A common theme in September for the 2007 Golden Bears is a first time thing for the squad in the 2008 season: going on the road. CU played their first three and five of their first six on the road a year ago, but the opposite is true this season. Concordia opened with three home games and are finally hitting the road this Saturday, September 20 at 1:00 p.m., when they attempt to crash Winona State's homecoming in the first NSIC South Division game of the season for each team. Concordia returns home the following weekend for their own homecoming on Saturday, September 27 for a 12:00 p.m. kickoff against Augustana. FULL RELEASE
Text-Only Version of Week Four Release:
full release contains tables, stats, standings and more!
Concordia University, St. Paul
(2-1 OVR, 1-1 NSIC, 0-0 NSIC South)
at
Winona State University
(2-1 OVR, 2-0 NSIC, 0-0 NSIC South)
Please use the following guidelines when referring to Concordia University, St. Paul:
First Usage, full institution name: Concordia University, St. Paul
Subsequent Uses, short name: Concordia-St. Paul or Concordia
Abbreviation: CU
This Week
The Golden Bears play their first NSIC South Division game at Winona State in what will also be their first road game of the season.
Broadcast Information
The game between Concordia and MSU Moorhead will be available free of charge through www.northernsun.tv with Winona’s audio commentary. Follow the game live at WSU’s Football Live Game Day site with Live Stats at www.winona.edu/athletics/football/3881.htm. The game will also be heard over the airwaves in Winona, Minn. on the Winona State Radio Network, 99.3 FM.
Series History
The Warriors hold a commanding lead in the all-time series, 8-2. Concordia’s only wins came in 2003 and 2005, when CU won the NSIC Championship, splitting the title each year with Winona State. The last time Concordia defeated Winona State also happened to be the last time a Concordia team started 2-1 in 2005. The Golden Bears have never won in Winona, losing in 2000, 2002 and 2007 on the road.
A CU Win means...
3-1 record for third time under Mauer (2004, 2005)
3-1 start for first time since 2005 (9-3 finish)
2-1 record in NSIC play
1 first win at Winona State (0-3)
1 first win in NSIC South Division game
5 ends five game road losing streak
28 career wins for Mauer
A CU Loss means...
2-2 start for first time since 2006
4 fourth road loss in WSU series history
1-2 start to NSIC schedule
1 loss to NSIC South Division
22 career losses for Mauer
A Little CU History Lesson
Concordia is in their 40th season of football, holding a 176-192-2 all-time record dating back to 1969. The Golden Bears have won nine conference championships, two coming in the Northern Sun. Concordia is 0-2 all-time in postseason contests, dropping both decisions to Missouri Western in the 2003 and 2005 Mineral Water Bowl games.
Since moving to Division II, Concordia is 61-41 overall and 45-30 in the Northern Sun.
Golden Bears at Griffin Stadium
Since making the move to Division II and the NSIC in 1999, the Golden Bears have dominated Griffin Stadium, going 34-11 at “The Griff” during that span. They had a 19 game home winning streak that spanned four full undefeated seasons: 2002 (5-0), 2003 (4-0), 2004 (5-0) and 2005 (5-0). Check page 6 for more stats and notes.
Last Week: CU holds off Dragons
Sophomore running back Hayden Vavra (Cambridge, Minn.) had a rushing touchdown and a passing score to lead Concordia University to a 27-23 come from behind win over Minnesota State Moorhead on Saturday afternoon at rainy Griffin Stadium. Concordia outscored MSUM 27-3 from 2:02 in the second quarter to 1:00 in the third, a span of 16:02 of football to take control of the game.
The Golden Bear defense held the Dragons late in the game as MSUM misfired on fourth and one with Bruce Green dropping what would have been a first down reception over the middle. The Dragons had one last chance, taking over with 18 seconds remaining on their own 34, but they wouldn't even cross midfield as Concordia held on for the tight win.
The Dragons struck first, going up 14-0 early in the second quarter, thanks in large part to big plays in the passing game. MSUM had a 50 yard pass to set up a touchdown inside the five yard line before scoring on an 80 yard pass.
Key runs by redshirt freshman Jerry Shaw and junior Mitch Brecke gave CU the ball on the one yard line to set up Vavra’s first rushing score.
On MSUM’s next drive, junior Joey Lehman intercepted a pass at the 40 yard line and took it back for a touchdown to cut the Dragon lead to one.
Those two scores started a stretch late in the second quarter that saw CU outscore the Dragons 27-3 during a span that lasted just longer than 16 minutes of playing time.
It was Vavra’s pass to sophomore Calvin Simon that gave Concordia their first lead, 20-17 after MSUM connected on an early third quarter field goal.
A touchdown toss from Brecke to senior Tyrone Ruffin gave Concordia a 27-17 lead late in the third, and they were able to hold off the Dragons twice late in the fourth quarter with a 27-23 lead.
Head Coach Mark Mauer
Mauer is the ninth coach in CU football history and has moved ahead of Jack Surridge (1973-77, 83) for third place on CU’s all-time wins list. He is one of five coaches to hold a career record above .500. He was the NSIC Coach of the Year in 2005 when he led CU to an NSIC Championship, tying the single-season record for most wins in a season with a 9-3 overall record and a 6-1 mark in league play. For more on Coach Mauer, see page 9.
CU Coaching Staff Changes
The Golden Bears introduce three new coaches to the fold for 2008. Coddy Harris joins the staff to work with the wide receivers, with Jim Mauer taking over the running backs with the departure of Joe Florez.On the defensive side, Eric Power and Vince Almeda will step in to work with the defensive line as Roger Velasquez took a coaching position with former CU coach Joe Austin at Hanover (Ind.) College. Power and Almeda were standout defensive linemen at CU while Harris is one of St. Cloud State’s top receivers in school history.
2008 Captains
The Golden Bears have elected two captains for the 2008 season, seniors Tyrone Ruffin and Duy Huynh. Ruffin and Huynh have each contributed since their true freshman season in 2005. Ruffin was the NSIC Newcomer of the Year as a freshman while Huynh will be a three year starter and was the leading tackler last year with 103.
About Winona State
The Warriors hold a perfect 2-0 mark in the Northern Sun and are 2-1 overall. They opened the year on the road with a non-conference loss to Michigan Tech, 26-21. Their last two games have been home NSIC wins over NSIC North Division foes Northern State (39-14) and Bemidji State (31-7). The Warriors average 214.0 yards per game on the ground and 412.7 yards of total offense. Randy Spring is their rushing leader with 309 rushing yards (103.0 per game, 6.1 per carry) while Andy Verbancouer has 165 yards (55.0 per game, 5.5 per carry) and a team-high five touchdowns. Passing, WSU’s Greg Preston has been the primary QB, completing 48-80 for 481 yards and two scores while Amir Ross is 7-13 with 115 yards and two TD’s and one interception. Todd Burkoth and Tyree Burks each have 10 receptions, with Burkoth leading the team with 169 yards.
Last Week: Warriors Stifle Beavers
It was all Winona State as they dominated Bemidji State in a 31-7 win at home. Andy Verbancouer had touchdown runs of two and three yards while Randy Spring rushed for 73 yards on 13 carries and the Warriors tallied 152 rushing yards on 29 attempts as a team. Todd Burkoth had four catches for 83 yards and Ellis Minor had a receiving touchdown of 23 yards from Amir Ross in the fourth quarter. Elliot Gaulke had nine tackles, a tackle for loss and forced a fumble to lead a defense that produced five sacks. Winona State was just 2-11 on third downs and let Bemidji State control the ball with 34:07 in time of possession, nearly 10 minutes more than WSU’s 25:53.
NSIC Players of the Week
Concordia received their first NSIC Player of the Week award when Mitch Brecke was named Offensive Player of the Week after his 397 yard, six touchdown effort against Minot State in week two.
Date Player O/D/S Quick Stats
9/8 Mitch Brecke O 19-27, 397, 6 TD (3/3)
9/15 Joey Lehman D INT TD (40), 4 Tak, blk PAT
The New Northern Sun
The NSIC added four new teams to the mix for 2008-09: Augustana College, University of Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State University, Mankato and St. Cloud State University. The four new teams give the league a 14 team makeup. The conference was split into a North and South Division for football only. There will be division champions, however the NSIC’s automatic berth to the NCAA Playoffs goes to the NSIC Overall Champion, determined by NSIC Overall record, with the divisional record not playing a factor.
Each team will play 10 NSIC games, six against the division every year. Of the remaining four games, one will always be a “Rivalry Game” while the other three games will be rotated between the remaining six teams in the other division. Concordia’s North Division rival will be Bemidji State.
CU in the NSIC Preseason Poll
In the new NSIC Preseason Poll, the Golden Bears were picked ninth overall out of the 14 teams and were picked fifth in the South Division. In week one, CU faced the preseason favorite, #22 Minnesota Duluth, who handed CU a 40-0 loss.
2008 NSIC Preseason Coaches Poll
Rk NSIC Overall Poll Pts
1. Minnesota Duluth (7) 151
2. Winona State (4) 148
3. Minnesota State (3) 141
4. Augustana 127
5. St. Cloud State 120
6. U-Mary 116
7. Wayne State 109
8. Bemidji State 96
9. Concordia University 76
10. Northern State 60
11. Southwest Minnesota State 46
12. MSU Moorhead 37
13. Upper Iowa 32
14. Minnesota, Crookston 15
first place votes in ( )
Rk NSIC South Division Poll Pts
1. Winona State (5) 35
2. Minnesota State (2) 29
3. Wayne State 25
4. Augustana 23
5. Concordia University 17
6. Southwest Minnesota State 10
7. Upper Iowa 8
first place votes in ( )
The NCAA Regional Shake-Up
Not only did the NSIC introducing big changes, but the NCAA announced a new regional format as well. The NSIC will be one of three conferences in the Northwest Region for football only, joined by the Great Lakes (GLIAC) and Rocky Mountain (RMAC) conferences. The RMAC has 10 football programs, the GLIAC has 12 and the NSIC has 14 to form a 36 team region, of which six will qualify for the NCAA Playoffs that kickoff on November 15.
Ruffin Re-Writing Receiving Records
Senior Tyrone Ruffin has already etched his name into the CU record books with his unmatched ability in the red zone, holding CU’s career TD reception record with 26. He also tied the single season receiving touchdown record in 2007 with 11 TD grabs. In addition, Ruffin is closing in on numerous records, below is a breakdown:
Single Season Receiving Touchdowns
1. Tyrone Ruffin, 2007 11
1. Joe Mapson, 2001 11
1. Joseph Mapson, 2002 11
Career Receiving Touchdowns
1. Tyrone Ruffin (2005-present) 26
2. Joseph Mapson (2001-03) 23
Career Receptions
1. Joseph Mapson (2001-03) 200
2. Antwon Williams (2003-07) 176
3. Joel Schuldheisz (1974-77) 166
4. Tyrone Ruffin (2005-present) 156
Career Receiving Yards
1. Joseph Mapson (2001-03) 2,743
2. Tyrone Ruffin (2005-present) 2,329
3. Joe Mapson (2000-02) 2,293
Dynamic Wide Receivers
In 2007, Tyrone Ruffin and Calvin Simon posted a prolific tandem at the wide receiver position. The duo is back for their second year together. Below is a look at their career statistics and career highs:
Ruffin Career Statistics
Year GP No. Yds Avg TD Lng Avg/G
2005 12 34 518 15.2 5 47 43.2
2006 11 54 749 13.9 7 54 68.1
2007 11 54 859 15.9 11* 48 78.1
2008 3 14 203 14.5 3 45 67.7
Totals 37 156 2329 14.9 26 54 62.9
Simon Career Statistics
Year GP No. Yds Avg TD Lng Avg/G
2007 11 53 769 14.5 7 66 69.9
2008 3 14 269 19.2 2 99* 89.7
Totals 14 67 1038 15.5 9 99* 74.1
Ruffin Career Highs
Receptions 8, on two occasions
Yards 159, vs. UM, Crookston (11/9/07)
TD’s 3, vs. Northern State (9/16/06)
100+ Rec. Yds on eight occasions
Simon Career-Highs
Receptions 9, vs. MSUM (10/13/07)
Yards 198, vs. MSUM (10/13/07)
TD’s 4*, vs. MSUM (10/13/07)
100+ Rec. Yds on four occasions
* - school record
Brecke Through Air, Brecke on Ground
Junior quarterback Mitch Brecke had one of the most impressive single game performances by a quarterback in CU history, completing 19-27 for 397 yards and three passing touchdowns. He rushed for three more scores, accounting for Concordia’s first six touchdowns before leaving the game early with a 35 point lead against Minot State. He earned NSIC Offensive Player of the Week honors for the performance. He posted his highest rushing output the following week against MSU Moorhead, rushing for 69 yards on 16 attempts while passing for 202 yards and a TD.
Ohm a breakthrough backup
Redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Ohm has played multiple drives in each of Concordia’s first three games. Against UMD, Ohm completed his first pass attempt, a 15 yard strike to Calvin Simon. Two passes later, he threw an interception. In his second game, he threw his first career touchdown, a 39 yard scoring play to sophomore Zach Hovey over the middle. Ohm finished his second game 3-3 with 49 yards and a TD.
Shaw and the Ground Game
Redshirt freshman running back Jerry Shaw started the first two games at RB, rushing for a career-high 41 yards on 10 carries in his second start against Minot State. He followed that up with 92 all-purpose yards against MSU Moorhead, rushing 10 times for 33 yards along with two receptions for 59 yards and a long of 50.
Versatile Vavra
Sophomore Hayden Vavra, now listed as a running back, has also lined up in the slot and at quarterback in 2008. After three games, Vavra is second on the team in carries with 25, has two catches for 35 yards and has completed two passes for 40 yards. So far, Vavra leads the team with 84 rushing yards, has 35 receiving yards and 40 passing yards. He rushed for a score and threw a TD pass in Cu’s 27-23 win over MSU Moorhead. One of five players vying for the starting QB job in camp, Vavra’s ability and awareness make him a valuable part of the offense.
Harrison for a Hundy
Senior tight end Josh Harrison had his first 100 yard receiving performance against MSU Moorhead, a 27-23 win, on Sept. 13, 2008. Prior to that, Harrison’s career-high for yards was 45, set last year at Bemidji State. His six receptions and his 102 yards against MSUM were both more than his career totals entering his senior season. On the year, he is third on the team in receptions (9) and receiving yards (125).
Prunty & Evans WR/KR Combo
Senior T.J. Prunty and redshirt freshman Rob Evans are both new to the wide receiver position in 2008. Last year, Prunty was a defensive back, making 18 tackles as a safety while also returning kickoffs. Evans, meanwhile, was redshirting as a quarterback. In camp, Evans was one of five QB’s competing for the starting job, but his speed keeps him on the field. Look for both Prunty and Evans to return kicks throughout 2008. Prunty has three receptions for 20 yards in three games while Evans had a breakthrough run on a reverse, going for 16 yards against MSU Moorhead.
Cambpell Breaks Through
Freshman running back Sam Cambpell made his first career game a memorable one, diving for an 11 yard touchdown run against Minot State in week two. He finished his first career game with 31 yards on eight carries and will compete for reps in a crowded backfield.
Huynh Leads the Defense
Senior linebacker Duy Huynh’s 103 tackles last year led the Golden Bears. He has 185 career tackles, ranking 12th in school history behind Brad Scherer (2003-06) with 209. His 27.0 tackles for loss ranks him ninth on the career list, 0.5 behind Kevin Steinke (1999-02). After three games, Huynh is off to a slow start with10 tackles, one for loss.
Rojeer Wright Returns
Sophomore linebacker Rojeer Wright returns to the Concordia defense after a one year hiatus. In 2006 as a redshirt freshman, Wright amassed 75 tackles and solidified himself as a playmaker on defense, earning All-NSIC Honorable Mention honors. So far in 2008, Wright has 22 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup.
Stout safeties
They went their first two seasons at CU without an interception, but as juniors, safeties Joey Lehman (SS) and Travis Meyer (FS) have made an interception in every game as a tandem. In week one, it was Lehman’s first career interception in 20 career games. Not to be outdone, fellow junior safety Travis Meyer registered his first career interception in week two against Minot State, returning it 35 yards before being brought down. It took Meyer only 15 career games to grab his first INT. Week three was a whole new level as Lehman grabbed an interception and returned it 40 yards for a score. He also blocked a PAT to keep CU’s lead at four points, keeping MSUM out of the possibility to tie with a field goal late. In their careers, Lehman has 67 tackles in 22 games with four tackles for loss, seven passes defended and two fumble recoveries while Meyer has 21 tackles, three passes defended and one fumble recovery in 16 games.
Quaye Making an Impact
Redshirt freshman linebacker Al Quaye has been a fierce reserve linebacker, second on CU’s defense in tackles with 14 after three games. His older brother, Kommonyan Quaye, is a starting defensive tackle for The University of South Dakota, now an NCAA FCS member.
D is for Dario
After three games last season, Dario Moore shiftedfrom wide receiver to corner back due to injuries in CU’s secondary. He has since carved out a niche as a playmaker at CB where he continues to shine at the position, with 10 tackles (nine solo) in 2008, along with two pass breakups and a forced fumble. He intercepted four passes last year after moving from wide receiver.
Kudick Comes Through
Senior Mike Kudick is having his best collegiate season, and his breakout performance against MSU Moorhead with career-highs in tackles (6), tackles for loss (2) and recorded his first career sack. On the season, he has 11 tackles, 2.0 for loss, a sack and two quarterback hurries.
Severs Parts the Sea’s
Junior defensive tackle Donny Severs is expected to make a huge impact in the Northern Sun. After transferring from North Iowa Area CC prior to 2007, Severs redshirted in his transfer year last year. In week two against Minot State, Severs exploded through Minot’s offensive line for five tackles, 2.5 for loss, a half sack and a forced fumble. After three games, he leads CU with 5.5 tackles for loss and leads all defensive lineman with 11 tackles (nine solo) while also posting 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
Zach wins in Condon vs. Condon battle
Senior center Zach Condon had the rare opportunity to go toe-to-toe with his younger brother, Ben, a reserve defensive tackle for MSU Moorhead. In their meeting, Zach and his offensive line unit dominated MSUM pushing the Dragons around as the offense rushed for a season-high 211 yards on 45 attempts as the Golden Bears totalled 446 yards of total offense. Ben did get to the quarterback, however, posting two tackles and a half sack. But, the Golden Bear victory secured the win for Zach in the sibling rivalry.
Spence a Special Teams Specialist
Redshirt freshman defensive back Robert Spence had a career-day against Minot State, recording a career-high five tackles on special teams against the Beavers, making multiple plays that saved big gains.
Two Sacks for Facion
Sophomore defensive lineman Orien Facion produced his first career two sack performance against Minot State, also giving him a career-high two tackles for loss. Playing all 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2007, Facion only recorded a half sack all season, at Bemidji State late in the year. He did, however have a defensive touchdown, returning a fumble recovery three yards against Wayne State.
Shutout Streaks End
The Golden Bears streak of 90 consecutive games without being shutout came to a close in week one of the 2008 season, with a 40-0 loss to Minnesota Duluth. The last time they were shutout before the UMD loss was a 44-0 drubbing at Southwest State in 1999 in Marshall, Minn. It’s the first time CU has been shutout at home in the Division II era and the first time they have been shutout at home since 1990, a 31-0 loss to Cornell (IA) at Griffin Stadium, ending a 73 game streak without being shutout at home.
Returning All-NSIC Performers
Concordia returns three players who were honored by the NSIC in 2007: linebacker Duy Huynh was an All-NSIC Second Team selection while defensive lineman Kyle Tidemand and offensive lineman Blake Ogletree were each named All-NSIC Honorable Mention. Defensive back Mark Sullivan is the only returning NSIC All-Academic player. Rojeer Wright was an All-NSIC Honorable Mention selection in 2006 but did not play in 2007.
CU=Champlin University
Concordia has seven players on the 2008 roster that graduated from Champlin Park High School: junior Travis Meyer, sophomores Zach Hovey and John Borchert, redshirt freshman Al Quaye and true freshmen Jarid Jackson, Ed Cotton, Kolls Egelkraut and Nate Dudgeon. The group helped the Rebels to a 2006 Northwest Suburban Conference Championship.
St. Paul to Wahpeton and Back
Concordia has three players that attended Como Park High School, all three going to play at North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) before trasnferring to CU to finish their education and playing careers. Dario Moore and Dalton Outlaw each came to Concordia for the 2007 season while Dario’s cousin, Derwayne Moore, joined the Golden Bears for 2008.
