believes in what we’re doing. We recruited to that, and guys have really responded well to the challenges we’ve put in front of them. When you respond to challenges well, it builds your confidence. We have a confident group for good reason.”
Few teams around the country will be as veteran as this Concordia edition, which returns nearly every offensive lineman from last year’s two deep and welcomes back an All-American receiver in Austin Jablonski to go with the most prolific passer in the program’s history, senior DJ McGarvie (26 career starts). Up front, there’s plenty of strength and experience on not just the offensive line, but also on a defensive line that brings back First Team All-GPAC backfield disruptor Kyle Sterup. There’s also old man Michael Grindey (a 24-year-old linebacker) and a secondary that figures to be much improved after taking its lumps in 2023.
Since the second half of the 2022 season, the program has undergone an offensive transformation. The 30.3 points per game averaged by the ’23 squad represented the highest scoring average for Concordia since 1972. That average is expected to climb again this fall as McGarvie adds to his career totals of 6,679 passing yards and 54 passing touchdowns. The offense will feature holdovers such as receivers in Jablonski and Adam Van Cleave, running back Mark Arp, tight end Daylan Russell and talented transfers such as receiver Thomas Meadough and tight end John Goodwin.
Says Jablonski, “We know as an offense we can do really good things. The next step for us is to be able to string good things together and stack big plays on top of each other and reach a level of consistency that is congruent with our standards. I think we’ve taken really big strides towards that in fall camp. If we can keep improving on that, I think it’s going to be a really special season.”
While McGarvie and Jablonski have grabbed headlines the past couple of seasons, Daberkow has always been quick to point to the offensive line. The rise of that group has coincided with the offense’s improved productivity. Every starter from the end of 2023 is back in the fold: tackles Cohen Carpenter and Blake Schlegel, guards Tyler Walford and Christian Schlepp and center Jackson Anderson. Several others also possess ample experience and are in the mix for playing time.
On the other side of the ball, the Bulldogs must become stingier. Their 31.9 points per game allowed represented the program’s highest mark since 2008. Coordinator Corby Osten and company believe they have made strides against the pass, an area of weakness last season. Up front, Sterup leads a crew that includes the likes of Carson Fehlhafer, Devon Polley, Stephen Hughes, Joe Kahrs and Tal Solo (who can play up front or at linebacker). Daberkow jokes that Fehlhafer could probably squat a car.
The linebacker group includes two-time All-GPAC honoree Grindey to go with veterans DJ Dyhrkopp and Nick Leader and former safety Deegan Barnes. The growing secondary is teeming with players who got their feet wet last season, along with a group of veterans. Daberkow and his staff have been impressed with Braxton Borer’s ability to cover ground at safety.
“We feel like we’re going to be much improved,” Daberkow said. “Our expectation is to get back to stopping the pass and not giving up things we shouldn’t. Our defensive philosophy is designed to combat the variety of different offenses we see in our conference. I think our coaches have built a defense that will put us in the best position to handle all of those things. I’m excited to see that side of the ball this fall.”
Not surprisingly based on recent years, the Bulldogs were pegged fifth in the GPAC preseason coaches’ poll behind Northwestern, Morningside, Dordt and Midland. Both Northwestern and Morningside are known throughout the NAIA as national powers. Concordia competed closely with the Red Raiders in the 2023 season opener in a shootout from a muggy Bulldog Stadium. Instead of showing flashes of playing at an elite level, the Bulldogs expect to display those types of performances with regularity this fall.
“I know that it’s a possibility for us,” said Jablonski when asked about the chances of reaching the 2024 postseason. “You look at our roster up and down and we have guys at every spot that can get the job done at a very high level. Since this last offseason, we’ve put a good amount of focus into the mental side of competing. Everything that we do, we compete. It’s changed the ways that we think, not only about football but about life. We want to be the best and know that we can be. I think that belief is finally there. We can go out and beat anybody we play if we execute our gameplan and play with that team chemistry.”
In August camp, Concordia has assimilated a large group of freshmen while continuing to develop depth to go with the significant veteran presence. With Devin Zeigler now a graduate assistant on the staff, Arp looks to step into a starting role at running back while others such as Carlos Collazo emerge at that position. Another storyline revolves around the return from injury of Van Cleave, who appeared on his way to a stellar 2023 season before sidelined by injury. The roster includes other reinforcements in the form of older players who decided to use a redshirt or COVID exemption. Schlepp and Toby Hager are both back for year six within the program.
On special teams, the Bulldogs are considering a variety of options for the duties of placekicker and kickoffs. In addition, the punter position remains up for grabs. Both Max Wurdeman and Hager are experienced as long snappers. Borer spent time last season as both a punter and punt returner. The game-breaking talents of Jablonski could also be put to use in kick return.
To sum it up, the difference between going 5-5 or much better can often be very slim. Wins often occur when one team gets the upper hand over the other in the margins. It’s simple in theory, but not so simple to put into practice.
“We have to not repeat mistakes from last year,” Daberkow said. “All of the coach speak is true. In tight moments, we can’t leave it up to any judgement calls or one-play scenarios. We need to close the door on situations and score more in the red zone. It’s about learning from the mistakes we made last year and making sure those losses were lessons. There have to be lessons in wins too. It’s nothing earth shattering – let’s not do the things we did wrong last year. It’s really not rocket science, it’s football. If we can do that, we’ll be all right.”
The chemistry and leadership aspects of what makes a successful team appear to be in place. Take it from those who have experienced every single day inside the locker and weight rooms and on the practice fields.
Says Jablonski of the team’s makeup, “You’re not just a leader because you’re older. I think we have a lot of leaders who are in that position because they’re older and they truly care about this program and have everyone’s best interests. You just think about guys who have come back for their sixth years – or Grindey it’s his 18th year or something. Guys really care about this program and it just shows. When you see someone with so much passion about an organization, it’s not hard to listen to them and to follow them and be inspired by them.”
The 2024 season will officially kick off on Aug. 31 when Concordia hosts new GPAC member Waldorf inside Bulldog Stadium. The game is slated to get underway at 7 p.m. CT. View the complete schedule HERE.