The Gustavus football team will face Concordia on Saturday at 1:00 pm for Homecoming. This will be the Gusties 80th Homecoming game. Read on for a full preview of the game.
Welcome
Gustavus welcomes Concordia College to Lloyd Hollingsworth Field today for Homecoming 2004. The Gusties enter with a mark of 0-3 overall and 0-2 in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) play. Concordia is currently 3-0 overall and 2-0 in MIAC play. Last Saturday, the Gusties fell to Saint John’s 42-14 in Collegeville, while the Cobbers defeated Carleton 40-15 in Moorhead.
Gustavus and Concordia are off to drastically different starts to the season. The Cobbers enter the game undefeated, while the Gusties are still looking for their first win of the year. Gustavus head coach Jay Schoenebeck is nurturing a young team that includes nine first-time starters on offense and six on defense. Concordia head coach Terry Horan brings a veteran squad to St. Peter with 13 starters returning including six on offense and seven on defense. The Cobber defense is allowing only 169.0 yards per game, which leads the MIAC. This young Gustie squad has been tested early with losses to #5 Saint John’s and #10 Wheaton and they will face another elite Division III squad today when they battle #26 Concordia.
Gustavus is celebrating its 80th Homecoming today, continuing a tradition that started in 1924 when the Gusties defeated Saint John’s 33-0. Gustavus has experienced great success on Homecoming Day compiling an all-time record of 57-20-2. Last year, the Gusties posted a 28-7 homecoming win over Augsburg in front of a crowd of 3,800.
The Series
This is the 73rd all-time meeting between Gustavus and Concordia. The Gusties hold a 40-30-2 advantage in the series. The Cobbers have won the last two meetings between the two long-time rivals including a 24-2 victory in St. Peter last year.
Meet the Head Coaches
Gustavus Head Coach Jay Schoenebeck (’80) is in his eleventh season directing his alma mater. Schoenebeck has compiled an overall record of 52-51-0, 47-43 in the MIAC. Schoenebeck’s squads have placed in the top four in the MIAC for six consecutive seasons. Concordia Head Coach Terry Horan is in his fourth season leading his alma mater. His overall record stands at 22-11.
About the Gusties
The Gusties are off to a tough 0-3 start to the season, however there is no doom and gloom in the locker room as the coaching staff continues to see improvement each game. This is a young Gustavus team and the coaches know that patience and sound teaching will lead to benefits down the road. There is talent on this 2004 Golden Gustie squad it is just going to take some time for that talent to mature. Consistency has been a problem in the Gusties’ three losses and that is typical of a team that is young and inexperienced.
Offensively, freshman quarterback Jordan Stolp made his first collegiate start last week and performed well. He completed 13-of-29 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Senior wide receiver Sean Smith had a big day against the Johnnies with three catches for 103 yards including touchdown catches of 43 and 58 yards. Junior Drew Stifter leads the Gustie rushing attack with 44 carries for 202 yards. The Gusties will try once again today to establish the rushing game, however it will be a tough task against a Cobber defensive line that is allowing only 17.5 yards per game in conference play. Senior Anders Haugen anchors a young offensive line that includes Andy Klaers, Marc Iverson, Dan Tiegen and Brian Trussell. Tight end Jamie Germscheid also contributes to the blocking scheme.
Defensively, senior linebacker Isaac Sieling leads the MIAC in tackles with 30 (he has 41 tackles overall). Junior Tyler Ringquist ranks second on the squad with 31 tackles. Ringquist recorded two key interceptions against Saint John’s last weekend. The secondary has picked off five passes in three games with cornerback Loren “Bear” Havemeier also grabbing two interceptions and safety Chris Thorson recording one pick. Senior Karl Spilseth leads the defensive line with 21 tackles including two tackles for loss.
The kicking on special teams is one area where the team has received consistent play with Kase Niles making both field goal attempts and all five extra points and punter Mike Leonard averaging 32.5 yards per punt with a long punt of 46 yards.
Gustavus Cumulative Statistics
About the Cobbers
The Concordia Cobbers have gotten off to a fast start to the season having won their first three games in impressive fashion. The Cobbers 3-0 start marks the best beginning to a season since the 1997 campaign when they went 6-0 to start the year. Coach Terry Moran’s squad has combined a potent run attack on offense with a stingy run stopping defense. The Cobbers rank fifth in the league in rushing offense with an average of 175.5 yards per game and first in the league in total defense allowing 169.0 yards per game. The defense has allowed only 35 yards rushing in two league games for an average of 17.5 yards per game.
Offensively, the Cobbers are led by junior quarterback Brian Schumacher. Schumacher has been very efficient early this season completing 18-of-33 passes for 358 yards, while also rushing for 77 yards. Ed Oehlers and Travis Christensen are the primary ball carriers with Oehlers rushing 29 times for 127 yards and four touchdowns and Christensen carrying 28 times for 115 yards and one touchdown. The offensive line has been anchored by tackles Nick Didier and Ryan Johnson. Senior Andy Passanante has been the Cobbers primary target through the air having made 14 catches for 272 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, Concordia is led by senior linebacker Josh Dietz, who has compiled 37 tackles including two sacks. The defensive line, which consists of Adam Campbell, Travis Almquist, Evan Emmerich and Greg Mantz, has put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and recorded 10 sacks. On the perimeter, senior all-conference performer Jordan Talge has one interception and three break-ups and junior safety Tanner Rademacher has two interceptions to go along with 15 tackles.
On special teams, senior placekicker Brian Halverson is having a big year as he has made all seven field goals that he has attempted. Halverson has scored 30 of the team’s 90 points and is currently tied for the lead in Division III with 2.3 field goals made per game.
Link to Cobber Preview of the Game
Gustavus Game Notes
Raarup Coaches 300th Game at Gustavus — Current Gustavus assistant football coach Dennis Raarup coached his 300th game for the Gusties last Saturday against Saint John’s. Raarup, who is in his 31st year with the Gustavus football program, began as an assistant to Jocko Nelson in 1968. Raarup became the head coach in 1971 and served in that capacity until 1987. In 1994, Raarup returned to the sidelines as an assistant to his former player Jay Schoenebeck. In addition to his coaching experience, Raarup also competed in 25 games as a player for the late Lloyd Hollingsworth from 1950 to 1952. When you add his games as a coach and player together, Raarup has been on the sidelines for 325 Golden Gustie football games since arriving on campus in the fall of 1949.
Havemeier Moving Up Career Return Lists — Junior return specialist Loren “Bear” Havemeier is quickly moving up the career kick and punt return lists for the Gusties. He currently ranks third all-time in punt return yards with 351 and third in average per return at 14.0 per return. In kick returns, Havemeier currently ranks 10th all-time in career yards with 555 and 11th in average return at 22.2 per return.
Football Field Nearing 100th Anniversary — It has been 99 years since custodian Ernest Hallander chalked up the Gustavus football field for the first time in 1905. The field has undergone several name changes in the process. It was officially named Hallander Field after its initial caretaker in 1907. In 1926, the field was renamed Gustavus Field and a gate which was donated by the Class of 1924 was placed at the entrance to the field. Then on September 24, 1983, Gustavus Field was given its current name of Hollingsworth Field after long-time coach, teacher and athletic director Lloyd Hollingsworth. The Gustavus is one of only three football fields in NCAA Division I, II and III that has been in the same location for over 95 years.
Stifter Reaches 1,000 Yard Plateau in All-Purpose Yards — Junior running back Drew Stifter recently surpassed 1,000 all-purpose yards at Gustavus. All-purpose yards combine rushing, receiving, punt return and kick return yards. His career total currently stands at 1,105 yards. He ranks 10th in career all-purpose yards per game at 85.0 yards per game.
STARTING LINEUPS
Gustavus Adolphus College
OFFENSE
11 Jordan Stolp QB
05 Drew Stifter RB
66 Andy Klaers LT
76 Brian Trussell LG
68 Dan Tiegen C
79 Mark Iverson RG
70 Anders Haugen RT
85 Jamie Germscheid TE
08 Sean Smith WR
03 Clint Riegelman WR
88 Patrick Weineke WR
DEFENSE
95 Jared Chapman LE
94 Karl Spilseth LT
65 Nick David RT
90 Kris Storvick RE
44 Justin Redfield OLB
99 Isaac Sieling MLB
04 Jared Sieling OLB
36 Tyler Ringquist S
02 Chris Thorson S
21 Brian Evans CB
29 Loren Havemeier CB
SPECIAL TEAMS
81 Andrew Dammann LS
15 A.J. Bouquet H
25 Mitchell Anderson KR
29 Loren Havemeier KR/PR
1 Kase Niles K
22 Mike Leonard P
STARTING LINEUPS
Concordia College
OFFENSE
18 Brian Schumacher QB
27 Travis Christensen RB
46 Ed Oehlers RB
01 Tyler Anderson RB
07 Andrew Passanante WR
80 Shawn Reile WR
74 Nicholas Didier LT
72 Matt McCallum LG
54 David Uselman C
50 Jason Kelly RG
63 Ryan Johnson RT
DEFENSE
99 Adam Campbell DE
90 Travis Almquist DT
94 Evan Emmerich NG
55 Greg Mantz DE
15 Chad Moldenhauer SLB
16 Doug Runke MLB
43 Josh Dietz WLB
09 Jordan Talge WCB
19 Tanner Radermacher ROV
47 Eric Preszler FS
29 Eric Svobodny SCB
SPECIAL TEAMS
14 Jeff Aasgaard S
09 Jordan Talge H
25 Lucas Draxten P/KO
38 Brian Halverson PK
01 Tyler Anderson KR
07 Andrew Passanante PR
10 Chris Klanbo PR/KR