SEWARD, Neb. – The Concordia University football team has come up empty in two one-score games to open up the 2019 season. The Bulldogs will try to shake off those frustrations this Saturday when they take on Hastings while renewing a longtime rivalry. The two sides will meet at Lloyd Wilson Field for a 1 p.m. CT kickoff on Saturday.
Head coach Patrick Daberkow is tasked with picking his team up off the mat. Concordia is 0-2 despite having leads in the fourth quarter of both contests. Some soul searching may be part of the process after the Bulldogs let a 24-0 halftime lead slip away in last week’s 27-24 loss to NCAA Division III Buena Vista University. A week earlier, Concordia was tripped up, 17-10, by rival Doane in the season opener. So far, the Bulldogs have shown an improved passing game, but are still trying to put all the pieces together.
On the other side, head coach Tony Harper’s squad has a more positive vibe thanks to wins over Panhandle State University, 40-22, and Jamestown, 38-21, to open up the campaign. The Bronco defense held the Jimmies to just 226 total yards (52 rushing) and forced four turnovers in last week’s matchup. From a statistical standpoint, the team’s most impressive individual has been Keiotey Stenhouse, who has caught 15 passes for 256 yards and two touchdowns.
GAME INFO
Concordia (0-2, 0-1 GPAC) at Hastings (2-0, 1-0 GPAC)
Saturday, Sept. 21 | 1 p.m.
Lloyd Wilson Field | Hastings, Neb.
Webcast: Stretch Internet
Live 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: 17.0 (T-66th out of 93)
Defensive PPG: 22.0 (37th)
Total Offense: 329.5 (49th)
Pass Offense: 258.0 (21st)
Rush Offense: 71.5 (82nd)
Total Defense: 374.5 (55th)
Pass Defense: 308.5 (87th)
Rush Defense: 66.0 (6th)
Turnover +/-: +1 (T-34th)
Hastings
Offensive PPG: 39.0 (T-11th)
Defensive PPG: 21.5 (T-34th)
Total Offense: 379.0 (30th)
Pass Offense: 225.5 (33rd)
Rush Offense: 153.5 (36th)
Total Defense: 290.5 (22nd)
Pass Defense: 146.0 (24th)
Rush Defense: 144.5 (43rd)
Turnover +/-: +3 (T-12th)
INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
Concordia
Head Coach: Patrick Daberkow (9-13, 3rd season)
Passing: Jake Kemp – 28/41 (.683), 297 yards, 1 td, 0 int, 148.5 effic.
Rushing: Ryan Durdon – 39 rushes, 80 yards, 2.1 avg, 0 td; 5 catches, 40 yards
Receiving: Arthur Anderson – 12 catches, 153 yards, 12.8 avg, 1 td
Defense: Lane Napier – 22 tackles, 2.5 tfl’s, 0.5 sack, 2 ff, fr
Hastings
Head Coach: Tony Harper (34-42, 8th season)
Passing: Isaiah Jackson – 34/67 (.507), 451 yards, 3 td, 2 int, 116.1 effic.
Rushing: Brett Simonsen – 38 rushes, 164 yards, 4.3 avg, 2 td
Receiving: Keiotey Stenhouse – 15 catches, 256 yards, 17.1 avg, 2 td
Defense: Abdul Marei – 14 tackles, 4 tfl’s, 3 sacks
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Concordia (0-1)
9/7 vs. Doane, L, 10-17
9/14 at Buena Vista, L, 24-27
9/21 at Hastings, 1 p.m.
9/28 vs. Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
10/5 at Jamestown, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Dakota Wesleyan, 1 p.m.
10/19 vs. (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
10/26 at (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
Hastings
8/31 vs. Panhandle State, W, 40-22
9/14 vs. Jamestown, W, 38-21
9/21 vs. Concordia, 1 p.m.
9/28 at Doane, 1 p.m.
10/5 vs. (1) Morningside, 1 p.m.
10/12 vs. Midland, 1 p.m.
10/26 at Briar Cliff, 1 p.m.
11/2 vs. (24) Dordt, 1 p.m.
11/9 at (11) Northwestern, 1 p.m.
11/16 at Dakota Wesleyan, 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 did not receive any votes in the preseason national poll this preseason. 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 73rd ranked team nationally in the NAIA.
Hastings last appeared in the NAIA national poll in October 2017. The Broncos were ranked in three of the polls that were released that season. Hastings checked in at No. 7 in the 2019 GPAC preseason coaches’ and media polls. The Broncos are ranked 46th nationally by Massey Ratings and received votes in the NAIA coaches’ poll released today (Sept. 16).
Concordia
GPAC preseason: 8th (coaches); 8th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 16): not ranked
Massey Ratings: 73rd
Hastings
GPAC preseason: 7th (coaches); 7th (media)
NAIA coaches’ poll (Sept. 16): receiving votes
Massey Ratings: 73rd
Linebackers continue to shine
The linebackers represent the deepest and most experienced position group on the Concordia roster. To this point, the unit has lived up to expectations. Returning All-American Lane Napier has flown around to make a team high 22 tackles while Riley Bilstein has already made 4.5 stops in the backfield. In last week’s contest, senior Zac Walter supplied the game’s biggest highlight with a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown. The group has played a major role in limiting Concordia’s first two opponents to an average of 2.1 yards per rush. Should Bilstein record at least 23 more tackles, all four starting Bulldog linebackers would have 100 or more career tackles.
Career totals
Riley Bilstein – 77 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups (22 games)
Lane Napier – 261 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups (22 games)
Derek Tachovsky – 136 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, 4 pass breakups (24 games)
Zac Walter – 123 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 3 interceptions (22 games)
Running game on the mend
While the Concordia defense has admirably stuff the opposition’s run game, the Bulldogs are still trying to get their own ground game rolling. Ryan Durdon touched the ball 26 times (24 rushes, two receptions), but averaged 2.5 yards per carry at Buena Vista. That production was an improvement from week one for a running game that was virtually nonexistent versus Doane. The sixth leading rusher in school history (2,148 yards), Durdon found much more room to roam as a sophomore in 2017 when he rushed for 1,247 yards with an average of 5.5 yards per carry. The native of Decatur, Texas, has been a workhorse with 489 carries in 22 career games as a running back.
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-- ) – 2,148
7. Phillip Elder (2002-05) – 2,027
8. Jeff Towns (1978-79) – 1,930
9. Don Baker (1971-75) – 1,799
Ehlers answers the call at QB
Daberkow and his staff made the call to start Wyatt Ehlers at quarterback last week at Buena Vista. Ehlers made that decision look smart in the opening quarter when he threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to both Art Anderson and Korrell Koehlmoos. Midway through the first period, the Bulldogs led 14-0. A state championship winning quarterback at Centennial High School, Ehlers finished the game 11-of-22 for 210 yards to go along with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Ehlers provides the Bulldog offense with a dual threat. He also rushed 15 times for 48 yards versus the Beavers. The passing game has improved dramatically with Ehlers and Jake Kemp at the controls.
Sack attack
Concordia’s ability to make plays in the backfield has been a big benefit. The Bulldogs have already racked up eight sacks (seventh most in the NAIA). The team leader is defensive end Aaron Rudloff with three sacks followed by Payton Stevens with two sacks. The vaunted linebacker group has also combined for two sacks. Last season Concordia totaled seven sacks for the entire fall. Napier topped the 2018 Bulldogs with four sacks.
Return of explosive plays
The Bulldogs have shown explosive capability in the passing game that was rarely seen in 2018. In the opener versus Doane, Jake Kemp completed passes that covered distances of 29, 26 and 38 yards, respectively. Then at Buena Vista, Ehlers connected on passes of 45, 45, 33 and 37 yards, respectively. The team’s average of 258.0 passing yards per game is a significant uptick from the figure of 185.3 posted during the 2018 campaign. Three receivers have already surpassed 100 yards receiving: Art Anderson (153), Korrell Koehlmoos (142) and Cayden Beran (129).
Raided through the air
Now Concordia has to figure out how to limit opposing passing attacks. Last week the Bulldogs saw one of the top receivers they are likely to go up against all year in Buena Vista’s Eric Pacheco, who caught 10 passes for 226 yards against Concordia. To this point, opposing quarterbacks have completed 66.2 percent of their passes and have piled up 617 passing yards. The Bulldogs entered this season expecting to improve upon their average of 234.5 passing yards allowed per game in 2018. Formerly a receiver, Peyton Mitchell is now a starting safety. He plucked his first career interception in last week’s loss.
Series vs. Hastings
Concordia and Hastings have met 51 times on the gridiron with the very first matchup taking place in 1966 (6-6 tie). The Broncos have the upper hand with an all-time series record of 36-14-1. The Bulldogs have had some success in recent years, knocking off the Broncos in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The home team had won seven in a row in the series until Hastings clipped Concordia, 21-13, last season inside Bulldog Stadium. Tahj Willingham ran for 173 yards and a touchdown to supply a big portion of the Bronco offense. The Bulldogs got their points on a 42-yard touchdown reception by Ryan Durdon and a 15-yard touchdown rush by Art Anderson.
Scouting Hastings
The Broncos have been consistently competitive under Tony Harper, with exactly five victories in four the previous five seasons. There’s no doubting that the Hastings offense will miss have Tahj Willingham, who racked up 3,675 rushing yards over his four collegiate seasons. The Broncos may have found a new star in receiver Keiontey Stenhouse, who transferred in from Los Angeles Pierce Community College. Stenhouse has gone over 100 yards receiving in each of his first two games with Hastings. He has been the top target of quarterback Isaiah Jackson. When the Concordia offense is on the field, it will have to contend with 6-foot-1, 310-pound nose guard Abdul Marei, who has provided push up front (three sacks). Hastings will be aiming for a third-straight win in this series.