2022 Football Schedule/Results

4-6 overall | 4-6 GPAC (T-6th) | Season Stats | Roster

Date	Opponent	Location	Result	Record
Sep. 3	*Doane University	Crete, Neb.	L, 10-12	0-1, 0-1
Sep. 17	*Hastings College (Homecoming)	Seward, Neb.	L, 17-21	0-2, 0-2
Sep. 24	*(4) Northwestern College	Orange City, Iowa	L, 10-34	0-3, 0-3
Oct. 1	*Dakota Wesleyan University	Mitchell, S.D.	W, 20-12	1-3, 1-3
Oct. 8	*University of Jamestown	Seward, Neb.	W, 30-15	2-3, 2-3
Oct. 15	*Mount Marty University (Parents' Day)	Seward, Neb.	W, 47-24	3-3, 3-3
Oct. 22	*Dordt University	Seward, Neb.	L, 28-29	3-4, 3-4
Oct. 29	*(14) Midland University	Fremont, Neb.	L, 31-41	3-5, 3-5
Nov. 5	*Briar Cliff University	Sioux City, Iowa	W, 45-10	4-5, 4-5
Nov. 12	*(1) Morningside University (Senior Day)	Seward, Neb.	L, 18-55	4-6, 4-6

2022 Roster

No.	Name		Pos.	Yr.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown	Previous School
0	Jordan	Kavulak	DL	So.	6-3	245	Bee, Neb.	Seward HS
1	Isiaha	Conner	CB	So.	6-1	188	Las Vegas, Nev.	Centennial HS / Trinity Valley CC
1	Logan	DeCoste	QB	Fr.	5-10	188	Hay Springs, Neb.	Hay Springs HS
2	Lukas	Coe	ILB	Jr.	6-2	222	Omaha, Neb.	Concordia HS / Iowa Western CC
2	Ayden	King	WR	So.	6-0	190	Doniphan, Neb.	Doniphan-Trumbull HS
3	Jayzen	Armstrong	CB	Sr.	5-6	145	Casa Grande, Ariz.	Vista Grande HS
3	DJ	McGarvie	QB	So.	6-3	185	Valparaiso, Neb.	Lincoln North Star HS
4	Christian	Dyhrkopp	ILB	So.	6-0	232	Columbus, Neb.	Columbus HS
4	Hunter	Mortimer	QB	Fr.	5-9	190	Elmwood, Neb.	Weeping Water HS
5	Korrell	Koehlmoos	WR	Sr.	6-1	190	Pilger, Neb.	Lutheran High Northeast
6	Cole	Coffey	WR	So.	6-1	171	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln North Star HS
6	Carson	Core	WR	Jr.	5-10	175	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
7	Kyle	Sterup	DE	So.	6-2	240	Osceola, Neb.	Osceola HS
7	Parker	Vyhlidal	WR	So.	6-0	200	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln HS
8	Kam	Baker	CB	Jr.	5-11	184	San Antonio, Texas	Samuel Clemens HS / Blinn CC
8	Cade	Peterson	QB	Jr.	6-2	215	Glendale, Ariz.	Raymond S. Ellis HS
9	Myles	Lyons	CB	So.	6-1	165	Fort Worth, Texas	South Hills HS
9	Brandon	Vega	TE	Sr.	5-10	235	Waverly, Kan.	Emporia HS
10	Jake	Justice	WR	So.	6-6	222	Houston, Texas	Lutheran South Academy / Texas Tech
10	Reid	Korth	ILB	So.	5-11	195	Wayne, Neb.	Wayne HS
11	Michael	Doiel	S	So.	6-2	195	Manhattan, Kan.	Manhattan HS
11	Gideon	Stark	QB	Fr.	6-6	205	Magnolia, Texas	Concordia Lutheran HS
12	Karsten	McCarter	S	So.	5-10	175	Elm Creek, Neb.	Elm Creek Public Schools
12	Collin	Reetz	QB	Fr.	6-6	205	Estes Park, Colo.	Estes Park HS
13	Carsen	Arline	WR	Jr.	5-10	186	Nederland, Texas	Nederland HS
13	Nate	Moore	S	Jr.	6-1	185	Atwater, Calif.	Atwater HS
14	Luke	Lang	TE	Sr.	6-3	215	Brentwood, Calif.	Heritage HS
15	Luke	Sanchez	S	So.	6-0	201	Friendswood, Texas	Friendswood HS
15	Garrett	Schardt	TE	Sr.	6-3	205	Davenport, Neb.	Bruning-Davenport-Shickley HS
16	Chase	Hofmeister	DB	Fr.	5-9	160	Pender, Neb.	Pender HS
16	Austin	Jablonski	QB	So.	6-3	210	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Pius X / University of Nebraska
17	Mark	Arp	RB	So.	6-0	178	McCook, Neb.	McCook HS
17	Jaden	O'Connor	DB	Fr.	6-2	155	Fort Worth, Texas	Keller Central HS
18	Matthew	Davis	LB	Fr.	6-0	221	Harvard, Neb.	Sutton HS
18	Mason	Edwards	RB	So.	5-11	197	Wichita, Kan.	Maize South HS
19	Jaden	Seier	DB	Fr.	6-0	195	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney Catholic HS
19	Brady	Soukup	OL	So.	5-10	210	Blair, Neb.	Blair HS
20	Logan	Davidson	LB	Fr.	5-10	212	Goddard, Kan.	Goddard HS
20	Eli	Schmid	WR	Fr.	5-11	150	Oshkosh, Neb.	Creek Valley HS
21	Caleb	Matlock	WR	So.	5-9	170	Omaha, Neb.	Concordia Academy
21	Dylan	Smith	CB	So.	5-9	175	Denton, Neb.	Lincoln HS
22	Carter	Johnson	DB	Fr.	5-10	167	Anselmo, Neb.	Anselmo-Merna HS
22	Devin	Zeigler	RB	Jr.	5-6	180	Houston, Texas	Cy-Fair HS
23	Damon	Mickey	LB	Fr.	6-1	210	Stromsburg, Neb.	Cross County HS
23	Peyton	White	K	Fr.	5-10	150	Leavenworth, Kan.	Leavenworth HS
24	Josh	Palacios	WR	So.	5-10	170	Katy, Texas	Cypress Park HS
24	Bobby	Schneider		Fr.	5-10	170
25	Arcullous	Heard III	RB	Jr.	5-10	228	Maryland Heights, Mo.	Lutheran HS of St. Charles
25	Daylan	Henson	DB	Fr.	5-10	210	Pearland, Texas	Lutheran High North
26	Jesse	Herndon	LB	Fr.	6-1	225	Saronville, Neb.	Sutton HS
27	Kyan	Consbruck	WR	Fr.	5-8	152	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Southwest HS
28	Paxton	Olson	RB	Fr.	5-10	175	Ong, Neb.	Sutton HS
29	Max	Bartels	WR	Fr.	6-2	171	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
30	Joseph	Kahrs	ILB	So.	5-11	225	Naponee, Neb.	Franklin HS
31	Blake	McOmber	WR	Fr.	6-2	145	Morrison, Colo.	Bear Creek HS
32	Nick	Price	WR	Fr.	5-10	165	Colusa, Calif.	Colusa HS
33	Logan	Srna	OLB	Sr.	5-10	205	Culver, Kan.	Tescott HS
34	Fisher	Bass	WR	So.	5-9	155	Hideaway, Texas	Brook Hill HS
34	Karson	Sherman	LB	Fr.	5-10	180	Glenvil, Neb.	Sandy Creek HS
35	Zachary	Downs	DL	So.	6-0	200	Montgomery, Texas	Lake Creek HS
36	Carter	Seim	RB	Fr.	6-1	215	Stromsburg, Neb.	Cross County HS
36	Isaac	Wilson	S	So.	5-11	180	St. Louis, Mo.	Lutheran HS South
37	Charles	Nshimiyimana	K	Fr.	5-9	160	St. Louis, Mo.	Roosevelt HS
38	Anthony	Nauman	DB	So.	5-11	185	Beatrice, Neb.	Beatrice HS / University of Nebraska
39	Cayden	Gorton	WR	Fr.	6-2	214	Lakewood, Colo.	Bear Creek HS
40	Michael	Grindey	ILB	Jr.	6-1	225	Phoenix, Ariz.	Brophy Prep. / Creighton University
40	Ashton	Wright	RB	Fr.	5-9	185	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Southwest HS
41	Lane	Meier	LB	Fr.	6-2	220	Yukon, Okla.	Yukon HS
42	Gabriel	Knisley	DB	So.	5-11	215	Goehner, Neb.	Seward HS
43	Nick	Leader	LB	Jr.	6-1	200	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Southwest / Univ. of Nebraska
44	Maddox	Rickertsen	TE	Fr.	6-2	245	Gothenburg, Neb.	Gothenburg HS
45	Mason	Fortney	LB	Fr.	6-2	185	Ashland, Neb.	Ashland-Greenwood HS
45	Gavin	Weichel	DB	Fr.	6-0	180	Plymouth, Neb.	Tri County HS
46	Ty	Bartholomew	OLB	So.	6-0	195	York, Neb.	York HS
47	Nathan	Bash	LB	Fr.	6-4	180	Plattesburg, Mo.	Plattsburg HS
48	Reed	McFadden	ILB	So.	6-1	220	Purdum, Neb.	Sandhills HS
49	Gabe	Ellis	ILB	So.	6-1	208	Kingsdown, Kan.	Bucklin HS
50	Raymetrius	Benally	LB	Fr.	5-10	210	Kirtland, N.M.	Central HS
50	Derek	Campbell	OL	Fr.	6-4	294	Geneva, Ill.	Geneva Community HS
51	Grant	Huss	LB	Fr.	5-11	205	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Southwest HS
52	Brevin	Damrow	OL	Fr.	5-8	229	Plymouth, Neb.	Tri County HS
53	Coale	Holeman	DL	Fr.	6-0	300	Missouri City, Texas	Ridgepoint HS
53	Sam	Rakoski	OL	Fr.	6-4	350	Bethalto, Ill.	Alton HS
54	Kevan	Peters	DL	Fr.	6-4	275	Wood River, Neb.	Wood River HS
54	Tyler	Thomas	OL	Fr.	6-2	300	Broken Bow, Neb.	Broken Bow HS
55	Carson	Adams	DL	Fr.	6-1	235	Geneva, Neb.	Fillmore Central HS
55	Joseph	McQueen	OL	So.	6-3	245	Millsap, Neb.	Brock HS
56	Jackson	Anderson	OL	So.	6-0	237	Highlands Ranch, Colo.	Valor HS
57	Cody	Wilkerson	DL	Fr.	6-2	260	San Antonio, Texas	Southside HS
58	Patrick	Dietz	DL	Fr.	6-0	263	Grafton, Neb.	McCool Junction HS / Briar Cliff
58	Christian	Schlepp	OL	Jr.	6-1	265	Manhattan, Kan.	Manhattan HS
59	Sterling	Harp	NT	So.	5-8	253	Salina, Kan.	Southeast Saline HS
60	Johnny	Robinson III	OL	Sr.	5-9	290	Houston, Texas	Eisenhower HS
61	Nathan	Hofrock	FB	So.	6-0	260	Sidney, Neb.	Sidney HS
62	Kenneth	Harper	OL	Fr.	5-9	250	Florissant, Mo.	Hazelwood Central HS
63	Braxton	Mech	OL	Fr.	5-10	230	South Bend, Neb.	Ashland-Greenwood HS
64	Kale	Nordmeyer	OL	Fr.	5-11	265	Seward, Neb.	Malcolm HS
66	Toby	Hager	OL/LS	Jr.	6-2	265	Buena Park, Calif.	Sunny Hills HS
68	Edumar	Garcia	OL	So.	6-1	290	Rio Grande City, Texas	Rio Grande City HS
69	Tyler	Walford	OL	So.	6-3	295	Lincoln, Kan.	Ellsworth HS
70	Noah	Schaedel	OL	So.	6-0	240	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln HS
71	Nathan	Miller	OL	So.	6-3	260	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
72	Bryce	Needham	OL	So.	6-1	255	Katy, Texas	Katy HS
73	Kaden	Peters	OL	So.	6-3	270	Wood River, Neb.	Wood River HS
74	Blake	Schlegel	OL	So.	6-5	310	Bruning, Neb.	Bruning-Davenport-Shickley HS
75	Seth	Moore	OL	So.	6-4	265	Kearney, Neb.	Kearney Catholic HS
76	Nick	Sazama	OL	Jr.	6-5	300	Norfolk, Neb.	Norfolk HS
77	Gavin	Mull	OL	Jr.	6-3	250	Roanoke, Texas	Byron Nelson HS
79	Braden	Hackmer	OL	So.	5-8	285	Hungerford, Texas	Boling HS
80	Zack	Burke	WR	So.	6-3	180	Sidney, Neb.	Sidney HS
81	Logan	Knaus	TE	Fr.	6-2	193	Hildreth, Neb.	Wilcox-Hildreth HS
82	Hunter	Cole	TE	So.	6-2	215	Decatur, Texas	Decatur HS
83	Daylan	Russell	TE	So.	6-3	215	Alma, Neb.	Alma HS
84	Ethan	Kirby	TE	Fr.	6-5	240	Stewardson, Ill.	St. Paul Lutheran HS
85	Justin	Ningen	WR	So.	5-10	185	Chapell, Neb.	Creek Valley HS
86	Dominic	Philippi	WR	So.	5-8	155	Bruning, Neb.	Bruning-Davenport-Shickley HS
87	Ty	Harold	K	Sr.	6-1	150	Council Bluffs, Iowa	Thomas Jefferson HS / IA Western CC
88	Wyatt	Cast	TE	Jr.	6-6	207	York, Neb.	York HS
89	Gideon	Schauer	TE	Jr.	6-3	230	Union, Ill.	Faith Lutheran HS
91	Stephen	Hughes II	DL	So.	6-1	250	Denver, Colo.	Columbine HS
92	Eric	Kieper Jr.	NT	Jr.	6-3	275	Lacombe, La.	Lakeshore HS
93	Carson	Fehlhafer	DL	Fr.	6-3	270	Utica, Neb.	Centennial HS
94	Talatau	Solo	DL	So.	6-1	230	San Bernardino, Calif.	Pacific HS
95	Jack	L'Heureux	DL	Fr.	6-4	240	Lincoln, Neb.	Lincoln Lutheran HS
97	Jack	Freeman	DL	So.	5-11	245	Palm Coast, Fla.	Flagler Palm Coast HS
98	Caleb	Hubbard	DL	Fr.	6-0	258	Yukon, Okla.	Yukon HS
99	Devon	Polley	NT	So.	6-1	285	Edmond, Okla.	Edmond Memorial HS
	Qyalan	Clay	RB	Jr.	5-8	195	Houston, Texas	Manvel HS
	Wyatt	Ehlers	QB	Jr.	5-11	200	Waco, Neb.	Centennial HS
	Kalen	Garrett	LB	Jr.	6-0	200	Norfolk, Neb.	Doniphan-Trumbull HS
	Jaxson	Kant	OLB	So.	6-0	195	Norfolk, Neb.	Lutheran High Northeast
	Ben	Myers	QB	So.	6-3	206	Seward, Neb.	Seward HS
	Marcus	Pruett	TE	So.	5-7	179	Holton, Kan.	Holton HS
	Jake	Peitz	TE	Fr.	6-2	205	Hartington, Neb.	Hartington-Newcastle HS
	Jaydon	Sobotka	RB	Fr.			Omaha, Neb.	Gretna HS
	Vinny	Bonham	STF	Fr.			St. Charles, Mo.	Lutheran HS
	Zac	Dowgiallo	STF	Jr.	5-10	170	Viera, Fla.	Viera HS
	Travis	Parsons	STF	So.	6-0	219	Round Rock, Texas	Concordia Lutheran HS
	Devin	Rathman	STF				Hastings, Neb.	Heartland Lutheran HS
	Kougar	Rodriguez	STF	Sr.	5-10	220	Midland, Texas	Robert E. Lee HS
	Daniel	Warneke	STF	Sr.	6-1	215	Hastings, Neb.	Heartland Lutheran HS

STAFF

Patrick Daberkow, Head Coach

Corby Osten, Defensive Coordinator

Trent Laune, Special Teams Coordinator / Defensive Backs

Grady Koch, Assistant Football Coach

Ezekiel Combs, Graduate Assistant (Defensive Backs)

Bryce Simnacher, Graduate Assistant (Offensive Line)

Von Thomas, Offensive Assistant

Courtney Meyer, Specialists

Ron Jackson, Defensive Tackles

Vince Beasley, Receivers

Justin Hoffman, Defensive Line

Chris Shipley, Inside Linebackers

Kordell Glause, Outside Linebackers

Todd Berner, Director of Strength and Conditoning

Brenna Pfahler, Athletic Trainer

Concordia receives votes in 2022 NAIA preseason coaches' poll

August 1, 2022

2022 NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Top 25 Poll

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Football program has hopes of making a bigger splash on the national radar in 2022. Following a successful 7-3 campaign in 2021, the Bulldogs picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA Preseason Coaches’ Top 25 Poll (sponsored by FirstDown Playbook) and were listed among teams receiving votes. The first poll of 2022 was unveiled on Monday (Aug. 1) by the NAIA.

The official GPAC preseason poll has not yet been released. Based on the national poll, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is picked to finish fourth in the GPAC. Three GPAC schools appeared in the NAIA preseason top 25: No. 1 Morningside, No. 3 Northwestern and No. 21 Dordt.

Daberkow’s squad returns seven starters on offense and six on defense. The headlining returners include tight end Garrett Schardt and center Johnny Robinson III. Also on offense, the Bulldogs bring back quarterback DJ McGarvie, who threw for 19 touchdown passes last season. Defensively, lineman Jordan Kavulak tops the holdovers with his nine tackles for loss in 2021. The Concordia defense limited foes to averages of 19.3 points and 311.6 yards per game last season.

The 2022 slate will kick off at Doane on Sept. 3. The first home game is slated for Sept. 17 versus Hastings as part of homecoming weekend on campus.

Bulldogs placed fourth in GPAC preseason football poll

August 11, 2022

GPAC Release

SEWARD, Neb. – A season after tying for third place in the GPAC standings, the Concordia University Football program has been slotted in at No. 4 in the 2022 GPAC Preseason Coaches’ Poll released on Thursday (Aug. 11) by the conference office. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad generated 72 points in the poll and was listed behind league favorites Morningside, Northwestern and Dordt.

The Bulldogs concluded the 2021 season at 7-3 overall. The win total marked the program’s highest since also going 7-3 in 2016. Daberkow’s squad also garnered votes in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll released on Aug. 1.

Said Daberkow, “I think we have reason to believe that we can be an improved football team from last year’s 7-3 team. We feel like we have some momentum from last season that carried over through the summer. That momentum can only carry you so far. The team kind of resets in the spring. It’s good to have a lot of key players back. We’re excited for what’s to come.”

Concordia returns seven starters on offense and six on defense. The headlining returners include tight end Garrett Schardt and center Johnny Robinson III, both 2021 first team all-conference selections. Also on offense, the Bulldogs bring back quarterback DJ McGarvie, who threw for 19 touchdown passes last season as a true freshman. Defensively, lineman Jordan Kavulak tops the holdovers with his nine tackles for loss in 2021. The Concordia defense limited foes to averages of 19.3 points and 311.6 yards per game last season.

The 2022 season will open at Doane on Saturday, Sept. 3 with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT in Crete. The Bulldogs will attempt to extend their series win streak to three.

2022 GPAC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll
- First-place votes in parentheses

1. Morningside – 100 (10)
2. Northwestern – 91 (1)
3. Dordt – 77
4. Concordia – 72
5. Midland – 69
6. Doane – 52
7. Dakota Wesleyan – 42
8. Hastings – 33
9. Jamestown – 32
10. Briar Cliff – 26
11. Mount Marty – 11

Season Preview: 2022 Concordia Football

Aurgust 13, 2022

2022 Concordia Football Media Guide (PDF)

Head coach: Patrick Daberkow (23-25, 6th year)
2021 Record: 7-3 overall; 7-3 GPAC (T-3rd)
Key Returners: DB Kam Baker; DB Isiaha Conner; LB Michael Grindey; DL Jordan Kavulak; S Gabe Knisley; WR Korrell Koehlmoos; QB DJ McGarvie; OL Gavin Mull; DL Devon Polley; OL Johnny Robinson; TE Garrett Schardt; OL Christian Schlepp; RB Devin Zeigler.
Key Losses: WR Art Anderson; WR Cayden Beran; LB Shayne Campbell; LB Caydren Cox; S Peyton Mitchell; LB Jorge Ochoa; LB Lane Napier; DL Payton Stevens; RB Jonah Weyand.
2021 NAIA All-America: Lane Napier (AFCA/AP First Team Team); Garrett Schardt (Honorable Mention).
2021 GPAC All-Conference: Lane Napier (First Team/Defensive Player of the Year); Johnny Robinson (First Team); Garrett Schardt (First Team); Caydren Cox (Second Team); Peyton Mitchell (Second Team); Jorge Ochoa (Honorable Mention); Payton Stevens (Honorable Mention).

Outlook

It took some time and perseverance, but the Concordia Football program made the jump in 2021 that it believed it was capable of while going 7-3 and earning a clean sweep of Nebraska GPAC rivals Doane, Hastings and Midland. However, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow and the Bulldogs refuse to believe that they have hit their ceiling. The program’s progression since 2018 has been obvious in terms of size, strength, depth of talent and overall confidence.

Where does that leave Concordia entering 2022? To sum it up, the Bulldogs return seven starters on offense and six on defense. Most prominent among them is Garrett Schardt, arguably the top tight end in the NAIA. Perhaps that returning talent, along with a recruiting class including multiple ready-for-action transfers, will put Concordia in the NAIA playoff conversation.

Says Daberkow, “It’s good to come off a winning season, but our aspirations are higher than just 7-3 for the program. I believe we have the leadership, the skill level and the coaching to get it done. Trying to get all of that on the same page is always a unique challenge every year. It’s good to come off a winning season, but last year doesn’t mean a whole lot once that ball gets kicked off on September 3.”

The Bulldogs vaulted into a tie for third place in last season’s GPAC standings. Based on the conference preseason poll, the expectation is that the rest of the league will still be chasing the likes of Morningside, Northwestern and Dordt at the top. A victory over any one of those foes would be the type of signature win that would put Concordia back on the national radar. The key is for Daberkow’s program to continue elevating the offense while maintaining its hallmark – a rugged and physical defense.

The defense is a good place to start. The unit is again coordinated by Corby Osten, who helped five-year star linebacker Lane Napier flourish into the GPAC Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-American. The linebacker unit needs to be rebuilt, but the coaching staff is confident in a defensive line solidified by stout returners such as Jordan Kavulak and Devon Polley. The program has shown an annual knack for plugging in the next men up and getting results. The defense limited last year’s opponents to averages of 311.6 yards and 19.3 points per game.

“We run to the football,” Daberkow said. “We’re fast to the ball and we get 11 hats there. That’s something we really pride ourselves on. Coach Osten, Coach (Trent) Laune and Coach (Ezekiel) Combs do a great job. Every defense Coach Osten has coordinated has run to the ball. That’s something I appreciate about our defensive mentality – it’s 11 hats to the ball and playing with speed and confidence. I’m really excited about that group.”

Linebacker will be a key area of competition leading up to the season opener. The returners with the most experience include Lukas Coe, Christian Dyhrkopp and Michael Grindey. Fans of the Bulldogs should also keep an eye on University of Nebraska transfer Nick Leader. Meanwhile, the secondary brings back nearly the entire two deep from last season. Corners Isiaha Conner and Carson Core and safeties Kam Baker and Gabriel Knisley held down starting spots at the close of 2021 and will have to fight off challengers to retain those spots. Jayzen Armstrong (injured for most of 2021) is healthy again and will also fight for a starting role.

The bigger question marks may be on offense, although the line is mostly settled considering four starters are back: left tackle Kaden Paters, center Johnny Robinson III, right guard Christian Schlepp and right tackle Gavin Mull. The coming of age of the big fellas up front has coincided with incremental year-to-year improvement for the offense overall. There’s more room for progress after the unit averaged 314.6 yards and 23.6 points per game in 2021.

A fifth year for Schardt provides a boost. He’s a two-time First Team All-GPAC selection and a security blanket for the winner of the quarterback derby. In four seasons, Schardt has accumulated 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns. Schardt has been impressed with the athleticism he sees in the offensive group. Now the offensive play caller, Daberkow is attempting to make some slight changes to enhance the unit’s explosiveness. Says Schardt, “He’s trying to keep it as simple as he can. At the same time, he’s implementing things that work – not just on paper but also on the field.”

Expanded Daberkow on those thoughts, “We’ve added some tweaks over the course of the summer and added some things to the playbook. We took a three-week install from the spring and we’re condensing it into four days in the fall. It’s like drinking from a fire hydrant right now for a lot of the guys, the freshmen especially. We’ve got a good hard-working group of receivers and tight ends. We feel like we’ll have the tools to get it done.”

A starting quarterback has not yet been named. As a true freshman in 2021, Lincoln North Star High School product DJ McGarvie threw for 19 touchdown passes. McGarvie has competition from former Cornhusker walk on Austin Jablonski, a Lincoln Pius X High School alum who has generated some buzz with his array of skills. Perhaps both will see playing time at quarterback.

“They’re both great guys. I love them both,” Schardt said. “I think they both have their own great things going for them. Austin is coming from UNL. He’s a great athlete. DJ’s got some starting under his belt from last year. He’s a good thrower and a good athlete as well. They’re both really good athletes. We’ll have to see how they compete throughout fall camp.”

There are spots up for grabs at running back and receiver as well. Those positions said goodbye to steady performers such as Jonah Weyand, Cayden Beran and Art Anderson. Devin Zeigler stands out as the most experienced running back and, according to the head coach, is one of the hardest workers Daberkow has seen at Concordia. Mark Arp is also in the mix. Back for a fifth year of his own, Korrell Koehlmoos is a playmaker at receiver and is the leading candidate to serve as the team’s punter. Koehlmoos is helping break in a new group of receivers that includes 6-foot-6 Jake Justice (father played at Concordia), a transfer from Texas Tech.

As for special teams, there are questions yet to be answered. Dylan Smith could very well end up as the team’s place kicker despite playing solely at defensive back as a freshman in 2021. Smith has emerged as the top candidate at that spot with a strong start to preseason camp. Both Conner and Koehlmoos have experience returning kicks. Daberkow says that special teams will be a major point of emphasis as the season opener draws nearer.

For the most part, things have come together the way Daberkow has hoped and recruiting has taken off. The Bulldogs won a series of in-state recruiting battles in the offseason. Some of the freshmen may get an early chance to play, such as running back Carter Seim, who rushed for more than 5,000 career yards in his eight-man prep career. There are plenty of other potential positive stories that could emerge and impact a program that believes it’s still on the way up.

“We have a team that really likes to play football,” Daberkow said. “It’s not like pushing and prodding – we have guys who want to win and put the work in. I’ve been really impressed with our upperclassman leadership this year. You get a bunch of guys from all over the place that come together in Seward, Nebraska, and work towards a common goal. There needs to be some camaraderie built and bonds need to form. Football does that. Our guys have expedited that with how they’ve led. I think that’s helpful.”

Schardt agreed with his head coach in their thoughts that a sweep of in-state rivals is nice, but not the end game. Of course the Bulldogs would love to accomplish that feat again in 2022, and then take things a step even further. Says Schardt, “It obviously means something to us. Now let’s strive for more, like conference championships instead of just winning the games in state.”

Concordia will take on rival Doane underneath the lights on Saturday, Sept. 3 as the two sides kick off the 2022 season at Papik Field in Crete, Neb. The Bulldogs will make their first home appearance of the campaign when they host Hastings as part of homecoming on Sept. 17.

 

Game Notes: Rivalry matchup on tap in kickoff to 2022 season

August 29, 2022

2022 Concordia Football Media Guide (PDF)

SEWARD, Neb. – For the second time in three years, the Concordia University Football program will open a season by playing a night game at Doane. The two rivals are readying to square off inside Papik Field at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. This will be the 67th all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and Tigers, who have been conference combatants going back to the days of the Nebraska Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow has gone 3-2 in this rivalry series since beginning his tenure in 2017.

Concordia is looking to build upon its 7-3 campaign in 2021 that featured six-straight victories after a 1-3 start. The six-game win streak was tied for the second longest among all NAIA football programs entering the 2022 season. The Bulldogs welcome back seven starters on offense and six on defense. That group includes arguably the NAIA’s top tight end in Garrett Schardt, who is returning for his fifth year inside the program. In order to take a step forward and compete at the top tier of the league, Concordia likely needs to ramp up its offensive production. The ’21 team averaged 23.6 points per game offensively while allowing 19.3.

Doane was built similarly last season in that it tried to grind out victories with a strong defense. Head Coach Chris Bessler enters his fifth season as head coach. Bessler took over the role after serving as defensive coordinator under previous head coach Matt Franzen (now the head coach at Hastings). The anchor for what figures to be another strong Tiger defense is lineman Ty Barbazon, a Second Team All-American last season. Offensively, Doane will try to pound the rock with Frazzie Wynn while working on improving the passing game. Both Concordia and Doane would likely be comfortable with a rock fight on Saturday.

GAME INFO
Concordia (7-3, 7-3 GPAC ‘21) vs. Doane (5-5, 5-5 GPAC ’21)
Saturday, Sept. 3 | 7 p.m.
Al Papik Field | Crete, Neb.
Webcast: News Channel Nebraska
Live Stats: Doane Stats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: Doane Athletics

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics

*2021 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 23.6 (T-59th)
Defensive PPG: 19.3 (21st)
Total Offense: 314.6 (66th)
Pass Offense: 189.8 (63rd)
Rush Offense: 124.8 (72nd)
Total Defense: 311.7 (25th)
Pass Defense: 204.5 (46th)
Rush Defense: 107.2 (19th)
Turnover +/-: +8

Doane
Offensive PPG: 20.4 (73rd)
Defensive PPG: 20.1 (25th)
Total Offense: 289.9 (81st)
Pass Offense: 118.7 (93rd)
Rush Offense: 171.2 (26th)
Total Defense: 312.8 (26th)
Pass Defense: 226.0 (70th)
Rush Defense: 86.8 (9th)
Turnover +/-: +10

2021 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (23-25, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 130/243 (.535), 1,484 yards, 19 td, 7 int, 124.8 effic.
Rushing: Jonah Weyand – 143 rushes, 595 yards, 4.2 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Garrett Schardt – 32 catches, 504 yards, 15.8 avg, 5 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 134 tackles, 3 pbu’s, 2.5 tfl’s, 1 sack, 2 fr, 1 ff

Doane
Head Coach: Chris Bessler (17-21, 5th season)
Passing: Vaughn Martinez – 88/169 (.521), 927 yards, 5 td, 7 int
Rushing: Frazzie Wynn – 166 rushes, 921 yards, 5.5 avg, 10 td (11 total td)
Receiving: Izaiah Celestine – 23 catches, 299 yards, 13.0 avg, 1 td
Defense: Riley Heithoff – 68 tackles, 16.5 tfl’s, 6.5 sacks, 4 pbu’s, 1 ff

2021 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (7-3, 7-3 GPAC)
9/4 at (3) Morningside, L, 7-63
9/11 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 61-21
9/18 at (19) Dordt, L, 7-27
9/25 vs. (2) Northwestern, L, 7-31
10/2 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 34-0
10/9 at Jamestown, W, 24-17
10/16 at Mount Marty, W, 38-7
10/23 vs. Midland, W, 21-7
11/6 vs. Doane, W, 20-13
11/13 at Hastings, W, 17-7

Doane (5-5, 5-5 GPAC)
9/4 at Briar Cliff, W, 17-3
9/11 vs. (3) Morningside, L, 14-56
9/18 at (2) Northwestern, L, 0-38
9/25 vs. (22) Dordt, L, 7-27
10/2 vs. Jamestown, W, 44-20
10/9 at Dakota Wesleyan, L, 13-17
10/16 vs. Hastings, W, 44-0
10/23 vs. Mount Marty, W, 28-7
10/30 at Midland, W, 24-13
11/6 at Concordia, L, 13-20

In the rankings
Concordia could move into the NAIA top 25 with a strong start to the 2022 season. In the NAIA preseason poll, the Bulldogs picked up three points. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 33 and Doane at No. 41. The Tigers last found themselves in the NAIA top 25 in October 2017 (at No. 24). In the 2022 GPAC preseason coaches’ poll, the Bulldogs appeared at No. 4 with Doane coming in at No. 6.
 

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 33rd

Doane
GPAC preseason: 6th
Current Massey Ratings: 41st

Season openers
This will be the fourth season in a row that Concordia has begun the year by playing a conference opponent. The Bulldogs are 2-3 in season openers under Coach Patrick Daberkow. Concordia would like to duplicate the 2020 opener when it won at Doane by a 24-7 score behind 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Jonah Weyand. The 2018 opener was also memorable for the performance of Ryan Durdon, who carried the ball 42 times for 250 yards and two touchdowns in the win over NCAA Division III Buena Vista University.

Season openers under Coach Daberkow
2021 – at (3) Morningside, L, 7-63
2020 – at Doane, W, 24-7
2019 – vs. Doane, L, 10-17
2018 – vs. Buena Vista, W, 27-20
2017 – at Kansas Wesleyan, L, 13-28

Making a statement
Concordia made a statement in 2021 by sweeping in-state rivals Doane, Hastings and Midland. Prior to last fall, a Bulldog football team had not accomplished that feat since 1970. Concordia has won five-straight contests against Nebraska opponents thanks to a perfect 5-0 combined in-state record over the 2020 and 2021 campaigns (2020 game versus Midland was canceled). Over those five games, the Bulldog defense has dominated in allowing an average of just 12.4 points per game. At the NAIA level, there is only one Nebraska college football program that has membership with a conference outside of the GPAC. That would be Peru State College. Concordia hasn’t played the Bobcats since the programs met in Peru in 2010. The result was a 13-7 win for the Bulldogs.

Last five vs. in-state opponents
11/13/21 – at Hastings, W, 17-7
11/6/21 – vs. Doane, W, 20-13
10/23/21 – vs. Midland, W, 21-7
9/19/20 – vs. Hastings, W, 34-28 (OT)
9/12/20 – at Doane, W, 24-7

Replacing the incomparable Lane Napier
No one player will be able to replace All-American linebacker Lane Napier, who spent five seasons making tackles from sideline-to-sideline. By the end of last season, Napier had pushed his career tackle total to a GPAC record of 535. In terms of accolades, Napier ranks right up there with the most decorated players in the history of the program. He earned some form of All-America recognition in four different seasons and was a five-time First Team All-GPAC selection. He went out as the 2021 GPAC Defensive Player of the Year.

While all four starting linebackers from last season departed (including second team all-conference pick Caydren Cox), Concordia has typically reloaded nicely at the position. The projected starters at linebacker are Lucas Coe, Michael Grindey and Nick Leader with Michael Doiel playing somewhat of a hybrid linebacker/safety role. A Lincoln Southwest High School alum, Leader is a transfer from the University of Nebraska, where he walked on the football program. As for Grindey, he made 17 stops last season before being slowed by injury. The growth of this unit will be key in attempting to produce the results the defense posted in 2021. The Bulldogs allowed just 4.3 yards per play.

Napier, year-by-year tackle totals
2021 – 134
2020 – 54
2019 – 108
2018 – 142
2017 – 97

And the quarterback will be …
Either Austin Jablonski or DJ McGarvie. Coach Daberkow has stated that the quarterback room is healthier than it’s ever been during his tenure. McGarvie won the starting role in 2021 as a true freshman and tossed 19 touchdown passes (second most in a single season in school history). Meanwhile, Jablonski came to Concordia beginning with the 2022 spring semester. As a walk on at Nebraska, Jablonski had tried out at receiver, but he feels more comfortable at quarterback. He has had an impressive preseason camp and stands at 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. Both Jablonski and McGarvie are local talents having graduated from Lincoln high schools.

Tight end Garret Schardt had this to say about Jablonski and McGarvie during preseason, “They’re both great guys. I love them both. I think they both have their own great things going for them. Austin is coming from UNL. He’s a great athlete. DJ’s got some starting under his belt from last year. He’s a good thrower and a good athlete as well. They’re both really good athletes. We’ll have to see how they compete throughout fall camp.”

Returning beef up front
The coaching staff expects the offensive line to be able to protect the quarterback. The group up front has gotten noticeably bigger and stronger over the past few seasons. This is a veteran group led by fifth-year starting center Johnny Robinson III, a 2021 First Team All-GPAC selection. The three other returning starters are Kaden Peters at left tackle, Christian Schlepp at right guard and Gavin Mull at right tackle. There is still room for improvement as Concordia aspires to boost last season’s average yards per carry of 3.4.

Probable starting offensive line
LT – Kaden Peters (6-3, 270)
LG – Toby Hager (6-2, 265)
C – Johnny Robinson III (5-9, 290)
RG – Christian Schlepp (6-1, 265)
RT – Gavin Mull (6-3, 250)

The NAIA’s best tight end?
College Football America judges Garrett Schardt to be the top tight end in the entire NAIA leading into the 2022 season. Schardt seems likely to be the team’s No. 1 target in the passing game. In four seasons, he’s accumulated 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns. The Bruning-Davenport-Shickley High School alum has picked up back-to-back First Team All-GPAC awards and has the versatility to split out into the slot. At 6-foot-3, Schardt can catch the ball in traffic and has shown an ability to run past defensive backs. He’s the program’s most productive tight end since All-American Ross Wurdeman tore up opposing defenses in the early 2000s. Wurdeman has been chosen as part of the 2022 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class.

Koehlmoos rising on all-time receiving lists
Korrell Koehlmoos possesses by far the most experience within the receiver group. The 6-foot-1 native of Pilger, Neb., is back for his fifth season of college football. On the program’s all-time receiving lists, Koehlmoos ranks sixth in receptions (126), sixth in receiving yards (1,870) and sixth in receiving touchdowns (12). Koehlmoos is on the verge of becoming the fourth player in school history to crack 2,000 career receiving yards. He’s also likely to serve as the team’s punter once again.

Receiving yards, career
1. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
3. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
4. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)
5. Travis Soukup – 1,880 (1991-94)
6. Korrell Koehlmoos – 1,870 (2018-present)

Zeigler’s turn
With Jonah Weyand having graduated, 5-foot-6 Devin Zeigler appears primed to fill the void at running back. Coach Daberkow has referred to Zeigler as one of the hardest workers he’s ever had in the program. He may be small in stature, but the Houston native packs a punch. Zeigler ran for 335 yards and a touchdown last season as the No. 2 back. Also factoring into the mix at running back is sophomore Mark Arp and freshman Carter Seim. The latter ran for more than 5,000 career yards as a Nebraska eight-man high school football star. The running game could use more juice after it averaged 124.8 yards per game last season. The program’s most recent 1,000-yard rusher was Ryan Durdon with 1,247 in 2017.

Kicking game
The place kicker position has been a focus this preseason. All three Bulldogs who handled field goal or kickoff duties (James Araya, Daniel Cantu and Jorre Luther) have moved on. Concordia has tried out defensive back Dylan Smith and a member of the men’s soccer program, Ty Harold, at the kicker spot in August. Punter is more settled with Koehlmoos handling that position. The Bulldogs have an experienced long snapper in Toby Hager to help smoothen the transition process at kicker.

Series vs. Doane
Doane had Concordia’s number prior to the last two seasons, triumphing in 13 of the 14 meetings from 2006 through 2019. The two rivals first met in 1935 and have played each other 66 times. Doane leads the all-time series, 42-21-3. The Bulldogs have enjoyed more success in this rivalry under Patrick Daberkow, who is 3-2 against the Tigers. Concordia defeated Doane in 2017, 2020 and 2021. The victory in ’17 ended what had been an 11-game series win streak for the Tigers.

In last season’s matchup in Seward, the Bulldogs erased a 13-7 deficit in the fourth quarter thanks to a seven-yard touchdown connection from DJ McGarvie to Cayden Beran and a 23-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Jorge Ochoa. Concordia’s defense limited Doane to 264 total yards and ruled the day in a 20-13 win for the home team. Running back Jonah Weyand rushed 26 times for 112 yards and a touchdown. McGarvie threw for 131 yards with tight end Garrett Schardt posting 59 receiving yards on three catches. All-American linebacker Lane Napier recorded 14 tackles and an interception in the final home game of his incredible career. Up front, Jordan Kavulak wreaked havoc with 2.5 sacks.

Scouting Doane
Doane will likely try to do many of the things Concordia wants to do – establish the run game on offense and play stout defensively. Head Coach Chris Bessler and his staff have had no trouble constructing a stingy defense in a unique alignment. They will continue to try to energize an offense that will lean upon running back Frazzie Wynn, who rushed for 921 yards last season. Wynn and All-American defensive lineman Ty Barbazon are the headlining returners. At safety, Donte Wiggins III picked up Honorable Mention All-GPAC honors last season. Barbazon posted 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 2021. Barbazon and company ranked ninth nationally last season in rush defense. A major question offensively is whether Doane can improve a passing game that ranked 93rd in the NAIA in ’21. The top two on the QB depth chart are Michael Pulliam and Karsen Reimers. If the recent past is any indication, Saturday’s contest will be a low-scoring defensive battle that could be swung by a key turnover as last season’s matchup came down to

Bulldogs clipped in defensive battle with rival Doane

September 4 2022

CRETE, Neb. – Missed opportunities and the leg of Doane kicker Kelen Meyer resulted in the winning streak for the Concordia University Football team falling by the wayside. Meyer’s 47-yard field goal with 1:21 left on the clock lifted the Tigers to a 12-10 victory over the Bulldogs in a matchup played underneath the lights at Papik Field in Crete, Neb., on Saturday (Sept. 3). Two empty red zone trips in the first half came back to haunt Concordia, which had beaten Doane in 2020 and 2021.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow is now 3-3 versus the Tigers during his tenure. The Bulldogs entered the 2022 season with a six-game winning streak, tied for the second longest among all NAIA football programs.

“I was proud of our defense,” Daberkow said. “Hats off to a great special teams performance by Doane. There was no margin for error. We have to do better in the red zone in games like this.”

The Bulldogs dominated a good portion of the first half with Austin Jablonski leading the way in his first career start at quarterback. Jablonski rushed nine yards for a first quarter touchdown (the lone touchdown for either team), completing a four-play drive that covered 46 yards. Unfortunately, that’s where Concordia’s red zone success ended.

The next two offensive possessions for the Bulldogs marched as far as the Doane 19- and 6-yard lines, respectively, before resulting in a missed 36-yard field goal try and then a blocked 23-yard field goal attempt. By that point in the game, Concordia had run 26 plays for 112 yards while the Tigers had run 15 plays for 37 yards without gaining a single first down.

Even without Lane Napier and the veteran 2021 linebacker core, the Bulldogs proved they still have a stout defense. Linebacker Michael Grindey paced that unit with 13 tackles and a forced fumble. Lukas Coe and Kyle Sterup registered a sack apiece and collectively, the Concordia D made 11 stops in the Doane backfield. In addition, Isiaha Conner recovered a fumble forced by Kam Baker to thwart a Tiger drive in the fourth quarter.

With the Bulldogs clinging to a 10-9 lead late in the fourth quarter, the Doane offense got the one big play it had to have – a 33-yard pass completion from Michael Pulliam to Jeremiah Payne. That play put the Tigers at the Concordia 34 and eventually led to Meyer’s game-winning kick. On the evening, Meyer nailed field goals from 21, 39, 45 and 47 yards.

That was enough to make Doane a winner despite it never finding the end zone. The Tiger defense, spearheaded by All-American lineman Ty Barbazon, stifled the Bulldogs throughout the second half. Jablonski finished 9-for-28 for 83 yards as the passing attack struggled to find consistency. The Lincoln Pius X High School alum topped all players with 95 yards rushing on 21 attempts. Starting running back Devin Zeigler ran 13 times for 42 yards. Luke Lang reeled in four receptions for 29 yards while Daylan Russell snagged two passes for 33 yards.

The potential is there for Jablonski, a transfer from the University of Nebraska. The passing game missed two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt, who hopes to be back in two weeks.

“I thought his athleticism certainly showed,” Daberkow said of Jablonski. “He’s a good leader. Ultimately, we’ve got to find a way to run the ball. I have faith in our staff and in our players to get that figured out. We have some things to fix obviously. Any time you hold a team to no touchdowns and you don’t come out with a win, something’s wrong. We have to figure out how to right the ship.”

Doane star tailback Frazzie Wynn carried the ball 21 times for 79 yards with a long of 31. Pullliam completed 16-of-24 passes for 172 yards.

One game into the slate, the Bulldogs have a bye next week before welcoming Hastings (1-1, 0-1 GPAC) to Seward for homecoming on Saturday, Sept. 17. Kickoff from Bulldog Stadium that day is set for 1 p.m. CT. Concordia will be aiming to extend a three-game series win streak over the Broncos.

 

Game Notes: Hastings set to visit on Homecoming Saturday

September 12 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – It’s homecoming week on the Concordia University campus. As a cap to homecoming weekend festivities, the Bulldog football team will host Hastings on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium, which wills stage the 55th all-time meeting between Concordia and Hastings. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad had a bye this past week to stew on its 12-10 season opening loss at Doane on Sept. 3. The Bulldogs have won each of the past three matchups with the Broncos.

Concordia hopes to make a jump offensively from game one to game two. The Bulldogs had two empty red zone trips that proved costly in the loss at Doane. Both the passing and rushing games were largely held in check after a strong first quarter in Crete. Quarterback Austin Jablonski scored the game’s lone touchdown and now has his first career start under his belt. On a positive note, the defense kept the Tigers out of the end zone and has not allowed more than 17 points in a contest since September 2021.

Meanwhile, Hastings has equaled its win total from last year while making strides in year two of Matt Franzen’s tenure as head coach. The former Doane head coach and athletic director has guided the Broncos to wins over Trinity International University and Mount Marty. In last week’s victory over the Lancers, quarterback John Zamora threw for 176 yards and rushed for 92 yards while totaling four touchdowns. Defensively, the Broncos have been solid having already picked off five passes. Franzen is attempting to build up Hastings as he did at Doane, where he took the team to back-to-back NAIA playoff appearances (2015 and 2016).

GAME INFO
Concordia (0-1, 0-1 GPAC) vs. Hastings (2-1, 1-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 17 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics

*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 10.0 (77th)
Defensive PPG: 12.0 (15th)
Total Offense: 221.0 (80th)
Pass Offense: 83.0 (89th)
Rush Offense: 138.0 (42nd)
Total Defense: 278.0 (31st)
Pass Defense: 172.0 (38th)
Rush Defense: 106.0 (36th)
Turnover +/-: 0

Hastings
Offensive PPG: 27.7 (40th)
Defensive PPG: 11.3 (14th)
Total Offense: 268.0 (68th)
Pass Offense: 137.7 (75th)
Rush Offense: 130.3 (44th)
Total Defense: 258.7 (27th)
Pass Defense: 142.7 (24th)
Rush Defense: 116.0 (T-39th)
Turnover +/-: +3

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (23-26, 6th season)
Passing: Austin Jablonski – 9/28 (.321), 83 yards, 0 td, 0 int, 57.0 effic.; 21 rushes for 95 yards, 1 td
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 13 rushes, 42 yards, 3.2 avg, 0 td
Receiving: Luke Lang – 4 receptions, 29 yards, 7.2 avg, 0 td
Defense: Michael Grindey – 13 tackles, 0.5 tfl’s, 1 ff

Hastings
Head Coach: Matt Franzen (at Hastings: 4-9, 2nd season; overall: 69-58, 13th season)
Passing: John Zamora – 32/67 (.478), 413 yards, 6 td, 1 int, 126.1 effic.
Rushing: Brett Simonsen – 32 rushes, 136 yards, 4.3 avg, 1 td
Receiving: Jaishawn Wright – 9 receptions, 121 yards, 13.4 avg, 2 td
Defense: Beasley Ihegworo – 19 tackles, 4.5 tfl’s, 2 sacks

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-1, 0-1 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m. (homecoming)
9/24 at (3) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/8 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. (21) Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/29 at Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Hastings (2-1, 1-1 GPAC)
8/27 at Trinity International, W, 28-0
9/3 at Midland, L, 10-14
9/10 vs. Mount Marty, W, 45-20
9/17 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
9/24 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/1 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/8 at (1) Morningside, 1:30 p.m.
10/15 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
10/22 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/5 at (21) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (3) Northwestern, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia will need to rattle off another win streak if it is to move into the NAIA top 25 at some point during the 2022 season. In the NAIA preseason poll, the Bulldogs picked up three points. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 44 and Hastings at No. 48. The Broncos last showed up within the official NAIA top 25 in mid-October 2017, slotting in at No. 19.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 44th

Hastings
GPAC preseason: 8th
Current Massey Ratings: 48th

Homecoming at Concordia
Homecoming week has arrived sooner than normal at Concordia. As shown below, homecoming has typically been held in early October. Over the past 10 years, the Bulldogs have gone 9-1 in homecoming games with the only defeat during that stretch occurring in 2018. The schedule of activities for the 2022 homecoming week can be found HERE. On Friday evening, six individuals and one team will be inducted into the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame. The 2022 hall of fame class includes the 2001 football team, Elizabeth (King) Grau, Bernie Ochoa, Grant Schmidt, Bob Schulze, Andrew Walquist and Clarence Woods.

List 10 homecoming games
10/2/21 – Dakota Wesleyan | W, 34-0
10/3/20 – Jamestown | W, 23-3
9/28/19 – Briar Cliff | W, 16-14
9/22/18 – Midland | L, 7-35
9/23/17 – (7) Doane | W, 29-18
10/8/16 – Briar Cliff | W, 56-0
10/10/15 – Nebraska Wesleyan | W, 47-14
10/4/14 – Dordt | W, 38-14
10/12/13 – (22) Nebraska Wesleyan | W, 19-3
10/13/12 – (11) Northwestern | W, 17-16

Streaks snapped
Two streaks were snapped in the 12-10 loss at Doane. Entering that game, Concordia had won five straight in-state games and six consecutive games overall. The six-game win streak coming into the campaign was tied for the second longest among all NAIA football programs. The 2021 Bulldogs became the program’s first team to defeat Doane, Hastings and Midland in the same season since that feat was accomplished in 1970. After starting ’21 at 1-3, Concordia closed the season with six wins in a row. During the five-game streak versus in-state foes, the Bulldogs allowed just 12.4 points per game.

In-state results since start of 2020 season
9/3/22 – at Doane, L, 10-12
11/13/21 – at Hastings, W, 17-7
11/6/21 – vs. Doane, W, 20-13
10/23/21 – vs. Midland, W, 21-7
9/19/20 – vs. Hastings, W, 34-28 (OT)
9/12/20 – at Doane, W, 24-7

Jablonski makes first career start
A former walk on at the University of Nebraska, Austin Jablonski made his first career start at quarterback in the season opener at Doane. While there were inconsistencies in the passing game, Jablonski showed off his athleticism in running 21 times for a game high 95 yards and one touchdown. Jablonski tried his hand as a receiver for the Cornhuskers before transferring to Concordia. As a QB at Lincoln Pius X High School, Jablonski graduated with school records for passing touchdowns (game, season and career) and passing yards (season and career). Jablonski emerged as the starter for the Bulldogs after a preseason battle with DJ McGarvie, the team’s 2021 starter.

Deep D-Line
Coordinator Corby Osten likes the options he has along a defensive line that can be kept fresh due to its depth. The starters in week one were Jordan Kavulak, Devon Polley and Kyle Sterup. Plenty of others saw significant time up front, such as Stephen Hughes II, Eric Kieper Jr. and Talatau Solo. The group contributed heavily to the team’s 11 tackles for loss at Doane. Sterup registered a sack while Polley earned credit for half a sack and two tackles for loss. The most significant loss from last year’s defensive line was Payton Stevens, an Honorable Mention All-GPAC award winner. Last season, Kavulak posted nine tackles for loss and Polley made 7.5 stops in opposing backfields.

Veteran O-Line looks to jumpstart run game
A key to better results offensively will be ramping up production in the run game. Concordia averaged 124.8 rushing yards per game in 2021 but came into this season believing that number could be increased in 2022 with the help of four returning starters on the offensive line. The returning starters are left tackle Kaden Peters, center Johnny Robinson III, right guard Christian Schlepp and right tackle Gavin Mull. Few centers in college football are as experienced as Robinson III, who made the 37th start of his career in the loss at Doane. “Pot Roast,” as his teammates call him, garnered Second Team All-GPAC honors in 2020 and First Team All-GPAC accolades in 2021. The new starter up front is left guard Toby Hager, who is also the team’s long snapper. The ground game was held in check by Doane. Starter Devin Zeigler ran 13 times for 42 yards.

Grindey paces new-look linebacker crew
Gone are stars Lane Napier and Caydren Cox, but the linebacker crew remains a tenacious unit. At least in the 2022 season opener, Michael Grindey emerged as the leader with 13 tackles and a forced fumble. The other starters at the position are Lukas Coe and Nick Leader. The latter is a former Cornhusker walk on, just like Jablonski. In his first action as a Bulldog, Leader made five tackles, including one for loss. In addition, Coe notched four tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. Listed as a safety, Michael Doiel has the ability to step into the box and play the run.

Harold transitions from soccer field
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties at Doane. In that game, Harold went 1-for-3 on field goal tries and 1-for-1 on extra point attempts. The field goal make came from 28 yards out. Defensive back Dylan Smith has also worked out as a kicker since preseason camp began.

Koehlmoos rising on all-time receiving lists
Korrell Koehlmoos possesses by far the most experience within the receiver group. The 6-foot-1 native of Pilger, Neb., is back for his fifth season of college football. On the program’s all-time receiving lists, Koehlmoos ranks fifth in receiving yards (1,882), sixth in receptions (128) and sixth in receiving touchdowns (12). Koehlmoos is on the verge of becoming the fourth player in school history to crack 2,000 career receiving yards. He also serves as the team’s punter and punted seven times for an average of 47.3 yards in the opener at Doane. He booted a long of 71 yards that was downed at Doane’s one.

Receiving yards, career
1. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
3. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
4. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)
5. Korrell Koehlmoos – 1,882 (2018-present)
6. Travis Soukup – 1,880 (1991-94)

Celebrating the 2001 GPAC championship team
Many coaches and players from the 2001 GPAC championship football team will be back on campus this week as it gets inducted into the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame. The ’01 team, coached by Courtney Meyer, went 10-2 overall, shared the GPAC title and advanced to the NAIA national quarterfinals. The team landed at No. 7 in the NAIA postseason coaches’ poll for what stands today as the highest ranking in program history. Four individuals from that team are members of the Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame for their contributions as student-athletes: Erik DeHaven, Jarrod Pimentel, Sean Stewart and Ross Wurdeman. Also noteworthy, Wurdeman was officially inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame this past Friday.

The NAIA’s best tight end?
College Football America judged Garrett Schardt to be the top tight end in the entire NAIA leading into the 2022 season. Upon his return to health, Schardt seems likely to be the team’s No. 1 target in the passing game. In four seasons, he’s accumulated 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns. The Bruning-Davenport-Shickley High School alum picked up back-to-back First Team All-GPAC awards (2020 and 2021) and has the versatility to split out into the slot. At 6-foot-3, Schardt can catch the ball in traffic and has shown an ability to run past defensive backs. He’s the program’s most productive tight end since All-American Ross Wurdeman tore up opposing defenses in the early 2000s.

Series vs. Hastings
The Broncos have owned the all-time series with a record of 36-17-1 versus the Bulldogs. However, the series has been very competitive recently with Concordia winning six of the past 10 meetings (see history below). The 2019 matchup resulted in the largest point differential in series history with Concordia blowing out Hastings, 44-0. The meeting last season was much more of a grind. The Bulldogs built a 17-0 lead and suffocated the Broncos with a Lane Napier-led defense. Hastings finished with only 233 total yards. At running back, Concordia’s Jonah Weyand churned out 128 yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs capped the 2021 season at 7-3 overall. Concordia is looking for the first four-game win streak in this series since Hastings won four in row from 2007 through 2010.

Last 10 meetings
2021 – Concordia 17, Hastings 7 (Hastings)
2020 – Concordia 34, Hastings 28 | OT (Seward)
2019 – Concordia 44, Hastings 0 (Hastings)
2018 – Hastings 21, Concordia 13 (Seward)
2017 – Hastings 38, Concordia 18 (Hastings)
2016 – Concordia 31, Hastings 28 (Seward)
2015 – Concordia 28, Hastings 3 (Seward)
2014 – Hastings 48, Concordia 43 (Hastings)
2013 – Concordia 26, Hastings 21 (Seward)
2012 – Hastings 34, Concordia 26 (Hastings)

Scouting Hastings
The results point towards Hastings having improved from last season. The Broncos blanked Trinity International, 28-0, to begin the season, lost a defensive battle with Midland, 14-10, and then defeated Mount Marty comfortably, 45-20. Hastings graduated first team all-conference running back Tyree Nesmith, but do return star defensive back Koby Brandenburg, who has 17 tackles and five pass breakups so far this fall. On the defensive line, Beasley Ihegworo has been productive with 4.5 tackles for loss. On offense, the team features a quarterback in John Zamora who is apt to pull the ball down and run with it (135 rushing yards and two touchdowns in 2022). Head Coach Matt Franzen made Doane a consistent winner and is now trying to do the same at Hastings. Franzen replaced previous Head Coach Tony Harper (2011-20) in 2021. The Broncos are in search of their first winning season since going 6-4 in 2014.

 

Two-score lead slips away in homecoming loss to Hastings

Sep. 17, 2022 

SEWARD, Neb. – An early bye led into an early homecoming for the Concordia University Football program, which honored its 2001 GPAC championship football team this weekend. The Bulldogs appeared up to the task on Saturday (Sept. 17) afternoon when they built a 17-2 advantage. However, four Concordia turnovers and a sputtering offense aided the comeback for Hastings, which emerged from Bulldog Stadium with a 21-17 win. The Bulldogs lost on their home turf despite allowing a modest 294 total yards to the Broncos.

After sweeping all three GPAC in-state rivals in 2021, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad sits at 0-2 with two down-to-the-wire defeats against Nebraska foes. Concordia could easily be 2-0 without some of the self-inflicted wounds.

Said Daberkow of the difference on homecoming, “Missed opportunities – we have to capitalize on the opportunities we’re given. We just didn’t do that today. We’ll go back to the drawing board, take the loss, keep our heads up and do the next right thing. The defense played well. I’m really impressed with how they fly around. We’re playing hard. The margin for error can’t be so thin for them. We have to do a better job of sustaining drives, and we’re bound and determined to do that.”

There were moments of brilliance for the Bulldog offense, which leaned heavily upon the playmaking abilities of fifth-year receiver Korrell Koehlmoos. On the game’s first touchdown drive, Koehlmoos reeled in a pass of 43 yards from Austin Jablonski. The seven-play touchdown series was capped with Koehlmoos’ eight-yard touchdown snag. Early in the third quarter, Koehlmoos beat the defender on a deep ball and caught a 56-yard touchdown strike from Jablonski.

Soon after, the momentum flipped. Quarterback John Zamora and the Hastings offense took advantage of short fields and cashed in on touchdown drives of 50, 55 and 17 yards, respectively. The go-ahead score came three plays after Concordia coughed the football up inside its own 20. Zamora threw a perfect 13-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Esch in the back left corner of the end zone.

Hastings then came away with a key defensive stop in the fourth quarter. A 31-yard pass play from DJ McGarvie to Carsen Arline was the highlight play of a sequence that concluded with Concordia turning it over on downs at the Bronco 28. In the game’s final seconds, the Bulldogs hurled up a Hail Mary that landed harmlessly out of bounds.

In each of the first two games, the Concordia defense has put together strong performances. Once again, linebacker Michael Grindey was the team’s leading tackler with 14 stops. Meanwhile, Devon Polley and Kyle Sterup registered a sack apiece, Jayzen Armstrong broke up three passes and Isiaha Conner came up with a pair of picks. Sterup added 11 tackles to his stat line while Jordan Kavulak was active with eight tackles up front.

Koehlmoos wound up with six catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. With his efforts on Saturday, Koehlmoos became the fourth receiver in program history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards. His career totals jumped to 134 catches for 2,025 yards and 14 touchdowns. (Koehlmoos also punted seven times for an average of 39.9 yards). At quarterback, Jablonski started and McGarvie came out of the bullpen. They combined to go 26-for-45 for 273 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Running back Devin Zeigler rushed 17 times for 58 yards – with a big chunk of that coming early in the game on a 28-yard carry.

Said Daberkow of the quarterback change, “We were trying to create a spark and we felt like that was something that might do that. I thought DJ went through his read progressions well. There were some good things that happened. Ultimately, you’re judged in this game by whether you score points or not, and we didn’t do a good enough job of that.”

Zamora threw for 177 yards, rushed for 48 and posted three total touchdowns. There wasn’t much going for a Hastings run game that was limited to 103 yards on 43 attempts. Bronco defensive back Blake Vaughn forced both fumbles that were recovered by his teammates. Hastings (3-1, 2-1 GPAC) has already exceeded its win total from last season while showing immense improvement under Head Coach Matt Franzen.

The Bulldogs will be on the road next Saturday (Sept. 24) to take on fourth-ranked Northwestern (2-1, 2-1 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Orange City, Iowa. The Red Raiders routed Jamestown, 48-3, in North Dakota on Saturday. Concordia will be attempting to defeat Northwestern for the first time since a 9-7 home win over the Red Raiders in 2016

 

Game Notes: Bulldogs set to battle fourth-ranked Red Raiders in Orange City

September 19 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – On the heels of two down-to-the-wire losses to in-state GPAC rivals, the Concordia University Football readies for a major road challenge on Saturday. The Bulldogs will be headed to Orange City, Iowa, to take on fourth-ranked Northwestern. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad will try to atone for relinquishing a 17-2 lead in last week’s 21-17 homecoming loss to Hastings. The powerhouse Red Raiders are a program that Concordia has not defeated since 2016.

The Bulldog defense has played well in holding its first two opponents below 300 total yards. The Broncos were able to rally from 15 points down while taking advantage of short fields. Concordia committed four turnovers and struggled to find consistency with an offense that was boom or bust. Without the self-inflicted wounds, Daberkow’s squad could easily be sitting at 2-0.

That stout Bulldog D will be put to the test against a Northwestern offense coming off back-to-back blowout victories. The one blemish on the mark so far was a 30-29 loss at top-ranked Morningside in a much-anticipated season opener. Head Coach Matt McCarty, a Red Raider alum, has carried on the program’s winning tradition. Northwestern may no longer have prolific quarterback Tyson Kooima on the roster, but the offense remains potent while led by signal caller Blake Fryar.

GAME INFO
Concordia (0-2, 0-2 GPAC) at No. 4 Northwestern (2-1, 2-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 24 | 1 p.m.
De Valois Stadium | Orange City, Iowa
Live Webcast: Raider Network
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 13.5 (78th)
Defensive PPG: 16.5 (T-25th)
Total Offense: 271.5 (69th)
Pass Offense: 178.0 (59th)
Rush Offense: 93.5 (64th)
Total Defense: 286.0 (31st)
Pass Defense: 181.5 (38th)
Rush Defense: 104.5 (33rd)
Turnover +/-: -2

Northwestern

Offensive PPG: 43.7 (11th)
Defensive PPG: 13.3 (T-15th)
Total Offense: 498.0 (7th)
Pass Offense: 264.7 (17th)
Rush Offense: 233.3 (10th)
Total Defense: 263.0 (23rd)
Pass Defense: 206.0 (54th)
Rush Defense: 57.0 (11th)
Turnover +/-: +7

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (23-27, 6th season)
Passing: Austin Jablonski – 19/49 (.388), 242 yards, 2 td, 2 int, 85.6 effic.; 25 rushes for 87 yards, 1 td
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 30 rushes, 100 yards, 3.3 avg, 0 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 8 receptions, 155 yards, 19.4 avg, 2 td
Defense: Michael Grindey – 27 tackles, 1 ff, 0.5 tfl’s

Northwestern
Head Coach: Matt McCarty (48-11, 7th season)
Passing: Blake Fryar – 55/78 (.705), 729 yards, 10 td, 0 int, 191.3 effic.; 112 rushing yards
Rushing: Logan Meyer – 40 rushes, 216 yards, 5.4 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Michael Storey – 14 receptions, 185 yards, 13.2 avg, 3 td
Defense: Parker Fryar – 27 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 1 pbu

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-2, 0-2 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/8 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/29 at (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Northwestern (2-1, 2-1 GPAC)
9/3 at (1) Morningside, L, 29-30
9/10 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 54-7
9/17 at Jamestown, W, 48-3
9/24 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/1 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/15 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/22 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/29 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/5 vs. (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/12 at Hastings, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but has fallen off the national radar due to the 0-2 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 44 and Northwestern at No. 4. The Red Raiders regularly appear inside the national top 25 and finished as the 2020 NAIA national runner up.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 44th

Northwestern
GPAC preseason: 2nd
Current Massey Ratings: 4th

Homecoming at Concordia
As part of last week’s homecoming celebration, Concordia hosted Hastings on a warm but comfortable afternoon inside Bulldog Stadium. The Bulldogs appeared to be on their way to victory when Austin Jablonski hurled a 56-yard touchdown pass to Korrell Koehlmoos, pushing the lead to 17-2 with 12:44 left in the third quarter. Things unraveled from there. Concordia committed four turnovers and Hastings took advantage of short fields with scoring drives that covered 50, 55 and 17 yards, respectively. Daberkow wound up playing both Jablonski and DJ McGarvie at quarterback while looking for an offensive spark. The bulk of the Concordia offense came on four plays – the 56-yard touchdown reception by Koehlmoos, a 43-yard connection from Jablonski to Koehlmoos, a 31-yard strike from McGarvie to Carsen Arline and a 28-yard rush by Devin Zeigler.

Koehlmoos rising on all-time receiving lists
There’s no doubt that Koehlmoos is the most dangerous offensive threat for the Bulldogs. Koehlmoos got loose versus Hastings with six catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. That outburst allowed the Pilger, Neb., native to become the fourth player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards. In school history, Koehlmoos currently ranks third in receiving yards (2,025), fifth in receptions (134) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (14). The school records in each of those categories are 2,495 receiving yards (Jared Garcia), 168 receptions (Ross Wurdeman) and 35 receiving touchdowns (Garcia). Over the weekend, Koehlmoos moved past 2022 Concordia Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Clarence Woods on the receiving yards list.

Receiving yards, career
1. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,025 (2018-present)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
2. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
3. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
4. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)
5. Korrell Koehlmoos – 134 (2018-present)

Versus the top 25
In recent years, when Concordia has gone up against a top 25 ranked opponent, it’s meant matchups with top tier GPAC programs like Morningside, Northwestern and Dordt. A signature win would be just the thing to help the Bulldogs forget about the results from their first two games of this season. Concordia’s most recent win over a ranked opponent occurred on Sept. 23, 2017, when it celebrated homecoming with a 29-18 victory over then seventh-ranked Doane. The previous season, the Bulldogs also earned a win over Midland when the Warriors were ranked No. 22.

Playmaking safety
Wearing No. 1, safety Isiaha Conner has already had a hand in three opponent turnovers. The Las Vegas native recovered a fumble in the season opener at Doane and then plucked two interceptions of Hastings quarterback John Zamora. Conner is capable of doing damage when the ball is in his hands. During the 2021 season, he returned an interception for 35 yards and had a kick return of 67 yards. Conner is a key part of an experienced secondary that also features the likes of Jayzen Armstrong, Kam Baker, Carson Core and Myles Lyons, among others. Armstrong made his presence felt last week with three pass breakups.

Stuffing the run
At its core, the Concordia defense is about stopping the run. The Bulldogs are doing that at a high level having held the opposition to an average of 2.5 yards per carry so far this season. That’s even a tick better than the 2021 defense that stifled GPAC rushing attacks, which averaged only 2.7 yards per rush over the 10-game season. Though there were significant personnel losses from ’21, coordinator Corby Osten has rounded into shape a unit that leans upon a deep crew of linemen. At a defensive end position, Kyle Sterup has been impressive in making 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks through two games. Both Jordan Kavulak and Devon Polley are also proven performers up front.

Zeigler – RB1
On the offensive side of the ball, Concordia is working on ramping up a run game that is seeking more consistency. No. 1 running back Devin Zeigler popped an early 28-yard burst and then struggled to find running room versus Hastings. The running game was limited to 49 yards and 1.6 yards per attempt. Zeigler is the team’s leading rusher on the season with 100 yards on 30 carries. Daberkow may also use Mark Arp and Carter Seim in the backfield.

Grindey paces new-look linebacker crew
Gone are stars Lane Napier and Caydren Cox, but the linebacker crew remains a tenacious unit. Michael Grindey posted 13 tackles at Doane and then made 14 stops versus Hastings. The native of Phoenix, Ariz., teams up with Lukas Coe and Nick Leader for a crew that has contributed heavily to the team’s success against the run. Leader is a former walk on at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln who immediately earned a starting role. Grindey likely would have factored more into the linebacker unit’s on-field production last season if not for injury.

Harold transitions from soccer field
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties at Doane. In that game, Harold went 1-for-3 on field goal tries and 1-for-1 on extra point attempts. The field goal make came from 28 yards out. Harold then made a field goal from 21 yards out versus Hastings and converted two PATs.

The QBs: Jablonski and McGarvie
Austin Jablonski started and DJ McGarvie appeared in a relief role last week versus Hastings. The two quarterbacks bring different skillsets to the table. Jablonski collected his first two career touchdown passes last week before giving way to McGarvie. A native of Valparaiso, Neb., McGarvie started all 10 games last season as a true freshman. So far this season, Jablonski has gone 19-for-49 passing for 242 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. In the season opener at Doane, Jablonski ran for 95 yards and a touchdown. In action versus Hastings, McGarvie completed 16-of-24 passes for 114 yards. Said Daberkow of going to McGarvie in the second half, “We were trying to create a spark and we felt like that was something that might do that. I thought DJ went through his read progressions well. There were some good things that happened. Ultimately, you’re judged in this game by whether you score points or not, and we didn’t do a good enough job of that.”

Schardt’s return in question
There’s still uncertainty surrounding if and when two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt will be healthy enough to make his return to the field. Schardt has not yet played this season due to an injury. Already a Concordia graduate, Schardt made the decision to come back to the team for a fifth season. However, he was slowed in preseason camp and remains hopeful of making an impact at some point this season. Schardt was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in 2021. In the 2020 matchup with Northwestern, Schardt caught seven passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

Series vs. Northwestern
Northwestern has had the upper hand, winning 30 of the first 44 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. In last season’s meeting in Seward, Concordia trailed just 3-0 at the end of a quarter before then second-ranked Northwestern piled up 21 points in the second quarter. It was 24-0 before the Bulldogs got on the board with DJ McGarvie’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Korrell Koehlmoos. The Red Raiders outgained Concordia, 393-200, and were plus-two in turnover margin.

Scouting Northwestern
The yearly expectation for Northwestern has become a deep NAIA playoff run. Head Coach Matt McCarty led the Red Raiders to the 2021 national semifinals where they were bounced by arch nemesis Morningside. The rest of the GPAC may have been hoping for Northwestern to take a step back after quarterback Tyson Kooima exhausted his eligibility, but that does not appear to be the case. Blake Fryar has tossed 10 touchdown passes to no interceptions through the team’s first three games of 2022. A glaring statistic: the Red Raiders have yet to turn the ball over this season. They are currently plus-seven in turnover margin. Northwestern has a well-balanced team that can run and throw offensively and allows very little to opposing rushing attacks. The Red Raiders lost any margin for error in terms of the GPAC title race, due to the loss to Morningside, but they can hope for a rematch in the NAIA playoffs. At stake on Saturday – a loss would be crippling to Northwestern in the national picture while Concordia could raise eyebrows with an upset

 

Upset bid stamped out by Northwestern second half explosion

September 24, 2022

ORANGE CITY, Iowa – Some eyebrows may have raised when the Concordia University Football team took a 10-0 lead to the halftime break on Saturday (Sept. 24) at fourth-ranked Northwestern. The final 30 minutes were a complete reversal as Red Raider backup quarterback Jalyn Gramstad went wild with five total touchdowns (four rushing). Gramstad’s monster performance allowed the Red Raiders to run away with it, 34-10, in Orange City, Iowa.

The spirited first half performance had Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s program hopeful of beating Northwestern for the first time since 2016. Despite the loss that dropped the Bulldogs to 0-3 this season, there were positives to take away.

“We talked all week about capitalizing on opportunities,” Daberkow said. “I thought defensively we were scraping at the ball and creating turnovers in the first half. Any time you go on the road and have a 10-point lead at halftime, you’ll take that. We had too many things unravel in the second half. Their quarterback is an incredible athlete. I’m sure we took some wrong fits – we’ll watch the film – but hats off to him.”

An opportunistic defense had much to do with Concordia’s 10-point lead. The Red Raiders entered the game having not turned the ball over all season. However, in the first quarter alone, Northwestern quarterback Blake Fryar was picked off by corner Jayzen Armstrong and linebacker Lukas Coe and safety Gabe Knisley both recovered a fumble. The first lost fumble led to Austin Jablonski’s four-yard touchdown rush late in the opening quarter. The second one then paved the way for Ty Harold’s 24-yard field goal.

Northwestern Head Coach Matt McCarty and his staff ironed out the mistakes after their sluggish first half, which ended with Concordia’s Luke Sanchez intercepting a pass. The Red Raiders let Gramstad go to work. A new star may have been born. Gramstad completed 9-of-11 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown and rushed 15 times for 177 yards and four touchdowns. Over the third and fourth quarters, the Red Raiders outgained the Bulldogs, 383-89.

Concordia wound up plus-four in turnover margin and got solid work from starting quarterback DJ McGarvie in the first half. McGarvie finished 20-for-44 passing for 210 yards. He connected most frequently with Korrell Koehlmoos, who hauled in a career high 11 receptions for 108 yards. The native of Pilger, Neb., also punted eight times for an average of 41.9 yards with four attempts downed inside the 20. In a new role, Jablonski made three catches for 18 yards, in addition to the rushing touchdown.

While Northwestern (3-1, 3-1 GPAC) got its rushing attack rolling thanks to the quarterback run, the Bulldog rushing game was stymied. Concordia was limited to 38 rushing yards on 26 attempts. The Bulldog defense forced five turnovers and was paced by the seven tackles apiece from Michael Grindey and Knisley. Coe and Kyle Sterup combined for a sack.

Said Daberkow, “Moving forward, we have to figure out what we can do better coming out of halftime that can create a spark. We started the game really strong and then things came apart … We have such a selfless group, and I love them. We have guys making moves positionally that are best for the team.”

In other statistical notes, Devin Zeigler ran for 35 yards and caught two passes for 23 yards. Six Concordia receivers pulled down at least one catch. Both teams finished with exactly 18 first downs, though the Red Raiders averaged 8.2 yards per play compared to 3.6 yards per play for the Bulldogs.

Concordia had been aiming for its first win in Orange City since 2002. Northwestern has been a perennially elite program having reached the national championship game in the 2020 season before advancing to the national semifinals last season.

Prior to a string of October home games, Concordia will be on the road next Saturday (Oct. 1) for a matchup with Dakota Wesleyan (0-5, 0-4 GPAC). Kickoff from Mitchell, S.D., is set for 1 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs thumped the Tigers, 34-0, in Seward last season as McGarvie threw for three touchdowns and ran for two scores

 

Game Notes: Concordia-DWU both seek season's first win

September 26 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia Football program has had to wait at least one more week for its first win of the 2022 season. The Bulldogs made a spirited first half effort at fourth-ranked Northwestern last week before the Red Raiders turned on the jets in the second half. Both Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan will be attempting to claim win No. 1 when they face off at Joe Quintal Field in Mitchell, S.D., on Saturday. This will be the 23rd all-time meeting between the two programs, which had rarely met prior to the formation of the GPAC in 2000.

Now the question becomes whether Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad can shake off a tough start and finish strong like the 2021 Bulldogs did. Concordia forced five turnovers at Northwestern but could not contain Jalyn Gramstad, who came off the bench to account for all five touchdowns in the game’s second half. The Bulldogs felt like they could have easily started out 2-0 after close losses to both Doane, 12-10, and Hastings, 21-17. Offensively, Concordia is trying to spark an offense that is averaging 12.3 points per game through three outings.

Dating back to last season, Dakota Wesleyan has dropped six straight games and nine of its last 10. The past few weeks have been a struggle with losses by margins of 19 points or more to Northwestern, Dordt and Hastings. The biggest asset to the Tigers has been running back Jamin Arend, who is averaging nearly 100 yards rushing per game. Head Coach Ross Cimpl’s squad began this season with a 29-19 nonconference loss at Dakota State University.

GAME INFO
Concordia (0-3, 0-3 GPAC) at Dakota Wesleyan (0-5, 0-4 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 1 | 1 p.m.
Joe Quintal Field | Mitchell, S.D.
Live Webcast: DWU Stretch Portal
Live Stats: PrestoStats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics

*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 12.3 (83rd)
Defensive PPG: 22.3 (T-41st)
Total Offense: 267.3 (73rd)
Pass Offense: 192.3 (54th)
Rush Offense: 75.0 (82nd)
Total Defense: 362.3 (60th)
Pass Defense: 197.7 (T-53rd)
Rush Defense: 164.7 (67th)
Turnover +/-: +2

Dakota Wesleyan
Offensive PPG: 15.2 (77th)
Defensive PPG: 37.4 (81st)
Total Offense: 302.6 (T-57th)
Pass Offense: 195.4 (51st)
Rush Offense: 107.2 (T-58th)
Total Defense: 396.2 (74th)
Pass Defense: 239.8 (78th)
Rush Defense: 156.4 (59th)
Turnover +/-: -6

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (23-28, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 36/68 (.529), 324 yards, 0 td, 1 int, 90.0 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 48 rushes, 135 yards, 2.8 avg, 0 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 19 receptions, 263 yards, 13.8 avg, 2 td
Defense: Michael Grindey – 34 tackles, 1 ff, 0.5 tfl’s

Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Ross Cimpl (57-55, 10th season)
Passing: Austin Lee – 64/99 (.646), 576 yards, 2 td, 5 int, 110.1 effic.
Rushing: Jamin Arend – 112 rushes, 497 yards, 4.4 avg, 5 td; 20 catches, 143 yards
Receiving: Kiel Nelson – 34 receptions, 411 yards, 12.1 avg, 3 td
Defense: Layton Eide – 33 tackles, 2 pbu’s, 1 int

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (0-3, 0-3 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/8 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/29 at (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.

Dakota Wesleyan (0-5, 0-4 GPAC)
8/25 at Dakota State, L, 19-29
9/3 at Jamestown, L, 30-34
9/10 at (3) Northwestern, L, 7-54
9/17 vs. Dordt, L, 7-38
9/24 at Hastings, L, 13-32
10/1 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/8 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/15 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. (19 Midland, 1 p.m.
10/29 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/5 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but has fallen off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 56 and Dakota Wesleyan at No. 78 in the NAIA. The Tigers last landed in the NAIA top 25 in the postseason of 2017 when they were ranked 23rd. DWU was ranked as high as 16th that season.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 56th

Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC preseason: 7th
Current Massey Ratings: 78th

Last time out
The Bulldogs took a 10-0 lead to the half while wreaking havoc on No. 4 Northwestern with a pair of interceptions and two forced fumbles over the game’s first 30 minutes. The second half was a different story as the Red Raiders leaned upon backup quarterback Jalyn Gramstad, who ran for 177 yards and four touchdowns and threw for 179 yards and one touchdown. His exploits were more than enough for Northwestern to avoid the upset and overcome a minus-four turnover margin. For Concordia, Jayzen Armstrong and Luke Sanchez both picked off a pass and a forced fumble was credited to each of the following players: Stephen Hughes, Kam Baker and Devon Polley. One of the fumbles set up Austin Jablonski’s four-yard touchdown rush that gave the Bulldogs an early 7-0 advantage. The Red Raiders have now won each of the past six meetings with Concordia.

Koehlmoos rising on all-time receiving lists
There’s no doubt that Korrell Koehlmoos is the most dangerous offensive threat for the Bulldogs. Koehlmoos has turned in back-to-back games with more than 100 receiving yards while starring as the primary focus in the passing game. Those outbursts have allowed the Pilger, Neb., native to become the fourth player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards. In school history, Koehlmoos currently ranks third in receiving yards (2,133), fourth in receptions (145) and fifth in receiving touchdowns (14). The school records in each of those categories are 2,495 receiving yards (Jared Garcia), 168 receptions (Ross Wurdeman) and 35 receiving touchdowns (Garcia). With his career high 11 catches at Northwestern, Koehlmoos moved up a run to No. 4 (past Dan Danielczyk) on the all-time receptions list.

Receiving yards, career
1. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,133 (2018-present)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
2. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
3. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
4. Korrell Koehlmoos – 145 (2018-present)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Rough start, strong finish?
This wasn’t the start Concordia had planned on, but perhaps it can put together a season something like the one it had in 2021. The Bulldogs opened last fall at 1-3 before rattling off six wins in a row. That streak started with the 34-0 blowout of Dakota Wesleyan and continued with victories over Jamestown, Mount Marty, Midland, Doane and Hastings. The Bulldogs will need to go at least 6-1 the rest of the way in order for the program to notch back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2016 and 2017 when it went 7-3 and 6-4, respectively.

Playing in the lead
The Bulldogs have owned a lead in the second half of each of their first three games. The largest leads for Concordia over the season’s first three contests were 7-0 at Doane, 17-2 versus Hastings and 10-0 at Northwestern. Once in the lead, the Bulldogs have been unable to add on due to an offense that has struggled in the second half of games. Concordia has outscored its opponents in the first quarter by a collective score of 24-0. The Bulldogs have been outscored in the subsequent quarters: 5-3 in the second, 39-7 in the third and 23-3 in the fourth. In other words, Concordia has yet to allow a point in the first quarter this season.

Role reversals
DJ McGarvie got the nod at quarterback last week and made his first start of the season. McGarvie started the final eight games of the 2021 season, bringing his career total of quarterback starts to nine. The Bulldogs have gone 6-3 with McGarvie as a starter. With that change, Austin Jablonski (the starting QB versus Doane/Hastings) moved to a new role at receiver. In that spot, Concordia used Jablonski creatively as a receiver, runner and thrower. In a change on the offensive line, the Bulldogs made some moves in the absence of starting right guard Christian Schlepp. Gavin Mull went inside to right guard and Blake Schlegel got the start at right tackle. A multi-year starter and all-conference honoree, Schlepp hopes to soon return to the lineup.

Sparking the run game
On the offensive side of the ball, Concordia is working on ramping up a run game that is seeking more consistency. No. 1 running back Devin Zeigler was limited to 35 rushing yards on 18 attempts last week. Getting the run game going will be a priority moving forward. Currently, the Bulldogs are averaging 2.5 yards per carry and 75.0 rushing yards per game. Ziegler is the team’s leading rusher with 135 yards on 48 carries. The program’s most recent 1,000-yard rusher was Ryan Durdon with 1,247 yards in 2017.

Grindey doing best Napier impression
At linebacker, Michael Grindey is doing his best Lane Napier impression. Grindey made seven tackles last week and pushed his season total to a team high 34. Grindey also made 13 tackles at Doane and 14 versus Hastings. Of course, the linebackers are supported in the run game by a strong defensive line that features Kyle Sterup (19 tackles, 3.5 tfl’s, two sacks), Jordan Kavulak (19 tackles) and Devon Polley (19 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 1.5 sacks). Other than allowing the quarterback to get loose last week, Concordia has been strong against the run.

Schardt’s return in question
There’s still uncertainty surrounding if and when two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt will be healthy enough to make his return to the field. Schardt has not yet played this season due to an injury. Already a Concordia graduate, Schardt made the decision to come back to the team for a fifth season. However, he was slowed in preseason camp and remains hopeful of making an impact at some point this season. Schardt was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in 2021. In his career, Schardt has recorded 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns.

Harold transitions from soccer field
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties. Harold converted a 24-yard field goal last week at Northwestern and is now 3-for-5 on field goal tries and 4-for-4 on PATs in 2022. His 13 points currently lead the team.

Series vs. Dakota Wesleyan
The series has been closely contested with Concordia’s all-time record versus Dakota Wesleyan standing at 12-10. The first two meetings occurred prior to the formation of the GPAC in 2000. The Bulldogs defeated the Tigers, 36-29, in 1984 and then fell to them, 28-21, in 1985. The two programs finally met again in 2000 as GPAC members. From 2017 through 2019, Concordia defeated Dakota Wesleyan each year in matchups that took place in Seward. The Tigers got back on the winning side of the series in 2020 with a 28-17 victory in Mitchell, S.D. The Bulldogs avenged that loss in a big way in 2021 as quarterback DJ McGarvie threw for 210 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 99 yards and two scores. Concordia won in dominant fashion, 34-0, and McGarvie was subsequently named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week. On the other side of the ball, the Tigers managed only 138 total yards and were forced to punt nine times.

Scouting Dakota Wesleyan
In the mid-2010s, Dakota Wesleyan was knocking on the door of the NAIA playoffs with records of 9-2 in 2015 and 8-3 in 2016. However, the Tigers have not showcased the same level of offensive firepower in recent seasons and have not enjoyed a winning campaign since going 6-5 in 2017. This is year No. 10 for Ross Cimpl as head coach. He was named the 2013 GPAC Coach of the Year. The current team has found success in the run game with Jamin Arend producing 497 yards and five touchdowns through five games. It just hasn’t translated into the win column yet. The Tigers have not helped themselves in the turnover category (minus-six this season). DWU will be trying to snap a six-game losing streak in Saturday’s game. Worth noting, the Tigers have beaten Concordia in each of the last six matchups that have been played in Mitchell. That streak dates back to 2007.

 

Koehlmoos hauls in three TD receptions, leads Bulldogs to win at DWU

October 1 2022

MITCHELL, S.D. – Both teams were starving for a victory as the Concordia University Football program met up with Dakota Wesleyan in Mitchell, S.D., on Saturday (Oct. 1) afternoon. After being held scoreless in the first half, the Bulldogs leaned upon the combination of DJ McGarvie and Korrell Koehlmoos in the passing game. Koehlmoos hauled in three touchdown receptions in the third quarter as Concordia defeated the Tigers, 20-12. The Bulldogs won in Mitchell for the first time since 2007.

This was a start for Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad, which let go of second half leads in each of its first three outings. Concordia moved to 1-3 while having played three of four away from home.

“The guys did a great job of responding in the second half,” Daberkow said. “We had talked about how we need something different in the third quarter. We switched things up and were able to make some adjustments that really played a role in the outcome. I was proud of how the guys battled, didn’t get down on each other and just stayed with it.”

The Bulldogs have not been shy about feeding the ball to their best playmaker in Koehlmoos, who surpassed 150 career catches in the victory. The Pilger, Neb., native collected 15 catches for 115 yards and three touchdowns in perhaps one of the best statistical games ever by a Concordia receiver. His scoring grabs on Saturday came from 31, three and six yards out, respectively, as the Bulldogs erased what had been a 3-0 halftime deficit. Each of the three Concordia scoring drives covered at least 70 yards.

While making his 10th career start at quarterback, McGarvie completed 26-of-40 passes for 255 yards. McGarvie now has 22 career touchdown passes to his credit. He found Austin Jablonski six times for 95 yards in the best offensive outing of the season to date. Luke Lang also pulled down two catches for 42 yards. On the ground, the Bulldogs got things going with 40 rushes for 179 yards as a team. Devin Zeigler ran for 76 yards on 19 carries and Mark Arp rushed for 63 yards on 13 attempts.

Defensively, Concordia limited Dakota Wesleyan to 14 first downs and 303 total yards. Gabriel Knisley paced that unit with eight tackles, including 1.5 for loss. Jayzen Armstrong and Michael Grindey added eight tackles apiece while linebacker Nick Leader came up to make two sacks and nose guard Devon Polley even picked off a pass that deflected off a receiver. The defense had the difficult task of going up against Tiger running back Jamin Arend, who wound up with 125 yards and a touchdown.

“It’s a matter of getting the right run fits and getting push up front,” Daberkow said. “We made some adjustments in the second half. I was proud of the defensive coaching staff. Anytime you’re playing low scoring games, there’s a ton of pressure on the defense. To be able to stand up and make the necessary adjustments, I thought that was really big.”

Through four games, Koehlmoos has compiled 373 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 34 catches. With 160 career receptions, Koehlmoos is just eight shy of the program record of 168 by former All-American tight end Ross Wurdeman. As of Saturday night, Koehlmoos ranks fifth among all NAIA receivers in catches this season. Not to be overlooked, Koehlmoos has been steady as a punter and put two of his four punts inside the 20 on Saturday. He averaged 40.8 yards per punt.

Dakota Wesleyan (0-6, 0-5 GPAC) had won each of the previous six home meetings with Concordia. The Tigers got their points on Saturday from a Jaxon Patrick 24-yard field goal, a PAT attempt returned back the other way and via a four-yard run by Arend. Dating back to last season, DWU has lost seven games in a row.

A string of three straight home games will begin next Saturday (Oct. 8) when the Bulldogs will host Jamestown (3-3, 2-3 GPAC) at 1 p.m. CT. Since the Jimmies joined the GPAC, Concordia has won three of the four series matchups, including the 2020 get together in Seward. Last year’s meeting resulted in a 24-17 Bulldog victory in Jamestown. The Jimmies were impressive on Saturday in beating Doane, 41-17.

 

Game Notes: String of three straight home games begins with visit from Jamestown

October 3 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – As part of an unorthodox schedule that included a bye after game one of the season, the Concordia University Football now looks forward to staying at home for each of the next three Saturdays. Following their first win of 2022, the Bulldogs are prepping for a visit from Jamestown. This Saturday’s kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Bulldog Stadium. Both Concordia and Jamestown are fresh off GPAC victories.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad got the win last week that it had to have. The Bulldogs are now 1-3 following the 20-12 triumph at Dakota Wesleyan. The result marked the program’s first win in Mitchell, S.D., since 2007. Concordia hopes to carry over its offensive momentum from the second half. Guided by quarterback DJ McGarvie, the Bulldogs racked up all 20 points in the third quarter and produced more than 300 total yards after halftime. Concordia began this fall with losses to Doane, Hastings and No. 4 Northwestern.

Jamestown appears to be a program on the rise. Head Coach Brian Mistro’s squad pummeled Doane last week, 41-14, while outgaining the Tigers, 498-211. Cade Torgerson threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns. Javon Bowie-Monteiro was on the receiving end of three of those scores and was named the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week on Monday. The Jimmies will travel a passing offense that ranks in the top 25 nationally. So far this season, Jamestown is 3-1 at home and 0-2 on the road. This will be just the second time the Jimmies have ever played a football game in Seward.

GAME INFO
Concordia (1-3, 1-3 GPAC) vs. Jamestown (3-3, 2-3 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 8 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 14.3 (82nd)
Defensive PPG: 19.8 (33rd)
Total Offense: 309.0 (65th)
Pass Offense: 208.0 (45th)
Rush Offense: 101.0 (69th)
Total Defense: 347.5 (55th)
Pass Defense: 185.3 (36th)
Rush Defense: 162.3 (69th)
Turnover +/-: +2

Jamestown
Offensive PPG: 23.3 (55th)
Defensive PPG: 28.5 (61st)
Total Offense: 335.2 (46th)
Pass Offense: 250.3 (22nd)
Rush Offense: 84.8 (81st)
Total Defense: 373.3 (68th)
Pass Defense: 192.3 (47th)
Rush Defense: 181.0 (77th)
Turnover +/-: -6

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (24-28, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 62/108 (.529), 579 yards, 3 td, 2 int, 107.9 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 67 rushes, 211 yards, 3.1 avg, 0 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 34 receptions, 373 yards, 11.0 avg, 5 td
Defense: Michael Grindey – 42 tackles, 2 tfl’s, 1 ff, 0.5 sack

Jamestown
Head Coach: Brian Mistro (8-28, 4th season)
Passing: Cade Torgerson – 137/232 (.591), 1,478 yards, 13 td, 8 int, 124.2 effic.
Rushing: Zach Hammett – 47 rushes, 226 yards, 4.8 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Micah Madyn – 35 receptions, 289 yards, 8.3 avg, 1 td
Defense: Jed Rantz – 38 tackles, 5.5 tfl’s, 3 sacks, 2 int

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (1-3, 1-3 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-12
10/8 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/29 at (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m. (senior day)

Jamestown (3-3, 2-3 GPAC)
8/25 vs. Valley City State, W, 27-24 (OT)
9/3 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 34-30
9/10 at Briar Cliff, L, 25-31
9/17 vs. (4) Northwestern, L, 3-48
9/24 at (19) Midland, L, 10-21
10/1 vs. Doane, W, 41-17
10/8 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/15 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
10/29 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/12 at Mount Marty, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but fell off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 54 and Jamestown at No. 60 in the NAIA. As for the Jimmies, they most recently cracked the NAIA top 25 in 2009 when they were ranked 24th in the preseason.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 54th

Jamestown
GPAC preseason: 9th
Current Massey Ratings: 60th

Last time out
After a frustrating first half offensively at Dakota Wesleyan, the Bulldogs busted loose with 20 third quarter points as quarterback DJ McGarvie found Korrell Koehlmoos for three touchdown hookups. Those scoring plays covered 31, three and six yards, respectively. McGarvie threw for 255 yards while Koehlmoos hauled in 15 receptions for 110 yards and three scores. Concordia also got the ground game going as Devin Zeigler and Mark Arp combined to rush for 139 yards on 32 carries. Defensively, Concordia held Dakota Wesleyan to 14 first downs and 303 total yards in the 20-12 win in Mitchell. The Bulldogs own the all-time series lead over Dakota Wesleyan, 13-10.

Koehlmoos reaches another milestone, ranks among NAIA receiving leaders
There’s no doubt that Korrell Koehlmoos is the most dangerous offensive threat for the Bulldogs. Koehlmoos has turned in three consecutive games with more than 100 receiving yards while starring as the primary focus in the passing game. Those outbursts have allowed the Pilger, Neb., native to become the fourth player in program history to eclipse 2,000 career receiving yards and the third to crack 150 career receptions. On the school career receiving charts, Koehlmoos ranks third in receptions (160), third in receiving yards (2,243) and third in receiving touchdowns (17). The school records in each of those categories are 2,495 receiving yards (Jared Garcia), 168 receptions (Ross Wurdeman) and 35 receiving touchdowns (Garcia). Koehlmoos has bested career highs for single game receptions in back-to-back weeks with 11 at Northwestern and 15 at Dakota Wesleyan. Among all NAIA receivers in 2022, Koehlmoos ranks fifth in catches (34), 13th in receiving touchdowns (five) and 32nd in receiving yards (373).

Receiving yards, career
1. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,243 (2018-present)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
2. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 160 (2018-present)
4. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Receiving TDs, career
1. Jared Garcia – 35 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 24 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 17 (2018-present)
3. Brian Naber – 17 (1967-70)
5. Marlin Zobel – 16 (1948-51)

McGarvie: 7-3 as starter
DJ McGarvie made his 10th career start at quarterback and responded by completing 26-of-40 passes for 255 yards and three touchdowns at Dakota Wesleyan. The Lincoln North Star High School product pushed his career touchdown pass total to 22 and is now 7-3 as a starter. In 13 career collegiate games, McGarvie has completed 192-of-351 (.547) passes for 2,063 yards. He owns a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 22-to-9. McGarvie was recognized once last season with a GPAC Offensive Player of the Week award.

Third quarter reversal
The Bulldogs have owned a lead in the second half of each of their first four games. The largest leads for Concordia over the season’s first three contests were 7-0 at Doane, 17-2 versus Hastings and 10-0 at Northwestern. Prior to last week’s win at Dakota Wesleyan, the Bulldogs had struggled in the third quarter, having been outscored 39-7 over the first three outings. Concordia flipped the script last week and owned the third quarter, 20-2, in Mitchell. Through four weeks, the Bulldogs still have yet to allow a single point in the first quarter. Concordia owns a 24-0 first quarter advantage over its opponents in 2022.

Receiver position upgraded
The starter at quarterback for this season’s first two games, Austin Jablonski has moved to receiver to give the team a talented one-two punch along with Koehlmoos. Jablonski caught six balls for 95 yards at Dakota Wesleyan. The Lincoln Pius X High School product can do a little bit of everything. So far in 2022, Jablonski has thrown for 253 yards, rushed for 122 yards and has accumulated 113 receiving yards. Daberkow and his staff have continued to tinker with creative means of putting the ball in Jablonski’s hands.

Run game shows life at DWU
The run game showed signs of life last week as Concordia finished with 179 yards on 40 attempts for an average of 4.5 yards per rush. That was a big improvement from the previous three games – 35 rushes for 138 yards at Doane, 30 rushes for 49 yards versus Hastings and 26 rushes for 38 yards at Northwestern. Devin Zeigler paced the Bulldogs last week with 76 yards on 19 carries while Mark Arp added 63 yards on 13 totes and Austin Jablonski notched 26 yards on four attempts. The success came as Concordia had to shuffle the offensive line the past couple weeks without starting guard Christian Schlepp.

Bulldog D remains solid
It was a solid all-around effort last week for coordinator Corby Osten’s defensive unit, which limited DWU to 14 first downs and 303 total yards. Three Bulldogs led the way with eight tackles apiece: Gabriel Knisley, Jayzen Armstrong and Michael Grindey. Meanwhile, linebacker Nick Leader made seven stops and two sacks. Nose guard Devon Polley picked off a pass that deflected off a Tiger receiver. Grindey paces the team this season with 42 tackles while Leader sports a team best three sacks on the year. There is still room for improvement as Concordia looks to cut back on its opponent average of 4.3 yards per rush.

Kicking-punting duo
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties. Harold is now 3-for-6 on field goal tries and 6-for-7 on PATs in 2022. His 15 points are second on the team to Koehlmoos (30), who happens to be having a fine season at punter. In last week’s win, Koehlmoos punted four times for an average of 40.8 yards per attempt with two being downed inside the opposition’s 20. On 26 punts this season, he is averaging 42.6 yards per attempt with eight of them landing inside the 20.

Schardt’s return in question
There’s still uncertainty surrounding if and when two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt will be healthy enough to make his return to the field. Schardt has not yet played this season due to an injury. Already a Concordia graduate, Schardt made the decision to come back to the team for a fifth season. However, he was slowed in preseason camp and remains hopeful of making an impact at some point this season. Schardt was named an NAIA Honorable Mention All-American in 2021. In his career, Schardt has recorded 72 receptions for 1,188 yards and nine touchdowns.

Series vs. Jamestown
The two programs had never met until Jamestown became a member of the GPAC. The first two meetings (2018 and 2019) took place in North Dakota and were both decided by three-point margins with the two sides splitting those games. The Bulldogs moved to 3-1 all-time against the Jimmies with last season’s 24-17 victory up north. Korrell Koehlmoos starred while catching six passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns. Garrett Schardt also caught a touchdown toss from quarterback DJ McGarvie. Defensively, Lane Napier made 13 tackles and broke up two passes. Concordia narrowly outgained Jamestown, 326-306, in a game that came down to the wire.

Scouting Jamestown
Jamestown hopes to be gaining steam after it pummeled Doane, 41-17, last week in North Dakota. The Jimmies like to air it out offensively behind quarterback Cade Torgerson, who threw for 2,978 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2021. He’s piled up 1,478 yards and 13 touchdowns through the air so far in 2022. Head Coach Brian Mistro is working on getting the program to turn the corner after it went 2-9 overall in 2021. Jamestown has not had a winning season since it went 7-3 in 2008. The Jimmies were an NAIA playoff qualifier in 2006 and 2007. While Torgerson is the team’s playmaker offensively, Jamestown has gotten stellar play on the other side of the ball from linebacker Jed Rantz, who has totaled 38 tackles, three sacks and two interceptions. Jamestown began this season at 2-0 with wins over Valley City State University and Dakota Wesleyan. Mistro is a Jimmie alum who played for the program from 2005 through 2008.

 

Fervent passion for the game fuels prolific Bulldog pass catcher

October 6 2022

You get the feeling that Korrell Koehlmoos would play college football for the rest of his life, if only that was allowed. He would play every single snap on offense, defense and special teams, if only the coaches would let him. He’s a football guy to the max, one that goes just as hard Monday through Friday as he does on Saturdays. Tough and hard-nosed, Koehlmoos is truly a Bulldog.

Back for a fifth season in the Navy and White, Koehlmoos’ return to the Concordia locker room is more about his fervent passion for the game than it is about any statistics or records.

“He’s a playmaker and he’s made big plays in big games,” says Head Coach Patrick Daberkow. “It comes back to his passion for the game. The game of football means a lot to Korrell. It’s hard to understand the amount of work and sacrifice that goes into being good at your craft. Sometimes it’s even just a mentality, because there are a lot of guys who put in the work. Korrell puts in the work and he’s willing to do anything at any point.”

While donning the No. 5, Koehlmoos is making his mark as one of the most productive pass catchers in the history of Concordia Football. That’s not all that makes him compelling. The Pilger, Neb., native carries himself with a goofy smile, a swagger and an edge that borders on cockiness. It’s what makes him so fearless, tough and energetic. He’s the guy out there who always looks like he’s having a blast – because he is.

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound receiver just has that knack for making plays on the ball, even as opponents are well aware of his presence. A massively productive first four games of 2022 have Koehlmoos knocking on the door of two program all-time receiving records. On the current school all-time lists, Koehlmoos ranks third in receptions (160), third in receiving yards (2,243) and third in receiving touchdowns (17). This is coming from a guy who just hoped he could play special teams when he entered the program as a scrawny freshman out of Lutheran High School Northeast in 2018.

Said Koehlmoos, “My dad told me coming in not to get my hopes too high. ‘You’re going to be a small fish in a big pond.’ I knew once I got here I was going to work my butt off and hope for the best. My goal was to play special teams my freshman year. Did I expect to start my third game into the season? Definitely didn’t.”

Koehlmoos’ play in practice couldn’t help but demand the attention of the coaching staff. As Koehlmoos tells the story, in a scrimmage versus Nebraska Wesleyan his freshman year, he knocked two defensive linemen to the ground on one play. He was backing up what he once wrote in an online recruiting profile. It read, “I am different than a lot of your normal recruits … I don’t ever give up on something I do. I always finish what I start.”

Perhaps Koehlmoos felt he hadn’t completely finished what he started at Concordia. This fifth year of college football was made possible by the 2020 COVID-19 waiver. Other student-athletes have had to ponder whether to use that extra eligibility. For Koehlmoos, there was no decision to make.

“I have been playing football since third grade,” Koehlmoos explained. “I knew after my fourth year (at Concordia) that I wasn’t ready to be done playing yet. Football has been my life forever. One more year of free eligibility – I’ll take it. My greatest memories are from playing football. I thought I’d make a couple more, I guess.”

Koehlmoos is still working on finishing his degree in Criminal Justice (with minors in Coaching and Geography). His schedule is jampacked with school, football and his job working at the Nebraska State Penitentiary. Yes, he has some stories from that whole experience. Not one to just sit still, that lifestyle seems to suit Koehlmoos.

Says Koehlmoos, “I don’t have much free time. I work about 30-to-40 hours a week and I have a couple classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Basically, I have a seven-day school, work and football schedule. I don’t have a day off. By now I’m used to it. I’m tired a lot, but I make sure I get my eight hours of sleep every night.”

If he’s tired, it never seems to show. He could give the Energizer Bunny a run for its money. Those who watched Koehlmoos on the high school gridiron saw his relentlessness in action. After three years at Wisner-Pilger High School, Koehlmoos played his final prep season at Lutheran High Northeast, where he was coached by Concordia alum Darrin Suckstorf. Koehlmoos actually played running back at Lutheran High Northeast and wasn’t afraid to ram it up between the tackles.

As a high school athlete, Koehlmoos first talked to Coach Daberkow when he played in the Lutheran Invitational Tournament on the Concordia campus. Pretty quickly, Koehlmoos came to realize that Concordia was the right fit for him, from the Lutheran education to the way the football program operated. Suckstorf’s Concordia roots also didn’t hurt. As Koehlmoos put it, “I think on the inside he wanted me to come here because of the Concordia connection.”

At Lutheran High Northeast, Koehlmoos played on both sides of the ball and served as the team’s punter. Perhaps it was all those carries up the middle that toughened Koehlmoos up and readied him for the college game. Daberkow even joked that Koehlmoos must have “rubber bones” the way he jumps up after enduring big hits from opposing defenders.

Daberkow would take issue in tagging Koehlmoos with the term “gamer” in that it would seem to imply that the star receiver only looks forward to game days. It’s the preparation and his unwavering love for football that have made Koehlmoos the player he is today. To be honest, he was pretty good right away. In his finest moment as a freshman, Koehlmoos caught six passes for 162 yards against Northwestern. By game three of his career, Koehlmoos had cracked the starting lineup.

Sharing in that joy with family is what he’ll remember most. Says Koehlmoos, “I grew up on a farm. Hard work runs in my family. It paid off in the end. I called my dad (Kory) my freshman year and told him I was going to start that week. It was a special moment.”

In year five, Koehlmoos has taken his game to a new level, all while opponents game plan against him. The Bulldogs have effectively moved him around the formation in an attempt to avoid double teams. Through four games, he’s hauled in 34 receptions for 373 yards and five touchdowns. Koehlmoos snagged a career high 11 catches at Northwestern before topping that with 15 grabs in last week’s win at Dakota Wesleyan. The versatile Koehlmoos leads all GPAC players in catches per game (8.5) and ranks second in the conference in punting average (42.6). He also fills the water coolers and cooks the postgame meal. Okay, the last part may not be true, but he can just about do it all.

Said Daberkow, “Any time you have a kid running down on kickoff coverage, returning punts, punting and putting up the offensive reps that he does, you know he has a passion for football. When the NAIA ruled that anyone playing in 2020 would get an extra year of eligibility, it wasn’t even a debate for him. That was it. If he could play another year, he was going to do it. I appreciate that about a player. To have a guy who’s passionate about the game like that is always fun. If he could play every rep of every game on both sides of the ball and on special teams, he would.”

In turn, Koehlmoos can feel that trust from his coaches. He knows he couldn’t be putting up these numbers by himself. Says Koehlmoos, “It comes back to the coaching staff and setting things up to get people open and our quarterback DJ (McGarvie) trusting me and getting me the ball. Instincts take over after that. There’s a lot of trust from the coaching staff in me and that helps a lot.” Added Koehlmoos, “I didn’t expect to be in the conversation for a couple records.”

Koehlmoos won’t get a sixth year of college football, but it seems likely he’ll find a way to be involved in the game. He says his dream job would be a front office position with an NFL organization, but coaching wouldn’t be so bad either.

There’s a calm that has come over the chip-on-the-shoulder, smalltown Nebraska kid with a playful personality. Said Koehlmoos, “The last four years I’ve been on the edge of my seat and more antsy. The last four weeks have been more laid back. I’m trying to take it all in and enjoy it.”

 

McGarvie deals, Koehlmoos breaks school record as Dawgs topple Jamestown

October 8 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – There’s no telling what will happen week-to-week in the GPAC. Seven days after thumping Doane at home, Jamestown found the journey to Seward to be a treacherous one. The Concordia University Football team patched together its offensive line, rolled up 552 total yards and handled the Jimmies, 30-15, inside Bulldog Stadium on Saturday (Oct. 8). DJ McGarvie slung the ball around the yard for 393 yards and Korrell Koehlmoos rose to the top of the program’s all-time receptions list.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has won back-to-back GPAC games after the 0-3 start. The offense has clearly had more juice over the past two weeks.

“It was a team performance. It was just really good to see all sides of the ball chip in,” Daberkow said. “Any time you can have special teams create big momentum with that fake punt, that was huge. Offensively and defensively, we complemented each other. I’m proud of our team for sticking together. This hasn’t been the easiest start to a season. There are so many things left to be played out in this conference.”

To its credit, Jamestown (3-4, 2-4 GPAC) managed to make the game interesting in response to Concordia mounting a 23-0 lead. After the Bulldog offense went three-and-out three straight times in the second half, it rose to the occasion with an eight-play 61-yard drive, capped with Devin Zeigler’s three-yard touchdown rush. That fourth quarter possession was crucial in crushing the momentum the Jimmies had begun to build while rallying back within one score (23-15).

Overall, this was an impressive day for McGarvie and the offense, which was down three starters on the offensive line (due to injury). The Lincoln North Star High School product McGarvie piled up more than 300 yards passing in the first half and finished with the second highest single game passing total in program history. He completed 28-of-41 passes for a touchdown. He also found the end zone himself on a three-yard rush. Said Daberkow, “DJ is a very smart and intelligent football player. I’m really proud of his performance. I’m proud of the whole team for rallying together and making it happen.”

Not surprisingly, Koehlmoos was the top target for McGarvie. The Pilger, Neb., native hauled in 12 receptions for 155 yards and a touchdown. His scoring play covered 42 yards on the strike from McGarvie. By day’s end, Koehlmoos had pushed his career reception total to 172, putting him four beyond the previous program standard of 168 by All-American tight end Ross Wurdeman. Koehlmoos also ran for 20 yards on the fake punt.

He's capable of doing it all. Said Koehlmoos afterwards, “I think it’s more of a team record. I can’t do it without the offensive line, running backs, coaching staff, quarterback and the defense giving us more time to get the ball. It’s definitely more of a team record than an individual record – very humbled.”

In McGarvie’s three starts at quarterback this season, Koehlmoos has racked up 38 catches. The team is growing in confidence. Said McGarvie, “We started like this last year and we can do it again this year – finish off on a winning streak. We have that in the back of our minds. We have great leadership in the locker room – people keeping everyone positive on the sidelines, even when we’re down.”

While the offense consistently ripped off chunks of yardage, the Concordia defense enjoyed a fine day in dealing with Jimmie standout quarterback Cade Torgerson. Lukas Coe picked off a pass and the Bulldogs snuffed out all four Jamestown fourth down tries. A key sequence came in the first quarter when the Jimmies failed to get any points after having first and goal at the eight. McGarvie and the Bulldog offense then proceeded to go 99 yards on 14 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Concordia also put together a 97-yard touchdown drive on two plays.

Coe led the team with 10 tackles. Up front, Devon Polley has become a force. He registered 2.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries while anchoring the defensive line. In addition, Michael Grindey made eight stops and Jayzen Armstrong broke up three passes. Torgerson was constantly pressured (four sacks and nine hurries) as he went 25-for-45 for 261 yards and two touchdowns. Jamestown finished with 332 total yards.

McGarvie completed passes to five different receivers on the day. Carsen Arline emerged as another threat and pulled down six receptions for 78 yards. As a versatile weapon, Austin Jablonski caught six balls for 79 yards and had a 14-yard rushing touchdown. Tight end Luke Lang recorded three receptions for 69 yards. On the ground, Zeigler ran for 73 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries and Mark Arp added 40 yards on eight rushes. The scoring for Concordia also included a 25-yard field goal by Ty Harold. The Bulldogs moved to 4-1 in five all-time matchups versus Jamestown.

The homestand continues next Saturday (Oct. 15) when the Bulldogs will welcome Mount Marty (2-4, 1-4 GPAC) to Seward for another 1 p.m. CT kickoff. This is year two for the Lancer football program, which went 0-10 in its inaugural season in 2021. In last season’s meeting in Yankton, S.D., Concordia claimed a 38-7 victory over Mount Marty. Next Saturday will be Parents’ Day at Bulldog Stadium.

 

Polley named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week

October 10 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – A rising star on the interior of the Concordia defensive line, Devon Polley has been recognized as the GPAC/Hauff Mid-America Sports GPAC Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference on Monday (Oct. 10). Polley was honored based on his performance in last week’s 30-15 win over Jamestown. Polley is the first Bulldog Football player to be named a conference player of the week in 2022. The program collected seven GPAC weekly awards in 2021.

A native of Edmond, Okla., Polley produced four tackles, 2.5 sacks and two quarterback hurries in the win over Jamestown. The 6-foot-1, 285-pound nose tackle also had a hand in snuffing out all four Jimmie fourth down attempts, including one on fourth and goal from the one. Jamestown finished with 71 rushing yards. On the season, Polley has collected 28 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks. His career stat line includes 48 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Polley is an alum of Edward Memorial High School.

Polley and the Bulldogs (2-3, 2-3 GPAC) will host Mount Marty at 1 p.m. CT on Saturday. Concordia is in the midst of playing three-straight home games.

 

Game Notes: Bulldogs look to stay sharp as Mount Marty makes first ever visit to Seward

October 10 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The homestand continues this week for the Concordia University Football program, which is fresh off back-to-back GPAC wins. Mount Marty will make its first-ever appearance at Bulldog Stadium on Saturday with kickoff slated for 1 p.m. CT. The Bulldogs will look to build upon the momentum from last week’s 30-15 win over Jamestown. Over the last six quarters, the offense has sprung to life as Concordia shakes off what was a tough start to 2022.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad now stands at 2-3 having also won at Dakota Wesleyan, 20-12. The Bulldogs piled up 552 total yards last week and had separate touchdown drives of 99 yards (14 plays) and 97 yards (two plays). Concordia has been a different team since DJ McGarvie returned to the starting quarterback spot and Austin Jablonski moved into a new role as someone who can throw it, run it and catch it. There’s growing optimism that the Bulldogs can enjoy a big second half of the season like they did in 2021.

Meanwhile, Mount Marty has gotten off the ground quickly for a program that played its first season in 2021. The Lancers had several competitive games last season and then got over the hump in week zero of 2022 with a 42-10 rout of Presentation College. Head Coach John Michaletti’s squad also owns a win over Briar Cliff. Like Jamestown, Mount Marty can sling the ball around the yard. Quarterback Ken Gay has thrown for 1,220 yards and nine touchdowns for an offense averaging 24.5 points per game.

GAME INFO
Concordia (2-3, 2-3 GPAC) vs. Mount Marty (2-4, 1-4 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 15 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 17.4 (77th)
Defensive PPG: 18.8 (T-28th)
Total Offense: 357.6 (41st)
Pass Offense: 245.0 (24th)
Rush Offense: 112.6 (60th)
Total Defense: 344.4 (56th)
Pass Defense: 200.4 (46th)
Rush Defense: 144.0 (57th)
Turnover +/-: +1

Mount Marty

Offensive PPG: 24.5 (53rd)
Defensive PPG: 31.7 (70th)
Total Offense: 367.5 (37th)
Pass Offense: 204.0 (50th)
Rush Offense: 163.5 (31st)
Total Defense: 342.5 (53rd)
Pass Defense: 156.5 (16th)
Rush Defense: 186.0 (79th)
Turnover +/-: -1
 

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (25-28, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 90/149 (.604), 972 yards, 4 td, 2 int, 121.4 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 81 rushes, 278 yards, 3.4 avg, 1 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 46 receptions, 528 yards, 11.5 avg, 6 td
Defense: Devon Polley – 28 tackles, 6 tfl’s, 3 sacks, 1 ff, 1 int

Mount Marty
Head Coach: John Michaletti (2-14, 2nd season)
Passing: Ken Gay – 93/153 (.608), 1,220 yards, 9 td, 4 int, 141.9 effic.
Rushing: Isaiah Thompson – 86 rushes, 414 yards, 4.8 avg, 5 td; 14 catches for 94 yards
Receiving: Jonah Miyazawa – 21 receptions, 490 yards, 23.3 avg, 4 td
Defense: Drew Pendleton – 46 tackles, 6.5 tfl’s, 2 sacks
 

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (2-3, 2-3 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-12
10/8 vs. Jamestown, W, 30-15
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/29 at (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m. (senior day)

Mount Marty (2-4, 1-4 GPAC)
8/25 at Presentation, W, 42-10
9/10 at Hastings, L, 20-45
9/17 vs. (23) Midland, L, 7-20
9/24 at Briar Cliff, W, 41-19
10/1 at (4) Northwestern, L, 8-52
10/7 vs. Dordt, L, 29-44
10/15 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/22 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/29 vs. Doane, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but fell off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 54 and Mount Marty at No. 70 in the NAIA. The Lancers are in just their second season as a football program.
 

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 54th

Mount Marty
GPAC preseason: 11th
Current Massey Ratings: 70th

Last time out
The outing last week represented by far the team’s most complete performance so far in 2022. Concordia outgained Jamestown, 552-332, on the way to a 30-15 victory. Had it not been for a couple of lost fumbles in Jimmie territory, the Bulldogs could have slammed the door shut sooner. However, there was obvious progress made offensively as DJ McGarvie accumulated 393 passing yards while running for a touchdown and throwing for another. Not surprisingly, Korrell Koehlmoos was his favorite target. Koehlmoos caught 12 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.  In addition, three other receivers had at least 69 yards: Austin Jablonski (79), Carsen Arline (78) and Luke Lang (69). In the run game, Devin Zeigler ran for 67 yards and Mark Arp added 40 yards. Defensively, the Bulldogs bent a little, but they did not allow the Jimmies to convert any of their four fourth-down tries. Lukas Coe intercepted a pass and made 10 tackles.

Koehlmoos breaks school record, eyes another one
There’s no doubt that Korrell Koehlmoos is the most dangerous offensive threat for the Bulldogs. Koehlmoos has turned in four consecutive games with more than 100 receiving yards while starring as the primary focus in the passing game. Those outbursts have allowed the Pilger, Neb., native to break the school record for career receptions with 172. In last week’s win, Koehlmoos surpassed both Jared Garcia (161) and Ross Wurdeman (168) on the list. On other school career receiving charts, Koehlmoos ranks third in receiving yards (2,398) and third in receiving touchdowns (18). Koehlmoos has bested career highs for single game receptions in back-to-back weeks with 11 at Northwestern and 15 at Dakota Wesleyan. Among all NAIA receivers in 2022, Koehlmoos ranks second in catches (46), 14th in receiving yards (528) and 14th in receiving touchdowns (six). He ranks second nationally in receptions per game (9.2). On another note, Koehlmoos has eclipsed 4,000 career all-purpose yards (currently at 4,001).

Receiving yards, career
1. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,398 (2018-present)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 172 (2018-present)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
3. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
4. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Receiving TDs, career
1. Jared Garcia – 35 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 24 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 18 (2018-present)
4. Brian Naber – 17 (1967-70)
5. Marlin Zobel – 16 (1948-51)

McGarvie: 8-3 as starter
DJ McGarvie made his 11th career start at quarterback and responded with another starring performance. He moved his record as a starter to 8-3 while completing 28-of-41 passes for 393 yards and a touchdown versus Jamestown. He also ran for a three-yard touchdown. Over the past two weeks, McGarvie has gone a combined 54-for-81 for 648 yards and four touchdowns. His career totals now stands 220-for-392 (.561) passing for 2,456 yards and a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 23-to-9. McGarvie’s 393 passing yards were the second most by a Bulldog in a single game in program history.

Top five passing yardage totals in a single game, school history
1. Andrew Perea – 455 (vs. Northwestern, 2018)
2. DJ McGarvie – 393 (vs. Jamestown, 2022)
3. Blake Culbert – 361 (vs. Jamestown, 2020)
4. Rod Giesselman – 334 (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 1970)
5. Jarrod Pimentel – 333 (vs. Nebraska Wesleyan, 2001)

Offensive revival
The offensive numbers weren’t pretty through the first three-and-a-half games of this season. Then a switch suddenly flipped. Over the past six quarters, Concordia has amassed 50 points and 855 total yards. That production immediately followed a scoreless second half at No. 4 Northwestern on Sept. 24 and a scoreless first half at Dakota Wesleyan. Two weeks ago, the Bulldogs were ranked 73rd nationally in total offense. They have now jumped to 41st. From a defensive perspective, Concordia still has yet to allow a single point in the first quarter this season. The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition, 37-0, in the opening quarter over the first five games.

Patching up the o-line
The results last week helped ease concern over the rash of injuries up front. It was ‘next man up’ on the offensive line as starters in tackle Gavin Mull, center Johnny Robinson III and guard Christian Schlepp were all sidelined last week. In stepped the likes of Jackson Anderson, Carson Fehlhafer, Nathan Miller, Blake Schlegel and Tyler Walford. A true freshman from Utica, Neb., Fehlhafer actually switched over from defensive line and saw snaps last week at center. Collectively, the group made it work as the Bulldogs averaged 4.2 yards per rush and allowed only one sack in the win over Jamestown.

Polley the playmaker
Watch out for No. 99 in the middle of the Concordia defensive line. The Edmond, Okla., native showed off his athleticism at Dakota Wesleyan with a sprawling interception and then made 2.5 sacks (and had two quarterback hurries) last week. As a result, Polley was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Monday. On the season, Polley has produced 28 tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks. He’s the anchor of a defensive line that has rotated heavily. Polley has started alongside Jordan Kavulak and Kyle Sterup while Stephen Hughes, Eric Kieper and Talatau Solo have also seen significant playing time.

Jabo makes transition
After starting at quarterback in the first two games of this season, Austin Jablonski has moved into a Swiss army knife type of do-it-all role. The results have spoken for themselves as McGarvie has thrived at quarterback and Jablonski has gotten more comfortable lining up away from the ball. A Lincoln Pius X High School alum, Jablonski has totaled 253 passing yards, 192 receiving yards and 149 rushing yards. If Jablonski can haul in a receiving touchdown, he would have the distinction of having passed for, rushed for and received a touchdown this season. While McGarvie is the quarterback, “Jabo” has still been used behind center in the shotgun formation as a dual threat.

Kicking-punting duo
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties. Harold is now 4-for-7 on field goal tries and 9-for-11 on PATs in 2022. His 21 points are second on the team to Koehlmoos (36), who happens to be having a fine season at punter. On 30 punts this season, he is averaging 41.2 yards per attempt with nine of them landing inside the 20.

Lang emerges at tight end
Two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt had planned on playing a fifth year of college football, but injuries have kept him sidelined in 2022. In his absence, Luke Lang has taken over the starting role at tight end and has caught 14 passes for 202 yards. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Brentwood, Calif., briefly left Concordia at one point and then returned. Lang hauled in three receptions for 69 yards, including one catch for 34 yards, in last week’s win.

Series vs. Mount Marty
Every game last season marked a first for Mount Marty, which is in its second year of competing within the GPAC. The Bulldogs won the inaugural matchup, 38-7, in Yankton, S.D. The Concordia defense limited the Lancers to 232 total yards and got in the end zone on Caydren Cox’s eight-yard interception return for a touchdown. DJ McGarvie threw for 151 yards and three touchdowns as the Bulldogs made Mount Marty pay for its three turnovers.

Scouting Mount Marty
The Lancers have shown they can put points on the board as they did in wins by scores of 42-10 over Presentation and 41-19 over Briar Cliff. The competitive level of the program has been impressive considering its youth. A former six-year assistant at Kansas Wesleyan University, John Michaletti took on head coaching duties. The Lancers are allowing more than 30 points per game, but the offense has playmakers in quarterback Ken Gay (9-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio), running back Isaiah Thompson and receiver Jonah Miyazawa. On 21 catches, Miyazawa has averaged 23.3 yards per reception. Mount Marty is coming off a 44-29 home loss to Dordt in Friday night matchup.

 

Bulldogs use big plays to push win streak to three

October 15 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – An 86-yard scoop and score for Jayzen Armstrong completely turned the tide and washed away the early struggles of the Concordia University Football team on Saturday (Oct. 15) afternoon. In a game that just about had it all, the Bulldogs found a groove and won comfortably, 47-24, over visiting Mount Marty. A second-year program, the Lancers made their first ever visit to Bulldog Stadium. In the win, Korrell Koehlmoos became Concordia’s all-time leader for career receiving yards.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has won three in a row to even up the season record at 3-3. Concordia is in the midst of playing three straight at home.

“The second half is what we want to be about,” Daberkow said. “The first half was one of the more foolish halves of football that I think that we’ve had. To come back from that and right the ship was good to see … Coach (Corby) Osten’s always harping on the guys to finish plays and give great effort. It all starts on that foundation. They do a lot of things offensively that are difficult to defend. I thought our tackling improved a lot in the second half. It’s really about the fundamental stuff.”

This was a game characterized by big plays for touchdowns, special teams miscues on both sides and a dominant day up front for Bulldog nose guard Devon Polley. The fumble return for a touchdown by Armstrong came at an opportune time as Mount Marty led, 12-3, and had moved inside the red zone. On the play, Luke Sanchez knocked the ball free from Lancer receiver Jonah Miyazawa as he was falling to the ground. Armstrong pounced on the ball and raced untouched to the end zone.

Other than a botched punt snap late in the first half, Concordia dominated the rest of the game. The offense settled as DJ McGarvie connected with the record breaking Koehlmoos for aerial touchdowns of 19 and 36 yards, respectively. In the running game, Devin Zeigler got loose for 113 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Both of his touchdowns came from 17 yards out. Zeigler’s second touchdown made it 40-18 early in the fourth quarter. For good measure, tight end Luke Lang reeled in an impressive 10-yard scoring grab while reaching back to his left.

If not for the special teams errors, this would have been close to a complete performance by the Bulldogs. The Lancers took advantage of those gaffes and had separate touchdown drives of 15 and 16 yards, respectively. The Concordia defense did its job in limiting Mount Marty to 295 yards while making game-changing plays. Isiaha Conner’s doozy of a toe-tap interception on the sideline also set up a field goal.

Most significantly, Armstrong’s play flipped momentum at a time when the Lancers appeared to be gaining confidence. The native of Casa Grande, Ariz., also blocked a PAT and had Mount Marty chasing points the rest of the way (0-for-4 on PATs/two-point tries). Said Armstrong of the fumble return, “I saw the ball on the ground, so I picked it up and I was like, this is an opportunity to score. I gotta go do it. That’s my first one. It felt good.”

Up front, Polley has become a major headache for opposing offensive lines. The nose guard from Edmond, Okla., blew up two separate Lance fourth down attempts, including one in the red zone and another that gave the Bulldogs the ball at Mount Marty’s 30. Polley collected 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Concordia got a team high 13 tackles from Michael Grindey and eight stops from Kam Baker.

Said Polley of his high-level play, “It started this offseason. I started working in the weight room trying to get bigger, faster, stronger. It’s just been paying off the last couple weeks.”

McGarvie finished his day 24-for-34 for 235 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Koehlmoos hauled in nine more catches for 106 yards and two scores while becoming the first Bulldog ever to eclipse 2,500 career receiving yards. In addition, Mark Arp ran for 79 yards on 14 carries and Lang made four catches for 44 yards. In his versatile role, Austin Jablonski caught six passes for 38 yards.

Concordia racked up 431 total yards and a season high point total while again leaning upon an offensive line that had to be revamped mid-season. The starters on Saturday included, from left to right, Kaden Peters, Carson Fehlhafer, Jackson Anderson, Toby Hager and Blake Schlegel.

Said Daberkow, “I’m really proud of the offensive line. We are playing with four guys in that starting group that were not starters at the beginning of the season. They have stepped in and filled in very well. They rose to the challenge this week and I’m excited to see what they do as the season progresses.”

The Bulldogs are now 2-0 all-time versus Mount Marty (2-5, 1-5 GPAC), which played its first season of football in 2021. The Lancers got nice production on Saturday from running back Isaiah Thompson, who rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown and caught a 16-yard reception for a touchdown. Mount Marty’s one league win came over Briar Cliff.

The third home game in a row is coming up next Saturday (Oct. 22) when the Bulldogs will welcome Dordt (3-3, 3-3 GPAC) to Seward for another 1 p.m. CT kickoff. The Defenders have won each of the past four meetings while Concordia leads the all-time series, 9-5. In this week’s action, Dordt lost by a 23-0 score to No. 4 Northwestern.

 

Game Notes: Surging Bulldogs seek fourth straight win as Dordt comes to town

October 17 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Football program is suddenly surging behind an offense that has been prolific over the past two-and-a-half games. A string of three-straight home contests will conclude this Saturday when the Bulldogs will welcome Dordt to Bulldog Stadium for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad extended its win streak to three thanks to last week’s 47-24 win over Mount Marty. Meanwhile, the Defenders were defeated by their closest rival, No. 4 Northwestern, 23-0, this past Saturday.

Concordia has earned wins over Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown and Mount Marty over its last three outings. The Bulldogs have been a different team since shuffling the deck and re-inserting DJ McGarvie at the quarterback position. Concordia has gone 9-3 when McGarvie starts over the past two seasons. In the win last week, McGarvie threw for three touchdowns, the offense racked up 431 total yards and Jayzen Armstrong flipped the momentum with a fumble return for a touchdown. The Bulldogs allowed leads to slip away in their first two games and aren’t far away from being 5-1.

Dordt’s offense was shut out while being limited to a mere 129 total yards last week by Northwestern. That performance was certainly uncharacteristic for a program that owns a record of 32-16 since the start of the 2018 season. Head Coach Joel Penner has transformed Dordt football, which played its inaugural season in 2008. The Defenders are trying to regain the offensive firepower they had last season when they averaged 43.8 points per game. That average has dipped to 24.7 in 2022. Dordt employs a run-heavy offense that ranks fifth nationally in rushing average.

GAME INFO
Concordia (3-3, 3-3 GPAC) vs. Dordt (3-3, 3-3 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 22 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 22.3 (62nd)
Defensive PPG: 19.7 (32nd)
Total Offense: 369.8 (36th)
Pass Offense: 243.3 (22nd)
Rush Offense: 126.5 (48th)
Total Defense: 336.2 (50th)
Pass Defense: 196.7 (43rd)
Rush Defense: 139.5 (52nd)
Turnover +/-: +3

Dordt
Offensive PPG: 24.7 (T-48th)
Defensive PPG: 22.3 (42nd)
Total Offense: 331.3 (51st)
Pass Offense: 104.2 (95th)
Rush Offense: 227.2 (5th)
Total Defense: 337.8 (52nd)
Pass Defense: 222.8 (71st)
Rush Defense: 115.0 (42nd)
Turnover +/-: +2

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia

Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (26-28, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 114/183 (.623), 1,207 yards, 7 td, 2 int, 128.1 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 100 rushes, 391 yards, 3.9 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 55 receptions, 634 yards, 11.5 avg, 8 td
Defense: Devon Polley – 34 tackles, 9.5 tfl’s, 4.5 sacks, 1 ff, 1 int

Dordt
Head Coach: Joel Penner (42-27, 7th season)
Passing: Kade McDaniel – 33/76 (.434), 520 yards, 5 td, 3 int, 114.7 effic; 66 rushes for 254 yards, 2 td
Rushing: Nick Wellen – 50 rushes, 247 yards, 4.9 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Ethan Thomas – 16 receptions, 212 yards, 13.3 avg, 2 td
Defense: Colton Vander Berg – 29 tackles, 9.5 tfl’s, 5.5 sacks

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-3, 3-3 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-12
10/8 vs. Jamestown, W, 30-15
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, W, 47-24
10/22 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.
10/29 at (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m. (senior day)

Dordt (3-3, 3-3 GPAC)
9/3 at Briar Cliff, W, 35-13
9/10 vs. (1) Morningside, L, 21-49
9/17 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 38-7
9/24 vs. Doane, L, 10-13 (OT)
10/7 at Mount Marty, W, 44-29
10/15 vs. (4) Northwestern, L, 0-23
10/22 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/29 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/5 vs. Hastings, 1 p.m.
11/12 at (17) Midland, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but fell off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 53 and Dordt at No. 28 in the NAIA. The Defenders were ranked in every NAIA top 25 poll last season with a peak position of 14th. Following a run to the 2020 NAIA playoffs, Dordt appeared at No. 15 in the postseason coaches’ poll.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 53rd

Dordt
GPAC preseason: 3rd
Current Massey Ratings: 28th

Last time out
Other than two special teams mistakes that directly led to Mount Marty touchdowns, Concordia took care of business. The Bulldogs turned the tide when Jayzen Armstrong scooped up a fumble (forced by Luke Sanchez) and raced 86 yards to the end zone. At the time, the play cut the deficit to 12-10 early in the second quarter. The Bulldog offense then came to life as DJ McGarvie connected with Korrell Koehlmoos for two touchdown passes and later fired another one to tight end Luke Lang. Concordia piled up 431 total yards while posting a season high point total in the 47-24 win. On the ground, Devin Zeigler ran for 113 yards and two touchdowns and an offensive line full of reinforcements did the job. Defensively, Devin Polley (3.5 tackles for loss) again dominated up front and Isiaha Conner helped the cause with a highlight reel interception on the sideline.

Koehlmoos breaks school records in back-to-back weeks
By the time it’s all said and done, Korrell Koehlmoos is going to end up with one of the best seasons ever for a Concordia receiver. Koehlmoos has now gone past 100 receiving yards in five-straight outings while breaking a program all-time receiving record in back-to-back weeks. The Pilger, Neb., native rose to the top of the career receptions list in the win over Jamestown on Oct. 8 and then set a new standard for career receiving yards in last week’s victory. In 44 career collegiate games, Koehlmoos has caught 181 passes for 2,504 yards and 20 touchdowns. Koehlmoos has gone past 100 yards receiving in each of the past five games and sports NAIA national rankings this season of second in receptions (55), fifth in receiving touchdowns (eight) and 10th in receiving yards (634). Koehlmoos is on pace to do something no receiver at Concordia has ever done – crack 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

Receiving yards, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,504 (2018-present)
2. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
3. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 181 (2018-present)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
3. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
4. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Receiving TDs, career
1. Jared Garcia – 35 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 24 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 20 (2018-present)
4. Brian Naber – 17 (1967-70)
5. Marlin Zobel – 16 (1948-51)

McGarvie: 9-3 as starter
Koehlmoos wouldn’t be having this type of year without the emergence of DJ McGarvie at quarterback. McGarvie moved to 9-3 in his 12 career starts at quarterback while helping engineer the 47-24 win over Mount Marty. The Lincoln North Star High School product has been off the charts the past three weeks while going a combined 78-for-115 (.678) for 883 yards and seven touchdown passes (and a rushing touchdown) to go against one interception. The sophomore from Valparaiso, Neb., owns a career touchdown-to-interception ratio of 26-to-9. McGarvie’s 393 passing yards in the win over Jamestown were the second most in a single game in school history for a Bulldog quarterback.

Last three games:
--at Dakota Wesleyan: 26/40, 255 yards, 3 td, 1 int
--vs. Jamestown: 28/41, 393 yards, 1 td, 0 int (rushing td)
--vs. Mount Marty: 24/34, 235 yards, 3 td, 0 int

Offensive revival
After the first three games of 2022, Concordia ranked 73rd nationally in total offense in 83rd in scoring offense. The numbers have rocketed skyward since halftime of the win over Dakota Wesleyan. Over the past 10 quarters, the Bulldogs have amassed 97 points and 1,286 total yards. This is the type of offensive renaissance the program has been waiting for. Over the previous five years, Concordia has posted scoring averages of 24.6 in 2017, 15.4 in 2018, 15.6 in 2019, 21.9 in 2020 and 23.6 in 2021.

Next man up
It’s been a situation of next man up on the offensive line. The Bulldogs opened the season with an offensive line of (from left to right): Kaden Peters, Toby Hager, Johnny Robinson III, Christian Schlepp and Gavin Mull. In recent action, Robinson III, Schlepp and Mull have all sat out due to injuries. To help make up for that loss of beef up front, Concordia moved true freshman Carson Fehlhafer over from the defensive line. He made his first career start last week while playing at left guard. Jackson Anderson (center) and Blake Schlegel (right tackle) have also stepped into starting positions and helped the offense put together its best stretch of offensive football this season.

Polley dominating up front, Grinding cleaning up at linebacker
Nose guard Devon Polley has become a big problem for the opposition. He singlehandedly thwarted two Mount Marty fourth down tries last week and posted a stat line that included 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The Edmond, Okla., native was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10, following the win over Jamestown. Polley’s racked up 9.5 tackles for loss while consistently getting pressure right up the middle. The play of a defensive line that also includes stalwarts such as Kyle Sterup and Jordan Kavulak has helped free up the linebackers to make plays. Michael Grindey collected 13 more tackles last week and ran his team high season tackle total to 61.

Jabo makes transition
After starting at quarterback in the first two games of this season, Austin Jablonski has moved into a Swiss army knife type of do-it-all role. The results have spoken for themselves as McGarvie has thrived at quarterback and Jablonski has gotten more comfortable lining up away from the ball. A Lincoln Pius X High School alum and former Nebraska Cornhusker walk on, Jablonski has totaled 253 passing yards, 230 receiving yards and 152 rushing yards. If Jablonski can haul in a receiving touchdown, he would have the distinction of having passed for, rushed for and received a touchdown this season. While McGarvie is the quarterback, “Jabo” has continued to be used behind center in the shotgun formation as a dual threat.

Kicking-punting duo
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties. Harold is now 6-for-10 on field goal tries and 14-for-17 on PATs in 2022. His 32 points are second on the team to Koehlmoos (48), who happens to be having a fine season at punter. On 32 punts this season, he is averaging 40.9 yards per attempt with 10 of them landing inside the 20.

Lang emerges at tight end
Two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt had planned on playing a fifth year of college football, but injuries have kept him sidelined in 2022. In his absence, Luke Lang has taken over the starting role at tight end and has caught 18 passes for 246 yards. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Brentwood, Calif., briefly left Concordia at one point and then returned. Lang made a tough catch behind his back last week for a 10-yard touchdown reception from DJ McGarvie. Lang ranks second on the team in catches and third in receiving yards.

Series vs. Dordt
Concordia had won nine of the first 10 meetings with Dordt until the Defenders got the best of the Bulldogs in each of the past four seasons, 2018 through 2021 (the other victory in the series for Dordt came in 2008). That leaves the all-time series at 9-5 in favor of Concordia. Last year’s meeting in Sioux Center, Iowa, resulted in a 27-7 win for Dordt. The story of the game was the play of the Defender defense, which held the Bulldogs to only 182 total yards. Offensively, Dordt ran for 281 yards with 100 (and two touchdowns) coming from running back Josh Bush. The only Concordia touchdown came on a four-yard pass play from DJ McGarvie to Cayden Beran.

Scouting Dordt
Compared to recent seasons, Dordt has been less explosive offensively as it is averaging roughly 20 points per game fewer than it did in 2021. The Defenders will lean heavily on a run game that incorporates quarterback Kade McDaniel. Even if the 3-3 start falls below its expectations, Dordt has made an overall massive leap forward under Head Coach Joel Penner, who began his tenure in 2016. The Defenders qualified for the NAIA playoffs in 2020 and finished both the ’20 and ’21 seasons with NAIA top 25 rankings. Dordt went its first 10 seasons of football without a winning record before breaking through with a combined mark of 29-13 over the 2018 through 2021 seasons. Both Dordt and Concordia have been solid defensively this season. Defender lineman Colton Vander Berg has made 9.5 tackles for loss.

 

McGarvie breaks school record in one-point loss to Dordt

October 22 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – Neither team led by more than eight points in a back-and-forth battle on Saturday (Oct. 22) afternoon between the Concordia University Football team and Dordt. A 20-yard fourth quarter field goal by the Defenders’ Fulton Gunderson provided the winning score in a 29-28 victory for the visitors from Sioux Center, Iowa. The Bulldogs were edged at home despite a school record 458 passing yards from sophomore quarterback DJ McGarvie.

The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad (3-4, 3-4 GPAC). Three of the team’s four defeats have come by a combined margin of seven points.

“After a tough loss like this, the message is to do the next right thing,” Daberkow said. “This one really hurts. We’ll get better from it, no doubt about that, but right now you have to sit in it.

“We preach effort on every play. You never know which play it is that’s going to be the play that breaks the game open. To have those plays not go our way today was very disappointing. We’ll go back to the drawing board and see what we could have done differently.”

Offensively, Concordia had two chances at mounting a game winning drive. Following Dordt’s go-ahead field goal, McGarvie marched the Bulldogs to Dordt’s 32-yard line before throwing an interception. Concordia got one more crack at it after its defense then forced a three and out. In their last gasp, the Bulldogs went backwards in the process of turning it over on downs. The defensive stands in crunch time allowed the Defenders (4-3, 4-3 GPAC) to celebrate their fifth-straight series win.

McGarvie may need to ice the right arm after he went 34-for-67 for 458 yards and four touchdown passes in another prolific performance. Concordia was one-dimensional on offense, but it worked for the most part. McGarvie completed four or more passes to six different receivers and fired touchdown strikes of 27 yards to Korrell Koehlmoos, 22 and 14 yards to Austin Jablonski and six yards to Luke Lang. The fireworks came after the Bulldog offense was largely held in check in the first half (seven points and 165 total yards).

The final McGarvie touchdown pass put Concordia in front, 28-20, at the time. That lead could have been larger considering the Bulldogs had a 27-yard field goal attempt blocked and returned for a 78-yard touchdown and missed a 31-yard field goal. Down eight in the fourth quarter, the Dordt offense mustered a touchdown drive that covered 75 yards on nine plays and the field goal that came after a 10-play, 59-yard drive.

With McGarvie slinging it, the Bulldogs have found an offensive identity. The six receivers with at least four receptions were Koehlmoos (seven for 96), Lang (six for 117), Devin Zeigler (six for 34), Carsen Arline (five for 91), Jablonski (five for 80) and Daylan Russell (four for 34). Over the past four games, McGarvie has completed 112-of-182 passes (.615) for 1,341 yards and 11 touchdowns to go against two interceptions.

Said Daberkow, “We have something going with our offense and throwing the ball right now. You have to build on your strengths. We have four offensive linemen starting for the first time the last few weeks. We threw the ball because we were having some success in the air. DJ’s got a good arm, a good eye and he’s a good leader. He’s willing to take risks, and a lot of those risks paid off with touchdowns. He has receivers who trust him.”

For a game that started slow from an offensive standpoint, the final numbers were a bit staggering – Concordia outgained Dordt, 499-485. The run-heavy Defenders were actually forced to throw the ball at times and finished with 232 passing yards and 253 rushing yards. Eighty-eight of their yards came on the halfback pass from Ethan Thomas to Jayden Huisman for a second quarter touchdown. The Bulldog offense was not nearly as balanced with 458 passing yards compared to 41 rushing yards.

As for the record-setting receiver Koehlmoos, his punting was phenomenal on Saturday. He punted seven times for an average of 48.7 yards with five of his punts pinning the Defenders inside their own 20. The Concordia defense was led by 12 tackles from Kam Baker and 11 apiece from Jayzen Armstrong, Michael Doiel and Gabe Knisley. In addition, Michael Grindey recorded a sack, Isiaha Conner came up with two pass breakups and Lukas Coe intercepted a fourth down pass.

After three in a row at home, the Bulldogs will be on the road the next two weeks. That stretch begins with a short drive to No. 17 Midland (7-1, 6-1 GPAC) for next Saturday (Oct. 29)’s 1 p.m. CT kickoff at Heedum Field in Fremont, Neb. Concordia won last season’s matchup in Seward, 21-7, while picking off the Warrior quarterbacks six times. Three of those interceptions came from safety Peyton Mitchell.

 

Game Notes: Bulldogs look for bounce back at Midland

October 24 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Football team will have one more chance at beating an in-state rival this season. After suffering close losses earlier this season to Doane and Hastings, the Bulldogs will take on Midland in Fremont on Saturday. This will mark the 67th all-time meeting between the two sides, which played each other for the first time in 1944. Due to scheduling oddities (and a COVID cancellation), Concordia has not played at Midland’s home field since 2015.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad has suffered three down-to-the-wire losses in 2022. The most recent one came last week as the Bulldogs were edged, 29-28, by Dordt. Concordia let a 28-20 fourth quarter lead slip away and fell despite a school record 458 passing yards from quarterback DJ McGarvie. A tough 0-3 start aside, the Bulldogs have played solid football since suddenly evolving into one of the NAIA’s most potent passing attacks. McGarvie has fired 11 touchdown passes over the past four weeks.

The Warriors have ascended into the top 20 of the NAIA coaches’ poll on the strength of a 7-1 start. In his seventh year as head coach, Jeff Jamrog has the Warriors in the playoff discussion with three games remaining in the regular season. The formula for Midland has been to run the football, win the turnover battle and play stout defense. The Warriors have won five games this season when scoring 22 points or less. The anchor of the defense is lineman Chase Lipsys, a returning First Team All-GPAC honoree. Midland is now seeking a Nebraska sweep of Concordia, Doane and Hastings.

GAME INFO
Concordia (3-4, 3-4 GPAC) at No. 14 Midland (7-1, 6-1 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 29 | 1 p.m.
Heedum Field | Fremont, Neb.
Webcast: Midland Stretch Portal
Live Stats: Presto Sports
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 23.1 (59th)
Defensive PPG: 21.0 (T-37th)
Total Offense: 388.3 (27th)
Pass Offense: 274.0 (12th)
Rush Offense: 114.3 (59th)
Total Defense: 357.4 (59th)
Pass Defense: 201.7 (50th)
Rush Defense: 155.7 (63rd)
Turnover +/-: +3

Midland
Offensive PPG: 28.6 (35th)
Defensive PPG: 15.5 (14th)
Total Offense: 342.3 (47th)
Pass Offense: 120.0 (92nd)
Rush Offense: 222.3 (8th)
Total Defense: 265.0 (T-14th)
Pass Defense: 191.4 (34th)
Rush Defense: 73.6 (9th)
Turnover +/-: +8

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (26-29, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 148/250 (.592), 1,665 yards, 11 td, 3 int, 127.3 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 107 rushes, 408 yards, 3.8 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 62 receptions, 730 yards, 11.8 avg, 9 td
Defense: Devon Polley – 34 tackles, 9.5 tfl’s, 4.5 sacks, 1 ff, 1 int

Midland
Head Coach: Jeff Jamrog (45-25, 7th season)
Passing: Garrison Beach – 80/137 (.584), 637 yards, 6 td, 2 int, 109.0 effic.
Rushing: Trevor James – 120 rushes, 587 yards, 4.9 avg, 1 td
Receiving: Jordelle Lacy – 20 receptions, 169 yards, 8.4 avg, 1 td
Defense: Chase Lipsys – 41 tackles, 11.5 tfl’s, 8 sacks, 2 ff

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-4, 3-4 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-12
10/8 vs. Jamestown, W, 30-15
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, W, 47-24
10/22 vs. Dordt, L, 28-29
10/29 at (23) Midland, 1 p.m.
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m. (senior day)

Midland (7-1, 6-1 GPAC)
8/27 vs. St. Mary, W, 64-10
9/3 vs. Hastings, W, 14-10
9/10 at Doane, W, 20-6
9/17 at Mount Marty, W, 20-7
9/24 vs. Jamestown, W, 21-10
10/1 vs. (1) Morningside, L, 12-47
10/8 at Briar Cliff, W, 56-21
10/22 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 22-13
10/29 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
11/5 at (4) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. Dordt, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but fell off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 52 and Midland at No. 25 in the NAIA. The Warriors began this season unranked but have kept climbing in recent weeks, breaking in at No. 23 on Sept. 12 before attaining rankings of 19th, 17th, 20th, 17th, 17th and 14th in successive 2022 NAIA coaches’ polls.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 52nd

Midland
GPAC preseason: 5th
Current Massey Ratings: 25th

Last time out
The margins have been razor thin for a Concordia team that has suffered losses by scores of 12-10 to Doane, 21-17 to Hastings and 29-28 to Dordt. The Bulldogs mounted a 28-20 fourth quarter lead last week with the help of four touchdown passes from quarterback DJ McGarvie. The touchdown tosses went to Korrell Koehlmoos, Austin Jablonski (twice) and Luke Lang. McGarvie balanced out his targets while finding six different receivers for at least four catches apiece: Koehlmoos (seven for 96 yards), Lang (six for 117 yards), Devin Zeigler (six for 34 yards), Carsen Arline (five for 91 yards), Jablonski (five for 80 yards) and Daylan Russell (four for 34 yards). McGarvie finished with a school record 458 passing yards. Behind that passing game, Concordia edged Dordt in total yards, 499-485. A critical play in the game was Ty Harold’s 27-yard field goal try that was blocked and returned 78 yards for a Defender touchdown in the third quarter. Dordt has won each of the last five series meetings.

McGarvie continues prolific sophomore season
As a team, Concordia has moved up to No. 12 in the NAIA in passing yardage per game (274.0). A lot of credit goes to sophomore quarterback DJ McGarvie, who is 9-4 in 13 career collegiate starts. While going 34-for-67 for 458 yards and four touchdowns last week, McGarvie eclipsed the program’s previous single game school record of 455 passing yards by Andrew Perea (versus Northwestern in 2018). Some of previous Head Coach Vance Winter’s best teams relied on running the football with star backs like Bryce Collins, but this Concordia team is built much differently. Daberkow has adjusted the system to fit personnel that includes two terrific receivers in Korrell Koehlmoos and Austin Jablonski and a breakout tight end in Luke Lang. Over the past four games, McGarvie has completed 112-of-182 pass attempts (.615) for 1,341 yards and 11 touchdowns (plus a rushing touchdown) to go against two interceptions. McGarvie was recognized on Monday as the GPAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Last four games:
--at Dakota Wesleyan: 26/40, 255 yards, 3 td, 1 int
--vs. Jamestown: 28/41, 393 yards, 1 td, 0 int (rushing td)
--vs. Mount Marty: 24/34, 235 yards, 3 td, 0 int
--vs. Dordt: 34/67, 458 yards, 4 td, 1 int

Koehlmoos pads record breaking totals
By the time it’s all said and done, Korrell Koehlmoos is going to end up with one of the best seasons ever for a Concordia receiver. Koehlmoos caught seven passes for 96 yards last week while just missing out on a sixth straight 100-yard receiving game. The Pilger, Neb., native rose to the top of the career receptions list in the win over Jamestown on Oct. 8 and then set a new standard for career receiving yards in the victory over Mount Marty on Oct. 15. In 45 career collegiate games, Koehlmoos has caught 188 passes for 2,600 yards and 21 touchdowns. Koehlmoos sports NAIA national rankings this season of second in receptions (62), fourth in receiving touchdowns (nine) and 10th in receiving yards (730). Koehlmoos is on pace to do something no receiver at Concordia has ever done – crack 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. At 62 catches this season, Koehlmoos has tied Eric Pralle (62 receptions in 1990) for the most receptions in a single season in school history.

Receiving yards, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,600 (2018-present)
2. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
3. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 188 (2018-present)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
3. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
4. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Receiving TDs, career
1. Jared Garcia – 35 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 24 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 21 (2018-present)
4. Brian Naber – 17 (1967-70)
5. Marlin Zobel – 16 (1948-51)

Offensive revival
After the first three games of 2022, Concordia ranked 73rd nationally in total offense in 83rd in scoring offense. The numbers have rocketed skyward since halftime of the win over Dakota Wesleyan. Over the past 14 quarters, the Bulldogs have amassed 125 points and 1,785 total yards. This is the type of offensive renaissance the program has been waiting for. Over the previous five years, Concordia has posted scoring averages of 24.6 in 2017, 15.4 in 2018, 15.6 in 2019, 21.9 in 2020 and 23.6 in 2021. Another hopeful step forward is converting the yardage totals into more points.

Next man up
It’s been a situation of next man up on the offensive line. The Bulldogs opened the season with an offensive line of (from left to right): Kaden Peters, Toby Hager, Johnny Robinson III, Christian Schlepp and Gavin Mull. In recent action, Robinson III, Schlepp and Mull have all sat out due to injuries. To help make up for that loss of beef up front, Concordia moved true freshman Carson Fehlhafer over from the defensive line. He made his first career start in the win over Mount Marty while playing at left guard. Jackson Anderson (center) and Blake Schlegel (right tackle) have also stepped into starting positions and helped the offense put together its best stretch of offensive football this season.

Defensive superlatives
The defensive leaders across categories include Michael Grindey in tackles (69), Devon Polley in tackles for loss (9.5) and sacks (4.5), Isiaha Conner in interceptions (three), Jayzen Armstrong in pass breakups (eight) and Kam Baker in forced fumbles (three). Grindey has had three games this season with double-digit tackle totals. His high of 14 stops came against Hastings. In the middle of the defensive line, Polley has been a force. He was recognized on Oct. 10 as the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week after he collected 2.5 sacks in the win over Jamestown. The defense has been solid in limiting opponents to averages of 21.0 points and 357.4 yards per game. Coordinator Corby Osten’s unit has effectively made up for personnel losses from last season such as stars Lane Napier and Caydren Cox.

Jabo accomplishes rare feat
In the past 20 years of Concordia football, there are only three players who have thrown a touchdown pass, rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown during the same season. Austin Jablonski became No. 3 last week when he hauled in touchdown receptions that covered 22 and 14 yards last week. On the year, the Lincoln Pius X High School alum has passed for two touchdowns, rushed for three and has caught two touchdowns. The other players to achieve the trifecta over the past 20 years were Art Anderson in 2018 and Alex Alvarez in 2003. Jablonski started at quarterback the first two games this season before moving to receiver. On the year, he’s passed for 253 yards, run for 152 and has totaled 310 yards receiving.

Kicking-punting duo
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties. Harold is now 6-for-12 on field goal tries and 18-for-21 on PATs in 2022. His 36 points are second on the team to Koehlmoos (54), who happens to be having a fine season at punter. On 39 punts this season, he is averaging 42.3 yards per attempt with 16 of them landing inside the 20. Last week, Koehlmoos punted seven times for an average of 48.7 yards per attempt – six were downed inside the opponents’ 20.

Lang emerges at tight end
Two-time First Team All-GPAC tight end Garrett Schardt had planned on playing a fifth year of college football, but injuries have kept him sidelined in 2022. In his absence, Luke Lang has taken over the starting role at tight end and has caught 24 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound native of Brentwood, Calif., briefly left Concordia at one point and then returned. Lang went past 100 receiving yards for the first time in his career while notching 117 on six catches last week. Lang has also found the end zone in back-to-back weeks.

Series vs. Midland
The series with Midland is one of the oldest rivalries in program history. The two sides first met in 1944 in what was six-man football at the time due to man power needs of World War II. The result that year was a 40-0 Concordia victory. The Bulldogs and Warriors did not play each other again until 1952. Then in 1957, they began playing annually all the way up to the present day (with the exception of 2020 due to a COVID no contest). Midland leads the all-time series, 37-28-1. In recent seasons, Concordia had its way by winning all six matchups during the 2012 through 2017 seasons. The Warriors broke that string with victories in 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs got back on the winning side of the rivalry in 2021 with 21-7 decision over Midland. What stood out most about that game was Concordia’s six interceptions, including three from safety Peyton Mitchell. Concordia is set to play in Fremont for the first time since 2015. In that ’15 meeting, the Bulldogs erased a 35-14 second half deficit and won in overtime, 41-38, on Bryce Collins’ 16-yard touchdown run.

Last 10 years vs. Midland
2021 – W, 21-7 (Seward)
2020 – COVID no contest
2019 – L, 7-27 (Seward)
2018 – L, 7-35 (Seward)
2017 – W, 44-14 (Seward)
2016 – W, 20-14 (Seward)
2015 – W, 41-38 | OT (Fremont)
2014 – W, 35-28 (Seward)
2013 – W, 35-14 (Fremont)
2012 – W, 23-14 (Seward)

Scouting Midland
Midland is hanging its hat on defense and comes into the week ranked in the top 15 nationally for both total defense and scoring defense. Offensively, the Warriors are the opposite of Concordia in that their season pass attempts (188) are barely more than DJ McGarvie’s pass attempts (182) over the past four weeks (Midland averages only 5.1 yards per pass attempt). Midland intends to pound the rock with Trevor Jones (587 yards) and Tyson Denkert (400 yards), limit turnovers and then stifle the opposition with its defense. Opponents are averaging 2.7 yards per carry against a defense spearheaded by Chase Lipsys, who has totaled 11.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. At 7-1, the Warriors have a real shot at reaching the NAIA playoffs for the first time since 1994. Under Head Coach Jeff Jamrog, Midland has posted a winning record in all seven seasons (including 2022).

Lang hauls in three touchdown receptions in tight loss at No. 14 Midland

October 29 2022

FREMONT, Neb. – Five-hundred yards of offensive output wasn’t quite enough on Saturday (Oct. 29) as the Concordia University Football team gave its best shot at upsetting No. 14 Midland. The Warriors rallied from an early 10-0 deficit and won, 41-31, in what was the 67th all-time series meeting between the two rivals. Midland paved the way to victory by rushing for 259 yards, controlling time of possession and by blocking a punt that led to three points.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad slipped to 3-5 while dropping another close one. Three previous defeats came by margins of four points or less.

“We have to find a way to win close games. We haven’t done that yet,” Daberkow said. “It hurts when you work hard, you’re in position and you don’t make things happen. We have to be more disciplined and stay away from penalties. We’ll figure out what we need to do to eliminate that. It’s really hard to lose these games. Every week in this conference is a dogfight. In these tight games, everything you do wrong is exposed. We really need to shore those things up.”

The Concordia offense totaled 307 passing yards and 194 rushing yards while up against a Midland defense that entered the game ranked top 15 nationally for both scoring and total defense. Tight end Luke Lang enjoyed a monster day as he caught touchdown passes that covered 18, 30 and six yards. Daberkow and his staff effectively used the talents of DJ McGarvie and Austin Jablonski. McGarvie threw for 296 yards and two scores and Jablonski engineered a 10-play, 99-yard drive that got the Bulldogs within three (34-31) midway through the fourth quarter.

Midland (8-1, 7-1 GPAC) was simply more efficient in converting its opportunities into points. The Warriors were 5-for-5 in the red zone with four touchdowns and a field goal. The Warriors are not apt to throw the ball, so they relied on a running game that got 91 yards and two touchdowns from Levi Markey, 69 yards from Gunner Todorovich and 61 yards from Trevor Jones (all on one play). Midland milked the clock on its final possession, which ended on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Desmond Prusia to Markey (with nine seconds remaining).

The Bulldogs squandered a major opportunity in the second quarter after Kyle Sterup forced a Warrior fumble that was recovered by Lukas Coe at the Midland 24. Concordia proceeded to miss a field goal in an empty red zone trip. The Bulldogs also had a punt blocked while trailing 31-24 late in the third quarter. The Warriors capitalized with one of Jared Quinonez’s two field goals on Saturday. Those were the plays that made a difference on a day when Concordia outgained Midland, 501-368.

As part of the productive offensive day for the Bulldogs, Korrell Koehlmoos caught 12 passes for 96 yards. He now owns the program record for receptions in a single season (74) while pushing his career reception total to 200. Austin Jablonski ran for 78 yards and threw a jump pass to Lang for a touchdown. A breakout performer in 2022, Lang caught five passes for 77 yards and three touchdowns. McGarvie also ran for a score in addition to his two touchdown tosses.

Said Daberkow of the use of both McGarvie and Jablonski at quarterback, “Jabo is such a talented athlete and such a smart kid. To have DJ and Jabo to operate back there is a blessing. Jabo brings different things to the table. We had a couple things we wanted to try out of that look (with Jabo). It was working so we kept going to it.”

It was a big outing for Sterup at defensive end. He collected 12 tackles, one stop for loss and a forced fumble. Meanwhile, Kam Baker made 11 stops (two for loss), Michael Grindey added 10 tackles and Coe came up with a sack and a fumble recovery.

The final road game of the 2022 season is coming up next Saturday (Nov. 5) when the Bulldogs will be in Sioux City, Iowa, to take on Briar Cliff (1-8, 1-7 GPAC). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT from Memorial Field. Concordia has won three straight series meetings and is 16-3 all-time versus the Chargers. In Saturday’s action, Briar Cliff was blown out at No. 4 Northwestern, 56-7.

 

Game Notes: Concordia to take on Briar Cliff in final road game of 2022

October 31 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The final road trip of the 2022 Concordia University Football season has arrived. The Bulldogs are preparing for Saturday’s matchup at Briar Cliff. Kickoff from Memorial Field in Sioux City, Iowa, is set for 1 p.m. CT. This will be the 20th all-time meeting between the two sides. Both the Bulldogs and Chargers are coming off losses to ranked opponents. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is 1-3 on the road this season with the one victory coming at Dakota Wesleyan.

There will be a lot of thoughts of ‘what if’ when the 2022 season does conclude for Concordia. The Bulldogs (3-5, 3-5 GPAC) have had chances in four of their five losses with margins of defeat coming by two, four, one and 10 points, respectively. The 41-31 loss last week at No. 14 Midland was essentially a one-score game (the Warriors scored a touchdown with nine seconds left on the clock). Concordia wasn’t able to pull it out despite outgaining Midland, 501-368. Key factors in the outcome were the Warrior rushing attack, an empty red zone trip for the Bulldogs and a blocked punt. Midland kept alive NAIA playoff hopes while moving to 8-1.

Meanwhile, Briar Cliff (1-8, 1-7 GPAC) endured a 56-7 loss last week at No. 4 Northwestern. The Chargers have dropped six in a row since their only win this season, 31-25 over Jamestown on Sept. 10. Head Coach Shane LaDage’s squad will be looking to build momentum heading int 2023. Briar Cliff will close out its 2022 season by hosting Concordia and then playing at Doane. The biggest statistical strength for the Chargers has been their passing offense behind quarterback Luke Davies, who has thrown for 1,981 yards and 16 touchdowns.

GAME INFO
Concordia (3-5, 3-5 GPAC) at Briar Cliff (1-8, 1-7 GPAC)
Saturday, Nov. 5 | 1 p.m.
Memorial Field | Sioux City, Iowa
Webcast: Charger Sports Network
Live Stats: Presto Sports
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 24.1 (53rd)
Defensive PPG: 23.5 (T-41st)
Total Offense: 402.4 (21st)
Pass Offense: 278.1 (9th)
Rush Offense: 124.3 (53rd)
Total Defense: 358.8 (62nd)
Pass Defense: 190.1 (35th)
Rush Defense: 168.6 (70th)
Turnover +/-: +3

Briar Cliff
Offensive PPG: 19.0 (73rd)
Defensive PPG: 41.4 (87th)
Total Offense: 300.3 (T-69th)
Pass Offense: 230.8 (29th)
Rush Offense: 69.6 (87th)
Total Defense: 462.4 (93rd)
Pass Defense: 243.4 (82nd)
Rush Defense: 219.0 (89th)
Turnover +/-: -7

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (26-30, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 172/296 (.581), 1,961 yards, 13 td, 4 int, 125.5 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 122 rushes, 478 yards, 3.9 avg, 3 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 74 receptions, 826 yards, 11.2 avg, 9 td
Defense: Michael Grindey – 79 tackles, 4 tfl’s, 1 sack, 1 ff

Briar Cliff
Head Coach: Shane LaDage (4-16, 2nd season)
Passing: Luke Davies – 157/287 (.547), 1,981 yards, 16 td, 11 int, 123.4 effic.
Rushing: Asante Anglin – 93 rushes, 418 yards, 4.5 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Kobe Johnson – 36 receptions, 420 yards, 11.7 avg, 2 td
Defense: MJ Montgomery – 57 tackles, 12 tfl’s, 8 sacks, 1 ff, 1 fr

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (3-5, 3-5 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-12
10/8 vs. Jamestown, W, 30-15
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, W, 47-24
10/22 vs. Dordt, L, 28-29
10/29 at (14) Midland, L, 31-41
11/5 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m. (senior day)

Briar Cliff (1-8, 1-7 GPAC)
8/27 vs. Waldorf, L, 24-42
9/3 vs. (21) Dordt, L, 13-35
9/10 vs. Jamestown, W, 31-25
9/17 at (1) Morningside, L, 23-59
9/24 vs. Mount Marty, L, 19-41
10/1 at Hastings, L, 9-28
10/8 vs. (20) Midland, L, 21-56
10/15 at Dakota Wesleyan, L, 24-31
10/29 at (4) Northwestern, L, 7-56
11/5 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
11/12 at Doane, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but fell off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 51 and Briar Cliff at No. 82 in the NAIA. The Chargers have never cracked the NAIA top 25 since their inaugural season of football in 2003. Briar Cliff did manage to receive votes in the national poll in 2018 in a campaign that finished with a 6-5 overall record.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 51st

Briar Cliff
GPAC preseason: 10th
Current Massey Ratings: 82nd

Last time out
It was another loss (41-31 final score) that Concordia felt like could have gone the other way. The Bulldogs mounted a 10-0 lead at Midland piled up 501 yards of offense on the day. Tight end Luke Lang caught touchdown passes of 18 and 30 yards from DJ McGarvie and one from six yards out from Austin Jablonski. Concordia passed for 307 yards and ran 194 against a Warrior defense that entered the weekend ranked top 15 nationally in both total and scoring defense. Midland overcame that offensive production by rushing for 259 yards and with greater red zone efficiency (5-for-5 with four touchdowns a field goal). The Warriors also blocked a punt that set up a field goal. McGarvie finished with 296 passing yards and three total touchdowns while Jablonski ran for a team high 78 yards. Devin Zeigler added 70 rushing yards. Defensively, Kyle Sterup put together a fine afternoon that included 12 tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble.

Lang breaks out
An injury has prevented tight end Garrett Schardt from competing in a fifth season of college football. While his absence has been unfortunate, Luke Lang has taken advantage of the opportunity and could push for First Team All-GPAC accolades at tight end. Lang reeled in three touchdown catches at Midland as part of a day that included five receptions for 77 yards. Lang has now scored a touchdown in three straight games and has bumped his season totals to 29 catches for 440 yards and five touchdowns. Lang ranks second to Korrell Koehlmoos on the team in each of those categories. As a comparison, Schardt caught 32 passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns last season when he was named first team all-conference.

McGarvie continues prolific sophomore season
Coming into this season, the Concordia football program team record for passing yardage per game was 214.4 (accomplished by the 2019 squad). The 2022 Bulldogs are on track to shatter that record behind prolific passer DJ McGarvie (now 9-5 as a starting quarterback in his career). Over the past five outings, McGarvie has thrown for at least 235 yards and for at least one touchdown in each game. His 458 yards in the 29-28 loss at Dordt represented a school record for a single game. The Lincoln North Star High School product ranks second among GPAC quarterbacks with an average of 280.1 passing yards per game. Overall this season, McGarvie has completed 172-of-296 passes (.581) for 1,961 yards to go along with a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 13-to-4. In 17 career collegiate games, McGarvie has thrown for 3,445 yards and 32 touchdowns.

Last five games:
--at Dakota Wesleyan: 26/40, 255 yards, 3 td, 1 int
--vs. Jamestown: 28/41, 393 yards, 1 td, 0 int (rushing td)
--vs. Mount Marty: 24/34, 235 yards, 3 td, 0 int
--vs. Dordt: 34/67, 458 yards, 4 td, 1 int
--at Midland: 24/46, 296 yards, 2 td, 1 int (rushing td)

Koehlmoos adds another school record
By the time it’s all said and done, Korrell Koehlmoos is going to end up with one of the best seasons ever for a Concordia receiver. Koehlmoos caught 12 passes for 96 yards last week while just missing out on a sixth 100-yard receiving game this season. The Pilger, Neb., native rose to the top of the career receptions list in the win over Jamestown on Oct. 8 and then set a new standard for career receiving yards in the victory over Mount Marty on Oct. 15. Last week he added to his collection of records by claiming the program’s new standard for catches in a season with 74 (the previous record was 62 by Eric Pralle in 1990). In 46 career collegiate games, Koehlmoos has caught 200 passes for 2,696 yards and 21 touchdowns. Koehlmoos sports NAIA national rankings this season of second in receptions (74), sixth in receiving touchdowns (nine) and seventh in receiving yards (826). Koehlmoos is on pace to do something no receiver at Concordia has ever done – crack 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

Receiving yards, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,696 (2018-present)
2. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
3. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 200 (2018-present)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
3. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
4. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Receiving TDs, career
1. Jared Garcia – 35 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 24 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 21 (2018-present)
4. Brian Naber – 17 (1967-70)
5. Marlin Zobel – 16 (1948-51)

Defensive superlatives
Last week wasn’t one of the better days for the defense, but the unit has been solid overall in holding opponents to an average of 23.5 points per game. Four Bulldogs have collected at least 50 tackles this season: Michael Grindey (79), Gabe Knisley (60), Kam Baker (58) and Kyle Sterup (51). Other category leaders include Devon Polley in sacks (4.5) and tackles for loss (9.5), Baker in forced fumbles (three), Jayzen Armstrong in pass breakups (nine) and Isiaha Conner in interceptions (three). Among GPAC teams, Concordia ranks sixth in scoring defense (23.5) and seventh in total defense (358.8).

Offense piles up yards
After the first three games of 2022, Concordia ranked 73rd nationally in total offense in 83rd in scoring offense. The numbers have rocketed skyward since halftime of the win over Dakota Wesleyan. The Bulldogs have leaned on a passing game that has leapt to No. 9 in the NAIA in terms of yardage per game (278.1). Over the past four games, Concordia has averaged 34.0 points per game. This is the type of offensive renaissance the program has been waiting for. Over the previous five years, Concordia has posted scoring averages of 24.6 in 2017, 15.4 in 2018, 15.6 in 2019, 21.9 in 2020 and 23.6 in 2021. Another hopeful step forward is converting the yardage totals into more points.

Next man up
It’s been a situation of next man up on the offensive line. The Bulldogs opened the season with an offensive line of (from left to right): Kaden Peters, Toby Hager, Johnny Robinson III, Christian Schlepp and Gavin Mull. In recent action, Robinson III, Schlepp and Mull have all sat out due to injuries. To help make up for that loss of beef up front, Concordia moved true freshman Carson Fehlhafer over from the defensive line. He made his first career start in the win over Mount Marty while playing at left guard. Jackson Anderson (center) and Blake Schlegel (right tackle) have also stepped into starting positions and helped the offense put together its best stretch of offensive football this season.

Jabo engineers 99-yard drive
Down 34-24 in the fourth quarter with the ball at its own 1 last week at Midland, Concordia turned to Austin Jablonski at the quarterback position. He responded by leading a 10-play, 99-yard touchdown drive that kept alive hopes of an upset victory. On that drive, Jablonski ran for separate gains of 20, 32, 11, four, and eight yards. He then lobbed jump pass to tight end Luke Lang for a six-yard touchdown to cap the drive. Jablonski can do a little bit of everything. On the season, the former University of Nebraska walk on has produced yardage totals of 329 receiving, 264 passing and 230 rushing. He’s accomplished a unique feat this season of having passed for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown and received a touchdown. Only two other Concordia players have done that same thing since 2003 (Art Anderson and Alex Alvarez).

Kicking-punting duo
One of the last additions to the 2022 team, Ty Harold has brought his soccer leg to the football field as a kicker. A transfer from Iowa Western Community College, Harold came to Concordia to play for Head Coach Jason Weides’ men’s soccer team. Harold impressed the coaching staff enough during preseason to be trusted with placekicking duties. Harold is now 7-for-14 on field goal tries and 22-for-25 on PATs in 2022. His 43 points are second on the team to Koehlmoos (54), who happens to be having a fine season at punter. On 39 punts this season, Koehlmoos is averaging 40.7 yards per attempt with 17 of them landing inside the 20.

Series vs. Briar Cliff
The series between Concordia and Briar Cliff dates back to 2003 when the Chargers played their inaugural football season. The Bulldogs are 16-3 all-time versus Briar Cliff. Concordia won 11-straight in the series until the Chargers snapped the string in 2018 with a 23-14 victory. The Bulldogs got back on the winning side of the series the past three seasons via a 16-14 homecoming squeaker in 2019, a 24-9 triumph in Sioux City in 2020 and a 61-21 blowout in Seward in 2021. In last season’s matchup, a true freshman version of DJ McGarvie turned heads by going 7-for-8 passing for 150 yards and four touchdowns. Four different Bulldogs caught a touchdown pass: Cayden Beran, Korrell Koehlmoos, Cole Schaedel and Garrett Schardt. Concordia outgained Briar Cliff, 520-154. The point total was the highest for the program since a 62-6 win over Mount Senario (Wis.) in 2001.

Scouting Briar Cliff
Briar Cliff can throw the football. It ranks fifth in the GPAC in passing yards per game (230.8) behind sophomore quarterback Luke Davies of Yorkville, Ill. The problems have come on defense with the Chargers sporting national rankings of 87th in scoring defense (41.4) and 93rd in total defense (462.4). Since the program’s first season in 2003, Briar Cliff has finished above .500 once – 6-5 in 2018. In his second season leading the Chargers, Head Coach Shane LaDage is working on building the program back up. While the defensive numbers are not stellar, Briar Cliff does have one of the league’s better defensive linemen in MJ Montgomery, who has accumulated eight sacks. The Chargers will be looking to knock off Concordia for the first time since 2018.

All phases contribute in road rout of Briar Cliff

November 5 2022

SIOUX CITY, Iowa – All phases played a role as the Concordia University Football team aced its final road test of the 2022 season. A balanced Bulldog offense piled up 538 total yards and the defense held the opposition off the scoreboard in the second half as Concordia rolled to a 45-10 win over Briar Cliff on Saturday (Nov. 5). As part of the victory, DJ McGarvie and Korrell Koehlmoos became new program single season record holders.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad picked up its second GPAC road win this season and moved to 4-5 (4-5 GPAC) with one game to go.

“It was a team effort,” Daberkow said. “We wanted to play a crisp and a clean game. I don’t know if we could define it entirely that way, but I was proud of the performance start to finish. Our o-line just played well today. When those guys are playing the way they did today, you can move the ball pretty easy. We’re definitely looking forward to the future of this group. We’re excited for the opportunity next Saturday.”

A competitive first quarter (Concordia led 7-3 after 15 minutes) gave way to a blowout as the Bulldog offense got rolling. The fullback Brandon Vega found the end zone from one and three yards out for the first two touchdowns of the game. Concordia added to the advantage thanks to a Devin Zeigler six-yard touchdown rush, McGarvie scoring tosses of 23 and 15 yards to Koehlmoos and a Mark Arp eight-yard touchdown rush. Ty Harold also drilled a 34-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. The Bulldogs scored the game’s final 31 points.

Five scoring drives covered at least 60 yards on a day when Concordia moved the ball seemingly at will. The Bulldogs passed for 274 yards and ran for 264 while averaging 6.2 yards per play and holding the ball for more than 34 minutes in time of possession. McGarvie completed 26-of-38 passes and threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns. His season passing total of 2,235 yards broke the former school record of 2,178 yards by Jarrod Pimentel. McGarvie threw 15 times to Koehlmoos for 163 yards. Koehlmoos’ 989 receiving yards broke the program’s previous standard of 951 yards by Clarence Woods.

Said Daberkow, “It’s awesome to see because they’re both selfless players. They all put so much into it and it’s good to see them celebrating each other’s success.”

While the passing game has stood out as the most prolific in school history, the running game enjoyed its best day of the season on Saturday. Arp (130) and Zeigler (102) both went over 100 yards and found the end zone once apiece. Zeigler has twice rushed for 100 yards this season. Meanwhile, Austin Jablonski chipped in with 20 rushing yards.

As for the defense, it barely allowed the Chargers to breath in the second half. The unit got 1.5 sacks from Kyle Sterup and a sack apiece from Stephen Hughes and Devon Polley. In the final two minutes of the first half, Isiaha Conner and Nick Leader both came away with an interception. The pick by Leader (who returned it 27 yards) led to Harold’s field goal leading into halftime. Once again, linebacker Michael Grindey paced the team in tackles. He made eight stops. Both Leader and Kam Baker forced a fumble.

Briar Cliff (1-9, 1-8 GPAC) managed 285 total yards with 152 coming through the air. Quarterback Luke Davies went 12-for-25 for 121 yards and a touchdown. The Chargers got their one touchdown on Davies’ 32-yard pass to Kobe Johnson in the middle of the second quarter. Brett Tinker paced the Briar Cliff defense with 14 tackles.

The Bulldogs will put a bow on the 2022 season next Saturday (Nov. 12) when they host top-ranked Morningside (9-0, 9-0 GPAC) at 1 p.m. CT. Prior to kickoff, Concordia will honor its senior class. The most recent series win for the Bulldogs came in 2003 when they defeated the Mustangs, 34-19, in Seward.

 

Game Notes: Senior day Saturday versus Morningside will wrap up 2022

November 7 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Football program has reached the final week of its 2022 regular season. The Bulldogs will welcome top-ranked Morningside to Seward on Saturday for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff. Prior to the game, Concordia will honor its senior class. It will then hope to build upon last week’s 45-10 win at Briar Cliff. Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad is 4-5 on the season. Meanwhile, the Mustangs enter the contest at 9-0.

Every phase contributed to the victory at Briar Cliff. The blowout helped bring back winning vibes after the Bulldogs dropped close ones to Dordt, 29-28, and No. 14 Midland, 41-31, over the previous two weeks. Now the Bulldogs will put their own productive passing game up against the defending national champions. Both Concordia and Morningside rank inside the top 10 nationally in passing offense, in terms of yards per game.

Head Coach Steve Ryan’s program has clinched a 12th straight GPAC championship and will expect to make another deep run in the NAIA playoffs. Few teams have had any success trying to slow down quarterback Joe Dolincheck, the 2021 NAIA National Player of the Year. However, Dolincheck’s status appears to be in question after he missed last week’s game due to injury. The Mustangs have rolled to blowout wins ever since edging No. 3 Northwestern, 30-29, in the season opener played in Sioux City. The explosive Morningside offense has even hit the 70-point mark three times since Oct. 8. Northwestern was the most recent team to beat the Mustangs (in the 2020 NAIA national semifinals).

GAME INFO
Concordia (4-5, 4-5 GPAC) vs. No. 1 Morningside (9-0, 9-0 GPAC)
Saturday, Nov. 12 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Live Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Parker Cyza and Ross Wurdeman
Online Tickets: HomeTown Ticketing (also sold on site)

STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN

Team Statistics
*2022 national rankings out of 98 NAIA football programs

Concordia
Offensive PPG: 26.4 (45th)
Defensive PPG: 22.0 (43rd)
Total Offense: 417.4 (13th)
Pass Offense: 277.7 (10th)
Rush Offense: 139.8 (45th)
Total Defense: 350.6 (56th)
Pass Defense: 185.9 (38th)
Rush Defense: 164.7 (68th)
Turnover +/-: +6

Morningside
Offensive PPG: 57.7 (1st)
Defensive PPG: 14.0 (13th)
Total Offense: 574.0 (1st)
Pass Offense: 402.1 (1st)
Rush Offense: 171.9 (25th)
Total Defense: 297.8 (30th)
Pass Defense: 196.4 (52nd)
Rush Defense: 101.3 (27th)
Turnover +/-: +8

2022 INDIVIDUAL LEADERS

Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (27-30, 6th season)
Passing: DJ McGarvie – 198/334 (.593), 2,235 yards, 15 td, 4 int, 127.9 effic.
Rushing: Devin Zeigler – 140 rushes, 580 yards, 4.1 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Korrell Koehlmoos – 89 receptions, 989 yards, 11.1 avg, 11 td
Defense: Michael Grindey – 86 tackles, 4 tfl’s, 1 sack, 1 ff, 1 fr

Morningside
Head Coach: Steve Ryan (217-41, 21st season)
Passing: Joe Dolincheck – 179/250 (.716), 2,935 yards, 35 td, 2 int, 214.8 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Cole – 152 rushes, 935 yards, 6.2 avg, 19 td
Receiving: Austin Johnson – 66 receptions, 1,284 yards, 19.5 avg, 16 td
Defense: Weston Schultz – 38 tackles, 10 tfl’s, 6 sacks, 2 ff

2022 SCHEDULE/RESULTS

Concordia (4-5, 4-5 GPAC)
9/3 at Doane, L, 10-12
9/17 vs. Hastings, L, 17-21 (homecoming)
9/24 at (4) Northwestern, L, 10-34
10/1 at Dakota Wesleyan, W, 20-12
10/8 vs. Jamestown, W, 30-15
10/15 vs. Mount Marty, W, 47-24
10/22 vs. Dordt, L, 28-29
10/29 at (14) Midland, L, 31-41
11/5 at Briar Cliff, W, 45-10
11/12 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m. (senior day)

Morningside (9-0, 9-0 GPAC)
9/3 vs. (3) Northwestern, W, 30-29
9/10 at (21) Dordt, W, 49-21
9/17 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 59-23
10/1 at (17) Midland, W, 47-12
10/8 vs. Hastings, W, 70-17
10/15 at Jamestown, W, 59-7
10/22 at Mount Marty, W, 77-0
10/29 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, W, 70-14
11/5 vs. Doane, W, 58-3
11/12 at Concordia, 1 p.m.

In the rankings
Concordia picked up three points in the 2022 NAIA preseason coaches’ poll but fell off the national radar due to the 0-3 start. The program’s most recent top 25 appearance came in November 2017 when they landed at No. 25. Current Massey Ratings list Concordia at No. 51 and Morningside at No. 1 in the NAIA. The Mustangs have made themselves comfortable with the top ranking in the nation. Since winning the national title last season, Morningside has been ranked No. 1 in all nine NAIA coaches’ polls this season.

Concordia
GPAC preseason: 4th
Current Massey Ratings: 51st

Morningside
GPAC preseason: 1st
Current Massey Ratings: 1st

Last time out
A 14-10 lead midway through the second quarter gave way to a rout at Memorial Field in Sioux City as the Bulldogs rattled off the final 31 points of the game. Concordia outgained Briar Cliff, 538-285, in the process of earning the 45-10 victory. Two touchdowns apiece were scored by receiver Korrell Koehlmoos (23- and 15-yard catches) and fullback Brandon Vega (one- and three-yard runs) while running backs Mark Arp and Devin Zeigler found the end zone once apiece. Ty Harold also connected on a 34-yard field goal. Quarterback DJ McGarvie threw both scoring tosses to Koehlmoos and finished his day 26-for-38 for 274 yards. Koehlmoos hauled in 15 receptions for 163 yards in another monster effort. Defensively, Concordia held the Chargers off the scoreboard in the second half. Both Isiaha Conner and Nick Leader came up with an interception apiece.

McGarvie breaks CUNE HOF’er Pimentel’s record
With his 274 passing yards at Briar Cliff, DJ McGarvie became Concordia’s program record holder for most passing yards in a single season. His 2,235 yards eclipsed the previous standard of 2,178 by Concordia Athletic Hall of Famer Jarrod Pimentel in 2001. In addition, McGarvie has set a new school standard for completions (198) in a season while tying the record for pass attempts (334) in a season. McGarvie broke Von Thomas’ record of 197 completions. On the NAIA national leaderboard, McGarvie ranks sixth in passing yards per game (279.4). Over the past six outings, McGarvie has posted a touchdown-to-interception ratio of 15-to-3. In his career, McGarvie has completed 328-of-577 passes (.568) for 3,719 yards and 34 touchdowns compared to 11 interceptions. McGarvie owns a record of 10-5 as a starting quarterback.

Last six games:
--at Dakota Wesleyan: 26/40, 255 yards, 3 td, 1 int
--vs. Jamestown: 28/41, 393 yards, 1 td, 0 int (rushing td)
--vs. Mount Marty: 24/34, 235 yards, 3 td, 0 int
--vs. Dordt: 34/67, 458 yards, 4 td, 1 int
--at Midland: 24/46, 296 yards, 2 td, 1 int (rushing td)
--at Briar Cliff: 26/38, 274 yards, 2 td, 0 int

Koehlmoos adds to school records
Korrell Koehlmoos has enjoyed the best statistical season for a receiver in Concordia history. While catching 15 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Briar Cliff, Koehlmoos broke the program single season record for receiving yards with 989 and tied the record for touchdown catches (11) in a season. The previous record for receiving yards was 951 by Clarence Woods in 1988. Not only that, the Pilger, Neb., native rose to the top of the career receptions list in the win over Jamestown on Oct. 8 and then set a new standard for career receiving yards in the victory over Mount Marty on Oct. 15. In 47 career collegiate games, Koehlmoos has caught 215 passes for 2,859 yards and 23 touchdowns. Koehlmoos sports NAIA national rankings this season of second in receptions (89 – also a school record), seventh in receiving yards (989) and eighth in receiving touchdowns (11). Koehlmoos needs 11 more yards to become the first Concordia receiver to ever reach 1,000 in a season.

Receiving yards, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 2,859 (2018-present)
2. Jared Garcia – 2,495 (2014-17)
3. Ross Wurdeman – 2,458 (1998-01)
4. Clarence Woods – 2,011 (1984-88)
5. Eric Pralle – 1,974 (1987-1991)

Receptions, career
1. Korrell Koehlmoos – 215 (2018-present)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 168 (1998-01)
3. Jared Garcia – 161 (2014-17)
4. Eric Pralle – 147 (1987-91)
5. Dan Danielczyk – 140 (1968-71)

Receiving TDs, career
1. Jared Garcia – 35 (2014-17)
2. Ross Wurdeman – 24 (1998-01)
3. Korrell Koehlmoos – 23 (2018-present)
4. Brian Naber – 17 (1967-70)
5. Marlin Zobel – 16 (1948-51)

Offense piles up yards
After the first three games of 2022, Concordia ranked 73rd nationally in total offense and 83rd in scoring offense. The numbers have rocketed skyward since halftime of the win over Dakota Wesleyan. The Bulldogs have moved up to No. 13 nationally in total offense with an average of 417.4 yards per game. If that number holds, the 2022 team would break a school record for total offense. The current record is 401.6 by the 2014 team. Concordia has totaled more than 400 yards in six straight games: 434, 552, 431, 499, 501 and 538. A big reason for those numbers has been McGarvie and the passing game. The Bulldogs rank No. 10 nationally in passing offense (277.7). McGarvie also ranks 10th among all NAIA quarterbacks in overall passing yards (2,235).

Lang breaks out
An injury has prevented tight end Garrett Schardt from competing in a fifth season of college football. While his absence has been unfortunate, Luke Lang has taken advantage of the opportunity and could push for First Team All-GPAC accolades at tight end. Lang reeled in three touchdown catches at Midland as part of a day that included five receptions for 77 yards. That contest at Midland marked the third straight game Lang had found the end zone. He has bumped his season totals to 33 catches for 508 yards and five touchdowns. Lang ranks second to Korrell Koehlmoos on the team in each of those categories. As a comparison, Schardt caught 32 passes for 504 yards and five touchdowns last season when he was named first team all-conference.

Defensive superlatives
The defense shook off a tough outing at Midland and put together a fine performance at Briar Cliff, not allowing the Chargers to score in the second half. The unit has been solid overall in holding opponents to an average of 22.0 points per game. Four Bulldogs have collected at least 50 tackles this season: Michael Grindey (86), Gabe Knisley (66), Kam Baker (63) and Kyle Sterup (57). Other category leaders include Devon Polley in sacks (6.0) and tackles for loss (11), Baker in forced fumbles (four), Jayzen Armstrong in pass breakups (nine) and Isiaha Conner in interceptions (four). Among GPAC teams, Concordia ranks sixth in scoring defense (22.0) and sixth in total defense (350.6).

Next man up
It’s been a situation of next man up on the offensive line. The Bulldogs opened the season with an offensive line of (from left to right): Kaden Peters, Toby Hager, Johnny Robinson III, Christian Schlepp and Gavin Mull. In recent action, Robinson III, Schlepp and Mull have all sat out due to injuries. To help make up for that loss of beef up front, Concordia moved true freshman Carson Fehlhafer over from the defensive line. He made his first career start in the win over Mount Marty while playing at left guard. Jackson Anderson (center) and Blake Schlegel (right tackle) have also stepped into starting positions and helped the offense put together its best stretch of offensive football in several seasons.

Arp/Zeigler both go for 100+ yards in win
That offensive line came together last week to help both Mark Arp (130) and Devin Zeigler (102) break 100 yards rushing. Those two backs have received the lion’s share of the carries this season. Zeigler leads the team in rushing with 580 yards and four touchdowns on 140 attempts in 2022. Arp has carried the ball 67 times for 370 yards and a touchdown. The success last week bumped the team averages this season to 139.8 rushing yards per game and 4.0 rushing yards per attempt. Austin Jablonski (230 rushing yards and three touchdowns) has also factored into the run game. Jablonski is a former walk on at the University of Nebraska who began this season as the team’s starting quarterback.

Former Bulldogs make return to Seward
It will be a homecoming for two assistant coaches on the Morningside sideline: Reggie Corbin and Tarence Roby. Both Corbin and Roby played at Concordia and were starters. Roby was named an NAIA First Team All-American in 2017 when he served as a lockdown corner. As for Corbin, he started at quarterback and was also a member of the 2004-05 basketball team that finished as the national runner up. Corbin had previously served as the Offensive Coordinator on Daberkow’s staff.

Series vs. Morningside
It's been one-sided as Morningside is 19-1 all-time versus Concordia. That one win for the Bulldogs came in 2003 by a 34-19 score in Seward. Courtney Meyer was the Bulldogs’ head coach at the time. Concordia would like to forget last year’s meeting, which occurred in the 2021 season opener. The Mustangs won that matchup 63-7 while outgaining the Bulldogs, 652-254. The only score for Concordia came on DJ McGarvie’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Cayden Beran late in the fourth quarter.

Scouting Morningside
Morningside has become a standard setter in the GPAC and on the NAIA national scene. Not only has Steve Ryan’s program won 12 consecutive GPAC championships, it also has captured three of the past four NAIA national titles (2018, 2019 and 2021). A hallmark of the program has been an offense that decimates opponents. The ’22 Mustangs lead the NAIA by a wide margin in the categories of scoring offense, total offense and passing offense. Only Northwestern has held Morningside to fewer than 45 points in any game this season. The Mustangs won that showdown with the Red Raiders, 30-29, in the season opener. Morningside already has the GPAC title and NAIA playoff berth in hand, but it will likely be motivated to go for another undefeated season. If Joe Dolincheck doesn’t start this week at quarterback, freshman Luke Johannsen is likely to get the nod (as he did against Doane).

 

Season closes with loss to potent Mustangs

November 12 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – In its 2022 season finale on Saturday (Nov. 12), the Concordia University Football team drew the daunting task of attempting to slow down a Morningside offense that has overpowered the GPAC throughout another season of dominance. The top-ranked Mustangs rode running back Ryan Cole to a 55-18 victory on a chilly afternoon inside Bulldog Stadium. Morningside outgained the Bulldogs, 539-318, and made it a comfortable margin in the scoring column despite three interceptions.

Prior to kickoff, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad recognized a group of 12 seniors. Concordia wrapped up 2022 at 4-6 overall (4-6 GPAC) in a season that had its share of highlights despite the record.

“It’s a disappointing outcome,” Daberkow said. “I thought we had some things going here and there, but we couldn’t sustain anything and we couldn't stop them from running the ball. That’s going to be a long day if you can’t stop them from doing that … I saw guys playing aggressive football the way it’s meant to be played. I’m going to miss a lot of those (seniors). It’s hard to send them out on this note.”

Even with its starting quarterback (Joe Dolincheck) sidelined by injury, Morningside (10-0) is a bear to try to keep up with. Though Concordia’s defense did a fine job limiting the Mustangs on third downs (4-for-14), Morningside got way too many chunk plays in the run game via Cole. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound back churned out 216 rushing yards and four touchdowns (plus 90 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown) behind a massive offensive line. The Mustangs had essentially put the game away early in the third quarter when Cole ran 40 yards for a touchdown following an interception. It was a 31-6 game at that time.

Offensively, the Bulldogs found no room to run (zero rushing yards), so they logically turned to DJ McGarvie and the passing game to generate offense. McGarvie finished the day 31-for-54 for 318 yards and three touchdown passes. His scoring tosses covered 14 yards to Carsen Arline, five yards to Korrell Koehlmoos and 87 yards to Austin Jablonski. That final touchdown was mostly due to the athleticism of Jablonski, who outraced the Morningside defense to the end zone.

There’s never been a more productive passing game in Concordia history. McGarvie broke program single season passing records for yards (2,553), completions (229) and attempts (388). In his final collegiate game, Koehlmoos became the first player in school history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season. He finished 2022 with totals of 95 catches for 1,024 yards and 12 touchdowns (all new school records). As an offense, the Bulldogs broke the school record for yards per game at 407.5 this fall.

In Saturday’s game, Arline caught a career high 12 receptions (for 64 yards). Jablonski racked up 134 yards on his six catches and tight end Luke Lang hauled in six passes for 85 yards. Eleven of the team’s 15 first downs came from the pass.

Said Daberkow, “I think we’re going to look back upon this season – and the record isn’t what we want it to be – but this might be a year we look back at as a time when we figured things out a little bit, specifically on offense. We built the confidence to move the ball. We have young guys playing and we have a lot of guys coming back. I’m really excited about the future of this team. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be part of this and be around these guys. They give me a lot of headaches, but I love them to death.”

It was a tough day for the Concordia rush defense, but nose guard Devon Polley stood out for his work on the interior. He made four tackles for loss while polishing off a season that should end some type of all-conference recognition. On Saturday, Gabe Knisley led the defense with 10 tackles and a pass breakup. Corner Jayzen Armstrong made two interceptions and safety Luke Sanchez came up with one of his own. Armstrong’s first pick put an end to Morningside’s opening drive of the game. In addition, Kyle Sterup posted six tackles, 1.5 stops for loss and a pass breakup.

There were 12 seniors whose names were called prior to the game: Jayzen Armstrong, Kam Baker, Wyatt Cast, Eric Kiper, Korrell Koehlmoos, Nate Moore, Gerald Morris, Kaden Peters, Cade Peterson, Johnny Robinson III, Logan Srna and Brandon Vega. With the returning talent both offensively and defensively, Daberkow and his staff will expect improved results in 2023.

Said Daberkow, “As a Christian, I don’t think there’s anything in my life that God puts in it that isn’t a work in progress. Ultimately, it’s how we learn and grow and grow closer to Him. I hope our guys come to understand that in their time here.”

 

Koehlmoos, Grindey pick up first team awards; eight Bulldogs named All-GPAC

November 15 2022

First Team: Michael Grindey (LB), Korrell Koehlmoos (WR)
Second Team: Kaden Peters (OL), Devon Polley (DL)
Honorable Mention: Kam Baker (DB), Isiaha Conner (DB), Korrell Koehlmoos (P), Luke Lang (TE), DJ McGarvie (QB)

SEWARD, Neb. – All-conference awards have been handed out for the 2022 football season. In highlighting the GPAC selections announced on Tuesday (Nov. 15), linebacker Michael Grindey and receiver Korrell Koehlmoos represented the Concordia University Football program with first team honors. Meanwhile, second team accolades went to offensive lineman Kaden Peters and defensive lineman Devon Polley. Koehlmoos was also given honorable mention for his punting while joined by four teammates in the honorable mention category: safety Kam Baker, cornerback Isiaha Conner, tight end Luke Lang and quarterback DJ McGarvie.

Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad completed the 2022 season this past Saturday with an overall record of 4-6. One of the major positives was the emergence of a passing game that led to the Bulldogs breaking the school record for total offense (average of 407.5 per game).

After fighting through injury in 2021, Grindey broke out as the team’s leading tackler in 2022. The native of Phoenix, Ariz., totaled 92 tackles, four stops for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery while starting all 10 games at linebacker. Grindey notched a season high 14 tackles in the game versus Hastings on Sept. 17. He reached double figures in tackles in three separate contests.

Koehlmoos made his fifth season of collegiate football count in 2022 while enjoying the greatest season ever for a Concordia receiver. The native of Pilger, Neb., and graduate of Lutheran High School Northeast posted 2022 numbers of 95 catches for 1,024 yards and 12 touchdowns – all school records for a single season. Koehlmoos will leave Concordia with additional school records for career receptions (221) and career receiving yards (2,894) in 48 games played. He ranks No. 2 in receiving touchdowns (25). At the close of the regular season, Koehlmoos owns 2022 NAIA national rankings of second in receptions, seventh in receiving yards and seventh in receiving yards. As the team’s punter, Koehlmoos averaged 40.1 yards per attempt and landed 22 punts (out of 58) inside the opposition’s 20. Koehlmoos was also a First Team All-GPAC selection in 2020.

With much of the offensive line in flux because of injuries, Peters provided a steadying force at left tackle while starting all 10 games. The native of Wood River, Neb., was a key cog in an offense that averaged more than 400 yards per game and put up 30 or more points four times. Peters was one of 12 seniors honored prior to kickoff of the regular season finale.

At nose guard, Polley wreaked havoc upon opposing offenses this fall. He led the team in tackles for loss (15) and sacks (six) as he consistently generated pressure up the middle. Polley also notched 43 tackles and made an interception in the win at Dakota Wesleyan. The native of Edmond, Okla., has racked up 22.5 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks over his first two seasons as a Bulldog. Polley was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 10.

The Lincoln North Star High School product McGarvie is just beginning to rewrite the school’s passing record book. With McGarvie at the controls, the ’22 Concordia team became the most prolific pass offense in school history. The Bulldogs broke team records season records for total offense per game (407.5), overall passing yards (2,817), passing yards per game (281.7), completions (252) and passing attempts (444). Individually, McGarvie broke school season passing records for yards (2,553), completions (229) and attempts (388). McGarvie also threw for 18 touchdowns (rushed for two) while throwing only six interceptions. His 458 passing yards versus Dordt were a program single game record.

Baker and Conner excelled as part of a strong secondary. A San Antonio, Texas, native, Baker has racked up 68 tackles to go along with 8.5 stops for loss, four forced fumbles, two pass breakups, one sack and one fumble recovery. Meanwhile, Conner (Las Vegas, Nev.) led the team with four interceptions while adding 54 tackles, four pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Lang burst onto the scene in 2022 as one of the league’s top tight ends. He hauled in 39 receptions for 593 yards and five touchdowns this fall. Lang put together a string of three-straight games with a touchdown during the month of October. He pulled in three touchdown catches at Midland on Oct. 29. The Brentwood, Calif., native notched his first career 100-yard receiving game versus Dordt (six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown).

 

McGarvie, Koehlmoos rewrite football record book

November 17 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – By any measure, there has never been a more prolific passing offense in program history than the one featured by the 2022 Concordia University Football team. The combination of DJ McGarvie at quarterback and Korrell Koehlmoos at receiver has rewritten the school record book. Below is a summary of the new team and individual records broken during the 2022 season.

In his second year as a starting quarterback, McGarvie broke a 21-year-old school record for passing yards in a single season formerly held by Jarrod Pimentel (2,178). In 10 games, the Lincoln North Star High School product piled up 2,553 passing yards while also breaking season standards for completions (229) and attempts (388). With two years to go, McGarvie already owns school career rankings of fourth in passing touchdowns and fifth in passing yards (4,037).

A native of Pilger, Neb., and a First Team All-GPAC honoree, Koehlmoos put together the best statistical season ever by a Concordia receiver. He eclipsed program single season standards in every major category: receptions (95), receiving yards (1,024) and receiving touchdowns (12). He also rose to the top of the charts in career receptions (221) and career receiving yards (2,894). The career records Koehlmoos broke were previously held by Ross Wurdeman in receptions (168) and Jared Garcia in receiving yards (2,495). Koehlmoos became the first player in school history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season.

As a team, the 2022 Bulldogs broke the school record for average total offense per game with a figure of 407.5. The previous best was 401.6 by the 2014 squad that was led by 1,000-yard rusher Bryce Collins. With McGarvie at the controls, new standards were also set for most team passing records, with the exception of touchdowns.

Team single season records broken in 2022

·        Most yards gained per game (407.5).

·        Most passing yards (2,817).

·        Most passing yards per game (281.7).

·        Most passes completed (252).

·        Most passes completed per game (25.2).

·        Most passes attempted (444).

·        Most passes attempted per game (44.4).

·        Most offensive plays per game (77.8).

Korrell Koehlmoos program rankings

·        No. 1 in career receptions (221).

·        No. 1 in career receiving yards (2,894).

·        No. 1 in receiving yards in a season (1,024).

·        No. 1 in receptions in a season (95)

·        No. 1 in receiving touchdowns in a season (12).

·        No. 1 in average yards per punt attempt in a season (41.1).

·        No. 2 in career receiving touchdowns (24).

·        No. 4 in total points scored in a season (72).

·        No. 4 in punting yards in a season (2,342).

DJ McGarvie program rankings

·        No. 1 in passing yards in a season (2,553).

·        No. 1 in total offense in a season (2,556).

·        No. 1 in completion percentage in a season (59.0).

·        No. 1 in pass completions in a season (229).

·        No. 1 in pass attempts in a season (388).

·        No. 1 in passing yards in a single game (458 vs. Dordt).

·        Nos. 2 and 3 in passing touchdowns in a season (19 in 2021 and 18 in 2022).

·        No. 4 in career passing touchdowns (37).

·        No. 5 in career passing yards (4,037)

 

Season-In-Review: Offensive progress, prolific passing game highlighted 2022 season

November 21 2022

An in-season overhaul of the offense transformed the Concordia passing attack into something never before seen in the history of the program. While the overall record isn’t what Head Coach Patrick Daberkow and his staff had in mind, the Bulldogs believe they found an identity that they can carry over into 2023. These weren’t the Bulldogs you’re used to watching, not with quarterback DJ McGarvie slinging the ball at a school record pace.

There were two frustrating losses to begin the season at the hands of Doane (12-10) and Hastings (21-17). In game three of the campaign, Concordia lost at No. 3 Northwestern and then found itself at a crossroads when trailing 3-0 at halftime at Dakota Wesleyan. From that point on, the Bulldogs became one of the GPAC’s most entertaining teams.

“You look at our record and it’s disappointing,” Daberkow said. “By the time we figured things out offensively, we were in week four. We switched some things up and made some adjustments. We were kind of off to the races after that. There were a lot of lessons learned this year. We broke our school record for total yards per game and we broke records in the passing game. Once we figured out an identity offensively, we kind of took off. We still came up short in some games and need to close the gap in the weight room over the offseason. We have to continue to bring in the right kids. We’re very confident in where we’re headed. We’re not satisfied with where we’re at obviously, but we’re excited with where we’re headed.”

Concordia concluded the season at 4-6 with the wins coming over Dakota Wesleyan, Jamestown, Mount Marty and Briar Cliff. Three losses came by margins of four points or fewer and another was decided by 10 points at Midland (41-31) in what was a one-score game until the final seconds. In other words, the Bulldogs are close. They can take comfort in knowing they have a marquee gun slinger in McGarvie, who has a chance to be one of the GPAC’s top quarterbacks. The Lincoln North Star High School product broke a single game school record when he racked up 458 yards versus Dordt.

On the way to another school record, for passing yards in a season (2,553), McGarvie connected with receiving talents Korrell Koehlmoos, Luke Lang, Austin Jablonski and Carsen Arline on a regular basis. Koehlmoos enjoyed the best season ever for a Concordia receiver in hauling in 95 receptions for 1,024 yards and 12 touchdowns (all school records). Meanwhile, Jablonski (former Nebraska Cornhusker walk on) found a home at receiver and Lang developed into arguably the league’s best tight end. Running backs Devin Zeigler and Mark Arp combined for 961 yards on the ground. The new program record for average total offense per game (407.5) came about even as the Bulldogs dealt with a rash of injuries on the offensive line.

That line was anchored by tackle Kaden Peters, the only player up front to start all 10 games. Concordia was forced to move freshman Carson Fehlhafer over to the offensive line as the injuries mounted. Despite those inconveniences, the Bulldogs posted averages of 33.2 points and 473.2 yards per game over the final six outings of the season. Those are the types of numbers that only NAIA playoff qualifiers Morningside and Northwestern can match when it comes to GPAC offenses.

Said Daberkow, “When you’re in your third game of the season and you have three starters on the o-line down and then you lose another one in week four, it makes for some choppy water. I thought our guys handled it well. We had guys step up and really embrace that next man up mentality. Carson Fehlhafer started the year on the defensive line as a freshman and ended up getting moved to offensive line as a starter. That wasn’t the plan, but that’s life. Sometimes you have to adjust your plans and call an audible. The selfless attitude that our guys have set the table for increased performance as the season went on.”

The work by Koehlmoos deserves further praise. The fifth-year player from Pilger, Neb., will depart from Concordia as the program’s all-time leading receiver in terms of career receptions (221) and receiving yards (2,894). He and McGarvie clearly had a unique connection. Koehlmoos caught double-digit receptions in five separate games this fall. He also reeled in at least one touchdown catch in seven games and regularly pinned the opposition inside its own 20 with his punting. It wasn’t a difficult decision for Koehlmoos to decide to use his extra COVID year of eligibility. Said Koehlmoos, “I knew after my fourth year that I wasn’t ready to be done playing yet. Football has been my life forever. One more year of free eligibility – I’ll take it. My greatest memories are from playing football.”

Defensively, the Bulldogs moved on in 2022 without one of the program’s all-time greats in All-American linebacker Lane Napier. Phoenix, Ariz., native Michael Grindey stepped in to fill the void and led the team in tackles (92) while earning First Team All-GPAC accolades. Up front, Devon Polley notched 15 tackles for loss as a constant annoyance for opposing offenses. In the secondary, Kam Baker and Isiaha Conner grabbed Honorable Mention All-GPAC awards. A defense with a bit less experience than the 2021 edition wound up allowing 25.3 points per game and 5.4 yards per play.

“We really saw some guys emerge,” Daberkow said. “Michael Grindey is kind of our quarterback on defense getting people lined up and going and Devon Polley is incredibly disruptive. Then you have guys like Jordan Kavaluk and Kyle Sterup. Kyle has some of the longest arms. He sets the edge and can rush the passer. He’s able to put tackles on their back and get after the quarterback. I thought he made such progress over the past year. Jordan is tough as nails and it’s fun to see the success that group had. We feel like we made progress at linebacker as the season continued. A lot of guys got valuable playing time.”

Only 12 Bulldogs took part in senior day festivities prior to the 2022 season finale. It was a campaign that saw Concordia struggle through some growing pains and early offensive struggles. It appears the Bulldogs now know who they are as the calendar soon flips to 2023. McGarvie and Jablonski are on the brink of stardom, the offensive line should be more settled and the defense will be much more experienced as whole. Daberkow will expect those positively trending dynamics will lead to a winning season next fall. At quarterback, McGarvie will look to build upon his two-year totals of 4,037 passing yards and 37 touchdowns tosses.

Now it’s time for the players to take to the weight room and for coaches to ramp up recruiting efforts. Said Daberkow, “We embrace the inner meathead. The weather gets cold, you go inside and you lift weights, you eat food and you get bigger. That’s the mode we’re on now. This week after the season you let the guys take a break and recover. By the time they get back from Thanksgiving break, they’re ready to get after it. We’re excited about what’s to come and finding the right guys in recruiting that fit what we’re about at Concordia University Football. We want guys who want to come in here and work. Everyone wants to win on Saturdays, but not everyone wants to wake up at 5:30 in the morning on a Tuesday in February. We believe we’re doing a good job of finding those guys. As this team gets older and more mature, I have really high expectations for what this team can be.”

 

Hager selected to CSC Academic All-District Team

November 22 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University Football program has landed a student-athlete on the Academic All-District® Football Team, as selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC), for the 10th year in a row. On Tuesday (Nov. 22), offensive lineman Toby Hager was honored as a 2022 Academic All-District award winner for his work both on the football field and in the classroom.

The 2022 Academic All-District® Football Teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the field and in the classroom. Student-athletes must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher in order to be nominated for this award. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes football honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA — for each gender.

Also a two-time NAIA Scholar-Athlete, Hager became a regular starter at guard in 2022 while also handling duties at long snapper for a third consecutive season. The native of La Mirada, Calif., studies Business Administration. Hager helped the ’22 Bulldogs break a program record for total offense per game (407.5) and aided in steadying an offensive line that experienced a rash of injuries.

Academic All-District® honorees advance to the CSC Academic All-America® ballot. First- and second-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced in late December.  The CSC Academic All-District® teams include the student-athletes listed at the links above.

Concordia Football All-District Honorees
Mitchell Cherney (2012)
Le’Dontrae Gooden (2016)
Toby Hager (2022)
Dylan Heithoff (2013)
Hallick Lehmann (*2015, *2016, *2017)
Adam Meirose (2014, 2015)
Aaron Rudloff (2019)
Zac Walter (2018)
Jonah Weyand (*2020, *2021)
*Academic All-American

 

Thirteen Bulldogs honored as NAIA Scholar-Athletes

December 13 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – Thirteen Bulldogs have represented the Concordia University Football program with 2022 Daktronics NAIA Scholar-Athlete recognition. Football Scholar-Athletes were announced on Tuesday (Dec. 13) by the NAIA. The full list of Concordia award winners is listed at bottom. Repeat honorees include Mason Edwards, Gabe Ellis, Toby Hager, Jaxson Kant, Karsten McCarter, Daylan Russell, Gideon Schauer and Logan Srna.

The 2022 list of NAIA football honorees includes student-athletes from 89 institutions. In order to be nominated by an institution’s head coach or sports information director, a student-athlete must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, must appear on the eligibility certificate for the sport and have attended one full year at said institution.

A native of La Mirada, Calif., Hager was also named to the Academic All-District® Football Team by College Sports Communicators. The Concordia Football program has landed a team member on the All-District list in each of the past 10 years.

Concordia University ranks as the NAIA’s all-time leader in number of Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes with 2,121 entering the 2022-23 academic year. The school record for number of Scholar-Athletes in one academic year is 226 achieved in 2019-20. Concordia has been a regular national leader for both Scholar-Athletes and Scholar-Teams.

2022 Football NAIA Scholar-Athletes

·        Jackson Anderson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)

·        Mason Edwards (Wichita, Kan.)

·        Gabe Ellis (Kingsdown, Kan.)

·        Toby Hager (La Mirada, Calif.)

·        Joseph Kahrs (Naponee, Neb.)

·        Jaxson Kant (Norfolk, Neb.)

·        Ayden King (Doniphan, Neb.)

·        Karsten McCarter (Elm Creek, Neb.)

·        Reed McFadden (Purdum, Neb.)

·        Nathan Miller (Seward, Neb.)

·        Daylan Russell (Alma, Neb.)

·        Gideon Schauer (Union, Ill.)

·        Logan Srna (Culver, Kan.)

 

Prolific pass catching Koehlmoos tabbed NAIA Honorable Mention All-America

December 15 2022

SEWARD, Neb. – The list of postseason honors keeps growing for Korrell Koehlmoos. The prolific pass catcher was recognized as a 2022 NAIA Honorable Mention All-American on Thursday (Dec. 15). This marks the eighth year in a row, and 10th in the past 11, that the Concordia University Football program has produced at least one All-American. Named a First Team All-GPAC honoree, Koehlmoos has collected All-America honors for the first time in his career.

Below were Koehlmoos’ national rankings for the 2022 season:

·        No. 1 in receptions per game (9.5)

·        No. 1 in total receptions (95)

·        No. 5 in receiving yards per game (102.4)

·        T-No. 8 in receiving touchdowns (12)

·        No. 8 in total receiving yards (1,024)

In the greatest statistical season ever by a Bulldog receiver, Koehlmoos eclipsed program single season standards in every major category: receptions (95), receiving yards (1,024) and receiving touchdowns (12). He also rose to the top of the charts in career receptions (221) and career receiving yards (2,894). The career records Koehlmoos broke were previously held by Ross Wurdeman in receptions (168) and Jared Garcia in receiving yards (2,495). Koehlmoos became the first player in school history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season. According to available records, no other Concordia receiver had ever been named an All-American.

Koehlmoos, also named First Team All-GPAC in 2020, handled punting duties in addition to his work as the NAIA’s leading receiver. This season, the Pilger, Neb., native punted 58 times for 2,323 yards for an average of 40.1 yards per attempt. He landed 22 of his punts inside the opposition’s 20. Over 48 career collegiate games, Koehlmoos piled up 4,557 all-purpose yards, including 1,680 via kick return.

Just prior to the final game of the 2022 season, Koehlmoos wrote the following via social media, “Thank you for the best moments and best memories. My whole life has been about watching football and playing football. My first game playing football to my first high school game to first college game to my last. There have been great memories and friendships created in those 15 years. As I get ready for the last time in my college career, I know one thing for sure, the game of football will not see the last of me. Whether it’s playing or coaching football. Football will still be part of my life for a long, long time. Thank you Concordia, my coaches, family and especially my teammates. One last ride. Skodawgs #5out”

Following the season, Koehlmoos accepted an invitation to compete in the 2023 Podyum All-Star Bowl. More information about that game can be found HERE.

CONCORDIA FOOTBALL ALL-TIME ALL-AMERICANS

2022 – Korrell Koehlmoos, receiver (honorable mention – AFCA)

2021 – Lane Napier, linebacker (first team – AFCA)

2021 – Garrett Schardt, tight end (honorable mention – AFCA)

2020 – Lane Napier, linebacker (second team – AFCA)

2019 – Lane Napier, linebacker (honorable mention – AFCA)

2018 – Lane Napier, linebacker (first team – Associated Press; honorable mention – NAIA)

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

2016 – Trey Barnes, defensive line (first team – AFCA)

2015 – Trey Barnes, defensive line (second team – AFCA)

2013 – Darnell Woods, safety (first team – AFCA)

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

2012 – Kenny Zoeller, kicker (first team – AFCA)

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

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

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

2004 – Matthew Egger, punter

2002 – Sean Stewart, safety (second team)

2001 – Erik DeHaven, linebacker

2001 – Sean Stewart, safety (honorable mention)

2001 – Ross Wurdeman, tight end (first team)

2000 – Drew Ekart, defensive back (honorable mention)

2000 – Sean Stewart, safety (honorable mention)

2000 – Ross Wurdeman, tight end (first team)

1996 – Ed McLaughlin, offensive line (honorable mention)

1995 – Mike Hoernemann, linebacker (honorable mention)

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

1984 – Kahlil King, safety (first team)

1984 – Cleve Wester, running back

1982 – Gary Pomerenke, defensive line (first team)

1981 – Gary Pomerenke, defensive line (second team)

1965 – Dennis Oetting, lineman (honorable mention)

1964 – Bob Oetting, lineman

1961 – Larry Oetting, lineman

1959 – John Suhr, quarterback/safety/punter

1956 – Gary Seevers, running back

1955 – Gary Seevers, running back

Koehlmoos named All-Midlands captain; 10 Bulldogs honored by World-Herald

January 1 2023

SEWARD, Neb. – A record-breaking season for Concordia University Football standout Korrell Koehlmoos resulted in another major award. On Saturday (Dec. 31), the Omaha World-Herald announced Koehlmoos as one of two honorary captains on its 2022 NAIA All-Midlands Football Team. The All-Midlands Team recognizes the top players from NAIA institutions in the state of Nebraska. Previously, former All-American Bulldog linebacker Lane Napier was named an All-Midlands honorary captain three times.

Koehlmoos was joined with 2022 All-Midlands recognition by nine of his teammates. That bunch includes offensive honorees in quarterback DJ McGarvie, tight end Luke Lange and offensive lineman Kaden Peters, among others. First Team All-GPAC linebacker Michael Grindey also made the cut. All 10 Concordia award winners are listed below.

As Head Coach Patrick Daberkow told the World-Herald of Koehlmoos, “Korrell just loves football. He would have been on every special teams unit if I let him. He was fearless going across the middle. He took some big hits during his career and always popped up. We always said he must have rubber bones.”

2022 Concordia All-Midlands honorees

Korrell Koehlmoos, WR | Honorary Captain
2022 – 95 receptions, 1,024 yards, 12 TDs (all school records); punted 58 times for an average of 40.1 yards (22 inside the 20); NAIA Honorable Mention All-American; First Team All-GPAC.

Michael Grindey, LB
2022 – 92 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, 1 fumble recovery, 1 forced fumble; First Team All-GPAC.

Luke Lang, TE
2022 – 39 receptions, 593 yards, 5 TDs; Honorable Mention All-GPAC.

DJ McGarvie, QB
2022 – 229-for-388 passing (.590), 2,553 yards, 18 TDs, 6 INT; 2 rushing touchdowns; broke school season records for completions, pass attempts and passing yards; Honorable Mention All-GPAC.

Kaden Peters, OL
2022 – Started all 10 games at left tackle; Second Team All-GPAC.

Kam Baker, DB (HM)
2022 – 68 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 4 forced fumbles, 2 pass breakups, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble; Honorable Mention All-GPAC.

Isiaha Conner, DB (HM)
2022 – 54 tackles, 4 INT, 4 pass breakups, 1 fumble recovery; Honorable Mention All-GPAC.

Austin Jablonski, WR (HM)
2022 – 36 receptions, 483 yards, 3 TDs receiving; 9 total TDs.

Devon Polley, DL (HM)
2022 – 43 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 1 INT, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble; Second Team All-GPAC.

Devin Zeigler, RB (HM)
2022 – 145 rushes, 586 yards, 4.0 avg, 4 TDs.

2022 NAIA All-Midlands Team (Omaha World-Herald)

Offense
QB - DJ McGarvie, Concordia
RB - Trystin Myers, Neb. Wesleyan
RB - Brett Simonsen, Hastings
WR - Tyreese Schieffer, Peru State
WR - Cole Siems, Neb. Wesleyan
TE - Luke Lang, Concordia
OL - Amahd Baker, Peru State
OL - Tanner Cornell, Hastings
OL - Moses Hicks, Midland
OL - Kaden Peters, Concordia
OL - Gunnar Vanek, Midland
* AP - Korrell Koehlmoos, Concordia

Defense
* DL - Devin Adams, Peru State
DL - Ty Barbazon, Doane
DL - Chase Lipsys, Midland
DL - Laython Shaw, Hastings
LB - Xavier Green, Midland
LB - Michael Grindey, Concordia
LB - Clayton Thrasher, Peru State
DB - Koby Brandenburg, Hastings
DB - Deiontay Dozier, Peru State
DB - Tray Kingsland, Midland
DB - Carlos Thomas, Peru State

Special teams
K - Jared Quinonez, Midland
P - Kelen Meyer, Doane
KR - Antoine Murphy, Hastings
PR - Cade Wiseman, Doane

Honorable mention: Concordia: Kam Baker, Isiaha Conner, Austin Jablonski, Devon Polley, Devin Zeigler. Doane: Kaleb Anderson, Ryan Michael, Jermiah Payne, Adam Wasserman. Hastings: Jason Bachle, Caden Egr, Garrett Esch, Paxton Terry, Harrison Udeh, John Zamora. Midland: Tyson Denkart, Trevor Havlovic, Trevor Jones. Nebraska Wesleyan: Carter Terry. Peru State: Jarrius Anderson, Kile Bentley, Mack Boekhout, Cameron Davis, Kavon Lofton, Abe Metelus.

* - honorary captains

 

Crume joins Concordia Football coaching staff

January 24 2023

SEWARD, Neb. – A familiar face on the GPAC scene, Kevin Crume has been hired as Assistant Football Coach on the Concordia University Football staff. Crume has joined the Bulldogs after spending more than two decades as an assistant at his alma mater, Nebraska Wesleyan University. Crume served as the Prairie Wolves’ Defensive Coordinator for the past 12 seasons. The Bellevue, Neb., native will play an especially important role in recruiting at Concordia.

Said Crume, “I’m grateful to be back in the GPAC and am so thankful to Coach Daberkow for the opportunity to be part of the Concordia Football staff. I can’t wait to form relationships with the staff and student-athletes and to look for future Bulldogs who can continue to build upon what’s already in place.”

Daberkow sees it as a major win to add someone with Crume’s experience and familiarity with the area. Said Daberkow, “I’m very excited to add Coach Crume to our staff. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience, as well as a great understanding of what it takes win in the GPAC from his time as a coordinator in this conference.”

A linebacker at Nebraska Wesleyan from 1999-2001, Crume quickly transitioned to a coaching role at his alma mater. Prior to taking on the Defensive Coordinator role, Crume coached the Prairie Wolves special teams and linebackers. Throughout his time in Lincoln, Crume tutored three All-American defensive players, two All-American specialists and 32 all-conference linebackers.

The defenses he coordinated were especially stout in 2012 and 2013. The ’13 squad posted NAIA national rankings of fourth in scoring defense and 15th in total defense. Crume’s 2012 unit led the NAIA in rush defense, allowing a school record low average of 66.0 yards per game. The 2012 defense turned in national rankings of eighth in total defense and 12th in scoring defense.

Also a Bellevue East High School alum, Crume earned three letters as a student-athlete at Nebraska Wesleyan. The former linebacker helped the 2000 squad win the GPAC regular season title. He graduated from Wesleyan with a degree in Health & Physical Education and went on to earn his Master of Arts in Management from Doane College in 2008.

Kevin and his wife Amanda have a son Brett and daughter Ava.

 

National Signing Day 2023: Concordia Football update

February 1 2023

SEWARD, Neb. – As of National Signing Day 2023 (Feb. 1, 2023), the Concordia University Football program has announced an initial recruiting class of 36 pledges/signees, including 33 high school prospects and three college transfers. Based on the class as it currently stands, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow’s staff has reeled in 26 student-athletes from Nebraska, three from California, two from Colorado, two from Kansas, two from Texas and one from Utah. The entire list can be found below.

Daberkow and his staff will continue to add to the class leading up to the fall semester of 2023 at Concordia. The Bulldogs are coming off a 2022 season that saw them finish at 4-6 overall. They carry momentum into ’23 thanks to a prolific passing offense led by quarterback DJ McGarvie. Daberkow recently added to the coaching staff with former Nebraska Wesleyan assistant Kevin Crume coming on board. The full-time staff of assistants features Corby Osten, Trent Laune and Grady Koch.

Signing Day thoughts from Coach Daberkow:

I think the way our staff has operated has been a bit different. We’ve been very intentional about finding the right fits. It’s not like we haven’t been before, but we’ve made it an even bigger emphasis. We’ve hosted a lot of our recruits with personalized visits, which I think has given recruits a more well-rounded look at us as opposed to a standard weekend visit. That’s been helpful. It’s been good to have Coach (Trent) Laune and Coach (Kevin) Crume in their first recruiting cycle with us. Coach Crume jumped on late, but he’s already been a big help. I have to credit Coach (Corby) Osten, Coach (Grady) Koch and Coach (Bryce) Simnacher as well. Our whole staff has done a good job of putting together visits and just opening every door and pulling back every curtain so our recruits understand who we are.

We did well locally again. We’re always looking for impact players for the trenches and that’s reflected in this recruiting class. We got some specialists that will come in and compete. There’s not one position group that hasn’t been positively impacted by this recruiting class. Every position group is getting quality talent, so we’re excited about that.

I think the transfer portal has really shaken up college recruiting in general. There tend to be some high school kids that get lost in the shuffle. We’ve stayed steady recruiting high school recruits. That doesn't mean we won’t recruit transfers, but we’ve always been heavy on the high school circuit. We will bring in transfers. That’s just becoming a reality of college athletics. I think we have a group of guys coming in that are committed to what our guys currently in the locker room are committed to – winning and doing it the right way. We’re committed to closing the gap on the close losses we had last year so we can turn the tide in those games.

Class of 2023 Concordia Football Recruits

Peyton Atwood, Grand Island Northwest HS (Neb.)

Deegan Barnes, Bayfield HS (Colo.)

Noah Brumm, Seward HS (Neb.)

Carlos Collazo, Aurora HS (Neb.)

Scott Cyr, Platteview HS (Neb.)

Tyler Douglass, Grand Island Northwest HS (Neb.)

Ja'Mauri Erilus, Ellison HS (Texas)

John Fehlhafer, Centennial HS (Neb.)

Tanner Frahm, Plainview HS (Neb.)

AJ Frazey, Seward HS (Neb.)

Ariston Gamino, Wamego HS (Kan.)

Eli Grover, College of the Siskiyous; Marist Catholic, Ore.; (Calif.)

AJ Holmstrom, Westside HS (Neb.)

Zach Krajicek, Yutan HS (Neb.)

Lukas Lafler, Lincoln Christian HS (Neb.)

Kayson Maertins, Plainview HS (Neb.)

Carter Meier, Pierce HS (Neb.)

Braylen Muhle, Gretna HS (Neb.)

Luke Penrod, Lincoln Christian HS (Neb.)

Champ Porter, American Leadership Academy (Utah)

Will Potratz, Lincoln East HS (Neb.)

Isaac Rezac, Norfolk HS (Neb.)

Coy Rosentreader, Wilber-Clatonia HS (Neb.)

Gabe Schmidt, Lincoln Lutheran HS (Neb.)

Hunter Schultz, Wakefield HS (Neb.)

Terry Sebek, Nebraska Christian HS (Neb.)

Brice Stokes, Sutter Union HS (Calif.)

William Swanson, Lincoln Southeast HS (Neb.)

De'Vaughn  Tolliver,Cy-Fair HS (Texas)

Drake Trent, Yutan HS (Neb.)

Quincy Trent, Louisville HS (Neb.)

Jarrod Villareal, Feather River JC; Warren HS, Arkansas (Calif.)

Landon Washington, Omaha Burke HS (Neb.)

Luke Wilson, Bethel College; Larned HS (Kan.)

Jayden Wolf, Fillmore Central HS (Neb.)

Max Wurdeman, Legend HS (Colo.)