Jeffrey Dubose Named Gustavus Male Student-Athlete Of The Month

St. Peter, Minn. – From the beginning of training camp in late-August it was clear that the Gustavus football team’s offense would be centered around its retuning All-Conference running back, senior Jeffrey Dubose (St. Paul, Minn.).  It was an identity Head Coach Peter Haugen didn’t shy away from and a challenge the hogs up front looked forward to.  Despite the attention he commands and despite the eight-man fronts Gustavus consistently sees because of him, Dubose still managed to turn in the best month of his collegiate career.  Because of his efforts, Jeffrey Dubose has earned Gustavus Male Student-Athlete of the Month honors for September.

“Jeffrey had a great month and was the key spark plug of our offense,” said Head Coach Peter Haugen.  “Whether he is carrying the ball or blocking, Jeffrey’s passion for his teammates and his love for the game are demonstrated on every play.  He is a fierce competitor and a respected leader, and we can’t wait to see what he is capable of down the line.”

The Gustavus football team went 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the MIAC in September.  The Gusties defeated non-conference opponent Simpson 28-21 in its season-opener on Sept. 14, fell in a heartbreaker to Augsburg 19-16 on Sept. 21, and cruised past St. Olaf 45-19 on Homecoming Sept. 28.

In his seven-game (missed three games due to injury) All-Conference season a year ago, Dubose was given the ball a total of 135 times.  Already this year, Dubose has carried the 82 times, which ranks second in the league.  The senior totaled 401 yards on the ground (3rd/MIAC) for an average of 4.9 yards per rush (7th/MIAC) and 133.7 yards per game (3rd/MIAC).

Although his rushing statistics are impressive, what stood out most in September was his ability to find the end zone.  Dubose scored two touchdowns against Simpson, two more against Augsburg, and then capped the month by crossing the goal line three times against the Oles.

Peter Haugen’s featured back also reached several career milestones within the month.  Against Simpson in the season-opener, Dubose secured a place in the Gustavus history books by surpassing the 2,000-yard rushing mark with an 11-yard touchdown run.  He became just the 11th Gustavus player to do so and the first since Andy Traetow accomplished the feat in 2002.

His other major accomplishment came against Augsburg the following week.  Despite the narrow loss, Gustavus was in a position to win thanks in large part to efforts of Dubose.  The St. Paul native carried the ball 37 times for a career-high 227 yards.  Jeffrey’s 37 carries tied the Gustavus record for rushing attempts in a game, while his 227 yards ranked seventh on the school’s all-time single game rushing yards list.  He came just 31 yards shy of the record of 258 yards set by Ray Wilson in 2008 against Augsburg.

Jeffrey Dubose and the rest of the Gustavus football team will be in action on Saturday, Oct. 5 when the Gusties travel to St. Paul to face Hamline University at 1:00 p.m.