SEWARD, Neb. – The fortunes turned shifted in a dramatically positive manner for the Concordia University football team. Two weeks ago the Bulldogs were frustrated after letting fourth quarter leads slip away against both Doane and Buena Vista. Now Concordia is riding high following victories over Hastings and Briar Cliff. Head Patrick Daberkow’s squad is really only a couple of plays away from being 4-0.
The Bulldogs (2-2, 2-1 GPAC) will shoot for a third-straight conference win on Saturday when they kick things off in Jamestown, N.D., at 1 p.m. CT. Concordia would like to pack the same defense that limited both Hastings and Briar Cliff below 200 yards of offense. That unit reached a new level last week with the Chargers committing seven turnovers (two on special teams). AJ Jenkins had a hand in three of them and was named the GPAC Defensive Player of the Week.
Jamestown (0-5, 0-3 GPAC) is still searching for its first win of 2019. The Jimmies struggled offensively again last week (198 total yards) while being blown out, 45-6, by eighth-ranked Northwestern. First-year head coach Brian Mistro inherited a program coming off a 3-8 record in 2018. Defensively, Jamestown has had difficulty stopping the run with the opposition averaging 5.4 yards per carry.
GAME INFO
Concordia (2-2, 2-1 GPAC) at Jamestown (0-5, 0-3 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 5 | 1 p.m.
Taylor Stadium | Jamestown, N.D.
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Stats: DakStats
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 23.5 (T-54th out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 14.5 (15th)
Total Offense: 345.0 (T-51st)
Pass Offense: 274.5 (14th)
Rush Offense: 70.5 (T-81st)
Total Defense: 282.5 (14th)
Pass Defense: 216.8 (61st)
Rush Defense: 65.8 (4th)
Turnover +/-: +8 (T-4th)
Jamestown
Offensive PPG: 11.4 (87th)
Defensive PPG: 35.6 (71st)
Total Offense: 217.6 (88th)
Pass Offense: 105.2 (86th)
Rush Offense: 112.4 (67th)
Total Defense: 421.0 (T-69th)
Pass Defense: 170.8 (27th)
Rush Defense: 250.2 (88th)
Turnover +/-: -3 (T-65th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (11-13, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 69/116 (.595), 871 yards, 4 td, 2 int, 130.5 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 83 rushes, 207 yards, 2.5 avg, 2 td; 7 catches, 56 yards
Receiving: Cayden Beran – 27 catches, 392 yards, 14.5 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 37 tackles, 4 tfl’s, 1.5 sacks, 2 ff, fr
Jamestown
Head Coach: Brian Mistro (0-5, 1st season)
Passing: Jordan Mann – 51/107 (.477), 503 yards, 5 td, 2 int, 98.8 effic.; 146 rushing yards, td
Rushing: Allen Jevning – 42 rushes, 207 yards, 4.9 avg, 0 td
Receiving: Garrett Mitchell – 24 catches, 329 yards, 13.7 avg, 4 td
Defense: Troy Stuard – 28 tackles, 2 int, fr
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (2-2, 2-1)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, W, 44-0
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, W, 16-14
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (8) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
Jamestown (0-5, 0-3)
8/29 at Valley City State, L, 14-20
9/7 vs. (9) Dickinson State, L, 0-34
9/14 at Hastings, L, 21-38
9/21 vs. Dordt, L, 16-41
9/28 at (8) Northwestern, L, 6-45
10/5 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/12 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/19 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
In the rankings
Concordia last cracked the NAIA top 25 national poll on Nov. 6, 2017 but then dropped out after falling in the 2017 finale. The Bulldogs have not yet received any votes in the 2019 polls. They were picked eighth among the 10 GPAC football schools by both the coaches and media in the preseason. Massey Ratings currently lists Concordia as the 55th ranked team nationally in the NAIA (18 spot improvement compared to two weeks ago).
Jamestown has not appeared in the NAIA top 25 since the preseason of 2009. The Jimmies were picked to finish last in the GPAC by both the coaches and media prior to the start of this season. They are currently ranked 84th nationally by Massey Ratings.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 30): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 62nd
Jamestown
GPAC preseason: 10th (coaches); 10th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 30): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 84th
Bulldogs grab GPAC defensive award for second week in a row
Two dominant defensive performances in a row have led to back-to-back GPAC Defensive Player of the Week awards for the Bulldogs. Senior linebacker Derek Tachovsky took the honor last week after he filled the stat sheet in the 44-0 wipeout at Hastings. Then on Monday (Sept. 30), the GPAC announced freshman safety AJ Jenkins as the latest defensive honoree. In the win over Briar Cliff, Jenkins collected his first career interception, forced a fumble, recovered a fumble and made six tackles. A product of Wilcox-Hildreth High School, Jenkins began this season listed as a linebacker, but has won a spot in the starting defensive backfield.
Receiver crew key to offensive improvement
The 2019 receiver group may be as good as the Concordia football team has ever had. Quarterback Jake Kemp has plenty of big-play options with the likes of Art Anderson, Cayden Beran and Korrell Koehlmoos. Beran and Koehlmoos rank fifth and sixth, respectively, among GPAC players in receiving yards. Last week Koehlmoos emerged as the go-to target. He hauled in eight passes for 137 yards and a touchdown. His scoring grab covered 55 yards and was the lone touchdown of the day for the Bulldogs. The program has never had a 1,000-yard receiver, but Beran and/or Koehlmoos could make a push for that figure. On the season, Beran has 27 catches for 392 yards and two touchdowns while Koehlmoos has 23 catches for 330 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson, Beran and Koehlmoos have each had at least one game with 100 or more receiving yards this year.
On the run
The Bulldogs would like to break things open more in the running game this week. The ground attack continues to be a work-in-progress despite the presence of Ryan Durdon, who has the sixth most rushing yards in school history. Durdon had his best day this season at Hastings when he ran for 87 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. Against a stout Briar Cliff defense, Durdon was held to 40 yards on 24 attempts. A year ago against Jamestown, Durdon ran for 53 yards and two touchdowns on 15 rushes. The native of Decatur, Texas, last had a 100 rushing yards on Oct. 13, 2018 at Briar Cliff.
Concordia all-time leading rushers
1. Cleve Wester (1982-85) – 3,731
2. Bryce Collins (2013-16) – 3,547
3. Gary Seevers (1953-56) – 3,257
4. Alex Alvarez (1999-03) – 2,959
5. JaMaine Lewis (2004-07) – 2,731
6. Ryan Durdon (2016-- ) – 2,275
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799
Doggone dominant
The last two weeks have pushed Concordia way up the national leaderboard in several key defensive categories. The Bulldogs now sport NAIA rankings of 14th in total defense (282.5) and 15th in scoring defense (14.5). With its veteran group of playmaking linebackers, Concordia has virtually eliminated opposing rushing attacks. Opponents are averaging only 1.9 yards per carry. Junior linebacker Lane Napier (36 tackles) leads the team in tackles with fellow backers Derek Tachovsky (32) and Riley Bilstein (29) not far behind. Tachovsky has picked off a pass in back-to-back outings while Zac Walter also has a pair of interceptions this season. The Bulldogs have already racked up 14 takeaways. Only two NAIA teams – Evangel (17) and Ottawa-Ariz. (15) – have generated more turnovers this season.
Kemp steadies passing game
The passing game is operating at a level never before seen in program history – at least in terms of passing yardage per game. The duo of Jake Kemp and Wyatt Ehlers have already combined for 1,098 passing yards. Kemp has 871 of those yards and has fired four touchdown passes while completing 59.5 percent of his passes. If Kemp can keep up or expand upon his current rate of 217.8 passing yards per game, he could make a run at the school record of 2,150 passing yards in a single season by Jarrod Pimentel in 2001. Pimentel remains the only Bulldog passer to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a season.
Top five single season passing yardage totals, program history
1. Jarrod Pimentel – 2,150 (2001)
2. Von Thomas – 1,947 (2013)
3. Phil Seevers – 1,938 (1988)
4. Von Thomas – 1,840 (2012)
5. Jon Von Rentzell – 1,771 (1984)
Feasting on turnovers
The turnovers were a major part of the narrative in last week’s win over Briar Cliff. Each of Concordia’s first four opponents have turned the ball over at least twice. The Bulldogs forced two turnovers of Doane, two of Buena Vista, three of Hastings and seven of Briar Cliff. The 14 takeaways are only three fewer than Concordia posted for the entire 2018 season. Bulldog foes have already fumbled the ball 10 times (eight lost). The next step is for Concordia to take greater advantage of the turnovers it creates. The Bulldogs have converted the 14 turnovers into a total of just 17 points.
Spilinek enjoys perfect day
Freshman Jordan Spilinek has helped solidify Concordia’s place kicking issues. A year ago Concordia did not make a field goal until the final game of the season. A native of Doniphan, Neb., Spilinek connected on attempts of 34, 29 and 35 yards out as part of his perfect day versus Briar Cliff. Previously, no Bulldog had made three field goals in a game since Kenny Zoeller accomplished that feat four times during the 2012 campaign. Zoeller earned All-America honors that season. Spilinek is currently tied for the GPAC lead with six made field goals this season. He is 6-for-10 on field goals and 9-for-10 on extra point tries.
Series vs. Jamestown
Concordia and Jamestown met for the first time ever when they got together in North Dakota last season. The Bulldogs pulled out a 16-13 victory despite being outgained, 347-144. Two bad punt snaps proved to be the major difference. One resulted in a safety and the other one set up a 14-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon. On the defensive side of the ball, Lane Napier was an animal. He piled up 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack and was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week.
Scouting Jamestown
The Jimmies are seeking some positive reinforcement in Brian Mistro’s first season at the helm of the program. A former Jamestown football player, Mistro spent the previous seven years as an assistant coach at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minn. Since their 20-14 loss at Valley City State University to begin the season, the Jimmies have lost four games each by margins of 17 or more points. Jamestown ranks near the bottom of the country in most major offensive categories (87th in scoring offense). Its biggest offensive threat has been receiver Garrett Mitchell, who has 24 catches for 329 yards and four touchdowns. It could take some time to rekindle the magic the Jimmies had when Mistro (as a player) helped them to NAIA playoff appearances in 2006 and 2007.