Stout's surprising Top 25 surge

By Don Stoner, Augsburg SID (posted Sept. 22)

MINNEAPOLIS - You see the message in your fax machine on Tuesday, and initially, you're not surprised. It's the AFCA's Division III national poll, compiled by 46 coaches from around the country. It's become the standard for national polls at the Division III level.

You scan over the rankings. The Top 10 isn't much of a surprise. Defending national champion Pacific Lutheran is still first, as expected. Central, the preseason IIAC favorite, is sixth. MIAC powerhouse St. John's is eighth. Wartburg is 10th. No surprises there.

You look down the poll a little more, and your eyes fall on No. 14. Wisconsin-Stout.

Wisconsin-Stout? Hmm, wasn't this the team you rated eighth in the eight-team WIAC in your preseason preview a couple of weeks ago?

OK. Open mouth, insert foot.

Indeed, the Blue Devils are the only WIAC team ranked by the coaches in the Top 25 in the nation after the third week of the regular season. Sure, Wisconsin-River Falls and Wisconsin-Whitewater are in the "Others Receiving Votes" category, but Stout is alone among WIAC teams in the top 25.

Stout is 2-0 overall, after sweeping its non-conference games against Franklin (47-3 on Sept. 2) and Lakeland (34-6 on Sept. 9). And the Blue Devils have had the benefit of a week off before opening play in the always-competitive WIAC. That bye week might be better preparation than these two non-conference foes.

Sure, the Blue Devils' success is only through those two games, and the toughest part of the schedule lies ahead. But consider one more fact about how much the Blue Devils have had to overcome, and you might know why this 2-0 start is even more special.

On Aug. 13, junior tailback Aaron Johnson was involved in an automobile accident. He was walking along a county road near New Richmond, Wis., when he was struck by a pickup truck. He was thrown into the ditch and suffered broken bones and head injuries. He was airlifted to a St. Paul, Minn., hospital. He was slated to be Stout's starting tailback this year, but will miss the entire season instead.

"We had some good news this week about Aaron Johnson. I had a conversation with him and he has called some people," Stout coach Ed Meierkort said. "Our spirits are lifted for him. He's is not in our huddle, but he is in our hearts."

Now, the Blue Devils face two-time defending WIAC champion Wisconsin-Stevens Point this Saturday night in Menomonie, Wis., in what is clearly the most intriguing game in this region this week. It's Stout's home opener, and it could be the biggest game in recent years at Nelson Field -- in its last year of use before a new stadium is built for the 2001 season. And it's a game where Meierkort could become the winningest coach in school history with a victory. He's 28-44 on his career at Stout.

Stevens Point enters the game at 0-2 for the first time since 1986, after dropping its first two non-conference games against very tough competition. The Pointers fell at home 37-29 to Division I-AA Drake last Saturday, a week after a 28-21 overtime home loss to Division II Northern State (S.D.). Of course, the Pointers have won eight of the last nine games in the series, and have won seven of the last eight games the teams have played in Menomonie.

"Stevens Point will be the best team we have played up to this point. We know we are the underdogs going into this game because they are the two-time defending WIAC champions," Meierkort said. "We expect to see both of their quarterbacks (Dave Berguis, Scott Krause) and Chad is one of the best receivers in the league. We know we will see a steady diet of Wally Schmitt running the ball. If you don't stop what they have going, you will continue to face it all night.

"We have used the two weeks off to make us a better football team. We have worked on our passing game, tried to get back to defending the run and added multiple formations. We have always matched up well with what Stevens Point does. Last year (a 24-20 UWSP win), we basically botched the game in the final four minutes. But that was last year's team. This team has a completely different mind set."

How are the Blue Devils doing it this early in the season? Not with a pass-happy offense, which has traditionally been the case at Stout. It's a tenacious defense, rated second in the nation in the latest Division III national statistics with an average of just 94.5 yards per game allowed. Stout is first in the nation in rushing defense, averaging an incredible minus-6 yards per game, and first in the nation in pass efficiency defense, with an opponent pass rating of just 38.4.

Linebacker Steve Miller earned WIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors in the win against Lakeland with two pickoffs, including one for a touchdown. He and his defensive teammates held the Muskies to minus-37 yards rushing in that victory. Defensive backs Tony Beckham and Eric Moe followed that with interceptions returned for touchdowns the next week against Franklin -- after a 10-hour bus drive from Menomonie, Wis., to Franklin, Ind. Miller has added two quarterback sacks, while defensive lineman Jeff Hazuga leads the team with three.

And on offense, the Blue Devils have built a balance. Instead of its traditional passing focus, Stout has become a rushing team, averaging 249 rushing yards per game in the first two contests. Freshman Luke Bundgaard rushed 22 times for 155 yards and his second score of the season in the Franklin win, and is averaging 100 yards per game. Three others have rushed for 50 yards or more. All three quarterbacks have seen time in the first two blowout victories. An offensive line averaging 292 pounds in size protects the skill players.

Rivalry games early in IIAC
It's still early in the season, but there are three "rivalry games" on tap in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this weekend. 

Wartburg and Upper Iowa, just 46 miles apart in northeast Iowa, play in the annual "Victory Bell" game. The bell, awarded since 1949 to the winner of the contest, has been won by the Knights every year since a 1988 UIU upset, and this year could be no exception. Defending IIAC champ Wartburg enters the year at 3-0, after outscoring their first three opponents by a 146-19 margin. Meanwhile, the Peacocks are 0-3, but have had a rough beginning of the season with losses to top teams Central (13-9), Simpson (27-14) and Buena Vista (22-20).

Crosstown rivals Dubuque and Loras lock horns in the annual battle for Dubuque supremacy. This year's game is on the Duhawks' home field, Rock Bowl Stadium, and the hosts are 0-3 while Loras is 1-1.

"The big thing, because it's a rivalry game, is there are two ingredients," said Loras coach Bob Bierie. "One, both teams will play with a lot of emotion. Two, it's really important to not let personal vendettas take hold. You can't get caught up in the hype. You can't play as an individual. You've got to play as a team."

Coe (3-0) and Cornell (1-2), just 16 miles apart in the Cedar Rapids area, hook up for another of those "throw the records out the window" games. Coe has been an offensive juggernaut, averaging 434.7 yards of total offense per game. Kyle Bennis and Seth Wallace are each averaging around 100 receiving yards per game for the Kohawks.

Of course, the most exciting game on tap for the IIAC this week isn't a rivalry game. It's a matchup of unbeatens Central and Buena Vista, colleges 192 miles apart on the Iowa map. Central is on the road for its third game in the first four weeks, while the 2-0 Beavers hope to spring what could be a major home upset in a battle of two of the top defenses in the IIAC.

"It's going to be real interesting," said Central coach Rich Kacmarynski. "These are two of the better defensive teams in the league, so I think there will be some great defense being played. The offenses will have to work hard to move the sticks and put the ball in the end zone."

Other top games of the week
Gustavus (1-1) at Bethel (2-0), 1 p.m., Arden Hills, Minn.
The game of the week in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Bethel has a powerful offense -- averaging 38 points and 445 yards per game after two easy victories -- behind the leadership of sophomore quarterback Scott Kirchoff, who won the starting role over junior Joe Persuitti. 

Meanwhile, the Royals' defense (279.0 yards, 7.5 points allowed per game) will attempt to stop a balanced Gustie attack under second-year starting QB Joe Thorvig. Running back Andy Traetow has three touchdowns in the first two games, and wideouts Brady Brau and Chris Greavu have been strong targets for Thorvig. Linebacker Brian Bergstrom has continued his consecutive-game double-digit tackles streak. He's now at nine games in a row, after earning MIAC Defensive Player of the Week honors with a 17-tackle, two-sack, one-touchdown-on-a-fumble-recovery performance against Hamline last week.

Wisconsin-River Falls (1-1) at Wisconsin-La Crosse (0-2), 7 p.m.,
La Crosse, Wis.
La Crosse first-year head coach Larry Terry, an assistant for 11 years with the Eagles, opens WIAC play at home against the Falcons. Coach John O'Grady's Falcons used their wishbone offense to perfection last week in a 34-0, non-conference win against Wisconsin-Oshkosh, compiling 337 rushing yards. The Falcons are playing their third consecutive road game to start the season. Meanwhile, La Crosse lost its first two games to Division II foes, a 26-6 loss at Washburn and a 27-9 loss to Winona State. The Eagles have had a week off to prepare for the Falcons. La Crosse is averaging just 187.5 yards of total offense per game entering this week's contest, while giving up 317 yards per game.

Grinnell (1-1) at Lake Forest (1-1), 1:30 p.m., Lake Forest, Ill.
Two 1-0 Midwest Conference teams face each other in an important early-season game, Lake Forest's Homecoming contest. Grinnell takes to the road for the first time, after topping Beloit 30-20 in the season-opener at home. Sophomore running back Adam Wallace set a school record with 245 rushing yards on 39 carries to lift the Pioneers to victory. He ended up with 298 all-purpose yards, a receiving touchdown and a two-point conversion. He has 389 rushing yards, 148 receiving yards and five touchdowns in his first two games. Meanwhile, Lake Forest notched career win No. 1 for new coach Chad Eisele with a 30-13 league win at Monmouth last week. Lake Forest was stingy on defense, allowing just 15 rushing yards in the contest. Meanwhile, the Foresters gained 290 yards on the ground -- 119 yards from freshman Tom Starnicky and 92 yards and a score from junior Jason Arendsee -- and 417 yards of total offense against Monmouth.

This column is drawn from a variety of sources, including the outstanding work and research of sports information directors from Division III schools all over the Midwest. If you have a note or an interesting story, contact Don at stoner@augsburg.edu.

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