2018 Football Schedule/Results

3-7 overall | 2-7 GPAC | Season Stats | Roster

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Record
Sept. 8	Buena Vista University (Parents' Day)	Seward, Neb.	W, 27-20	1-0
Sept. 15	*University of Jamestown	Jamestown, N.D.	W, 16-13	2-0, 1-0
Sept. 22	*Midland University (Homecoming)	Seward, Neb.	L, 7-35	2-1, 1-1
Sept. 29	*Dordt College	Sioux Center, Iowa	L, 19-38	2-2, 1-2
Oct. 6	*Dakota Wesleyan University	Seward, Neb.	W, 14-9	3-2, 2-2
Oct. 13	*Briar Cliff University	Sioux City, Iowa	L, 14-23	3-3, 2-3
Oct. 20	*Hastings College (Military Appreciation)	Seward, Neb.	L, 13-21	3-4, 2-4
Oct. 27	*(1) Morningside College	Sioux City, Iowa	L, 0-49	3-5, 2-5
Nov. 3	*(6) Northwestern College (Senior Day)	Seward, Neb.	L, 28-42	3-6, 2-6
Nov. 10	*Doane University	Crete, Neb.	L, 16-21	3-7, 2-7

2018 Roster

No.	Name		Pos.	Yr.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown	Previous School
1	Arthur	Anderson	WR	So.	6-1	176	San Antonio, Texas	Wagner HS
1	Daniel	Cantu	K	So.	5-11	172	Eagle Lake, Texas	Rice HS
2	Caydren	Cox	LB	So.	6-0	210	Beloit, Kan.	Beloit HS
2	Blake	Culbert	QB	So.	6-3	215	Garden Grove, Calif.	Rancho Alamitos HS
3	Jarrett	Brown	DB	Fr.	5-10	170	West Columbia, Texas	Columbia HS
3	Se'lah	Smith	WR	Fr.	5-8	170	Marshall, Texas	Marshall HS
4	Matt	Petracek	DB	Jr.	5-9	163	Wilber, Neb.	Wilber-Clatonia HS
4	Robert	Ferguson	FB	Jr.	5-11	240	The Woodlands, Texas	St. Pius X HS
5	Johnny	Johnson	DB	Jr.	6-0	190	Compton, Calif.	Mater Dei HS / Golden West CC
5	Korrell	Koehlmoos	WR	Fr.	6-0	175	Pilger, Neb.	Lutheran High Northeast
6	Jake	Kemp	QB	Jr.	6-1	218	Decatur, Texas	Decatur HS / Belhaven University
6	Darius	McVay	DB	So.	5-10	170	Concord, Calif.	Ygnacio Valley HS
7	Peyton	Mitchell	WR	So.	6-1	190	Waverly, Kan.	Waverly HS
8	Jorge	Ochoa	LB	So.	5-11	220	Beaumont, Texas	West Brook HS
9	Jacob	Flores	WR	So.	5-9	165	Sun Valley, Calif.	John H. Francis Poly
9	De'Trevion	Macon	DB	Fr.	5-11	180	Marshall, Texas	Marshall HS
10	Andrew	Perea	QB	Jr.	6-1	200	Pico River, Calif.	El Rancho HS
11	Lane	Castaneda	WR	So.	6-2	190	San Antonio, Texas	James Madison HS
11	Jorre	Luther	K	Fr.	5-9	160	York, Neb.	York HS
12	Kordell	Hamer	WR	Jr.	6-0	165	Central City, Neb.	Central City HS
12	David	Paczkowski	K	Fr.	6-1	170	Wamego, Kan.	Wamego HS
13	Jayzen	Armstrong	DB	Fr.	5-8	155	Casa Grande, Ariz.	Vista Grande HS
13	Vincent	Beasley	WR	Sr.	6-1	195	Manvel, Texas	Manvel HS
14	Kayle	Carlson	LB	Fr.	5-10	200	Malcolm, Neb.	Malcolm Public Schools
14	Luke	Lang	QB	Fr.	6-3	215	Brentwood, Calif.	Heritage HS
15	Parker	Johnson	LB	Sr.	6-3	233	York, Neb.	York HS
15	Garrett	Schardt	TE	Fr.	6-2	190	Davenport, Neb.	Bruning-Davenport-Shickley HS
16	Easton	Clark	LB	Fr.	5-11	180	North Platte, Neb.	Hershey Public School
16	Enrique	Perez	WR	Fr.	6-1	190	San Antonio, Texas	John Jay HS
17	Trevor	Dey	WR	So.	6-2	182	Gresham, Neb.	Centennial HS
18	Blake	Stewart	DB	So.	5-6	170	Ault, Colo.	Highland HS
18	Kaiston	Terry	QB	Fr.	6-1	175	Lubbock, Texas	Ropes HS
19	Ryan	Durdon	RB	Jr.	6-0	200	Decatur, Texas	Decatur HS
20	Caden	Jameson	DB	Sr.	5-11	190	Thedford, Neb.	Sandhills HS
21	Nick	Sandoval	LB	So.	6-0	190	Chula Vista, Calif.	Del Rey Center HS
22	Shayne	Campbell	LB	Fr.	6-0	190	O'Neill, Neb.	O'Neill HS
23	Lane	Napier	LB	So.	6-0	227	David City, Neb.	Aquinas HS
24	Olajuwon	Ferguson	DB	Jr.	5-9	178	Winston-Salem, N.C.	Mt. Tabor HS / Santa Rosa JC
24	Exavier	Jackson	WR	Fr.	5-11	164	De Soto, Texas	De Soto HS
25	Nicolas	Santistevan	DB	Fr.	5-7	180	Albuquerque, N.M.	St. Pius X HS
25	Jonah	Weyand	RB	Fr.	5-10	190	Crete, Neb.	Crete HS
26	Atanasio	Simba	RB	So.	5-6	160	Houston, Texas	Lutheran North HS
27	Davonte	Mouton	DB	So.	6-2	200	Crosby, Texas	Ross S. Sterling, HS
28	Matt	Kamm	DB	Fr.	5-9	160	Bethlehem, Ga.	Bethlehem Christian Academy
29	Riley	Freeland	RB	So.	5-8	175	Montrose, Colo.	Montrose HS/Mesa College
29	Devon	Jackson	DB	Sr.	6-0	198	Calgary, Alberta	Bishop Grandin HS
30	Detrick	Green, Jr.	DB	Fr.	5-9	165	Minneapolis, Kan.	Minneapolis HS
30	Alan	Sharp	K	Jr.	5-11	185	Plattsmouth, Neb.	Plattsmouth HS
31	Riley	Bilstein	LB	Jr.	6-2	218	Atkinson, Neb.	West Holt HS
32	Tanner	Schwaninger	LB	Jr.	6-1	220	Palmyra, Neb.	Lincoln Christian HS
33	Logan	Srna	DB	Fr.	5-10	170	Culver, Kan.	Tescott HS
34	Marcus	Carr	FB	Jr.	5-10	210	Broken Arrow, Okla.	Lutheran Christian Academy
35	Tyree	Daniels	WR	Jr.	5-7	160	Hutto, Texas	Taylor HS / Colby CC
35	Logan	Petitfrere	DB	Fr.	5-11	170	Orlando, Fla.	Oakridge HS
36	Kordell	Glause	LB	Sr.	6-0	208	Palmer, Neb.	Palmer HS
37	Michael	Schomer	LB	Fr.	5-11	170	Grand Island, Neb.	Grand Island Northwest HS
38	Wyatt	Kube	LB	Fr.	5-9	195	Fairmont, Minn.	Martin Luther HS
38	Zach	Walker	FB	Jr.	6-0	215	Dacono, Colo.	Broomfield HS
39	Chevy	Stout	FB	So.	5-10	210	Grand Island, Neb.	North West HS
39	Zac	Walter	LB	Jr.	6-0	210	Lincoln, Kan.	Lincoln HS
40	Morgan	Barker	FB	Fr.	5-7	180	Eastland, Texas	Eastland HS
40	Payton	Kidder	RB	So.	6-1	230	Holdrege, Neb.	Holdrege HS
42	Bailey	Kraemer	DB	Jr.	5-10	170	Norfolk, Neb.	Nebraska Lutheran HS
43	Leonardo	Guevara	FB	Fr.	5-9	210	Glendora, Calif.	Glendora HS / San Jose State
43	Manny	Zamoum	FB	Fr.	5-8	222	La Mesa, Calif.	Helix HS
44	Derek	Tachovsky	LB	Jr.	6-2	215	Wilber, Neb.	Wilber-Clatonia HS
45	Drew	Cunningham	DB	Fr.	6-0	220	Glen Elder, Kan.	Downs HS
45	Juan R.	Leon	FB	Fr.	5-10	210	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
46	Adam	Christiansen	LS	Sr.	6-1	225	Palmer, Alaska	Palmer HS
47	Daniel	Langewisch	FB	Sr.	5-10	225	Lakewood, Colo.	Faith Christian HS
48	Derek	Luzum	DL	Jr.	6-2	216	Milligan, Neb.	Exeter-Milligan HS
49	Brady	Fitzke	TE/P	So.	6-6	230	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS / U. of Nebraska Kearney
50	Gary	Nieuwkoop	DL	Jr.	6-3	258	Chowchilla, Calif.	Chowchilla HS
50	Dylan	Rahder	OL	Fr.	5-11	250	York, Neb.	York HS
51	Zac	Miller	DL	Jr.	6-3	232	North Platte, Neb.	North Platte St. Patrick's
51	Matt	Preuss	LB	So.	5-10	215	Placentia, Calif.	Lutheran HS
52	Brandon	Vega	OL	Fr.	5-10	230	Emporia, Kan.	Emporia HS
53	Cody	Hofrock	OL	Jr.	5-11	265	Sidney, Neb.	Sidney HS
53	Bennett	Reisler	LB	Fr.	6-1	188	Bonduel, Wis.	N.E.W. Lutheran HS
54	Cole	Baumgartner	OL	So.	6-2	252	San Antonio, Texas	Smithson Valley HS
54	Payton	Stevens	LB	So.	6-4	220	Polk, Neb.	High Plains HS
55	Brock	Joyner	OL	Fr.	6-3	290	Houston, Texas	Clear Lake HS
55	Kougar	Rodriguez	LB	Fr.	5-10	215	Midland, Texas	Robert E. Lee HS
56	Chase	Cornman	DL	So.	6-1	270	Cypress, Texas	Cy-Springs HS
56	Stuart	Kolpin	OL	Sr.	6-2	235	Overland Park, Kan.	Blue Valley NW
57	Jayden	Brosius	DL	Fr.	6-0	210	North Platte, Neb.	St. Patrick's HS
57	Stirling	Tonniges	LB	So.	6-0	207	Ord, Neb.	Ord HS
58	Avery	Millsaps	OL	Fr.	6-4	305	Loganville, Ga.	Bethlehem Christian Academy
58	Martin	Solano	LB	Fr.	6-0	195	Riverside, Calif.	Norte Vista HS
59	Jacob	Filbrun	DL	Jr.	6-0	235	Brookville, Ohio	Brookeville HS / Sinclair CC
59	Grant	Ritter	OL	Fr.	6-1	250	Schertz, Texas	Clemens HS
60	Johnny	Robinson III	OL	Fr.	5-9	280	Houston, Texas	Eisenhower HS
62	Roy	Garza	OL	So.	6-1	270	Mission, Texas	Mission HS
63	Keegan	Hornung	OL	So.	6-0	286	Chandler, Ariz.	Williamsfield HS
64	Evrett	Shaw	OL	Sr.	6-0	270	Centennial, Colo.	Eagle Crest HS
65	Trenton	Sanders	OL	Fr.	6-0	230	Lakewood, Colo.	Lakewood HS
66	Dalton	Goodenberger	OL	Sr.	6-1	272	McCook, Neb.	McCook HS
68	Wendell	Banks	OL	Fr.	5-11	250	San Antonio, Texas	Wagner HS
69	Jeremy	Perencevic	OL	Jr.	6-1	375	Machesney Park, Ill.	Harlem HS / Central Lakes College
71	John-Robert	Hicks	OL	Sr.	5-11	265	Ewa Beach, Hawaii	Luthera HS of Hawaii
72	Donnovyn	Waller	OL	Fr.	6-2	330	Houston, Texas	Alief Hastings HS
73	Grady	Koch	OL	Sr.	6-4	270	Doniphan, Neb.	Doniphan-Trumbull HS
76	Tucker	Gartner	DL	So.	6-0	260	Giltner, Neb.	Giltner HS
78	Benjamin	Rakoski	OL	So.	6-1	315	Alton, Ill.	Alton HS
80	Blake	Sears	WR	Fr.	5-10	150	Crete, Neb.	Crete HS
81	Cayden	Beran	WR	Fr.	6-2	185	Hutto, Texas	Hutto HS
82	Cole	Schaedel	WR	Fr.	6-0	175	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
83	Logan	Kreizel	TE	Fr.	6-3	205	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
84	Daniel	Wehling	TE	Fr.	6-1	220	Liberal, Kan.	Liberal HS
86	Isaiah	Foster	WR	Fr.	6-0	176	San Antonio, Texas	Earl Warren HS
87	Kyle	Johnson	WR	So.	5-7	150	Stafford, Texas	Dulles HS
89	Will	Riley	WR	Jr.	5-7	170	Miami, Okla.	Miami HS
91	Aaron	Rudloff	DL	Jr.	6-1	235	Battle Creek, Neb.	Battle Creek HS
92	Evan	Thibodeaux	DL	Fr.	6-2	240	Beaumont, Texas	Cathedral Christian HS
93	Chase	Hammons	DL	So.	6-0	215	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
94	Eddie	Silas	DL	Fr.	6-0	185	Marshall, Texas	Marshall HS
95	Gerald	Morris	DL	Fr.	6-1	230	Arlington, Texas	Arlington HS
96	Kaleb	Geiger	DL	Sr.	6-1	235	Sedalia, Colo.	Castle View HS
97	Dagne'	Buck	DL	Fr.	5-10	205	Plumas Lake, Calif.	Whitney HS
99	Tate	Janssen	K	Jr.	5-8	168	Columbus, Neb.	Lakeview HS
	Lincoln	McKenzie	DB	Fr.	6-0	185	Coral Springs, Fla.	Travella HS

STAFF

Patrick Daberkow, Head Coach (2nd year)

Corby Osten, Defensive Coordinator

Reggie Corbin, Pass Game Coordinator / Quarterbacks

Wes Coomes, Special Teams Coordinator / JV Head Coach

Ron Jackson, Graduate Assistant (Defensive Line)

Von Thomas, Running Backs

Courtney Meyer, Kickers / Punters / Long Snappers

Harold Pester, Defensive Line

Chris Shipley, Linebackers

Karl Miller, Defensive Backs

Sam Brauer, Wide Receivers

Kyle Rakow, Offensive Line

D'Mauria Martin, Defensive Backs

Erik Small, Fullbacks / Tight Ends

Todd Berner, Director of Strength and Conditoning

Eric Lundberg, Athletic Trainer

Junior Lule, Equipment

Football program announces signing day recruiting class of 44

Feb. 7, 2018

WHERE THEY COME FROM ...

SEWARD, Neb. – Head coach Patrick Daberkow calls the February National Signing Day that arrived today (Feb. 7) a benchmark in regards to each year’s recruiting efforts. As of National Signing Day, the Concordia University football program has announced a class of 44 incoming recruits that have either officially signed or have pledged commitments. Daberkow says that he and his coaching staff plan to have the entire 2018 class wrapped up by the end of February.

Ten different states are represented in the current list of recruits (see at bottom). Daberkow and his staff landed student-athletes from Texas (14), Nebraska (12), Kansas (7), California (3), Florida (2), Georgia (2), Colorado (1), Minnesota (1), New Mexico (1) and Wisconsin (1).

“We’re always going to have an emphasis on offensive line,” said Daberkow of a class that includes seven offensive linemen. “Whatever scheme you run, you’re only going to be as good as your offensive line. We are always going to be looking at talented offensive linemen. There are guys in this recruiting class who are going to have the ability to come in and make an instant impact, but we never want to be in a situation where we need a guy to play immediately. A lot of these guys will be in a position to play early, but we’re also excited about what the guys in the locker room right now are doing.”

Of the dozen Nebraska athletes set to become Bulldogs, many come from within an hour’s radius of campus. Lincoln Lutheran High School stars Logan Kriezel and Cole Schaedel will both be making their way to Seward. They led the Warriors to the Class C2 state semifinals while putting up eye-popping numbers in 2017. Schaedel projects as a receiver at the college level, but played quarterback at Lincoln Lutheran and threw for 2,034 yards and added 33 total touchdowns (25 passing, eight rushing) as a senior. Kriezel was on the receiving end of many of those tosses. He totaled 75 receptions for 1,209 yards and 16 touchdowns.

“Kriezel is a very versatile guy. We’re listing him as an athlete,” Daberkow said. “Schaedel is a receiver who has experience at quarterback. He brings a lot to the table. He’s a great team player. He stepped into a role last year for Lincoln Lutheran where he started fall camp at one position and filled in at quarterback. He did a dynamite job taking them about as far as they’ve been. We’re very excited to get both of those guys.”

The list of local talent goes on and on. Daberkow also came through with a coup to get Crete standouts in receiver Blake Sears and running back Jonah Weyand. Additionally, the son of Concordia assistant professor of health and human performance Chris Luther recently made his signing official. Jorre Luther of Class B state champion York High School should help solidify the kicking game. Duke teammate Dylan Rahder will also be joining the Bulldogs.

Daberkow and his full-time staff that includes defensive coordinator Corby Osten, offensive coordinator Thomas Byrd and special teams/recruiting coordinator Wes Coomes tapped into familiar pipelines in the state of Texas, where a large chunk of the 2018 class calls home. They then made inroads in other regions such as Florida and near the Atlanta area.

Daberkow says that alumni coaching connections continue to be fruitful for the program. Said Daberkow, “We have a lot of alumni connections that contribute to our success out of state. We have a lot of Concordia alums in Texas who are telling us about guys like Se’lah Smith (Marshall) and Eddie Silas (Marshall). They came from (alum) Jake Griedl’s school where he’s coaching. There are countless others that are giving us names of guys. We really like this class and we feel good about the new pipelines we’re developing.”

2018 Concordia football recruiting class

*As of February 7, 2018

Pos. | Name | High School | City | State

OL Wendell Banks | Wagner HS | San Antonio, TX

WR Cayden Beran | Hutto HS | Hutto, TX

QB Jack Blumer | Marysville HS | Marysville, KS

DL Jayden Brosius | Saint Patrick HS | North Platte, NE

ATH Jarrett Brown | Columbia HS | West Columbia, TX

LB Shayne Campbell | O'Neill HS | O’Neill, NE

LB Easton Clark | Hershey Public School | North Platte, NE

DB Drew Cunningham | Downs HS | Glen Elder, KS

DB Robert Edmondson | American River College | Redding, CA

WR Isaiah Foster | Earl Warren HS | San Antonio, TX

LB Detrick Green | Minneapolis HS | Minneapolis, KS

DB Exavier Jackson | De Soto HS | De Soto, KS

DB Johnny Johnson | Mater Dei HS | Buena Park, CA

OL Brock Joyner | Clear Lake HS | Friendswood, TX

ATH Matthew Kamm | Bethlehem Christian Academy | Bethlehem, GA

ATH Logan Kreizel | Lincoln Lutheran HS | Lincoln, NE

DB Tyler Lechner | Nebraska City HS | Nebraska City, NE

FB Juan Leon | Columbus Senior HS | Columbus, NE

K Jorre Luther | York HS | York, NE

DB Lincoln Mckenzie | Taravella J P HS | Coral Springs, FL

OL Avery Millsaps | Bethlehem Christian Academy | Loganville, GA

DE Gerald Morris | Arlington HS | Arlington, TX

K David Paczkowski | Wamego HS | Wamego, KS

OL Jeremy Perencevic | Harlem Senior HS | Brainerd, MN

FB Dylan Rahder | York HS | York, NE

LB Bennett Reisler | Northeastern WI Lutheran HS | Bonduel, WI

OL Johnny Robinson | Eisenhower HS | Houston, TX

LB Kougar Rodriguez | Robert E Lee HS | Midland, TX

DL Juan Ruvalcaba | Franklin HS | El Paso, TX

OL Trenton Sanders | Lakewood HS | Lakewood, CO

DB Nic Santistevan | Saint Pius X HS | Albuquerque, NM

WR Cole Schaedel | Lincoln Lutheran HS | Lincoln, NE

LB Michael Schomer | Northwest HS | Grand Island, NE

WR Blake Sears | Crete HS | Crete, NE

DL Eddie Silas | Marshall Senior HS | Marshall, TX

WR Se’lah Smith | Marshall Senior HS | Marshall, TX

OLB Logan Srna | Tescott HS | Culver, KS

QB Kaiston Terry | Ropes HS | Lubbock, TX

DL Evan Thibodeaux | Cathedral Christian HS | Beaumont, TX

OL Donnovyn Waller | Alief Hasting Senior HS | Houston, TX

TE Daniel Wehling | Liberal HS | Liberal, KS

RB Jonah Weyand | Crete HS | Crete, NE

RB Gerard Williams | Williston HS | Bronson, FL

FB Maneil Zamoum | Helix HS | La Mesa, CA

Ten-game 2018 football schedule unveiled

February 14, 2018

2018 Bulldog Football Schedule | PDF

SEWARD, Neb. – The 2018 football season is set to officially kick off on Sept. 8 with Bulldog Stadium serving as the venue. On Wednesday (Feb. 14), the Concordia University football program announced a 10-game slate for this coming fall. Patrick Daberkow’s second season at head football coach will get started with a non-conference home game versus NCAA Division III Buena Vista University. The Bulldogs will travel to Buena Vista in 2019.

The season opener will be the lone nonconference game on the 2018 schedule. The final nine regular-season contests will all be played against GPAC opponents. New to this year’s slate is the University of Jamestown, the latest institution to become a member of the GPAC. The Jimmies will welcome Concordia to Taylor Stadium on Sept. 15 for their first-ever conference game as a GPAC football competitor. Concordia and Jamestown have never met on the football field. The Bulldogs have also never played Buena Vista (member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), which is coming off a 3-7 record in 2017.

In GPAC play, the Bulldogs will play four at home and five on the road (reversed in 2019). Homecoming is set for Sept. 22 when Midland makes a visit to Seward. Concordia will not play consecutive games at home or on the road during the entire season. The GPAC’s two 2017 playoff qualifiers, Morningside (Oct. 27) and Northwestern (Nov. 3), loom late in the schedule. Rival Doane has been scheduled for the season’s final regular season game (Nov. 10). The NAIA Football Championship Series gets started on Nov. 17.

In Daberkow’s first season as head coach, the Bulldogs went 6-4 overall and placed third in the GPAC standings. After a 2-3 start, Concordia went on a four-game win streak while riding 1,000-yard back Ryan Durdon, a breakout star as a sophomore. One of the season’s highlights came on Sept. 23 when the Bulldogs topped then seventh-ranked Doane, 29-18, on homecoming, snapping an 11-game series losing streak.

For the fourth season in a row, 104.9 Max Country will serve as the radio home of Concordia football. Tyler Cavalli (play-by-play) and Roger Fitzke (color commentator) are back in the fold to call the action.

2018 Concordia Football Schedule

Spring ball arrives for Daberkow's squad

Mar. 26, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – Between now and April 20, the Concordia University football team will practice 15 times as part of spring ball on campus. Fans of the Bulldogs can get a preview of what’s to come this fall when the program holds its public spring scrimmage on April 20 at 7 p.m. CT. Head coach Patrick Daberkow is preparing for his second season after the 2017 campaign yielded a 6-4 overall record.

First practice: Monday, March 26
Public spring scrimmage: Friday, April 20, 7 p.m. (Bulldog Stadium)
Starters returning: 6 offense, 6 defense

Position-by-position glance

Quarterback
The coaching staff will be looking for a difference maker here. The offense operated in a productive manner in weeks six through nine when Riley Wiltfong returned to health. The only experienced quarterback inside the program this spring is Andrew Perea, who enters his senior season. Perea threw five touchdown passes last season while appearing in seven games. Others with an opportunity to impress during spring ball are Blake Culbert and Jake Kemp. No matter who emerges as the No. 1 guy, the development of quarterback depth will be a high priority. Daberkow says that all three guys currently in camp are adept at throwing the deep ball.

Running Back
Converted receiver and junior-to-be Ryan Durdon turned this position from a major question mark this time a year ago into one of the team’s biggest strengths this past fall. He enjoyed one of the best seasons ever by a Concordia running back, rushing for 1,247 yards and eight touchdowns while earning second team All-GPAC accolades. Concordia loses No. 2 back TJ Austin (323 rushing yards). Ideally, the Bulldogs will find a reliable backup to the lessen the burden on Durdon, who averaged 31.8 carries per game during the team’s late four-game win streak. Fresno, Texas, native Sir-Zavius Broussard is a candidate for a breakout after getting a taste of the college game in his freshman season. Daberkow feels good about his lead blockers with fullbacks Robert Ferguson and Daniel Langewisch back in the fold.

Receiver
There likely won’t be one guy who can replace the production of Jared Garcia, who finished his Concordia career with 161 catches for 2,495 yards and 35 touchdowns over his four seasons. Two returners caught 15 or more passes: Lane Castaneda (23 catches, 233 yards, 3 TDs) and Vincent Beasley (15 catches, 250 yards, 2 TDs). Jackson Hall (25 catches, 318 yards, 3 TDs) decided not to return to Concordia for his junior year. The spring will help determine whether someone such as Castaneda or Beasley is able to emerge as an elite playmaker. With the losses of Garcia and Hall, this position would appear to be one with room for an impact newcomer or two.

Tight End
The Bulldogs did not incorporate the tight ends into the passing game much in 2017, but senior Seth Fitzke was an important part of the running game. His contributions in that regard helped him pick up second team All-GPAC accolades despite only notching four receptions. Senior-to-be Stuart Kolpin was next in line after Fitzke on the 2017 depth chart. The program will miss Fitzke’s physicality and toughness. The good news is that another Fitzke – Brady – has three years of eligibility remaining. The 6-foot-5 Brady Fitzke possesses exciting potential and an ability to line up as a slot receiver.

Offensive Line
The 2017 group emerged as one of the best offensive line units in recent history for the program. The anchor is center Matt Romero, a first team all-conference choice. Fellow seniors-to-be in tackle Michael Brewer and guard Grady Koch join Romero as returning starters on what should be another solid o-line. Others with experience are Cole Baumgartner and Dalton Goodenberger. Daberkow has been consistent in stating that an offense is only as good as its line. Starters Hallick Lehmann and Austin Reese must be replaced.

Defensive Line
For the second year in a row, the Bulldogs are looking for a new anchor at nose guard after getting all-conference play the past two seasons from the likes of Ron Jackson and Erik Small. At the defensive end spots in Concordia’s 3-4 alignment, starters Aaron Rudloff (34 tackles) and Parker Johnson (28 tackles, 4.5 tfl’s) are back in the mix. In terms of pass rushers, the Bulldogs missed former All-American Trey Barnes’ production this past fall. Small and Zac Walter tied for the team lead with three sacks apiece last season. This group often got overshadowed in 2017 by the defense’s high profile players in the linebacker and secondary units. Daberkow says that a surprise name could end up being one of this unit’s top players.

Linebacker
It’s rare for a freshman to make the type of immediate impact made last season by inside backer Lane Napier, a David City native. The tackling machine led all GPAC players in stops (97) during the regular season. He also added eight tackles in the backfield during a first team all-conference campaign. He’s the headliner of a unit that includes experienced players in senior-to-be Kordell Glause (44 tackles, 4 tfl’s), Derek Tachovsky (35 tackles) and Riley Bilstein (16 tackles). The aforementioned Walter can provide a push off the edge in passing situations. The departure from the starting group is Shane Scott.

Defensive Back
No area of the team will be hit harder by graduation than this one. First team all-GPAC stars D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby will no longer terrorize opposing quarterbacks. The next big thing could be junior-to-be Nate Gilmore, a safety who made 46 tackles and broke up seven passes last season. Concordia figures to be youthful at corner, where Darius McVay and Davonte Mouton will have an opportunity to step in. They are heading into their sophomore years. Safety Caden Jameson could also push for a starting role in his senior season.

Specialists
The stinger here is losing the game-breaking return abilities of Roby, who piled up 1,041 all-purpose yards as one of the top return men in the NAIA. Durdon also returned seven kicks. Help will be needed in this area. Daberkow and his staff will also be looking for an answer at kicker, a spot held down by senior Brendan Cremin in 2017. That position battle could wind up being won by an incoming recruit. On the other hand, Concordia has a handle on the punting position with sophomore-to-be Brady Fitzke back after he averaged 42.7 yards per punt in his first season as a Bulldog. Fitzke will battle Payton Stevens for the job.

Thoughts from Coach Daberkow
We’ll do all sorts of things with our guys offensively. Brady Fitzke will line up at tight end but we’ll also split him out at Z receiver and we’ll line him up at fullback. He’s not as big and strong as (older brother) Seth, but he’s probably more versatile from a receiving standpoint … We’re going to be a ground-and-pound offense. We have to throw the ball better than we did last year. We’re going to run but I think we have the ability to throw more. We need to be a little more unpredictable on first and 10. Last year it was power left or power right. It worked for us in the back half of the season but we have to figure out different ways to distribute the ball … The strength of our defensive unit is our linebacker core. Lane’s (Napier) strength lies in his competitive nature. He and Kordell (Glause) just don’t accept defeat. They’re fierce competitors. Lane has a knack for the ball. He just loves to compete. He’s a downhill football player. The sky’s the limit for him. He’s going to be a special player for us … The amount of playing time on Saturdays that unit (defensive backs) has had has been limited. We don’t know what we have yet. We’ll know a lot more in a month … Our punt return is a question mark … I think we’ll be able to distribute it more where Durdon won’t have to carry the load as much as he did last year. He’ll still be our primary guy. He’s going to get a lot of touches … It’s a wide open race (at quarterback). Andrew Perea has had some experience. Jake Kemp has a great arm. All three of our quarterbacks (in for the spring) can throw the deep ball really well. That’s what we want to see. It really is wide open.

Camp files: linebacker core expected to anchor defense

Apr. 7, 2018

The Concordia University football program has returned to the practice fields this spring while experiencing life after D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby, four-year cornerstones in the defensive backfield. With a decidedly youthful secondary group, the spotlight now shifts to a budding linebacker core that welcomes back three starters.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow and defensive coordinator Corby Osten will be counting upon the likes of Kordell Glause, Lane Napier and Derek Tachovsky as leaders and as productive players on the field. Those three all started extensively last season, but others such as Riley Bilstein, Terrell Pearson and Zac Walter will also vie for plenty of snaps.

Said Daberkow, “We feel like that’s our deepest group. They’re going to play an integral role in the success that we have on defense next year. Everything’s going to center around them and their abilities in game planning and scheming. We’ll lean very heavy on that linebacker core.”

The senior of the group will be Glause, who has started for the past two seasons as an outside backer in the program’s 3-4 scheme. The Palmer, Neb., native says it has been noticeable how much more physically prepared the unit has become during another offseason of workouts with strength and conditioning coach Todd Berner. Glause also talks about how the game comes easier from the mental side as he has honed his knowledge of Concordia’s schemes and opposing offensive attacks.

There’s a learning curve for most linebackers making the adjustment to the college game. Considering the wealth of key sophomores, and even some freshmen, that made up last year’s linebackers, it was natural for people to put a big question mark by this unit a year ago.

Said Glause, “The game is just a lot faster (in college). You have to pick up on things. It’s not where you can just use your God given talents. You have to be prepared. Physically, I’ve put on 30 pounds since I’ve gotten out of high school. I figured out right away that I needed to get a lot stronger. Coach Berner has done a lot of stuff with speed and explosiveness. Mentally, as the years have gone on, things kind of slow down.”

In terms of honors, the most heralded of Concordia linebackers is Napier, still a freshman who chose the Bulldogs out of nearby Aquinas High School in David City. He led all GPAC players during the regular season with 97 tackles and garnered first team All-GPAC honors as an inside backer. Glause mans a less glorious role on the outside that often requires him to eat up blockers, but he still registered four tackles for loss as a junior. Tachovsky made 35 stops while Pearson spent most of the fall on the sidelines after a season-ending injury in the opener at Kansas Wesleyan.

There appear to be more than four capable starters in the bunch. The excess of riches at this spot should ease the blow that comes from the departures of Martin and Roby.

“Now that most of our DB’s graduated from last year we got put into the leadership role,” Tachovsky said. “Our DB’s are young so we’re going to have to step it up. Last year the DB’s stepped it up when we were all young. The front seven had so many sophomores. Now it’s our turn. We’re the older ones now. The DB’s need time to learn and grow.”

Naturally, most players coming out of high school are not finished products. Not many are as prepared as Napier, who began 2017 getting reps in the offensive backfield in addition to duties at linebacker. It became apparent that Napier was most valuable on the defensive side of the ball. He collected 56 tackles over the final four games of the season and is in a rare position this spring. He’s already a proven commodity despite not having completed a full year of college.

“I knew I could help the team out in some way,” Napier said. “They started me out at running back and that wasn’t feeling right so they moved me to linebacker and everything started clicking. I had great guys to push me all the time. I think my knowledge of football helped me too. Just getting out there and playing was most helpful.”

In the case of Glause, he suffered an injury early in his career and his physical development was pushed back. He tried to use that time to soak up the college game. Glause mentions mentors such as Michael Hedlund, Matt Keener and Tait Sibbel that provided an example of how to be successful.

Someday younger players will bring up players like Glause and Napier as teammates who showed them the way. They are the new household names on the defensive side this spring. A higher profile isn’t likely to change them. They’re focused on things like run fits and fulfilling individual responsibilities for the greater good of the program.

Together, they make each other better.

Said Napier, “We know how each other plays. I played next to Kordell most of the time last year and you kind of get a feel for what he’s going to do and you don’t have to worry so much. You just go play and you know the other guys are going to do the same.”

Up-and-comers on display as spring season wraps up

Apr. 20, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – For the majority of Friday evening’s spring scrimmage, the Concordia University football team looked very little like the one that last appeared in the fall in an official game. Proven commodities such as running back Ryan Durdon spent most of the crisp spring evening watching from the sidelines. Now in his second season as head coach, Patrick Daberkow preferred to get a long look at some of the younger, still developing players.

There have been plenty of moving parts this spring for a group still looking for growth between now and September.

“A lot of guys who made a lot of plays last year are not here anymore,” Daberkow said. “We saw a lot of fresh faces making plays tonight and it was good to see. A lot of them made significant improvements and some good leaps over the offseason with our strength and conditioning program.”

Durdon and receivers Vincent Beasley and Lane Castaneda got only one offensive series on Friday night. In addition, starting tackle Grady Koch is away from the team while student teaching in St. Louis. Not so surprisingly, the defensive side of the ball had the upper hand in front of a crowd of a perhaps a few hundred fans. This isn’t necessarily the time of year when coaches like to single out specific individuals, but Daberkow already has high praise for defensive back Darius McVay, who is a sophomore-to-be.

Opportunity knocks for McVay and other youngsters in a secondary that tries to recover from the losses of first team All-GPAC stars D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby.

“It was a little bit one-sided tonight,” Daberkow said. “Defensively, I really love what we’re doing. We’re flying to the football. A guy who has had an incredible spring is Darius McVay. He’ll come into a role next fall where he’ll be a playmaker for us … I was really impressed with our open field tackling tonight. It was good to see the defense flying around and making plays in the open field.”

While the youth movement takes hold in the defensive backfield featuring the likes of McVay and Davonte Mouton (the holdover is stalwart Nate Gilmore), the offense also rolled out a new wave of up-and-comers at the skill positions. It appears that Daberkow may have more depth at the running back spot. Sophomores-to-be Payton Kidder and Atanasio Simba got the bulk of the carries on Friday. The contrasts are obvious, Kidder at 6-foot-1 and Simba at 5-foot-6.

Daberkow confirmed afterwards that the battle at the quarterback position remains unsolved. Three signal callers did their best to impress the coaching staff throughout the spring. The current group includes Blake Culbert, Jake Kemp and Andrew Perea. The latter is the only one with varsity game experience. It hasn’t been ruled out that the starter could wind up coming out of a pool of newcomers.

The winner of the quarterback derby will no longer have record-breaking receiver Jared Garcia to rely on in the passing game, but there is optimism that other weapons will emerge. Seward High School product Brady Fitzke possesses exciting potential. He lined up in the slot extensively on Friday. He will be more than just a special teams contributor in 2018.

“He’s kind of our Swiss army knife right now,” Daberkow said. “We’ll line him up at tight end, we’ll use him as a lead blocker on some plays out of the backfield and then we’ll throw him at slot receiver. He’s a good blocker. We can do a lot of stuff with him.”

A former seven-year defensive coordinator under previous head coach Vance Winter, Daberkow has adjusted to more of an influential role with the offensive group. There are likely to be tweaks here and there, but a reliance on power running should continue with Durdon back in the fold to go along with a rising group of younger runners.

On the defensive side of the ball, Concordia hasn’t changed a whole lot over the past decade. Corby Osten now enters his second season as a coordinator. His side of the ball will be paced by a linebacker group that looks nasty. The LB crew got a shot-in-the-arm this spring with the return to health of Terrell Pearson, who suffered a season-ending injury in the 2017 opener at Kansas Wesleyan. The headliner of the group is returning first team all-conference performer Lane Napier.

Friday’s scrimmage lasted roughly an hour-and-15 minutes. No score was kept. Offensive players wore white jerseys while the defensive players donned navy.

A lot of the same storylines will re-emerge in the fall. Who will start at quarterback? Who will be the primary receiving threat? Who’s the next out-of-nowhere star on defense? Who will kick field goals? How will a young secondary hold up?

Thankfully, there’s plenty of time to answer such questions. Said Daberkow, “There are a lot of things that are different, namely we have a lot of new faces.

“Some of what we’re doing in the spring is experimental. If you’re going to try some new things, spring is the time to do it. In the fall we’re getting ready for our week one opponent. It’s so vital because we really workshopped a lot of stuff. We’ll go into meetings next week as a staff and say this is what we like and this is what we don’t like. We’ll formulate the playbook and move forward from there.”

The Bulldogs will host another intrasquad scrimmage during fall camp. Fans are invited to attend the Blue-White scrimmage at 7 p.m. CT on Aug. 17. The 2018 season will officially get started on Saturday, Sept. 8 when NCAA Division III Buena Vista University (Iowa) makes a visit to Bulldog Stadium. View the complete schedule HERE.

The Victory Bell: a uniquely Concordia tradition

Jun. 13, 2018

Hanging from the archway of a still brand new colonnade, the more-than-100-years-old Victory Bell has become a fixture inside Bulldog Stadium. Its unmistakable reverberating clangs come alive often on crisp fall Saturdays. It’s part of a well-established tradition that’s uniquely Concordia University, Nebraska. Said 1952 graduate John “Sid” Seevers, “You would hear that and you knew we had a victory.”

For many years now, this majestic bell has signaled victory for the Bulldogs. But why? And do any of today’s Concordia athletes who do the honors of ringing it really know the history? That’s incredibly unlikely, because many of the details of the bell’s whereabouts over its long lifespan have been scattered amongst the minds of many who may have encountered the beastly bronze artwork that has stood the test of time. Those people have come and gone. Many people know something about the bell, but no one seems to know the entire story. We may never reconstruct its complete journey.

The truth is that The Victory Bell has sometimes been cast aside, left behind in storage or simply laid to rest next to the structure that is currently known as the hitting center, situated on the southeast part of campus. Rarely, if at all, is the bell mentioned in historical narratives or yearbooks that chronicle Concordia’s past.

As folklore has it, The Victory Bell first resided on the roof of Jesse Hall. A dormitory that housed male students for nearly 50 years, Jesse Hall was erected in 1923. According to accounts from the time, a bell sat atop Jesse’s roof as early as 1945. An article from the April 30, 1997, edition of the Seward County Independent stated that the “victory bell originally hung from Jesse Hall, where it was sounded each morning to awaken the campus community and call students to meals.” From its perch, the bell could be heard, but not seen by onlookers from ground level. This particular bell had seemingly never been intentioned to have anything to do with athletics or to have any type of visible presence at the “College in the Cornfields.”

Such a bell has little purpose in today’s world of smart phones and calendar reminders. On the surface, there was no reason for anyone to think much of it. Such a bell could have easily faded into history, eventually forgotten completely by the passing of time. It was something that probably seemed insignificant to enough people that no one really bothered to document its existence.

If not for the shenanigans of a group of football players, we would likely not be talking about The Victory Bell in 2018. Seevers never rang the bell himself, but he vividly recalls how his teammates would ascend to the roof of Jesse Hall to celebrate triumphs on the gridiron. There wasn’t much cause for celebration during Seevers’ freshman season, a 1-7 campaign for the football team. That record improved to 7-1-1 in 1949. Suddenly, the male dormitory at Jesse Hall was buzzing – or ringing, you might say. It didn’t matter if the team returned from a road trip in the middle of the night. It was time to let the entire campus, and surrounding community, know that the Bulldogs had brought a victory back to Seward. Concordia archivist Jerry Pfabe even remembers the bell ringing for more than 40 minutes straight after a 41-0 thumping of Nebraska Wesleyan in 1967.

We really can’t say with certainty that the teams of the late 1940s were the first to celebrate a win by igniting the sweet sounds of the Jesse Hall bell. We just know it was a special moment shared by teammates of the time. It was special enough that it helped us arrive at where we are today. We also know that there were hurdles yet to be cleared before the ringing of the bell became a firmly entrenched tradition. As evidence and eyewitness accounts show, the bell disappeared from Jesse Hall in the late 1960s. According to Luther Klenke, who provided service to Concordia athletics for more than three decades, the bell was taken down to stop high school students from ringing it late at night. Klenke recalled an incident in which some high school athletes rang the ball all night after winning a football game.

At various times afterwards, Klenke and longtime equipment manager Stan Schlueter aided in rediscovering a campus bell (thought to be the Jesse bell) and fixing it up on a trailer cart. Somehow a group of Concordia students, whose identities were never revealed, attempted to run off with The Victory Bell and cart, a devious act that was believed to have occurred sometime during the 1980s. As they were wheeling it away, they lost control of the cart and it crashed to the bottom of the hill on the east side of campus. The trailer cart crumbled and was destroyed due to the weight of the bell, which Schlueter estimated at around 1,500 pounds.

The Victory Bell made its first documented appearance inside what is now the stadium in 1969. Klenke and the C-Club felt it would add to the game day atmosphere. A yearbook photo from ’69 shows a group of cheerleaders posing around the bell, which was stationed atop a trailer cart not necessarily meant to support an object of such weightiness. Another photo in 1970 depicts a popular student named Jan Fredricksen holding a rope attached to the bell. Additionally, a 1971 photo was taken at the homecoming parade and showcases what the yearbook referred to as the “victory bell wagon.”

Seevers became the head football coach at Concordia in 1970 and held his post until 1976. He has no memory of The Victory Bell being present at games during those years. What happened? It seems The Victory Bell still made its way onto the field throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Klenke remembers watching football teams run to the bell and ring it during this period of history. There just aren’t many documented photos or written accounts about the bell throughout most of the 1970s.

We find no more historical references (yearbooks and news archives) to The Victory Bell until it again shows up in a parade – this time in 1980. Schlueter credits Mike Pomerenke, a 1981 graduate and former Bulldog football player, with pushing for the return of The Victory Bell. At Pomerenke’s urging, Schlueter went to work on making a new and sturdier trailer cart that could haul the massive bell, which still couldn’t seem to find a permanent home. This was despite a 1969 effort to build a visible on-campus bell tower to support it. This obviously never happened. Schlueter believed Pomerenke had worked with the grounds crew on campus and happened to notice the bell sitting uselessly off the beaten path.

Now it’s time to cast doubt upon the long held assumption that the current Victory Bell was formerly the Jesse Hall bell. Despite the claims of many, the idea that The Victory Bell, as we know it today, first called Jesse’s roof its home appears to be a myth. Consider the October 3, 1969, article from Concordia’s The Sower student newspaper that detailed Seward County’s donation to Concordia of a “thousand pound bell that formerly rang from the tower of the Seward County Courthouse.” In a remarkable coincidence, just prior to this donation, Concordia had also completed an extensive renovation of Jesse Hall. Based on the testimony of Klenke, it is apparent that Jesse Hall said goodbye to its bell at this moment in time.

Sitting today in storage in campus Buildings and Grounds is another bell. This one includes the inscriptions “Stuckstede & Bro.” along with the year 1925. The Henry Stuckstede Foundry operated from 1855 to 1962 in St. Louis, Mo. The time period fits with the construction of Jesse Hall. This smaller bell, although still several hundred pounds worth of heft, would seem to have been more practical to have been placed atop the roof of Jesse Hall. We believe this could be appropriately titled, Victory Bell No. 1. Thankfully, it’s still in Concordia’s possession.

This evidence leads us to conclude that the Jesse bell is not the same as The Victory Bell inside Bulldog Stadium today. For one, the inscription on the current Victory Bell reveals its manufacturer, McShane Bell Foundry Co. of Baltimore, Md., and the year it was produced, 1909. It wasn’t until at least 14 years later that Jesse Hall was finally completed. During that time, Victory Bell No. 2 (currently inside the stadium) was likely hanging out atop the Seward County Courthouse, which went into operation in 1907 with a bell tower installed soon after. It all seems to make sense when you find that the first documented photograph of The Victory Bell appearing at a football game – from a 1969 school yearbook – surfaces at nearly the same time as the donation from Seward County.

Upon hearing of this newly acquired bell in 1969, Concordia’s Pep and C Clubs, groups directly related with athletics, took notice. A committee of students began “surveying plans and ideas for a bell tower.” They reasoned that it should be placed near the football field or the campus center. Instead, it sat in “Hillcrest Garage” until being removed in time for display at a football game that fall. Intermittently, The Victory Bell continued to serve as a distinctly Concordia symbol until finally it settled beyond the northwest end zone. It became fixed in that spot in 1997 when the Seward Veterans of Foreign War Post 4755 contributed $1,000 for a flagpole and bell support at Concordia’s new “track, field and stadium complex” in the spring of 1997. In previous years, as reported by The Seward County Independent, the bell “had been used during parades and home football games to celebrate Bulldog touchdowns and victories.”

This initial location of The Victory Bell wasn’t quite ideal for the host Bulldogs, who have sometimes had to scoff at daring opponents who have felt a desire to disgrace the tradition by ringing the bell themselves. In the summer of 2017, The Victory Bell migrated to the northeast corner of the Stadium as part of the colonnade project. At some point in the modern era, Concordia soccer teams joined in on the bell ringing tradition. Built to last, The Victory Bell is still going strong at the tender age of 109 years old.

It’s easy to see why the assumption was made that the bell that appears today inside the stadium had formerly made its home at Jesse Hall. Many people were unaware of the second bell that arrived in 1969, about the same time the Jesse Hall bell was removed and the same year that a bell first appeared on the sidelines of a Concordia football game.

If you have the ability to fill in any gaps on The Victory Bell’s (or bells’) journey, let us know. There are some things we may never know. However, we now can document the existence of multiple large bells on Concordia’s campus. One is sitting in storage while the other is displayed proudly inside Bulldog Stadium. Both are pieces of history that connect our past to our present. The bell that likely once rang out from the courthouse in downtown Seward now proclaims Bulldog victories. All the way from Baltimore it traveled, one can only imagine by train, in the early 1900s. Years later, Jesse Hall became the source of the first Concordia victory celebration involving the ringing of a bell.

Nearly as old as the institution itself, The Victory Bell is uniquely Concordia University, Nebraska.

Corbin elevated to full-time role on football staff

Jul. 5, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – Alum Reggie Corbin has officially been elevated to a full-time assistant role on head coach Patrick Daberkow’s Concordia University football staff. Corbin will carry the title of “Assistant Football Coach” and serve as pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Originally from Beaumont, Texas, Corbin has been a member of the coaching staff since 2011.

Daberkow’s full-time staff also includes defensive coordinator Corby Osten and special teams/recruiting coordinator Wes Coomes. The four full-time staff members have combined for 43 seasons of Bulldog football as coaches and players.

Wrote Corbin in a statement, “I want to thank Coach Daberkow for the opportunity to now serve the Concordia Football Program in a full-time coaching capacity. As an alum, Concordia is a place that has meant a lot to me and I’m excited to continue my coaching career here. In my role as pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach, it is my mission to help elevate our offense to a level that allows us to compete at the top of the GPAC. I hope to bring simplicity to our offense so the players can play fast. All the while, I will strive to uphold the ideals of our athletic department and football program and help mold our players into successful Christian men.”

Corbin will have an influential role for an offense that averaged 371.5 yards and 24.6 points per game in 2017, which culminated with a 6-4 record and third place finish in the conference.

Said Daberkow, “I’m very excited to have Reggie with us! He has put in countless hours and made many sacrifices to be a member of this staff throughout the years. Reggie is as good with X’s and O’s as anyone I’ve coached with. He has great relationships with the players, and pushes them to reach their ceilings. While he is a phenomenal technical coach, he does a great job of keeping things simple and pushing kids to learn themselves and figure things out. He is humble and confident and is a perfect fit for our staff. We are very fortunate to get him.”

During Corbin’s seven years as an assistant at Concordia, he has coached quarterbacks, running backs and receivers at various times. He has worked with recent Bulldog stars such as Trey Barnes, Bryce Collins and Jared Garcia. An all-time great receiver, Garcia owns program career records for receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. Collins finished his career ranked No. 2 in school history in rushing yards. Meanwhile, Barnes wound up becoming an All-American on the defensive side of the ball.

Corbin has also coached at the high school level, making stops at Raymond Central High School (2005-08 and 2010) as defensive coordinator and position coach and Maui High School (2009-10) as quarterbacks coach. He has also worked camps at the University of Nebraska and at the University of Wyoming. Corbin’s career has also included work as an adjunct professor at Concordia (2015-17).

A two-sport athlete, Corbin played for head coach Courtney Meyer’s football squads from 2002-05 and for head coach Grant Schmidt’s basketball teams from 2004-07. Corbin was a member of the 2004-05 men’s basketball team that holds the school record for wins in a season (32) and advanced to the NAIA Division II national championship game. In his final season on the gridiron, Corbin passed for six touchdowns and ran for six more.

Corbin graduated from Concordia with a bachelor of arts degree in exercise science with a coaching endorsement. He earned a master’s in public health from Concordia and a masters in coaching education from Ohio University (May 2015).

Reggie and his wife Anuhea reside in Seward with their children Aeva, Reggie III and Overton.

2018 Concordia football coaching staff
Patrick Daberkow – Head Coach
Corby Osten – Defensive Coordinator
Wes Coomes – Special Teams Coordinator/Def. Backs
Reggie Corbin – Pass Game Coordinator
Ron Jackson (GA) – Defensive Line
Tyson Powers (GA) – Tight Ends/Fullbacks
Harold Pester – Defensive Line
Von Thomas – Running Backs
Courtney Meyer – Kickers/Punters/Long Snappers
Karl Miller – Defensive Backs
Chris Shipley – Linebackers
Sam Brauer – Wide Receivers

Beasley nominated for 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team

Jul. 17, 2018

AFCA news release

SEWARD, Neb. – The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) has announced Concordia University’s Vince Beasley as a nominee for the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®. A senior on the Bulldog football team, Beasley is one of 169 nominees from college football programs around the nation, representing the NAIA, NCAA Division I FBS and FCS, II and III levels. The select group of student-athletes were chosen for their distinguished accomplishments off the field.

From the AFCA release: “The Allstate AFCA Good Works Team® has been one of the most esteemed honors in college football for more than 25 years. The student-athletes who are nominated for this award not only demonstrate a unique dedication to community service and desire to make a positive impact on the lives around them, but they also show tremendous perseverance as well as the ability to overcome personal struggles and come out victorious against all odds.”

A native of Manvel, Texas, Beasley has been active within the Seward community during his time at Concordia. Among other activities, Beasley has served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children who are abused or neglected, helping them find the best possible living situation while being a voice for youths who may not be able to speak up for themselves. Additionally, he has volunteered with People City Mission (PCM), Project Homeless, Foster Friends, North American Youth Exchange Network, Habitat for Humanity and Bulldog Buddies.

Throughout his work with various organizations and volunteer groups, Beasley has assisted in feeding the homeless, folding clothes for children in need, reading books to elementary age children, working basketball tournaments, landscaping and socializing at nursing homes and helping refurbish an old home. Through his service and interactions with the campus and surrounding community, Beasley has earned a reputation as an exemplary Concordia student-athlete.

As a nominee, Beasley will receive consideration to be named to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, which will include 22 award recipients and an honorary head coach and will be unveiled in September. A special voting panel that includes former Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow will select the Good Works Team®.

Beasley is majoring in criminal justice. Last season as a junior he caught 15 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

2018 GPAC Football Media Day notebook

Jul. 31, 2018

2018 Concordia FB Press Book | PDF

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. – Patrick Daberkow stepped to the podium on Tuesday (July 31), no longer the rookie among conference head coaches. At this rendition of the annual GPAC Football Media Day, Daberkow batted third while breaking down a 2018 Concordia football team with both strengths and question marks. Despite uncertainty at positions such as quarterback, offensive line and defensive back, the Bulldogs were pegged for a fourth-place GPAC finish by the coaches and media.

Within in the conference, there’s an expectation of respectability for Concordia football, which has not dipped below five wins since the 2011 season. Daberkow has expectations, too. As he joked on Tuesday, Daberkow expects his coaching staff to lead the GPAC in categories like pregnant wives and diapers changed – and hopefully some other ones that translate to wins on the football field.

The good news is that running back Ryan Durdon and linebacker Lane Napier are just getting started in careers that show lots of promise. It will be a crucial fall camp for a program looking for the next breakout performers to replace the ones who have moved on. Players report on Aug. 9 and then open up the season by hosting NCAA Division III Buena Vista University on Sept. 8.

Preseason rankings

View 2018 GPAC football preseason ratings

Several GPAC teams enter 2018 with question marks at the quarterback position. That’s not the case for conference favorites Morningside and Northwestern, who represented the league in the 2017 NAIA playoffs. Concordia is perhaps most highly regarded of the squads still seeking to find the right signal caller. A season ago, Daberkow’s first as head coach, the Bulldogs finished 6-4 overall and placed third in the GPAC. The 2017 squad outperformed its conference preseason placement of fifth by the coaches and sixth by the media.

On the national landscape, Concordia checked in at No. 30 in the NAIA preseason rankings released last week by the College Football America Yearbook. The official NAIA preseason coaches’ poll is scheduled to be unveiled on Aug. 6.

Quarterback battle

Nothing much has changed since the spring when senior Andrew Perea battled sophomore Blake Culbert and junior Jake Kemp, a transfer who began his career at Concordia. They will be pushed during fall camp by incoming freshmen Jack Blumer (Marysville, Kan.), Luke Lang (Brentwood, Calif.) and Kaiston Terry (Lubbock, Texas). Daberkow addressed the situation during Tuesday’s press conference. Said Daberkow, “We have not named a quarterback. We don’t know who that will be. We hope to find out after the first couple weeks of fall camp. We hope to have someone emerge and then we’ll name a starter at quarterback.”

Perea has by far the most experience having seen action in eight varsity games. Last season he completed 52.1 percent (62-for-119) of his passes, compiling 643 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. Due to the experience factor alone, Perea has a leg up on the competition. He’ll have to earn it though. Blumer comes in with plenty of honors after tearing up the state of Kansas at the class 3A level. He was tabbed the Kansas 3A offensive player of the year.

Defensive backfield: next man in

All four primary starters from the team’s 2017 defensive backfield have departed. However, that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare. The next potential stars are youthful players such as sophomores Darius McVay and DaVonte Mouton, both of whom saw limited experience while biding their time behind all-conference upperclassmen. Caden Jameson should also be in line for more playing time after coming on strong down the stretch in 2017. He finished with 39 tackles and four pass breakups.

Said Daberkow, “We have some promising up-and-comers. I think Caden Jameson is a good example of our player development. He’ll be a senior this year. We expect him to earn a starting role. Darius McVay had a great spring ball for us. Those are names you haven’t heard a lot of because we’ve had such depth at defensive back. We put a lot of emphasis on defensive back play at Concordia.

“I think Darius McVay is one of the most explosive corners we’ve worked with, in terms of change of direction and movement. He’s just really athletic.”

Geiger trades bat for pads

Concordia baseball all-time record holder for doubles and RBIs, Kaleb Geiger isn’t ready to give up collegiate athletics. The Sedalia, Colo., native is now listed as a defensive lineman on the Bulldog football roster. Geiger, 6-foot-1 and well put together, has a shot to play significant snaps in his one season of eligibility. A 2016 first team All-GPAC performer for head coach Ryan Dupic, Geiger lettered twice in football during his prep career at Castle View High School. He was also a three-time state qualifier in wrestling.

Breakout Beasley?

Well-respected within the locker room, Vince Beasley may be ready for a breakout in his senior season. With Jared Garcia having graduated, opportunities will open up for the likes of Beasley, sophomore Lane Castaneda and others. Beasley has drawn praise for his work in the community. He was recently recognized as a nominee for the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. His production on the field may come close to matching his production off of it, especially if Daberkow and his staff find a steady quarterback option. Last season Beasley caught 15 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Daberkow is most impressed with Beasley’s service away from the football field. Said Daberkow, “Vince Beasley is one of the best representatives in this conference of what a young man can do and be. He serves a lot of the community. I’m excited for him to have a breakout year. He’s kind of been playing a secondary role to some other receivers but Vince has done a great job preparing for this year and we’re excited to see what he does in his senior year.”

Linebackers the strength of D

At least on paper, the linebacker unit looks to be the strength of the defense. The standouts are Lane Napier, the GPAC’s regular season tackles leader, and Kordell Glause, a two-year starter who understands his role on the outside. Daberkow also seems to believe Parker Johnson, Derek Tachovsky and Zac Walter also have starting ability in the program’s 3-4 scheme. Defensive coordinator Corby Osten will lean upon this group while the secondary finds its footing. Said Daberkow, “We have a lot of blue collar kids who I think could all be starters in our linebacker group. We feel like that’s the deepest group on our team.”

Durdon heads deeper offensive backfield

Last season breakout running back Ryan Durdon eclipsed a school single-season standard by carrying the ball 227 times. He may not have to should that kind of load in 2018. The 1,200-yard back will still be the star of the show, but the staff’s confidence in sophomores Payton Kidder and Atanasio “AG” Simba has grown in a big way. Both young backs were impressive during the spring season and both received mention during Tuesday’s news conference.

“We think we have a lot of depth at that running back spot coming out of our spring ball,” Daberkow said. “AG Simba will be a redshirt freshman and then Payton Kidder provides a 1-2 punch. There are a lot of different styles in our running backs. (Position coach) Von Thomas is going to do a good job with that group.”

Jamestown welcomed into GPAC

Jamestown officially became a member of the GPAC on July 1. Concordia will make the trip to Jamestown for the conference opener for both teams on Sept. 15. Jimmies head coach Josh Kittell enters his third season at the helm of the program. Jamestown went 2-9 last season. Kittell says that his team will feature a pro-style, run-oriented offense that will work behind an experienced offensive line. The Jimmies have just seven seniors on their entire roster. They were picked ninth by the media and 10th by the coaches on Tuesday.

Final word

Daberkow: “The expectation is to get better every year. We lost some guys who are big names in Concordia football. While we lose those guys, I think we’re going to have a really strong team with a strong locker room. We put a lot of work into that in the last six or seven months to have a strong locker room. That’s going to be our goal, our focus and our emphasis heading into 2018.”

Season preview: 2018 Concordia football

Aug. 30, 2018

Head coach: Patrick Daberkow (6-4, 2nd year)
2017 Record: 6-4 overall; 5-3 GPAC (3rd)
Key Returners: RB Ryan Durdon; LB Kordell Glause; OL Grady Koch; LB Lane Napier
Key Losses: RB TJ Austin; TE Seth Fitzke; WR Jared Garcia; OL Hallick Lehmann; DB D’Mauria Martin; DB Tarence Roby; OL Matt Romero; FB Erik Small; QB Riley Wiltfong
2017 NAIA All-America: Tarence Roby (AP first team; AFCA second team)
2017 GPAC All-Conference: D’Mauria Martin (first team); Lane Napier (first team); Tarence Roby (first team DB/second team KR/PR); Matt Romero (first team); Ryan Durdon (second team); Seth Fitzke (second team); Jared Garcia (second team); Erik Small (second team); Sebastian Garces (honorable mention); Nate Gilmore (honorable mention); Kordell Glause (honorable mention); Grady Koch (honorable mention); Hallick Lehmann (honorable mention); Austin Reese (honorable mention); Shane Scott (honorable mention)

Outlook
With nearly a full month separating the team’s preseason camp report date (Aug. 9) and the season opener (Sept. 8), the 2018 Concordia University football team likely owns the program record for most preseason prep time. Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow doesn’t seem to mind. Considering the number of camp injuries and the youthfulness of the roster, there was no need to rush the opening kickoff.

Daberkow will have a proven star to lean upon on both sides of the ball in the form of junior running back Ryan Durdon and sophomore inside linebacker Lane Napier. Their presence is comforting for a program undergoing complete overhauls along the offensive line and in the secondary.

“It’s good to make the mistakes with these young guys now because we have time to correct them,” Daberkow told the Lincoln Journal Star following last week’s scrimmage with Nebraska Wesleyan. “We’ll have more freshmen in the starting lineup than we’ve ever had since I’ve been here (12th season, first 10 as an assistant). We need to grow up and grow up fast. But when we do, I think we can be pretty darn dangerous.”

There are just 10 seniors on the roster, but based on the GPAC preseason polls, coaches and media seem to have faith in a program that has produced plenty of All-Americans in recent years and has not dipped below five wins in a season since 2011. The Bulldogs were picked fourth by both the coaches and the media. Concordia placed third last season with the highlights being a homecoming win over Doane that snapped a lengthy series losing streak and then a late-season run of four wins in a row.

Offense

Those victories may have been harder to come by if it were not for the rise of Durdon. Not just a breakout surprise among Bulldogs, Durdon put himself among the NAIA’s elite backs with 1,247 yards rushing, just 18 yards shy of a school record. During Concordia’s four-game win streak, Durdon toted the rock 127 times on his way to breaking a program record for carries in a season (227). With the development of sophomore Payton Kidder, redshirt freshman AG Simba and true freshman Jonah Weyand, the burden on Durdon should be lessened.

“We’re very excited about him coming back,” Daberkow said of Durdon. “We have a lot of depth at that spot. There are a lot of different styles in our running backs.”

In other words, the running back position is one of the least of the team’s worries. The question marks lie elsewhere for an offense that features a variety of looks, including pro-style I-formation and air-it-out spread formations. Through fall camp, a quarterback has actually emerged as the No. 1 guy (more on that later). Whichever player sees action under center will have a potential breakout receiver in senior Vincent Beasley to throw it up to.

Beasley, who has a career stat line of 23 catches for 316 yards and two touchdowns, has made plenty of highlight reel grabs during preseason camp. He’ll be joined in the receiver corps by up-and-comers such as sophomores Art Anderson, Lane Castaneda (leading returning receiver with 23 catches for 233 yards) and Peyton Mitchell.

Beasley says there are many candidates to be this year’s Durdon, meaning the offensive skill player who comes out of nowhere to become a consistent playmaker. Says Beasley, “I feel like all our guys are going to have pretty good seasons if they do what they do, just focus play by play and not try to think so far ahead. I feel like the more we practice and the more we buy in and realize our coaching staff really knows what they’re talking about – I think everybody will have a pretty good season. I can’t really narrow down to one guy.”

It's been a bit of a juggling act at the quarterback position for each of the previous four seasons. No signal caller has started each game of the season since Von Thomas left in 2014. After taking a circuitous route to get there, Jake Kemp of Decatur, Texas, currently stands atop the depth chart. Kemp has battled redshirt junior Andrew Perea, sophomore Blake Culbert and true freshman Luke Lang for the job. One or more could see action in place of last season’s primary starter Riley Wiltfong.

“We ask them to make some checks and audibles, but it’s not an overly complicated position,” Daberkow said. “We believe football is a simple game made complicated by coaches and we’re trying not to make it too difficult. They’ll figure it out. There are some intangible aspects to the quarterback position and I like where we’re at with those guys. They’re good locker room guys. We feel good about the quarterback spot. We’ll ask our quarterback to get involved in the run game and to be able to throw the deep ball.”

Daberkow has done his best to deflect attention from the quarterback position, though it’s obviously the most high profile role on a football team. Kemp and the quarterback group will need some help from a rebuilt offensive line with just one returning starter – senior Grady Koch, who is set to move to left tackle. Stuart Kolpin has transitioned from tight end to guard to help fortify the unit. Daberkow has also liked what he’s seen from potential starters in Roy Garza at guard, Evrett Shaw at center and Cole Baumgartner at tackle. There could also be a true freshman that jumps into the mix at some point.

While there are question marks, tight end is a position with loads of talent, even if it is inexperienced. Sophomore Brady Fitzke, who now wears the No. 49 jersey that had been donned by his older brother Seth, will be a much bigger factor in his second year in the program. Fitzke has the ability to line up all over the formation. Also in the running for playing time is freshman Logan Kreizel, who put up monster numbers as a prep at Lincoln Lutheran High School.

In sum, there’s certainly room for improvement for an offense that sported national rankings of 48th in total yardage (371.5) and 59th in scoring (24.6) last season.

Defense

Hard-nosed defenses have been the backbone of Concordia football in recent seasons. Last year’s turned in solid results, ranking 15th nationally in scoring defense (21.4) while featuring a tremendous secondary led by first team All-American Tarence Roby. Like the offense, the defensive side of the ball has been gutted by departures in at least one position group. The secondary will include all brand new starters, but the good news is that the Bulldogs are teeming with experience in their front seven.

On paper, the linebackers are the biggest area of strength on the roster. Lane Napier tried his hand on both sides of the ball as a true freshman before finding a home at an inside backer spot in the program’s 3-4 scheme coordinated by Corby Osten. Napier and senior outside linebacker Kordell Glause are the poster boys of a defense that figures to remain solid. There are plenty of other names vying for time at linebacker, including Riley Bilstein, Tanner Schwaninger, Derek Tachovsky, Zac Walter and others.

“At linebacker, we really feel good about our group,” Daberkow said. “We have a lot of blue collar guys who are tough kids. Lane Napier is having a really good fall camp. So is Kordell Glause. He has really improved over four years. He’s the leader of that unit. We really have about five, six, maybe even seven guys who we would feel comfortable starting for us.”

Napier made 97 tackles as a rookie, leading all GPAC players during the regular season. He could eventually put himself in the conversation with other recent Bulldog stars at the position. In the GPAC era (2000-present), Michael Hedlund’s 261 career tackles rank as the highest total for a Concordia linebacker. While Napier racks up the stops, Glause is as steady as they come in all aspects of the position.

Up front, ends Parker Johnson and Aaron Rudloff are the veterans on a defensive line built more for speed and agility than for power and plugging up holes. This group was all set to get a boost from former Bulldog baseball slugger Kaleb Geiger until he tore his ACL in camp. Fortunately, junior Gary Nieuwkoop appears ready to step into a starting spot at nose guard, a position occupied by all-conference standouts Erik Small and Ron Jackson the previous two seasons.

Then there’s the secondary, where only Caden Jameson’s name is recognizable among returners who saw significant varsity action in 2017. Now a senior, it’s Jameson’s time to shine. He recorded 13 tackles and an interception in last season’s finale against Morningside. He will man one safety spot alongside options like Devon Jackson and transfer Johnny Johnson. At the corners, Darius McVay, DeVonte Mouton and Olajuwon Ferguson are all capable starters.

There may never be another one quite like Roby to terrorize quarterbacks who visit Bulldog Stadium, but the current group should continue to make Concordia competitive against the pass.

“We feel like we can be pretty good,” Daberkow said. “We lost a lot of talent, but just because those guys aren’t here anymore doesn’t mean the guys behind them were lousy. Last year Tarence Roby and D’Mauria Martin were two of the best defensive backs in the country. We have some young guys and a couple transfers we expect to make an impact. I’m very hopeful and excited about the future with those guys.”

Osten has assumed control of the defense while Daberkow now places more of his influence upon the offense. Nothing looks dramatically different defensively in terms of the scheme. One thing that would help a mostly inexperienced secondary is for Concordia to put more heat on quarterbacks. It registered only 15 sacks last year with Walter and Small sharing the team lead (three apiece). Still, the Bulldogs limited opposing quarterbacks to a 47.8 percent completion rate and allowed fewer than 4.0 yards per rush.

With uncertainty at quarterback, Concordia would like to be able to hang its hat on stout defensive play once again. This unit ranked in the top five nationally in total defense as recent as 2015 when it allowed only 279.6 yards per game.

Specialists

The kicker battle may end up going into the season. For now, Jorre Luther and Alan Sharp are the frontrunners to handle field goal kicking duties. At punter, Brady Fitzke appears to be a likely candidate to take on the role for the entire season. He averaged 42.7 yards per punt on 22 attempts last season. The return units have big shoes to fill with the game-breaking Tarence Roby having graduated. Concordia has been auditioning to replace him.

Final analysis

Just over a week out from the opening game, the Bulldogs are not quite as healthy as they would like to be. Thus, there are some advantages to starting at least a week later than most college football programs. A youthful, but talented roster will have to grow up quickly. Once game week hits, it will be a 10-week meat grinder against mostly conference foes, with the exception of the Sept. 8 opener versus NCAA Division III Buena Vista University (Iowa). There seem to be more unknowns than there were this time a year ago. It should make for both an unpredictable and never boring journey.

And it’s OK to dream big. No one across the landscape is expecting the Bulldogs to make a dent nationally. They did not receive any votes in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. Is there enough developed talent here to surprise people? Says Vincent Beasley, “I would do anything to go to the playoffs. That’s something that I’m used to (from high school). We’ve had some misfortunes since I’ve been here. We’ve had a lot of great coaches and great games. I feel like we always scrape the surface of what we can do.”

At long last, game week arrives for Bulldog football

Sep. 3, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – A month of preseason preparation is nearly complete for the Concordia University football team, the only GPAC program yet to open up the 2018 season. The Bulldogs last made a public appearance on Aug. 25 when they scrimmaged NCAA Division III Nebraska Wesleyan. This will be year two of Patrick Daberkow’s tenure as head coach. Concordia is coming off a 6-4 overall mark (third place in the GPAC) in 2017.

The Bulldogs will stay within the American Rivers Conference (formerly called the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference), home to week one opponent Buena Vista University of Storm Lake, Iowa. The Beavers got their season started with a 39-27 home victory over another NCAA Division III squad in Hamline University (Minn.) on Aug. 30. The Beavers, guided by second-year head coach Grant Mollring (former offensive coordinator at Hastings), are used to shootouts. Their opening game featured a combined 927 total yards.

After this Saturday, Concordia will go on the road for the first time and play at new GPAC member Jamestown on Sept. 15. The Jimmies are 1-1 outside of conference play.

GAME INFO
Buena Vista (1-0) at Concordia (0-0)
Saturday, Sept. 8 | 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

2017 Team Statistics
*National rank in parentheses

Concordia
^Rankings are among the 88 NAIA programs in 2017

Offensive PPG: 24.6 (59th)
Defensive PPG: 21.4 (15th)
Total Offense: 371.5 (48th)
Pass Offense: 172.1 (67th)
Rush Offense: 199.4 (23rd)
Total Defense: 356.7 (27th)
Pass Defense: 197.8 (28th)
Rush Defense: 158.9 (40th)
Turnover +/-: -4 (T-61st)

Buena Vista
^Rankings are among the 242 NCAA D-III programs in 2017

Offensive PPG: 26.3 (131st)
Defensive PPG: 42.4 (222nd)
Total Offense: 423.3 (60th)
Pass Offense: 339.2 (5th)
Rush Offense: 84.0 (226th)
Total Defense: 511.6 (235th)
Pass Defense: 266.4 (214th)
Rush Defense: 245.2 (226th)
Turnover +/-: -7 (T-194th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

*2017 statistical leaders

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (6-4, 2nd season)
Passing: Riley Wiltfong – 78/142 (.549), 1,078 yards, 13 td, 7 int; Rushing: 58 carries, 218 yards, 3.8 avg, TD
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 227 rushes, 1,247 yards, 5.5 avg, 8 td; Receiving: 15 catches, 82 yards
Receiving: Kiyoshi Brey – 28 catches, 393 yards, 14.0 avg, 4 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 97 tackles, 8 tfl, sack, 2 pbu, ff

Buena Vista
Head Coach: Grant Mollring (4-7, 2nd season)
Passing: Cole Miller – 237/414 (.572), 3,203 yards, 22 td, 12 int; 178 rush yards, 6 td
Rushing: Tariq Thomas – 111 rushes, 396 yards, 3.6 avg, 3 td; 16 catches, 166 yards, td
Receiving: TJ Lint – 70 catches, 1,048 yards, 15.0 avg, 10 td
Defense: Gary Weaver – 40 tackles, 6.5 tfl, 5 sacks, 2 ff, 2 pbu

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-0)
9/8 vs. Buena Vista, 1 p.m.
9/15 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
9/22 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
9/29 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
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 (3) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. (7) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Buena Vista (1-0)
8/30 vs. Hamline, W, 39-27
9/8 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
9/15 at Wartburg, 1 p.m.
9/22 vs. Coe, 1 p.m.
9/29 at Central, 1 p.m.
10/6 vs. Loras, 1 p.m.
10/13 at Luther, 1 p.m.
10/20 vs. Dubuque, 1 p.m.
11/3 at Nebraska Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/10 vs. Simpson, 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 national poll this preseason. They were picked fourth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 32nd ranked team nationally out of 93 NAIA football programs.

Buena Vista’s preseason placement is a reflection of the program’s recent struggles. League coaches from the American Rivers Conference pegged the Beavers ninth out of nine conference teams. Buena Vista is looking for its first above .500 record since 2008.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Aug. 6): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 32nd (out of 93 NAIA)

Buena Vista
ARC preseason: 9th/9 (coaches)
D3football.com preseason poll (July 30): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 180th (out of 251 NCAA D-III)

Coaching staff stability
Though it’s only Patrick Daberkow’s second season as head coach, there is plenty of familiarity among staff members. Daberkow is beginning his 16th year as a member of the program, including four seasons as a player and 10 as an assistant (seven years as defensive coordinator). Daberkow’s full-time staff includes two other alums in defensive coordinator Corby Osten (10 seasons as a Concordia assistant) and pass game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Reggie Corbin (seven seasons as a Concordia assistant). Meanwhile, Wes Coomes (special teams/defensive backs/recruiting coordinator) is in his second season as a full-time assistant. Other assistants such as Courtney Meyer (19-year Bulldog head football coach), Karl Miller, Harold Pester and Von Thomas have also put in several years with the program as coaches/players.

Daberkow, just the 10th head coach in program history (see list below), posted the second most wins ever for a Concordia head football coach in his first season. Daberkow is one of six Concordia alums who went on to become head football coach for the Bulldogs.

Records of Concordia head coaches in first year
Walter Hellwege: 1-0 (1925)
Herb Meyer: 2-4-1 (1941)
Kenneth Schroeder: 6-2 (1955)
Ralph Starenko: 3-6 (1959)
Ron Harms: 5-4 (1964)
John Seevers: 8-1 (1970)
Larry Oetting: 1-9 (1977)
Courtney Meyer: 1-7-1 (1990)
Vance Winter: 3-7 (2009)
Patrick Daberkow: 6-4 (2017)

Running backs strength of offense
Concordia has a mostly youthful/unproven offensive line, but the depth at running back is a strength a year after Ryan Durdon broke out as a star and set a new program single-season standard for carries (227). Durdon came close to eclipsing the school record for rushing yards in a season (see below). He will be backed up by the likes of true freshman Jonah Weyand (Crete, Neb.), redshirt freshman AG Simba and sophomore Payton Kidder. None of the aforementioned backs carried the football last season, but all have gotten significant reps leading up to the season. Daberkow likes the contrasting styles they offer and the luxury of being able to give Durdon a breather.

Program single-season rushing leaders
1. JaMaine Lewis – 1,265 (2007)
2. Ryan Durdon – 1,247 (2017)
3. Cleve Wester – 1,114 (1984)
4. Randy Pospishil – 1,085 (1972)
5. Bryce Collins – 1,016 (2014)
6. Jeff Towns – 1,002 (1979)
7. Cleve Wester – 970 (1983)
8. Ritchie Bishop – 949 (1994)
9. Bryce Collins – 946 (2015)
10. Jeff Towns – 928 (1978)

Kemp expected to start at QB
Decatur, Texas, native Jake Kemp enters the week atop the depth chart at quarterback. He has battled redshirt junior Andrew Perea, sophomore Blake Culbert and true freshman Luke Lang for the opportunity to start the opener. Kemp’s taken an unusual path on his journey to becoming a starting quarterback. He first showed up on campus at Concordia in 2016. He then spent one semester apiece at Texas Wesleyan University and at Belhaven University before making his way back to Seward. Kemp went to the same high school (Decatur High School) as Ryan Durdon. Kemp’s next pass will be his first in a Bulldog uniform. Kemp was the homecoming king at his high school in Decatur. Kemp is listed at 6-foot-1, 218 pounds.

Linebacker room loaded
At least on paper, there’s not a better position group on the team. The proven stars are senior Kordell Glause and sophomore Lane Napier. Glause is a solid all-around outside backer. Napier is a tackling machine. His 97 tackles last season were most among GPAC players during the regular season. It marked the seventh highest tackle total for a Bulldog player during the GPAC era (2000-present). The other starters are listed as Zac Walter at one outside spot and Derek Tachovsky on the inside as part of the 3-4 scheme. Others such as Riley Bilstein, Jorge Ochoa, Tanner Schwaninger and Sterling Tonniges could be a factor.

Most tackles (single season), GPAC era
1. Erik DeHaven – 110 (2001)
2. Michael Hedlund – 107 (2016)
3. Michael Hedlund – 105 (2015)
3. Josh Conrad – 105 (2000)
5. Sean Stewart – 102 (2001)
6. Troy Schlueter – 100 (2000)
7. Lane Napier – 97 (2017)

Re-built secondary
There are big shoes to fill with first team all-conference defensive backs D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby having graduated. Roby starred as one of the NAIA’s most electrifying return men. He also returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown and appeared on SportsCenter in 2017. Make way for some new faces. The starters on the depth chart at corner are transfer Olajuwon Ferguson, a junior, and sophomore Darius McVay. The safeties are seniors Devon Jackson and Caden Jameson. Several others could factor into the mix. This has generally been a position of strength within the program. Roby (2017) and safety Darnell Woods (2013) are the latest Concordia defensive backs to collect All-America honors. This group will get a big early test by Buena Vista quarterback Cole Miller, who threw for 382 yards and five touchdowns in the Beavers’ opener.

Beasley breakout?
A program all-time great has also moved on at the receiver position in the form of four-time all-conference performer Jared Garcia, the school’s record holder for career receiving yards and touchdowns. Now it’s time for senior Vincent Beasley to shine. He was a human highlight reel on many occasions during preseason prep. Kemp will need a go-to receiver and Beasley just might be the guy. His production is expected to ramp up from the 15 catches, 250 yards and two touchdowns he registered in 2017. The leading returning receiver is sophomore Lane Castaneda, who reeled in 25 passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore Art Anderson is another young receiver who has shown promise.

Home cooking
Concordia had won 10 home games in a row prior to its 35-0 loss to third-ranked Morningside in the final game of 2017. The Bulldogs went a perfect 5-0 at home in 2016. Some highlights from the win streak were the 2017 homecoming win over then No. 7 Doane, Ryan Durdon’s 266-yard rushing performance versus Midland and Tarence Roby’s spectacular 100-yard interception return for a touchdown. Concordia has won each of its last five home openers, including last season’s 24-6 victory over Ottawa University (Kan.). The Bulldogs last played an NCAA school in 2013 when they went on the road and defeated NCAA Division II William Jewell College (Mo.), 30-15.

10-game home win streak
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 Buena Vista
Statistically, Buena Vista is an air-it-out team that relies heavily on senior quarterback Cole Miller, who threw for more than 3,000 yards last season. The Beavers attempted 459 passes to just 309 rushing attempts in 2017. Their emphasis on the pass was reflected on the NCAA Division III national leaderboard, which showed Buena Vista at No. 5 nationally in passing offense and 226th in rushing offense. The biggest problems for head coach Grant Mollring’s squad have been on the other side of the ball. The Beaver defense yielded more than 500 yards per game last fall. Buena Vista got out to a 3-2 start last season before dropping its final five games. Its lone road win came at the University of Dubuque (Iowa), 44-41. Mollring is familiar with Concordia having served as the offensive coordinator at Hastings for three seasons and the offensive coordinator at Doane for four years. Buena Vista’s season opening win came over a Hamline University team that went 2-8 in 2017. In addition to Miller at quarterback, the Beavers bring back standout defensive lineman Gary Weaver, a second team all-conference selection last fall.

Durdon bursts for 250 yards in squeaker over BVU

Sep. 8, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – Feed Ryan Durdon. Stuff the run. That formula worked just well enough for the Concordia University football team to sneak past visiting Buena Vista University (Iowa) in Saturday (Sept. 8)’s season opener inside Bulldog Stadium. Durdon crossed the goal line for the game-winning touchdown in a 27-20 victory that went down to the wire.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow and his staff didn’t know exactly what to expect with so many new faces in the starting lineup. All five Bulldogs on the offensive line were making their first career starts. Durdon still managed to run wild for 250 yards rushing to save the day offensively.

“For as young of a team as we are, to gut that thing out and to not get down, I was really proud of that,” Daberkow said. “I’m excited about what these guys are going to do with a little experience under their belt. Right now it’s a little nerve-wracking, but we’ll watch film tomorrow and we’ll learn a lot from it. What a valuable thing for them to get the experience they got today and be able to walk away with a win.”

Three freshmen and two sophomore started on the offensive line. They did a commendable job run blocking considering the inexperience. Even when they couldn’t create holes, Durdon seemed to make something out of nothing. A 1,247-yard back a year ago, Durdon has proven he can carry an offense. In his latest workhorse performance, the native of Decatur, Texas, piled up his 250 yards and two touchdowns on 42 totes.

For a guy who last season broke the program single-season record for most carries in a season, Durdon is used to shouldering a heavy load. He was admittedly sore, but grinning after Saturday’s effort.

“It was actually the last drive and I kind of looked at (running backs coach) Von (Thomas),” Durdon said. “I tried to hide it from Coach Daberkow because I know he doesn’t really like it. I tried to tap my helmet and see if I could get a little break, a little breather. I think we were on the 20, 25-yard line – and Coach Daberkow saw me. He yelled at me, ‘There’s a minute-twenty left, you’re fine.’”

On that final touchdown drive that put Concordia up for good, Durdon carried the ball seven times. The highlight was a 48-yard scamper that placed the ball at the Buena Vista 37. Nine plays later, Durdon fittingly dragged would-be tacklers into the end zone on a three-yard touchdown plunge with 53 seconds remaining in the game.

The Bulldogs just needed one more play to sew up the win. Prolific passer Cole Miller and the Beaver offense moved the ball down to the Concordia 36 in the waning moments. Then on third and six, senior linebacker Kordell Glause poked the ball loose from Miller, whose fumble was recovered by junior defensive lineman Aaron Rudloff. Ball game.

“It was really a big moment,” Rudloff said. “But again, my teammates really got me there. I think they deserve all the credit for that. It’s a big win for the team and I’m really proud of the work that they did. I think we did a good job today.”

While the Bulldog defense had some breakdowns in pass coverage, and struggled to limit Buena Vista receiver Eric Pacheco (five catches for 197 yards), it snuffed out the running game. The Beavers were held to 21 rushing yards on 22 attempts. Pacheco kept trying to will Buena Vista (1-1) to victory. He hauled in touchdown strikes of 80 and 63 yards from Miller. He also returned a punt 63 yards for a go-ahead score late in the third quarter.

Despite the big plays, Concordia’s front seven looked stout. Tackling machine Lane Napier made 10 stops, including a sack. Up front, Rudloff shined, making 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack while forcing a fumble and recovering one. On a key first and goal in the third quarter, Rudloff jarred the ball free from Miller. It was recovered by Bulldog defensive lineman Chase Hammons, thwarting a prime Beaver scoring opportunity.

“Outstanding up front,” Daberkow said. “That linebacker crew is the leaders of our defense. Up front we had guys gutting out the win. We’re hard to contend with in the run game. We bring a lot of speed to the defensive line and feel like we have some tough guys up there – just good football players.”

Durdon’s 250 rushing yards were 16 shy of his career high, which happens to be a school single-game record. At quarterback, Jake Kemp made his first career start. He threw for a six-yard touchdown to Arthur Anderson and snuck in another score from a yard out. He finished 9-for-18 for 58 yards. He also threw a pair of interceptions.

On the other side, Miller threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns. Concordia narrowly outgained Buena Vista, 310-304. Both teams had two turnovers and two sacks. For the Beaver defense, defensive tackle Quamaree Harris gave the Bulldogs fits. He registered 11 tackles and two sacks. Reed Kruse notched 19 tackles for the visitors from Storm Lake, Iowa, who opened their season last week with a win over Hamline University (Minn.). Buena Vista is affiliated with NCAA Division III and is a member of the America Rivers Conference.

The Bulldogs will open up conference play next Saturday (Sept. 15) at 1 p.m. CT with their first road trip of 2018. Concordia will head north and take on new GPAC member Jamestown (1-2, 0-1 GPAC). The Jimmies were defeated, 49-7, by No. 7 Northwestern in their first ever GPAC game on Saturday.

200+ yard rushing games, program history
266 – Ryan Durdon vs. Midland, 2017
266 – Randy Pospishil vs. Dana, 1972
261 – JaMaine Lewis vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 2007
250 – Ryan Durdon vs. Buena Vista, 2018
224 – Bob Voelker vs. Doane, 1962
215 – Phillip Elder vs. Doane, 2004
208 – Ryan Durdon vs. Kansas Wesleyan, 2017
208 – Cohl Tufford vs. Dakota State, 2011
206 – Gary Seevers vs. Omaha, 1955
201 – Ryan Durdon vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 2017

Durdon named GPAC offensive player of the week

Sep. 10, 2018

GPAC release

SEWARD, Neb. – On the heels of the second most prolific single game rushing performance of his career, junior Ryan Durdon has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Offensive Player of the Week, as announced on Monday (Sept. 10). This marks the second time Durdon has garnered the conference weekly award in his career.

A second team All-GPAC honoree in 2017, Durdon turned in a workhorse effort in the season opener for Concordia football. In the 27-20 win over NCAA Division III Buena Vista University (Iowa), the Decatur, Texas, native rushed 42 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns. His third-yard scoring run with 53 seconds left proved to be the game winner. Durdon has now rushed for at least 200 yards in a game four times in his career (a school record).

Durdon became the team’s primary running back last season and delivered 1,247 yards and eight touchdowns on 227 carries. Now in 11 career games in the backfield, Durdon has piled up 1,497 rushing yards for an average of 136.1 per game.

Durdon and the Bulldogs (1-0) will open up GPAC play on Saturday with a road test at Jamestown (1-2, 0-1 GPAC). Kickoff from Jamestown, N.D., is set for 1 p.m. CT.

Bulldogs set to make long trip north to Jamestown

Sep. 10, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – It wasn’t always pretty, but star running back Ryan Durdon and a run-stuffing defense led the Concordia University football team to a wire-to-wire 27-20 win over visiting Buena Vista University (Iowa) in last week’s season opener. Durdon’s 250-yard rushing outburst highlighted the day for head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad. Now the Bulldogs look forward to their first GPAC contest of 2018. Concordia and Jamestown will go head-to-head at 1 p.m. in Jamestown, N.D., on Saturday.

If the opener was any indication, the Bulldogs should have another solid defense despite the departures in the secondary. While Concordia allowed some big plays in the passing game to a veteran Beaver quarterback, it completely snuffed out the run. The Bulldog defense forced three turnovers and held Buena Vista to 304 yards of offense. Aaron Rudloff (2.5 tackles for loss, forced fumble, fumble recovery) enjoyed a big day up front.

On the other hand, head coach Josh Kittell’s Jamestown squad has endured back-to-back blowout losses against nationally-ranked opponents. In the Jimmies’ first-ever conference game as a GPAC member, they fell by a 49-7 score in a home matchup with then seventh-ranked Northwestern. Jamestown owns a nonconference win over Valley City State University (N.D.).

GAME INFO
Concordia (1-0, 0-0) at Jamestown (1-2, 0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 15 | 1 p.m.
Taylor Stadium | Jamestown, N.D.
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
Live Stats: Dakstats

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*National rank out of 89 NAIA football programs in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 27.0 (48th)
Defensive PPG: 20.0 (T-31st)
Total Offense: 310.0 (66th)
Pass Offense: 58.0 (89th)
Rush Offense: 252.0 (T-13th)
Total Defense: 304.0 (22nd)
Pass Defense: 283.0 (75th)
Rush Defense: 21.0 (2nd)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-21st)

Jamestown
Offensive PPG: 11.7 (77th)
Defensive PPG: 42.0 (T-74th)
Total Offense: 249.3 (82nd)
Pass Offense: 96.3 (85th)
Rush Offense: 153.0 (44th)
Total Defense: 419.7 (64th)
Pass Defense: 253.0 (T-69th)
Rush Defense: 166.7 (50th)
Turnover +/-: -5 (T-82nd)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (7-4, 2nd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 9/18 (.500), 58 yards, td, 2 int; rushing td
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 42 rushes, 250 yards, 6.0 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Logan Kreizel – 2 catches, 25 yards, 12.5 avg
Defense: Aaron Rudloff – 6 tackles, 2.5 tfl, sack, ff, fr, pbu

Jamestown
Head Coach: Josh Kittell (7-18, 3rd season)
Passing: Jordan Mann – 21/60 (.350), 261 yards, td, 6 int; 44 rushing yards, td
Rushing: Jimmy Hatch – 46 rushes, 208 yards, 4.5 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Barry Williams Jr. – 4 catches, 101 yards, 25.3 avg, td
Defense: Caleb Ellingson – 30 tackles, 3 tfl

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (1-0)
9/8 vs. Buena Vista, W, 27-20
9/15 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
9/22 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
9/29 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
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 (3) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. (7) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Jamestown (1-2)
8/25 vs. Valley City State, W, 28-26
9/1 at (13) Dickinson State, L, 0-51
9/8 vs. (7) Northwestern, L, 7-49
9/15 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
9/22 at Doane, 1 p.m.
9/29 at Midland, 1 p.m.
10/6 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/20 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/27 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/3 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
11/10 vs. (2) Morningside, 12 p.m.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 10): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 37th

Jamestown
GPAC preseason: 10th (coaches); 9th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 10): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 76th

Durdon named GPAC Offensive Player of the Week
The offensive line has been rebuilt, but the running game can still churn out yardage thanks in large part to workhorse back Ryan Durdon. The junior from Decatur, Texas, was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the week on Monday. It marked Durdon’s second career GPAC weekly honor. His 250 yards rushing versus Buena Vista were 16 shy of his program single-game record achieved last season against Midland. Durdon has now rushed for more than 200 yards in a game four times in his career. A 1,247-yard rusher last season, he has piled up 1,497 rushing yards over 11 career games (average of 136.1 per game) at the running back position.

200+ yard rushing games, program history
266 – Ryan Durdon vs. Midland, 2017
266 – Randy Pospishil vs. Dana, 1972
261 – JaMaine Lewis vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 2007
250 – Ryan Durdon vs. Buena Vista, 2018
224 – Bob Voelker vs. Doane, 1962
215 – Phillip Elder vs. Doane, 2004
214 – Carl Abele vs. Doane, 1970
208 – Ryan Durdon vs. Kansas Wesleyan, 2017
208 – Cohl Tufford vs. Dakota State, 2011
206 – Gary Seevers vs. Omaha, 1955
201 – Ryan Durdon vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 2017

Passing game under construction
Now the passing game looks to make a leap forward from game No. 1 to game No. 2. It may take a bit of time for the Bulldogs to find a rhythm with sophomore quarterback Jake Kemp and a revamped offensive line. Concordia had three projected offensive starters out of the lineup last week, including two up front and sophomore tight end Brady Fitzke. While making his first career start, Kemp completed 9-of-18 passes for 58 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. One of Kemp’s best throws all day versus Buena Vista was a deep ball to Vincent Beasley, who hauled in the pass with one hand. However, he was ruled out of bounds.

A senior from Manvel, Texas, Beasley is expected to be a reliable target this fall. He caught one pass for four yards last week. The team’s leading receiver was Arthur Anderson, who snagged four balls for 12 yards and a touchdown. Freshman tight end Logan Kreizel reeled in two passes for 25 yards.

Rudloff takes off
As Concordia football color commentator Roger Fitzke said, Aaron Rudloff may be the current team’s best version of former two-time All-American Trey Barnes. A 6-foot-1, 235-pound junior from Battle Creek, Neb., Rudloff was a major pain for the Beavers last week. Rudloff’s stat line included six tackles, 2.5 stops for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. His fumble recovery in the final minute sewed up the season opening win. Rudloff appears primed to improve upon his numbers last season when he totaled 34 tackles and half of a sack. He earned a starting defensive end position on a defensive line that hopes to be stouter against the run that in 2017 (158.9 rushing yards per game allowed).

Stuff the run
About that run defense … it could not have performed much better than it did last week. Buena Vista managed only 21 rushing yards on 22 attempts. The longest Beaver rush of the day went for a grand total of eight yards. Daberkow expects his team to play well against the run. Concordia knows what it has at linebacker with stars Lane Napier (nine tackles, sack vs. BVU) and Kordell Glause (forced the fumble that clinched the win vs. BVU). Linebacker Zac Walter also had a nice opening day, registering seven tackles (half of a tackle for loss).

O-line makeover
Daberkow and his staff knew things wouldn’t be perfect last week for a youthful offensive line. The five linemen that opened the game had zero combined starting experience. The offensive line included freshmen Wendell Banks (LT), Johnny Robinson III (center) and guard Trenton Sanders (RG) and sophomores Cole Baumgartner (RT) and Roy Garza (LG). Projected starters Grady Koch (LT) and Stuart Kolpin (RG) missed the game last week due to injury. Koch has by far the most experience of the bunch. He earned honorable mention All-GPAC accolades last season.

Fitzke booms in opener
Though injury limited Brady Fitzke’s ability to play tight end last week, he made an impact at punter. He had a busy day there, booting the ball seven times for 306 yards (43.7 average) with a long of 54. Fitzke has the leg to establish himself as one of the GPAC’s top punters and perhaps even one of the best in the NAIA. He took over the role during the season in 2017 and wound up averaging 42.7 yards on 22 punts. Once healthy, Fitzke should also be a nice weapon at the tight end position.

Home cooking
While Concordia saw its 10-game home win streak snapped by Morningside in the final game of 2017, it got back to protecting its home turf last week. Winners of 11 of their last 12 at home, the Bulldogs went 5-0 at home in 2016 and then 4-1 inside Bulldog Stadium in 2017. Next up at home will be Midland for homecoming on Sept. 22.

Last 12 home games
9/8/18 | W, 27-20 | Buena Vista
11/11/17 | L, 0-35 | (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 Jamestown
It’s been a process in building up the program for third-year head coach Josh Kittell, who owns several passing records from his time as a player for the Jamestown program. The Jimmies are looking for their first winning season since 2008. Jamestown has been outscored by a combined total of 126-35 through its first three games of 2018, but the schedule has been challenging out of the gate with games against two teams ranked nationally inside the top 15. Jamestown has had some success running the football with Jimmy Hatch, who last season put up 769 rushing yards, averaging 4.6 per carry. On the other side of the ball, the Jimmies needed to see significant improvement against the run. They allowed 6.1 yards per rush last season, but have chopped that number down to 4.5 so far in 2018. Kittell’s squad also ended a long streak without an interception. It went the entire 2017 campaign without getting a single pick. Some turnovers forced on Saturday would be a boost for an offense that has scored a combined seven points over the past two weeks and ranks 82nd nationally in total offense.

Gritty defense keys win at Jamestown

Sep. 15, 2018

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – The Concordia University football team somehow defied the statistics on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 15) in Jamestown, N.D. Despite being outgained 347-144 in total yardage, the Bulldogs gutted out a 16-13 victory over host Jamestown. For the second game in a row, a fourth quarter touchdown rush by Ryan Durdon made the difference on the scoreboard.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is now 2-0 (1-0 GPAC) with both victories coming down to the wire.

“I think it was a testament to our team approach,” said Daberkow afterwards. “They made mistakes, but we capitalized on them when they made them. That’s important not to lose sight of that amidst all the other problems that we had today. We capitalized on the opportunities when they arose. We still have a lot of young personnel that we’re breaking in. We don’t have a set depth chart. That inexperience can show itself in different ways. We’re taking things week by week.”

Concordia overcame the substantial yardage differential and a more than 2-to-1 disadvantage in time of possession by leaning upon a gritty defense led by sophomore linebacker Lane Napier. A pair of bad snaps on Jamestown punts also played a critical role in the outcome. The first one resulted in a safety late in the first quarter. The second mishap proved devastating to the home team. It gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Jimmie 14-yard line. On the very next play, Durdon raced to the end zone for the game’s deciding points with 14:12 left in the fourth quarter.

Concordia put together its best offensive possession of the day following the safety. A 33-yard pass play from Jake Kemp to Vincent Beasley was the highlight of the seven-play, 52-yard drive that staked the Bulldogs to a 9-7 lead early in the second quarter. Durdon finished it off with a two-yard plunge for a score.

It was clear that the Jimmies (1-3, 0-2 GPAC) were focused on limiting Durdon, who went off for 250 yards rushing last week versus Buena Vista University. Durdon carried the ball 15 times for 53 yards in his latest performance as part of a day in which the Concordia offense had to scratch and claw for everything it got. Daberkow isn’t apologizing for the win though.

“I had to tell the guys in the locker room, ‘You’ve got to start smiling,’” Daberkow said. “You have to enjoy the wins when they come. We know how much work we have to do in order to compete with the top tier of this conference. We’re all trying to get ahead of ourselves. When you do that, you’re setting yourself up for failure. We want to win now and continue to develop those young guys.”

The defense could use the rest on the eight-plus hour bus ride back to Seward. The defense was on the field for 81 plays and 40:53 of game time. That meant extra duty for guys like Napier, who piled up 18 tackles, including 2.5 for loss. Zac Walter and Kordell Glause also pitched in with timely sacks. The defense bent, but it rarely broke. On five trips to the red zone, Jamestown managed to reach the end zone just once – on an eight-yard connection from quarterback Jordan Mann to tight end James Hagen in the first quarter.

Offensively, Concordia ran just 41 plays. A senior from Manvel, Texas, Beasley (three catches for 46 yards) was having a nice day until being sidelined for the second half due to injury. The quarterback duo of Kemp and Luke Lang combined to complete 10-of-18 passes for 81 yards. Jamestown held the Bulldogs to 63 rushing yards on 23 attempts.

After an early breakdown, the Concordia secondary settled in. Mann finished 21-for-33 for 196 yards and a touchdown. Running back Jimmy Hatch netted 60 yards on 16 carries. Grant Mitchell hauled in four passes for 66 yards. Jamestown has dropped back-to-back decisions to Northwestern and Concordia in its first two conference games as a GPAC member.

The Bulldogs will return home next Saturday (Sept. 22) for their homecoming clash with rival and 24th-ranked Midland (2-1, 0-1 GPAC). Concordia has won each of the last six meetings with the Warriors. Head coach Jeff Jamrog’s squad suffered a 49-20 loss at No. 5 Northwestern on Saturday.

2-0 Concordia set to host Midland on homecoming

Sep. 17, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – It’s homecoming week on the Concordia University campus. That means the Bulldogs will be back at home this Saturday to welcome rival Midland to Bulldog Stadium. Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has found ways to pull out two games that have both gone down the wire. Now Concordia tries to keep it going against a Warrior program it has beaten six-straight times.

A monster performance by sophomore linebacker Lane Napier, the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week, allowed the Bulldogs to escape North Dakota with a 16-13 win last week despite a 347-144 disadvantage in total yards. For the second week in a row, a fourth-quarter touchdown rush by Ryan Durdon supplied the deciding points. Durdon found the end zone twice, but was limited to 53 rushing yards on 15 carries by the Jimmies.

Meanwhile, Midland was dealt its first loss last week in 49-20 decision at fifth-ranked Northwestern. The Warriors opened up their season with nonconference victories over MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) and Mayville State University (N.D.). The 2-0 start allowed head coach Jeff Jamrog’s squad to crack the top 25 poll at No. 24. Midland dropped into the receiving votes category this week on the heels of last week’s defeat.

GAME INFO
Midland (2-1, 0-1) at Concordia (2-0, 1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 22 | 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: 20.5 (66th)
Defensive PPG: 16.5 (19th)
Total Offense: 227.0 (87th)
Pass Offense: 69.5 (88th)
Rush Offense: 157.5 (45th)
Total Defense: 325.5 (31st)
Pass Defense: 239.5 (62nd)
Rush Defense: 86.0 (9th)
Turnover +/-: 0 (T-44th)

Midland
Offensive PPG: 41.7 (T-13th)
Defensive PPG: 32.3 (60th)
Total Offense: 483.7 (T-13th)
Pass Offense: 256.7 (24th)
Rush Offense: 227.0 (15th)
Total Defense: 420.3 (64th)
Pass Defense: 267.0 (76th)
Rush Defense: 153.3 (44th)
Turnover +/-: -1 (T-53rd)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (8-4, 2nd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 18/31 (.581), 138 yards, td, 2 int; rushing td
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 57 rushes, 303 yards, 5.3 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 4 catches, 50 yards, 12.5 avg
Defense: Lane Napier – 30 tackles, 3.5 tfl, 2 sacks

Midland
Head Coach: Jeff Jamrog (14-10, 3rd season)
Passing: Payton Nelson – 51/94 (.543), 719 yards, 8 td, 2 int; rushing: 31 att, 210 yards, 6.8 avg, td
Rushing: Lukas Vopnford – 31 rushes, 155 yards, 5.0 avg, 4 td; 11 catches, 49 yards, td
Receiving: Jordan Jackson – 9 catches, 187 yards, 20.8 avg, 5 td
Defense: Johan Williams – 18 tackles, 6.5 tfl, 5 sacks

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (2-0, 1-0)
9/8 vs. Buena Vista, W, 27-20
9/15 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
9/22 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
9/29 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
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 (3) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. (7) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Midland (2-1, 0-1)
8/25 vs. MidAmerica Nazarene, W, 49-28
9/1 vs. Mayville State, W, 56-20
9/15 at (5) Northwestern, L, 20-49
9/22 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
9/29 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/6 vs. (2) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/13 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/20 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/27 at Doane, 1 p.m.
11/3 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Dordt, 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 two regular-season polls. They were picked fourth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 40th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

Midland jumped into the top 25 at No. 24 last week before falling out this week. The Warriors continue to receive votes. In the GPAC preseason polls, Midland was picked to finish third by both the coaches and the media. Massey Ratings has the Warriors ranked 36th in the NAIA.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 17): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 40th

Midland
GPAC preseason: 3rd (coaches); 3rd (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 17): receiving votes
Massey Ratings: 36th

Napier tabbed GPAC Defensive Player of the Week
Lane Napier has a nose for the football. His performance at inside linebacker was instrumental in Concordia grinding out a win last week. On Monday he was recognized by the conference as the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week after he racked up 21 tackles, 2.5 stops for loss and a sack at Jamestown. The tackle total was a career high for the David City, Neb., native. In 12 career games, Napier has already accumulated 127 tackles. His average of 15.0 tackles per game currently leads all NAIA players. After making 97 stops as a freshman, Napier could be poised to become the program’s sixth player in the GPAC era (2000-present) to notch 100 tackles in a season. He may even challenge Erik DeHaven’s school GPAC era record of 110 tackles in a season.

Most tackles in a season, GPAC era
1. Erik DeHaven (2001) – 110
2. Michael Hedlund (2016) – 107
3. Michael Hedlund (2015) – 105
3. Josh Conrad (2000) – 105
5. Sean Stewart (2001) – 102
6. Troy Schlueter (2000) – 100
7. Lane Napier (2017) – 97

Against the rush
Napier is the headliner for a defense that has gotten off to a good start stopping the run. Buena Vista University (Iowa) managed only 21 rushing yards on 22 attempts in the season opener. Last week the Jimmies reached 151 yards on the ground, but it took them 48 tries to get there. So far this season, Concordia is allowing just 2.5 yards per rush. The Bulldogs have typically been stout against the run. Since Patrick Daberkow has been either the defensive coordinator or head coach (nine seasons), Concordia has ranked no lower than 44th nationally in rush defense. During that stretch, the top run defense was the 2011 unit that allowed 116.5 rushing yards per game and 3.2 per carry. That particular defense was led by star linebacker Jerrod Fleming.

Concordia NAIA national ranks vs. run
2018 – 9th (86.0)
2017 – 40th (158.9)
2016 – 28th (145.8)
2015 – 24th (135.6)
2014 – 44th (171.6)
2013 – 31st (150.7)
2012 – 38th (154.7)
2011 – 27th (116.5)
2010 – 42nd (148.0)

Punt advantage
The advantage Concordia had in the punting game proved critical in last week’s outcome. Two bad snaps on Jamestown punt attempts directly led to nine Bulldog points. One of the mishaps resulted in a safety and the other gave Concordia the football at the Jimmie 14-yard line. Ryan Durdon raced to the end zone on the next play. On the flip side, sophomore Brady Fitzke enjoyed another solid punting performance. He booted the ball seven times for an average of 38.7 yards. He landed two of his punts inside the 20. Of Fitzke’s 14 punts so far this season, three of them have covered more than 50 yards. Fitzke’s season average of 41.2 yards per punt puts him 15th on the NAIA national leaderboard. The program has had success using full-time starters as punters in recent years. Two-time All-America Trey Barnes got most of his attention for what he did on defense, but he also averaged 40.7 yards per punt his senior season.

Offense built around Durdon
It's no secret that the Bulldog offense is built around Ryan Durdon, who already has four 200-yard rushing performances in his 12 career games as a running back. Jamestown focused its efforts on limiting Durdon, who was kept in check throughout the first half. The native of Decatur, Texas, then got loose for rushes of 24 and 14 yards in the second half. He’s now carried the ball 57 times for 303 yards and four touchdowns while running behind a rebuilt offensive line. Now Durdon gets set to go up against a Midland rush defense that he burned for a school record-tying 266 yards last season. Midland has surrendered 153.3 rushing yards per game through its first three contests.

Daberkow by the numbers
Throughout much of the history of the Concordia football program, which dates back to 1925, it’s been fair to say that its first-year head coaches have typically taken on rebuilding tasks. However, Patrick Daberkow rose to the head coaching position with a team that last season had talented seniors such as Jared Garcia, D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby. Such star players have helped Daberkow to an 8-4 record in his first 12 games as the head ball coach. It marks the second best 12-game start to a head coaching tenure in program history. John Seevers, the head coach from 1970 through 1976, started out 9-3 in his first 12 games. Seevers guided the 1970 squad to an 8-1 record and NIAC championship. It’s a small sample, but Daberkow’s .667 win percentage ranks No. 1 among the 10 head coaches in Bulldog football history.

Series vs. Midland
The series with Midland is one of the oldest rivalries in program history. The two sides first met in 1944 in what was six-man football at the time due to man power needs of World War II. The result that year was a 40-0 Concordia victory. The Bulldogs and Warriors did not play each other again until 1952. Then in 1957, they began playing annually up to the present day. Midland leads the all-time series (35-27-1), but Concordia has been chipping away with wins in each of the past six games. Last year’s meeting turned into The Ryan Durdon Game. Durdon’s 266 rushing yards and four touchdowns paved the way for a 44-14 Bulldog blowout victory. Midland’s most recent win in the series was a 29-3 decision in Fremont in 2011. The Warriors will be at Bulldog Stadium for the third year in a row.

Last six games vs. Midland
2017 – W, 44-14 (Seward)
2016 – W, 20-14 (Seward)
2015 – W, 41-38 | OT (Fremont)
2014 – W, 35-28 (Seward)
2013 – W, 35-14 (Fremont)
2012 – W, 23-14 (Seward)

Home cooking
While Concordia saw its 10-game home win streak snapped by Morningside in the final game of 2017, it got back to protecting its home turf in game No. 1 versus Buena Vista. Winners of 11 of their last 12 at home, the Bulldogs went 5-0 at home in 2016 and then 4-1 inside Bulldog Stadium in 2017. Included in that 12-game stretch are two home victories over Midland.

Last 12 home games
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 Midland
Statistically, Midland has been impressive offensively and is currently ranked 13th nationally in both scoring offense and total offense. Quarterback Payton Nelson is a dual threat who has thrown for 719 yards and has run for 210. In last season’s trip to Seward, Nelson relieved Garry Cannon, who threw a pair of picks. Midland quarterbacks were intercepted three times by D’Mauria Martin in that contest. Head coach Jeff Jamrog, now in his third season with the Warriors, is looking take the next step after completing his first two seasons with exactly six wins both years. The 6-5 record in 2016 was impressive considering the team’s 1-10 mark the year prior to Jamrog’s arrival. In its stiffest challenge so far this season, Midland trailed just 14-13 at the half at No. 5 Northwestern. The game got away from the Warriors in the third quarter that saw the Red Raiders outscore them, 21-0. Concordia will have to contain Nelson and a passing game featuring big play pass catchers Darrin Gentry and Jordan Jackson, who both are averaging more than 20 yards per reception. On the other side, the question mark is how Johan Williams (five sacks) and the Warrior defense will hold up against star back Ryan Durdon.

Napier earns GPAC weekly award

Sep. 17, 2018

GPAC release

SEWARD, Neb. – Another monster effort in a grinder of a win at Jamestown led to sophomore Lane Napier being named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Monday (Sept. 17). Napier has earned the honor for the second time in his young collegiate career.

A native of David City, Neb., Napier racked up a career high 21 tackles last week in a game that forced the defense to shoulder a heavy load. The Aquinas High School product also made 2.5 stops for loss, including a sack, at Jamestown. Napier has already accumulated 30 tackles this season a year after leading the GPAC during the regular season with 97 tackles as a freshman in 2017. With 127 career tackles, Napier is on a fast track to putting himself in the same territory as the program’s top run stuffers.

The school’s GPAC era record for most tackles is 290 by Sean Stewart (1999-2002), an All-American safety who helped Concordia to a GPAC title and playoff berth in 2001. Michael Hedlund’s 261 career tackles are the most by a Bulldog linebacker since the GPAC began in 2000. During that time frame, Erik DeHaven’s 110 tackles in 2001 ranks atop the program list.

Napier and the Bulldogs (2-0, 1-0 GPAC) are set to host Midland (2-1, 0-1 GPAC) this Saturday for homecoming on the Concordia campus. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT.

Quiet off the field, loud on it, Napier just makes plays

Sep. 20, 2018

Patrick Daberkow and the rest of the Concordia University football coaching staff would have been hard-pressed to find a negative review during their recruitment of Lane Napier. The guy who wore No. 25 for Nebraska state powerhouse Aquinas High School caught everyone’s attention because he was everywhere, on both sides of the field.

Is he a running back? Is he a linebacker? If the Bulldogs were fortunate enough to land the David City native, they would figure that out later.

“It was really what all the high school coaches in the area thought when they talked about Lane Napier,” said Daberkow of what drew Concordia to Napier. “He impressed a lot of people when they played against him. Other coaches would talk about how good Lane Napier was. His film backed that up. Getting to know him through the recruiting process we could tell he was a guy we wanted to be part of our program. We were very happy when he committed.”

While Daberkow has no doubt that Napier would also be productive carrying the football, he has no plans to move Napier out of his inside linebacker spot. He’s just too valuable in that role. He proved it as a freshman when he racked up 97 tackles, including eight for loss. It’s rare for a rookie college football player to establish himself as a starter and maintain that status for an entire season. Even rarer it is for a freshman to be recognized as a first team all-conference player. Napier accomplished all of that.

He was far from the typical freshman. Those who saw him play in high school probably weren’t particularly surprised by his immediate success. He certainly has the respect of now 29-year Aquinas head coach Ron Mimick. Napier helped the Monarchs win Class C-2 state championships in 2014 and 2015. Mimick told the Lincoln Journal Star in 2016, “He’s pretty quiet, but he’s our best athlete and a good, solid worker. On that alone, the kids will follow him.”

It’s become cliché, but Napier really is that hard-nosed, zero-drama type of player that every coach wants to have. He says the right things. He credits those around him for helping him rack up tackles. He says it’s what the Concordia defensive linemen do up front that has freed him up to make plays.

His latest performance was one of his best. The GPAC named Napier the conference defensive player of the week after he grinded his way to 21 tackles, 2.5 stops for loss and a sack in the 16-13 win at Jamestown on Sept. 15. He now has 127 career tackles over 12 college games. Essentially, he feeds his hunger by eating up opposing ball carriers. All this from a guy who ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns in Aquinas’ 2015 state title game victory.

“I came in (at Concordia) as a running back,” Napier said. “I really liked to play on defense in high school and I felt like that was probably my stronger suit, but I was doing what would help the team out the best. After the second day of practice I moved to linebacker. I guess it all fell into place from there.”

For the record, Napier actually did carry the ball six times last year as a temporary two-way player. With Ryan Durdon’s emergence at running back, Napier could settle in at linebacker and show why he was coveted by so many GPAC schools.

In his recruitment, Napier liked the idea of staying close to his hometown and Concordia was the school he connected with most.

Recalls Napier, “I took visits to all those places (Doane, Morningside and Midland). When I came on Concordia’s campus I had that feeling inside me that this could be a special place for me. Family is really important to me, so that helps out, too. I went here three or four times my senior year. I was good friends with Seth Fitzke and got to know a lot of the older guys. That’s probably the reason why I came.”

Napier even stuck with Concordia through a change at head coach. He made his commitment prior to Vance Winter’s resignation. While the head coaching position stood unfilled, Daberkow (formerly the defensive coordinator) continued to reach out to Napier, one of the prizes of Concordia’s 2017 recruiting class.

At the rate he’s going, Napier has a chance to put his name in the same conversation with some of the program’s all-time greats at the linebacker position. During the GPAC era, Micheal Hedlund’s 261 tackles are the most in a career by a Bulldog linebacker. Napier has eight games left in his sophomore season and is halfway there.

“He’s a special player,” Daberkow said. “He could still play running back if we needed him to. He’s just got such a knack for the ball. Linebacker is obviously a position that treats him best. We are very happy with his progress at linebacker, and he still has room to improve. There are some aspects of linebacker play that he is very much a work-in-progress on. We don’t even think he’s reached his ceiling yet.”

Napier is humble enough to agree that he’s not a finished product or a perfect player. Those are aspects of his personality that allowed him to earn the respect of everyone in the program from very early on. Said Napier, “Coming in I was not expecting to have the season that I had. I came in and I was laid back. I wouldn’t say I was the most aggressive person right away. I was just seeing how things went and how things played out. Once one of our linebackers got injured some older guys were telling me, ‘This is your spot. Step up and play it.’ I did that and it all just worked out.”

You might not know if you saw him walking down the street. Lane Napier stands 6-feet tall, on a good day. But he’s a football player. The kind that fits perfectly with what Concordia football is all about.

Said Daberkow, “He’s a pretty quiet kid, pretty low key. He’s just a shut up and work kind of player.”

Series win streak versus Midland snapped on homecoming

Sep. 22, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – Midland’s run of frustration versus the Concordia University football program ended inside a sun-soaked Bulldog Stadium on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 22). Behind dual-threat quarterback Payton Nelson, the Warriors spoiled the Bulldogs homecoming in a contest that ended by a 35-7 decision. Concordia got outgained, 507-274, in total yardage.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad overcame its offensive shortcomings in wins over Buena Vista University (Iowa) and Jamestown, but Midland made the Bulldogs pay this time. It marked the end of a six-game Concordia series win streak versus the Warriors.

“It comes down to simple things and we’re not doing the simple things,” Daberkow said. “We didn’t do them at a level today that you need to compete in this conference. We’re very much a work in progress. To get a little momentum today in the passing game is one of the positives. Ultimately, we want to take pride in running the ball on people and that wasn’t working. I was pleased to see Vince Beasley have the game he had today.”

The Bulldogs finally dented the scoreboard in the third quarter when Jake Kemp found Art Anderson for a one-yard touchdown pass play on fourth and goal. Concordia got within 21-7 on its lone scoring drive that covered 44 yards on eight plays. Any momentum the Bulldogs had mustered quickly vanished when Midland (3-1, 1-1 GPAC) answered on its next possession.

The combination of Nelson and receiver Mike Seawell burned Concordia all day. They hooked up on a 54-yard connection that set up Garry Cannon’s seven-yard touchdown rush. The score allowed the Warriors to regain a three-touchdown advantage (28-7) with 9:45 left in the third period. Seawell’s big grab converted a third and 10.

This was a complete reversal from the game between the same two programs in Seward last year. That day it was Ryan Durdon who stole the show by rushing for 266 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-14 Bulldog win. In this instance, it was Nelson and his ability to run and pass that gave Concordia fits. Nelson threw for 242 yards and ran for another 74. His escape-ability was a key factor in Midland being successful on 14-of-18 third down plays.

With the exception of one play, Midland’s defense bottled up Durdon all afternoon. Durdon got 84 of his 86 rushing yards on one carry that he busted loose on the final play of the first half. The Warriors were able to track down Durdon from behind at the 13-yard line to save a potential touchdown. In the passing game, the Bulldogs showed progress. Kemp threw for 163 yards (15-for-30) and completed a season long pass of 45 yards to Anderson. Beasley hauled in five passes for 63 yards.

Midland routed Concordia despite fumbling the football away on a goal-to-go situation late in the first quarter. Aaron Rudloff forced the fumble that allowed the Bulldogs to hang in there, down 7-0 at the time. The Bulldog defense broke more often than it had in its first two games. Midland scored on four of its six red zone trips.

The reigning GPAC Defensive Player of the Week, sophomore linebacker Lane Napier collected 10 tackles (two for loss) and made a sack. Zac Walter led the team with 11 tackles (two behind the line of scrimmage). They frequently had to chase around Seawell, who put up 136 yards receiving and 65 yards rushing. Running back Lukas Vopnford ran for 56 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.

Offensively, Concordia has had veterans on the offensive line miss time due to injuries. Said Daberkow, “Instead of three seniors, we’re starting three freshmen. Those guys are doing the best they can. We’re rotating more guys in. It’s a group effort. It just wasn’t enough to beat a team like Midland.

“We have to weather the storm and come out better prepared for next week. We have to roll with who we have and we have a high standard for what we expect them to do.”

A second lengthy road trip of the campaign is coming up next Saturday (Sept. 29) when the Bulldogs will be at Dordt (2-1, 1-1 GPAC) for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff in Sioux Center, Iowa. This will be the third year in a row that Concordia will have played the Defenders on the road. In Saturday’s action, Dordt went on the road and blew out Hastings, 55-17.

Bulldogs look to rebound at Dordt

Sep. 24, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – After 35-7 homecoming loss to Midland, the Concordia University football team hopes to regroup by earning a second GPAC road win this season. For the fourth year in a row, the Bulldogs will take on the Defenders in Sioux Center, Iowa. Saturday’s kickoff from Open Space Park is set for 1 p.m. CT. Concordia is 9-1 all-time versus Dordt with nine series victories in a row.

The offense is still a work-in-progress for second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad. Things have not quite clicked just yet for a unit with a new quarterback and a completely new offensive line. Quarterback Jake Kemp and the passing game took a step forward in the game with Midland. Kemp has solid receiving options in Arthur Anderson and Vincent Beasley. They’ll try to take advantage of a Dordt pass defense that ranks 71st nationally.

While the Defenders have struggled in some aspects of their defensive play, they can rack up points on the offensive end. Third-year head coach Joel Penner’s squad has the ability to devastate opposing defenses in the run game. Dordt is coming off a 55-17 win at Hastings. In the blowout, Levi Schoonhoven rushed for 183 yards and three touchdowns.

GAME INFO
Concordia (2-1, 1-1) at Dordt (2-1, 1-1)
Saturday, Sept. 29 | 1 p.m.
Open Space Park | Sioux Center, Iowa
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
Live Stats: Dakstats

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*National rank out of 90 NAIA football programs in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 16.0 (79th)
Defensive PPG: 22.7 (29th)
Total Offense: 242.7 (87th)
Pass Offense: 111.7 (87th)
Rush Offense: 131.0 (63rd)
Total Defense: 386.0 (53rd)
Pass Defense: 240.3 (59th)
Rush Defense: 145.7 (42nd)
Turnover +/-: +2 (T-27th)

Dordt
Offensive PPG: 45.7 (7th)
Defensive PPG: 27.0 (T-44th)
Total Offense: 490.3 (10th)
Pass Offense: 184.0 (56th)
Rush Offense: 306.3 (3rd)
Total Defense: 407.0 (61st)
Pass Defense: 257.0 (71st)
Rush Defense: 150.0 (44th)
Turnover +/-: 0 (T-39th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (8-5, 2nd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 33/61 (.541), 301 yards, 2 td, 2 int; rushing td
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 68 rushes, 389 yards, 5.7 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 9 catches, 113 yards, 12.6 avg
Defense: Lane Napier – 40 tackles, 5.5 tfl, 3 sacks

Dordt
Head Coach: Joel Penner (12-12, 3rd season)
Passing: Brock Lamle – 28/63 (.444), 525 yards, 6 td, 3 int; rushing: 23 att, 110 yards, 4.8 avg, 2 td
Rushing: Levi Schoonhoven – 42 rushes, 311 yards, 7.4 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Levi Jungling – 11 catches, 241 yards, 21.9 avg, td
Defense: Julius Buchanan – 12 tackles, 5 tfl, 2.5 sacks

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (2-1, 1-1)
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, 1 p.m.
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 (3) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. (7) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Dordt (2-1, 1-1)
9/1 at Waldorf, W, 61-40
9/15 vs. Doane, L, 21-24
9/22 at Hastings, W, 55-17
9/29 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/6 at (5) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/13 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/20 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/27 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/3 at (2) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Midland, 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 three 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 47th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

In the history of its program that dates back to 2008, Dordt had not sniffed the national ratings until breaking into the receiving votes category last season. The Defenders went into this season with raised expectations having been pegged fifth in the GPAC preseason polls by the coaches and media. While not receiving votes in the official NAIA poll, Dordt is ranked 34th nationally by Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 24): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 47th

Dordt
GPAC preseason: 5th (coaches); 5th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 24): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 34th

Napier paces NAIA in tackling
Lane Napier is a constant the Bulldogs can count on each week. The sophomore linebacker from David City, Neb., enters the week ranked No. 1 among all NAIA players for most tackles per game (13.3). That pace puts him ahead of his rate from last season (9.7 per game) when he led the GPAC during the regular season with 97 stops. Napier is also making more plays behind the line of scrimmage. He’s already collected 5.5 tackles for loss and three sacks (one in each game). Napier has piled up 137 tackles over his first 13 collegiate games, putting him on a pace that could allow him to challenge the program GPAC-era career tackles record of 290 by Sean Stewart (1999-02).

Most tackles per game, NAIA
1. Lane Napier (CUNE) – 13.3
2. Austin Archey (Kentucky Christian) – 12.8
3. Caleb Coe (Olivet Nazarene) – 12.5
4. Jason Ferris (Montana Western) – 12.3
5. Kegan Schumann (Baker) – 12.0
5. Malik Guillory (Texas College) – 12.0

Anderson/Beasley combo
Patrick Daberkow and his staff see potential in the passing game. Pass protection continues to be a focus. That part of the equation improved in the second half versus Midland and gave quarterback Jake Kemp a chance to connect with the likes of top receivers Arthur Anderson and Vincent Beasley. Both Anderson and Beasley caught five passes in the contest. Anderson’s catch of 45 yards in the fourth quarter represented a season long pass play for Concordia. Anderson also hauled in a one-yard touchdown toss from Kemp on a fourth-and-goal play in the third quarter. The third receiver has been sophomore Lane Castaneda, who caught 23 passes for 233 yards and three touchdowns last season. At tight end, freshman Logan Kreizel has made six grabs for 66 yards.

Offensive line on the mend
With three starters still sidelined by injury, the Bulldogs again went young up front on offense. The starting offensive line last week included freshman Wendell Banks at left tackle, sophomore Roy Garza at left guard, freshman Johnny Robinson at center, freshman Trenton Sanders at right guard and sophomore Cole Baumgartner. At some point, the offensive line could look a lot more veteran. Seniors in tackle Grady Koch, guard Stuart Kolpin and center Evrett Shaw have all been bit by the injury bug. Koch has been a mainstay in recent seasons. He earned honorable mention all-conference accolades in 2017. Meanwhile, Kolpin is a converted tight end and Shaw was expected to replace a first team All-GPAC player at center. All three aforementioned seniors have yet to play this season.

Durdon busts career best
Over the last two weeks, Ryan Durdon has found less room to run free with Jamestown and Midland focused on limiting the star Bulldog back. However, Durdon did get loose for a career long run of 84 yards on the final play of the half against Midland. After being fed the ball 42 times in the opener versus Buena Vista, Durdon has carried the ball a combined 26 times over the past two weeks (no carries in the fourth quarter vs. Midland). Despite the youth up front, the overall numbers have been healthy for Durdon. He’s rushed for 389 yards on 68 attempts (5.7 per carry) and has found the end zone four times. This week he goes up against a Dordt run defense that ranks 44th nationally (150.0) and yields 4.0 yards per rush. Last season at Dordt, Durdon carried the ball 41 times and rushed for 136 yards. With 1,638 career rushing yards, Durdon has cracked the top 10 on the program’s all-time list. He’s currently No. 9 with eighth-ranked Don Baker (1,799) well within his reach.

Third down struggles
Better third down success on both sides of the ball will be a key moving forward. It was a major area of futility last week. While Midland moved the chains on 14-of-18 third down plays, Concordia went just 1-for-10 on third down. On the season, Bulldog opponents have been successful on 46 percent of their third down tries. On the flip side, Concordia has converted only 26 percent of its third downs. Another troubling early-season trend has been slow starts for the Bulldog offense. Concordia has scored only two points in the first quarter through three games – on a safety that resulted from a bad punt snap at Jamestown. The Bulldogs have scored nearly all of their points in either the second or fourth quarter.

Series vs. Dordt
The Dordt football program is now in its 11th season of existence. Concordia has played the Defenders each year since 2008. Dordt actually got its first-ever football win in 2008 when it topped the Bulldogs, 17-14, in Sioux Center, Iowa. Since then, Concordia has defeated the Defenders nine-straight times. The last three meetings have all taken place in Sioux Center with the Bulldogs winning by margins of 13, seven and seven points, respectively. The deciding points came on the first play of the fourth quarter in last season’s matchup. Quarterback Riley Wiltfong delivered a 17-yard touchdown pass to Kiyoshi Brey to put Concordia in front.

All-time series vs. Dordt
2017 – W, 24-17 (Sioux Center)
2016 – W, 35-28 (Sioux Center)
2015 – W, 34-21 (Sioux Center)
2014 – W, 38-14 (Seward)
2013 – W, 32-0 (Sioux Center)
2012 – W, 52-12 (Seward)
2011 – W, 21-7 (Sioux Center)
2010 – W, 24-7 (Seward)
2009 – W, 28-12 (Seward)
2008 – L, 14-17 (Sioux Center)

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 Dordt
In its young history, the Dordt football program has never been in a better position. Third-year head coach Joel Penner has worked wonders with an outfit that had never won more than two games in a season before his arrival. Now the Defenders have the look of a team capable of a top three or four finish in the GPAC. Lane Napier and the Concordia defense will have its hands full trying to handle a Dordt running game that ranks third nationally with an average of 306.3 yards per game. That running game features Levi Schoonhoven and also includes University of Iowa transfer Noah Clayberg, who has averaged 8.4 yards per carry on 21 attempts. Quarterback Brock Lamle has thrown for 38 touchdown passes in his career. His favorite target is Levi Jungling (11 grabs for 241 yards and a touchdown). On paper, the Dordt defense appears susceptible through the air. The Defenders sport national ranks of 66th in pass efficiency defense and 71st in passing yards allowed per game. Dordt may be sitting at 3-0 right now had it not been for its three turnovers in a 24-21 home loss to Doane. The Defenders present a significant challenge as one of the top offensive teams in the NAIA.

Kemp spins three TD passes in loss at Dordt

Sep. 29, 2018

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – In terms of injuries, the Concordia University football team can’t catch a break. Just when the passing game began to click, quarterback Jake Kemp was sidelined by injury. Dordt took advantage and pulled away with a 38-19 victory at Open Space Park in Sioux Center, Iowa, on Saturday afternoon (Sept. 29).

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has now dropped back-to-back conference games and sits at 2-2 overall and at 1-2 in the GPAC. Saturday’s result snapped a nine-game series win streak over the Defenders.

“We didn’t capitalize on our opportunities today,” said Daberkow in his postgame chat with 104.9 Max Country. “We left a lot out there on the field. Just disappointed with the outcome. When you get four turnovers on the road against a team like Dordt and an offense that’s that good, you need to capitalize on those. You should win that game when you get four turnovers. We have to look at some things and go back to the drawing board.”

The Bulldogs were adept at taking the ball away and got three touchdown passes from Kemp. His first scoring strike went to tight end Logan Kreizel from 15 yards out and put Concordia up 7-0 in the opening quarter. The signal caller from Decatur, Texas, also spun touchdown tosses of 34 yards to Korrell Koehlmoos and 18 yards to Vincent Beasley. The latter scoring play got the Bulldogs within 21-19 with 12:13 left in the third quarter.

Unfortunately, a hand injury forced Kemp out of the game prior to the start of the fourth quarter. The offense sputtered in the final period and Dordt punished Concordia in the running game. The Defenders (3-1, 2-1 GPAC) also took advantage of short fields and put the game on ice with fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 51 and 54 yards. Keithen Drury rushed for 97 yards and a touchdown and star receiver Levi Jungling added 57 rushing yards to go along with 106 receiving.

Dordt (397 total yards) went solely to the run game in the final quarter after quarterback Brock Lamle was picked off three times, twice by linebacker Zac Walter. His first interception set up the Kreizel touchdown. The second one was followed by a Bulldog three an out. On the ensuing Dordt possession, the Defenders celebrated a one-yard Levi Schoonhoven touchdown run.

While senior Stuart Kolpin returned to make his first start of the season as an offensive guard, injuries have continued to mount. Kreizel and standout linebacker Lane Napier joined Kemp on the sidelines. Offensively, Concordia had to get creative. At times, fullback Robert Ferguson even lined up at quarterback as part of a wildcat formation. Andrew Perea also got snaps at quarterback.

This was the best the passing game has looked so far this season. Beasley had a busy day, making 10 grabs for 83 yards. Kreizel snared six passes for 54 yards and a score before leaving the game. Ryan Durdon caught three passes for 33 yards out of the backfield. Kemp completed 21-of-34 passes for 224 yards to go with the three touchdown tosses. A Bulldog offense that totaled 325 yards needed that production through the air. Durdon was limited to 51 rushing yards on 20 carries.

“Jake was looking really good,” Daberkow said. “We had some things going in the passing game. He was going through his read progression well and taking what was there. After he went out with the injury we tried to do some different things. I loved our game plan going into it. Things were clicking for a while. It kind of fell apart in the third quarter.”

Dordt won the special teams battle. The Bulldogs averaged only 29.5 yards per punt (four attempts) and had a field goal and an extra point blocked. On a positive note, Walter enjoyed a big day that included a team high 10 tackles in addition to the two interceptions. Sophomore Caydren Cox also intercepted one of Lamle’s passes.

A week from today (Oct. 6), the Bulldogs will be back at home where they have won 11 of their past 13 games. Dakota Wesleyan (1-4, 0-3 GPAC) will serve as the opponent. In Saturday’s action, the Tigers fell at Briar Cliff, 20-13. The 2017 contest between Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan resulted in a 38-16 Bulldog victory in Seward.

Bulldogs grind out win over Dakota Wesleyan

Oct. 6, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – A battle between two squads without their starting quarterbacks unfolded Saturday inside Bulldog Stadium. Concordia signal caller Andrew Perea flung an 82-yard touchdown pass on a flea flicker that gave his side a big early boost. Perea and the offense did just enough in a 14-9 victory over Dakota Wesleyan on a typical Nebraska October Saturday (Oct. 6).

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow got a big-time effort from his defense, which held the visiting Tigers to an average of 4.7 yards per play. The Bulldogs improved to 3-2 overall and to 2-2 in conference play.

“I couldn’t be prouder of what they did today,” Daberkow said. “Any time you have the ball on the plus side of the field and you make a decision to punt it away to make a long field for the offense, it’s a vote of confidence for the defense. We really feel like that’s a good unit. Coach (Coby) Osten, Coach (Wes) Coomes, Coach (Ron) Jackson and Coach (Chris) Shipley – those guys are doing such a good job.”

The formula Concordia followed wasn’t completely unlike the one it used in wins over Buena Vista University (Iowa) and Jamestown. That script requires capitalizing on a couple of opportunities offensively, not turning the ball over and keeping the opposition out of the end zone. The Bulldogs checked those boxes and opened up with some fireworks. Concordia built a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter with the help of some explosive offensive plays.

The first one had been scripted in the days leading up to Saturday. After a little razzle-dazzle, Perea threw a strike downfield to freshman tight end Garrett Schardt, who made the catch while being contacted by a defender. He brushed the Tiger off him and sped to the end zone on an 82-yard connection. Daberkow took a page out of former head coach and current assistant Courtney Meyer’s playbook with something he dubbed the “criss cross special.”

“We practice that every day and we planned on doing it on the first play of the game,” said Schardt who has taken advantage of playing time that opened up with injuries to Logan Kreizel and Brady Fitzke at tight end. “It was designed for me and I was hoping I could get off the linebacker, catch the ball and score a touchdown. That’s how it worked out.”

After Ryan Durdon scampered 31 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter, the Concordia offense went into ball control mode. That wasn’t such a bad thing considering the Bulldog defense, led by its gang tackling linebackers, held Dakota Wesleyan to 29 rushing yards on 25 attempts. Freshman quarterback Alex Pohlen and the Tigers still had a shot on their final offensive possession, but an interception by Kordell Glause sealed it with 1:15 remaining on the clock.

A star in his third season as a starter, Glause played safety for the second game in row. Depth at linebacker allowed for Glause to shift spots. Another proven standout, Lane Napier led the team with 12 tackles, including one for loss. It was also a big day for linebacker Derek Tachovsky (nine tackles – two for loss), who made a key stop on a fourth down try. From his defensive end position, Aaron Rudloff turned in an interception of his own.

Glause put up seven tackles and a sack to go with his interception. Said Glause, “We just had our guys all playing their one-eleventh. I’ll even take the blame on that one touchdown. But yeah, everyone stepped up and played their part today. That’s probably our best defensive performance of the year so far.”

Perea, who threw five touchdown passes last season, made his first start of the year. He finished 12-of-22 for 215 yards and a score. Schardt made his two catches count. He not only reeled in the long touchdown toss, he also had a catch that went for 21 yards (105 yards for the game). Top receiver Vincent Beasley pulled down four receptions for 71 yards. On the ground, Durdon carried the ball 28 times for 85 yards and a touchdown.

The highlight of the game for Dakota Wesleyan was an 84-yard touchdown pass from Pohlen to Spencer Neugebauer that made it a tight ballgame in the fourth quarter. Pohlen got the start in place of the injured Shaye Slaughter. He went 31-for-49 for 322 yards and a touchdown. Neugebauer caught 12 passes for 227 yards.

With injuries and youth on the offensive side of the ball, Daberkow and his staff understand that this is what wins may have to look like in 2018. Kemp may come back at some point this fall, but it’s Perea’s job at quarterback for now.

“Coach Corbin has done an outstanding job with our offense,” Daberkow said. “We’re having some difficulties right now, but we’re very young and we’ve had to move some guys to different positions. We keep on working and I think we’ll get there.”

The Bulldogs will make their way to Sioux City, Iowa, next week to take on Briar Cliff (4-2, 2-2 GPAC) in what will be a 1 p.m. CT kickoff from Bishop Heelan Memorial Field. In Saturday’s action, the Chargers fell at Jamestown, 34-32. Concordia is 13-2 all-time versus Briar Cliff.

Fresh off win over DWU, Bulldogs turn attention to Briar Cliff

Oct. 8, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – After grinding out another defensive slugfest last week, the Concordia University football team will be back on the road this weekend. The Bulldogs will attempt to continue their series mastery of Briar Cliff in Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday. Kickoff from Bishop Heelan Memorial Field is set for 1 p.m. CT.

First-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad seems to have found a formula for winning games. It requires a couple of explosive plays on offense, winning the turnover battle and stopping the run on defense. Concordia checked those boxes in last week’s 14-9 victory over Dakota Wesleyan. The contest featured a fast start for the Bulldogs, who used some trickery on their first offensive play from scrimmage. It resulted in an 82-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andrew Perea to tight end Garrett Schardt. Perea made his first start of the season in the win.

Head coach Dennis Wagner’s Chargers have been in some close GPAC battles of their own over the past two weeks. Briar Cliff moved to 4-1 overall with a 20-13 win over Dakota Wesleyan on Sept. 29. The Chargers then slipped, 34-32, at Jamestown last week. They fell for the second time this season despite outgaining the Jimmies, 473-383. Though Briar Cliff has lost two of three, it is a dramatically improved squad from the one that went 0-11 last season.

GAME INFO
Concordia (3-2, 2-2) at Briar Cliff (4-2, 2-2)
Saturday, Oct. 13 | 1 p.m.
Bishop Heelan Memorial Field | Sioux City, Iowa
Webcast: Stretch Internet
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: 16.2 (85th)
Defensive PPG: 23.0 (30th)
Total Offense: 276.6 (87th)
Pass Offense: 161.4 (68th)
Rush Offense: 115.2 (75th)
Total Defense: 380.8 (50th)
Pass Defense: 243.2 (64th)
Rush Defense: 137.6 (36th)
Turnover +/-: +8 (T-5th)

Briar Cliff
Offensive PPG: 27.8 (48th)
Defensive PPG: 25.0 (35th)
Total Offense: 401.8 (36th)
Pass Offense: 244.0 (29th)
Rush Offense: 157.8 (44th)
Total Defense: 354.7 (38th)
Pass Defense: 234.5 (55th)
Rush Defense: 120.2 (24th)
Turnover +/-: -4 (T-70th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-6, 2nd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 54/95 (.568), 525 yards, 5 td, 2 int; rushing td
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 116 rushes, 525 yards, 4.5 avg, 5 td; 6 catches, 43 yards
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 24 catches, 273 yards, 11.4 avg, td
Defense: Lane Napier – 54 tackles, 6.5 tfl, 3 sacks

Briar Cliff
Head Coach: Dennis Wagner (4-13, 2nd season at Briar Cliff; also spent four seasons as head coach at Western Carolina University)
Passing: Jacob Diaz – 25/44 (.568), 530 yards, 7 td, 3 int
Rushing: Noah Ylagan – 116 rushes, 472 yards, 4.1 avg, td; 9 catches, 89 yards, td
Receiving: Elijah Brown – 22 catches, 456 yards, 20.7 avg, 8 td
Defense: Caleb Wilson – 51 tackles, 8 tfl, sack, fr

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-2, 2-2)
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, W, 14-9
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.

Briar Cliff (4-2, 2-2)
8/25 vs. Waldorf, W, 40-13
9/6 at (25) Dakota State, W, 49-20
9/15 vs. Hastings, W, 26-14
9/22 at (2) Morningside, L, 0-56
9/29 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-13
10/6 at Jamestown, L, 32-34
10/13 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/20 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/27 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/10 at (4) Northwestern, 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 five 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 45th ranked team nationally in the NAIA (up three spots from last week).

Briar Cliff has never appeared in the NAIA top 25 poll (the program had its first season in 2003). However, the Chargers did receive votes in the Sept. 17 national coaches’ poll on the strength of their 3-0 start to the season. Since the 56-0 loss to now top-ranked Morningside, Briar Cliff has not garnered any votes in the national poll. Dennis Wagner’s squad has outperformed their GPAC preseason placements of ninth by the coaches and 10th by the media. Briar Cliff checks in at No. 42 nationally in the Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 8): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 45th

Briar Cliff
GPAC preseason: 9th (coaches); 10th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 8): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 42nd

Bulldogs feasting in turnover category
Despite ranking near the bottom of the NAIA in scoring and total offense, the Bulldogs have found a way to scratch out three wins. A key factor has been turnover margin. At +8, Concordia ranks in the top five among all NAIA squads in turnover margin. Ball security has been the biggest strength of an offense that has committed only two turnovers through five games. Both of those giveaways came in the season opener (two interceptions by Jake Kemp). The Bulldogs have yet to lose a fumble. Defensively, Concordia has forced 10 turnovers (six interceptions, four fumble recoveries). The Bulldogs have been an impressive +6 over the past two weeks in the turnover battle.

Glause makes position shift
With a glut of worthy starters at the linebacker position, senior Kordell Glause has shifted from his usual outside backer position to safety. Now in his third year as a starter, Glause had played his first 23 career games at linebacker before moving to safety at Dordt on Sept. 29. According to Glause, the most challenging adjustment has been “being patient and not coming up so fast.” Said Glause, “Playing linebacker, I can kind of go. I’m happy with the change. I think it helps our defense out as a whole. We have some guys who can step up and play. We have new guys making plays every week. Everyone is stepping up and doing their part.”

Glause had a productive day in the defensive backfield in the win over Dakota Wesleyan. He made seven tackles, including a sack, and had an interception late in the fourth quarter that sewed up the victory. Over 25 career games, the native of Palmer, Neb., has totaled 116 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions.

Big-play Durdon
While teams have loaded the box to keep Ryan Durdon in check during GPAC action, the workhorse back from Decatur, Texas, still represents a significant big-play threat. Durdon broke out a 31-yard touchdown run as part of a big first quarter last week. In 15 career games as a running back, Durdon has produced five touchdown rushes of 30 or more yards. Durdon’s longest career touchdown rush remains the 77-yarder he ripped off in the 2017 season opener at Kansas Wesleyan University. He now has 13 career touchdowns (all rushing).

Durdon remains on pace for another 1,000-yard rushing season. He has carried the ball 116 times for 525 yards (4.5 average) and five touchdowns. The sledding has been a bit tougher than last season due to shuffling up front. Currently No. 9 on the program’s all-time rushing list, Durdon (1,772 career rushing yards), needs 28 yards to pass up Don Baker (1971-75) for the No. 8 spot on the list.

Durdon touchdown runs of 30+ yards
77 – 9/2/17 at Kansas Wesleyan
74 – 10/28/17 vs. Dakota Wesleyan
54 – 10/14/17 vs. Midland
41 – 10/14/17 vs. Midland
31 – 10/6/18 vs. Dakota Wesleyan

Schardt on the rise
Next man in has been the theme at the tight end position. Sophomore Brady Fitzke had been the projected preseason starter at that position, but has been unable to serve that role because of nagging injuries. Freshman Logan Kreizel had begun to gain traction at that position (six catches for 54 yards and a touchdown at Dordt) before also being sidelined by injury. That made way for another freshman in Garrett Schardt, a Davenport, Neb., native and product of Bruning-Davenport-Shickley High School. Schardt showed impressive speed on his 82-yard touchdown catch versus Dakota Wesleyan. Schardt made a contested catch around midfield and then sprinted the rest of the way to the end zone. He also had a 23-yard grab that put him over 100 yards receiving. Schardt has the only 100-yard receiving game by a Bulldog this season.

Perea makes first start of 2018
With Jake Kemp out with a left hand injury, Andrew Perea got the nod at quarterback last week against a Dakota Wesleyan squad that was without its starting quarterback (Shaye Slaughter). Perea got off to a hot start with the touchdown pass to Garrett Schardt and another pass of 50 yards that went to top target Vincent Beasley. Perea ended up completing 12-of-22 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. In 10 career games played, Perea has gone 81-for-154 (.526) for 944 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 6-to-5. Kemp started the first four games of this season and went 54-for-95 (.568) for 525 yards and five touchdowns (two interceptions).

Linebackers continue to shine
The continued high level play of the linebacker group had a lot to do with Concordia limiting Dakota Wesleyan to 29 rushing yards on 25 attempts. That performance allowed the Bulldogs to move up to 36th nationally in rush defense. In the victory, linebacker Lane Napier (12 tackles, one tackle for loss), Derek Tachovsky (nine tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack) and Zac Walter (six tackles, one pass breakup) were the standouts in terms of statistical production. Those three serve as starters along with Riley Bilstein in the team’s 3-4 scheme. Napier tops the team with 54 tackles. Walter (44 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions) is enjoying a big season of his own.

Series vs. Briar Cliff
The series has been mostly one-sided with Concordia taking 13 of the first 15 meetings with Briar Cliff. The series dates back to 2003 when the Chargers played their first season of football. Briar Cliff’s only victories over the Bulldogs came in 2005 and 2006 in contests that were both decided by six points or less. Since 2006, Concordia has triumphed in 11-straight matchups versus Briar Cliff. Only one of those 11 games were decided by single-digit point spreads. In last season’s contest in Sioux City, Ryan Durdon rushed for 192 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. As a team, the Bulldogs racked up 386 yards rushing in the 35-7 win.

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 12 of their last 14 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 14 home games
10/6/18 | W, 14-9 | Dakota Wesleyan
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 Briar Cliff
This isn’t the same Briar Cliff team that Concordia saw last season. Newcomers have provided Briar Cliff a shot in the arm. One who fits under the category of impact newcomers is receiver Elijah Brown, who has caught 22 passes for 456 yards and eight touchdowns. A new-look team has been solid both offensively (No. 36 in total offense) and defensively (No. 38 in total defense). The outlier on the schedule was a 56-0 defeat at the hands of Morningside, which has been running roughshod through the conference so far. The Chargers own GPAC wins over Hastings and Dakota Wesleyan. While Concordia has been one of the nation’s best in regards to turnover margin, Briar Cliff has been one of the worst. The Chargers have been intercepted seven times and have already lost five fumbles. Defensively, Caleb Wilson (51 tackles) is a tackle machine like Lane Napier. Logan Knudson leads the pass rush with four sacks. Briar Cliff enters this game just one win off the program record for most victories in a season. The 2018 Chargers also have a shot to become the first above .500 team in program history.

Durdon moves up all-time rushing list in loss at Briar Cliff

Oct. 13, 2018

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – For the second week in a row, a trick play helped the Concordia University football team put six on the board. The Bulldogs just couldn’t quite scratch out enough offense in what amounted to a 23-14 loss at Briar Cliff on its home turf of Bishop Heelan Memorial Field on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 13). The Chargers ended what hopes the Concordia University football team had of a late comeback by sacking Andrew Perea in the end zone in the final minute.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is getting used to these nailbiting grinders. The Bulldogs are now 3-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play. Four of their first six games have been decided by single-digit margins.

“Everything you do on Saturdays is a product of your week of preparation,” Daberkow told 104.9 Max Country after the game. “We have guys making mistakes that hadn’t been made during the week of preparation. There’s frustration there. There’s frustration with the holding calls and the amount of time we’re giving our quarterback. We have to get our eyes down field and throw the ball. It’s a group effort. We have to get better.”

This was a methodical affair that featured 24 combined penalties. Victimized by 125 penalty yards, Concordia could not overcome the flags or a disadvantage in the field position battle. The biggest highlight for the visitors was an 83-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon in the second quarter. The Bulldogs later owned a 14-6 lead near the end of the third quarter.

Concordia’s second and final touchdown drive covered 46 yards on nine plays. The final one caught Briar Cliff (5-2, 3-2 GPAC) off guard. On a reverse, receiver Arthur Anderson delivered a 10-yard touchdown pass along the right sideline to Perea, who made his second start in a row at quarterback. A week earlier, Perea had fired an 82-yard touchdown bomb to tight end Garrett Schardt on a reverse flea flicker.

Like it has most of the time this season, the Bulldog defense gave the team a chance. Concordia forced four fumbles and recovered three of them while continuing to win the turnover category (+2 on Saturday). One of those miscues was a Jacob Diaz fumble on a third-and-goal from the one in the fourth quarter. The recovery by Aaron Rudloff kept the Bulldogs within a touchdown (21-14) at the time.

Already one of the most prolific rushers in school history (now ranked eighth in program history), Durdon is always a threat to go the distance. He rushed for 129 yards on 14 carries. It was another day in which Concordia could not sustain success consistently on the ground (85 team rushing yards). Eight Charger sacks also devastated a number of Bulldog drives. Perea went 16-for-34 for 115 yards (one interception). Briar Cliff outgained Concordia, 479-252.

“He’s a workhorse,” Daberkow said of Durdon. “The best part about Ryan is he doesn’t even care (about stats). He would trade all that for a win today in a heartbeat. We’re looking for more like Ryan, but we have a lot of guys who are doing the right things.”

The Bulldog defense was on the field for 77 plays and more than 33 minutes of game time. It was a busy afternoon for linebacker Lane Napier, who made 21 tackles and forced a fumble. Rudloff collected 12 tackles and recovered two fumbles.

The run defense was leakier than usual for Concordia, which allowed 313 rushing yards on 54 attempts. Kwame Johnson ran 23 times for 182 yards and a touchdown for the Chargers. Diaz went 12-for-23 for 117 yards and two touchdowns through the air. With its fifth win, Briar Cliff equaled a program record for most victories in a single season. It also snapped an 11-game series losing streak versus the Bulldogs.

Concordia will return home next Saturday (Oct. 20) for Military Appreciation Day at Bulldog Stadium. The opponent will be rival Hastings (3-4, 1-4 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT. Concordia will attempt to avenge last season’s 38-18 loss at Hastings.

Bulldogs set to host Hastings for Military Appreciation Day

Oct. 15, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – It will be Military Appreciation Day at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday when rival Hastings makes its way to Seward for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. Both sides are looking to bounce back after suffering GPAC losses last week. The Concordia University football team is 2-1 at home this season with wins over Buena Vista University (Iowa) and Dakota Wesleyan. The Broncos are 2-1 on the road.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad managed only 252 yards of total offense in last week’s 23-14 defeat at Briar Cliff. A trio of fumble recoveries kept the Bulldogs in it. They led 14-13 as late as the 2:03 mark of the third quarter. The highlights for Concordia were an 83-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon and a 21-tackle performance by linebacker Lane Napier.

Tony Harper is in his eighth season as head coach at Hastings. The Broncos have dropped three of four since a 2-0 start prior to league play. They fell by a 36-15 score at home to Midland last week despite limiting the Warriors to 59 yards rushing. On the flip side, Midland effectively contained Hastings star back Tahj Willingham (23 carries for 60 yards). Three different Bronco passers were intercepted in the contest.

Attendees who present a military ID will be admitted free of charge on Saturday. Area service men and women will be honored during ceremonies throughout the game. Concordia will also welcome back alum Major General K. Luke Reiner ’86, who will participate in the pre-game coin toss. In addition, a cannon and other military equipment from the Nebraska National Guard will be available for viewing. The cannon will go off at the end of the national anthem and after every touchdown scored by Concordia.

GAME INFO
Hastings (3-4, 1-4) at Concordia (3-3, 2-3)
Saturday, Oct. 20 | 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: 15.8 (86th)
Defensive PPG: 23.0 (T-26th)
Total Offense: 272.5 (85th)
Pass Offense: 155.3 (72nd)
Rush Offense: 117.2 (74th)
Total Defense: 397.2 (52nd)
Pass Defense: 230.3 (54th)
Rush Defense: 166.8 (46th)
Turnover +/-: +10 (T-4th)

Hastings
Offensive PPG: 17.0 (T-79th)
Defensive PPG: 34.1 (65th)
Total Offense: 321.6 (T-69th)
Pass Offense: 181.7 (T-58th)
Rush Offense: 139.9 (55th)
Total Defense: 414.3 (59th)
Pass Defense: 220.0 (49th)
Rush Defense: 194.3 (66th)
Turnover +/-: -6 (T-74th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-7, 2nd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 31/63 (.492), 364 yards, td, int
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 130 rushes, 654 yards, 5.0 avg, 6 td; 9 catches, 45 yards
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 30 catches, 312 yards, 10.4 avg, td
Defense: Lane Napier – 76 tackles, 7 tfl, 3 sacks, ff

Hastings
Head Coach: Tony Harper (37-42, 8th season; head coach at Dakota Wesleyan from 2002-04)
Passing: Clark Livingston – 114/212 (.538), 1,150 yards, 4 td, 6 int
Rushing: Tahj Willingham – 169 rushes, 670 yards, 4.0 avg, 5 td; 18 catches, 88 yards, td
Receiving: Jordan Johnson – 35 catches, 551 yards, 15.7 avg, 3 td
Defense: Wesley Jardim – 56 tackles, 0.5 tfl, sack, fr

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-3, 2-3)
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, W, 14-9
10/13 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-23
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.

Hastings (3-4, 1-4)
8/25 vs. Peru State, W, 25-21
9/1 at Panhandle State, W, 26-17
9/15 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-26
9/22 vs. Dordt, L, 17-55
9/29 vs. (2) Morningside, L, 0-65
10/6 at Doane, W, 22-19
10/13 vs. Midland, L, 15-36
10/20 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/27 vs. (3) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Dakota Wesleyan, 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 six 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 47th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

Hastings appeared in the “receiving votes” category of the NAIA national poll on Sept. 10 but has since fallen off the radar after losing to Briar Cliff on Sept. 15. The Broncos did crack the top 25 in three separate polls in 2017, rising as high as 19th in the middle of October. Under Tony Harper’s direction, Hastings’ top ranking was 14th in October 2012. In the 2018 GPAC preseason polls, the Broncos were pegged sixth by the coaches and eighth by the media. They are currently ranked 39th in the NAIA by Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 15): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 47th

Hastings
GPAC preseason: T-6th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 15): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 39th

Bulldogs continue to feast on turnovers
While Concordia has been outgained by its opponents on average, 397.2 to 272.5, turnovers have been a great equalizer. The Bulldogs have taken the ball away 13 times and have given it away three times. Their +10 differential ranks as the fourth best turnover margin in the NAIA this season. Concordia had a positive turnover margin again last week. It forced four Briar Cliff turnovers and recovered three of them. The Bulldogs did turn it over once (Andrew Perea interception), which marked their first turnover since the opening game against Buena Vista. Concordia still has yet to lose a fumble and its three giveaways are the second fewest in the nation.

Durdon climbs all-time rushing list
The Bulldogs have not produced more than 330 total yards of offense in a single game this season, but running back Ryan Durdon continues to be a reliable big-play threat. He broke off an 83-yard touchdown run (longest of his career) in the second quarter at Briar Cliff. He ended up with 129 rushing yards on 14 attempts. The big touchdown burst moved Durdon up to No. 8 on the program’s all-time rushing list. Now at 1,901 career rushing yards, Durdon needs 99 more to become the seventh Bulldog in school history to reach the 2,000 mark. Durdon has also found the end zone 14 times over his 16 career games.

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. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
7. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
8. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 1,901
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Napier rises back up tackle charts
Sophomore linebacker Lane Napier appears to be well on his way to a 100-tackle season after putting up a career high 22 stops last week at Briar Cliff. The David City, Neb., native now ranks fifth nationally with an average of 12.8 tackles per game (77 tackles overall). Merely in the middle of his second collegiate season, Napier has amassed 174 career tackles over 16 games with the Bulldogs. The program GPAC era record for career tackles is 290 by Sean Stewart (1999-02). This season Napier has also totaled seven tackles for loss, three sacks and a forced fumble. Napier is the leader for a linebacker crew that includes Zac Walter (54 tackles, five tfl’s) and Derek Tachovsky (44 tackles, 4.5 tfl’s). Formerly a fixture at linebacker, Kordell Glause (37 tackles, five tfl’s, three sacks) has started the past three weeks at safety.

Rudloff on the spot
As part of a three turnover performance by the defense last week, Aaron Rudloff forced a pair of fumbles in addition to making a career high 12 tackles. Rudloff has been a major factor in the defense’s ability to take the ball away. He has now forced four fumbles, has recovered two fumbles and has intercepted a pass from his defensive end spot. The junior from Battle Creek, Neb., owns season totals of 34 tackles (ties a career high), three tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. As a unit, Concordia has recovered seven of the eight fumbles it has forced. Additionally, five different Bulldogs have picked off a pass.

Trickeration
Concordia has used a couple variations of a reverse play to pull one over on the opposition the past two weeks. In the 14-9 win over Dakota Wesleyan, a reverse flea flicker (referred to as the “criss cross special”) worked for an 82-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Perea to freshman tight end Garrett Schardt. Then last week, another reverse resulted in Perea catching a 10-yard touchdown toss from sophomore receiver Arthur Anderson. In his career, Perea has thrown for six touchdowns, has run for one and has caught one. Such wrinkles in the offense are likely to reappear for an offense that enters the week ranked 85th in total yards per game.

Offense looking for breakout
Through the first six games, Concordia has produced offensive total yards outputs of 310, 144, 274, 325, 330 and 252, respectively. The team’s season high point total was 27 in the season opening win over Buena Vista. Perhaps this could be a week for a breakout. Hastings enters this week allowing averages of 34.1 points and 414.3 yards per game. Quarterback Andrew Perea will make his third start in a row in place of Jake Kemp, who suffered a hand injury in the loss at Dordt on Sept. 29. The team’s top receiving threat is Vincent Beasley, who has career highs of 30 receptions and 312 yards receiving yards.

Series vs. Hastings
Concordia and Hastings have met 50 times on the gridiron with the very first matchup taking place in 1966 (6-6 tie). The Broncos have the upper hand with an all-time series record of 35-14-1. The Bulldogs have had better success in recent years, winning three of the last five meetings, including triumphs in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The home team has won each of the last seven get-togethers in the series. In last season’s meeting, Hastings earned a 38-18 victory while out-gaining Concordia, 472-292. Bronco running back Tahj Willingham ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns.

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 12 of their last 14 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 14 home games
10/6/18 | W, 14-9 | Dakota Wesleyan
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 Hastings
Hastings has surprisingly had issues running the football despite the presence of start tailback Tahj Willingham, who is averaging 4.0 yards per carry after gaining more than 6.0 yards per attempt in each of his first three seasons. The career numbers are impressive for Willingham, who has run for 3,089 yards and 37 touchdowns as a Bronco. Like Concordia, Hastings has had problems putting points on the board. The Broncos have not scored more than 26 points in any of their seven games. Defensively, the Broncos are anchored by returning first team All-GPAC defensive lineman Austin Bretting, who has made six tackles in the backfield (1.5 sacks). Though Hastings is 1-4 in conference play, its four GPAC losses have come against teams that are a combined 21-6 overall this season.

Bulldogs miss opportunities, tripped up by Hastings

Oct. 20, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – Five turnovers and missed opportunities in the red zone plagued the Concordia University football team on Military Appreciation Day inside Bulldog Stadium on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 20). In a series that had seen the home team win seven matchups in a row, the trend was bucked by the Broncos. Visiting Hastings claimed a 21-13 victory with the help of a big day from cornerback Anthony Murray.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has dipped below .500 for the first time this season at 3-4 overall (2-4 in the GPAC).

“It’s hard to look past the missed opportunities,” Daberkow said. “When you turn the ball over four times and you stall out in the red zone two or three times, you’re not going to win the game. We have to do a better job, coaches on down of trying to figure out how to get the ball in the end zone.”

Like most Bulldog games this season, Saturday’s contest went down to the wire. On the eighth play of Concordia’s final possession, freshman Korrell Koehlmoos rushed 15 yards for a first and goal at the Hastings 10. Four plays later, Andrew Perea’s pass sailed out of the end zone for a turnover on downs, sealing the Bronco victory in the final minute.

Perea and the offense converted 4-of-8 tries on fourth downs, but it was the ones they did not convert that stung. Three of them occurred in the red zone and another came at the Hastings 32. Then came the back breaker of a pick six in the third quarter that erased what had been a 13-7 Bulldog lead. Murray stepped in front of a pass from Perea and returned it 20 yards to the end zone. Murray ended up with 11 tackles and two interceptions.

Sophomore linebacker Lane Napier and the Concordia defense did their part in giving their team a chance. Hastings (4-4, 2-4 GPAC) also came up empty on two of its three journeys inside the red zone and was contained to 370 total yards. It was another busy day for Napier, who made 18 tackles, one for loss, broke up a pass and blocked an extra point. He was the leader for an active linebacker crew that included Derek Tachovsky (11 tackles), Riley Bilstein (10 tackles, one sack) and Zac Walter (seven tackles, one tackle for loss).

“I’m really proud of their effort,” Daberkow said. “We’re missing opportunities on defense too, though. We had an interception in our hands that bounced out. There was one drive there where they cut through us like a knife through butter. We have areas to improve. On special teams, we’re a block away from popping one of those (returns). We’re real close, just not quite good enough.”

Star tailback Ryan Durdon always seems to be good for at least one explosive play each game. In this instance, that play was a 42-yard burst on a screen pass that set up Durdon in front of a wall of blockers. He then outraced the defenders to the end zone, making it a 6-0 Bulldog lead in the first quarter. Durdon rushed 30 times for 80 yards. He racked up 206 all-purpose yards. Durdon and the offense got a boost from the return of senior Grady Koch at right tackle.

Hastings has actually been better on the road this season (3-1 on the road). For most of the day, the Bulldogs kept Tahj Willingham and the Bronco offense in check. However, Hastings did put together an impressive four-play, 89-yard touchdown drive to take the lead early in the fourth quarter. Willingham rushed 22 times for 173 yards and a score. Quarterback Isaiah Jackson went 11-for-23 for 119 yards.

Concordia enjoyed some of its best offensive success when it was able to get Arthur Anderson and Koehlmoos out on the edges. Anderson had 19 touches (10 carries, nine catches), including one that went for a 15-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Anderson totaled 133 all-purpose yards. Meanwhile, Koehlmoos caught three passes for 41 yards and ran for 26 yards. The team’s 371 yards of offense were a season high.

The Bulldogs entered the day with a season turnover margin of +10. Hastings outnumbered Concordia 13-0 in points off turnovers. There were just six total penalties. The Bulldogs were solid in the special teams department. They averaged 28.2 yards per kick return and Lane Castaneda averaged 60.0 yards on his two punts.

Concordia will be put to the test by No. 1 Morningside (8-0, 6-0 GPAC) next Saturday (Oct. 27) in Sioux City, Iowa. The Mustangs remained unbeaten on Saturday by toppling No. 3 Northwestern, 42-34, in the NAIA game of the week. The Bulldogs last defeated Morningside in 2003.

Trip to undefeated and top-ranked Morningside up next

Oct. 22, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University football team will have to elevate its play to keep up with top-ranked Morningside in this Saturday’s clash at Elwood Olsen Stadium in Sioux City, Iowa. The Bulldogs have not toppled the high-powered Mustangs since 2003. Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is looking to get back into the win column after suffering back-to-back defeats to Briar Cliff and Hastings. Morningside is coming off a victory over No. 3 Northwestern in the NAIA game of the week.

Concordia has been in plenty of low scoring grinders. The latest was a 21-13 loss to Hastings last week. The Bulldogs got as close as the Bronco 10-yard line on their final push to attempt to tie the game in the last minute of the game. Concordia was unable to overcome five turnovers and three empty red zone trips. Ryan Durdon piled up 206 all-purpose yards in the defeat.

Head coach Steve Ryan’s program is aiming to win its eighth GPAC title in a row. The Mustangs have continued to have their way inside conference play. They did not get challenged significantly by a GPAC opponent until last week at Northwestern. Morningside outgained the Red Raiders, 450-322, and got four touchdown passes from start quarterback Trent Solsma. Running back Arnijae Ponder ran for 161 yards and two touchdowns.

GAME INFO
Concordia (3-4, 2-4) at No. 1 Morningside (8-0, 6-0)
Saturday, Oct. 27 | 1 p.m.
Elwood Olsen Stadium | Sioux City, Iowa
Webcast: YouTube
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*National rank out of 90 NAIA football programs in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 15.4 (86th)
Defensive PPG: 22.7 (27th)
Total Offense: 286.6 (84th)
Pass Offense: 160.1 (70th)
Rush Offense: 126.4 (72nd)
Total Defense: 391.9 (52nd)
Pass Defense: 214.4 (42nd)
Rush Defense: 177.4 (49th)
Turnover +/-: +5 (T-17th)

Morningside
Offensive PPG: 57.4 (2nd)
Defensive PPG: 14.1 (6th)
Total Offense: 608.9 (1st)
Pass Offense: 419.8 (1st)
Rush Offense: 189.1 (27th)
Total Defense: 231.9 (4th)
Pass Defense: 129.1 (4th)
Rush Defense: 104.8 (9th)
Turnover +/-: +13 (T-2nd)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-8, 2nd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 47/96 (.490), 542 yards, 2 td, 3 int, 97.0 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 160 rushes, 734 yards, 4.6 avg, 6 td; 11 catches, 89 yards, td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 32 catches, 325 yards, 10.2 avg, td
Defense: Lane Napier – 95 tackles, 8 tfl, 3 sacks, ff, blocked PAT

Morningside
Head Coach: Steve Ryan (163-40, 17th season)
Passing: Trent Solsma – 204/272 (.750), 3,153 yards, 41 td, 0 int, 221.1 effic.
Rushing: Arnijae Ponder – 164 rushes, 797 yards, 4.9 avg, 11 td; 10 catches, 58 yards, td
Receiving: Connor Niles – 81 catches, 1,559 yards, 19.2 avg, 19 td
Defense: Jacob Katzer – 63 tackles, 8.5 tfl, 4.5 sacks

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-4, 2-4)
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, W, 14-9
10/13 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-23
10/20 vs. Hastings, L, 13-21
10/27 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. (6) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Morningside (8-0, 6-0)
8/25 vs. William Penn, W, 49-21
9/8 at Truman State, W, 35-17
9/15 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 66-13
9/22 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 56-0
9/29 at Hastings, W, 65-0
10/6 at Midland, W, 77-21
10/13 vs. Doane, W, 69-7
10/20 at (3) Northwestern, W, 42-34
10/27 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
11/3 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Jamestown, 12 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 seven 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 52nd ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

A heavy favorite to again win the GPAC, Morningside opened up at No. 3 in the 2018 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. It then moved up to No. 2 in the first poll of the regular season and took over the top ranking on Oct. 1. For a program that has advanced to at least the quarterfinals of the NAIA playoffs in six-straight seasons, top-five national rankings have become the norm. According to Massey Ratings, Morningside is No. 2 in the NAIA behind only Marian University (Ind.).

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 22): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 52nd

Morningside
GPAC preseason: 1st (coaches); 1st (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 22): 1st
Massey Ratings: 2nd

Turnover turnaround
Turnovers had been a positive for Concordia all season until a rough minus-five margin in that department in last week’s loss to Hastings. The Bulldogs had entered the game with a season turnover margin of plus-10, which was fourth best in the NAIA at the time. Concordia had not lost a fumble the entire season until losing three of them to the Broncos. Through seven games, the Bulldogs have taken the ball away 13 times and have given it away eight times. Turnover margin could be a key if Concordia is to have a shot this week. However, Morningside is a plus-13 (17 takeaways, four giveaways) this season. Star Mustang quarterback Trent Solsma has yet to be intercepted in his 272 pass attempts in 2018.

Durdon nears 2,000 career rushing yards
After bruising his way to a hard-earned 80 rushing yards on 30 carries last week, junior Ryan Durdon is now within striking distance of becoming the seventh player in program history to crack 2,000 career rushing yards. He’s now at 1,981 and has moved up to No. 7 on the program’s all-time rushing list, ahead of Jeff Towns (1,930). With 47 yards or more on Saturday, Durdon will pass Phil Elder (2,027) for sixth place on the list. With a full season left in 2019, Durdon could also eventually join Cleve Wester (3,731), Bryce Collins (3,547) and Gary Seevers (3,257) as the only backs in program history to reach the 3,000 yard rushing plateau.

The coaching staff does not want to put too much on his plate, but Durdon may be too explosive to keep off of kick returns. Last week he returned separate kicks for 35 and 47 yards, respectively. He also took a screen pass and raced 42 yards to the end zone for his first career touchdown reception (14 career rushing touchdowns). By day’s end, Durdon had piled up 206 all-purpose yards. The yards could be tough to come by this Saturday. The Mustang defense is allowing only 2.9 yards per rush. While battling injury in last season’s matchup, Durdon netted -1 yard on his seven carries versus Morningside.

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. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
7. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 1,981
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Napier on the stop
Up against the prolific Morningside offense, sophomore linebacker Lane Napier figures to be busy again this Saturday. After leading the conference in tackles during the regular season in 2017, Napier is again on top of the GPAC leaderboard with 95 tackles through eight games. He’s nearing the century mark despite missing a large portion of the loss at Dordt on Sept. 29. In last week’s action versus Hastings, Napier made 18 stops, including one for loss, and blocked an extra point. Now No. 2 nationally with an average of 13.6 tackles per game, Napier has racked up double-digit tackle numbers in 14 of his past 16 outings. He notched a career high 22 tackles at Briar Cliff on Oct. 13.

Five more stops will make Napier the sixth Bulldog during the GPAC era (2000-present) to make 100 tackles in a single season (see list below). With continued good health, Napier will likely surpass Erik DeHaven’s GPAC era record of 110 tackles in a season.

100+ tackles, single season (GPAC era)
1. Erik DeHaven (2001) – 110
2. Michael Hedlund (2016) – 107
3. Michael Hedlund (2015) – 105
3. Josh Conrad (2000) – 105
5. Sean Stewart (2001) – 102
6. Troy Schlueter (2000) – 100

Glause the gladiator
Though he’s suffered his share of nicks, bruises and even broken fingers, Kordell Glause has remained in the lineup throughout his senior campaign. A starter at linebacker in 2016, 2017 and for the first three games of this season, Glause has converted to safety, where he has started in four-straight contests. He even made an interception to seal the win over Dakota Wesleyan on Oct. 6. The Lincoln Journal Star featured Glause in this past Saturday’s edition. Glause discussed the move to safety, saying it took “a few days to get used to it, but I played DB in high school so it wasn’t a huge deal. I like it. I think it’s better for our defense.

Glause, who has 44 tackles this season, needs just one more stop for a career high. Over his 27 career games played, Glause has recorded 132 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions. Depth at the linebacker position allowed Glause to make the move to safety. The team’s top three tacklers are all linebackers: Napier, Zac Walter (61) and Derek Tachovsky (56).

Anderson, Koehlmoos emerge; Koch returns
In order for the offense to function, Concordia needs the continued emergence of young players. Receivers in sophomore Arthur Anderson and freshman Korrell Koehlmoos have provided a spark. Daberkow and the offensive staff have gotten creative with Anderson, who can serve as a wildcat quarterback. Last week Anderson caught nine passes for 79 yards and rushed 10 times for 54 yards and a touchdown. Meanwhile, Koehlmoos caught three passes for 41 yards and rushed three times for 26 yards. Anderson (25 catches, 206 yards) and Koehlmoos (19 catches, 203 yards) are the team’s second and third leading receivers behind Vincent Beasley (32 catches, 325 yards).

Up front, senior Grady Koch returned from injury last week to make his 2018 debut. He started at right tackle. The native of Doniphan, Neb., garnered honorable mention All-GPAC accolades last season.

Offense churns out season high yardage total
The Bulldog offense has been gutted by injuries at quarterback, offensive line and tight end this season. That’s part of the explanation for why Concordia ranks 84th nationally in total offense. The 371 total yards produced versus Hastings exemplified progress. It was a step forward after the Bulldogs posted respective yardage totals of 310, 144, 274, 325, 330 and 252 in the six games prior. The biggest issue last week was an inability to finish drives. Concordia lost a fumble at the Hastings 12 and turned the ball over on downs on three separate occasions at the Bronco 11, 32 and 16-yard lines.

Series vs. Morningside
Some of Concordia’s best teams in recent seasons have been able to make it a four-quarter battle with the Mustangs. In the 2013 meeting, No. 1-ranked Morningside came into Seward and faced a deficit of as many as 10 points and trailed at the half (24-21). The Mustangs eventually pulled away late for a 48-31 win. In the 2015 matchup in Seward, Concordia trailed just 27-21 in the fourth quarter and had possession of the ball inside the Morningside 30. Once again, Morningside stepped on the gas and won, 44-21.

The meetings the past two seasons have not been nearly as competitive with the Mustangs winning 55-13 in 2016 and 35-0 in 2017. The Bulldogs are just 1-14 all-time versus Morningside with the lone victory occurring by a 34-19 final score in Seward in 2003.

Home cooking
Concordia dropped to 2-2 at home this season after the loss last week to Hastings. The Bulldogs have now lost three of their past five at Bulldog Stadium on the heels of what had been a 10-game home win streak. Concordia went 5-0 at home in 2016 and 4-1 at home in 2017.

Last 15 home games
10/20/18 | L, 13-21 | Hastings
10/6/18 | W, 14-9 | Dakota Wesleyan
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 Morningside
From a statistical standpoint, Morningside is impressive in essentially every facet of the game. There may not be a statistic more eye popping in college football than quarterback Trent Solsma’s touchdown-to-interception ratio of 41-to-0. Among all NAIA quarterbacks, Solsma ranks first in passing yards per game (394.1) and No. 2 in pass efficiency. He’s thrown for at least three touchdown passes in every game this season with a high of seven versus Midland. On average, the Mustangs are outscoring their opponents 57.4 to 14.1. Until last week’s 42-34 win at Northwestern, Morningside had won every game this season by margins of 17 points or more. Another GPAC title is within reach for head coach Steve Ryan’s program, which is also a national championship contender. A national title is really the only thing missing from the program’s résumé. The Mustangs were the national runner up in 2012 and have since lost in the semifinal round four times.

Bulldogs stifled by No. 1 Morningside

Oct. 27, 2018

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – No. 1 Morningside remained unbeaten while having its way with the Concordia University football team in the way it has with most of the GPAC this season. The Mustangs held the Bulldogs to just 26 yards of offense in a 49-0 thumping inside Elwood Olsen Stadium in Sioux City, Iowa, on Saturday afternoon (Oct. 27).

This will be one to flush for second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad, which has now dropped three GPAC games in a row. Concordia is now 3-5 overall and 2-5 in conference play.

“We’re trying anything and everything from an offensive standpoint,” Daberkow said. “We have a lot of work to do in the weight room. We’re very young. We traveled 48 freshmen and sophomores today. It might be frustrating right now, but the future is bright. We have some seniors who are leaving great legacies with their toughness. We have work to do. It’s very important that we finish this season strong.”

There were not much for highlights for the visitors. Though he had very little room to operate on plays from scrimmage, junior Ryan Durdon did manage to break loose for an 83-yard kickoff return in the final stages of the first quarter. Four plays later the Bulldogs were stuffed on a fourth-and-goal attempt from the two-yard line. That was the story of the day for the rushing attack, which went in the red (minus-22 yards).

With the Concordia offense sputtering, sophomore Lane Napier and the defense were subjected to 86 plays of butting heads with the prolific Morningside offense. Napier equaled a career high with 22 tackles while also recording two tackles for loss and a sack. In the process, the star from David City, Neb., ran his season tackle count to 117, giving him a program GPAC era record (previous best was 110 by Erik DeHaven in 2001).

Another fine performance from Napier still could not slow down quarterback Trent Solsma and the Mustangs. They piled up 578 total yards and Solsma padded his stats with five more touchdown passes. Two of them went to game breaking receiver Connor Niles, who caught 12 passes for 149 yards. On the ground, Arnijae Ponder ran for 121 yards and a touchdown. By the end of the first quarter, Morningside (9-0, 7-0 GPAC) had already built a 21-0 lead.

At quarterback, sophomore Blake Culbert got his first career start for the Bulldogs. He went 5-for-14 for 50 yards. He was picked off once and sacked six times. Vincent Beasley reeled in three catches for 46 yards. As an offense, Concordia managed only five first downs. It made for a busy day for punter Lane Castaneda. He averaged 42.3 yards on 10 punts.

The Bulldogs will try to bounce back next week when they face another stiff challenge. Sixth-ranked Northwestern (7-1, 6-1 GPAC) will make a visit to Seward next Saturday (Nov. 3) for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. It will be senior day for Concordia. The Red Raiders picked up a 39-29 win at Hastings on Saturday.

Bulldogs prepping for home finale, senior day

Oct. 29, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – It’s time to quickly flush last week’s blowout loss at No. 1 Morningside. Another highly-rated opponent is coming up this week as the Concordia University football team gets set for its final home game of the 2018 season. Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s program will recognize its senior class, which were members of the nationally-ranked 2016 squad. Kickoff on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. CT.

The Bulldogs are regrouping after a 49-0 loss at Morningside on Oct. 27. The Concordia offense managed only 26 total yards and fell victim to five touchdown passes by Mustang quarterback Trent Solsma. The result was a departure from the majority of Bulldog contests that have gone down to the wire. They now hope to shake off a three-game skid.

This week’s opponent is sixth-ranked Northwestern, which is again making a strong push for an NAIA playoff berth. Star quarterback Tyson Kooima fired four touchdown passes in a 39-29 Red Raider win last week at Hastings. Kooima and company racked up 585 yards of total offense while improving to 7-1. Matt McCarty is in his third season as head coach after spending 11 years as defensive coordinator at Northwestern, his alma mater.

GAME INFO
No. 6 Northwestern (7-1, 6-1) at Concordia (3-5, 2-5)
Saturday, Nov. 3 | 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: 13.5 (88th)
Defensive PPG: 26.0 (35th)
Total Offense: 254.0 (88th)
Pass Offense: 146.1 (79th)
Rush Offense: 107.9 (82nd)
Total Defense: 415.1 (61st)
Pass Defense: 229.3 (52nd)
Rush Defense: 185.9 (59th)
Turnover +/-: +4 (T-23rd)

Northwestern
Offensive PPG: 38.5 (15th)
Defensive PPG: 21.8 (23rd)
Total Offense: 459.0 (13th)
Pass Offense: 269.1 (18th)
Rush Offense: 189.9 (28th)
Total Defense: 316.9 (19th)
Pass Defense: 173.1 (T-18th)
Rush Defense: 143.8 (34th)
Turnover +/-: 0 (T-43rd)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-9, 2nd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 48/97 (.495), 542 yards, 2 td, 3 int, 97.0 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 181 rushes, 741 yards, 4.1 avg, 6 td; 12 catches, 93 yards, td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 35 catches, 371 yards, 10.6 avg, td
Defense: Lane Napier – 117 tackles, 10 tfl, 4 sacks, ff, blocked PAT

Northwestern
Head Coach: Matt McCarty (21-9, 3rd season)
Passing: Tyson Kooima – 136/226 (.602), 2,097 yards, 17 td, 9 int, 155.0 effic.; 93 rushes, 413 yards, 4.4 avg, 8 td
Rushing: Jacob Kalgonis: 177 rushes, 946 yards, 5.3 avg, 13 td; 18 catches, 215 yards, td
Receiving: Shane Solberg: 59 catches, 991 yards, 16.8 avg, 8 td
Defense: Bryce Van Beek: 48 tackles, 6 int

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-5, 2-5)
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, W, 14-9
10/13 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-23
10/20 vs. Hastings, L, 13-21
10/27 at (1) Morningside, L, 0-49
11/3 vs. (6) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Northwestern (7-1, 6-1)
9/1 at Valley City State, W, 28-10
9/8 at Jamestown, W, 49-7
9/15 vs. (24) Midland, W, 49-20
9/22 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 41-13
9/29 vs. Doane, W, 28-25
10/6 vs. Dordt, W, 40-28
10/20 vs. (1) Morningside, L, 34-42
10/27 at Hastings, W, 39-29
11/3 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
11/10 vs. Briar Cliff, 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 eight 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 52nd ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

After advancing to the NAIA playoff quarterfinals in 2017, Northwestern appeared at No. 7 in the national coaches’ preseason poll. The Red Raiders have subsequently been ranked inside the top 10 of all eight regular-season polls. They peaked at No. 3 prior to their loss to Morningside on Oct. 20. Northwestern concluded the 2017 campaign at No. 8 in the NAIA poll. Massey Ratings has the Red Raiders at No. 6 in its national rankings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 29): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 47th

Northwestern
GPAC preseason: 2nd (coaches); 2nd (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 29): 6th
Massey Ratings: 6th

Senior day at Bulldog Stadium
It will be senior day on Saturday for the Bulldogs, who will honor a small senior class of nine as part of pregame festivities. In terms of starters, the senior class includes receiver Vincent Beasley, safety Kordell Glause, safety Caden Jameson, defensive end Parker Johnson, offensive tackle Grady Koch, fullback Dan Langewisch and offensive guard Evrett Shaw. A three-year starter, Glause has made 47 tackles, including five for loss this season. He has totaled 135 tackles, 15 stops for loss and five sacks in his career. Jameson currently ranks fourth on the team with 52 tackles this season. Meanwhile, Beasley is the team’s leading receiver with 35 grabs for 371 yards and a touchdown.

Seniors to be recognized on Saturday
Vincent Beasley
Adam Christiansen
Kordell Glause
Dalton Goodenberger
John-Robert Hicks
Caden Jameson
Parker Johnson
Grady Koch
Dan Langewisch

Napier sets new standard
Lane Napier has put himself on an impressive path 18 games into his collegiate career. Last week at No. 1 Morningside he equaled a career high with 22 tackles while also making two stops for loss and a sack. His season tackle total moved to 117, surpassing Erik DeHaven’s 110 stops in 2001 for a GPAC era school single-season record. Napier also bumped himself up to No. 1 among all NAIA players with an average of 14.6 tackles per game. He has also notched team bests of 10 tackles for loss and four sacks this season. For his career, Napier has already amassed 214 tackles, 18 tackles for loss and five sacks.

100+ tackles, single season (GPAC era)
1. Lane Napier (2018) – 117
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 nears 2,000 career rushing yards
There was very little room to operate last week while up against Morningside’s smothering defense. That meant Ryan Durdon is still working on cracking 2,000 career rushing yards, which would make him the seventh player in program history to accomplish the feat. With 40 more yards, Durdon would also pass Phillip Elder (2,027) for sixth place on the school’s all-time rushing list. The key is to create some holes for Durdon, who has proven dangerous in space.

One way to get the Decatur, Texas, native in space has been to get him opportunities on kickoff returns. Durdon nearly took one back to the house last week at Morningside. He raced 83 yards on kickoff that resulted in him being tackled at the two-yard line. A week earlier against Hastings, Durdon turned in separate kickoff returns that covered 35 and 47 yards. On seven returns this season, he has averaged 33.1 yards.

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. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
7. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 1,988
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Quarterback carousel
Sophomore Blake Culbert became the third different quarterback to start a game this season for the Bulldogs. Concordia hoped that the native of Garden Grove, Calif., could provide a spark. Elwood Olsen Stadium was a difficult spot for Culbert to make his first career start. He went 5-for-14 for 50 yards with an interception. Prior to Culbert getting the nod last week, Jake Kemp started at quarterback the first four games before Andrew Perea stepped in for the next three. Kemp continues to recover from a hand injury suffered at Dordt on Sept. 29.

Castaneda thriving in punting role
Sophomore Lane Castaneda got plenty of work in last week at punter and performed well. He averaged 42.3 yards with a long of 54 on his 10 punts. Two of them pinned Morningside inside its own 20. He took over the role in game No. 5 versus Dakota Wesleyan. In large part due to Castaneda’s success, Concordia ranks 20th nationally in punting average (39.3). Castaneda himself ranks 17th among NAIA punters with his season average of 40.1.

Offensive revival?
With two games left in the regular season, the Bulldogs remain in search of a breakout offensive game. Their season highs for offensive output were 27 points in the season opening win over Buena Vista University (Iowa) and 371 total yards versus Hastings. With a young team and offense that has been limited to some degree by injuries, Concordia has been throwing the kitchen sink at opponents with trick plays and Wildcat formations. Last week’s ineptitude sunk the Bulldogs to rankings of 88th nationally in both scoring and total offense.

Series vs. Northwestern
Northwestern has had the upper hand, winning 26 of the first 40 meetings with Concordia in a series that began in 1960 (the first year of football at Northwestern). The Bulldogs have won two of the last three matchups that have taken place inside Bulldog Stadium. Both were low scoring affairs – 17-16 in 2012 and 9-7 in 2016. If Concordia is able to have similar success defensively this season, it will have to find a way to limit quarterback Tyson Kooima. In last year’s contest, Kooima burned the Bulldogs by throwing for 316 yards and two touchdowns and by running for 69 yards and three touchdowns in a 35-21 win for Northwestern in Orange City, Iowa.

Home cooking
Concordia dropped to 2-2 at home this season after the loss two weeks ago to Hastings. The Bulldogs have now lost three of their past five at Bulldog Stadium on the heels of what had been a 10-game home win streak. Concordia went 5-0 at home in 2016 and 4-1 at home in 2017.

Last 15 home games
10/20/18 | L, 13-21 | Hastings
10/6/18 | W, 14-9 | Dakota Wesleyan
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 Northwestern
Northwestern is attempting to position itself for the 20th playoff appearance in program history. Offensively, the Red Raiders possess an impressive collection of skill talent that includes quarterback Tyson Kooima, running back Jacob Kalgonis and receiver Shane Solberg. Just a sophomore, Solberg has become a star pass catcher. He was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after he caught 13 receptions for 269 yards (school single-game record) and two touchdowns. On the other side of the ball, Northwestern has another solid unit that ranks 19th nationally in total defense. Bryce Van Beek (six interceptions) has been a ball-hawker in the secondary. After a 3-7 first season as head coach in 2016, Matt McCarty has gotten the program rolling again with a 10-2 campaign in 2017 prior to this season’s strong eight-game run to open up 2018.

Perea breaks school single-game record in loss to No. 6 Northwestern

Nov. 3, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – It took three quarters, but the Bulldog offense finally got rolling in time to make things a bit more interesting on senior day (Nov. 3) at Bulldog Stadium. With a large deficit to cut into, quarterback Andrew Perea broke a school single-game record with 455 passing yards to go along with three touchdown tosses. But the hill was too big to climb. Sixth-ranked Northwestern left Seward with a 42-28 victory.

Second-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has dropped four GPAC games in a row and is now 3-6 overall and 2-6 in conference play. Concordia has gone up against the league’s top two teams in back-to-back weeks.

“You go through the coulda, woulda, shouldas,” Daberkow said. “You can drive yourself crazy doing that because we have really missed a lot of opportunities in the red zone this season. It’s always a little frustrating when you know how much you’re leaving out there offensively and defensively and how many things we’re close to, but we’re not quite executing.”

In the final quarter, the Bulldogs found the type of offensive production they have been seeking all season. Over the final 15 minutes, Perea delivered a 41-yard touchdown pass to freshman Korrell Koehlmoos and then a 37-yard scoring strike to senior Vincent Beasley. A few minutes later, Ryan Durdon cruised seven yards for a touchdown to capitalize on a botched Red Raider punt snap.

It just wasn’t enough on a day when Concordia failed to convert on four of its six chances in the red zone. The Bulldogs were stopped on downs at the Northwestern eight-yard line in the second quarter and came up empty on their first possession of the second half after having a first-and-goal at the three. If that weren’t enough, Perea just overshot Beasley on a potential touchdown on another chance at a fourth and goal late in the third quarter.

Those missed opportunities doomed the Bulldogs while up against a potent Red Raider offense led by sophomore quarterback Tyson Kooima. He had a big day of his own, throwing for 336 yards and two touchdowns. He also galloped 54 yards for a rushing touchdown on the game’s first possession. It didn’t help Concordia’s cause that Northwestern (8-1, 7-1 GPAC) racked up 206 rushing yards, including 147 by star back Jacob Kalgonis (four total touchdowns). On the strength of their high-powered attack, the Red Raiders led 42-7 after three quarters.

For a program that has more often been built around hard-nosed defenses, the Bulldogs had a historic day through the air. In the process of setting a new program single-game standard for passing yards, Perea connected often with Beasley and Koehlmoos. Beasley caught nine passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, Koehlmoos hauled in six receptions for 162 yards and a touchdown. Out of the backfield, Durdon made two grabs for 68 yards.

Concordia had to go to the air because the rushing game sputtered once again. Durdon ran 14 times for 18 yards. As a team, the Bulldogs managed only 17 yards rushing. Northwestern outgained Concordia, 542-472, for the game.

Defensively, sophomore linebacker Lane Napier again topped Concordia by making 12 tackles (1.5 for loss) while boosting his NAIA leading total. Cornerback Darius McVay made nine stops, broke up three passes and came up with a pick in the end zone.

The 2018 season will come to a conclusion next Saturday (Nov. 10) when the Bulldogs head to rival Doane (5-4, 4-4 GPAC) for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff from Papik Field in Crete. Last year Concordia celebrated its homecoming by snapping an 11-game series losing streak to the Tigers. The Bulldogs topped then seventh-ranked Doane, 29-18.

“We’re going to look to do what we did in the fourth quarter for an entire game,” Daberkow said. “We haven’t talked much about Doane. We’re trying to take things one week at a time. We’re emptying the tank every week. Doane will be a good game. It’s a rivalry game. It’s all about playing well up front and executing on the offensive line. If we can do that, we’ll have a shot.”

Concordia-Doane to meet in season finale

Nov. 5, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – There is just one more stop left on the journey as it relates to the 2018 Concordia University football season. After four-straight losses, the Bulldogs have hopes of heading into the offseason with positive momentum. Concordia will kick things off at Doane’s Al Papik Field at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. Head coach Patrick Daberkow led the Bulldogs to a 29-18 victory over the Tigers in last season’s meeting.

Concordia knows it must get out of the gate better than it did last week when it found itself trailing sixth-ranked Northwestern, 42-7, after three quarters. A passing game sparked by quarterback Andrew Perea and receivers Vincent Beasley and Korrell Koelmoos got rolling in the fourth quarter when the Bulldogs outscored the Red Raiders, 21-0. Perea’s 455 passing yards broke the program’s single-game record. However, Concordia came up empty on four red zone trips and surrendered 542 yards on defense.

It's been an up-and-down season for Doane, which is under the direction of a first-year head coach in Chris Bessler (formerly defensive coordinator). The Tiger defense dominated last week in a 30-3 win at Dakota Wesleyan. Doane picked off four passes and held Dakota Wesleyan to 243 total yards. Three of those interceptions were produced by senior Seth Majerus (Seward High School product), who returned one for an 18-yard touchdown. As a result, Majerus was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week.

GAME INFO
Concordia (3-6, 2-6) at Doane (5-4, 4-4)
Saturday, Nov. 10 | 1 p.m.
Al Papik Field | Crete, Neb.
Webcast: News Channel Nebraska
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*National rank out of 90 NAIA football programs in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 15.1 (87th)
Defensive PPG: 27.8 (T-39th)
Total Offense: 278.2 (86th)
Pass Offense: 180.4 (65th)
Rush Offense: 97.8 (85th)
Total Defense: 429.2 (64th)
Pass Defense: 241.1 (65th)
Rush Defense: 188.1 (T-65th)
Turnover +/-: +4 (T-26th)

Doane
Offensive PPG: 27.2 (47th)
Defensive PPG: 22.3 (25th)
Total Offense: 330.3 (68th)
Pass Offense: 222.4 (38th)
Rush Offense: 107.9 (82nd)
Total Defense: 393.0 (49th)
Pass Defense: 207.9 (36th)
Rush Defense: 185.1 (62nd)
Turnover +/-: +13 (5th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-10, 2nd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 72/152 (.474), 997 yards, 5 td, 5 int, 106.7 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 195 rushes, 759 yards, 3.9 avg, 7 td; 14 catches, 161 yards, td
Receiving: Vincent Beasley – 43 catches, 521 yards, 12.1 avg, 3 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 130 tackles, 11.5 tfl, 4 sacks, ff, blocked PAT

Doane
Head Coach: Chris Bessler (5-4, 1st season)
Passing: Jack Kalina – 206/336 (.613), 1,968 yards, 16 td, 6 int, 122.7 effic.
Rushing: Garrett Sonderup – 127 rushes, 563 yards, 4.4 avg, 2 td; 24 catches, 210 yards, 2 td
Receiving: Jacob Beller – 39 catches, 406 yards, 10.4 avg, 2 td
Defense: Chayton Crow – 74 tackles, 4.5 tfl, 2 int

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-6, 2-6)
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, W, 14-9
10/13 at Briar Cliff, L, 14-23
10/20 vs. Hastings, L, 13-21
10/27 at (1) Morningside, L, 0-49
11/3 vs. (6) Northwestern, L, 28-42
11/10 at Doane, 1 p.m.

Doane (5-4, 4-4)
8/25 at Friends, W, 57-3
9/15 at Dordt, W, 24-21
9/22 vs. Jamestown, W, 44-13
9/29 at (5) Northwestern, L, 25-28
10/6 vs. Hastings, L, 19-22
10/13 at (1) Morningside, L, 7-69
10/20 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 17-7
10/27 vs. Midland, L, 22-35
11/3 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 30-3
11/10 vs. Concordia, 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 eight 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 45th ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

Following a 3-0 start to the season, Doane jumped into the receiving votes category of the NAIA national poll. The Tigers held onto receiving votes status until back-to-back losses led to them disappearing from the rankings. Doane has already guaranteed itself of finishing above its GPAC preseason placements of seventh by the media and eighth by the coaches. The computers like the Tigers, who are ranked 24th nationally by Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th (coaches); 4th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Nov. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 45th

Doane
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 7th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Nov. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 24th

End of the line for senior class
This will be it for a small group of 10 seniors who were honored prior to kickoff of last week’s home finale. The starters among the senior class heading into the Doane game include receiver Vincent Beasley, safeties Kordell Glause and Caden Jameson, defensive end Parker Johnson, offensive tackle Grady Koch and fullback Dan Langewisch. Both Glause and Koch were named honorable mention all-conference last season. Now a safety after starting for two years at linebacker, Glause has made 142 tackles (five sacks) in his career and a personal best 54 tackles this season. Unfortunately, Koch has missed all but two games due to injury. In the passing game, Beasley has been the team’s go-to target. He’s made 43 catches for 521 yards.

Perea breaks single-game school record
Once it got rolling, the passing game clicked last week versus Northwestern. Quarterback Andrew Perea threw for a school single-game record 455 yards to go along with three touchdown passes. Those scoring strikes covered nine and 37 yards to Vincent Beasley and 41 yards to Korrell Koehlmoos. Seven of Perea’s 24 completions went for 20 or more yards. Beasley, Koehlmoos and Ryan Durdon each caught at least one pass that covered more than 30 yards. The big plays helped Perea shatter a record that had stood for nearly 50 years. The previous school standard for most passing yards in a game was 334 by Rod Giesselman versus Nebraska Wesleyan in 1970. Jarrod Pimentel produced three 300-yard passing performances in his fine career that spanned the 2001 GPAC championship season.

Most passing yards, single game
1. Andrew Perea – 455 (vs. Northwestern, 2018)
2. Rod Giesselman – 334 (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 1970)
3. Jarrod Pimentel – 333 (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 2001)
4. Jarrod Pimentel – 329 (vs. Hastings, 2000)
5. Garrett Folchert – 315 (vs. Midland, 2015)
5. Jarrod Pimentel – 315 (vs. Northwestern, 2001)

Napier pads stats
Sophomore linebacker Lane Napier had already broke the program’s GPAC era record for tackles in a single season in the Oct. 27 game at No. 1 Morningside. He added 13 tackles last week to bring his season total to 130. Napier leads all NAIA players in both total tackles and tackles per game (14.4). His season stat line also includes 11.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. Napier was even Johnny on the spot last week after a bad Northwestern punt snap. The David City, Neb., native was the first to greet on the punter on a play that resulted in a 24-yard loss and turnover on downs. In his career, Napier has made 226 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

100+ tackles, single season (GPAC era)
1. Lane Napier (2018) – 130
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 eclipses 2,000 career rushing yards
The yards have not come easy in recent weeks, but Ryan Durdon has managed to become the seventh player in program history to surpass 2,000 career rushing yards. So far in 2018, the Decatur, Texas, native has carried the ball 195 times for 759 yards (3.9 per carry) and seven touchdowns. Durdon will need a monster day at Doane to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the second year in a row. He rushed for 1,247 yards and eight touchdowns last fall. This week Durdon goes up against a Tiger defense that has allowed an average of 4.2 yards per rush. In last season’s meeting with Doane, Durdon ran 15 times for 62 yards. Even in games where opposing teams have put their focus on stopping the run, Durdon has found ways to make plays as a receiver and in the kickoff return game. He ranks 24th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (133.9).

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. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
7. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,006
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Beasley/Koehlmoos form emerging receiver duo
While Vincent Beasley gets ready to play his final collegiate game, freshman Korrell Koehlmoos has another three seasons to continue to make strides. The native of Pilger, Neb., could end up being the next star receiver at Concordia. Koehlmoos began getting more involved in the offense towards the end of September and has made himself a threat as a kick returner. Last week versus Northwestern, Koehlmoos piled up 249 all-purpose yards, including 162 receiving yards. He caught a touchdown pass of 41 yards and had another grab that covered 44 yards. Meanwhile, it was also a busy day for Beasley, who made nine catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Among GPAC players, Beasley ranks seventh with 43 receptions this season.

Koch solidifies right tackle position
The two most productive games for the Concordia offense, in terms of total yards, have both come in the games that offensive tackle Grady Koch has started. The senior from Doniphan, Neb., has battled injury, finally making his return in the seventh outing of this season. Patrick Daberkow and his staff have been forced to mix and match up front due to injuries and other circumstances. They seem to have settled on a starting group that includes Koch and Cole Baumgartner at the tackles, Evrett Shaw and Donnovyn Waller at the guard spots and Johnny Robinson III at center. The hope is that continuity will lead to more room in the running game this Saturday and into 2019.

Series vs. Doane
From Concordia’s perspective, this series had been all too one-sided up until last season. 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. Doane actually led 13-0 after the opening quarter before the Bulldogs dominated the rest of the way. Concordia’s defense had its way, allowing only 234 yards while forcing four Tiger turnovers. Prior to last season’s get together, the Bulldogs had not beaten Doane since 2005. The Tigers own an all-time series lead of 40-20-3. The two sides matched up as early as 1925 and have played each other every year since 1958.

Scouting Doane
Doane sits squarely in the middle of the pack in the GPAC standings. Former head coach Matt Franzen (now Director of Athletics) built the Tiger program into an NAIA playoff qualifier in both 2015 and 2016. Last season Doane dipped to 5-5. At 5-4 this season, the Tigers have clinched at least a .500 record for the eighth year in a row. Head coach Chris Bessler’s squad, like Concordia, has struggled at times offensively. However, transfer Jack Kalina has provided efficiency at the quarterback position and sports a solid 16-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Doane has been adept at keeping the opposition off the scoreboard, ranking 25th nationally in scoring defense. It has a unit that has been opportunistic having collected 14 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries. Safety Chayton Crow has been dependable in run support. He has made 74 tackles, including 4.5 behind the line of scrimmage. On paper, Saturday’s game projects as a low scoring affair.

Highly respected Beasley capitalizing on senior season

Nov. 8, 2018

Though small in quantity, the senior class for the Concordia University football program packs quality. Take for example, senior receiver Vince Beasley. He’s a leader, he’s tough and he’s respected throughout the locker room. This past Fourth of July celebration in Seward, head coach Patrick Daberkow watched the parade as Beasley cradled young Roman Daberkow (Patrick’s son) in his arms.

Those are the types of little things that Beasley has repeated over and over during four years of holding up the standard of what Daberkow wants a Bulldog player to be, on and off the field. In the heat of battle, Beasley is the type of guy you want on your side.

Recalled Daberkow, “When we were playing Briar Cliff his junior year they kept giving us this route across the middle, but Vince kept getting smoked at the end of it. He got nailed. We were having a conversation on the headset about wanting to throw it again, but Vince was just getting smacked. Vince was like, ‘No, throw me the ball. That’s part of the game.’ That’s his attitude. He’s a tough kid. He plays through injuries. He’s really going to be missed.”

Beasley has emerged from such injuries, early doubts about whether Concordia was the place for him and a carousel of starting quarterbacks to become a dependable playmaker on offense. Not everything has gone as planned. Beasley saw action early in his career, but did not become the go-to option in the passing game until this fall. Furthermore, no one dreams of being 3-6 with one game to go in their college career.

Beasley also dealt with having his best friend from high school leave Concordia. That friend had played a major role in Beasley’s decision to come up to Nebraska from the Houston area. For some, such circumstances would have seemed like an easy out, a convenient reason to abandon ship.

“I’ll be honest. There were times when I had doubts,” Beasley said. “You think about leaving. You think about going somewhere else, but one thing really helped me. I’m the type of person that feels like you have to figure it out. I believe that I can make it anywhere. I thought that I was here for a reason and that I was supposed to be here. My attitude was to buy in and work hard every single day.”

Those kind of comments are music to the ears of college coaches at a time when many players often look to transfer at the first sign of trouble. That’s just not who Vince Beasley is. He never left the Seward community. Quite the opposite. He chose to fully embrace it.

Members of the Concordia football program often donate their time to pitch in with odd jobs that may be as simple as cutting someone’s lawn or shoveling snow off their driveway. They also frequently read to local elementary students as part of the Bulldog Buddies program. Oftentimes, Beasley is the most eager to participate. He even went to prom night at Ridgewood Rehab & Care Center in Seward.

For his work in the community, Beasley was a recent nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. Says Beasley, “When you get to know and connect with people, it makes you want to help people even more.”

Beasley adds that he enjoys certain aspects of life in Seward such as the slower pace and peaceful nature of the town. It’s a far cry from a metropolitan area like Houston. At the same time, those are his roots and he’s proud of them.

Bulldog coaches and Seward community members have reason to be thankful that Beasley took the plunge in regards to venturing to a school in Nebraska that had not been on his radar until late in the recruiting process. A Concordia coach had actually been viewing film of a different player from Manvel High School when he spotted Beasley making a block downfield to help spring a touchdown run.

The competition Beasley played in high school prepared him well for college football. He watched as several of his teammates went on to earn scholarships at NCAA Division I schools.

“Texas football is like a religion,” Beasley said. “I only lost five games total during high school. It was definitely a different experience. I played against some really good competition. I was very fortunate to go to the high school I went to. Great coaches. Great program. I can still vividly remember Fridays, you know Friday night lights.”

Unfortunately, there are not many memories left to be made on the football field as a Bulldog, but Beasley can rest easy knowing he’s made the best out of his senior season. Even with some of the team’s struggles offensively, Beasley has snagged 43 catches for 521 yards. He busted loose last week against Northwestern with nine catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns. He will tell you he had the ability to put up numbers like that all along.

Confidence is also part of what makes Beasley the person he is. Right now, he just wants to beat Doane on Saturday. Says Beasley, “All I’ve wanted for our team was to win. I wanted to win a championship and go to the playoffs. I never cared about my own personal statistics – but I know I could have done a lot more.”

A criminal justice major, Beasley says he’s “all in” on a career in law enforcement. He’s been working with the Lincoln Police Department and had a unique experience lending his services to the state penitentiary. But then again, he adds that the coaching bug just might bite him.

Whatever career he ultimately ends up in, Beasley can count on Daberkow, and many within the Seward community, for a reference.

“As big of an impact as he’s had on the field, he’s had a bigger impact off the field,” Daberkow said. “He is always the first one to volunteer whether it’s prom at the Ridgewood Center, whether it’s scraping paint off a house or reading books to kids or scooping someone’s sidewalk and stuff that no one ever sees. He’s doing things constantly in the community. He’s a great representative of Bulldog football and we’ve been lucky to have him for the last four years.”

2018 campaign ends with close call at Doane

Nov. 10, 2018

CRETE, Neb. – A potentially dramatic game-winning drive on its final possession came up 36 yards short. Despite not allowing a single point in the second half, the Concordia University football team got clipped, 21-16, at Doane in the season finale for both teams at Al Papik Field on a bitter cold Saturday afternoon (Nov. 10). The Bulldogs had hoped to defeat the Tigers for the second year in a row.

The second year of Patrick Daberkow’s head coaching tenure resulted in a 3-7 overall record and a 2-7 conference mark. Two of the losses were decided by tight margins against in-state rivals.

“We had some things going and felt really good,” Daberkow said. “We jumped up 10-0. We had a bad second quarter and that cost us. I’m proud of how they fought. It felt like it was a fitting ending. We were really close, just not quite there this year. That’s a really hard pill to swallow when you’re close but just can’t quite get there. The message is that you get there by what you do in the weight room, starting now.”

In relief of the injured Andrew Perea, sophomore quarterback Jake Kemp had the opportunity to play the role of hero in the second half. Kemp helped engineer a third-quarter touchdown drive that covered 70 yards on 13 plays and chewed up 6:25 off the clock. Fullback Dan Langewisch finished it off with a one-yard plunge for his first career touchdown in his final collegiate game.

Down by five points, Concordia needed to put together one more touchdown drive in the final quarter. On that final Bulldog possession, Kemp moved the offense from its own 15 to the Doane 36 with the aid of a 15-yard pass play to Ryan Durdon and gains of 18 and 21 yards through the air to Art Anderson. But a holding penalty and a sack doomed Concordia. On its final play, senior Vince Beasley caught a pass for 20 yards, but it was eight yards shy of the marker on fourth down.

The Tigers (6-4, 5-4 GPAC) managed a grand total of 65 second half total yards after piling up 261 in the first half. A Bulldog defense again led by sophomore linebacker Lane Napier (12 tackles, one TFL, one pass breakup) buckled down and even held Doane off the scoreboard on a possession that began at Concordia’s 23. On the flip side, the Bulldogs failed to capitalize after senior safety Kordell Glause forced and recovered a fumble at the Tiger 47 early in the second quarter.

For Glause and other key defensive seniors such as safety Caden Jameson and defensive end Parker Johnson, this was a gritty way to go out.

Said Daberkow, “It doesn’t matter where the ball is placed, the situation and circumstances are irrelevant. They don’t matter. We have to make a stop. When the ball is snapped we’re lights out. That’s the mentality we have on defense. We have to have that permeate throughout the team and then we really have something.”

Though running room was again tight for Durdon (62 rushing yards on 28 carries), he again made a significant impact. He rushed for a six-yard touchdown that gave Concordia an early lead in the process of amassing 234 all-purpose yards. He caught five passes for 86 yards and nearly broke a kick return for a touchdown on a 72-yarder just before halftime.

Kemp, who had not played since the game at Dordt on Sept. 29, gave the offense some juice when he entered in the third quarter. He completed 10-of-13 attempts for 126 yards. Before leaving, Perea was 9-for-19 for 103 yards. Anderson led Bulldog pass catchers with eight receptions for 99 yards.

The Doane offense did almost all of its damage in the first half. Quarterback Jack Kalina went 12-of-27 for 175 yards and two touchdowns with one of the scoring strikes a beauty of a 44-yard toss to Jacob Beller. The Tigers netted 151 rushing yards on 34 tries.

Concordia ended its season by dropping the final five games. It still has not claimed a victory in Crete since 2005.

“God’s got lessons for us in this season, and they are really tough ones,” Daberkow said. “We’ll learn from this and we’ll get better. I’m already excited for our Monday meeting. We’ll get in the weight room and we’ll get after it.”

Napier named to GPAC's first team; Durdon, Glause tabbed second team

Nov. 13, 2018

GPAC release

All-GPAC
First Team
Lane Napier
Second Team
Ryan Durdon
Kordell Glause
Honorable Mention
Vince Beasley
Grady Koch
Derek Tachovsky
Zac Walter

SEWARD, Neb. – Sophomore linebacker Lane Napier has made it two-for-two in terms of first team all-conference accolades in his career. The tackling machine headlined the group of seven Concordia University football players to earn some form of All-GPAC recognition, as announced by the conference on Tuesday (Nov. 13). Junior running back Ryan Durdon and senior safety Kordell Glause both landed on the second team.

Another four Bulldogs garnered honorable mention status: senior receiver Vince Beasley, junior linebackers Zac Walter and Derek Tachovsky and senior offensive tackle Grady Koch.

The two-time first team all-conference Napier led all NAIA players during the regular season with 142 tackles (average of 14.2 per game). That figure is a program GPAC era (2000-present) record. The David City, Neb., native also paced the team in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (four). Napier added a forced fumble and a blocked extra point. Napier notched double figures in tackles eight times this season with a high of 22 at Morningside. After making 21 tackles in the win at Jamestown, Napier picked up the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week award. He has already recorded 239 tackles through his first 20 career collegiate games.

Durdon (Decatur, Texas) again served as the team’s biggest offensive threat. He amassed 1,439 all-purpose yards while making an impact in the passing game and as a kick returner. Behind a youthful offensive line, Durdon rushed for 821 yards and eight touchdowns. He caught 19 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown and totaled 371 yards on 11 kick returns (33.7 average). Durdon was tabbed the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in the season opening win over Buena Vista University (Iowa). Also a second team all-conference choice as a sophomore, Durdon ranks sixth in program history for career rushing yards (2,068).

Glause, who hails from Palmer, Neb., earned a great deal of respect throughout his career for playing through injury and by making an in-season shift this fall from linebacker to safety. The three-year starter who earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last season made 58 tackles, including five for loss and three sacks in 2018. His lone interception sealed the victory over Dakota Wesleyan. Glause forced a fumble and recovered one this fall. Over his career, Glause finished with 146 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions.

Beasley (Manvel, Texas) emerged as the go-to receiver this season. He snagged 46 receptions for 559 yards and three touchdowns in 2018. His biggest performance came against No. 5 Northwestern, which he burned by making nine grabs for 155 yards and two touchdowns. Walter (Lincoln, Kan.) and Tachovsky (Wilber, Neb.) were stalwarts for a strong linebacker crew. Walter posted 80 tackles, eight stops for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Tachovsky racked up 81 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Koch’s honorable mention nod was an ode to his leadership and career contributions. Unfortunately, injuries limited the Doniphan, Neb., native to three games played this season. The offense produced its two best yardage outputs in games that Koch started.

Walter garners Academic All-District recognition

Nov. 15, 2018

CoSIDA release

SEWARD, Neb. – A budding star at linebacker, junior Zac Walter became the sixth student-athlete in Concordia University football history to be named a Google Cloud Academic All-District® Team honoree. Walter was announced as one of the 2018 all-district award winners by College Sports Information Directors of America on Thursday (Nov. 15).

The Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District® Football Teams have been released to recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. For more information about the Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit http://cosida.com.

Also an honorable mention All-GPAC choice, Walter is studying business administration at Concordia. On track to be named an NAIA Scholar-Athlete, the Lincoln, Kan., native recorded 80 tackles, eight stops for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble during the 2018 season. He notched at least 10 tackles in four separate games this fall. Walter helped extend the Bulldog football program’s streak to seven-straight years with a CoSIDA all-district winner.

First-team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the Google Cloud Academic All-America® ballot. First-, and second-team (if necessary) Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in early December.

Football Academic All-District Honorees
Mitchell Cherney (2012)
Le’Dontrae Gooden (2016)
Dylan Heithoff (2013)
Hallick Lehmann (*2015, *2016, *2017)
Adam Meirose (2014)
Zac Walter (2018)
*Academic All-American

Season-in-review: Daberkow reflects upon fall of learning

Nov. 27, 2018

Head coach Patrick Daberkow referred to the 2018 season as one of “tough lessons.” Injuries ravaged position groups such as offensive line, tight end and the defensive backfield while a youth movement took hold. The Concordia University football program could no longer depend upon multi-year stars like Jared Garcia, Seth Fitzke, D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby.

In the aftermath of a close loss at Doane in the season finale, Daberkow discussed the importance of making use of the lessons learned. The struggles experienced this past fall will be a rallying cry throughout an offseason designed to be physically demanding.

“In a way it felt like a year one type of year,” Daberkow said. “Our 2017 roster was so senior heavy with guys who had been starters for multiple years. When they left we really had some work to do. This 2018 season was kind of like a reset from a roster standpoint. We had a lot of new faces. We learned a lot. I learned a ton as a coach. Our staff all learned a ton. We’re definitely better for having gone through it, but the lessons were tough lessons. There were just so many lessons that can be learned from a season like this.”

The 2018 Bulldogs finished 3-7 overall, a slip from a 6-4 mark in 2017. The wins that Concordia managed to earn were grinders – 27-20 over Buena Vista University (Iowa), 16-13 at Jamestown and 14-9 over Dakota Wesleyan. Limitations offensively were evident for a squad that finished 87th nationally in total offense and scoring offense.

That did not mean there were not positives. The Bulldogs fielded another competitive defensive unit despite breaking in an entire new secondary. That side of the ball was again spearheaded by All-America candidate in sophomore linebacker Lane Napier, who led all NAIA players with 142 tackles (school GPAC era record) this past fall. Napier and the linebackers were the rock for a defense that concluded the season with a dominant second half performance at Doane.

“That position group outperformed the competition week-in and week-out,” Daberkow said. “I think Lane Napier is the best linebacker in the country. You can make a statistical case and then you put the film on and it’s case closed. I really believe he’s that type of player. We’ve had GPAC Defensive Players of the Year before here. I think that recognition will come eventually for him. What was great about that position group was the depth. We have probably six guys who could have started for us.”

Other standouts in the linebacker crew included the likes of Derek Tachovsky (81 tackles) and Zac Walter (80 tackles – 5.5 for loss). Senior Kordell Glause began the season at his customary linebacker spot before shifting to safety for the final six games of the season. Up front, Aaron Rudloff (45 tackles) enjoyed a solid season on the edge of the team’s 3-4 alignment. Collectively, they helped Concordia rank a solid 38th nationally in scoring defense (27.1).

On offense, Concordia did everything it could to scheme up means of getting star tailback Ryan Durdon the football in space. With an offensive line in flux, Durdon’s yards-per-carry average dropped from 5.5 in 2017 to 3.7 in 2018. In spite of that fact, Durdon racked up 1,439 all-purpose yards while continuing to evolve his game, which extended to kickoff returns this season. He will enter his senior campaign with 2,068 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns on his career ledger.

“He's a playmaker,” Daberkow said. “His yardage output wasn’t as impressive as it was last season, but I think he’ll come on strong his senior year and we’ll have a little more experience blocking for him. It just goes to show that everything is about the offensive line. You’re going to be as good as your offensive line regardless of what scheme you run. We need to stay healthy at that spot, we need to bring in talent at that spot and we need to develop the guys we have on our roster at that spot.”

As Daberkow pointed out, Concordia did not start the exact same offensive line in back-to-back games at any time in 2018. That made life more challenging for Bulldog quarterbacks, of which there were many who took snaps this season. Jake Kemp earned the starting role out of fall camp, but he missed five games with an injury. Concordia also tried out Blake Culbert, Luke Lang and Andrew Perea as part of a unusual fall. As a group, Bulldog quarterbacks completed 161-of-311 passes (.518) for 1,853 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 11-to-8.

Perea’s claim to fame was a school record single-game passing yards total of 455 yards in the 42-28 loss to No. 6 Northwestern. It was perhaps a glimpse at a more prolific passing attack in 2019. Senior Vince Beasley (46 catches, 559 yards, three touchdowns) will graduate, but the Bulldogs will return sophomore Art Anderson (40 catches, 336 yards) and freshman Korrell Koehlmoos (29 catches, 376 yards) at the receiver position.

With a little better fortune on the injury front, virtually every position group could see improvement next fall. Young tight ends Brady Fitzke and Logan Kreizel are promising athletes who missed significant time while former baseball standout Kaleb Geiger was set to make an impact on the defensive line before a knee injury forced him to miss the entire season.

After all that went off script, Daberkow says that changes have already begun to be implemented. Says Daberkow, “In order to get different results, you have to do different things. We are taking a much more aggressive approach to the weight room. Whenever you add one thing, you have to take from somewhere else. Right now we’re shifting in how we recruit and when we go out to accommodate our presence as coaches in the weight room to make sure our player development is on point.”

The winter months will be crucial ones on the recruiting trail for Daberkow and his staff. The work that gets done now will go a long ways in regards to whether 2019 will help soothe what ailed the Bulldogs in 2018. Now two seasons into his head coaching tenure, Daberkow and his staff know what they’re looking for in the recruiting process.

“We’re always looking for talent, but it has to fit our locker room,” Daberkow said. “We’ve never been more adamant about that than we are now. I don’t have to fake excitement for the future of this program. 2018 was a tough season, but we have a specific vision for where we’re headed and how to get there. It takes a lot of selflessness and putting teammates first. We’re all in on 2019. We’ve been all in since the season ended.”

Napier named NAIA honorable mention All-American

Dec. 13, 2018

NAIA release

SEWARD, Neb. – By way of leading all NAIA players in tackles, Concordia sophomore Lane Napier made a strong case for All-America honors. On Thursday (Dec. 13), the NAIA announced Napier as an honorable mention All-America selection. The NAIA All-America teams differ from the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) list with the addition of an honorable mention team this season. In total, 106 student-athletes were honored over the three teams.

A two-time first team All-GPAC selection, Napier led the nation with 142 tackles (average of 14.2 per game). That figure is a program GPAC era (2000-present) record. The David City, Neb., native also paced the team in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (four). Napier added a forced fumble and a blocked extra point. Napier notched double figures in tackles eight times this season with a high of 22 at Morningside. After making 21 tackles in the win at Jamestown, Napier picked up the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week award. He has already recorded 239 tackles through his first 20 career collegiate games.

Said head coach Patrick Daberkow, “I think Lane Napier is the best linebacker in the country. You can make a statistical case and then you put the film on and it’s case closed. I really believe he’s that type of player. We’ve had GPAC Defensive Players of the Year before here. I think that recognition will come eventually for him. What was great about that position group was the depth. We have probably six guys who could have started for us.”

The Bulldog football program has had a representative on the defensive side of the ball earn some form of All-America recognition in four-straight seasons and in five out of the last six. Recent All-Americans include Tarence Roby (2017), Trey Barnes (2015, 2016) and Darnell Woods (2013).

CONCORDIA FOOTBALL ALL-AMERICANS

2018 – Lane Napier, linebacker (honorable mention – NAIA)

2017 – Tarence Roby, defensive back (first team – Associated Press; second team – AFCA)

2016 – Trey Barnes, defensive line (first team)

2015 – Trey Barnes, defensive line (second team)

2013 – Darnell Woods, safety (first team)

2012 – Derek Blessing, punt returner (first team – Beyond Sports Network)

2012 – Kenny Zoeller, kicker (first team)

2007 – JaMaine Lewis, running back (second team – Victory Sports Network)

2007 – Jeff Neujahr, kick/punt returner (honorable mention – Victory Sports Network)

2006 – Jeff Neujahr, kick/punt returner (honorable mention – Victory Sports Network)

2004 – Matthew Egger, punter

2002 – Sean Stewart, safety (second team)

2001 – Erik DeHaven, linebacker

2001 – Sean Stewart, safety (honorable mention)

2001 – Ross Wurdeman, tight end (first team)

2000 – Drew Ekart, defensive back (honorable mention)

2000 – Sean Stewart, safety (honorable mention)

2000 – Ross Wurdeman, tight end (first team)

1996 – Ed McLaughlin, offensive line (honorable mention)

1995 – Mike Hoernemann, linebacker (honorable mention)

1994 – Travis Soukup, tight end/punter (first team)

1984 – Kahlil King, safety (first team)

1984 – Cleve Wester, running back

1982 – Gary Pomerenke, defensive line (first team)

1981 – Gary Pomerenke, defensive line (second team)

1965 – Dennis Oetting, lineman (honorable mention)

1964 – Bob Oetting, lineman

1961 – Larry Oetting, lineman

1959 – John Suhr, quarterback/safety/punter

1956 – Gary Seevers, running back

1955 – Gary Seevers, running back

Concordia football lands 11 Scholar-Athlete honorees

Dec. 14, 2018

2018 NAIA Scholar-Athletes

SEWARD, Neb. – Eleven student-athletes from the Concordia University football team represented the program on the list of 2018 Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes, released on Friday (Dec. 14) by the NAIA. The group of Bulldog honorees includes repeat award winners in seniors Adam Christensen, Caden Jameson and Daniel Langewisch. The 11 Scholar-Athletes are the most for the program since it had 12 in 2015. Concordia’s football program was one of nine with at least 10 Scholar-Athletes.

A first time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, junior linebacker Zac Walter was also a CoSIDA Academic All-District choice. Fellow linebacker Lane Napier picked up NAIA honorable mention All-America accolades on Thursday.

In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and must have achieved a junior academic status. A total of 392 football student-athletes across the nation were named 2018 Scholar-Athletes by the NAIA.

Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 1,403 and counting. The Bulldogs have been a regular national leader for both scholar-athletes and scholar-teams and are coming off a 2017-18 academic year that resulted in 77 more scholar-athletes and 20 scholar-teams (third most in the nation). Also in 2017-18, seven Bulldog student-athletes garnered both CoSIDA Academic All-District and CoSIDA Academic All-America accolades.

2018 Football Scholar-Athletes

Napier voted first team All-America by Associated Press

Dec. 14, 2018

SEWARD, Neb. – A day after being named an honorable mention All-American by the NAIA, sophomore linebacker Lane Napier earned loftier distinction on Friday (Dec. 14). The Associated Press announced Napier as a first team All-America selection. The award is befitting of a player who topped all NAIA defenders in tackles during the 2018 season.

The 2018 AP NAIA All-America Team

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Trent Solsma, senior, Morningside (Iowa) College

Running backs — Demarco Prewitt, junior, Kansas Wesleyan; Joe Connor, junior, Concordia (Mich.)

Linemen — Garrett Bader, senior, Benedictine (Kan.); Anthony Vereen, senior, Jamestown University; Trey Coney, junior, Reinhardt (Ga.); Eli Smith, junior, Kansas Wesleyan; Trevor Wietzema, senior, Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.)

Tight end — Charlie Simmons, sophomore, Kansas Wesleyan

Wide Receivers — Connor Niles, senior, Morning (Iowa) College; Darrion Dillard, senior, Ottawa (Kan.)

All-purpose player — J’Kobi Reddick, sophomore, Bethel (Tenn.)

Kicker — Ignacio Gomez, sophomore, Lyon (Ark.)

DEFENSE

Linemen — Shaq Bradford, junior, Kansas Wesleyan; JT Graydon, sophomore, Reinhardt (Ga.); Andreas Moeller, junior, Evangel (Mo.); Curt Boeke, senior, Dakota State (S.D.)

Linebackers — Jason Ferris, junior, Montana Western; Caleb Coe, senior, Olivet Nazarene (Ill.); Lane Napier, sophomore, Concordia (Neb.)

Backs — Bryce Van Beek, senior, Northwestern (Iowa); Nicholas Holmes, sophomore, St. Mary (Kan.); Jay Liggins, senior, Dickinson State (N.D.); Wilmer Cole, senior, Saint Francis (Ind.)

Punter — Matt Larson, senior, Rocky Mountain College

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback — Jaylen Lowe, senior, Langston (Okla.)

Running backs — Milton Shelton, junior, Cumberlands (Ky.); Marquis Stewart, senior, Benedictine (Kan.)

Linemen — Mick Wilson, senior, Eastern Oregon; D.J. Loving, senior, Grand View (Iowa); Dustin Rivera, junior, Southwestern (Kan.); Jordan Heldreth, senior, Southeastern (Fla.); Jarin Bush, senior, Marian (Ind.)

Tight end — Devante Jimenez, senior, Bethel (Tenn.)

Wide Receivers — Shane Solberg, sophomore, Northwestern (Iowa); Brendan Kelly, senior, Eastern Oregon

All-purpose player — Nate McLaurin, senior, Baker (Kan.)

Kicker — Marcus Montano, senior, Southern Oregon

DEFENSE

Linemen — Ryder Rice, senior, Rocky Mountain College; Mike Mitchell, senior, Southeastern (Fla.); Kenneth Steele Jr., senior, Ottawa (Ariz.); Dmitri Joe, senior, St. Xavier (Ill.)

Linebackers — Ben Slavens, junior, Grand View (Iowa); Eric Dunten, junior, Grand View (Iowa); Trent Mueller, senior, Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)

Backs — Xavier Spann, senior, Morningside College; Cain Boschee, senior, Dickinson State; Isaiah McFarland, sophomore, Point (Ga.); Sage Chen-Young, freshman, Keiser (Fla.)

Punter — Spencer Wyatt, senior, Morningside (Iowa) College

Napier tabbed as All-Nebraska honorary captain

Dec. 23, 2018

Omaha World-Herald news article

SEWARD, Neb. – One of three Bulldogs chosen to the NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Nebraska state college football team, sophomore Lane Napier garnered the highest distinction awarded to a defensive player by the Omaha World-Herald. The media outlet announced Napier as the All-Nebraska defensive honorary captain on Saturday (Dec. 22). Junior running back Ryan Durdon and senior safety Kordell Glause were also named to the All-Nebraska team that included 11 selections on offense, 12 on defense and four on special teams.

Additionally, four Concordia student-athletes garnered honorable mention All-Nebraska accolades: seniors Vincent Beasley and Grady Koch and juniors Derek Tachovsky and Zac Walter.

The Bulldog football program has now been responsible for three of the past four and four of the last six Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska defensive honorary captain awards. Defensive lineman Trey Barnes (2015 and 2016) took the title in back-to-back years and safety Darnell Woods collected the honor in 2013.

Napier was also recently named an NAIA first team All-American by the Associated Press. A two-time first team All-GPAC selection, Napier led the nation with 142 tackles (average of 14.2 per game). That figure is a program GPAC era (2000-present) record. The David City, Neb., native also paced the team in tackles for loss (12.5) and sacks (four). Napier added a forced fumble and a blocked extra point. Napier notched double figures in tackles eight times this season with a high of 22 at Morningside. After making 21 tackles in the win at Jamestown, Napier picked up the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week award. He has already recorded 239 tackles through his first 20 career collegiate games.

“Whether we’re doing some offseason lifting competition or we’re doing a goal-line drill in practice, he’s going to find a way to win,” head coach Patrick Daberkow told the Omaha World-Herald. “He’s just a nasty competitor.”

Durdon (Decatur, Texas) again served as the team’s biggest offensive threat. He amassed 1,439 all-purpose yards while making an impact in the passing game and as a kick returner. Behind a youthful offensive line, Durdon rushed for 821 yards and eight touchdowns. He caught 19 passes for 247 yards and a touchdown and totaled 371 yards on 11 kick returns (33.7 average). Durdon was tabbed the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 250 yards and two touchdowns in the season opening win over Buena Vista University (Iowa). Also a second team all-conference choice as a sophomore, Durdon ranks sixth in program history for career rushing yards (2,068).

Glause, who hails from Palmer, Neb., earned a great deal of respect throughout his career for playing through injury and by making an in-season shift this fall from linebacker to safety. The three-year starter who earned honorable mention all-conference accolades last season made 58 tackles, including five for loss and three sacks in 2018. His lone interception sealed the victory over Dakota Wesleyan. Glause forced a fumble and recovered one this fall. Over his career, Glause finished with 146 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions.

Beasley, Koch, Tachovsky and Walter were also honorable mention All-GPAC choices. Beasley was the team leader in receiving with 46 catches for 559 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Tachovsky (81) and Walter (80) were two of the team’s top tacklers as part of a stout linebacker unit. Koch missed a large port of the season due to injury, but was the team’s top offensive lineman when healthy.

NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Nebraska state college football team

Offense
WR: Jordan Johnson, Sr., Hastings
WR: Darrin Gentry, Jr., Midland
TE: Jacob Ellis, Sr., Midland
OL: Alex Boyer, Sr., Midland
OL: Colton Davis, So., Nebraska Wesleyan
OL: Daniel Jahn, Jr., Midland
OL: Quentin King, Sr., Peru State
OL: Isaac Sorensen, Sr., Doane
QB: Jack Kalina, Jr., Doane
RB: Ryan Durdon, Jr., Concordia
*RB: Tahj Willingham, Sr., Hastings
* — denotes honorary captain

Defense
DL: Stephens Bowers, Sr., Peru State
DL: Keyuntea Kinney, So., Hastings
DL: Anthony Malone, Jr., Doane
DL: Johan Williams, Sr., Midland
LB: Jacob Garnas, So., Nebraska Wesleyan
*LB: Lane Napier, So., Concordia
LB: Zachary Taylor, Fr., Peru State
LB: Wyatt Tremayne, Sr., Midland
DB: Chayton Crow, Sr., Doane
DB: Kordell Glause, Sr., Concordia
DB: Seth Majerus, Sr., Doane
DB: Anthony Murray, Sr., Hastings
* — denotes honorary captain

Special Teams
K: Bryce Cooney, Jr., Doane
P: Camdon Griffiths, So., Midland
RS: Mike Seawell, Sr., Midland
AP: Shaka Taylor, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan

Honorable mention: Concordia: Vince Beasley, Grady Koch, Derek Tachovsky, Zac Walter. Doane: Jacob Beller, Connor Hughes, Garrett Sonderup, Nathan Williams. Hastings: Austin Bretting, Wesley Jardim, Tyree Nesmith, Tyler Parthemer. Midland: Ethan Butler, Ashton Ellis, Jett Hampton, Payton Nelson, Ray Rush, Dalton Tremayne, Lukas Vopnford. Nebraska Wesleyan: Caleb Conway, Jonathan Curti, Alex Kruse, Bradley Pelkey. Peru State: Colton Audsley, Dan Boshart, Luis Constantino, Victor Hubbard, Jordan Willis