2025 Concordia Football Preseason Press Guide (PDF)
Clad in blue blazers and khaki pants, the three Bulldogs who represented Concordia University, Nebraska Football earned the unofficial title of ‘best dressed’ at the 2025 Nebraska Small College Football Media Day that unfolded on Monday (July 14). As part of the talking season, the likes of Head Coach Patrick Daberkow and seniors in safety Daylon Henson, linebacker Grant Huss and quarterback Gideon Stark took turns fielding questions from local media. The act of following up an 8-2 season won’t be easy, but Daberkow and company have expressed confidence this offseason in the next wave of up-and-coming performers.
Doane hosted the media day session within the Haddix Center and welcomed head coaches and select players from local colleges, including Hastings, Nebraska Wesleyan and Peru State.
New-look Bulldogs
The Concordia Football team that finished the 2024 season by shellacking rival Midland in Fremont isn’t quite the same one that will kick off the upcoming season underneath the Bulldog Stadium lights. While the defense and special teams units welcome back plenty of familiar faces and key pieces, the offense will roll out only two returning starters (both receivers) while breaking in a new QB1. Such dynamics will put the program’s recruiting and development to the test.
Up front – where it all starts – it’s next man up. The Bulldogs must replace All-American Blake Schlegel and the entire 2024 starting offensive line. In offseason interviews, Head Coach Patrick Daberkow has consistently rattled off the names of a half-dozen or so linemen that he expects to pick up the slack.
“It’s different in the names that are going to get called over the loudspeaker but the same in the production and the standard that we expect to have,” Daberkow said. “We have a tremendous group of offensive linemen coming back. I don’t care what you have going on in the backfield or on the perimeter, if you’re not good up front, you don’t have a shot. We really feel confident in our offensive line. Gideon Stark is probably going to start for us at quarterback. He’s been biding his time and has done a great job of playing that backup role and being ready at any point. He’s ready now.”
When the names do get called on Sept. 6, Bulldog fans will no longer hear “DJ McGarvie” or “Austin Jablonski,” the most prolific quarterback-to-receiver duo in program history. Enter senior quarterback Gideon Stark as the new face of the offense. If all goes as planned, the offense will continue to hum like it did in 2024, when it averaged school records of 38.5 points and 469.7 points per game. The dominance of last season’s line-of-scrimmage play was evident in the statistics as Concordia outrushed its opponents by a near 2-to-1 margin and out-sacked them, 28-4.
Incredibly, the opposition has managed a grand total of four sacks over the past 15 Bulldog games (dating back to the middle of the 2023 campaign). A 6-foot-7 Magnolia, Texas, native, Stark will have the opportunity to pick GPAC secondaries apart if the big guys up front can continue to play at that level. Stark has waited three seasons behind McGarvie and is ready to spread the ball to the likes of Adam Van Cleave, Max Bartels, Jonny Puelz and others. Stark has used his rocket arm to complete 19-of-30 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown in backup duty over the past couple of years.
Said Daberkow, “We’re really excited to see what he does within the offense this coming season. He’s got a really strong arm, highly competitive and a great leader. He has a huge ceiling. We are really excited about him … We feel like our production should remain high. We don’t have any reason to think that we can’t put up the numbers we did last year.”
Stark is likely to frequently hand the ball off to bruising back Carlos Collazo, who led all GPAC ball carriers (with at least 80 attempts) in yards per carry (6.7) last season. Collazo ran for 560 yards and seven touchdowns as the No. 2 back to Mark Arp in 2024. It’s now his time to take over the top spot.
On the other side of the ball, Concordia returns virtually the entire secondary and standouts at all three levels with nose guard Carson Fehlhafer, linebacker Grant Huss and All-American ball-hawking safety Daylon Henson. The departures of multiple year starters Michael Grindey, Nick Leader, Devon Polley and Kyle Sterup will open the door for fresh faces to make an impact. Meanwhile, the special teams units should be stronger as kicker Peyton Atwood, punter Braxtyn Koch and long snapper Max Wurdeman are back in the fold.
Come January, Daberkow’s program turned the page on the 2024 season. The goal is to build upon it. The ’25 season is about showing the Bulldogs have staying power amongst the league’s elites.
Says Daberkow, “It was a special group. It’s been a lot of work to figure out what are we best at. What can we be elite at within our conference? I think the GPAC is the toughest conference in small college football. I think that’s a really hard thing to debate against. You have to be on top of your game. Our best players were our hardest workers last year. We had players who made big plays in big moments. Any time you have success, it’s because the process was adhered to. We were able to execute some things last year that we hadn’t in a while. It was fun to see it come together. It’s certainly not where we want to be yet – not until we’re putting rings on fingers. It was a great steppingstone for sure.”
MEDIA DAY THOUGHTS
Patrick Daberkow
Patrick Daberkow enters his ninth season as head coach in 2025. In leading the ’24 squad to an 8-2 record, Daberkow guided the program to its most wins since the 2001 GPAC championship season.
Offseason happenings: “The guys have been working hard. It’s about as productive of a spring ball as I think I’ve ever been a part of as a coach. It’s been fun to see a lot of new faces get some opportunities from last year to this year. We’re reloading our offensive line and who we’ve got going there. That was really encouraging to see that group jell. Everything that came from the spring was really positive. I’m looking forward to getting the guys back on August 5th and getting started again. It’ll be good to see everybody.”
Offensive adjustments after significant personnel departures via graduation: “The names and faces are different, but the standard’s the same. We’ve been building up to resetting the standard and our expectations offensively. I saw a group embrace the work and embrace the day-to-day of what it takes to get better. We saw guys get better. Individually and collectively, we got better during the spring. The standard has been elevated in these guys’ time here and it’s due in large part to the work that they’ve put in. I’m really excited to see them and their teammates showcase what we’ve been up to once the season hits. I think there are some people who look at the (personnel) losses and they can’t get past that. We’re excited for the guys who have an opportunity to play.”
Recruiting, player development and program health: “I think it’s a reflection of the leadership in the locker room. We’re pretty careful about who we have in there. As a coaching staff, it’s our job to be gatekeepers for the locker room. It’s been fun to see our leadership progress. We have a lot of like-minded individuals who are hungry to win and hungry to put in the work to win. They do things the right way. We have a unified locker room. We have guys who are looking out for the interest of others. We talk to the guys a lot about Philippians 2,3 and 4. It says, ‘Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but in humility, consider others more important than yourself.’ That’s something that these guys have really grasped. It’s been fun to see them come together. We don’t have a cliquey locker room. We have a group that really wants to win for each other and with each other so they can enjoy what comes with the accomplishment.”
Fall camp goals: “Coming out of fall camp with healthy competition and learning how each other tick. We’re going to introduce a lot of new freshmen, so we have to make sure they understand the standard and the values of our program and living those things out. That’s a big part of it – coming out healthy and making sure everyone is on the same page.”
Daylon Henson
Daylon Henson, who hails from Pearland, Texas, burst onto the scene in 2024 and was named an All-American by the Associated Press (first team) and Victory Sports Network (honorable mention). As a playmaker in ’24, Henson plucked six interceptions, broke up seven passes, recovered two fumbles and scored a defensive touchdown.
Why Concordia: “I feel like they recruited me the hardest out of all the schools that offered me. Coach O (Corby Osten) came down to Houston and talked to me, so that made me very comfortable.”
Breaking out in 2024: “First, I just give praise to God. That was like the best d-line I ever played with. You can’t get picks or pass breakups without pressure. I give my praise to the d-line – and God.”
Winning at No. 2 Northwestern: “It was fun getting a bunch of turnovers. For people that didn’t have as big of roles and wanted to beat Northwestern the whole time, it felt good to get that win for them and our alumni.”
Growth of secondary: “I feel like we grew a lot. We were super young starting out. There were a lot of different lineups. Last year was probably our first year we started all our games together. I feel like we grew a lot and glued together even more as the season went on.”
Grant Huss
A Lincoln Southwest High School alum, Grant Huss emerged in 2024 as Concordia’s leading tackler with 89 stops from his linebacker spot. Huss was named Honorable Mention All-GPAC.
Why Concordia: “The coaches really made me feel like family when I first arrived on campus. Also, proximity to home. I always told my parents I wanted to stay close to home wherever I went to play college football. This place has been nothing but amazing to me.”
Leading the team in tackles in 2024: “I’m beyond blessed to be gifted the skills by my Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Like Daylon was saying, I couldn’t have done it without the people around me. This has been the best physically skilled team that I’ve played with. It’s been nothing but a blessing to have such amazing people around me to make me feel like a good player.”
Linebacker summary: “I’ve got full confidence in each of the linebackers I stand with. Whoever you throw in on a Saturday will go in and make a play. They know what they’re doing. No matter who it is, no matter who’s starting on Saturday, I have full confidence in each of them.”
Characterizing the 2025 team: “I’d say we’re a confident group that is going to be ourselves. We’re not going to go out there on Saturday and be a team that we’re not. I have full confidence in each person that steps foot in our locker room. I know that each person is going to be themselves on Saturday. We’re going to go out and play how we know how to play. This spring really showed that. I’m fully confident in this amazing group.”
Gideon Stark
A native of Magnolia, Texas, Gideon Stark enters his fourth season inside the program. Stark is the frontrunner to claim the starting quarterback spot after serving as the backup to DJ McGarvie over the previous three seasons. Stark’s older sisters, Kara and Shelby, both played volleyball at Concordia.
Why Concordia: “It’s an opportunity to play football at the next level. It’s a small campus, great place to go to college. It’s a great football team that’s getting better each year. It’s a great opportunity.”
Rising to QB1: “I’ve put in my time. I’ve been watching DJ go these last three years. He’s been a great role model, showing me how to be a leader on the team and showing me how to read defenses. I’ve learned a lot through my time here and I’m ready to go.”
Skillset as a QB: “I think we’re going to see a lot of field-side throws, some deeper throws and just getting after it and going for the big shot sometimes.” Daberkow interjected and joked, “triple option,” in response to how quarterback play will look different for Concordia in 2025.”
New faces in offensive lineup: “It’s going to be a lot of new faces to you all, but they’ve been putting in the work the last few years with us, and they held their own in spring ball. They’re just improving every day, going day by day. That’s what’s going to make our season.”
Characterizing the 2025 team: “We play for each other. One guy’s success is the whole team’s success. We really rally around each other and build each other up. We look forward to playing every day.”
KEY DATES
Report Date – The entire 2025 Concordia Football team is scheduled to report to campus on Tuesday, Aug. 5 for preseason preparation.
Intrasquad Scrimmage – The Blue-White scrimmage is open to the public and will take place inside Bulldog Stadium at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, Aug. 16. Another home scrimmage versus an outside opponent is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 30.
Season Opener – The 2025 season will officially kick off on Sept. 6 when Doane pays a visit to Bulldog Stadium for a night game (7 p.m.).
Says Huss of the night atmosphere at Bulldog Stadium, “You just have to come and experience it. It’s something like no other – playing under the lights and seeing the light show after the third quarter. It’s something you can only dream about.”