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2004 Augsburg College Football Season Preview Season outlook story -- click here General Information
History Coaching Staff Assistant Coaches Sports Information Media Information 2003 Game-by Game Results (* denotes MIAC
games; Home games in bold) 2004 Schedule (* denotes MIAC games; Home
games in bold) Player & Team Information Returning Key Players Key Newcomers Key Losses Season Outlook and Notes: MINNEAPOLIS (8/20/04) -- Last season, the Augsburg College football team may have "overachieved" when, despite having the smallest roster in head coach Jack Osberg's tenure -- just 54 players -- the Auggies claimed a 5-5 record and 4-4 mark in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. This year, there's no room for overachieving. There's only room for improvement. Returning 14 starters and 40 letterwinners, while sporting one of the largest recruiting and transfer classes in Osberg's years, the Auggies have high hopes for continuing to rebuild to MIAC prominence. And while the Auggies sport just 14 seniors on the roster, there is still room for optimism this season. "Some people may think that we might be a year away from being really good, but our seniors have the desire and we could surprise some people again," said Osberg, entering his 14th season as Augsburg's mentor with the school's most football victories (60-71 career record). "It depends on how quickly we can mature. We have an outstanding class of juniors with depth and experience, and we have a core of great seniors coming back. "The key may be if we can carry over the hungriness that we had last year. We had our backs against the wall last year and we came out fighting. These kids want to continue with that same attitude. Our opponents will have to work very hard to beat us. Our goal is to be competitive against everybody, take things one game at a time and see how good we can be." Osberg's squad will be tested with one of the most challenging schedules in recent years. Augsburg opens the season on Sept. 11 by hosting perennial NCAA Division III playoff contender Wartburg (Iowa), a team ranked No. 6 in the D3football.com preseason Division III national poll, then traveling to the Chicago suburbs for a game against an improved North Central (Ill.) squad, which finished 7-3 last year. Combine that with an MIAC schedule that features two returning national playoff teams, Bethel and defending national champion St. John's. "We have a very tough schedule," Osberg said.
"We will have a stiff challenge in our first two games. We'll need
to go in with the right attitude, play our game and see what happens. We'll
need to be ready for the challenge every week." Offense: Experience and versatility for new setup "We will do a lot of different things with formations and personnel," Austin said. "We're trying to find guys who can play in multiple sets and formations." The quarterback position may be an example of how players with a variety of skills may bring positive results to the Auggies. Last year's primary starting quarterback, Tony George (Jr., Blaine, Minn.), averaged 165.9 yards of passing per game while completing 48.3 percent of his passes and converting 13 touchdowns. "Tony has a lot of experience. He's played in this league, knows his teammates. Quarterback will be a position of strength for us this year," Austin said. Behind George is group of young and talented athletes who will give him a challenge and give Augsburg plenty of depth. Eric Bohnhoff (So., Northfield, Minn.) saw action in seven games last season. Newcomers Mark Mayer (Jr., St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park HS), Keith Hagen (So., Burnsville, Minn./Northfield HS), David Lange (Fr., Hopkins, Minn.) and Aaron Anderson (Fr., Ham Lake, Minn./Spring Lake Park HS) will figure in the quarterback competition. Mayer transferred to Augsburg from Vermillion Community College, while Hagen transfers from Wisconsin-Eau Claire. One of the potential surprises at quarterback may be Marcus LeVesseur (Jr., Minneapolis, Minn./Bloomington Kennedy HS), a two-time national champion for Augsburg's wrestling team who will play college football for the first time. While his skills on the wrestling mat are well-known -- he is 84-0 in his two seasons at Augsburg -- he was also an outstanding high school quarterback, earning all-state honors his senior season. "Marcus proved himself to be an outstanding high school player, and he's proven himself to be an outstanding college athlete here," Osberg said. "He'll give us immediate depth at quarterback and he's a great athlete. We're excited to see how he'll fit into our plans." Augsburg's offensive line gained tremendous experience last season, but overall depth remains an issue, Osberg noted. However, there is plenty of versatility in the line, as the returners have become accustomed to playing multiple positions. Adam Hoffmann (Sr., Hastings, Minn.) established himself as one of the best centers in the conference last season, earning All-MIAC second-team honors. This season, Hoffmann has already earned preseason All-American second-team honors from D3football.com, returning after leading an offensive line that average 317.2 yards of total offense against just 19 sacks in 2003. Starting guards John Streefland (Jr., Northfield, Minn.) and Andy Estrem (Jr., Nerstrand, Minn./Northfield, Minn.) return, along with Matt Siems (So., Bemidji, Minn.), Ryan Shea (Jr., New Prague, Minn.) and Lowery Smith (Jr., Farmington, Minn.), all of whom saw plenty of action on the line last year. Ryan Koelsch (Sr., St. Louis Park, Minn.) returns to the offensive line after taking last season off. Tony Madline (Jr., Stillwater, Minn./Mahtomedi HS) transfers to Augsburg from Wisconsin-Stout. Newcomers Andrew Renschen (Fr., Red Wing, Minn.), Jason Weber (Fr., New Prague, Minn.) Chris Howell (Fr., Faribault, Minn./Bethlehem Academy HS), Dan Davila (Jr., Roseville, Minn.) and James Heidelberg (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Blake Academy HS) should also make an impact on the offensive line. Wide receiver Yarzue Slowon (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) could be set for a career season this year. An All-MIAC second-team selection the last two seasons, Slowon set team highs with 44 catches, 652 yards and seven touchdowns in 2003, the second straight year he has led the Auggies in each receiving category. Shawn Johnson (Sr., Faribault, Minn.) also returns to the receiver position, after missing last season due to injury. Kurt Dybdahl (Sr., Minneapolis, Minn./Edison HS), Micah Young (So., Waconia, Minn.) and Antonio Spargo (Jr., Edina, Minn.) all return with experience. The Auggies are also expecting big contributions from two transfers -- Ben Bothun (Sr., Dawson, Minn./Dawson-Boyd HS) from Concordia-St. Paul and De Hanuman (So., Bloomington, Minn./Kennedy HS) from Southwest Minnesota State. Newcomers Adam Rutgers (Fr., Big Lake, Minn./Blaine HS), Nick Warner (Fr., Golden Valley, Minn./Hopkins HS), Josh Starr (Fr., Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis HS) and Brett Cheney (Fr., Northfield, Minn.) should also figure in the receiving mix. Andrew Neumann (So., Somerset, Wis.) had one of the best seasons ever for an Auggie tight end in 2003, catching 44 passes for 498 yards and a touchdown, the most catches and yards for an Auggie at that position since 1997. Ty Closson (Sr., Northfield, Minn.), a solid blocker, also returns at tight end, along with newcomer Garrett Warren (Fr., Baxter, Minn./Brainerd HS). Two of Augsburg's top four running backs from last year, Steve Houser (Jr., Zimmerman, Minn./Elk River HS) and Brady Seesz (So., Northfield, Minn.), return this season. Houser had a breakout year in 2003, earning All-MIAC honorable-mention honors with a 142-carry, 563-yard season. Seesz also ran well, averaging 4.2 yards per carry. Another key returner for the Auggies will be Pat Lofboom (Jr., Stillwater, Minn./Mahtomedi HS), who received a medical redshirt last season with both a knee injury and appendicitis. Newcomers Jason Potts (Fr., Plymouth, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS), Kirby Pumper (Fr., New Prague, Minn.), Garrett Kratz (Fr., Jordan, Minn.), Bryan Ludwig (Fr., Woodbury, Minn.) and Jameson Moore (Fr., West Lakeland, Minn./Hill-Murray HS) should also compete for time at running back. "We have a lot more role-playing potential on offense," Osberg said. "We can use their strengths in a variety of ways. We need to find out how everyone will fit in with certain situations." Defense: Talent on line, depth in secondary "Overall, we are looking for some pretty strong improvements, based on our returning guys and who we have coming," Ross said. "We want to continue to progress to where we need to be to be competitive." Augsburg's defensive line will likely be the key to the unit's success, as two of the three primary starters return. Joe Cullen (Sr., Coon Rapids, Minn.) and Craig Pike (Sr., Pine Island, Minn.) combined for 12 sacks last season -- Cullen eight, Pike four -- with Cullen earning All-MIAC honorable-mention honors. Cullen ended up with 59 tackles (25 solo), including 16 for loss, each number tops among returning Auggies. Pike had 11 tackles for loss last season. Another key returner will be Jacob Koelln (Jr., Rochester, Minn./John Marshall HS), who had 23 tackles as a reserve lineman. Chike Ochiagha (Jr., Savage, Minn./Holy Angels HS) battled injuries last season, and set out with a medical redshirt. This year, he returns to the defensive line, where he saw plenty of action in 2002 as a sophomore. Jake Renze (Sr., Waseca, Minn.) returns after spending last year studying abroad. The returners will face plenty of competition from several talented newcomers, including Zak Jensen (Jr., Hopkins, Minn.), who transfers to Augsburg from Northern Illinois, one of the surprise teams in Division I football last season. Kasey Yoder (So., Duluth, Minn./East HS), transfers from MIAC rival Hamline. Derick Kelly (Fr., Blaine, Minn.) could also make an impact as a newcomer. Most of Augsburg's starting linebackers return, though the big question mark will be who will fit in the shoes of graduated two-time All-MIAC performer Brandon Fox, who became the first Auggie defensive player since 1996 to record 100 tackles (103, 45 solo). Mike Matson (Jr., St. Francis, Minn.), John Golnitz (Sr., Green Bay, Wis./Preble HS) both started last year, with Golnitz collecting 57 tackles (20 solo) and eight tackles for loss, and Matson collecting 30 tackles (seven solo), eight tackles for loss and three sacks. Taylor Kroger (Jr., Cottonwood, Minn./Lakeview HS) moved to the linebacker position from defensive back and did well, collecting 53 tackles and an interception. Zach Manship (So., Rochester, Minn./John Marshall HS) also returns after seeing reserve action last year. Kyle Voelz (Sr., Morgan, Minn./Cedar Mountain HS) and Ryan Moe (So., Columbia Heights, Minn.) return after battling injuries last season, and should also be in position to battle for starting roles, along with Dennis Westlund (So., Mayer, Minn./Waconia HS). Johnny Grygelko (Fr., Loretto, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS) has plenty of potential to move into a prominent role in the linebacking corps right away, Ross noted. Other linebacking newcomers include Rich Miller (Jr., Anoka, Minn.), an Augsburg wrestler; Brandon Rudenick (Fr., Nicollet, Minn.), John Welty (Fr., Edina, Minn.) and Michael Williams (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn. /De La Salle HS). The defensive backfield has gained plenty of experience, as most of the players have at least two years of key varsity experience behind them. But one of the key additions will be the return of cornerback Andy Matzke (Jr., Faribault, Minn.), an All-MIAC honorable mention performer in 2002 who did not play last season. He had six interceptions and nine pass break-ups in 2002. "We have a lot of depth at defensive back and we've added to our quality," Ross said. "Andy may have been one of the best players on our defensive team two years ago, and he's back this year." Matzke will battle returning starters Ross Peroutka (Jr., Faribault, Minn.) and Ricky Schreier (Jr., Maplewood, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall HS) at the cornerback position. Peroutka, a two-year starter, had 55 tackles and one interception last year. Schreier, who started the season as a reserve wide receiver, moved to the defensive backfield and contributed 34 tackles. Jim Gunderson (Sr., Hastings, Minn.) and Jordan Hastings (Jr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) return to the safety positions, and will face a challenge from Troy Deden (So., Northfield, Minn.), who moves to the defensive backfield after being Augsburg's primary backup quarterback last year. Danny Umhoefer (So., North Mankato, Minn./Mankato West HS), Gabe Krueger (Sr., Crystal, Minn./Robbinsdale Armstrong HS) and Steven Wright (So., Minneapolis, Minn./Edison HS) return with experience, and two members of Augsburg's wrestling team -- Greg Brendemuehl (Jr., Medford, Minn.) and Kirk Rall (Jr., West St. Paul, Minn./Henry Sibley HS) -- will also make their initial appearances for the football squad. Newcomers Shawn Brown (Fr., Brooklyn Center, Minn./Robbinsdale Cooper HS), Adam Hahn (Fr., La Crosse, Wis./Logan HS), Jason Jenkins (Fr., Minneapolis, Minn./Holy Angels HS) and Ryan Stockhaus (Fr., Columbia Heights, Minn./DeLaSalle HS), a member of the Auggie baseball team, also join the defensive backfield. "Defensively, I like the talent we have, especially on the defensive line. They've got to be durable and stay healthy," Osberg said. "I look for great improvement in our defensive backs, and our linebackers are steady, solid and experienced. The better our defensive line plays, the better our linebackers play, and the better our defensive backs will play." Special teams: All-American punter returns Schlieman, a two-time first-team All-MIAC performer, averaged 42.0 yards per punt last year, the third-best average in the country in Division III. Thirty-three of his 57 punts were more than 40 yards, and 14 were more than 50 yards, including a school-record 74-yarder. In addition, Schlieman was pressed into service as Augsburg's kicker as well, connecting on four field goals in seven attempts in 2003. "Nick has a lot of experience back in our special teams," Osberg said. "Sometimes, you see the greatest improvement in players between their sophomore and junior years, and we're hoping for continued improvement from Nick." Newcomer Kyle Danner (So., Ramsey, Minn./Elk River HS) could also see some time with the placekicking duties for the Auggies. In the return game, Slowon and Schreier were Augsburg's primary kick returners, with Slowon averaging 23.2 yards per return and Schreier averaging 18.4 yards per return. Schreier also saw plenty of time returning punts. New turf provides boost to program "In the past, we could only practice on our (Astroturf) field, so when we played a natural-grass team, it was always a tough transition for us, maybe tougher than teams going from grass to turf," Osberg said. "This will give us a better level of preparation for all the teams we play, and in terms of safety and versatility, our transition to this new surface will help our program." To return to Augsburg Football, click here To return to Augsburg Athletics, click here Augsburg College, a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, is a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. This is the official web site for Augsburg
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