Bulldogs land at No. 7 in GPAC preseason football poll

By Jacob Knabel on Aug. 26, 2020 in Football

GPAC Football Preseason Coaches’ Poll

SEWARD, Neb. – In rankings that look nearly identical to a the final 2019 standings, the 2020 GPAC Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll has slotted the Concordia Football team in at No. 7. The Bulldogs generated 37 points in the poll that was released on Wednesday (Aug. 26) by the conference. Concordia placed seventh in the GPAC last season when it went 3-6 in league play.

The 2020 season will mark year four of Patrick Daberkow’s tenure as head coach. The Bulldogs bring back seven starters on offense and five on defense. The most highly regarded among the returners is linebacker Lane Napier, named a preseason NAIA All-American by Street & Smith’s. Other returning all-conference performers include receiver Cayden Beran (second team), safety Peyton Mitchell (second team) and receiver/punter Lane Castaneda (honorable mention).

Preseason practice began on Aug. 15 and has continued uninterrupted to this point. The team also held an intra-squad scrimmage this past Saturday. So far, Daberkow is pleased with what he has observed.

“I am encouraged to see the progress with certain position groups,” Daberkow said. “I am encouraged by football stuff. When it comes to COVID we are following all the protocols and keeping our guys safe. We do not want to just keep them safe from COVID stuff, we want to keep them safe from a holistic standpoint. We want to make sure activities are available for them because that is huge for mental and physical health. We are taking total precautions, but we are also pressing forward with staying after it.”

The season opener is slated for Saturday, Sept. 12 at Doane. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT from Crete.

2020 GPAC Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll
*First-place votes in parentheses

1. Morningside – 81 (9)
2. Northwestern – 73 (1)
3. Dordt – 60
3. Midland – 60
5. Briar Cliff – 44
6. Doane – 38
7. Concordia – 37
8. Hastings – 23
9. Dakota Wesleyan – 22
10. Jamestown – 12