2019 Football Schedule/Results

3-7 overall | 3-6 GPAC | Season Stats | Roster

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Record
Sept. 7	*Doane University	Seward, Neb.	L, 10-17	0-1, 0-1
Sept. 14	Buena Vista University	Storm Lake, Iowa	L, 24-27	0-2
Sept. 21	*Hastings College	Hastings, Neb.	W, 44-0	1-2, 1-1
Sept. 28	*Briar Cliff University	Seward, Neb.	W, 16-14	2-2, 2-1
Oct. 5	*University of Jamestown	Jamestown, N.D.	L, 10-13 (4 OT)	2-3, 2-2
Oct. 12	*Dakota Wesleyan University	Seward, Neb.	W, 24-17	3-3, 3-2
Oct. 19	*(6) Northwestern College	Seward, Neb.	L, 14-20	3-4, 3-3
Oct. 26	*Dordt College	Sioux Center, Iowa	L, 0-35	3-5, 3-4
Nov. 2	*Midland University	Seward, Neb.	L, 7-27	3-6, 3-5
Nov. 9	*(1) Morningside College	Sioux City, Iowa	L, 7-52	3-7, 3-6

2019 Roster

No.	Name		Pos.	Yr.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown	Previous School
1	Arthur	Anderson	WR	Jr.	6-1	176	San Antonio, Texas	Wagner HS
1	Daniel	Cantu	K	Jr.	5-10	184	Eagle Lake, Texas	Rice HS
2	Caydren	Cox	LB	Jr.	6-1	200	Beloit, Kan.	Beloit HS
3	Cayden	Beran	WR	So.	6-3	180	Hutto, Texas	Hutto HS
3	OJ	Ferguson	DB	Jr.	5-9	182	Winston-Salem, N.C.	Mt. Tabor HS / Santa Rosa JC
4	Blake	Culbert	QB	Jr.	6-4	215	Garden Grove, Calif.	Rancho Alamitos HS
4	Matt	Petracek	DB	Sr.	5-9	155	Wilber, Neb.	Wilber-Clatonia HS
5	Johnny	Johnson	DB	Sr.	6-0	181	Compton, Calif.	Mater Dei HS / Golden West CC
5	Korrell	Koehlmoos	WR	So.	6-2	178	Pilger, Neb.	Lutheran High Northeast
6	Jake	Kemp	QB	Jr.	6-1	214	Decatur, Texas	Decatur HS / Belhaven University
6	Blake	Sears	DB	So.	5-11	170	Crete, Neb.	Crete HS
7	Wyatt	Ehlers	QB	Fr.	5-10	191	Waco, Neb.	Centennial HS
7	Peyton	Mitchell	DB	Jr.	6-3	203	Waverly, Kan.	Waverly HS
8	Jorge	Ochoa	LB	Jr.	5-11	219	Beaumont, Texas	West Brook HS
8	Cade	Peterson	QB	Fr.	6-3	183	Glendale, Ariz.	Raymond S. Ellis HS
9	Zac	Dowgiallo	QB	Fr.	6-0	176	Viera, Fla.	Viera HS
9	Horace	Gordan	DB	Fr.	6-1	170	Beaumont, Texas	Monsignor Kelly Catholic HS
9	Jacob	Flores	WR	Jr.	5-9	169	Sun Valley, Calif.	John H. Francis Poly
10	Andrew	Perea	QB	Sr.	6-1	205	Pico River, Calif.	El Rancho HS
10	Jourdhin	Smith	DB	Fr.	5-9	146	La Mirada, Calif.	John Glenn HS
11	Lane	Castaneda	WR	Jr.	6-3	190	San Antonio, Texas	James Madison HS
11	Jorre	Luther	K	So.	5-8	167	York, Neb.	York HS
12	Kordell	Hamer	WR	Sr.	6-0	167	Central City, Neb.	Central City HS
13	Carsen	Arline	DB	Fr.	5-10	205	Nederland, Texas	Nederland HS
13	Jayzen	Armstrong	DB	So.	5-8	155	Casa Grande, Ariz.	Vista Grande HS
14	Kayle	Carlson	LB	So.	5-10	194	Malcolm, Neb.	Malcolm Public Schools
14	Luke	Lang	QB	So.	6-3	238	Brentwood, Calif.	Heritage HS
15	David	Ray	DB	Fr.	5-10	150	Beaumont, Texas	Monsignor Kelly Catholic HS
15	Garrett	Schardt	TE	So.	6-3	199	Davenport, Neb.	Bruning-Davenport-Shickley HS
16	Duke	Budwah III	DB	Fr.	5-8	140	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.	South Plantation HS
16	Easton	Clark	LB	So.	5-11	180	North Platte, Neb.	Hershey Public School
16	Matthew	Holmes	QB	Fr.	6-4	208	San Diego, Calif.	Mt. Carmel HS / Mesa CC
17	Trevor	Dey	WR	Jr.	6-3	204	Gresham, Neb.	Centennial HS
18	Christian	Rawlinson	QB	Fr.	6-1	191	Carterville, Ill.	Carterville HS / Lindenwood-Belleville
18	Blake	Stewart	DB	Jr.	5-7	184	Ault, Colo.	Highland HS
18	Kaiston	Terry	WR	So.	6-0	177	Lubbock, Texas	Ropes HS
19	Ryan	Durdon	RB	Sr.	6-0	200	Decatur, Texas	Decatur HS
19	Nate	Moore	DB	Fr.	6-0	194	Atwater, Calif.	Atwater HS
20	AJ	Jenkins	LB	Fr.	6-1	182	Wilcox, Neb.	Wilcox-Hildreth HS
20	Martin	Solano	RB	So.	6-0	200	Riverside, Calif.	Norte Vista HS
21	Nick	Sandoval	LB	Jr.	5-11	187	Chula Vista, Calif.	Del Rey Center HS
22	Shayne	Campbell	LB	So.	6-0	190	O'Neill, Neb.	O'Neill HS
23	Lane	Napier	LB	Jr.	6-0	217	David City, Neb.	Aquinas HS
24	Exavier	Jackson	WR	So.	5-11	164	De Soto, Texas	De Soto HS
25	Hiroshi	Brey	DB	Fr.	5-10	165	Winchester, Calif.	Chaparral HS
25	Jonah	Weyand	RB	Fr.	5-11	203	Crete, Neb.	Crete HS
26	Devin	Zeigler	RB	Fr.	5-7	158	Houston, Texas	Cy-Fair HS
27	Davonte	Mouton	TE	Jr.	6-1	227	Crosby, Texas	Ross S. Sterling, HS
28	Matt	Kamm	DB	So.	5-9	155	Bethlehem, Ga.	Bethlehem Christian Academy
29	Cori	Pumphrey	RB	Fr.	5-10	179	Fort Worth, Texas	Southwest Christian School
30	Hunter	Cole	RB	Fr.	6-1	199	McCool Junction, Neb.	McCool Junction HS
30	Alan	Sharp	K	Sr.	5-11	193	Plattsmouth, Neb.	Plattsmouth HS
30	Stirling	Tonniges	LB	Jr.	6-0	220	Ord, Neb.	Ord HS
31	Riley	Bilstein	LB	Sr.	6-3	220	Atkinson, Neb.	West Holt HS
31	Arcullous	Heard III	RB	Fr.	5-11	220	Maryland Heights, Mo.	Lutheran HS of St. Charles
32	Tanner	Schwaninger	LB	Sr.	6-0	210	Palmyra, Neb.	Lincoln Christian HS
33	Logan	Srna	DB	So.	5-8	173	Culver, Kan.	Tescott HS
34	Marcus	Carr	FB	Sr.	5-10	238	Broken Arrow, Okla.	Lutheran Christian Academy
35	Tyree	Daniels	RB	Sr.	5-7	160	Hutto, Texas	Taylor HS / Colby CC
36	Trajan	Donnerson	DB	Fr.	6-1	170	Gosnell, Ark.	Gosnell HS
37	Michael	Schomer	LB	So.	5-10	192	Grand Island, Neb.	Grand Island Northwest HS
38	Zach	Walker	FB	Sr.	6-1	268	Dacono, Colo.	Broomfield HS
39	Lukas	Coe	RB	So.	6-1	192	Omaha, Neb.	Concordia HS / Iowa Western CC
39	Chevy	Stout	FB	Jr.	5-11	214	Grand Island, Neb.	North West HS
39	Zac	Walter	LB	Sr.	6-1	222	Lincoln, Kan.	Lincoln HS
40	Payton	Kidder	FB	Jr.	6-2	224	Holdrege, Neb.	Holdrege HS
40	Wyatt	Kube	DL	So.	5-9	203	Fairmont, Minn.	Martin Luther HS
41	Devin	Hines	LB	Fr.	5-10	194	Ault, Colo.	Highland HS
42	Bailey	Kraemer	DB	Sr.	5-9	164	Norfolk, Neb.	Nebraska Lutheran HS
43	Wyatt	Cast	TE	Fr.	6-5	182	York, Neb.	York HS
43	Dylan	Rahder	FB	So.	5-10	260	York, Neb.	York HS
44	Derek	Tachovsky	LB	Sr.	6-2	208	Wilber, Neb.	Wilber-Clatonia HS
45	Drew	Cunningham	DL	So.	5-11	218	Glen Elder, Kan.	Downs HS
45	Juan R.	Leon	FB	So.	5-9	220	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
46	Stuart	Kolpin	TE	Sr.	6-3	218	Overland Park, Kan.	Blue Valley NW
47	Jackson	Armitage	TE	Fr.	6-1	198	Gretna, Neb.	Gretna HS
49	Brady	Fitzke	TE/P	Jr.	6-7	220	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS / U. of Nebraska Kearney
50	Leonardo	Guevara	FB	So.	5-10	227	Glendora, Calif.	Glendora HS / San Jose State
50	Gary	Nieuwkoop	DL	Sr.	6-3	230	Chowchilla, Calif.	Chowchilla HS
51	Zac	Miller	OL	Sr.	6-3	236	North Platte, Neb.	North Platte St. Patrick's
51	Matt	Preuss	LB	Jr.	5-10	202	Placentia, Calif.	Lutheran HS
52	Scott	Urban	LB	Fr.	6-0	221	Ozawkie, Kan.	Perry-Lecompton HS
52	Brandon	Vega	OL	So.	5-11	242	Emporia, Kan.	Emporia HS
53	Cody	Hofrock	OL	Sr.	5-11	248	Sidney, Neb.	Sidney HS
54	Cole	Baumgartner	OL	Jr.	6-2	279	San Antonio, Texas	Smithson Valley HS
55	Ronald	Jones	LB	Jr.	6-1	180	Compton, Calif.	Brethren Christian HS / Cerritos Coll.
55	Kougar	Rodriguez	LB	So.	5-10	215	Midland, Texas	Robert E. Lee HS
56	Chase	Cornman	OL	Jr.	6-3	257	Cypress, Texas	Cy-Springs HS
56	Keon	Waters	LB	Fr.	5-11	200	Arlington, Texas	Arlington HS
57	Jayden	Brosius	DL	So.	6-1	226	North Platte, Neb.	St. Patrick's HS
57	Lyle	Whitney	LB	Fr.	5-11	185	Newcastle, Wyo.	Newcastle HS
58	Dane	Blom	DL	Fr.	5-11	200	Manilla, Iowa	IKM-Manning HS
58	Jordan	Spilinek	K	Fr.	5-10	164	Doniphan, Neb.	Doniphan-Trumbull HS
59	Ethan	Mayes	OL	Fr.	6-4	251	Beemer, Neb.	West Point-Beemer HS
60	Johnny	Robinson III	OL	So.	5-10	279	Houston, Texas	Eisenhower HS
61	Peyton	Ott	OL	Fr.	6-2	252	Henderson, Neb.	Heartland Community HS
62	Brent	Houchin-Hart	DL	Fr.	6-1	253	Topeka, Kan.	Seaman HS
62	Christian	Schlepp	OL	Fr.	6-1	246	Manhattan, Kan.	Manhattan HS
63	Keegan	Hornung	OL	Jr.	6-0	282	Chandler, Ariz.	Williamsfield HS
64	Evrett	Shaw	OL	Sr.	6-1	323	Centennial, Colo.	Eagle Crest HS
65	Trenton	Sanders	OL	So.	6-1	247	Lakewood, Colo.	Lakewood HS
66	Daniel	Garcia-Hernandez	DL	Fr.	6-1	199	Topeka, Kan.	Hayden Catholic HS
66	Gavin	Mull	OL	Fr.	6-3	255	Roanoke, Texas	Byron Nelson HS
67	Conrad	Christ	OL	Fr.	6-2	231	Boonton, N.J.	Mountain Lakes HS
68	Wendell	Banks	OL	So.	5-11	265	San Antonio, Texas	Wagner HS
69	Jaden	Armbrust	DL	Fr.	6-0	224	Littelton, Colo.	Columbine HS
70	Donnovyn	Waller	OL	So.	6-2	319	Houston, Texas	Alief Hastings HS
71	Toby	Hager	OL	Fr.	6-2	248	Buena Park, Calif.	Sunny Hills HS
72	Michael	Brewer	OL	Sr.	6-2	272	Tucson, Ariz.	Sahuaro HS / Shasta College
73	Anthony	Campos	OL	Jr.	5-8	225	San Jose, Calif.	Pioneer HS / San Jose City College
73	Eric	Kieper Jr.	DL	Fr.	6-1	243	Lacombe, La.	Lakeshore HS
75	Zackarriah	Aleo	DL	Jr.	5-10	214	Lake Arrowhead, Calif.	Rim of World HS / Riverside City Coll.
76	Nick	Sazama	OL	Fr.	6-4	319	Norfolk, Neb.	Norfolk HS
80	Carson	Core	WR	Fr.	5-10	157	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
81	Erik	Cumley	WR	Fr.	5-11	184	Strasburg, Colo.	Lutheran HS
82	Cole	Schaedel	WR	So.	6-1	174	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
83	Logan	Kreizel	WR	So.	6-4	211	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
85	Logan	Stewart	WR	Fr.	5-10	169	Ault, Colo.	Highland HS
86	Jaylin	Whitelaw	WR	Fr.	5-7	164	Kansas City, Mo.	University Academy
89	Gideon	Schauer	TE	Fr.	6-4	198	Union, Ill.	Faith Lutheran HS
91	Aaron	Rudloff	DL	Sr.	6-2	222	Battle Creek, Neb.	Battle Creek HS
92	Evan	Thibodeaux	DL	So.	5-11	255	Beaumont, Texas	Cathedral Christian HS
93	Chase	Hammons	DL	Jr.	6-2	232	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
94	Payton	Stevens	DL	Jr.	6-6	220	Polk, Neb.	High Plains HS
95	Gerald	Morris	DL	So.	6-1	260	Arlington, Texas	Arlington HS
96	Kaleb	Geiger	DL	Sr.	6-2	240	Sedalia, Colo.	Castle View HS
97	Sunni	Moorehead	DB	Fr.	5-10	151	Cartersville, Ga.	Cartersville HS
98	Benjamin	Rakoski	DL	Jr.	6-2	344	Alton, Ill.	Alton HS
99	Kalvin	Page	DL	Jr.	5-11	237	Omaha, Neb.	Omaha Northwest HS
	Dagne'	Buck	DL	So.	5-10	205	Plumas Lake, Calif.	Whitney HS
	Tucker	Gartner	DL	Jr.	6-0	260	Giltner, Neb.	Giltner HS
	Jaylen	Hickman	LB	Fr.	5-11	205	Lee's Summit, Mo.	Lee's Summit North HS
	Johnathan	Miller	QB	Fr.	6-2	200	Rio Rancho, N.M.	Rio Rancho HS
	Travian	Johnson	DB	Fr.	6-0	190	Forest Park, Ga.	Forest Park HS
	Grant	Ritter	OL	So.	6-1	250	Schertz, Texas	Clemens HS
	Daniel	Warneke		Fr.	6-0	175	Hastings, Neb.	Heartland Lutheran HS

STAFF

Patrick Daberkow, Head Coach (3rd Year)

Corby Osten, Defensive Coordinator

Reggie Corbin, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks

Wes Coomes, Special Teams Coordinator / JV Head Coach

Ron Jackson, Graduate Assistant (Defensive Line)

Grady Koch, Graduate Assistant (Offensive Line)

Von Thomas, Running Backs

Tanner Farmer, Offensive Assistant

Courtney Meyer, Kickers / Punters / Long Snappers

D'Mauria Martin, Defensive Assistant

Karl Miller, Defensive Backs

Chris Shipley, Linebackers

James Danhauer, Offensive Assistant

Todd Berner, Director of Strength and Conditoning

Eric Lundberg, Athletic Trainer

Riley Freeland, Student Coach

Signing Day update: Bulldogs mine near and far for 2019 class

February 6

SEWARD, Neb. – Head coach Patrick Daberkow and the Concordia University football staff stepped out into the backyard to land local talent at places like Centennial and Seward High Schools while also crisscrossing the nation in the process of putting together the 2019 recruiting class. As of National Signing Day (Feb. 6), the Bulldogs have secured pledges from 35 current high school seniors and one transfer. Nine of the future Bulldogs hail from the state of Nebraska.

The class is not yet complete, but much of the “hay is in the barn,” as Daberkow put it. The coaching staff has emphasized upgrading the program’s overall physicality in terms of height and size.

“It’s important to acknowledge that we don’t know exactly how good this class is going to be until a couple years down the road,” Daberkow said. “The rubber meets the road during training sessions, in the weight room and on the practice field. What we tried to do with this class was bring in guys who love to compete, are tough, are going to be good teammates and love to win. We think we’ve found that in this class. We’ll really find out over the next couple of years.”

Daberkow and company have also pulled eight recruits out of Texas, five from Kansas, three apiece from Colorado and Missouri and one each from the states of Arizona, California, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, New Jersey, New York and New Mexico. The list of Nebraska natives includes local standouts such as York’s AJ Beins and Wyatt Cast, Seward’s Carson Core and Centennial’s Wyatt Ehlers.

Core and Ehlers put up impressive numbers as high school seniors. Core caught 42 passes for 436 yards and seven touchdowns for a Bluejay team that reached the quarterfinals in Class B. As the signal caller for the Class C-2 state championship team, Ehlers threw for 2,440 yards and 33 touchdowns and ran for 931 yards and eight touchdowns.

“As good of athletes as they are, they’re equally good young men,” Daberkow said of the local talent. “They’re going to represent our program and university in the best way possible. Wyatt is an extremely good leader. So is Carson. They both have had a lot of success in high school in multiple sports. They come from great families. We have a lot of great local kids coming in. We’re really pleased with the amount of local guys we’ve been able to recruit here the last couple years.”

While Core and Ehlers have the potential to impact the skill position groups, the Bulldogs also want to improve at the line of scrimmage. One name to watch for up front is Conrad Christ, a native of Boonton, N.J. Christ is listed at 6-foot-3, 265 pounds.

Daberkow has emphasized that it will take work in the weight room in order for the program to make strides offensively. Says Daberkow, “We have some good size coming in with this offensive line class. Throughout the list of commits we have guys who are a little taller than what we have had in the past. Height is only a small part of it though. We’re getting bigger in the weight room with our current roster. I’m equally as excited about that.”

Daberkow and his staff have tweaked things here and there as far as how they go about the recruiting process. Large on-campus visit days are a big part of the equation and interactions and connections made through social are dynamics that are here to stay. Recruiting also requires logging hours on the road, but Daberkow is making sure the time away is being managed so that the current players get the attention they need from coaches.

“Our staff highlighted our need to spend more time with our players,” Daberkow said. “We spent more time with our players after the season ended to push them in the weight room. We’ve put more time into that than being on the road recruiting. Getting to know kids earlier in the recruiting process is becoming more and more important so we’re trying to recruit heavier in the spring. That allows us to be there more with our guys after the season ends. The weight room is going to be the reason we take the next step as a program.”

Recruiting for the 2019 class – and beyond – will continue into the summer for Daberkow and his staff. The full-time staff includes defensive coordinator Corby Osten, pass game coordinator Reggie Corbin and special teams coach and recruiting coordinator Wes Coomes.

The Bulldogs will begin the spring practice season on Wednesday, March 13. They will wrap it up on April 12 when the public scrimmage will take place at 7 p.m. inside Bulldog Stadium.

Class of 2019 Recruits

Physical progress evident during spring ball

April 18

The spring season presented the Concordia University football team 13 practice opportunities to get better. What head coach Patrick Daberkow really wanted to see was how offseason training since November would carry over to actual football performance. For those who got a first-hand look at the team’s open-to-the-public intra-squad on April 12, they may have observed improved physicality in the trenches.

Because of the youth of the 2018 squad, this spring was especially important for a football program that has come to expect more from itself.

“I wouldn’t say it surprised me, but it was good to see the progress from the weight room translate to the football field,” Daberkow said. “We made a lot of progress from November to March. That was the most encouraging takeaway. We saw a lot of development from guys who were freshmen last year that were thrown into the fire. Seeing how they came along was huge. Our offensive line group in general improved to a man. That’s probably the most important group to have jell as a collective unit. I was very happy with spring ball. We did not have any major injuries so it was a positive spring.”

Spring storylines included the growth of a youthful offensive line, admiration of a talented and veteran linebacker crew, simplification of the offensive playbook, another quarterback battle and the return from injury of a bevy of key figures who were sidelined for much of 2018. In the minds of Daberkow and his squad, the 2018 season occurred eons ago. In so many ways, the 2019 Bulldogs will be a completely different team.

To be honest, Daberkow would rather not even talk about this past season. Lessons were learned. Concordia moved past it this spring.

“That can only motivate you for so long before you need to rip off the rearview mirror on that one,” Daberkow said. “We didn’t talk about it at all this spring. We just focused on what we need to do. If we focus on what happened in the past – I think you’re looking at it the wrong way. We’re very confident that we’re a much better football team than we were a year ago. We’re excited to go against some other jerseys and prove it.”

Okay, no more talk about what happened in 2018 (at least on our end). At least on paper, the most experienced and loaded position group is at linebacker. All of the big names are back for a unit that ended the year by stifling Doane in the second half of the season finale. Riley Bilstein and Zac Walter man the outside positions while Derek Tachovsky and Lane Napier are the inside backers in a 3-4 scheme.

You’ve heard the name Napier. It echoes throughout Bulldog Stadium and is uttered frequently over the 104.9 Max Country airwaves on fall Saturdays. The All-American from nearby David City still has two years left to run amok in opposing backfields. He’s the ringleader for a star-studded group. Daberkow isn’t ready to play the role of conductor on any personal hype train (believe us, we asked him), but he has high praise for his linebackers after getting another chance to watch them this spring.

“This is the best group of linebackers we’ve had in my time here, top to bottom,” said Daberkow, whose scope of Concordia football dates back to his freshman year as a player in 2003. “It’s to the point where we are trying to find ways to use our backups because they are so skilled. We feel really good about our linebacker core. It’s a deep group and they work hard. They’re a lunch pail crew.”

Daberkow certainly expects his team to move up from its No. 60 ranking last season in total defense. Up front, playmaking end Aaron Rudloff returns and former baseball standout Kaleb Geiger expects to be in the mix after sitting out all of last season. On the back end, Indiana State University transfer Johnny Johnson should help solidify the pass defense. Said Daberkow, “Our defensive backs performed really well in the spring game.”

Shifting over to the offensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs have worked on simplifying things. Now in his second season as a full-time assistant, alum Reggie Corbin will have the opportunity to put more of his fingerprints on an offense has to be able to produce more scoring than it did a year ago. Concordia knows it has a big-time playmaker in running back Ryan Durdon and blossoming receiving threats in the likes of Art Anderson, Brady Fitzke, Logan Kreizel, Korrell Koehlmoos and others. Now the Bulldogs have to continue to bring along an offensive line that was heavy on true freshmen this past fall.

“When it comes to moving bodies, I feel like we’re better on both sides of the ball,” Daberkow said. “We’re much better at being able to move bodies in the trenches. We lacked some strength in the fall and I think we gained a lot. We still have more that we want to gain. I think we’re in a much better position than we were in the fall.”

The offense should also get a jolt from players like Fitzke, Kreizel and running back Jonah Weyand, who each spent plenty of time on the sidelines last year. Weyand will add depth to a backfield that has relied almost exclusively upon the legs of Durdon, who has piled up 2,068 rushing yards on 450 carries over the past two seasons.

Plenty of time remains for development as Daberkow looks forward to having a large portion of his roster stick around Seward for the summer months. The third-year head coach is not too worried about how his team will attack the offseason. As Fitzke has said, “If we’re trying to change a program, we don’t have a lot of days to take off.”

This is a program that finished in the NAIA top 25 as recently as 2016 and then went 6-4 in 2017. There is reason to believe 2018 may have just been a blip on the radar.

Says Daberkow, “Our players are going to do what they’re asked to do because they’re tough kids and they love football. It’s not a matter of what they’re willing to do. For a lot of guys, we have to tell them it’s time to shut it down and get some rest. They’re more than willing to put the work in. They’ve demonstrated that this offseason. It’s a fun position to be in as a coach. A lot of what we do in the fall is about assimilating the freshmen into the locker room.”

In memoriam: Gene Oetting

June 1

Gene Oetting Obituary

AUDIO: Gene Oetting describes what made Concordia special to him.

Eugene M. “Gene” Oetting passed away on May 29, 2019, in Seward at the age of 87. Gene spent 58 years of his life as either a student or faculty member at Concordia. He first arrived in Seward in 1946 to attend Concordia High School. A native of Emma, Mo., Gene had never played football before journeying to Concordia but went on to become one of the top players in program history. After his collegiate career, Gene entered into a teaching vocation and left a lasting impact upon countless people. He retired from his position as Dean of Education at Concordia in 1997. Afterwards, Gene continued to be a fixture on campus and at many Bulldog sporting events. The legacy of the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame and Nebraska Football Hall of Fame member lives on.

The following passage is an excerpt from the book Cultivating Men of Faith and Character: The History of Concordia Nebraska Football.

Gene Oetting: “Concordia has been – I don’t think I’m stretching it to say – more than just a part of my life. It’s been a consuming thing.”

-------------------

The eldest brother, Gene, is to thank for beginning the Oetting pipeline to Concordia. The second Oetting brother in line, Larry, called Gene a “hero” of his. As did many others like Vic Peter and John Suhr. Gene had never actually seen a football game until making his way to Concordia High School, but the other Oetting boys began to learn of the game of football in the small town of Emma, Missouri, in which they grew up. Located 60 miles east of Kansas City, Emma had a population of about 200 people. When questioned by a Los Angeles reporter during Rams training camp, Bob remarked that Emma was “halfway between Sweet Springs and Concordia – right off of Blackwater Creek.” The response drew laughs. Of course no one from LA knew of the small Missouri towns.

Halfway between Sweet Springs and Concordia, placed on the edge of town, is where Norbert and Lydia Oetting raised six children, including five that would find their way to Seward for both high school and college. Norbert worked maintenance at a local grain elevator. He settled in Missouri after having also lived in Nebraska as a railroad worker. He had previously made extra money by competing in weekend wrestling tournaments in Omaha. He was big and he was strong. Back on the residence, the Oettings often housed cattle, chickens and pigs, though on a small scale. They never had more than five cows at a time, but it was enough for a creamery that would produce butter and cheese. Each of the Oetting children fulfilled their chores and went to church. They tended to the large family garden and mowed lawns for neighbors. There wasn’t a choice. But there was time for fun. The youngest brother, Dennis, joked that Larry and Bob got their powerful arms from “throwing dirt clouds at me.” The boys also loved playing sports. They played fast-pitch softball in the fall and spring and baseball in the summer.

But the origins of the football talent that characterized the Oetting brothers is a somewhat of a mystery. Their father, who dropped out of school in the eighth grade to support the family, wrestled and played baseball. Their mother stopped going to school early on in high school for similar reasons. Larry believes this made his parents more apt to emphasize the value of getting an education. They supported the athletic ventures of their six children, but rarely attended games because of work demands. Gene could recall just one instance in which his family saw him play during his football career at Concordia. As the eldest brother, Gene had to figure out football on his own. “I didn’t know how to put on the equipment,” Gene recalled. “I was as green as grass, but I was big. I weighed 190 pounds as a (high school) freshman and I was probably too dumb to be scared. I think I was the biggest guy on the team as a freshman.”

The distance from home also made attending Gene’s games problematic. Back then, the drive on two-lane highways could take roughly 10 hours. The Oettings typically did not drift too far from Emma, but Gene changed the game when he settled on Concordia, his landing spot for both high school and college. His mother struggled to understand why her eldest son desired to leave the home at the tender age of 14, but Gene became almost mesmerized by the wonders of Concordia, as told to him by an elementary teacher he had in Emma. Gene had also decided early on that he wanted to be a teacher and that he wanted to discover what the game of football was all about. The Oettings all had a physicality about them that translated perfectly to the gridiron. As children they played a game called the fox and the hound. It was the hound’s objective to literally tackle the foxes. It didn’t matter how old you were, you were going to get leveled to the ground.

His parents gave the okay, but Gene would have to pay his own way to go to Concordia. He went to work cutting grass, working construction and doing any odd job he could find to save up money starting at the age of 10. Gene arrived at Concordia High School in 1946 and wrote a check out for $250. It was enough to cover the entire cost – room and board, tuition and all. There were no scholarships for football, no matter how skilled an athlete was. It was clear from the beginning, Gene had talent and then head coach Herb Meyer would be a major beneficiary. Gene also did more than just play football. He threw the shot put, javelin and the discus for the track and field team.

Gene proved to be a quick study in regards to the game of football. He attracted attention as an all-state performer at Concordia High School in six-man football. He first lettered in football as a sophomore at Concordia High and soon became a starter and earned a strong reputation for his work as a lineman. In 1949, the Omaha World-Herald’s Gregg McBride wrote, “Gene Oetting of Concordia was the best lineman in 1949 Husker six-man ball. He carried his 200 pounds with surprising ease, was a bearcat on defense, a tireless player and a power on offense.”

In Emma, Gene, like his brothers, had played fast-pitch softball, but there just wasn’t much infrastructure for a whole lot else. Gene saw only one basketball game before moving to Seward. TV did not reach the Oettings until about 1950. There was no ESPN. It didn’t stop Gene from becoming one of the greatest football players in Concordia’s history. Plus, few conversations about Gene’s playing career fail to bring up his tremendous leadership skills. Former teammate Gary Seevers effusively praised this trait that Gene possessed. During one game, an opposing player purposely tried to twist Seevers’ ankle. Gene saw what happened and took immediate action. He approached a senior member of the opponent and told him, “You know that’s not the way we play. I don’t want to see anyone on your team ever do that again. You take care of it.” Those leadership skills translated well to Gene’s career as a teacher. He made a return to Seward in 1967 and taught classes at Concordia at the same time as Ron Harms roamed the sidelines as head coach. Gene’s first call sent him to Houston as an elementary teacher. His service also took him to Los Angeles in opening up opportunities he had never dreamed of. Gene went wherever he was assigned. No doubt he was most fond of Concordia, where he spent 58 years of his life as a student or faculty member.

Four Brothers. Four Concordia Athletic Hall of Famers. Said Gene, “I was overwhelmed and so thankful for it.” The bond they shared grew with adulthood and repeated Hall of Fame inductions. It was natural. Gene was separated by eight years from the next oldest brother, Larry. At the time of Gene’s marriage, Larry was 14, Bob 12, Dennis 10 and the youngest sister 3. The Hall of Fame inductions were another reminder of the special nature of the family. None have a bad word to offer in regards to each other. In an interview Bob relayed details about their head-to-head battles on the field. Bob had the chance to play at Concordia with both Larry and Dennis. Said Larry, “That was always a joy for us to have that opportunity.” Bob called each of his brothers an “inspiration” and continued, “Larry and Dennis were tremendous football players. I was faster but they were a lot bigger and stronger. We loved going against each other one-on-one. They were definitely a tremendous challenge, but it was a great learning experience going against them. We were all so competitive. We couldn’t wait to see which of us got the best. I think I got the worst of it. Thankfully after college I continued to get bigger and continued to grow.”

Q&A with Ryan Durdon

June 20

One of seven running backs in school history to rush for more than 2,000 career yards, Ryan Durdon is gearing up for his senior season for the Concordia University football team. We caught up with the dynamic back from Decatur, Texas, for a summer Q&A.

Q: There’s a little more downtime obviously in the summer. What are you doing to fill that time?

RD: A little work to make some money for the school year and just trying to get ready physically and mentally for the season. I’m trying to get more involved with the other players like if anyone has a question about any position on the field. I want them to be able to ask me and I can tell them.

Q: It wasn’t always easy last football season with the on-field results. What was the biggest lesson you learned from it?

RD: Always keep fighting. Never give up no matter what. Losing feels even worse when you know you didn’t give it your best. If you lose and you give it your all, you take it under the chin and move on to the next week.

Q: There were times where it looked like you didn’t have a ton of room to run. What makes you optimistic that things will be different this fall?

RD: (Coach) Grady Koch, really. He’s a big part of it. He’s been doing a really good job in the offseason with the o-linemen who have stayed over the summer. He’s making sure they’re getting in shape and doing stuff like lifting with them. He’s being a great coach just like he was a great player.

Q: Last year you grew in your ability to catch the ball out of the backfield and as a kick returner. What did it take for you to be become a more complete player?

RD: I think they trust me more. I actually returned kicks and played receiver before I ever played running back. Our coaches got creative. The year before we could call just about whatever play we wanted and we could get four-to-five yards usually. Last year was different. We struggled a little bit so we had to be more creative. I think Coach (Reggie) Corbin did a good job of spreading it out.

Q: What can you say about how things may have looked a little bit different in the spring with Coach Corbin taking greater control of the offense now?

RD: It was not too simple, but also not too complex. We learned the parts we needed to know for spring ball. The key is that no one is confused so that we can play fast. Everybody wanted to play fast, get better and prepare for next season and make sure it goes better than it did last year.

You have had over 220 carries in each of the last two seasons – more than 20 per game on average. How have you prepared for that kind of workload?

RD: It’s mentally mostly. Obviously there is an endurance and physical element to it, but most of it is mental. You just have to push through when you think you can’t go anymore. Go a little farther.

Q: Coach Daberkow says you are up there with the best running backs to play at Concordia. What does that mean to hear that from your head coach?

RD: He’s been here for a long time and he’s seen a lot of running backs. Really I’m just honored that I have this opportunity. I’m glad that Coach Daberkow had the idea for me to switch positions. Really just grateful for the opportunity I’ve had.

Q: The record was 3-7 in 2018. What do you sense in regards to the level of confidence inside the locker room?

RD: It’s in the past, not even thinking about last year. All it does is drive us to get better. That drive is what gives us confidence that we can succeed.

Q: If there is something you personally would like to be better at in 2019, what would it be?

RD: More vocal. I want to be a more vocal leader. My nature is to be quiet and observe. I noticed last year that I can’t do that. If I don’t say anything a lot of the young guys won’t know what is expected of them. That’s unacceptable.

Q: Taking a look back, what was the most memorable sports moment for you during high school?

RD: Probably losing in the playoffs both years. The good memories were just the whole thing. I just like playing football so I enjoyed it all.

Q: Why have you continued to stick with the long hair look?

RD: I’ve put a lot of work into it. I went back and forth trying to decide whether I want to cut it or whether I want to grow it out. I started it my senior year of high school. I just did it because after college you can’t really have long hair. I figured this would be my last chance to grow it out. Over the last year or so I’d say I’ve gone back and forth on whether to leave it alone or get it cut. Every time I think I’m going to get it cut – ‘nah, I’ll just wait.’ I haven’t brought myself to do it yet. It’s a part of me.

Q: What is the one thing you admire most about Coach Daberkow?

RD: His competitiveness. He wants to win worse than any of us. I believe that. It’s inspiring.

Q: Who is a player that you looked up to early in your career that has perhaps helped you get to the level you are at?

RD: A lot of them – Vince (Beasley), Jared Garcia, Trey Barnes, Tarence Roby and DA (D’Mauria Martin). When I played receiver I had to go one-on-one against them (Roby and Martin). Going against them you really figure out what you have to fix, because they’ll expose you. Jared was always giving me advice. Vince was too. They were the position group leaders at the time. When I switched to running back it was TJ (Austin) and Trey Barnes.

Q: Did you ever beat Roby or Martin deep in practice?

RD: (Laughs) … I don’t remember. I may have caught a couple on them.

Q: What would you say is the biggest difference between you as a student-athlete freshman year compared to now going into your senior year?

RD: Longer hair … It’s kind of the same with everyone. I’m just more mature. You grow up a little bit and you learn to appreciate the people here.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about living in Nebraska?

RD: The people. There are a lot of good guys here. The guys on the football team were a big reason why I chose to come here. When I came on my recruiting visit everyone just seemed to interact really well. No one seemed to get cast out. It was like a brotherhood. I really enjoyed that.

Q: A lot of people around here seem to have a favorite place to eat in Lincoln. Do you have a go-to like a Raising Cane’s or anything like that?

RD: I have a few – Freddy’s, Raising Cane’s, Honest Abe’s and D’Leon’s.

Q: If everything goes exactly as you dream it, you will be doing what five years from now?

RD: I really don’t know. I couldn’t tell you. I’m pretty focused on this football season. Obviously I’ll be graduating, getting a job and working. Hopefully I’ll be happy.

Alum Garrett still winning big, changing lives at Crenshaw

June 27

Seven years after his 1981 graduation from Concordia, Robert Garrett got his first shot at being a varsity head football coach. Administrators at Crenshaw High School in Los Angeles had struggled to find anyone willing to lead a program with a deteriorating reputation caused by underwhelming on-field results. There were also problematic dynamics in surrounding neighborhoods that may have scared off potential candidates.

At the time, Garrett was coaching the Crenshaw ‘B’ team, similar to a junior varsity. Out of college, Garrett had taught and coached at his high school alma mater in LA, Thomas Jefferson, and nearby Locke High School. The Crenshaw opening hardly appeared as a dream job in 1988, but Garrett agreed to take it on.

“They couldn’t find anyone to give this job to,” Garrett said. “They opened it up and I didn’t even apply for it. Crenshaw was oh-for its last varsity season. They were in the cellar of the city. The principal at the time felt like I was too young. A week before school ended, the players went as a committee to the principal and said, ‘Allow Coach Garrett to do it. He’s been coaching the ‘B’ team.’ They called me in and asked if I would mind taking over the program until they find a coach. Of course I said yes.”

Thirty-one years after being tagged as the interim football coach, Garrett has become a mainstay at Crenshaw. The former three-year letter winner at Concordia jokes that he still has yet to be told that he’s the permanent coach. However, no longer does anyone doubt his ability to lead the program. Garrett has been the head coach for all six Crenshaw state football championships and was named the 2017 Don Shula NFL High School Head Coach of the Year.

Even before earning the prestigious award from the NFL in 2017, Garrett had been the subject of newspaper articles, such as an extended feature that appeared in the Los Angeles Times in 2010. The story detailed some of the ways in which Garrett turned around the Crenshaw football program, but also painted him as a somewhat controversial figure. Garrett admits that he’s tough on his players. However, many of his former players, some currently in the NFL, have deeply appreciated Garrett’s guidance.

Through the success, the accolades and his outgoing style, Garrett has become well-known in Los Angeles, a place that he has called home for most of his life. At a young age, Garrett moved with his mother and siblings to LA. The area where Crenshaw is located was referred to by The Wall Street Journal as the “gritty, gang-infested Los Angeles district best known as South Central.”

What few probably realize is why exactly Garrett wound up in Seward, Nebraska. Recalls Garrett, “I really wasn’t trying to go to Nebraska. I didn’t know much about Nebraska.”

But no school persisted in its recruitment of Garrett quite like Concordia did. An assistant coach under Larry Oetting at the time, Roger Meyer played the lead role in convincing Garrett, a 5-foot-9 pulling offensive guard, to become a Bulldog. Meyer had ties to southern California.

“I played decent ball over at my high school,” Garrett said. “Notes kept coming from Concordia, Concordia, Concordia. I didn’t give it too much thought. I had called and spoke with Coach Roger and Coach Oetting and told them I was looking for a place to play. I wasn’t that big of a kid so I didn’t get recruited by a D-I school or anything of that nature. They kept writing and I kept responding.”

As much as Roger called and wrote, Garrett was trying to “put off” going to Concordia. But that little school in Seward kept making it difficult for Garrett to say no. Finally, he agreed to make his way to Nebraska after a ride was arranged through another Concordia student headed back to Seward from Orange County. The family had one seat available in the car. Garrett simply had to pay $35 in gas money and be willing to take turns driving. Says Garrett, “Why not? That’s the story of how I got to Concordia.”

Garrett had missed the fall semester of 1977, but he arrived in time to enroll for the spring. The start of the ‘spring’ semester rarely feels like spring in this part of the country. Garrett realized he was in for an entirely new experience. The weather, the people, the culture, the environment – it was a 180-degree turn from what he knew as a child.

“Let’s be real frank about it, it was a true culture shock,” Garrett said. “Because I grew up in inner city Los Angeles. The only white people I knew were teachers, police and people like that. I was familiar with white people, but I wasn’t familiar with their culture or living with them or hanging out with them. All the stereotypes I heard about people I came to find out they are not so. You have to live and learn for yourself before you jump to conclusions. It helped me with my growth and development.”

Garrett says he felt a sense of belonging in his freshman dorm, Philip Hall. He then moved from Timothy to Ruth to Jesse during his years at Concordia. Everyone at that time wanted to be in Jesse Hall, which provided the most spacious rooms on campus. In addition to playing football for three years, Garrett had a work study job that allowed him to keep “$5 or $10” in his pocket at a time.

Sure there were moments when Garrett returned to Los Angeles for school breaks and thought of never coming back to Concordia. Then he would see things that made him refocus on his goal of becoming a football coach. In order to do that, he needed to be able to teach. In order to teach, he needed a degree.

“Every break that I got I was always saying, ‘I’m not coming back here,’” recalls Garrett. “‘I’m going somewhere else. I’m not coming back here.’ When I got back home, reality hit me in the face. The reality was you meet the same old people standing on the same corner doing the same old negative things, whether it’s drinking or smoking or whatever they would do. You really had nothing if you didn’t get a degree. It was imperative that I got a degree because I didn’t want to be the same old person in the same old neighborhood doing the same old thing.”

Playing football and going to class at Concordia broke up such monotony and steered Garrett away from a life of trouble on the streets. While forming bonds with fellow Bulldogs, Garrett typically avoided talking about his upbringing. Nonetheless, he felt accepted, saying, “The players were all a close-knit group regardless of color.”

In most LA-based stories written about Garrett, his days in Seward have become a footnote, overshadowed by the state titles, coaching awards and unmistakable charisma. But Concordia provided a foundation for growth. It was a place where he developed an appreciation for the changing of the seasons, even if he hated the cold weather. No one could have imagined that many years later, players Garrett coached would reach the NFL and then give credit back to their high school coach. (A handful of Crenshaw players have even ended up at Concordia).

Said former Kansas City Chiefs draft pick De’Anthony Thomas, “Coach Garrett is like a father figure to me. He let me know how to be a man and how to be accountable.”

In a celebration of Garrett winning the Don Shula award from the NFL, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn chimed in. Wrote Lynn, “Yes, he’s turned Crenshaw High into a powerhouse over the 30 or so years he’s been there, but more than the wins and the losses, it’s the number of lives he’s touched and the young men he’s mentored that matters most. That’s why he’s so deserving of this honor.”

Crenshaw Principal Lenalda Corley has been impressed by Garrett’s ability to instill the importance of academics within his athletes. Said Corley, “Many of these students are not only the top athletes in their school but are the top in academics as well. This is a testament to the leadership of Coach Garrett, who doesn’t get enough recognition for the hundreds of lives he has changed over the years.”

Garrett has never wavered in his philosophy on how to approach the players he coaches. He can be hard on them. Some in the community have even questioned his tactics at times (what coach hasn’t been questioned by parents or community members??). At the end of the day, Garrett cares about his players beyond football.

“The players were always here,” Garrett says of Crenshaw’s previously untapped football potential. “What the kids were missing was someone who really gave a hoot. I think the kids starved for guidance. I don’t think the kids mind hard work. There needed to be a notion that we could win. If the kids have a sense that you care for them, they will run through a brick wall – even today at the highest level. I was grateful I could give them that.”

It shocked Garrett himself when he learned that he had won the Don Shula Coach of the Year award in early 2018. Says Garrett, “I’m just your average guy trying to do God’s will.” That type of servant mind grew, at least in part, out of three-and-a-half years spent studying physical education and playing football at 800 North Columbia Avenue.

“I owe a great deal of gratitude to Concordia,” Garrett says. “It really helped me with my growth and development as a man as I am now. I knew the Lord prior to going there, but my faith became stronger as I continued to grow there.”

Napier named to 2019 Preseason Starting Lineup by CFAY

July 15

SEWARD, Neb. – Fresh off one of the top seasons ever by a Concordia University football defensive player, junior linebacker Lane Napier has been named to the 2019 NAIA Preseason Starting Lineup by College Football America Yearbook (CFAY). The exclusive team includes only three linebackers from the entire NAIA. Nineteen programs had one or more selections on the squad (complete list at bottom).

Napier raked in a bevy of major awards in 2018 after leading all NAIA players with 142 tackles last fall. He also added 12.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and three pass breakups from his inside backer spot. As a result, the native of David City, Neb., reeled in Associated Press NAIA First Team All-America, Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska Defensive Honorary Captain, NAIA Honorable Mention All-America (American Football Coaches Association) and First Team All-GPAC accolades. Napier has collected first team all-conference honors in each of his first two collegiate seasons.

Napier headlines a linebacker group that will return all four starters, including Riley Bilstein, Derek Tachovsky and Zac Walter. That unit will lead head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad into a 2019 season set to officially kick off Sept. 7 inside Bulldog Stadium versus Doane.

2019 College Football America NAIA Starting Lineup

Offense
QB – TYSON KOOIMA, Northwestern (Iowa)
RB – BRODIE FREDERIKSEN, Dakota State (S.D.)
RB – DEMARCO PREWITT, Kansas Wesleyan
WR – SHANE SOLBERG, Northwestern (Iowa)
WR – HAROLD DAVIS, Saint Xavier (Ill.)
TE – CHARLIE SIMMONS, Kansas Wesleyan
OL – DUSTIN RIVERA, Southwestern (Kan.)
OL – TRE CONEY, Reinhardt (Ga.)
OL – ELI SMITH, Kansas Wesleyan
OL – DONOVAN CORLEW, Concordia (Mich.)
OL – MATTHEW CASTNER, Cumberlands (Ky.)

Defense
DL – JT GRAYDON, Reinhardt (Ga.)
DL – SHAQ BRADFORD, Kansas Wesleyan
DL – ETHAN SKARMAS, Lyon (Ark.)
DL – JEREMY JOHNSON, Bethel (Tenn.)
LB – JASON FERRIS, Montana Western
LB – LANE NAPIER, Concordia (Neb.)
LB – DAMARCUS WIMBUSH, Bluefield (Va.)
DB – NICHOLAS HOLMES, Saint Mary (Kan.)
DB – ISAIAH MCFARLAND, Point (Ga.)
DB – GRIFFIN ZAJAC, Saint Ambrose (Iowa)
DB – NATHAN KABONGO, Dordt (Iowa)

Specialists
PK – IGNACIO GOMEZ, Lyon (Ark.)
P – DRAKE HIGGINS, Missouri Valley
AP – J’KOBI REDDICK, Bethel (Tenn.)
KR – EMETRIOUS SCOTT, Lyon (Ark.)
PR – SHAMAR MORELAND, Ottawa (Ariz.)

GPAC Media Day notebook: Concordia and league storylines

July 30

2019 Concordia Football Media Guide | PDF

SOUTH SIOUX CITY, Neb. – As head coach Patrick Daberkow would tell you, the Concordia University football program flipped the page on the 2018 season just as soon as it finished. It just feels more official that the 2019 season has arrived now that the GPAC’s annual football media day event is in the books. The 2019 media conference unfolded at Delta Hotels by Marriott in South Sioux City, Neb., on Tuesday (July 30).

Both the coaches and the media picked the Bulldogs to finish exactly where they did a year ago – eighth in a conference consisting of 10 teams. In other words, Concordia is being told to prove it or else spend another offseason answering questions about what went wrong.

“If you don’t look back and gather lessons that were learned during the season then you’re losing out,” Daberkow said. “We’re always trying to learn from our mistakes and find ways to do things better. We’ve done a lot of things different to expect different results. A lot of it is gaining experience and being patient with that process.”

Now the countdown is on until Saturday, Sept. 7 when the Bulldogs will open up a new season with a 6 p.m. CT home kickoff versus rival Doane. The count is at 39 days as of July 30.

Quarterback derby

The quarterback situation has been mired in a state of flux for several seasons now. Last fall Daberkow used three different starting quarterbacks with Jake Kemp and Andrew Perea handling the bulk of the snaps. Both signal callers are back in 2019, but Daberkow says the competition is wide open heading into fall camp. Junior Blake Culbert and Lindenwood University Belleville transfer Christian Rawlinson have gotten a cup of coffee at the NAIA level. Culbert started a game last season and Rawlinson completed 9-of-12 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown in 2018. The class of incoming freshmen quarterbacks includes Wyatt Ehlers, who led Centennial Public School to a Nebraska state championship as a senior.

Said Daberkow in a side interview, “We believe in competition so we’re bringing in competition. We expect our quarterback play to be much improved from last year. It’s always just on the quarterback. They get a lot of the heat when things go south. We have room to improve offensively. We definitely have confidence in Coach (Reggie) Corbin to get that squared away.”

Corbin takes keys to offense

Assistant Reggie Corbin will take control of the offensive play calling this season. He will be tasked with adapting the program’s multiple formation scheme to best fit whichever quarterback emerges as the starter. The staff believes it has potential playmakers at the receiver position and already knows it has a workhorse running back in Ryan Durdon. Daberkow has identified improvement along the offensive line as the team’s “most important need” heading into fall camp.

There are plenty of variables in place for an offense that averaged only 15.4 points per game last fall. That number is likely to trend upward with a more experienced overall unit. Daberkow has confidence that Corbin’s influence will also lead to more productivity. Concordia hit teams with plenty of gadget plays in 2018. The hope is there will be less need for that in 2019.

“Reggie’s going to do a great job with the offense,” Daberkow said. “I’m really excited to see what he does and to work with him as far as what we want this program to look like offensively, how to put points on the board and how to work with the special teams and the defense. Not every offensive coordinator does that. That’s one thing that I love about Coach Corbin and our offensive staff. They work really well with our defensive staff so that we can win games as a unit.”

Durdon’s last hurrah

One key to offensive success will be getting senior running back Ryan Durdon loose in space – which was something he did not have enough of in 2018. Durdon’s average yards per rush went from 5.5 as a sophomore to 3.7 as a junior. Even so, he showed the same game breaking ability by piling up 1,439 all-purpose yards. With 2,068 career rushing yards, Durdon stands a strong chance of becoming the fourth player in program history to crack 3,000 for a career.

High praise for the backers

When mentioning personnel, Daberkow first pointed to the linebackers. That really should come as no surprise considering the level of production and experience returning this fall. A junior and an All-American who led the NAIA in tackles last season, Lane Napier is actually the youngest of the group. Napier is joined by seniors Riley Bilstein, Derek Tachovsky and Zac Walter in the projected starting unit. It’s fair to say they all know each other well.

“It helps a lot,” Walter says. “Three of us have been playing together since JV ball our freshman year. We room together, we have a house together. That chemistry is unbreakable and it shows on the field. You know that you do your job, the guy behind has his job and it’s just going to get done. We really rely heavily on each other.”

Said Daberkow, “We’re expecting a lot of production out of our linebacker group.”

Don’t forget about Geiger

A four-year member of the baseball team, Kaleb Geiger was all set to try his hand at college football last season before a preseason camp injury forced him to miss the entire 2018 campaign. Geiger is determined to give football a shot. He’s back for one year of eligibility. Geiger’s exceptional strength and power could make him a tough assignment in the middle of the Bulldog defensive front. Daberkow referred to Geiger as a “Bull in a China shop.”

Added Daberkow, “He’s got incredible strength, an incredible work ethic and his care factor is through the roof. He’s always going to be an effort guy and he’s a great leader. He’s a grown man.”

Walter on opening up at night vs. Doane

Zac Walter: “We’re very excited. Us group of seniors haven’t had a home night game since we’ve been here. We’re stoked, especially since it’s Doane. Anyone who is a Concordia fan knows what that game means to us. Having it be the first game on our turf under the lights is something special. We really look forward to being prepared for that.”

In the polls

Concordia showed up at No. 8 in both the GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll and the GPAC Media Poll. You could ask him, but Daberkow really won’t have much to say about these polls. Instead here’s this …

“I felt like last year we got the right people on the bus but now we have the right people in the right seats,” Daberkow said. “We learned a lot from our campaign in 2018.”

Check out full GPAC preseason polls HERE.

Massey Ratings NAIA preseason rundown

Massey Ratings is one of the few (perhaps the only) sources that ranks all of the NAIA football teams in the preseason. Massey has the following preseason national ratings for each of the GPAC teams:

1. Morningside
12. Northwestern
18. Dordt
25. Doane
27. Midland
34. Briar Cliff
37. Hastings
45. Concordia
48. Dakota Wesleyan
57. Jamestown

Buzz around the GPAC

Head coach Chris Bessler of Doane, Concordia’s first opponent, expects his 2019 squad to be a “little bit bigger, little bit faster” as compared to a year ago. The Tigers said goodbye to starting quarterback Jack Kalina but had two transfer signal callers who were in for the spring in what is an open competition. Bessler says there is no leader after 12 spring practices. Drake Davidson has most college experience. Bessler believes his team is close to being back to where the program has been in recent years.

Northwestern returns nine starters on offense and six on defense with all specialists back. “Our depth is the best we’ve had over the years,” says head coach Matt McCarty, who has a more veteran team than the previous two campaigns. Stars in quarterback Tyson Kooima and receiver Shane Solberg could rise to top of program all-time lists early in the season. Kooima has a “Brett Favre attitude where he feels like he can make every throw,” according to McCarty.

Jamestown will be led by alum Brian Mistro, the 20th head coach in program history. The Jimmies return quarterback Joran Mann and a stable of four running backs that all saw significant experience last year. Mistro is a good friend of previous Jamestown head coach Josh Kittell. Mistro does not lack for enthusiasm. He’s stressing his players to “be passionate about being a Jimmie.”

The entire secondary has to be replaced and star running back Tahj Willingham has moved on, but Hastings head coach Tony Harper is elated to return an experienced quarterback in Isaiah Jackson. Said Harper, “We have to put our guys in better position to make plays” in regards to a question about getting out of the middle of the pack in the GPAC. This is the first time the Broncos are bringing back an experienced quarterback since 2012.

Head coach Joel Penner began his media address by joking about how his Dordt program has placed two spots higher than where it was picked in the GPAC preseason poll each of his three years in Sioux Center. Penner discussed the momentum building inside the entire athletic department. The Defenders are tasked with replacing quarterback Brock Lamle but return prolific receiver Levi Jungling. University of Iowa transfer Noah Clayberg is listed as a running back, but will see time at quarterback.

Head coach Ross Cimpl brought plenty of comedy to his speech. “Whoever schedules that, I’ll buy them lunch,” said Cimpl of his Dakota Wesleyan team getting to host Hastings several years in a row. Cimpl also made mention of Concordia coaches seemingly having so many children near the start of football season – “That’s a total Concordia thing.” Cimpl expects better of his program after an uncharacteristic 2-9 season in 2018.

“The biggest question for us is to establish the running game early in the season,” said Briar Cliff head coach Dennis Wagner. Two transfers are the leading candidates to fill the running back role. Wagner has found it easier to get a foot in the door of recruits with the help of increased success on the field. The biggest strengths of the team are the receivers on offense and the line on defense.

Head coach Jeff Jamrog calls him Midland group the “most athletic team that we’re going to put out there.” He believes the Warrior special teams will be a difference maker. The Warriors also could get a boost from new defensive coordinator Vance Winter, who spent eight years as Concordia head coach. Said Jamrog, “He’s an outstanding coach, but a better person … our players love playing for him.” Jamrog also had high praise for Daniel Jahn, an all-conference offensive lineman.

Morningside returns nine starters on defense, which will help lessen the blow of graduating two of the nation’s top offensive performers in quarterback Trent Solsma and receiver Connor Niles. Head coach Steve Ryan points out that two players who caught 60+ passes last season are back. So too is Arnijae Ponder, who rushed for 1,683 yards in 2018. However, the defense may be the better unit. Said Ryan, “We’re definitely going to count on our defense a little bit more this year.”

Season preview: 2019 Concordia football

August 1

Head coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-11, 3rd year)
2018 Record: 3-7 overall; 2-7 GPAC (T-8th)
Key Returners: WR Art Anderson; OL Cole Baumgartner; LB Riley Bilstein; RB Ryan Durdon; OL Keegan Hornung; DB Johnny Johnson; WR Korrell Koehlmoos; LB Lane Napier; DL Aaron Rudloff; LB Derek Tachovsky; LB Zac Walter.
Key Losses: WR Vince Beasley; LB Kordell Glause; OL Grady Koch; DL Parker Johnson.
2018 NAIA All-America: Lane Napier (AP first team; AFCA honorable mention).
2018 GPAC All-Conference: Lane Napier (first team); Ryan Durdon (second team); Kordell Glause (second team); Vince Beasley (honorable mention); Grady Koch (honorable mention); Derek Tachovsky (honorable mention); Zac Walter (honorable mention).

The Concordia football program is glad to have the 2018 season in the rearview mirror. Head coach Patrick Daberkow chuckles now about how many things that could have gone wrong, did go wrong. Some of the 2018 storylines centered upon a miniature senior class, a rash of key injuries, a quarterback carousel and a youthful roster that had to be thrown to the wolves. One of the byproducts was an offense that averaged 15.4 points per game.

The Bulldogs are moving on with a team that now has a much more experienced look to it. Seven starters return on both sides of the ball. Says Daberkow, “A lot can change. We anticipate that a lot will change from last year. For one, Coach (Reggie) Corbin has the keys to the car now. He and Coach (Grady) Koch have done a great job leading our offense through spring ball and I’m really excited about what they’re implementing on that side of the ball. We have an offensive group that believes in what we’re doing. We gained a lot of confidence from our offseason.”

The offense and the defense both have a major star to lean upon. Running back Ryan Durdon and linebacker Lane Napier are the current faces of the program. They help provide legitimacy to the hope inside the program that 2018 was simply a blip on the radar.

Offense

There’s no doubt that this area has to come a long way for the Bulldogs to rebound in 2019. Too often last fall, the offensive line broke down and the passing game sputtered. A combination of struggles led to star back Ryan Durdon seeing his average yards per carry fall from 5.5 in 2017 to 3.7 in 2018. Don’t let any number fool you, Durdon is one of the all-time best running backs in school history with the ability to hit the home run. He may even get a breather or two with the hopeful comeback of Jonah Weyand.

“He’s right up there,” Daberkow said of Durdon in comparison to the top backs he’s witnessed at Concordia. “(2019 Concordia Hall of Fame inductee) JaMaine Lewis is one of them. Alex Alvarez was a senior when I played as a freshman. We’ve had some really good backs over the years. I think when the dust settles, Ryan will be up there with the best.”

An obvious priority is for Daberkow and his staff to find stability at a quarterback position that has been somewhat of a revolving door in the days since Von Thomas graduated. Three different players started at least one game at quarterback last season and seven Bulldogs attempted a pass. The most prominent signal callers on the roster were Jake Kemp and Andrew Perea, who return in 2019. A starter may not be announced until game week approaches.

There is potential for the passing attack to make a jump simply because of the receiving talent. Rising up-and-comers in junior Art Anderson and sophomore Korrell Koehlmoos both caught at least 29 passes last season. Former Lincoln Lutheran standout Logan Kreizel and Seward High School product Brady Fitzke also possess plenty of ability. Kreizel and Fitzke will be returning from injuries suffered last season.

“We’ll have another battle at quarterback in fall camp. That position is wide open,” Daberkow said. “I think the skill positions are the strength of our offense. We expect that group to really perform well with guys like Art, Korrell, Lane (Castaneda), Garrett (Shardt) and Logan. There are a ton of guys who have already played some football who we expect to help us.”

One would need just about all 10 fingers to count everyone who started a game along the offensive line. If all goes according to plan, Concordia will have greater continuity up front. There are a lot of names that could be listed here. No one has a better nickname than Johnny “Pork Chop” Robinson, who took on the center role as a true freshman. Said Daberkow, “We have so much more returning experience at offensive line than we had a year ago. We have a really exciting group coming in. We’re making a lot of progress.”

As far as potential offensive tweaks, Durdon had this to say of Corbin’s scheme in the spring: “It was not too simple, but also not too complex. We learned the parts we needed to know for spring ball. The key is that no one is confused so that we can play fast. Everybody wanted to play fast, get better and prepare for next season and make sure it goes better than it did last year.”

Defense

You can’t talk about Concordia’s defense without first mentioning the linebackers. All of the starters in coordinator Corby Osten’s 3-4 unit are back, making for one of the most experienced linebacker crews in the nation. The headliner is junior Lane Napier, who led all NAIA players with 142 tackles and was named first team All-American by the Associated Press in 2018. Napier mans an inside backer spot next to senior Derek Tachovsky. Two more seniors align on the outside: Riley Bilstein and Zac Walter.

That group was at its best in the second half of the season finale when the Concordia defense held Doane to a grand total of 65 yards over the 30-minute stretch. Napier and another potentially nasty Bulldog D would love to extrapolate that kind of work out over a full slate. “We really feel like our linebacker group is one of the better ones out there,” Daberkow said. “We have guys who show up and work hard – no-nonsense group. They love physical football. Tough kids. We know what we have in a lot of those guys. There are guys sitting second on the depth chart that would have started for us almost every other year.”

In terms of the modern era, Napier’s prowess for finding the ball carrier is unprecedented among Bulldog defenders. His tackle count after just two seasons stands at 239. With two years to go, Napier is just 22 stops off of Michael Hedlund for the most tackles by a Concordia linebacker since the formation of the GPAC. A David City native, Napier would tell you that the tasks his linebacker teammates perform around him are just as important.

The continuity among the linebackers is another plus. “It helps a lot,” explained Walter. “Three of us have been playing together since JV ball our freshman year. We room together, we have a house together. That chemistry is unbreakable and it shows on the field. You know that you do your job, the guy behind you has his job and it’s just going to get done. We really rely heavily on each other.”

Not long ago a major strength with D’Mauria Martin and Tarence Roby roaming around, the defensive backfield is one of the bigger question marks on the team. It’s possible that the Bulldogs could end up filling the secondary with four new starters this fall. One particular name to watch is safety Johnny Johnson, a former signee of Indiana State University. Johnson missed almost all of 2018 due to injury. Every other spot appears up for grabs.

Up front, steady end Parker Johnson has graduated, but much of the two deep returns. The likes of Chase Hammons, Gary Nieuwkoop and Aaron Rudloff possess the most experience. Rudloff forced four fumbles last season. Kaleb Geiger, a former baseball standout, also could make an impact coming off an ACL tear last fall. Overall, there is room for improvement. Concordia would like to cut back on the 4.7 yards per carry it allowed in 2018.

“Our secondary is untested,” Daberkow said. “We have our most question marks at that position. To see the progress they made during the spring was encouraging. We’ve seen a lot of players step up as leaders. We need to keep Johnny Johnson healthy. We have moved wide receivers to safety. We’ve come a long way from a year ago.”

Special Teams

There was some good and some bad from a special teams perspective in 2018. For the most part, Concordia’s coverage units were stellar, with the exception of a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown surrendered in the season opener. Daberkow has no problem employing starters on special teams if that’s what it takes to maximize these units. The program has had success finding competent punters in recent years from its offensive/defensive two deep. If the workload is deemed manageable, Ryan Durdon can star as one of the nation’s best kick returners (averaged 33.7 yards on 11 returns last season).

Answers will be sought at kicker. The Bulldogs did not convert a successful field goal until the final game of 2018. They attempted only three field goals all season and went 15-for-19 on PAT attempts.

Overview

There’s obvious talent on the roster, but many key positions will be held down by players without track records. After finishing 3-7, Concordia will have to prove itself to those who witnessed its offensive frustrations a year ago. Daberkow knew his team needed to gain experience and it needed to be bigger and stronger. Just how far have the Bulldogs come since November 2018? The answers won’t be known with certainty until a new season kicks off in September.

“I’ve been here 16 years. I’ve never been around an offseason like we’ve had,” Daberkow said. “Just because of the seriousness that our guys showed. That 2018 season was a learning year. We learned a ton and we have challenged our players like never before. This group has worked hard to get to where we’re at. I’m excited because we have some talented players.”

For some added flavor, Concordia will open 2019 (Sept. 7) against rival Doane, the team it played in the 2018 finale. Not only that, the game will be at night (6 p.m.) inside Bulldog Stadium. “Getting out in that first game is always a little nerve wracking for a coach, but we’re going to be well-prepared,” Daberkow said.

Morningside, Northwestern and Dordt enter the season as the top three teams in the GPAC preseason poll. The Bulldogs will have to elevate their game to reach that level. “It’s a tough conference,” Walter said. “We seniors have played those teams three years now and we know what to expect. One thing that’s really key for us is communicating to the younger guys – don’t go into these games scared or frightened. Don’t be intimidated. Just play ball.”

Offense progressing, Daberkow pleased with competitive fall camp

August 23

SEWARD, Neb. – Fall camp and two-a-days are in the books for the 2019 Concordia University football team. The program’s annual public fall intrasquad serves as a reminder each year that the official start of a new season is near. With the countdown until the Doane game at 15 days, the Bulldogs treated a large preseason audience to some football underneath the lights on Friday (Aug. 23).

Nope, head coach Patrick Daberkow isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback just yet, but the offense appears much more capable of rattling off explosive plays in both the pass and run games. Concordia is looking like a team out to prove it has come a long way since the 2018 season ended.

“You want to come out (of fall camp) completely unscathed. For the most part we had a pretty healthy fall camp,” Daberkow said on Friday. “It was great competition. This is about as good of competition as we’ve had in any fall camp that I’ve been a part of.”

There are rarely Earth shattering takeaways that come out of an intrasquad, but the Bulldogs are certainly more dangerous offensively than they were this time a year ago. A young offensive line flush with sophomores in the two deep is coming of age while a receiving corps spearheaded by the likes of Art Anderson, Korrell Koehlmoos and Logan Kreizel has the ability to get behind the defense. You already know about Ryan Durdon, who should have more help in the backfield from up-and-comers such as Jonah Weyand.

About that quarterback spot … the man who won that position out of 2018 fall camp is also looking like one of the favorites again in 2019. That would be Jake Kemp, who missed most of the back half of last season due to injury. Blake Culbert has made big strides and freshman Wyatt Ehlers may be the most adept at running the football from the quarterback position.

“I’ve seen progression. We’re getting better,” Daberkow said of the offense. “I think it’s evident. We have a lot of guys who are battling for positions and we have a lot of guys competing really hard. I think it’s bringing the best out of everybody.”

It all starts up front in the eyes of Daberkow and many football coaches. Among the most experienced blockers are juniors Cole Baumgartner and Keegan Hornung. Some of the growing pains endured last fall have made for a stronger unit in 2019.

“They’re coming along really well,” Daberkow said. “The beauty of it is we’re healthy enough right now that we don’t have to thrust anybody into a starting role as a freshman or anything like that. They’re able to provide us some depth and we’re able to work on some development things with them. Our group one offensive line is a group we’re trying to keep healthy. If we can keep them healthy they’re going to be pretty good this year. We’re excited about them.”

Daberkow would obviously be happy to see his defense make similar strides after ranking 60th nationally in total yards allowed in 2018. That number may be a bit misleading considering the lack of help that unit got from an offense that went three-and-out far too many times. The linebacker unit is stout, although one of the starters is currently sidelined. The defensive backfield is the main area of focus in terms of improvement. Transfer Johnny Johnson should supply a big lift at safety.

And how about that kicking game? Things are looking up in that area. A year ago Concordia did not connect on its first field goal until the very last game. In Friday’s scrimmage, the football was consistently splitting the uprights. Four kickers are battling for time: Daniel Cantu, Jorre Luther, AJ Sharp and Jordan Spilinek. Daberkow is liking what he’s seeing. The fans in the stands he invited to the turf to kick field goals are not in consideration for the job. That sideshow did usher in one of the night’s most memorable moments when a young Bulldog fan was hoisted onto the shoulders of a player.

Even with a new school year set to begin on Monday, the Bulldogs must wait until Sept. 7 to kick off the season versus Doane. For now, Concordia isn’t zeroing in on any particular opponent.

“I think the focus has to stay on us,” Daberkow said. “Doane will be here eventually and we’ll be ready for them. We’ll be ready for them because we’ll be working on us.”

Despite an extended preseason, it’s safe to say that spirits are high. As Anderson tweeted recently, “Our team chemistry on 100 right now.”

Rivals to meet under Bulldog Stadium lights

September 2

SEWARD, Neb. – For the first time since 2015, Bulldog Stadium will be the sight of a night football game. Concordia and Doane are set to meet under the lights for a 6 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday. It will mark the season opener for the Bulldogs and the first road test for the Tigers. The game has been declared Parents’ Day to honor the parents of Concordia football players. Doane is licking its wounds after enduring a 48-7 loss at the hands of Ottawa University (Ariz.) last week.

It’s the beginning of year three as head coach for Patrick Daberkow. When the ball is kicked off on Saturday, Concordia can officially put behind a 2018 season that saw it go 3-7. The Bulldogs are optimistic that better health and a more experienced offensive line will be a key to improvement in 2019. A defense led by All-American linebacker Lane Napier could have a new star in the back end with Johnny Johnson patrolling a safety position.

On the other sideline, Chris Bessler enters his second season as head coach at Doane. His 2018 squad went 6-4 while finishing the campaign with a 21-16 home victory over the Bulldogs. The Tigers have some issues to sort out after last week’s drubbing. They were outgained by Ottawa, 567-186, and committed three turnovers. Three different Doane quarterbacks attempted a pass as they try to replace last year’s starter, Jack Kalina.

GAME INFO
Concordia (0-0) at Doane (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 7 | 6 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics

*2018 national rank out of 90 NAIA football programs in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 15.2 (87th)
Defensive PPG: 27.1 (38th)
Total Offense: 277.9 (87th)
Pass Offense: 185.3 (62nd)
Rush Offense: 92.6 (84th)
Total Defense: 418.9 (60th)
Pass Defense: 234.5 (59th)
Rush Defense: 184.4 (61st)
Turnover +/-: +5 (T-22nd)

Doane
Offensive PPG: 26.5 (T-49th)
Defensive PPG: 21.7 (22nd)
Total Offense: 329.9 (66th)
Pass Offense: 217.7 (39th)
Rush Offense: 112.2 (78th)
Total Defense: 381.2 (43rd)
Pass Defense: 210.0 (34th)
Rush Defense: 171.2 (50th)
Turnover +/-: +12 (T-7th)

RETURNING INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

*2018 statistics

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-11, 3rd season)
Passing: Andrew Perea – 81/171 (.474), 1,100 yards, 5 td, 5 int, 105.2 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 223 rushes, 821 yards, 3.7 avg, 8 td; 19 catches, 247 yards, td
Receiving: Arthur Anderson – 40 catches, 336 yards, 8.4 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 142 tackles, 12.5 tfl, 4 sacks, ff, blocked PAT

Doane
Head Coach: Chris Bessler (6-4, 2nd season)
Passing: No returners attempted a pass last season for Doane
Rushing: Jamaine Derogene – 48 rushes, 201 yards, 4.2 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Josh Baker – 38 catches, 356 yards, 9.4 avg, 4 td
Defense: Garrett Fries – 46 tackles, 2 tfl

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-0)
9/7 vs. Doane, 6 p.m.
9/14 at Buena Vista, 6 p.m.
9/21 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Doane (0-1)
8/29 vs. Ottawa, L, 7-48
9/7 at Concordia, 6 p.m.
9/14 at Texas A&M Tarleton State, 6 p.m.
9/21 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Midland, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs did not receive any votes in the preseason national poll this preseason. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 61st ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

Doane received votes nationally at one point last season, but never did break into the top 25. In the GPAC preseason polls, both the coaches and media picked the Tigers sixth. In the NAIA national rankings formulated by Massey Ratings, Doane checks in at 46th.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Aug. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 61st

Doane
GPAC preseason: 6th (coaches); 6th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Aug. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 46th

Napier on the tackle
Yes, it’s true that All-American linebacker Lane Napier had a preseason mishap involving a swimming pool, as detailed in Sunday’s Lincoln Journal Star. As of now, Napier still hopes to play Saturday versus Doane and continue to pad his gaudy tackle stats. Already a two-time first team All-GPAC honoree, the junior from David City, Neb., has piled up 239 tackles, including 20.5 for loss, over his first 20 collegiate games. The 142 tackles Napier posted last season led all NAIA players and shattered the program’s previous GPAC era season high of 110 by 2019 Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Erik DeHaven. Napier also figures to fly by former All-American safety Sean Stewart (290 tackles) for the most career tackles of any GPAC era Bulldog.

100+ tackles, single season (GPAC era)
1. Lane Napier (2018) – 142
2. Erik DeHaven (2001) – 110
3. Michael Hedlund (2016) – 107
4. Michael Hedlund (2015) – 105
4. Josh Conrad (2000) – 105
6. Sean Stewart (2001) – 102
7. Troy Schlueter (2000) – 100

Durdon climbing the ladder
The hope is that a more seasoned offensive line will pave the way for larger running lanes this season for all-conference back Ryan Durdon. The senior from Decatur, Texas, has moved up to No. 6 on the program’s all-time rushing list (see below) and has a legit chance to become the fourth player in school history to eclipse 3,000 rushing yards. Durdon’s per carry average slipped from 5.5 as a sophomore to 3.7 as a junior while working with an offensive line that was a work-in-progress. Despite that, Durdon piled up 1,439 all-purpose yards (821 rushing, 371 kick returning and 247 receiving). The key is to find more opportunities for Durdon to get the ball in space, where he can terrorize opposing defenses. He has found the end zone 17 times as a Bulldog.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,068
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Emerging receiver group
The receiver group figures to be improved despite the graduation of 2018 top target Vincent Beasley. There’s still plenty of experience on board with Arthur Anderson (40 catches, 336 yards), Korrell Koehlmoos (29 catches, 376 yards) and Lane Castaneda all back in the fold. A star at Lincoln Lutheran High School, sophomore Logan Kreizel is an up-and-comer who provides a big target at 6-foot-4. Durdon is also a receiving threat out of the backfield. The question becomes – among those pass catchers, which includes the likes of Cayden Beran and Garrett Schardt, who becomes the No. 1 guy? Either way, there appears to be sufficient talent for the Bulldogs to increase their passing yardage per-game average of 185.3 from 2018.

Signal caller
We will all know for sure which quarterback has won the job on Saturday when the offense takes the field for the first time. At the moment, Daberkow expects more than one quarterback to get snaps. A junior from the same high school in Decatur, Texas, as Durdon, Jake Kemp seized the job out of preseason camp a year ago and has been impressive this preseason while under the tutelage of offensive coordinator Reggie Corbin. Just before suffering an injury that kept him from starting the final six games of 2018, Kemp seemed to be heating up. In the matchup at Dordt, Kemp completed 21-of-34 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns. The coaches also like the dimension that freshman Wyatt Ehlers can add to an offense with his ability as a dual threat quarterback. Returners Blake Culbert and Andrew Perea have also been in the running.

Kicking game
Concordia attempted to go for it on fourth down 39 times throughout the 2018 season. The Bulldogs expect to have the confidence to try more field goals this fall. Last season Concordia went just 1-for-3 on field goals with the only successful attempt coming in the season finale – a 26-yarder by Tate Janssen, who has graduated. Four kickers have battled for the placekicking duties: Daniel Cantu, Jorre Luther, AJ Sharp and Jordan Spilinek. At the team’s open intrasquad scrimmage, all four showed an ability to put the ball through the uprights. The freshman Spilinek may have the edge at this point.

Dogged D
Much has been made about an offense that needed to make leaps forward in obvious ways. Coordinator Corby Osten and his defense would also like to move up from 60th nationally in total yardage as it finished in 2018. The Bulldogs ended last fall by shutting down Doane’s offense in the second half of what finished as a 21-16 Tiger victory. There’s no doubt about a Concordia linebacker crew that ranks as one of the GPAC’s top units. The defensive line and secondary units will look a bit different. Now in his sixth year at Concordia, Kaleb Geiger is set to make an impact at defensive end. Geiger played four years as a member of the baseball team and had planned to play football in 2018. However, a torn ACL delayed his collegiate football debut. Geiger has always had the look of a football player and stands at 6-foot-2, 240 pounds. In the secondary, transfer Johnny Johnson is a potential star at safety. The Bulldogs have had some dominant defenses in recent years, such as the 2015 team that ended up No. 4 nationally in total defense (279.6).

Series vs. Doane
From Concordia’s perspective, this series has been all too one-sided. Doane entered the 2017 matchup having won 11-straight meetings with the Bulldogs. Concordia finally killed the streak by taking a 29-18 homecoming win over the Tigers in 2017. Doane actually led 13-0 after the opening quarter before the Bulldogs dominated the rest of the way. The Tigers got back into the win column in this matchup last year in a bitter cold contest in Crete to end the season. It was another instance in which the Concordia offense struggled to produce. Prior to the 2017 meeting, the Bulldogs had not beaten Doane since 2005. The Tigers own an all-time series lead of 41-20-3. The two sides matched up as early as 1925 and have played each other every year since 1958.

Scouting Doane
Doane struggled mightily in its season opener, but take it with a grain of salt. Daberkow believes Ottawa will soar up the national rankings as the season moves along. Like Concordia, the Tigers have had a quarterback battle that seems to be ongoing. Drake Davidson, Cameron Quick and Adam Wasserman each got a chance behind center last week. However, Doane did not have much success passing or running versus the Spirt. Doane has taken a bit of a step back as a program since qualifying for the NAIA playoffs in 2015 and 2016. Its record since then is 11-10. The majority of Tiger all-conference honorees from last season were seniors, but they do return second team All-GPAC defensive lineman Anthony Malone. After what happened last week, Doane will likely be hyped up to play Concordia in a night game.

Storm Lake to serve as site of first road test

September 9

SEWARD, Neb. – One team is looking to bounce back and another is hoping to ride the momentum it built last week when the football is kicked off on Saturday when the Concordia University football team faces its first road test of 2019. The Bulldogs will meet up with NCAA Division III Buena Vista University for a 6 p.m. CT start inside the Lamberti Recreation Center in Storm Lake, Iowa. The two sides also met at Bulldog Stadium in 2018.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad feels like it missed an opportunity last week in its 17-10 home loss to Doane. Concordia converted on only 1-of-5 red zone trips, had a costly turnover on a punt return and managed just 25 rushing yards. On a positive note, the passing game showed improvement with Jake Kemp at quarterback and the Bulldog defense smothered the Tiger offense for most of the evening. Now Concordia hopes things come together from game one to game two.

Meanwhile, Buena Vista thoroughly dominated its season opener, which resulted in a 51-7 victory over Hamline University in St. Paul, Minn., on Sept. 5. The Beavers, a member of the American Rivers Conference, outgained the Pipers, 552-32. Perhaps this is the year BVU makes a leap forward with Grant Mollring now in his third season as head coach. Mollring employs a capable offense highlighted by junior receiver Eric Pacheco.

GAME INFO
Concordia (0-1) at Buena Vista (1-0)
Saturday, Sept. 14 | 6 p.m.
Lamberti Recreation Center | Storm Lake, Iowa
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Live Stats: https://bvuathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses (ranking for BVU is among NCAA D-III teams)

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 10.0 (82nd out of 87)
Defensive PPG: 17.0 (T-22nd)
Total Offense: 296.0 (59th)
Pass Offense: 271.0 (20th)
Rush Offense: 25.0 (85th)
Total Defense: 282.0 (22nd)
Pass Defense: 227.0 (55th)
Rush Defense: 55.0 (7th)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-24th)

Buena Vista
Offensive PPG: 51.0 (T-16th out of 204)
Defensive PPG: 7.0 (T-22nd)
Total Offense: 552.0 (14th)
Pass Offense: 283.0 (55th)
Rush Offense: 269.0 (21st)
Total Defense: 32.0 (3rd)
Pass Defense: 33.0 (6th)
Rush Defense: -1.0 (4th)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-53rd)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-12, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 24/35 (.686), 262 yards, 1 td, 0 int, 140.9 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 15 rushes, 19 yards, 1.3 avg, 0 td; 3 catches, 13 yards
Receiving: Arthur Anderson – 9 catches, 100 yards, 11.1 avg, 0 td
Defense: Riley Bilstein – 13 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 1 sack

Buena Vista
Head Coach: Grant Mollring (5-16, 3rd season)
Passing: Reyes Lara III – 7/14 (.500), 161 yards, 2 td, 0 int, 193.7 effic.
Rushing: Stephen Grimm – 12 rushes, 81 yards, 6.8 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Eric Pacheco – 5 catches, 105 yards, 21.0 avg, 2 td
Defense: Tanner Frost – 4 tackles, 1.5 tfl’s, 1.5 sacks

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-1)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, 6 p.m.
9/21 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Buena Vista (1-0)
9/5 at Hamline, W, 51-7
9/14 vs. Concordia, 6 p.m.
9/21 vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
9/28 at Simpson, 1 p.m.
10/5 vs. Wartburg, 1 p.m.
10/12 at Coe, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. Central, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Loras, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Luther, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Dubuque, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs did not receive any votes in the preseason national poll this preseason. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 61st ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

Buena Vista is unranked at the NCAA Division III level, according to the D3football.com rankings. Currently, Massey Ratings has Buena Vista at No. 177 nationally out of 251 NCAA Division III squads. The Beavers were picked ninth in the America Rivers Conference preseason poll.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Aug. 5): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 61st

Buena Vista
ARC preseason: 9th
D3footballcom poll (Aug. 8): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 177th

Linebackers as good as advertised
There are always unknowns at the beginning of a new season, but the Bulldogs knew what they had in a veteran linebacker crew led by junior Lane Napier, a 2018 NAIA Associated Press First Team All-American. Napier had been questionable to play at the beginning of last week, but was cleared the day before the Doane game. All Napier did was pick up where he left off as a junior when he led the NAIA with 142 tackles. Linebackers Riley Bilstein (13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack), Napier (12 tackles, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles) and Derek Tachovsky (10 tackles, one tackle for loss) each recorded at least 10 tackles versus Doane. Napier forced two fumbles, both of which were recovered by Concordia.

There may not be a more experienced linebacker core in the country than the one that resides in Seward (see career totals below). All four starters have at least 20 games of college football experience. Together they have combined for 568 tackles, 59.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks and 13 pass breakups. The only thing Napier hasn’t done in his career is pick off a pass.

Career totals
Riley Bilstein – 70 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 3 pass breakups (21 games)
Lane Napier – 251 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups (21 games)
Derek Tachovsky – 128 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups (23 games)
Zac Walter – 119 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 2 interceptions (21 games)

Running game on the mend
It seems likely that Concordia will try to get the running game going this week. Against Doane, Ryan Durdon was stuffed (19 rushing yards on 15 carries). A more experienced offensive line is expected to make the run game significantly better after the Bulldogs averaged only 2.6 yards per carry in 2018. Buena Vista shut down Hamline’s running game last week (-1 yards on the ground), but surrendered averages of 229.2 rushing yards per game and 5.5 yards per carry last season. Concordia will get a look this week at just how much the Beaver run defense has improved. Up front, the projected starters for the Bulldogs are Michael Brewer at left tackle, Keegan Hornung at left guard, Johnny Robinson at center, Evrett Shaw at right guard and Cole Baumgartner at right tackle.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,087
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Anderson/Koehlmoos shine
The passing game was explosive at times last week with Jake Kemp often finding receivers Art Anderson and Korrell Koehlmoos. Both nearly broke 100 yards receiving. Anderson caught nine passes for 100 yards while Koehlmoos reeled in seven balls for 97 yards and a touchdown. A season ago, Anderson caught 40 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns while Koehlmoos caught 29 passes for 376 yards and two touchdowns. The receiver group lost its top producer from last year in Vincent Beasley (46 catches, 559 yards, three touchdowns), but is improved overall. Kemp and backup quarterback Wyatt Ehlers found six different receivers last week.

Kemp gets the nod
Jake Kemp won the battle and emerged from a group of nine quarterbacks on the 2019 roster. Kemp was especially impressive in the first half versus Doane when he completed 14-of-17 passes and fired a touchdown toss to Koehlmoos. Also from the same Decatur High School that Durdon graduated from, Kemp appeared to be finding a groove in the middle of last season before he suffered a hand injury that kept him out for virtually the entire second half of the season. Now having played in six career games, Kemp has completed 88 of 143 passes (.615) for 913 yards to go with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 6-to-2. Kemp has come a long way since he faced Buena Vista last year. His numbers in that game were 9-for-18 passing for 58 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

D-line surge
The entire front seven proved disruptive versus Doane. Senior defensive end Aaron Rudloff broke through for a pair of sacks and junior Payton Stevens also notched a sack. The defensive line has also gotten a boost from Kaleb Geiger, a former four-year member of the Concordia baseball program. In his college football debut last week, Geiger made three tackles and was credited with two quarterback hurries. The front seven as a whole registered 10 tackles for loss in the season opener. At nose guard, sophomore Gerald Morris has moved into a starting role. Chase Hammons and Gary Nieuwkoop also see regular reps on the defensive front.

Series vs. Buena Vista
The only meeting between these two programs occurred last season at Bulldog Stadium. As mentioned, Concordia rode Ryan Durdon and his 250 rushing yards and two touchdowns to a 27-20 victory. On the flip side, the Beavers rushed for only 21 yards. Buena Vista did manage to hurt Concordia through the air with 283 passing yards. The ground success the Bulldogs enjoyed last season allowed them to control the clock with possession time of more than 39 minutes.

Scouting Buena Vista
Previously the offensive coordinator at Hastings, Mollring is attempting to resuscitate a program that last produced a winning season in 2008 (7-3). While picked to finish ninth in the American Rivers Conference, Buena Vista began this season with an encouraging 51-7 blowout of Hamline. Concordia will again have to deal with receiver Eric Pacheco. In last year’s meeting, Pacheco went off for 197 receiving yards and two touchdowns on five catches. He also returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown in almost single-handedly keeping the Beavers right with the Bulldogs. Pacheco racked up 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win. Both Reyes Lara III and Dylan Laughlin got snaps at quarterback with positive results versus Hamline. The bigger question may be on defense. Buena Vista surrendered an average of 465.4 yards per game in 2018.

Heartache in Storm Lake

September 14

STORM LAKE, Iowa – This will be remembered as the heartache in Storm Lake. Despite a 24-0 lead at the halftime break, the Concordia University football team walked away from Lamberti Recreation Center wondering how it let this one slip away. Josh Lange’s touchdown reception with 37 seconds left in the game completed the 27-24 comeback victory for host Buena Vista University (Iowa) on Saturday (Sept. 14) evening.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is now 0-2 with a pair of losses that saw the Bulldogs surrender fourth quarter leads.

“We shot ourselves in the foot with penalties,” Daberkow said. “We have to look in the mirror and I have to look in the mirror. I have to figure out what the next step is. Certainly did not expect that outcome. We have to dig down deep and find some answers. We’re not going to point fingers.”

The two halves could not have been more different. In the first 30 minutes, Centennial High School product Wyatt Ehlers tossed a touchdown pass apiece to Art Anderson and Korrell Koehlmoos (both covering exactly 45 yards) and linebacker Zac Walter got loose for a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown. It appeared that Concordia would cruise to victory behind a defense that had been stellar through the season’s first six quarters.

For the most part, the Bulldogs shut down the Beaver ground attack, but the passing game took off with the two-quarterback system of Reyes Lara III and Dylan Laughlin. Together they engineered three second half touchdown drives that each covered more than 75 yards. The rally really picked up steam when Morris Aranda intercepted a pass and ran the ball 30 yards to the end zone with 6:55 left in the contest. Buena Vista trailed just 24-20 after that game changing moment.

Deficiencies in several other key areas cost Concordia, which was flagged with eight penalties for 97 yards and was outgained, 467-363. The Bulldogs had no answer for star Buena Vista receiver Eric Pacheco. He burned Concordia by snagging 10 passes for 226 yards. The productivity through the air made up for the Beavers averaging only 2.7 yards per rush.

All those events made it hard to remember that Buena Vista had begun the game with four-consecutive three and outs. Said Daberkow, “It came down to penalties and execution and we didn’t execute well enough. That’s on us. This is a real hard pill to swallow.”

Jake Kemp got the nod at quarterback on the final offensive series for the Bulldogs after a 44-yard kickoff return by Koehlmoos set them up near midfield. Completions by Kemp of six, four and 21 yards (final pass to Ryan Durdon) put Concordia within range of a potential game-tying field goal. However, Jordan Spilinek (1-for-3 on field goals) missed wide left from 33 yards as time expired.

In his first collegiate start, Ehlers completed 11-of-22 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns (two interceptions). Cayden Beran topped the receiver group with seven catches for 108 yards. Durdon rushed 24 times for 61 yards. Defensively, Peyton Mitchell also came up with an interception and Shayne Campbell blocked a punt on special teams. Riley Bilstein had two tackles for loss and the defensive line combined for three sacks.

The Bulldogs will be engaged in conference action the rest of the way. Next Saturday (Sept. 21) brings another rivalry matchup with Concordia set to head to Hastings (2-0, 1-0 GPAC) for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff from Lloyd Wilson Field. The Bulldogs will attempt to avenge last season’s 21-13 home loss to the Broncos.

“Sitting at 0-2 with eight games left on the schedule, there’s two ways this season can go,” Daberkow said. “That’s what we preached in the locker room. Everybody involved has to look in the mirror. We definitely can’t let this continue.”

Wurdeman gets call to NAIA Hall of Fame

September 16

The Hall has called. An All-American and one of the stars of the 2001 GPAC championship football team, Concordia University alum Ross Wurdeman has been elected to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Hall of Fame, as announced on Monday (Sept. 16). The Columbus, Neb., native was also inducted into the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.

The list of Bulldogs to join the NAIA Hall of Fame is exclusive. It includes Carol Bailey-Moravec, Gene Brooks and Kregg Einspahr, some of the highest achieving Concordia student-athletes in school history. Now Wurdeman becomes the fourth Bulldog to earn enshrinement.

“It hasn’t sunk in. I don’t think it ever will,” Wurdeman said when reached this past Friday. “Going back to earlier this summer when I heard I was nominated, I thought that alone was a great honor. To be accepted into the NAIA Hall of Fame is truly an incredible award.”

Wurdeman was nominated for the award in the summer with word coming down from the NAIA last week that the best to ever play tight end at Concordia had gotten the nod. From the 1998 through 2001 football seasons, the then 6-foot-4, 250-pound Wurdeman wore No. 3 and served as a dominant force in the passing game while teamed up with quarterback Jarrod Pimentel. Wurdeman played in many of the most significant games in program history – and always came through.

“Ross the Hoss,” as his head coach Courtney Meyer likes to call him, had to be accounted for by opposing defenses. Wurdeman rarely, if ever, came off the field for an offensive play. Years later, former Doane head football coach Fran Schwenk vividly recalls the matchup problems Wurdeman created.

Wrote Schwenk, “Ross was definitely a determining factor in our games between Doane and Concordia. His visual presence was impressive. During our game in 2000, Ross caught eight passes for 112 yards and the winning touchdown with minutes to go in the game. You could tell by his accomplishments on the field that day that he was performing at the level of an All-American.”

Wurdeman put together plenty of other big-time performances. By the time his collegiate career came to an end, Wurdeman had been tabbed a two-time NAIA first team All-American, a two-time first team All-GPAC selection, the honorary captain of the Omaha World-Herald’s 2001 All-Nebraska team and an NAIA 2000s All-Decade team member by Victory Sports Network. As a Bulldog, he caught 168 passes for 2,458 yards and 24 touchdowns. The reception total remains a program record. His first love though was baseball. Wurdeman also clubbed 22 home runs while at Concordia.

No one ever begins a career thinking about that day in the future when an announcement like this might come about. Wurdeman actually played quarterback in high school and expected to do the same at Concordia. But Meyer had seen Wurdeman run the floor on a basketball court and projected how his body type could make him a standout tight end. Safe to say it worked out.

“I called Pimentel when I found out to kind of thank him,” Wurdeman said. “I told him that back when we were playing it was never about the numbers, the stats or the honors. Especially when we got to our senior year, we just wanted to go out and play some great football and put some wins on the board. It’s kind of hard to comprehend getting an award for something you did when you were around 20 years old. This was almost 20 years ago. It’s still kind of hard to believe.”

It's hard to argue that any game in Concordia football history has been more meaningful than the one played at Bulldog Stadium on November 17, 2001. It marked the first time (and still the only time) that the Bulldogs had hosted an NAIA playoff game. On that date, Concordia won its school record 10th game of the season in what resulted in a 31-26 victory over St. Ambrose University (Iowa). On a third-and-16 from its opponent’s 32-yard line, Concordia lined up with a trips formation to the right. Wurdeman, split out as the far receiver, caught Pimentel’s pass at the 26, feinted a pitch to the inside slot receiver, spun around and raced to the end zone, leaving behind a trail of stunned defenders. Wurdeman finished that game with nine catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns.

The playoff win set a new benchmark for Bulldog football. The glory-filled 2001 season really got kick-started on Sept. 15 when Concordia proclaimed itself as a team to be reckoned with by seizing a 17-14 win at eighth-ranked University of Sioux Falls. Wurdeman totaled seven catches for 56 yards and a touchdown on a rain-soaked field.

No moment was too big for the Columbus High School alum. Even as his star got brighter and he grabbed more headlines, Wurdeman remained humble and a by-example leader.

Said former teammate and current Concordia defensive coordinator Corby Osten of Wurdeman, “He never did anything flashy, he just did everything really well. He could catch anything. He had really good instincts. As a person he’s just a good guy. He’s down to Earth and humble.”

Added Coach Meyer, “If he got close to the ball, he pulled it down. He intimidated defenders, especially corners. When we’d get down near the end zone we would split him out. When we needed a touchdown he’d just go up and get it. He couldn’t be defended in those situations. That’s what I remember most about him as a player.”

Wurdeman says he has a long list of individuals to thank. There were many people in his life that helped make his NAIA Hall of Fame selection possible. In the hours since Wurdeman learned of his inclusion via a phone call from Osten and head football coach Patrick Daberkow, he has reflected on who and what aided in making a dream come true.

“I called my wife (Jill) and let her know and the second person I called was Jarrod Pimentel,” Wurdeman said. “Obviously Jarrod was a big part of it being my quarterback. The coaches had a big hand in it too – Coach Meyer and Coach Mac (offensive coordinator Bill McAllister). When I first got to Concordia I was a baseball player who played football. By the time I left Concordia I was a football player that played baseball. I got to play four years under Coach Mac and his offense suited me well as a tight end. I could also go down the list of all my teammates.”

In so many ways, it’s fitting for Wurdeman to be the first Bulldog football player to land in the NAIA Hall of Fame. He set a new standard for what’s achievable for a single player and, with his 2001 teammates, showed what heights are possible for Concordia football.

And then there were four – four Bulldogs in the NAIA Hall of Fame, that is.

Devin Smith, Director of Athletics
It was readily apparent early in Ross’ undergraduate career that our Bulldog football coaching staff had identified an individual who carried himself with great composure and possessed hidden athletic talents. Looking back, he was a promising student-athlete who possessed a rare combination of talent, confidence and peace. His level of physical and social maturity enabled him to be an instant leader within the Bulldog football team, on campus, and throughout the Seward community. As years progressed, his athleticism blossomed and he became a respected force each and every week of the football season.”

Brian Friedrich, President and Chief Executive Officer
Ross was a student of high character and someone who modeled the NAIA’s Champions of Character ideals during his time as a student. Equally important is that he carried those ideals with him into his personal and professional life after his graduation from Concordia. Today he is a positive influence in his family, congregation, work place and community. He remains committed to and engaged with Concordia University through his attendance at concerts and contests and financial support.

Tachovsky picks up GPAC award following dominant performance

September 23

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – One of the stars behind last week’s dominance, senior linebacker Derek Tachovsky has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Monday (Sept. 23). Tachovsky is the first Bulldog to collect the conference defensive player of the week award since fellow linebacker Lane Napier did so on Sept. 17, 2018.

Tachovsky and the Concordia defense stifled Hastings in the stunningly one-sided 44-0 win. A native of Wilber, Neb., Tachovsky did his part by filling the stat sheet with seven tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. Over 25 career games, Tachovsky has accumulated 145 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. The interception last week was the first of his career.

The Broncos finished with 186 total yards and did not reach the red zone even once. Concordia also forced three turnovers. Zac Walter’s interception and 59-yard return set up Ryan Durdon’s six-yard touchdown run.

Tachovsky and the Bulldogs (1-2, 1-1 GPAC) will return to action for homecoming this Saturday with kickoff at 1 p.m. CT. Briar Cliff (3-1, 2-0 GPAC) will serve as the opponent.

Nasty Bulldog D stymies Briar Cliff in homecoming win

September 29

SEWARD, Neb. – The defense is shaping up to be as stout as the Concordia University football team has put together in years. The ball-hawking Bulldogs caused seven turnovers and held visiting Briar Cliff to just 191 total yards of offense in a defensive battle that unfolded on homecoming Saturday (Sept. 28) inside Bulldog Stadium. There were a combined 20 punts in a quirky, wild affair that ended in a 16-14 Concordia win.

The vibe in the locker room is dramatically more upbeat than it was two weeks ago. However, third-year head coach Patrick Daberkow would insist that his squad never lost faith. The Bulldogs are now 2-2 overall (2-1 GPAC) with back-to-back conference victories.

“A winning locker room is pretty special,” Daberkow said soon after the Bulldogs continued their tradition of singing The Doxology in the postgame locker room. “I always love taking part in that. I’m excited for our team.

“Any time you get that many takeaways in a game you’re probably going to win. I would have expected us to win by more than that. That was maybe one of the best coaching efforts by our offensive coaching staff as well. We had to try a lot of stuff. Their defense was good but man, I wouldn’t trade our defense for the world.”

Believe it or not, Concordia scored only three points off the seven turnovers. Incredibly, the Chargers (3-2, 2-2 GPAC) committed five turnovers in the first quarter alone. Briar Cliff found the football to be more slippery than a greased pig, coughing up five fumbles that were all recovered by the Bulldogs. Even quarterback Jake Kemp, who also long snaps on punts, dove on a muffed punt.

All of that happened and yet it was still a wire-to-wire grinder. Concordia picked up two crucial first downs on its final offensive possession to melt most of the remaining clock in the fourth quarter. The Chargers got one last possession, and fittingly, fumbled the ball away on a desperation lateral. Zac Walter fell on it as the final seconds ticked off.

The Briar Cliff defense, also one of the best in the nation, nearly bailed the team out. The Bulldogs did just enough through the air. The big offensive highlight of the day was a 55-yard bomb for a touchdown that went from Kemp to sophomore receiver Korrell Koehlmoos late in the first quarter. Koehlmoos finished with eight catches for 137 yards and a touchdown and is another blossoming receiver.

“We just worked our butts off,” Koehlmoos said in response to the two defeats to open up the season. “The Buena Vista game hit us right in the heart so we wanted to finish games. That’s what we did today. Our defense – No. 1 in the nation right there.”

The linebackers were already great while Concordia has made strides in every level of its defense. Freshman AJ Jenkins made a big impact on Saturday by forcing one fumble and by picking off a pass. All-American Lane Napier struck for a sack and a couple of quarterback hurries. Linebacker Riley Bilstein added eight tackles (one for loss) and for the second game in a row, Derek Tachovsky came away with an interception.

“We knew if we shut down the run we could force them to pass,” Tachovsky said. “Their quarterback was floating some passes up and we were able to get some interceptions. We just played hard. We came away with more turnovers than we thought we were going to.”

The Chargers netted 17 rushing yards on 26 attempts. It was tough sledding both ways. Sack yardage put Concordia’s rushing total at just 13. Ryan Durdon carried 24 times for 40 yards. In the passing game, Kemp went 20-for-42 for 265 yards and a touchdown. Cayden Beran caught six passes for 70 yards.

Freshman kicker Jordan Spilinek provided a lift by drilling field goal attempts from 34, 29 and 35 yards out as part of a perfect day. His final kick early in the fourth quarter proved to be the game winner. No Bulldog kicker had made three field goals in a game since Kenny Zoller in 2012.

The Bulldogs will embark upon their longest road trip of the season next week when they head to Jamestown, N.D., for a 1 p.m. CT clash next Saturday (Oct. 5) with the Jimmies (0-5, 0-3 GPAC). The two sides also met in Jamestown last season with the result being a 16-13 Concordia victory. This marks the second season that Jamestown has been a member of the GPAC.

Bulldogs aim for three in a row Saturday at Jamestown

September 30

SEWARD, Neb. – The fortunes turned shifted in a dramatically positive manner for the Concordia University football team. Two weeks ago the Bulldogs were frustrated after letting fourth quarter leads slip away against both Doane and Buena Vista. Now Concordia is riding high following victories over Hastings and Briar Cliff. Head Patrick Daberkow’s squad is really only a couple of plays away from being 4-0.

The Bulldogs (2-2, 2-1 GPAC) will shoot for a third-straight conference win on Saturday when they kick things off in Jamestown, N.D., at 1 p.m. CT. Concordia would like to pack the same defense that limited both Hastings and Briar Cliff below 200 yards of offense. That unit reached a new level last week with the Chargers committing seven turnovers (two on special teams). AJ Jenkins had a hand in three of them and was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Jamestown (0-5, 0-3 GPAC) is still searching for its first win of 2019. The Jimmies struggled offensively again last week (198 total yards) while being blown out, 45-6, by eighth-ranked Northwestern. First-year head coach Brian Mistro inherited a program coming off a 3-8 record in 2018. Defensively, Jamestown has had difficulty stopping the run with the opposition averaging 5.4 yards per carry.

GAME INFO
Concordia (2-2, 2-1 GPAC) at Jamestown (0-5, 0-3 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 5 | 1 p.m.
Taylor Stadium | Jamestown, N.D.
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Stats: DakStats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 23.5 (T-54th out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 14.5 (15th)
Total Offense: 345.0 (T-51st)
Pass Offense: 274.5 (14th)
Rush Offense: 70.5 (T-81st)
Total Defense: 282.5 (14th)
Pass Defense: 216.8 (61st)
Rush Defense: 65.8 (4th)
Turnover +/-: +8 (T-4th)

Jamestown
Offensive PPG: 11.4 (87th)
Defensive PPG: 35.6 (71st)
Total Offense: 217.6 (88th)
Pass Offense: 105.2 (86th)
Rush Offense: 112.4 (67th)
Total Defense: 421.0 (T-69th)
Pass Defense: 170.8 (27th)
Rush Defense: 250.2 (88th)
Turnover +/-: -3 (T-65th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (11-13, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 69/116 (.595), 871 yards, 4 td, 2 int, 130.5 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 83 rushes, 207 yards, 2.5 avg, 2 td; 7 catches, 56 yards
Receiving: Cayden Beran – 27 catches, 392 yards, 14.5 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 37 tackles, 4 tfl’s, 1.5 sacks, 2 ff, fr

Jamestown
Head Coach: Brian Mistro (0-5, 1st season)
Passing: Jordan Mann – 51/107 (.477), 503 yards, 5 td, 2 int, 98.8 effic.; 146 rushing yards, td
Rushing: Allen Jevning – 42 rushes, 207 yards, 4.9 avg, 0 td
Receiving: Garrett Mitchell – 24 catches, 329 yards, 13.7 avg, 4 td
Defense: Troy Stuard – 28 tackles, 2 int, fr

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (2-2, 2-1)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, W, 44-0
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 16-14
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (8) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Jamestown (0-5, 0-3)
8/29 at Valley City State, L, 14-20
9/7 vs. (9) Dickinson State, L, 0-34
9/14 at Hastings, L, 21-38
9/21 vs. Dordt, L, 16-41
9/28 at (8) Northwestern, L, 6-45
10/5 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/12 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/19 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs have not yet received any votes in the 2019 polls. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 55th ranked team nationally in the NAIA (18 spot improvement compared to two weeks ago).

Jamestown has not appeared in the NAIA top 25 since the preseason of 2009. The Jimmies were picked to finish last in the GPAC by both the coaches and media prior to the start of this season. They are currently ranked 84th nationally by Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 30): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 62nd

Jamestown
GPAC preseason: 10th (coaches); 10th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 30): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 84th

Bulldogs grab GPAC defensive award for second week in a row
Two dominant defensive performances in a row have led to back-to-back GPAC Defensive Player of the Week awards for the Bulldogs. Senior linebacker Derek Tachovsky took the honor last week after he filled the stat sheet in the 44-0 wipeout at Hastings. Then on Monday (Sept. 30), the GPAC announced freshman safety AJ Jenkins as the latest defensive honoree. In the win over Briar Cliff, Jenkins collected his first career interception, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and made six tackles. A product of Wilcox-Hildreth High School, Jenkins began this season listed as a linebacker, but has won a spot in the starting defensive backfield.

Receiver crew key to offensive improvement
The 2019 receiver group may be as good as the Concordia football team has ever had. Quarterback Jake Kemp has plenty of big-play options with the likes of Art Anderson, Cayden Beran and Korrell Koehlmoos. Beran and Koehlmoos rank fifth and sixth, respectively, among GPAC players in receiving yards. Last week Koehlmoos emerged as the go-to target. He hauled in eight passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. His scoring grab covered 55 yards and was the lone touchdown of the day for the Bulldogs. The program has never had a 1,000-yard receiver, but Beran and/or Koehlmoos could make a push for that figure. On the season, Beran has 27 catches for 392 yards and two touchdowns while Koehlmoos has 23 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson, Beran and Koehlmoos have each had at least one game with 100 or more receiving yards this year.

On the run
The Bulldogs would like to break things open more in the running game this week. The ground attack continues to be a work-in-progress despite the presence of Ryan Durdon, who has the sixth most rushing yards in school history. Durdon had his best day this season at Hastings when he ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Against a stout Briar Cliff defense, Durdon was held to 40 yards on 24 attempts. A year ago against Jamestown, Durdon ran for 53 yards and two touchdowns on 15 rushes. The native of Decatur, Texas, last had a 100 rushing yards on Oct. 13, 2018 at Briar Cliff.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,275
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Doggone dominant
The last two weeks have pushed Concordia way up the national leaderboard in several key defensive categories. The Bulldogs now sport NAIA rankings of 14th in total defense (282.5) and 15th in scoring defense (14.5). With its veteran group of playmaking linebackers, Concordia has virtually eliminated opposing rushing attacks. Opponents are averaging only 1.9 yards per carry. Junior linebacker Lane Napier (36 tackles) leads the team in tackles with fellow backers Derek Tachovsky (32) and Riley Bilstein (29) not far behind. Tachovsky has picked off a pass in back-to-back outings while Zac Walter also has a pair of interceptions this season. The Bulldogs have already racked up 14 takeaways. Only two NAIA teams – Evangel (17) and Ottawa-Ariz. (15) – have generated more turnovers this season.

Kemp steadies passing game
The passing game is operating at a level never before seen in program history – at least in terms of passing yardage per game. The duo of Jake Kemp and Wyatt Ehlers have already combined for 1,098 passing yards. Kemp has 871 of those yards and has fired four touchdown passes while completing 59.5 percent of his passes. If Kemp can keep up or expand upon his current rate of 217.8 passing yards per game, he could make a run at the school record of 2,150 passing yards in a single season by Jarrod Pimentel in 2001. Pimentel remains the only Bulldog passer to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season.

Top five single season passing yardage totals, program history
1. Jarrod Pimentel – 2,150 (2001)
2. Von Thomas – 1,947 (2013)
3. Phil Seevers – 1,938 (1988)
4. Von Thomas – 1,840 (2012)
5. Jon Von Rentzell – 1,771 (1984)

Feasting on turnovers
The turnovers were a major part of the narrative in last week’s win over Briar Cliff. Each of Concordia’s first four opponents have turned the ball over at least twice. The Bulldogs forced two turnovers of Doane, two of Buena Vista, three of Hastings and seven of Briar Cliff. The 14 takeaways are only three fewer than Concordia posted for the entire 2018 season. Bulldog foes have already fumbled the ball 10 times (eight lost). The next step is for Concordia to take greater advantage of the turnovers it creates. The Bulldogs have converted the 14 turnovers into a total of just 17 points.

Spilinek enjoys perfect day
Freshman Jordan Spilinek has helped solidify Concordia’s place kicking issues. A year ago Concordia did not make a field goal until the final game of the season. A native of Doniphan, Neb., Spilinek connected on attempts of 34, 29 and 35 yards out as part of his perfect day versus Briar Cliff. Previously, no Bulldog had made three field goals in a game since Kenny Zoeller accomplished that feat four times during the 2012 campaign. Zoeller earned All-America honors that season. Spilinek is currently tied for the GPAC lead with six made field goals this season. He is 6-for-10 on field goals and 9-for-10 on extra point tries.

Series vs. Jamestown
Concordia and Jamestown met for the first time ever when they got together in North Dakota last season. The Bulldogs pulled out a 16-13 victory despite being outgained, 347-144. Two bad punt snaps proved to be the major difference. One resulted in a safety and the other one set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon. On the defensive side of the ball, Lane Napier was an animal. He piled up 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack and was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Scouting Jamestown
The Jimmies are seeking some positive reinforcement in Brian Mistro’s first season at the helm of the program. A former Jamestown football player, Mistro spent the previous seven years as an assistant coach at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. Since their 20-14 loss at Valley City State University to begin the season, the Jimmies have lost four games each by margins of 17 or more points. Jamestown ranks near the bottom of the country in most major offensive categories (87th in scoring offense). Its biggest offensive threat has been receiver Garrett Mitchell, who has 24 catches for 329 yards and four touchdowns. It could take some time to rekindle the magic the Jimmies had when Mistro (as a player) helped them to NAIA playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007.

Jenkins claims GPAC Defensive Player of the Week award

September 30

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – For the second week in a row, the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week award has gone to a member of the Concordia University football team. The latest honoree is freshman safety AJ Jenkins, as announced on Monday (Sept. 30). Senior linebacker Derek Tachovsky picked up the same accolade a week ago.

Jenkins and the Bulldog defense have performed at an exceptionally high level over the past two weeks. The Wilcox, Neb., native and product of Wilcox-Hildreth High School played a starring role for a squad that forced seven Briar Cliff turnovers in the 16-14 Concordia win on homecoming. Jenkins secured his first career interception, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and made six tackles. The Bulldogs limited Briar Cliff to only 191 total yards and five first downs. The Chargers converted only 1-of-13 third down attempts.

Jenkins and the Bulldogs (2-2, 2-1 GPAC) will be back in action this Saturday for a contest at Jamestown (0-5, 0-3 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Jamestown, N.D.

Receiver room blossoming into one of Concordia's best ever

October 3

Something special is brewing within the receiver room at 800 North Columbia Avenue. Perhaps it would have been hard to see that coming when the 2018 Concordia University football team accumulated a grand total of 335 passing yards through its first three games. Somehow in the span of a year, one of the NAIA’s most challenged passing games has morphed into one of the nation’s best.

The 2019 passing attack is built upon a receiver core deep in playmakers who share joy in each other’s success. Of course, the position seems to require at least some degree of swag and confidence.

Says junior receiver Art Anderson, “We always say we have the best receiver core in the nation. We call ourselves the money team. We’re all going to get our money either way. We already have three receivers who have had 100-yard games. We know no matter where the ball goes big plays are going to happen. It’s fun to watch the guys you work with every day do just as well as anybody else can do.”

Anderson is exactly right. He and sophomores Cayden Beran and Korrell Koehlmoos each have enjoyed at least one game this season with a 100 or more receiving yards. The Bulldogs currently average 274.5 passing yards per game (No. 14 in the NAIA) with the potential to do more as the attack, which includes junior Lane Castaneda and sophomore Logan Kreizel (who plays tight end and splits out as a receiver in certain packages), continues to progress. There is not a single senior in that bunch.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow and his staff fashioned this group of wide outs by mining Texas for the likes of Anderson (San Antonio), Beran (Hutto) and Castaneda (San Antonio) and by seeing the potential in Koehlmoos (Pilger, Neb.), who played running back as a senior at Lutheran High Northeast. All three Texans raved about the experiences they had on their recruiting visits, which made their college decisions quite clear. So here they are, coming of age and thriving.

“We knew what we had coming back,” Koehlmoos said. “We lost Vince Beasley, who was a very good receiver. Cayden Beran stepped up a lot and we’ve worked on better route running, improving our hands and getting open more. We grinded all summer and here we are.”

There are some other factors in play that have made this group successful. There’s a growing comfort with Reggie Corbin as offensive coordinator, the pass blocking is better and Jake Kemp (another Texas native) has settled in at the quarterback position. Kemp has made immense strides. A large group of quarterbacks were brought in to compete for the starting job, but the holdover Kemp is the one who emerged as ‘the’ guy.

Kemp and his receivers really clicked at Hastings in the 44-0 blowout win. It was an especially big day for Beran, who hauled in 10 passes for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

“I’ve never had more confidence in an entire receiving core,” Kemp said. “These guys have worked extremely hard to get to where they are. I trust that when the ball leaves my hands, they will make the play and come down with that ball. Each of these guys could go for 100 yards receiving on any given Saturday. As far as improvement from last year, the strides have been tremendous. They have really stepped up to the challenge and took it upon themselves to change the program on the offensive side of the ball.”

None of the current receivers have yet reached the career achievement of a recent game breaking Bulldog receiver named Jared Garcia. Over his impressive four seasons at Concordia, Garcia broke school career records for receiving yards (2,495) and receiving touchdowns (35). But during Garcia’s run from the 2014 through 2017 campaigns, the Bulldogs never had this kind of depth at wide out.

It will be difficult for any individual to surpass Garcia’s career totals, but that’s not the focus of the current group of receivers. Certainly the yards and the touchdowns are a nice bonus, but stacking wins is the much greater reward.

“There’s a friendly competition to see who can one-up the other person, but at the same time, we know it’s all for the good of the team,” Castaneda said. “I think our styles of play complement each other. If you give any of us a chance, our quarterbacks know that we’ll be able to make a play.”

What are those qualities that complement each other? Explains Koehlmoos, “I guess you’d call Art and I the fast ones. Then you have Lane and Cayden who can go up and snag it from anyone. We realized what we had and we don’t want it to go to waste. We want to take advantage of it.”

Concordia has taken advantage of these vast skillsets by burgeoning into an offense that does a lot more than dink and dunk. The Bulldogs have 15 passing plays of 20 or more yards. In each game this season, the Bulldogs have connected on at least one touchdown pass of 26 or more yards. In last week’s victory, the only Bulldog touchdown came via a 55-yard bomb from Kemp to Koehlmoos.

All of the big plays have led to a high level of confidence. A year ago at this time, Beran wondered if it was time to give up on football. Now he’s fully recovered from the injuries that plagued him in high school and making spectacular grabs deep downfield. A group that calls itself the “money team” has to walk the walk to live up to that moniker.

“Art created the money team concept,” Beran said. “This group of guys that we have right now is insane. I believe we have the best receiving core in the GPAC. You can cover one of us, but it’s pretty tough to cover all of us. I think that’s what teams are going to start to see. It’s fun just to practice with these guys.”

The way things are going, Jarrod Pimentel’s school single-season record of 2,150 passing yards set in 2001 is in serious jeopardy. Few Concordia teams, if any, have thrown the ball around the yard like this. That’s not to say the Bulldogs will abandon star running back Ryan Durdon, but the passing game no longer has to take a back seat.

Says Beran, “I don’t think we’ve seen exactly what we can all do. The ceiling is very high for us. We’re not limiting ourselves to anything.”

Jamestown outlasts Concordia in four-overtime mud bowl

October 5

JAMESTOWN, N.D. – By the time Saturday (Oct. 5)’s four-overtime slog came to a conclusion, players from both sides were caked in mud from head to toe. The sloppy conditions at Taylor Stadium in North Dakota ensured there would be no style points for either the Concordia University football team or Jamestown. On their homecoming, the Jimmies celebrated a 13-10 victory that ended with Sean Fenelon’s 22-yard field goal in overtime No. 4.

Other than the 44-0 win at Hastings, the Bulldogs have had their fans on pins and needles throughout the first half of the season. Four of five games have been decided by a touchdown or less. Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has slipped to 2-3 overall and to 2-2 in conference play.

Rain before and during the contest made for a quagmire, particularly between the hash marks of one of the only grass fields still left in the GPAC. Unfortunately, the conditions negated Concordia’s athletic advantage at the skill positions and forced the visitors to virtually abandon a passing attack that has proven capable of making big plays. Still, the Bulldogs had their chances to escape North Dakota with a win.

A major blow to Concordia came on its possession to begin the fourth overtime. A personal foul on Jamestown and tough Ryan Durdon rushes of four and five yards had the Bulldogs knocking on the door. However, the Jimmies rose to the occasion with a stuff of Durdon on fourth down. On the ensuing possession, Jamestown moved into prime field goal range with the help of a pass interference penalty. After three-straight running plays went nowhere, Fenelon booted the game winner.

To put it simply, the offensive numbers were ugly, but hardly shocking given the mud pit surface. Both sides averaged fewer than 3.0 yards per play. Total yards were slightly in Concordia’s favor, 198-190. Durdon did his best to carry the mail. The Decatur, Texas, native toted the rock 35 times for 118 yards and a score. His touchdown in the first overtime knotted the game, 10-10.

There were a combined seven pass completions for 62 yards. Nearly all of the Bulldog yards through the air came on a 14-yard connection from Jake Kemp to Cayden Beran in the opening quarter. Concordia had entered the game having completed 15 passes of 20 or more yards.

The Bulldogs wound up plus-one in turnovers, though their only giveaway (a lost fumble in the first quarter) led to Jamestown’s lone three points in regulation. Concordia’s elite defense just about bailed it out at every turn. All-American linebacker Lane Napier came away with 23 tackles (three for loss) and 2.5 sacks. Aaron Rudloff added a pair of sacks and Peyton Mitchell plucked an interception. Mitchell's pick occurred on fourth down of the first possession in the third overtime. Kicker Jordan Spilinek missed wide right on the next Bulldog possession with a chance to win it.

It took 68 attempts for Jamestown (1-5, 1-3 GPAC) to accumulate its 145 yards rushing. Jimmie receiver Garrett Mitchell caught three passes for 37 yards and scored his team’s lone touchdown. Jamestown earned a measure of revenge for last season’s 16-13 home loss to the Bulldogs.

Concordia will be at home each of the next two Saturdays with Dakota Wesleyan (1-5, 0-4 GPAC) coming up next week (Oct. 12). In last season’s defensive battle, Concordia edged out the Tigers, 14-9. This will mark the third year in a row that Dakota Wesleyan has traveled to Seward. In action on Saturday, the Tigers were beaten at home, 38-20, by Doane.

Bulldogs return home off of four-OT defeat

October 7

SEWARD, Neb. – All the Concordia University football team can do is look forward after another one-score loss. Last week’s defeat involved particularly unique circumstances with the field at Jamestown turning into a mud pit that virtually eliminated the passing games for both teams. The Jimmies celebrated their first win of the season in the 13-10, four-overtime decision. The Bulldogs look to regroup this Saturday when Dakota Wesleyan makes a visit to Seward for the third year in a row.

The losses have been excruciating for head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad. With the exception of the 44-0 blowout win at Hastings on Sept. 21, Concordia has had its fans on pins and needles. The other four games have each been decided by margins of a touchdown or less. Back on the home turf that will ensure a more typical football surface, the Bulldogs hope to get their offense back on track this week.

Head coach Ross Cimpl is in his eighth season leading Dakota Wesleyan, which has fallen on hard times of late. The Tigers are 3-15 over the program’s past 18 games. Prior to that rough stretch, Dakota Wesleyan had regularly been a top three or four team in the GPAC. The 2016 squad went 8-3 and finished that campaign ranked 16th in the NAIA. The strong DWU teams of the recent past were often built around star quarterbacks (such as Jon Bane and Dillon Turner) that piled up impressive numbers. So far this fall, the Tigers have been outscored, 227-123.

GAME INFO
Dakota Wesleyan (1-5, 0-4 GPAC) at (Concordia (2-3, 2-2 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 12 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 20.8 (T-63rd out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 14.2 (13th)
Total Offense: 315.6 (64th)
Pass Offense: 223.0 (28th)
Rush Offense: 92.6 (78th)
Total Defense: 264.0 (8th)
Pass Defense: 81.6 (8th)
Rush Defense: 182.4 (37th)
Turnover +/-: +9 (T-5th)

Dakota Wesleyan
Offensive PPG: 20.5 (T-66th)
Defensive PPG: 37.8 (75th)
Total Offense: 312.7 (66th)
Pass Offense: 152.5 (75th)
Rush Offense: 160.2 (41st)
Total Defense: 423.3 (75th)
Pass Defense: 205.8 (56th)
Rush Defense: 217.5 (78th)
Turnover +/-: -6 (T-77th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (11-14, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 71/124 (.573), 886 yards, 4 td, 2 int, 124.7 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 118 rushes, 325 yards, 2.8 avg, 3 td; 8 catches, 57 yards
Receiving: Cayden Beran – 28 catches, 406 yards, 14.5 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 60 tackles, 7 tfl’s, 4.0 sacks, 2 ff, fr

Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Ross Cimpl (47-35, 8th season)
Passing: Kiel Nelson – 52/123 (.423), 732 yards, 4 td, 8 int, 90.0 effic.
Rushing: Luke Loudenburg – 67 rushes, 392 yards, 5.9 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Garrett Determan – 9 catches, 228 yards, 25.3 avg, 3 td
Defense: Cody Reichelt – 37 tackles, 8.5 tfl’s, sack, fr

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (2-3, 2-2)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, W, 44-0
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 16-14
10/5 at Jamestown, L, 10-13 (4 OT)
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (8) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Dakota Wesleyan (1-5, 0-4)
8/29 at Dakota State, L, 30-33 (2 OT)
9/7 vs. Presentation, W, 44-0
9/14 at Briar Cliff, L, 0-47
9/21 vs. (10) Northwestern, L, 7-52
9/28 at Dordt, L, 22-57
10/5 vs. Doane, L, 20-38
10/12 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/19 at Midland, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/9 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs have not yet received any votes in the 2019 polls. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 62nd ranked team nationally in the NAIA (fell seven spots after the loss at Jamestown).

Dakota Wesleyan appeared at No. 23 in the 2017 NAIA postseason poll but has since disappeared from the national rankings. The Tigers made their way into the top 25 at some point every year from 2008 through 2017. They were picked by both coaches and media to place ninth in the GPAC. DWU is currently ranked 79th in the NAIA in Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 7): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 62nd

Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC preseason: 9th (coaches); 9th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 7): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 79th

Historic overtime battle unfolds in Jamestown
It’s unlikely anyone involved in last week’s mud bowl at Rollie Greeno Field in Jamestown, N.D., will ever forget that contest. Photos of the mutilated grass field had some Concordia alums reminiscing about games played in similarly rough conditions at the University of Sioux Falls during the 2001 GPAC championship season. Unfortunately, the memories that came out of last week won’t be as fond. However, it was certainly a historic afternoon in Bulldog football history.

Modern college football overtime rules were adopted in 1995. Since then, Concordia had played in only three overtime games, each of which featured only one overtime period. Prior to last week, the Bulldogs had not played in an overtime game since having back-to-back overtime clashes in 2015. In those instances, Concordia defeated Midland, 41-38, and then fell to then sixth-ranked Doane, 23-20. A year before, Nebraska Wesleyan topped the Bulldogs, 37-34, in overtime.

Defense continues dominant ways
No matter the conditions or the inconsistency of the offense, the Concordia defense has given the team a shot each week. The numbers were again impressive at Jamestown. The Bulldogs held the Jimmies to just 190 total yards and 13 first downs. Jamestown was 2-for-19 on third downs and committed a pair of turnovers. Three-straight Concordia opponents have failed to reach 200 total yards and only one this season has managed to top 300 (Buena Vista had 471 on Sept. 14). On the NAIA national leaderboard, the Bulldogs rank first in third down defense (17.8 percent), eighth in total defense (264.0), eighth in rush defense (81.6), 13th in scoring defense (14.2) and 24th in pass efficiency defense (104.9). Only two teams nationally have generated more takeaways than Concordia’s 16. In addition, the Bulldogs have notched 17 sacks.

Durdon breaks 100
Both teams became reliant on the run game last week as the field conditions continued to deteriorate in Jamestown. The result was a heavy workload for senior running back Ryan Durdon, who managed to churn out his first 100-yard rushing performance of the season. The Decatur, Texas, native carried the ball 35 times for 118 yards and a touchdown. The game-tying score in the first overtime marked the 20th career touchdown for Durdon (19 rushing, one receiving). Based on the numbers, Durdon may have a shot to go over 100 again this Saturday against a DWU defense that allows 5.2 yards per rush. Concordia is still looking for a breakout rushing performance to boost Durdon’s season average of 2.8 yards per carry. Still sixth in school history in career rushing yards, Durdon is creeping up on JaMaine Lewis (338 yards away) for a top five spot on the list.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,393
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Napier beyond compare
Junior linebacker Lane Napier still has a season-and-a-half to go in his collegiate career and has already set a new program standard for career tackles during the GPAC era (2000-present). Napier slogged through the mud last week to record 23 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in another monster effort. That performance pushed his career tackle total to 299 and puts him well on his way for another 100-tackle season. Named an NAIA First Team All-American by the Associated Press, Napier led the country with 142 tackles last season. The David City, Neb., native has twice been named a first team all-conference selection.

Most tackles, GPAC era
299 – Lane Napier (2017-- )
290 – Sean Stewart (1999-02)
261 – Michael Hedlund (2013-16)
246 – Ben Klein (2008-11)
237 – Jerrod Fleming (2008-11)
234 – Tait Sibbel (2012-15)

Passing game grounded
We really didn’t mean to jinx it last week by talking about Concordia’s budding receiver core. Despite what the numbers looked like at Jamestown, the receiver group of Art Anderson, Cayden Beran, Lane Castaneda and Korrell Koehlmoos remains one capable of explosive plays. Unfortunately, their talents were negated by the muddy conditions. The Bulldogs completed only three passes for 17 yards for the day and did not attempt a single pass in any of the four overtimes. Coming into the contest, Concordia had been averaging more than 270 passing yards per game while riding the right arm of quarterback Jake Kemp. Sophomore receiver Cayden Beran has hauled in 28 passes for 406 yards and two touchdowns.

Top five single season passing yardage totals, program history
1. Jarrod Pimentel – 2,150 (2001)
2. Von Thomas – 1,947 (2013)
3. Phil Seevers – 1,938 (1988)
4. Von Thomas – 1,840 (2012)
5. Jon Von Rentzell – 1,771 (1984)

Sack lunch
With 17 sacks this season, the Bulldogs have surpassed their total of 16 from the entire 2018 season. Defensive end Aaron Rudloff came up with a pair of sacks last week to push his team leading total to five this season. In addition, linebacker Lane Napier has four sacks (equaling a career high). Chase Hammons, Payton Stevens and Derek Tachovsky have each recorded two sacks. Concordia defenders have also combined for 43 tackles for loss. The program had been lacking an elite pass rusher since All-American Trey Barnes posted 10 sacks in 2015 and nine sacks in 2016.

Kicking game
The kicking game could still be better, but it has certainly made a leap forward from the 2018 campaign. Freshman kicker Jordan Spilinek drilled all three of his field goal attempts in the 16-14 win over Briar Cliff. The Doniphan native was also affected last week by the field conditions. He missed on attempts from 39 and 27 yards while knocking a third-quarter attempt through from 27 yards out. Spilinek is now 7-for-13 on field goals and 10-for-11 on extra point tries. Meanwhile, punter Lane Castaneda is averaging 37.6 yards on his 32 punts. Seven of his punts have pinned the opposition inside its own 20.

Series vs. Dakota Wesleyan
Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan met on the gridiron only twice (1984 and 1985) before both programs became GPAC members in 2000 (first year of the conference’s existence). With the exception of 2008 and 2009, the two sides have gone head-to-head every season since then. Concordia has won each of the past two meetings with the Tigers to edge in front in the all-time series (10-9). Last year’s meeting was a defensive battle that ended with a 14-9 Bulldog victory in Seward. Concordia got its only two scores on a explosive plays – a trick play that went for an 82-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Perea to Garrett Schardt and a 31-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon. The Bulldogs held Dakota Wesleyan to 29 yards rushing on 25 attempts.

Scouting Dakota Wesleyan
Formerly a prolific passing program, Dakota Wesleyan has sputtered through the air this season. The Tigers are completing only 43.4 percent of their passes and have been picked off eight times. The Tigers had the most success in their opening two games by giving the ball to 5-foot-7 running back Luke Loudenburg, who rushed for 163 yards versus Dakota State and 173 yards versus Presentation. Over the past three games, Loudenburg has a grand total of two carries for two yards. He is listed as the starting running back on this week’s depth chart. Defensively, DWU has struggled against the run (217.5 yards allowed per game) and has forced only five turnovers. Concordia doesn’t want to let this be the week that the Tigers find remedies to the issues that have plagued them.

Bulldogs sack DWU

October 12

SEWARD, Neb. – A week after mudding through slop in a four-overtime contest at Jamestown, the Concordia University football team returned to its home turf on a sunny and breezy Saturday (Oct. 12)in Seward. The Bulldogs again leaned upon a defense that racked up six sacks in paving the way to a 24-17 win over Dakota Wesleyan. It marked the third year in a row that the Tigers have ventured to Bulldog Stadium.

It’s been a roller coaster of a six weeks for head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad, which is now 3-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Five of Concordia’s six games have been decided by a touchdown or less.

“It’s good to be home. It’s good to get a win under our belt,” Daberkow said. “There are a lot of things that we can learn watching film after this. We left a lot on the table, I felt like. The way our defense is playing, we feel like we can play with anybody.”

The lack of a running game offensively kept the Bulldogs from pulling away from Dakota Wesleyan (1-6, 0-5 GPAC). But this one felt pretty comfortable for the home team when quarterback Jake Kemp delivered his third touchdown toss of the day to put Concordia up 24-10 at the 9:30 mark of the fourth quarter. Kemp twice connected with receiver Lane Castaneda on scoring plays, covering eight and 12 yards.

The onus was placed on the right arms of Kemp and Tiger quarterback Zachary Lester. There were just a combined 25 rushing yards on a day that saw plenty of defensive penetration in the backfield. Dakota Wesleyan was forced to abandon the run game with standout back Luke Loudenburg (eight carries for eight yards) getting stonewalled by linebacker Lane Napier and company.

Up front, the Tigers struggled to deal with defensive end Aaron Rudloff, who was credited with a pair of sacks. Even Kemp had to tip his hat to the work of his teammates on the other side of the ball.

“The defense is so much fun to watch,” Kemp said. “I tell them every day. We practice against the No. 1 defense in the nation. It’s fun to watch them go create turnovers and get us the football. We love them and they always have our back.”

The grittiness of the defense was on full display on Dakota Wesleyan’s final possession of the first half. The Tigers had first and goal inside the one-yard-line and still failed to punch the ball in the end zone. On third and goal, linebacker Riley Bilstein came darting in to make a stop for a three-yard loss. Dakota Wesleyan wound up settling for a Tate Gale 21-yard field goal that cut the Bulldog lead to 10-3 at the half.

Lester and the Tigers were just pesky enough to hang in the contest. While filling in for starter Kiel Nelson, Lester led an eight-play, 61-yard drive in the final minutes to give Dakota Wesleyan a shot. The drive was capped by Lester’s 32-yard strike to Garrett Determan. On the ensuing kickoff, Brady Fitzke recovered the onside kick to ice the game.

For all that Napier has accomplished in his career, he had never picked off a pass until snaring one in the end zone in the fourth quarter on Saturday. Napier deservedly gets a lot of praise, but Concordia’s defense is playing well at all levels.

“We just take it play by play,” Napier said. “Their running back is small, but he’s good. He’s fast and explosive. We talked about shutting him down and then they started doing a little quarterback rollout so we had to make a few adjustments on defense. We gave up a few big plays that we’ll go watch film on and see what we did. Other than that, I thought we played pretty well.”

Not only did Castaneda catch two touchdown passes, he also make a critical 53-yard reception on the final Bulldog scoring drive. Cayden Beran hauled in nine passes for 130 yards while Kemp finished the day 18-of-37 for 296 yards (one interception) to go with the three touchdown tosses. Ryan Durdon (22 rushes for 49 yards) was again bottled up in the run game, but he did make a nifty run on a 15-yard touchdown grab in the third quarter.

There were plenty of noteworthy performances on the defensive side of the ball. Napier led the team with 12 tackles, including 1.5 for loss (and half a sack), while moving past 300 career tackles. Bilstein collected eight tackles, Johnny Johnson made seven stops and Peyton Mitchell broke up four passes. On special teams, Tanner Schwaninger blocked a punt (Concordia failed to turn it into points).

Dakota Wesleyan has been a struggling program of late. The Tigers remain winless within the GPAC, but may have found something with Lester, who threw for 313 yards and two touchdowns. Spencer Neugebauer had eight receptions for 83 yards. Determan caught both of Lester's touchdown passes.

At least on paper, the schedule really gets challenging from here on out. Next Saturday (Oct. 19) the Bulldogs will host seventh-ranked Northwestern (5-0, 4-0 GPAC) at 1 p.m. CT. It will be Military Appreciation Day at Bulldog Stadium.

“Nothing changes as far as your preparation,” Daberkow said. “We have some good teams coming up down the road, but we’re not looking outside of Sunday and what we can do in the next 24 hours as far as getting our guys back healthy. We’ll start dissecting film on Northwestern tonight and tomorrow morning. For now we’ll focus on doing one thing right at a time.”

Concordia welcomes No. 6 Northwestern for Military Appreciation Day

October 14

SEWARD, Neb. – Based on rankings, the Concordia University football team faces its stiffest challenge yet this season in this Saturday’s action. It will be Military Appreciation day at Bulldog Stadium, where sixth-ranked Northwestern will be on hand for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. Fans who present military identification will be admitted free of charge. Concordia is 2-1 over its first three home games.

Third-year head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has won three of its last four games after taking a 24-17 decision from Dakota Wesleyan this past week. The Bulldogs again leaned heavily upon a defense that limited the Tigers to 12 yards rushing. As a result of another dominant performance, junior linebacker Lane Napier was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week. On the other side of the ball, Concordia got its passing game back on track with quarterback Jake Kemp racking up 296 yards and three touchdown passes.

Head coach Matt McCarty’s program is aiming for a third-straight berth in the NAIA Championship Series. On paper, it’s difficult to pinpoint a weakness for a Red Raider squad that ranks in the top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and defense. No opponent has had fun dealing with junior quarterback Tyson Kooima, who has thrown for 13 touchdowns and has run for four more scores this season. Last week Northwestern cruised to a 35-6 win at Dordt while outgaining the Defenders, 398-254.

GAME INFO | Military Appreciation Day
No. 6 Northwestern (5-0, 4-0 GPAC) at (Concordia (3-3, 3-2 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 19 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 21.3 (62nd out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 14.7 (T-14th)
Total Offense: 314.3 (64th)
Pass Offense: 235.2 (22nd)
Rush Offense: 79.2 (83rd)
Total Defense: 274.2 (15th)
Pass Defense: 204.2 (51st)
Rush Defense: 70.0 (3rd)
Turnover +/-: +9 (T-8th)

Northwestern
Offensive PPG: 41.0 (9th)
Defensive PPG: 10.2 (4th)
Total Offense: 455.6 (7th)
Pass Offense: 281.2 (10th)
Rush Offense: 174.4 (29th)
Total Defense: 290.8 (T-18th)
Pass Defense: 130.8 (3rd)
Rush Defense: 160.0 (54th)
Turnover +/-: +4 (T-22nd)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (12-14, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 89/161 (.553), 1,182 yards, 7 td, 3 int, 127.6 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 140 rushes, 374 yards, 2.7 avg, 3 td; 11 catches, 106 yards, td
Receiving: Cayden Beran – 37 catches, 536 yards, 14.5 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 72 tackles, 8.5 tfl’s, 4.5 sacks, 2 ff, fr, int

Northwestern
Head Coach: Matt McCarty (26-11, 4th season)
Passing: Tyson Kooima – 85/138 (.616), 1,344 yards, 13 td, 3 int, 170.1 effic.
Rushing: Jacob Kalgonis – 101 rushes, 620 yards, 6.1 avg, 8 td, 14 catches, 135 yards, td
Receiving: Shane Solberg – 29 catches, 478 yards, 16.5 avg, 5 td
Defense: Tanner Machacek – 46 tackles, 5.5 tfl’s, 2.5 sacks, int

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-3, 3-2)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, W, 44-0
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 16-14
10/5 at Jamestown, L, 10-13 (4 OT)
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 24-17
10/19 vs. (6) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Northwestern (5-0, 4-0)
9/7 vs. Valley City State, W, 47-7
9/14 at Midland, W, 26-25
9/21 at Dakota Wesleyan, W-52-7
9/28 vs. Jamestown, W, 45-6
10/12 at Dordt, W, 35-6
10/19 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
11/2 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/9 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs have not yet received any votes in the 2019 polls. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 62nd ranked team nationally in the NAIA (stayed in the same position as last week).

Northwestern has been ranked in 28-straight NAIA top 25 polls. Its peak position over that stretch was No. 3, where it appeared for back-to-back weeks during the 2018 season. The Red Raiders have reached the top of the mountain in their past, having won NAIA national championships in 1973 and 1983. Northwestern checked in at No. 2 in the GPAC media and coaches’ preseason polls. In the NAIA ranking released today (Oct. 14), the Red Raiders landed at No. 6, up one spot from last week. Northwestern is rated 16th by Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 14): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 62nd

Northwestern
GPAC preseason: 2nd (coaches); 2nd (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 14): 6th
Massey Ratings: 16th

Napier the third Bulldog this season to be named GPAC award winner
It’s not hyperbolic to call linebacker Lane Napier one of the best defensive players ever to wear the navy and white – and he’s only a junior. In the four-overtime game at Jamestown, Napier overtook Sean Stewart for the most career tackles for a Bulldog during the GPAC era (see list below). With 12 more tackles last week versus Dakota Wesleyan, Napier surpassed 300 stops for his career. The David City, Neb., native also added 1.5 tackles for loss, a half a sack and his first career interception in the latest victory. As a result, Napier was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Napier is the third Concordia player to earn GPAC Defensive Player of the Week honors this season. He joined senior linebacker Derek Tachovsky (Sept. 23) and freshman safety AJ Jenkins (Sept. 30) as GPAC weekly honorees. Napier has collected three GPAC Defensive Player of the Week awards in his career, including one as a freshman and one as a sophomore.

Most tackles, GPAC era
311 – Lane Napier (2017-- )
290 – Sean Stewart (1999-02)
261 – Michael Hedlund (2013-16)
246 – Ben Klein (2008-11)
237 – Jerrod Fleming (2008-11)
234 – Tait Sibbel (2012-15)

D ranks as one of NAIA’s best
The defense has given Concordia a shot each time out. No opponent has scored more than 27 points in any single game (and that total was inflated by an interception return for a touchdown). One of the more impressive displays for the Bulldog defense last week came when it held Dakota Wesleyan out of the end zone after it had first and goal inside the one-yard-line on the final possession of the first half. Through six games, Concordia has allowed its opponents only 81 first downs. On the national leaderboards, the Bulldogs rank second in third down defense (20 percent conversion rate), third in rush defense (70.0), 11th in total defense (274.2), 14th in scoring defense (14.7) and 28th in pass efficiency defense (108.3).

Durdon contributes in passing game
The running game has been a work-in-progress since the start of the 2018 season, but senior running back Ryan Durdon still finds ways to contribute. In last week’s game, Durdon piled up 98 total yards (49 rushing, 49 receiving) and scored a touchdown on a 15-yard reception in the third quarter. The Decatur, Texas, native is now 58 rushing yards shy of 2,500 for his career. He remains at No. 6 on the program’s all-time rushing list, which is topped by Cleve Wester and his 3,731 yards. Durdon has reached the end zone 21 times as a Bulldog.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,442
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Beran continues monster campaign
After biding his time last season as a freshman, Cayden Beran has burst onto the scene as the team’s go-to receiver in 2019. The 6-foot-3 native of Hutto, Texas, has three 100-yard receiving games already this season and tops the Bulldogs in catches (37) and receiving yards (536). Beran ranks second and fourth, respectively, in the GPAC in those categories. He is on a pass for roughly 62 catches for 893 yards. Those statistics would make for one of the top seasons ever by a Concordia pass catcher. The single-season school records for receiving yards is 951 by Clarence Woods (1988) while the standard for catches is 62 by Eric Pralle (1990).

Kemp breaks 1,000-yard mark
Junior Jake Kemp is providing some stability to a quarterback position that has been the exact opposite of stable in recent years. Since Von Thomas’ final season in 2014, the position has been a revolving door. Just consider the team’s leading passers since then: Garrett Folchert (1,087 yards in 2015), Riley Wiltfong (1,136 yards in 2016), Wiltfong again (1,078 yards in 2017) and Andrew Perea (1,100 in 2018). In six games, Kemp’s total of 1,175 passing yards already surpasses the aforementioned totals. Only one Bulldog quarterback has ever reached 2,000 passing yards in a season (Jarrod Pimentel). Kemp will have to average at least 206.3 passing yards per game over the final four contests in order to reach the 2,000 mark.

Top five single season passing yardage totals, program history
1. Jarrod Pimentel – 2,150 (2001)
2. Von Thomas – 1,947 (2013)
3. Phil Seevers – 1,938 (1988)
4. Von Thomas – 1,840 (2012)
5. Jon Von Rentzell – 1,771 (1984)

Sack lunch
Improvement up front has made a big difference in the Concordia pass rush. The Bulldogs are averaging nearly 4.0 sacks per game after piling up six more last week (ranked seventh nationally in sacks per game). Senior Aaron Rudloff has been a terror at the defensive end spot. His seven sacks are tied for the most among GPAC players. Concordia’s linebackers also contribute heavily to the total. Napier has 4.5 sacks, Riley Bilstein has 2.5, Tachovsky has two and Walter has one. The Bulldogs lead all GPAC teams with 23 sacks on the season. Rudloff’s seven sacks are the most by a Concordia individual since Trey Barnes put up nine in 2016.

Turnovers = equalizer
Turnover margin can be an equalizer when up against a highly-rated opponent like Northwestern. The Bulldogs rank in the top 10 nationally in turnovers with a plus-nine margin. In last week’s game, both Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan committed one turnover apiece. It marked the first game this season that the Bulldogs failed to have a positive margin. The one Concordia turnover came on Lane Napier’s interception. To this point, the Bulldogs have forced 11 fumbles (recovered nine) and have fumbled only twice themselves.

Series vs. Northwestern
Northwestern has had the upper hand, winning 27 of the first 41 meetings with Concordia in a series that began in 1960 (the first year of football at Northwestern). The Bulldogs most recent win over Northwestern occurred inside Bulldog Stadium in 2016 when they held off the Red Raiders, 9-7, in a defensive battle. An improved Concordia defense will attempt to contain Tyson Kooima, who has had his way with the Bulldogs the past two seasons. Kooima piled up 385 total yards and five total touchdowns in the 2017 meeting and then 371 yards and three touchdowns at Concordia last season. In the 2018 matchup in Seward, Northwestern mounted a 42-7 lead before the Bulldogs got rolling through the air and closed to within 42-28 by the time final horn sounded. Andrew Perea’s 455 passing yards against Northwestern broke a Concordia single-game record.

Scouting Northwestern
Head coach Matt McCarty has crafted another playoff contender in Orange City, Iowa. The offense has balance with Tyson Kooima starring at quarterback and with Jacob Kalgonis (4,036 career rushing yards) averaging more than 6.0 yards per carry at running back. The Bulldogs will find out exactly how good their defense is in this matchup. The only team thus far to give Northwestern a challenge was Midland. The clash in Fremont resulted in a 26-25 Red Raider win. Kicker Braxton Williams booted the game-winning 21-yard field goal with five seconds left. Considering its strength on both sides of the ball, Northwestern has its sights set on dethroning Morningside atop the GPAC.

Napier passes career milestone, named GPAC award winner

October 14

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A star for one of the top defenses in the nation, junior linebacker Lane Napier has been named the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports Defensive Player of the Week, as announced on Monday (Oct. 14). Napier has been bestowed the honor three times in his career, including once as a freshman and once as a sophomore. A Concordia University football player has taken the GPAC weekly defensive award in three of the past four weeks with the accolade going to senior Derek Tachovsky on Sept. 23 and to freshman AJ Jenkins on Sept. 30.

There were a number of Bulldog defenders who stood out in last week’s 24-17 victory over Dakota Wesleyan. Concordia collected six sacks and held the Tigers to 12 rushing yards in another stellar performance. At inside backer, Napier emerged from the win with 12 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and half of a sack. He also recorded the first interception of his career by picking off a pass on a fourth down play in the fourth quarter.

The David City, Neb., native became the program’s first player during the GPAC era to surpass 300 career tackles. Through 26 career collegiate games, Napier has amassed 311 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, nine sacks and one interception. Napier currently ranks third nationally with an average of 12.0 tackles per game (72 total tackles this season).

Napier and the Bulldogs (3-3, 3-2 GPAC) will remain at home this Saturday to welcome No. 7 Northwestern (5-0, 4-0 GPAC) to Seward. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium.

Bulldogs seek season's first win in trip to Hastings

October 16

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University football team has come up empty in two one-score games to open up the 2019 season. The Bulldogs will try to shake off those frustrations this Saturday when they take on Hastings while renewing a longtime rivalry. The two sides will meet at Lloyd Wilson Field for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow is tasked with picking his team up off the mat. Concordia is 0-2 despite having leads in the fourth quarter of both contests. Some soul searching may be part of the process after the Bulldogs let a 24-0 halftime lead slip away in last week’s 27-24 loss to NCAA Division III Buena Vista University. A week earlier, Concordia was tripped up, 17-10, by rival Doane in the season opener. So far, the Bulldogs have shown an improved passing game, but are still trying to put all the pieces together.

On the other side, head coach Tony Harper’s squad has a more positive vibe thanks to wins over Panhandle State University, 40-22, and Jamestown, 38-21, to open up the campaign. The Bronco defense held the Jimmies to just 226 total yards (52 rushing) and forced four turnovers in last week’s matchup. From a statistical standpoint, the team’s most impressive individual has been Keiotey Stenhouse, who has caught 15 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns.

GAME INFO
Concordia (0-2, 0-1 GPAC) at Hastings (2-0, 1-0 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 21 | 1 p.m.
Lloyd Wilson Field | Hastings, Neb.
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Live Stats: Dakstats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 17.0 (T-66th out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 22.0 (37th)
Total Offense: 329.5 (49th)
Pass Offense: 258.0 (21st)
Rush Offense: 71.5 (82nd)
Total Defense: 374.5 (55th)
Pass Defense: 308.5 (87th)
Rush Defense: 66.0 (6th)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-34th)

Hastings
Offensive PPG: 39.0 (T-11th)
Defensive PPG: 21.5 (T-34th)
Total Offense: 379.0 (30th)
Pass Offense: 225.5 (33rd)
Rush Offense: 153.5 (36th)
Total Defense: 290.5 (22nd)
Pass Defense: 146.0 (24th)
Rush Defense: 144.5 (43rd)
Turnover +/-: +3 (T-12th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-13, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 28/41 (.683), 297 yards, 1 td, 0 int, 148.5 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 39 rushes, 80 yards, 2.1 avg, 0 td; 5 catches, 40 yards
Receiving: Arthur Anderson – 12 catches, 153 yards, 12.8 avg, 1 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 22 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 0.5 sack, 2 ff, fr

Hastings
Head Coach: Tony Harper (34-42, 8th season)
Passing: Isaiah Jackson – 34/67 (.507), 451 yards, 3 td, 2 int, 116.1 effic.
Rushing: Brett Simonsen – 38 rushes, 164 yards, 4.3 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Keiotey Stenhouse – 15 catches, 256 yards, 17.1 avg, 2 td
Defense: Abdul Marei – 14 tackles, 4 tfl’s, 3 sacks

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-1)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Hastings
8/31 vs. Panhandle State, W, 40-22
9/14 vs. Jamestown, W, 38-21
9/21 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
9/28 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/5 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/16 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs did not receive any votes in the preseason national poll this preseason. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 73rd ranked team nationally in the NAIA.

Hastings last appeared in the NAIA national poll in October 2017. The Broncos were ranked in three of the polls that were released that season. Hastings checked in at No. 7 in the 2019 GPAC preseason coaches’ and media polls. The Broncos are ranked 46th nationally by Massey Ratings and received votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll released today (Sept. 16).

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 16): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 73rd

Hastings
GPAC preseason: 7th (coaches); 7th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 16): receiving votes
Massey Ratings: 73rd

Linebackers continue to shine
The linebackers represent the deepest and most experienced position group on the Concordia roster. To this point, the unit has lived up to expectations. Returning All-American Lane Napier has flown around to make a team high 22 tackles while Riley Bilstein has already made 4.5 stops in the backfield. In last week’s contest, senior Zac Walter supplied the game’s biggest highlight with a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown. The group has played a major role in limiting Concordia’s first two opponents to an average of 2.1 yards per rush. Should Bilstein record at least 23 more tackles, all four starting Bulldog linebackers would have 100 or more career tackles.

Career totals
Riley Bilstein – 77 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups (22 games)
Lane Napier – 261 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups (22 games)
Derek Tachovsky – 136 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups (24 games)
Zac Walter – 123 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 3 interceptions (22 games)

Running game on the mend
While the Concordia defense has admirably stuff the opposition’s run game, the Bulldogs are still trying to get their own ground game rolling. Ryan Durdon touched the ball 26 times (24 rushes, two receptions), but averaged 2.5 yards per carry at Buena Vista. That production was an improvement from week one for a running game that was virtually nonexistent versus Doane. The sixth leading rusher in school history (2,148 yards), Durdon found much more room to roam as a sophomore in 2017 when he rushed for 1,247 yards with an average of 5.5 yards per carry. The native of Decatur, Texas, has been a workhorse with 489 carries in 22 career games as a running back.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,148
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Ehlers answers the call at QB
Daberkow and his staff made the call to start Wyatt Ehlers at quarterback last week at Buena Vista. Ehlers made that decision look smart in the opening quarter when he threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to both Art Anderson and Korrell Koehlmoos. Midway through the first period, the Bulldogs led 14-0. A state championship winning quarterback at Centennial High School, Ehlers finished the game 11-of-22 for 210 yards to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ehlers provides the Bulldog offense with a dual threat. He also rushed 15 times for 48 yards versus the Beavers. The passing game has improved dramatically with Ehlers and Jake Kemp at the controls.

Sack attack
Concordia’s ability to make plays in the backfield has been a big benefit. The Bulldogs have already racked up eight sacks (seventh most in the NAIA). The team leader is defensive end Aaron Rudloff with three sacks followed by Payton Stevens with two sacks. The vaunted linebacker group has also combined for two sacks. Last season Concordia totaled seven sacks for the entire fall. Napier topped the 2018 Bulldogs with four sacks.

Return of explosive plays
The Bulldogs have shown explosive capability in the passing game that was rarely seen in 2018. In the opener versus Doane, Jake Kemp completed passes that covered distances of 29, 26 and 38 yards, respectively. Then at Buena Vista, Ehlers connected on passes of 45, 45, 33 and 37 yards, respectively. The team’s average of 258.0 passing yards per game is a significant uptick from the figure of 185.3 posted during the 2018 campaign. Three receivers have already surpassed 100 yards receiving: Art Anderson (153), Korrell Koehlmoos (142) and Cayden Beran (129).

Raided through the air
Now Concordia has to figure out how to limit opposing passing attacks. Last week the Bulldogs saw one of the top receivers they are likely to go up against all year in Buena Vista’s Eric Pacheco, who caught 10 passes for 226 yards against Concordia. To this point, opposing quarterbacks have completed 66.2 percent of their passes and have piled up 617 passing yards. The Bulldogs entered this season expecting to improve upon their average of 234.5 passing yards allowed per game in 2018. Formerly a receiver, Peyton Mitchell is now a starting safety. He plucked his first career interception in last week’s loss.

Series vs. Hastings
Concordia and Hastings have met 51 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 36-14-1. The Bulldogs have had some success in recent years, knocking off the Broncos in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The home team had won seven in a row in the series until Hastings clipped Concordia, 21-13, last season inside Bulldog Stadium. Tahj Willingham ran for 173 yards and a touchdown to supply a big portion of the Bronco offense. The Bulldogs got their points on a 42-yard touchdown reception by Ryan Durdon and a 15-yard touchdown rush by Art Anderson.

Scouting Hastings
The Broncos have been consistently competitive under Tony Harper, with exactly five victories in four the previous five seasons. There’s no doubting that the Hastings offense will miss have Tahj Willingham, who racked up 3,675 rushing yards over his four collegiate seasons. The Broncos may have found a new star in receiver Keiontey Stenhouse, who transferred in from Los Angeles Pierce Community College. Stenhouse has gone over 100 yards receiving in each of his first two games with Hastings. He has been the top target of quarterback Isaiah Jackson. When the Concordia offense is on the field, it will have to contend with 6-foot-1, 310-pound nose guard Abdul Marei, who has provided push up front (three sacks). Hastings will be aiming for a third-straight win in this series.

Bulldogs stomp Broncos in most lopsided game in series history

October 21

HASTINGS, Neb. – Head coach Patrick Daberkow had been waiting and hoping for this type of breakout performance, but who could have seen this coming? In Saturday (Sept. 21)’s matchup at Hastings, the Concordia University football team dominated in all phases while stunning a Bronco squad that had received votes in this week’s NAIA national poll. Concordia outgained Hastings, 443-186, and put a pounding on the home team, 44-0.

The final score represented the largest point margin in 52 all-time meetings between the Bulldogs and Broncos. It was quite a way for Concordia (1-2, 1-1 GPAC) to shake off the frustrations that boiled over from two losses in which it led in the fourth quarter.

“It’s a lot of fun when you can put it together for 60 minutes,” Daberkow said. “We talked all week about not even looking at the scoreboard all day. Let’s just take one play at a time. We’re two plays away from being 3-0, but we’re not. To get this win today was so big. Our defense has been lights out all three games this season. We probably should have more to show for it, but they never once pointed the finger. I love those guys and the approach they take to being teammates.”

Where do you start? The offense was explosive and the defense was smothering. Hastings (2-1, 1-1 GPAC) got burned all day by sophomore receiver Cayden Beran. The Hutto, Texas, native snagged 10 pass receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns. His second score was a back breaker that pushed the Bulldog lead to 30-0 just before halftime. Quarterback Jake Kemp fired both touchdown tosses to Beran and plunged into the end zone from one yard out to cap the day’s scoring.

There were no painful flashbacks to last week’s 27-24 loss that saw Concordia fritter away a 24-0 halftime lead. The Bulldogs left no doubt with the help of a 31-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon with 5:01 left in the third quarter. It was Durdon’s most productive day so far this season. He finished with 87 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 20 carries.

And the defense? It was ferocious. It tightened up what had been a leaky pass defense last week and forced three turnovers. Broncos passers were a combined 6-for-30 for 81 yards and two interceptions. They were terrorized by Concordia’s vaunted linebacker crew. Backers Derek Tachovsky and Zac Walter both picked off a pass. Tachovsky added three tackles for loss, two sacks, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup to his stat line. Lane Napier led the Bulldogs with eight tackles.

Concordia needed to improve its red zone efficiency and it did on Saturday. The Bulldogs scored points on all five red zone trips while Hastings did not reach the red zone even once.

“We finished drives and finished plays,” Daberkow said. “And to be able to do it on the road against a conference rival is very rewarding. It’s a lot of fun when it comes together. Our players really responded. It’s a reflection of the leadership in the locker room from our players. This group of seniors have been through a lot of football and had some tough losses. It’s fun to see them be able to celebrate a big win like this.”

Kemp completed 21-of-33 passes for 309 yards and three total touchdowns (two passing, one running). It now appears that Kemp is the unquestioned starting quarterback. Freshman Wyatt Ehlers saw playing time in relief of Kemp. Korrell Koehlmoos caught six passes for 46 yards.

Beran just might be the new star receiver. He had exactly zero catches to his name prior to the start of this season.

“Came out of a nowhere is the reflection of a lot of 6 a.m. workouts and a lot of grinding in the summer,” Daberkow said in response to a question posed by Concordia football play-by-play voice Tyler Cavalli. “It takes a lot of that stuff to come out of nowhere. Cayden is definitely working his tale off, just like the rest of our team.”

Hastings had won two games by comfortable margins (40-22 over Panhandle State and 38-21 over Jamestown) to begin the season. The Broncos had not lost at home to the Bulldogs since 2005. There wasn’t a lot for Hastings to hang its hat on in the aftermath of this one. Not only was the passing game shut down, the Broncos averaged only 3.0 yards per rush and committed nine penalties for 72 yards.

After two weeks on the road, Concordia will return home next Saturday (Sept. 28) to host Briar Cliff (3-1, 2-0 GPAC) in a clash set to kick off at 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs have mostly dominated the series, but the Chargers protected their home turf last season with a 23-14 victory over Concordia.

Arrow points upward heading into homecoming

SEWARD, Neb. – A battle between two teams allowing fewer than 15 points per game will kick off at 1 p.m. inside Bulldog Stadium on Saturday. It will be homecoming on the Concordia University campus as Briar Cliff comes to town. Both sides are coming off GPAC victories last week. Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad hopes to keep the positive vibes flowing fresh off a stunningly dominant performance at Hastings.

There had not been an indication of the wipeout that was coming at Lloyd Wilson Field. After seeing fourth quarter leads slip away versus Doane and at Buena Vista University, the Bulldogs left no doubt in pummeling the rival Broncos. Concordia held an advantage of 443-186 in total yardage and did not allow Hastings to reach the red zone even once in the 44-0 demolition. Sophomore receiver Cayden Beran broke out with 10 receptions for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

Head coach Dennis Wagner’s Chargers were similarly dominant from a defensive perspective in last week’s 20-10 triumph in Sioux City, Iowa. Briar Cliff stifled Doane to the tune of just 181 total yards (2.9 per play). The Chargers mustered only 259 yards themselves, but got some help via Markel Roby’s 32-yard interception return for a touchdown. Briar Cliff has won three in a row, including two over conference foes.

GAME INFO
Briar Cliff (3-1, 2-0 GPAC) at (Concordia (1-2, 1-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 28 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 26.0 (T-37th out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 14.7 (T-16th)
Total Offense: 367.3 (40th)
Pass Offense: 277.7 (15th)
Rush Offense: 89.7 (71st)
Total Defense: 313.0 (29th)
Pass Defense: 231.0 (69th)
Rush Defense: 82.0 (10th)
Turnover +/-: +3 (T-19th)

Briar Cliff
Offensive PPG: 22.5 (T-56th)
Defensive PPG: 9.3 (T-3rd)
Total Offense: 299.8 (68th)
Pass Offense: 182.8 (55th)
Rush Offense: 117.0 (T-61st)
Total Defense: 165.0 (1st)
Pass Defense: 91.8 (2nd)
Rush Defense: 73.3 (5th)
Turnover +/-: +3 (T-19th)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (10-13, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 49/74 (.662), 606 yards, 3 td, 1 int, 145.7 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 59 rushes, 167 yards, 2.8 avg, 2 td; 5 catches, 40 yards
Receiving: Cayden Beran – 21 catches, 322 yards, 15.3 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 30 tackles, 3 tfl’s, 0.5 sack, 2 ff, fr

Briar Cliff
Head Coach: Dennis Wagner (9-17, 3rd season at Briar Cliff)
Passing: Jonathan Santos – 43/64 (.672), 550 yards, 2 td, 1 int, 146.6 effic.
Rushing: Jordan Williams – 39 rushes, 193 yards, 4.9 avg, 1 td
Receiving: Khamren Davenport – 24 catches, 254 yards, 10.6 avg, 2 td
Defense: Robert Robinson – 26 tackles, 9 tfl’s, 4.5 sacks, 1 int

SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (1-2, 1-1)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, W, 44-0
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Briar Cliff (3-1, 2-0)
8/31 at Waldorf, L, 10-17
9/7 vs. Dakota State, W, 13-10
9/14 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 47-0
9/21 vs. Doane, W, 20-0
9/28 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Midland, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. (10) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/16 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs have not yet received any votes in the 2019 polls. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 62nd ranked team nationally in the NAIA (11 spot improvement from last week).

Briar Cliff did not receive votes in the NAIA poll this week despite its 3-1 record. The Chargers still have yet to crack the national poll in the existence of a program that began in 2003. Both the coaches and media pegged Briar Cliff at No. 5 in the GPAC preseason poll. Currently, it is listed at No. 39 nationally in the Massey Ratings.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 23): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 62nd

Briar Cliff
GPAC preseason: 5th (coaches); 5th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 23): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 39th

GPAC Defensive Player of the Week Tachovsky leads star-studded linebackers
The linebacker crew has been worth talking about every week. All four starters (and several backups) are capable of making game changing plays. Last week it was senior inside linebacker Derek Tachovsky who emerged with a big day. As a result, the GPAC named the Wilber, Neb., native the conference’s defensive player of the week. In the rout of Hastings, Tachovsky collected seven tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup. At outside backer, fellow senior Zac Walter picked off a pass and returned it 59 yards. That set up Ryan Durdon’s six-yard touchdown run on the next play. Meanwhile, All-American Lane Napier topped the team with eight tackles.

Career totals
Riley Bilstein – 78 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 6 pass breakups (23 games)
Lane Napier – 269 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups (23 games)
Derek Tachovsky – 145 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups (25 games)
Zac Walter – 126 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 4 interceptions (23 games)

Beran raises eyebrows
Sophomore receiver Cayden Beran is the breakout star of the season to this point. He plenty of catches for the highlight reel last week as part of his monster day at Hastings. Beran burned the Broncos for 10 grabs for 193 yards and two touchdowns in one of the most prolific days ever for a Concordia receiver. The Hutto, Texas, native leads the Bulldogs this season with 21 receptions for 322 yards and two touchdowns. Among GPAC players, Beran ranks fourth in catches and fourth in receiving yards. If Beran is to keep up his rate of more than 100 receiving yards per game, he would become the first player in program history with 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. The current school record is 951 yards by Clarence Woods in 1988. Beran had zero catches to his name prior to this season, but now has turned in back-to-back games with more than 100 receiving yards.

Running game makes leap forward
While Jake Kemp and Cayden Beran teamed up on an aerial assault at Hastings, the Bulldogs made it a priority to get the running game on track. The passing attack helped open up running lanes for senior Ryan Durdon, who had his most productive day of the season. He ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. That outing bumped Durdon’s career rushing total to 2,235 yards as he continues to push for a top five spot on the program’s all-time list (see below). Coordinator Reggie Corbin also wants to get redshirt freshman back Jonah Weyand involved. Last week Weyand ran eight times for 31 yards and found the end zone for the first time in his career. A Crete High School product, Weyand suffered an ACL tear in the 2018 season opener and missed the remainder of the campaign.

Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,235
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799

Defense returns to dominance in blowout of Hastings
With that aforementioned linebacker crew, Concordia has the makings of one of its best defenses in several years. While pitching their first shutout since 2016, the Bulldogs vaulted to 16th nationally in scoring defense with an average of 14.7 points allowed per game. The Concordia D has also notched 11 sacks, has forced seven turnovers and contributed a touchdown in the game at Buena Vista on Zac Walter’s 79-yard interception return. Walter has already logged 138 interception return yards (most in the nation). The statistics were especially gaudy last week. The Broncos averaged only 2.9 yards per play, converted 2-of-16 third downs and failed to reach the red zone the entire afternoon.

Kemp takes control
Jake Kemp is the guy at quarterback. The native of Decatur, Texas, has won the job with steady improvement since the passing game struggled mightily at the beginning of last season. Through three games, Kemp has been incredibly efficient, completing 66.2 percent of his passes. His 309 passing yards last week represented a career high. Kemp has a strong stable of receivers to throw the ball to with Art Anderson, Cayden Beran and Korrell Koehlmoos each capable of making big plays down the field. In fact, all three have a catch of at least 38 yards this season. Considering the lack of explosive passing offenses in school history, it’s fair to say the receiver unit ranks as one of the best ever seen in Seward. With the way the passing game is humming, Kemp could put the school single season record of 2,150 passing yards (Jarrod Pimentel in 2001) in jeopardy. Only once has a Bulldog quarterback surpassed 2,000 passing yards in a 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)
6. Jake Kemp – 309 (at Hastings, 2019)

Offensive line adjusts without Hornung
Concordia has had to make a tweak to the offensive line with starting guard Keegan Hornung going down with an injury at Buena Vista. Senior Zach Miller has risen to the top of the depth chart in Hornung’s place. The rest of the offensive line has been pretty stable with Cole Baumgartner and Michael Brewer at the tackle spots, Evrett Shaw at another guard position and Johnny Robinson at center. The running game still has room for improvement, but continuity up front could be the key to getting Ryan Durdon loose for his first 100-yard rushing effort this season.

Pass defense tightens
The stat line almost looks like a misprint. Hastings quarterbacks combined to complete only 6-of-30 pass attempts with two interceptions last week. It was quite a contrast compared to the previous week when Buena Vista burned the Bulldogs for 385 yards through the air. Concordia entered this season knowing it had to get better in this area. The Bulldogs ended 2018 ranked 59th nationally with 234.5 passing yards per game allowed. Concordia has tried to strengthen the cornerback spots with Johnny Johnson and OJ Ferguson as the starters. It worked last week.

Series vs. Briar Cliff
Concordia owns a 13-3 record in the all-time series versus Briar Cliff. The first meeting took place in 2003 and resulted in a 30-3 Bulldog victory. Concordia had won 11 in a row over the Chargers until last season when Briar Cliff protected its home turf by a final score of 23-14. In that contest, the Bulldogs struggled to get much going offensively. A large chunk of their 252 total yards came on an 83-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon. Concordia held a 14-6 lead in the third quarter before the Chargers scored the final 17 points of the game. Briar Cliff has not won in Seward since 2005.

Scouting Briar Cliff
Briar Cliff’s fortunes have improved precipitously since Dennis Wagner was hired. Wagner weathered the storm through an 0-11 campaign in 2017 and the Chargers shot up to a 6-5 mark (school record for wins in a season) in 2018. At least so far, this 2019 edition of Briar Cliff football appears to be a defensive-oriented squad. None of its first four opponents have managed to score more than 17 points. The Chargers are ranked No. 1 in the NAIA in total defense having allowed a measly 165.0 yards per game. Defensive end Robert Robinson has been a terror coming off the edge. He’s already racked up 4.5 sacks and 9.0 tackles for loss. Concordia will also have to account for Markel Roby, who has a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown and a 32-yard interception return for a touchdown. Offensively, Briar Cliff is still waiting for a breakout. It has averaged only 2.9 yards per rush.

Bulldogs blanked by hot Dordt

October 26

SIOUX CENTER, Iowa – The Concordia University football team already knew it had its work cut out for it while up against the top-ranked rush offense in the nation. The high-powered Dordt ground attack took advantage of plenty of short fields on Saturday (Oct. 26) afternoon and put a thumping on the visiting Bulldogs, 35-0, in Sioux Center, Iowa. The contest marked the fifth-straight year that Concordia has played the Defenders on the road.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad had not suffered a defeat quite like this one this fall. All four of its previous defeats had been decided by margins of a touchdown or less. The Bulldogs have slipped to 3-5 overall (3-4 GPAC).

“These are very hard lessons to learn,” Daberkow said in the postgame show with 104.9 Max Country. “We have some address some things with each position group. We’ll own our mistakes and learn from it. We hope this helps mold guys down the road and learn things. It’s hard to find a silver lining in this. We just have to get back to the drawing board and play better next week.”

The miscues in the first half gave Concordia little shot of bringing a victory back home. Jake Kemp was picked off three times and the Bulldogs fumbled away a kickoff. Other than being stuffed on a fourth down try in Concordia territory, Dordt (5-3, 4-2 GPAC) could not have scripted much better of an opening 30 minutes. It was 28-0 by the time the break mercifully arrived.

The Defenders made the Bulldogs pay with a run-oriented offense that piled up 269 rushing yards. The onus was placed upon a Concordia defense that was on the field for 89 plays. In the first half, Levi Jungling, Carter Schiebout, Michael Sonderman and Levi Schoonhoven all rushed for a touchdown apiece. Schiebout powered his way to 101 yards on 19 carries. Dordt had to work for its 379 total yards. It did not have a play go for longer than 18 yards all day.

On the other side of the ball, Concordia managed only 170 yards and 11 first downs. It put together its best drive on the game’s final possession when it marched 53 yards to the Dordt eight-yard line. The Bulldogs eventually ran out of time with a Wyatt Ehlers incompletion occurring on the very last play of the afternoon.

The big disadvantage early on led to a pass-first Bulldog offense that attempted 33 throws compared to 21 rushes. Kemp was 9-for-24 for 89 yards with four of his tosses being picked off. Ryan Durdon ran seven times for 30 yards with a long of 17. Brady Fitzke caught three passes for 47 yards. Concordia turned it over six times.

Defensively for the Bulldogs, safety Peyton Mitchell notched his fifth interception of the season while Derek Tachovsky piled up a team best 12 tackles (including two for loss). Tachovsky and the defense spent 38:28 of game time on the field.

“It’s a very unique offense,” Daberkow said of Dordt. “It’s a very well-oiled offense. They do a good job and they have a good thing going right now. If you turn the ball over against an offense like that and give them that many extra opportunities, you’re not going to be in the game. That’s what we saw today.”

Up next is the home finale for the Bulldogs, who will welcome Midland (4-4, 3-3 GPAC) to town next Saturday (Nov. 2) for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. Concordia will use the day to honor its senior class during pre-game festivities. The Warrior coaching staff includes former Bulldog head coach Vance Winter, now the defensive coordinator at Midland.

Bulldogs frustrated by Midland in home finale

November 2

SEWARD, Neb. – The turnovers have mounted for an offense that has continually put the Bulldog defense in tough spots. Frustrations from Dordt last week carried over as the Concordia University football team sputtered in a 27-7 loss to Midland in the 2019 home finale on Saturday (Nov. 2). The Warriors put up the game’s final 20 points.

Third-year head coach Patrick Daberkow had hoped to send a class of 18 seniors out with a victory. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs fell for the third-straight game and slipped to 3-6 overall (3-5 GPAC).

“My goodness we love our seniors,” Daberkow said. “What hurts the most today is sending them out (with a loss). We have some absolute warriors on our team that have just been plugging away for four or five years. I really wanted to send them out with a win. It’s just very disappointing when that doesn’t happen.”

The lasting positive Concordia will take away from this fall is the never-ending grit shown by a defensive unit spearheaded by the linebacker core. On this particular Saturday, all four starting linebackers registered at least six tackles, led by a dozen from senior Derek Tachovsky. Junior Lane Napier and senior Zac Walter added 10 stops apiece. In the secondary, OJ Ferguson and AJ Jenkins both plucked an interception.

The quarterbacks on both sides threw the ball up for grabs throughout the day. Midland (5-4, 4-3 GPAC) intercepted Jake Kemp four times, although it converted those opportunities into only seven points. Unlike a week ago when the Defenders took advantage of short fields, the Warriors put together three touchdown drives of 75 yards or more. They outgained the Bulldogs, 418-263.

Midland quarterback Noah Oswald connected with Austin Harris on separate touchdown plays of 21, 37 and 16 yards. Late in the fourth quarter, Maximus Wold put the game on ice by capping a 13-play, 80-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown rush. The Warriors actually found some success running the football against Concordia’s top-five rated rush defense. They averaged 5.0 yards per carry and gained 224 yards on the ground.

The Bulldogs were unable to generate enough offense to give themselves a shot. Not only did it commit four turnovers, Concordia went just 2-for-14 on third down attempts and Kemp was sacked eight times. It also went without running back Ryan Durdon, whose career was cut short by an injury suffered in practice. Even with Durdon, the run game had been a work-in-progress. On Saturday, Jonah Weyand and Devin Zeigler split carries with modest results. The Bulldogs finished with 48 rushing yards.

The first half was closely contested. Concordia got its only score of the day at the 8:52 mark of the first quarter when it cashed in on a muffed Midland punt. On the very next play, Kemp scampered his way into the end zone from 18 yards out to tie the game, 7-7. The Warriors regained the lead for good in the final minute of the first half.

By the end of the afternoon, the Bulldogs were again left searching for answers in what has turned into another season of learning. The defense has been a strength for most of the fall, but the offensive side of the ball must become much more productive moving forward.

“Huge impact,” Daberkow said while expanding upon the senior class. “A lot of those guys set the example for work ethic in the weight room. This was a game where we couldn’t run the football as well as we wanted to and they really grinded us out in the fourth quarter. We need to get bigger and stronger. If we all work the way these seniors did, we’ll get a lot better this offseason.”

The 2019 season will end next Saturday (Nov. 9) with a trip to Sioux City, Iowa, for a matchup with top-ranked Morningside (8-0, 7-0 GPAC). The defending national champion Mustangs have again been dominant within conference play and have scored at least 42 points in each game this season. Concordia last defeated Morningside in 2003.

Bulldogs close season at 3-7 with loss at No. 1 Morningside

November 10

SEWARD, Neb. – The 2019 Concordia University football season is in the books. While the record won’t show it, the Bulldogs believe they made strides from a year ago. In Saturday (Nov. 9)’s matchup with No. 1 Morningside, the home team dominated the second quarter and rode it to a 52-7 victory in Sioux City, Iowa. The defending NAIA national champion Mustangs (9-0, 8-0 GPAC) remained undefeated.

Head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad concludes the year at 3-7 overall (3-6 GPAC). Concordia fell in each of its final four games of the fall.

This particular season finale will be mostly forgettable for the Bulldogs, whose seniors got one final chance to wear the navy and white. Morningside rattled off 35 points during the second quarter and built a commanding 42-0 halftime advantage. Unfortunately for Concordia, some season-long themes persisted. Morningside took advantage of short fields. Mustang quarterback Joe Doincheck piled up 339 passing yards and two touchdowns while star running back Arnijae Ponder ran for three scores.

On a positive note, the Bulldog defense competed. The Mustangs finished with 490 total yards, well below what their season average (602.3) entering the contest. Concordia also held a slight advantage in time of possession (30:58 to 29:02). A large chunk of that possession came on the Bulldogs’ lone scoring drive, which covered 81 yards on 15 plays and ate up 7:39. Cori Pumphrey carried the ball seven times in the series and capped it with a six-yard scoring rush for his first career touchdown.

While this game got out of hand, Concordia’s defense, led by a veteran linebacker core, gave it a shot on most Saturdays this fall. Plenty of seniors on the defensive side of the ball enjoyed stellar seasons. Senior linebacker Zac Walter paced the team at Morningside with 13 tackles, including a sack. Fellow senior backers Derek Tachovsky (seven tackles, one TFL) and Riley Bilstein (six tackles) were also among the top Bulldog tacklers. Meanwhile, defensive end Aaron Rudloff capped a monster senior year with five tackles in his final college game.

The stout Morningside defense limited the Bulldog offense to 126 total yards and an average of 2.2 yards per play. Senior Andrew Perea got his one and only start of the season at quarterback and went 7-of-16 for 66 yards (one interception). Pumphrey carried the ball 15 times for 48 yards. Pumphrey and Jonah Weyand got the bulk of the carries with Ryan Durdon again sidelined. Durdon missed the final two games of his career.

Morningside now looks ahead to next week’s clash with No. 5 Northwestern (9-0, 8-0 GPAC) in what is essentially the GPAC championship game. On the other hand, Concordia heads into another offseason unsatisfied with how this fall transpired. The 2020 season will be the final one as a Bulldog for All-American linebacker Lane Napier, who surpassed 100 tackles for the second year in a row.

Rudloff collects CoSIDA Academic All-District award

November 14

SEWARD, Neb. – For the eighth year in a row, a member of the Concordia University football team has represented the program with Academic All-District® Team honors, as selected by College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The 2019 Bulldog honoree is senior defensive end Aaron Rudloff, who is a secondary education major.

A 2018 NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Rudloff enjoyed a monster senior season on the gridiron for one of the nation’s most stout rush defenses. The native of Battle Creek, Neb., concluded the 2019 campaign with 41 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, nine sacks, five quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. In his collegiate career, Rudloff recorded 120 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, 12 sacks and an interception. Teammate Zac Walter garnered Academic All-District accolades in 2018.

The 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.

First Team Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CoSIDA Academic All-America® ballot. First- and second-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced December 9-12

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)
Aaron Rudloff (2019)
*Academic All-American

Napier tabbed honorable mention All-American by AFCA

December 5

AFCA NAIA All-Americans

SEWARD, Neb. – For the second year in a row, junior linebacker Lane Napier has been awarded NAIA honorable mention All-America status by the American Football Coaches Association, as announced on Thursday (Dec. 5). Napier was also chosen as an Associated Press NAIA First Team All-American in 2018 when he led the NAIA in tackles. The David City, Neb., native is a three-time first team all-conference choice.

Napier continues to cement himself as one of the program’s all-time greats. The Aquinas High School product has produced staggering tackle numbers throughout his three collegiate seasons. Napier has paced the GPAC in tackles during the regular season all three years while compiling 347 career tackles (a program GPAC era record). This past season, Napier totaled 108 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception. He was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the week on Oct. 14.

Napier career honors

2018 AP NAIA First Team All-American
2018 and 2019 AFCA Honorable Mention All-American
Three-Time First Team All-GPAC
2018 Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska Defensive Honorary Captain
2017 and 2018 Omaha World-Herald All-Nebraska First Team
Three-Time GPAC Defensive Player of the Week

Napier named captain, 12 Bulldogs honored by OWH

December 23

Omaha-World Herald news article

SEWARD, Neb. – A dozen Bulldogs represented the Concordia University football team with mention on the 2019 Omaha World-Herald NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Nebraska Football Team. The teams were announced by Nebraska’s largest newspaper on Saturday (Dec. 21). For the second year in a row, star linebacker Lane Napier has been chosen as the All-Nebraska defensive honorary captain (he shares the honor this year).

Also earning a spot on the 27-member team were juniors Cayden Beran and Peyton Mitchell and seniors Aaron Rudloff and Derek Tachovsky. Honorable mention All-Nebraska accolades were handed out to senior Riley Bilstein, junior Lane Castaneda, senior Ryan Durdon, senior Kaleb Geiger, sophomore Korrell Koehlmoos, freshman Jordan Spilinek and senior Zac Walter.

Napier continues to cement himself as one of the program’s all-time greats. The Aquinas High School product has produced staggering tackle numbers throughout his three collegiate seasons. Napier has paced the GPAC in tackles during the regular season all three years while compiling 347 career tackles (a program GPAC era record). This past season, Napier totaled 108 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception while being named first team All-GPAC for the third-straight year. He was also tabbed an Honorable Mention All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.

After biding his time as a freshman in 2018, Beran broke loose this fall as the Bulldogs’ leading receiver. He caught 49 passes for 701 yards and two touchdowns. The native of Hutto, Texas, topped the 100-yard receiving mark three times with an especially big game at Hastings – 10 catches for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Beran caught at least one pass in all 10 games in 2019.

Mitchell served as a ball-hawk in the secondary. He ranked second in the GPAC with five interceptions while also breaking up eight passes. The Waverly, Kan., native added 28 tackles. He picked off two passes versus Northwestern, an NAIA playoff qualifier. The 2019 campaign was Mitchell’s first as a full-time starter in the secondary.

Rudloff enjoyed the best season of his career as a senior. Also an Academic All-District choice (by College Sports Information Directors of America), the native of Battle Creek, Neb., ranked second in the GPAC with a career high nine sacks. He added 41 tackles, including 10 for loss and was credited with five quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. Rudloff registered 120 tackles in his career.

A native of Wilber, Neb., Tachovksy moved up from honorable mention All-GPAC recognition a year ago. As a senior, Tachovsky racked up 88 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and four pass breakups. He notched double-digit tackle numbers in each of his final four games. Tachovsky finished his career with 206 tackles, including 17.5 for loss.

Each of the honorable mention All-Nebraska choices were starters for head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad. Bilstein, Castaneda and Walter earned additional laurels this past fall as honorable mention All-GPAC selections.

NAIA/NCAA Division III All-Nebraska Football Team

Offense

WR: Derrick Curtis, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan

WR: Caden Beran, So., Concordia

TE: Austin Harris, So., Midland

OL: Ethan Butler, Sr., Midland

OL: Colton Davis, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan

OL: Jackson Gilbert, So., Peru State

OL: Daniel Jahn, Sr., Midland

OL: Riley Williams, Sr., Midland

* QB: Jonathan Curti, Sr., Nebraska Wesleyan

RB: Brett Simonsen, Fr., Hastings

RB: Maximus Wold, Fr., Midland

Defense

* DL: Travis Havlovic, So., Midland

DL: Anthony Malone, Sr., Doane

DL: Abdul Marei, Sr., Hastings

DL: Aaron Rudloff, Sr., Concordia

LB: Jett Hampton, Sr., Midland

* LB: Lane Napier, Jr., Concordia

LB: Derek Tachovsky, Sr., Concordia

LB: Jacob Garnas, Jr., Nebraska Wesleyan

DB: Christian Harmon, Sr., Midland

DB: Victor Hubbard, Sr., Peru State

DB: DaeRon Jones, So., Hastings

DB: Peyton Mitchell, Jr., Concordia

Special teams

K: Bryce Cooney, Sr., Doane

P: Camdon Griffiths, Jr., Midland

RS: Izaiah Celestine, Jr., Doane

AP: Austan Daniels, So., Midland

Honorable mention: Concordia: Riley Bilstein, Lane Castaneda, Ryan Durdon, Kaleb Geiger, Korrell Koehlmoos, Jordan Spilinek, Zac Walter. Doane: Damond Brown, Garrett Fries, Riley Homolka, Connor O’Toole. Hastings: Daniel Gonzalez, DaeRon Jones, Jon Satterly, Keiotey Stenhouse, Steel Willis. Midland: Ethan Butler, Noah Oswald. Nebraska Wesleyan: Kaden Dawe, Logan Hughes, Hayden Penny, Monte Robinson. Peru State: Mardarius Adams, John Brady, Luis Constantino, Travis Reed, Jordan Willis.

* — denotes honorary captains