SEWARD, Neb. – All the Concordia University football team can do is look forward after another one-score loss. Last week’s defeat involved particularly unique circumstances with the field at Jamestown turning into a mud pit that virtually eliminated the passing games for both teams. The Jimmies celebrated their first win of the season in the 13-10, four-overtime decision. The Bulldogs look to regroup this Saturday when Dakota Wesleyan makes a visit to Seward for the third year in a row.
The losses have been excruciating for head coach Patrick Daberkow’s squad. With the exception of the 44-0 blowout win at Hastings on Sept. 21, Concordia has had its fans on pins and needles. The other four games have each been decided by margins of a touchdown or less. Back on the home turf that will ensure a more typical football surface, the Bulldogs hope to get their offense back on track this week.
Head coach Ross Cimpl is in his eighth season leading Dakota Wesleyan, which has fallen on hard times of late. The Tigers are 3-15 over the program’s past 18 games. Prior to that rough stretch, Dakota Wesleyan had regularly been a top three or four team in the GPAC. The 2016 squad went 8-3 and finished that campaign ranked 16th in the NAIA. The strong DWU teams of the recent past were often built around star quarterbacks (such as Jon Bane and Dillon Turner) that piled up impressive numbers. So far this fall, the Tigers have been outscored, 227-123.
GAME INFO
Dakota Wesleyan (1-5, 0-4 GPAC) at (Concordia (2-3, 2-2 GPAC)
Saturday, Oct. 12 | 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium | Seward, Neb.
Webcast/Stats: Concordia Sports Network
Radio: 104.9 Max Country
Commentators: Tyler Cavalli and Roger Fitzke
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Team Statistics
*2019 national rank in parentheses
Concordia
Offensive PPG: 20.8 (T-63rd out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 14.2 (13th)
Total Offense: 315.6 (64th)
Pass Offense: 223.0 (28th)
Rush Offense: 92.6 (78th)
Total Defense: 264.0 (8th)
Pass Defense: 81.6 (8th)
Rush Defense: 182.4 (37th)
Turnover +/-: +9 (T-5th)
Dakota Wesleyan
Offensive PPG: 20.5 (T-66th)
Defensive PPG: 37.8 (75th)
Total Offense: 312.7 (66th)
Pass Offense: 152.5 (75th)
Rush Offense: 160.2 (41st)
Total Defense: 423.3 (75th)
Pass Defense: 205.8 (56th)
Rush Defense: 217.5 (78th)
Turnover +/-: -6 (T-77th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (11-14, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 71/124 (.573), 886 yards, 4 td, 2 int, 124.7 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 118 rushes, 325 yards, 2.8 avg, 3 td; 8 catches, 57 yards
Receiving: Cayden Beran – 28 catches, 406 yards, 14.5 avg, 2 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 60 tackles, 7 tfl’s, 4.0 sacks, 2 ff, fr
Dakota Wesleyan
Head Coach: Ross Cimpl (47-35, 8th season)
Passing: Kiel Nelson – 52/123 (.423), 732 yards, 4 td, 8 int, 90.0 effic.
Rushing: Luke Loudenburg – 67 rushes, 392 yards, 5.9 avg, 4 td
Receiving: Garrett Determan – 9 catches, 228 yards, 25.3 avg, 3 td
Defense: Cody Reichelt – 37 tackles, 8.5 tfl’s, sack, fr
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (2-3, 2-2)
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, L, 10-13 (4 OT)
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.
Dakota Wesleyan (1-5, 0-4)
8/29 at Dakota State, L, 30-33 (2 OT)
9/7 vs. Presentation, W, 44-0
9/14 at Briar Cliff, L, 0-47
9/21 vs. (10) Northwestern, L, 7-52
9/28 at Dordt, L, 22-57
10/5 vs. Doane, L, 20-38
10/12 at Concordia, 1 p.m.
10/19 at Midland, 1 p.m.
10/26 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
11/9 vs. Jamestown, 1 p.m.
11/16 vs. Hastings, 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 62nd ranked team nationally in the NAIA (fell seven spots after the loss at Jamestown).
Dakota Wesleyan appeared at No. 23 in the 2017 NAIA postseason poll but has since disappeared from the national rankings. The Tigers made their way into the top 25 at some point every year from 2008 through 2017. They were picked by both coaches and media to place ninth in the GPAC. DWU is currently ranked 79th in the NAIA in Massey Ratings.
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 7): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 62nd
Dakota Wesleyan
GPAC preseason: 9th (coaches); 9th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Oct. 7): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 79th
Historic overtime battle unfolds in Jamestown
It’s unlikely anyone involved in last week’s mud bowl at Rollie Greeno Field in Jamestown, N.D., will ever forget that contest. Photos of the mutilated grass field had some Concordia alums reminiscing about games played in similarly rough conditions at the University of Sioux Falls during the 2001 GPAC championship season. Unfortunately, the memories that came out of last week won’t be as fond. However, it was certainly a historic afternoon in Bulldog football history.
Modern college football overtime rules were adopted in 1995. Since then, Concordia had played in only three overtime games, each of which featured only one overtime period. Prior to last week, the Bulldogs had not played in an overtime game since having back-to-back overtime clashes in 2015. In those instances, Concordia defeated Midland, 41-38, and then fell to then sixth-ranked Doane, 23-20. A year before, Nebraska Wesleyan topped the Bulldogs, 37-34, in overtime.
Defense continues dominant ways
No matter the conditions or the inconsistency of the offense, the Concordia defense has given the team a shot each week. The numbers were again impressive at Jamestown. The Bulldogs held the Jimmies to just 190 total yards and 13 first downs. Jamestown was 2-for-19 on third downs and committed a pair of turnovers. Three-straight Concordia opponents have failed to reach 200 total yards and only one this season has managed to top 300 (Buena Vista had 471 on Sept. 14). On the NAIA national leaderboard, the Bulldogs rank first in third down defense (17.8 percent), eighth in total defense (264.0), eighth in rush defense (81.6), 13th in scoring defense (14.2) and 24th in pass efficiency defense (104.9). Only two teams nationally have generated more takeaways than Concordia’s 16. In addition, the Bulldogs have notched 17 sacks.
Durdon breaks 100
Both teams became reliant on the run game last week as the field conditions continued to deteriorate in Jamestown. The result was a heavy workload for senior running back Ryan Durdon, who managed to churn out his first 100-yard rushing performance of the season. The Decatur, Texas, native carried the ball 35 times for 118 yards and a touchdown. The game-tying score in the first overtime marked the 20th career touchdown for Durdon (19 rushing, one receiving). Based on the numbers, Durdon may have a shot to go over 100 again this Saturday against a DWU defense that allows 5.2 yards per rush. Concordia is still looking for a breakout rushing performance to boost Durdon’s season average of 2.8 yards per carry. Still sixth in school history in career rushing yards, Durdon is creeping up on JaMaine Lewis (338 yards away) for a top five spot on the list.
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-- ) – 2,393
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799
Napier beyond compare
Junior linebacker Lane Napier still has a season-and-a-half to go in his collegiate career and has already set a new program standard for career tackles during the GPAC era (2000-present). Napier slogged through the mud last week to record 23 tackles, three tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks in another monster effort. That performance pushed his career tackle total to 299 and puts him well on his way for another 100-tackle season. Named an NAIA First Team All-American by the Associated Press, Napier led the country with 142 tackles last season. The David City, Neb., native has twice been named a first team all-conference selection.
Most tackles, GPAC era
299 – Lane Napier (2017-- )
290 – Sean Stewart (1999-02)
261 – Michael Hedlund (2013-16)
246 – Ben Klein (2008-11)
237 – Jerrod Fleming (2008-11)
234 – Tait Sibbel (2012-15)
Passing game grounded
We really didn’t mean to jinx it last week by talking about Concordia’s budding receiver core. Despite what the numbers looked like at Jamestown, the receiver group of Art Anderson, Cayden Beran, Lane Castaneda and Korrell Koehlmoos remains one capable of explosive plays. Unfortunately, their talents were negated by the muddy conditions. The Bulldogs completed only three passes for 17 yards for the day and did not attempt a single pass in any of the four overtimes. Coming into the contest, Concordia had been averaging more than 270 passing yards per game while riding the right arm of quarterback Jake Kemp. Sophomore receiver Cayden Beran has hauled in 28 passes for 406 yards and two touchdowns.
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)
Sack lunch
With 17 sacks this season, the Bulldogs have surpassed their total of 16 from the entire 2018 season. Defensive end Aaron Rudloff came up with a pair of sacks last week to push his team leading total to five this season. In addition, linebacker Lane Napier has four sacks (equaling a career high). Chase Hammons, Payton Stevens and Derek Tachovsky have each recorded two sacks. Concordia defenders have also combined for 43 tackles for loss. The program had been lacking an elite pass rusher since All-American Trey Barnes posted 10 sacks in 2015 and nine sacks in 2016.
Kicking game
The kicking game could still be better, but it has certainly made a leap forward from the 2018 campaign. Freshman kicker Jordan Spilinek drilled all three of his field goal attempts in the 16-14 win over Briar Cliff. The Doniphan native was also affected last week by the field conditions. He missed on attempts from 39 and 27 yards while knocking a third-quarter attempt through from 27 yards out. Spilinek is now 7-for-13 on field goals and 10-for-11 on extra point tries. Meanwhile, punter Lane Castaneda is averaging 37.6 yards on his 32 punts. Seven of his punts have pinned the opposition inside its own 20.
Series vs. Dakota Wesleyan
Concordia and Dakota Wesleyan met on the gridiron only twice (1984 and 1985) before both programs became GPAC members in 2000 (first year of the conference’s existence). With the exception of 2008 and 2009, the two sides have gone head-to-head every season since then. Concordia has won each of the past two meetings with the Tigers to edge in front in the all-time series (10-9). Last year’s meeting was a defensive battle that ended with a 14-9 Bulldog victory in Seward. Concordia got its only two scores on a explosive plays – a trick play that went for an 82-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Perea to Garrett Schardt and a 31-yard touchdown run by Ryan Durdon. The Bulldogs held Dakota Wesleyan to 29 yards rushing on 25 attempts.
Scouting Dakota Wesleyan
Formerly a prolific passing program, Dakota Wesleyan has sputtered through the air this season. The Tigers are completing only 43.4 percent of their passes and have been picked off eight times. The Tigers had the most success in their opening two games by giving the ball to 5-foot-7 running back Luke Loudenburg, who rushed for 163 yards versus Dakota State and 173 yards versus Presentation. Over the past three games, Loudenburg has a grand total of two carries for two yards. He is listed as the starting running back on this week’s depth chart. Defensively, DWU has struggled against the run (217.5 yards allowed per game) and has forced only five turnovers. Concordia doesn’t want to let this be the week that the Tigers find remedies to the issues that have plagued them.