LATROBE, Pa. — Bob Colbert, a 36-year veteran football coach with wide-ranging experience, has been named coach at St. Vincent, which is returning to varsity competition after a hiatus of nearly 50 years.

"I am delighted to announce that Bob Colbert has enthusiastically accepted the challenge of building our new football program," St. Vincent president James F. Will said. "Bob"s extensive experience with successful programs including eight years at Division III standout Bridgewater College, has prepared him to create a program that will bring success to our students both on the field and in the classroom."

Colbert"s appointment becomes effective Jan. 6.

St. Vincent announced in June that it would begin its provisional membership in Division III in the fall of 2006 and that it would begin competing in football in the fall of 2007.

Colbert comes to St. Vincent after serving as associate head coach and offensive coordinator at Bridgewater, which has won the ODAC title for the past five years and went to the NCAA playoffs for the past six years.

"I just couldn"t be happier about this opportunity," Colbert said. "While I have enjoyed my work at Bridgewater, I am ready to become a head coach and accept the challenge of starting a new program at St. Vincent — a college with a great reputation for providing a first-rate education with an excellent faculty and an outstanding campus in a beautiful area of Pennsylvania. St. Vincent is very attractive to students who know the benefits of their educational approach based on Catholic, Benedictine values."

A native of Pittsburgh"s North Side, Colbert also noted that he is looking forward to coming home to western Pennsylvania. "My brother, Kevin, is director of football operations for the Pittsburgh Steelers," Colbert said, "so it will be great to be closer to him, especially in the summer when the Steelers hold their annual training camp at St. Vincent."

"My first priority is to hire assistant coaches and establish contacts with high school coaches," Colbert continued. "I want to bring some freshmen in this coming fall and I am sure there are some current students who will also want to help me form the future of this program. It will be an exciting experience for these students since they will be the trailblazers and everyone will be watching them. We are going to work very hard, play some great football and have a lot of fun. I think that the St. Vincent campus community as well as many area residents will really enjoy this program. I know that Latrobe is a great all-American city and is widely known as a great football town."

Colbert graduated from North Catholic High School in 1965 where he played both football (running back) and baseball (catcher) before enrolling at the University of Maryland where he played defensive back and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971. While at Maryland, he served as head coach for two years at Gallaudet. Just 23 at the time, he was the youngest head coach in the U.S. and had a record of 3-4 in his first season, the school"s best record in the previous 32 years.

He served as defensive backs coach at Colgate from 1972 to 1975 before moving to the NFL as an assistant to the defensive staff with the Washington Redskins under George Allen (1976) and administrative assistant to the Baltimore Colts (1977-1979) under coach Ted Marchibroda.

He returned to college coaching at Ohio Wesleyan where he was defensive coordinator from 1980-1982. From 1983 to 1989 he was receivers coach and special teams coordinator at Cornell which was champion of the Ivy League in 1988. He was offensive line coach in 1990 at Dartmouth which won the Ivy League title that year.

Colbert moved to Division I-AA James Madison as offensive coordinator for four years (1991-1994), twice reaching the NCAA quarterfinals. He was quarterbacks coach in 1996 and became offensive coordinator in 1997 at another Division I-AA school, Massachusetts, in 1996 and 1997.

For the past eight years, Colbert has been offensive line coach and offensive coordinator, and more recently, associate head coach, at Bridgewater. The Eagles were 64-11 during the past six years and finished 11-2 this year, including postseason victories over Washington and Jefferson and Thiel, future conference rivals of St. Vincent, before losing to Wesley in the national quarterfinals.

College officials have not yet made a decision on where the new Bearcat squad will play their home games. The college has a new state-of-the-art grass field that the Steelers installed earlier this year on campus near Rooney Hall. The option of playing some games at Greater Latrobe School District's Latrobe Memorial Stadium is also being explored.

College officials decided to start football in recognition of the sport's popularity in western Pennsylvania, its contribution to the enhancement of weekend campus life in the fall, the boost in pride among alumni and other supporters of St. Vincent, and the opportunity for a new connection to the Latrobe area and the surrounding region.

Football will be returning to St. Vincent after being discontinued as a varsity sport in 1962. Students ran a club program for a decade after that.

Despite the expansion of the field by four teams, the 2005 NCAA Division III playoffs were the least competitive since automatic bids were instituted in 1999.

The average margin of victory of a 2005 playoff game was 20.7 points, nearly three touchdowns. The near-stomping was the highest margin of victory in the seven years of the current playoff system, surpassing the 20.1-point average in 2002. Eight games this postseason were decided by five or more touchdowns.

The addition of four Pool C teams was a positive, as those teams' first-round games averaged a 13-point margin of victory. The four lowest-seeded Pool C teams were Capital, Central, Cortland State and Wilkes. Capital advanced to the regional finals with a two-point victory and a three-point victory before losing by three.

The West, with five unbeaten teams, was the least competitive bracket, with the bracket's seven games decided by an average of 25.4 points. The East, with two unbeatens, was decided by an average of 12.3 points.

The most competitive playoffs were in 2003, where the average margin of victory was 15.3 points.

A year-by-year look at the playoffs:

Season	Margin	35+	Least competitive	Most competitive
2005	20.7	8	West, 25.4	East, 12.3
2004	17.9	4	East, 22.8	North, 12.7
2003	15.3	3	North, 24.3	South, 7.0
2002	20.1	7	West, 21.7	South, 15.8
2001	17.0	4	North, 23.5	West, 8.5
2000	16.1	1	North, 18.8	West, 10.5
1999	16.6	4	North, 23.3	South, 12.8

Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott, Ohio Northern defensive back Wes Hostetler and UW-Oshkosh tight end Bob Docherty have been invited to play in the Hula Bowl.

The game, which features primarily Division I-A players and typically has just one from Division III, will be played Jan. 21 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, with coverage scheduled for 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

Elliott, a first-team All-America selection at quarterback for the second straight year, completed 69.9% of his passes for the Wildcats, who finished the season ranked No. 3 in the D3football.com Top 25. He threw for 4,019 yards and 49 touchdowns against just nine interceptions.

Hostetler, the most valuable player of the Aztec Bowl, will participate as a return specialist, a position at which he was named third team All-American by D3football.com. (He was also named third team as a cornerback.) His three Aztec Bowl touchdowns came on an 86-yard kickoff return, a 75-yard interception return and a 54-yard punt return. Ohio Northern finished No. 18 in the final poll.

Docherty, a second-team All-West Region selection of D3football.com, caught 18 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh received votes in the final D3football.com Top 25.

Elliott and Hostetler will play for the East team, Docherty for the West.

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa – Matt Dillon, who coached West Des Moines Dowling High School to the 2000 and 2001 Class 4A Iowa football championships, has been named head coach at Cornell, his alma mater. Dillon replaces Ray Reasland, who resigned Nov. 23 with a four-year record of 12-28.

"We"re thrilled to welcome coach Dillon back to the hilltop," Cornell athletics director Tina Hill said. "His passion and enthusiasm for Cornell is contagious and his proven success as a head coach will serve us well. The students, staff, community and alumni are looking forward to working with coach Dillon as we begin a new era of Ram football."

Dillon graduated from Cornell in 1981 with a bachelor"s degree in economics and business. He received a master"s degree in physical education from Iowa State in 1986. Dillon was inducted into the Cornell Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993 and was selected as the quarterback on the Cornell all-century team in 1992. He was a team captain three times from 1978 to 1980 and was a team MVP in 1978 and 1980.

"This is a tremendous opportunity and I"m excited to take on the challenges of this job," Dillon said. "This is the job I"ve dreamed of having since May of 1981 and thankfully it"s going to happen."

In 24 years as a high school head coach, Dillon is best known for piloting Dowling to a 79-20 record from 1996-2005 and advancing to the state playoffs seven times. The Maroons won the championship twice and were runner-up in 1998. Last season Dillon was head coach at West Hall (Ga.) High School and won three regional games while starting two freshmen, nine sophomores and six juniors. From 1982-87 Dillon was head coach at North Polk (Iowa) High School and led the Comets to their first playoff appearance and first playoff victory in 1986. He also coached in Montana and Florida.

Dillon, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., played at Cornell from 1977-80. During that time the Rams compiled a record of 30-6 and won Midwest Conference championships in 1978 and 1980. For his career, Dillon completed 307 of 568 passes for 4,877 yards and 49 touchdowns. He still shares a school record with five touchdown passes in a game, against Coe in 1978 and Chicago in 1980.

"Cornell is a great place to go to school and get an education," Dillon said. "I had an outstanding football experience here and some really positive things happened to me while I was at Cornell."

Steve Stetson, associate head coach at Division I-AA New Hampshire for the past four years, has been named head coach at Hamilton. He replaces Pete Alvanos, whose teams went 5-35 in five seasons.

Stetson returns to Hamilton, where he was head coach for three years from 1982-84. His record was 9-14-1, but the Continentals went 6-1-1 in 1984. The winning record was Hamilton"s first since 1967.

"I"m absolutely thrilled and so is my wife," Stetson said. "We love Hamilton College and we love the people. I"m looking forward to coaching the young men who are there. I"m very different from 20-some odd years ago. Times are different, recruiting is different and the league (New England Small College Athletic Conference) has improved. I think I"m a much better coach from that first time."

"We are excited to have Steve Stetson join the Hamilton College athletic department staff," athletic director David Thompson said. "We are confident that coach Stetson will return the Hamilton football program to a winning tradition for many years to come."

The success of Stetson"s 1984 season led to a head coaching position at Division I-AA Boston University. Stetson coached there for another three seasons, from 1985-87. He moved on to Hartwick, where he revived the program in 1991 after a 42-year hiatus. Stetson coached the Hawks until 2001, and Hartwick enjoyed eight winning seasons out of his last nine at the school.

The Laconia, N.H., native returned home in 2002 to join the New Hampshire staff. The Wildcats were 3-8 in his first year, but in 2004 UNH was 10-3 and reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-AA championships. In 2005, Stetson helped guide the Wildcats to an 11-2 record and the team"s second straight Atlantic 10 North Division title. UNH was awarded the No. 1 seed in the Division I-AA championships and advanced to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year.

Stetson graduated from Dartmouth with a degree in sociology in 1973. He was an all-Ivy League selection at quarterback after his senior year. Dartmouth won the league title each year he was on varsity from 1970-72 and the team"s record was 24-2-1 during that span.

Glenn Caruso has been named Macalester head coach. The offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of South Dakota the past two years, Caruso is the 27th head coach in the 120-year history of the program.

"We have hired a phenomenal young coach with the experience, the vision, and the energy to transform our football program," Macalester athletic director Travis Feezell said. "His track record is exceptional and his references were glowing. Yet the piece that came through most strongly in his interview was a willingness to accept the challenges of building a successful football program at Macalester. Moreover, he was able to articulate a plan for meeting those challenges. He is special and I expect great things from him in the near future."

Caruso, 31, takes over for Dennis Czech, who resigned in November following eight years as head coach at Macalester. The Scots are coming off an 0-9 season and will look towards Caruso to rebuild the program.

"I am extremely excited to be a part of Macalester football," Caruso said. "I believe that there is a vision in place among the administration, beginning with President Rosenberg and Athletic Director Feezell, and I will proudly continue that vision as well as represent the school as the face of the football program.

"College football has forever been a passion of mine, and being a Division III head coach has been a long time dream that comes true today. I embrace the qualities that small college football represents. They are a part of my collegiate roots, and now, will become a part of my professional future. ... I've never been one to shy away challenges or work, and as far as I'm concerned, there is no greater challenge out there than Macalester football 2006."

In his first season as offensive coordinator for the South Dakota Coyotes, Caruso directed an offense that set 27 school records, including points scored and total yardage. This past season, South Dakota went 9-2 while averaging 49.7 points and 583 yards per game. The Coyotes ranked first nationally in Division II in total offense and scoring, and ninth in passing offense. His quarterback this past season at USD finished second in the voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the award presented to the top NCAA Division II player in the country.

Prior to coming to USD, Caruso served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for one year at UW-Eau Claire. He was also offensive coordinator and running backs coach at North Dakota State in 2002-03 and was an assistant coach at NDSU since 1997.

At Eau Claire, Caruso"s impact was also felt immediately as he directed an offense which averaged 33 points and rolled up 417 yards in offense per game in addition to 287 passing yards per game. Eau Claire scored at least 36 points in six of its 10 games. Caruso was also the community service coordinator and professional player liaison for the Blugolds.

During his tenure at NDSU, he was also a running backs and tights ends coach and helped with various special teams. He coached many players who signed professional contracts, including two in the NFL. He recruited the Chicago and Wisconsin areas.

Caruso earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1996 from Ithaca, majoring in sport studies. He earned his master"s degree in education from North Dakota State in 2004, and is currently working on his Ph D. in psychology at USD. He was also a graduate assistant (offensive line) at Ithaca in 1996-97.

Caruso has received the Ithaca College Professional Excellence Award. While playing center for Ithaca (1992-96), he was named a National College Football Scholar-Athlete. He was a GTE CoSIDA first-ream academic all-district selection, as well. Caruso was a member of three NCAA playoff teams at Ithaca.

Glenn, his wife Rachael, daughter Anna Marie and son Cade, will move from Vermillion to St. Paul shortly.

"My wife Rachael, our children and I look forward to becoming a part of the Mac family," offered Caruso. "The ability to raise our children in a community like St. Paul was very attractive to us; for all the same reasons this area is appealing to future recruits. But what we look forward to the most is continuing to build relationships with the campus, the community and especially with the young men we will be coaching; both those at Mac now as well as our future athletes."

Tom Clark, Catholic University"s football coach, has tendered his resignation, effective Jan. 2, 2006, to pursue another coaching opportunity.

Clark, one of the university"s most successful coaches, built the CUA football program into a national playoff contender during his first tour at CUA, from 1994 to 2000. After a three-year stint as defensive coordinator and secondary coach at William and Mary in Williamsburg, Va., in 2004 he returned to CUA as head football coach. His career record at CUA is 59-31-1.

"Coach Clark is an outstanding football coach and a quality person. He made significant progress during the past two years toward rebuilding our football program," said athletic director Michael Allen. "While we are disappointed he is leaving, we respect and understand his reasons for doing so. We wish him the best of luck in the future."

Allen indicated that the search for a new coach will begin immediately.

"Given that we are in the heart of football recruiting season, it is critical that we have our next coach in place as soon as possible. Catholic University is a great place to work and we are committed to seeing our football program return to national prominence. With the facility upgrades that are planned for this summer and the volume of young talent in our program, we expect to have a strong pool of applicants."

By Pat Coleman
D3football.com

We haven't seen the last of Mount Union or UW-Whitewater. Assuming the key components stay healthy and eligible, these teams should be preseason No. 1 and No. 2.

Of course, despite winning the WIAC with relative ease last year, there's no guarantee Whitewater will be able to do what it did this year -- run the table in the league, get a high seed, and parlay that into more playoff success. As the defending regional champ, the Warhawks would be in line for a No. 1 seed if they finish the regular season unbeaten.

Among the key contributors for UW-Whitewater, quarterback Justin Jacobs is a junior, running back Justin Beaver is a sophomore and fullback Travis Reuland is a junior, as is receiver Derek Stanley and tight end Pete Schmitt. Third and fourth receivers Lance Douglas and Neil Mrkvicka are a junior and sophomore. Across the front line, left tackle Max Sakellaris (junior), left guard Brady Ramseier and center Brent Allen (sophomores) return. On defense, linebacker Robb Widuch, and three-fourths of the secondary departs, but the entire front line are juniors or younger, as is linebacker A.J. Raebel and safety Andy Murray.

In Mount Union's case, quarterback Michael Jorris is a junior, running backs Nate Kmic and Aaron Robinson are a freshman and junior, respectively. Pierre Garcon is a sophomore and extra receivers Anthony Antonucci and Brandon Boehm are a junior and sophomore. Thomas Manning and Jeff Goodwill are seniors, as is tight end Scott Campbell, but the rest of the offensive line returns. Robert McDavid is a senior but the other safeties are sophomores, as is cornerback Cameron Rose. Linebacker Mike Gibbons, cornerback Ross Watson and defensive tackles Jesse Wells and Buddy Wolf are seniors, as are ends Greg Brauer and Justen Stickley, though Stickley has a redshirt year available to him and told D3football.com he has yet to decide whether to use it.

Warhawk coach Bob Berezowitz said after the game, "this is a very young football team. Whether or not it will happen again will be what they decide to do between now and next season and how other people progress and whether or not we"re fortunate to (again) be in the position we were.

"There have been many years in our program where we've won championships and we've been to the playoffs and we've never been able to make that run."

That's the key, putting it all together. Mount Union has done it for years on end, and in 12 months we'll know whether Whitewater can do it for the second year in a row or fall prey to seemingly inevitable WIAC upsets.

PINEVILLE, La. — Louisiana College announced the hiring of Dennis Dunn as football coach at a news conference Monday. Dunn, who turned Evangel Christian Academy into a Louisiana and national high school power during the 1990s and 2000s, takes over for David Armstrong who did not have his contract renewed by the school after this past season. He is Louisiana College's fourth coach in four seasons.

In 1992, Dunn, whose overall high school coaching record is 200-39, took over as the head coach at Evangel Christian Academy. During his 14 years at Evangel, his teams won 13 district championships, nine state championships, and one USA Today national championship. Of Evangel"s nine state championships, three came in class 1A, three in 3A, and three in class 5A. Evangel"s national championship was won in 1999 after a perfect 15-0 record. Dunn also coached 19 All-Americans during his time at Evangel.

Dunn cited timing and opportunities that LC presents as reasons for taking the job. "Louisiana College presents a new opportunity for me to pursue a childhood dream — to coach college football," Dunn said.

"Evangel has been a huge part of my life for the last 15 years," Dunn said. "My family and I have a lot of incredible memories there and are blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of that wonderful program."

LC athletic director Tim Whitman cited Dunn"s outstanding accomplishments along with his Christian leadership as the main factor in hiring Dunn. "He (Dunn) is a coach that has been successful on the field and in shaping young men"s lives with his Christian leadership," Whitman said. "He is a man who can bring success to our football program and will inspire our student athletes to improve on the field, in the classroom, and their spiritual growth."

Dunn pointed out the fact that he hoped to build the program where his players are champions both on and off the field.

Dunn stated that his priorities will be "Christ first, family second, and gaining a college degree third." "Our success will not be determined by the wins on the field, but by what these young men turn out to be 15-20 years from now," Dunn said. "My definition of success is what kind of husbands, fathers, and citizens our players become. With that in mind, winning will take care of itself."

Mount Union got a 95-yard touchdown run from freshman tailback Nate Kmic and held on against a late Warhawk rally to defeat UW-Whitewater 35-28 and win Stagg Bowl XXXIII. Kmic, whose long run (audio clip) tied former Purple Raider Chuck Moore's Stagg Bowl record for longest touchdown run, finished with 185 yards on 28 carries.

Justin Beaver got the Division III running record in a losing cause, gaining 125 yards on 30 carries and the game's opening touchdown and surpassing the record for rushing yards in a season. But in the end, Mount Union's 28-7 third-quarter lead proved too much to overcome and the Purple Raiders prevailed as UW-Whitewater's final touchdown came with two seconds remaining in the game. Full story and photo gallery

Senior Ross Watson and the Mount Union secondary helped keep Justin Jacobs to 22-for-47 passing. Derek Stanley caught seven passes, but for just 99 yards. "Many thought this senior class was on the decline," Watson told D3football.com after the game, "but we came back today and proved that things are still good at Mount Union College." Could we see another matchup next year?

Listen to the broadcast archives: pregame coverage, game and postgame. We blogged about the game in the Daily Dose, and there will be more. Scoreboard.

Also, the Division III All-Stars beat Mexico 53-15, behind an interception return and a punt return for a touchdown by Ohio Northern defensive back Wes Hostetler. Earlier in the day, Hostetler was named an All-American as a defensive back and return specialist by D3football.com

The practices are complete, the speeches done, the luncheons eaten, and the final hours are being counted down to Stagg Bowl XXXIII. At 1 p.m. Saturday, UW-Whitewater and Mount Union will kick off for the 2005 Division III football championship.

At 11 a.m., we'll hit the air with our pregame show, which includes the first announcement of the D3football.com All-America team. We talk with both coaches as well as players from both sides, plus get the final word on field conditions.

It's an event you won't want to miss. But if you can't wait to hear more from Salem, download and listen to our pregame report from Salem Stadium (377K, mp3 format). Plus, view our photo gallery from Friday in Salem.

By Pat Coleman
D3football.com

SALEM – The first time Justin Beaver noticed Travis Reuland, Beaver was watching a junior varsity football game for Palmyra-Eagle High School in Palmyra, Wis., the school he knew he"d attend the next season. There was Reuland, running for touchdown after touchdown, occupying the same spot in the I-formation backfield that Beaver knew was his.

"I was (thinking) ‘Oh, geez, I"m never going to play at this school"," Beaver said. "They"ve got this kid one grade ahead of me who"s just amazing."

For Reuland, the realization took a while longer. By the time Beaver got to Palmyra-Eagle, Reuland was already playing varsity football. So his moment of realization didn"t come until spring. "The first time I really noticed Justin was when we ran track, and he beat me. That was the first time I"d really been beat by someone younger than me."

Sounds like the makings of a good rivalry, right? Not exactly. "We"ve pretty much been best buds ever since," Reuland says.

And far from being in competition, the two have been playing complementary roles ever since. Reuland ended up playing wingback and Beaver played fullback when both played varsity at Palmyra-Eagle, and both played linebacker as well, with each earning all-conference

"I may have taken some carries away from him," said Beaver. "He was playing the wing, so the fullback gets most of the carries. But my carries set up his big runs, he averaged over 10 yards a carry, so he got the big runs and I just pounded it in there mostly."

"Every run you get is pretty much a touchdown run," Reuland points out. "Who doesn"t want that kind of position?"

Things haven"t changed all that much for the pair. Beaver, a sophomore who has run for 2,295 yards in 13 games, is the running back. Reuland, a junior, is the starting fullback and has carried the ball less than twice a game. No matter. "I don"t care that he"s getting the ball a ton," Reuland says. "He"s amazing, and we"re winning. You can"t argue with that."

Both were all-state selections coming out of high school, Reuland at linebacker and Beaver at running back. Each played both ways, and Beaver was all-conference at linebacker as well. But Reuland didn"t get any scholarship looks in a state with just one Division I football program (UW-Madison) and no Division II schools, leaving him with just a couple of choices, UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater. Whitewater didn"t give up on him, even though he seemed destined to head west. "Z (Warhawk offensive coordinator Stan Zweifel) kept calling and their facilities are amazing. That"s why I made my decision."

When all Beaver got were some invitations to walk on at the Division II level, staying close to home was an easy decision. "Stan Zweifel also talked to me, told me he was going to chain me to the goalposts and everything else. I loved his enthusiasm. He"s just a crazy guy.

"And the fact that your best friend"s playing at Whitewater, and you can play with him again obviously is a huge reason."

The support of having a familiar teammate and roommate came in handy last season. Reuland sprained his foot and got just one carry all season in limited action. Beaver got the ball in eight games but was unable to keep the starting job after tearing his left hamstring. Colin Burns stepped in and was an all-conference selection, running for 1,422 yards on 282 carries, including 54 carries against UW-Eau Claire in Week 4. But Burns was unable to continue playing football after getting his bell rung too many times, giving Beaver another opportunity.

"He was a good friend," says Beaver. "I was kind of torn. Should I be mad, happy? What should I do?"

In the end, the backfield tandem put their offseason efforts towards catching up, working out twice a day, four times a week over the summer.

"We would start out in the mornings," Reuland recalls, "and work from like 8:30 or 9:00 until like 11. We"d have a break until 5:00 and come back in. In the morning we"d warm up and do main core lifts, power clean, squats, bench, then we"d come back and do speed workouts in the afternoon. We"d work out for another hour and a half doing that stuff and also auxiliary lifts like the curls and triceps stuff.

"We felt like we had to do the extra stuff to get to where we want to be. You have to put in more work."

Reuland came to Whitewater expecting to play linebacker but Zweifel pegged him for fullback right away, and it got him in the lineup. He started as a redshirt freshman and had to learn some things about the position. "I can"t just use all my speed and overrun things. I have to slow it down. It"s been a struggle for me, based on I"m not a big fullback (5-8, 215), so trying to use my strengths to play fullback has been a challenge."

The challenge has paid off, because not only does Beaver have a strong offensive line in front of him, he has a friend in the backfield. "Having Travis blocking for me and what-not, it"s pretty much like having someone you really know that"s always going to be there. You know he"s going to get the job done. You know he"s going to give it 100%. You can"t really expect that from someone that you don"t know. If you have some random guy come in and blocking for you, the position that opens up my hole to run through, you really don"t know what"s going to happen."

It doesn"t stop with Reuland, either, as Beaver knows the work of offensive linemen such as Max Sakellaris, Brady Ramseier, Brent Allen, Tony Lorino and Cal Schmidt often goes unnoticed. "They put in so much time," Beaver says. "The running backs have time where we"re just sitting around or watching special teams. The O-linemen are down doing drills like crazy. They put so much time in and get so little recognition. I cannot imagine how that would be."

It"s a thankless job, and a difficult one. Ask Reuland, who knows full well. "I don"t think people watching the game, or even that have played in past years remember how hard it is to block. I really think it"s one of the hardest things to do in football, because you really don"t know where the running back"s going, you don"t know what"s behind you, so the defense is reacting and you have to react off them.

"Then you can"t hold. You can"t go outside the framework of your body with your hands. I really don"t think there"s enough said about what linemen are doing during games."

What they"re doing is getting Whitewater one game away from the national championship and Beaver 91 yards from the Division III rushing record. But his friend is a big supporter.

"Even if he wouldn"t have gotten the stats, I"d still think he is the best running back in Division III," says Reuland. "And now it"s showing."

Travis Reuland ran track, was a high-profile back on offense and an all-state linebacker in high school. But when he first met Justin Beaver they became best friends. And even though Beaver, one year younger, got his attention by beating Reuland in a race and got the majority of carries, they played complementary roles back then.

Not much has changed since. Both ended up at UW-Whitewater, where Reuland, now a fullback, is in charge of creating a hole for his buddy to run through.

It's a welcome change from last year, when Beaver tore his hamstring and lost his starting job, while Reuland sprained his foot. And all it's done is spurred Beaver on to 2,295 yards and UW-Whitewater to Stagg Bowl XXXIII.

The story of the best friends in the Warhawk backfield, in a Road to Salem feature by Pat Coleman.

SALEM -- Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott accepted the 2005 Gagliardi Trophy on Thursday afternoon at a ceremony at the Salem Civic Center. The award honors excellence in athletics, academics and community service and is presented to the outstanding football player in NCAA Division III. The award program is sponsored by Jostens, Inc., and conducted by the J-Club of Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn. Check out the photo gallery.

Elliott spoke with D3football.com, and that interview can be heard on the Stagg Bowl XXXIII pregame show, which starts at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday.

It's a great day for football in Salem, with snow turned to sleet and edging towards rain early in the afternoon. The stadium is under a tarp (not to mention the snow) and a large video board is being installed in the end zone. There will be a replay official for Saturday's game, more information in the Daily Dose.

Tickets are selling well, even on a day that's not fan-friendly. But don't worry, things will clear up well before game time, with highs in the mid-40s and only a 10% chance of precipitation on Saturday. Call the Salem Civic Center box office for tickets at 540-375-3004.

We've gotten every Stagg Bowl prediction correct, except those that involve St. John's.

With the Johnnies safely out of the way, we can tell you right now who will win Stagg Bowl XXXIII. But bear in mind – it's just a prediction. You should still follow the game with us anyway. Our live broadcast will start at 11 a.m. ET.

But if you need something to keep you busy, check out what our seven experts say. And bear in mind, it's a split decision. And we know you'll want to put in your two cents' worth as well, so we've put this year's predictions on the Daily Dose. Enjoy.

By Keith McMillan
D3football.com

Nate Kmic, Mike Jorris, Pierre Garcon. Justin Beaver, Justin Jacobs, Derek Stanley.

If fans don"t recognize the names of Mount Union and UW-Whitewater"s skill position stars, they will when they watch the 33rd Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl on Saturday.

But whether or not the Purple Raiders take home their eighth national championship in nine trips to Salem will depend largely on people no one outside of Alliance, Ohio, has heard of. While Mount Union"s skill position players and young coaches were learning on the job, the offensive line and defense stood tall until the others got up to speed.

But don"t expected a checkered flag to signal the start of a Stagg Bowl shootout, like Whitewater"s 44-41 quarterfinal victory over defending champion Linfield. Saturday will be more of a lineman"s dream. Both offenses are built upon successful running games, which makes the battle between each offensive line and defensive front paramount.

That plays right into a strength Mount Union has featured since Day One. Returning four starting offensive linemen but inexperienced at the skill positions, the Purple Raiders began the season by leaning on a defense led by tackles Jesse Wells and Buddy Wolf, linebacker Mike Gibbons and defensive back Ross Watson.

While Mount Union settled on quarterback Mike Jorris and integrated transfer receiver Pierre Garcon into the offense, the Purple Raiders allowed just 51 points during a 6-0 start. Twenty-four of those were scored by Capital, which turned out to be a national quarterfinalist.

Coach Larry Kehres said the offensive inexperience forced his team to "grow and improve" each time out, and the 20th-year head man proved it wasn"t just coachspeak. Instead of increasing his workload with longtime coordinator Don Montgomery and another assistant gone to Emory and Henry, Kehres stepped back and let some of his younger assistants grow and improve on the job. He relinquished the play-calling duties that had grown synonymous with his reputation, turning most of the offensive decision-making over to Matt Campbell, Jason Candle and quarterbacks coach Zac Bruney, who each came to Salem as players under Kehres. Twenty nine-year-old Vince Kehres shares the defensive coordinator"s job with Jeff Wojtowicz, one of the three Mount Union coaches (there are 10) older than 30.

Perhaps the most important growth came after the Purple Raiders suffered their first regular-season loss since 1994. Ohio Northern won 21-14 in Alliance on Oct. 22.

"I"ve never been one to expect the "05 team to do what any of the other teams I"ve coached have done," said Larry Kehres, adding that he does not begin a season expecting to go undefeated. "Losses are upsetting, but they"re a great opportunity to examine yourself."

Following his lead, the Purple Raiders went right to work on figuring out why they were beatable.

"We could have blamed certain situations if we chose to be excuse-makers," Kehres said.

Instead, the Purple Raider defense responded by allowing just one field goal for the rest of the regular season, and 13 points to two one-loss playoff opponents. By the time Capital made its second visit to Alliance, the offense was experienced enough to counter the 31 points the Crusaders scored. After that three-point victory, Mount Union snuffed Rowan"s running game (minus-1 yard on 27 carries) in the 19-7 quarterfinal win.

Kehres called it one of his team"s best performances. But really, this whole season has been one.

Taking more moving parts than championship teams usually have into games with several grueling regular-season opponents, these Purple Raiders are the first in a long time to give off an overachieving aura.

"We did blend, we did grow and we did mature," Kehres said. "All told, considering that so much of the starting unit are in their first year being starters, it"s been a very enjoyable year to watch."

That has made this trip to Salem as enjoyable as any.

"The thrill is watching the players enjoy the games and the moments," Kehres said, noting that it doesn"t get old even after 20 seasons and just 20 career losses. "That and working with the younger coaches."

While this season has been marked by tremendous performance, the Purple Raiders will need another to stop the Warhawks. Beaver, the star running back, leads all divisions with 2,295 yards. He also averages 5.8 yards per carry and more than 176 per game.

Coach Bob Berezowitz patterned his run-heavy offense after one run at Wisconsin by Barry Alvarez and then-Badger line coach Bill Callahan. Tweaking it since taking over at Whitewater in 1985, Berezowitz has become an expert himself.

"Bob"s like the zone running guy," Kehres said. "He"s made video tapes about this."

Up until this season, Berezowitz said, the Warhawks ran the ball 70% of the time.

But a passing game featuring Jacobs (3,246 yards) and receiver Derek Stanley (27.3 yards per catch) has opened up the running game, and helped Whitewater even out its play-calling to about 50-50. The Warhawks will show multiple formations, from three wide receiver looks to two backs and two tight ends.

The Purple Raiders must feel like they"ve seen it all, after defensing Augustana"s Wing T and Rowan"s no-huddle spread. They"ve also had an answer for just about everything. Capital and Ohio Northern, two of Mount Union"s best conference rivals, accounted for 76 of the 126 points scored against them. The other 11 opponents have managed just 50 points, or an average of 4.5 each.

The Purple Raiders go into the national championship with a rare statistical feat. They boast the No. 1 offense among 228 charted Division III schools at 525.8 yards per game and the No. 2 defense, allowing just 208.4 yards per game. They rank no lower than 19th in any major offensive or defensive category, and even their 18th-ranked rushing offense and 19th-ranked passing offense produces a 241-284 average yardage split.

That shows what quick studies many of the Purple Raiders were, considering that Mount Union last won a championship in 2002 and was considered at the beginning of the season a top 10 team with about the same shot at the national championship as the teams ranked alongside it. D3football.com"s Kickoff preview predicted that the Purple Raiders would lose a regular season game, and eight experts had them among the final four but none had them winning the title. Even Kehres said "other teams are catching up, and one of "em passed us."

And yet here Mount Union is again.

"It"s very gratifying," Kehres said. "We weren"t (even) the most experienced team in our conference, in terms of starters returning."

The returning, it turned out, involved the December trip to Salem, missed last season for the first time since 1999. There"s one more return the Purple Raiders would like to make, and it involves standing in the middle of the field with a certain piece of Walnut and Bronze in hand.

Offense, offense, offense. Many years that's what's gotten the most attention at Mount Union from fans, whether it's a star such as Jim Ballard, Bill Borchert or Rob Adamson at quarterback or a Chuck Moore or Dan Pugh at running back.

While this Purple Raider team certainly has its players who handle the ball, the defense is tasked with coming up big as well against a multifaceted UW-Whitewater offense. And since the defense had to hold the line early in Alliance while the offense matured, it's only natural that they'll be put on the spot in Salem.

Keith McMillan explores the Purple Raider defense in a Road to Salem feature.

D3football.com has learned that Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott is the 2005 recipient of the Gagliardi Trophy.

The award honors excellence in athletics, academics and community service and is presented to the outstanding football player in NCAA Division III. The award program is sponsored by Jostens, Inc., and conducted by the J-Club of Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minn. The 13th annual award will be presented on Dec. 15, in Salem, Va.

The trophy is named for St. John's coach John Gagliardi, the winningest coach in college football history. The winner is determined by a 30-member national selection committee, which includes college coaches, former athletes, college administrators, business leaders and members of the media, including D3football.com publisher Pat Coleman.

Elliott threw for 4,019 yards and 49 touchdowns in 11 games, including nine games of more than 300 yards, matching the Division III record. He completed 69.9% of his passes, throwing just nine interceptions. The senior set the Linfield single-game passing yardage record twice in 2005 and became the Wildcats' career passing leader with 8,614 yards and 110 TDs.

The top statistical performances from each region in the national semifinals:

Justin Jacobs only completed 10 passes in the snow at UW-Whitewater on Saturday, but Derek Stanley made the most of his three catches, totalling 135 yards on three touchdowns of 18, 47 and 70 yards. The Warhawk now has 16 touchdown catches in his 45 receptions.

Wesley didn't have much to write home about in a 58-6 loss, but senior running back Kevin Nelson did pick up 138 yards on 28 carries for a 4.9-yard average.

Mount Union running back Nate Kmic not only helped the Purple Raiders control the scoreboard, he helped keep the ball out of Rowan's hands with 48 carries for 160 yards and a touchdown in a 19-7 win.

Kmic also caught two passes for 36 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown.

Rowan defensive end Randy Tosh showed why he was a first team All-Region selection, recording 13 tackles (six solo), three for loss, a sack and a forced fumble. Two of his tackles for loss and a tackle for no gain came on Mount Union fourth-down attempts. For the full All-Region teams, click here.

WACO, Texas – The American Football Coaches Association today announced the 47-man roster for the Division III all-star team that will represent the United States against Mexico in the 2005 Aztec Bowl in Toluca, Mexico on Dec. 17.

The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season-ending game for Mexico"s college football schedule. The game has been played 34 times since 1947 with the last eight contests featuring the United States-Mexico matchup. The United States leads the series, 7-1.

This year"s game will kick off at 1 p.m. CST on Dec. 17 and will be played at Estadio Chivo Cordoba. The game can be heard via a webcast that can be accessed on the AFCA"s Web site at www.afca.com.

Wide receivers: Casey Allen, Linfield; Nick Bublavi, Catholic; Noah Fehrenbach, St. John Fisher; Aaron Krepps, Washington & Jefferson; Jesse Schmidt, Buena Vista.

Tight ends: Bob Docherty, UW-Oshkosh; Chase Jonason, DePauw.

Offensive linemen: Tye Conry, Hardin-Simmons; Dave Hendricks, Thiel; Ryan Johnson, Central; Michael Loiseau, Rowan; Eric Ludwig, Williams; Dan Oliphant, Colby; Tom Power, Wartburg; Joe Scalice, Ithaca; Brett Wehnert, Salisbury; Mike Zeifert, Augustana.

Quarterbacks: Russ Harbaugh, Wabash; Adam Knoblauch, Delaware Valley.

Fullback: Kevin Lukich, Moravian.

Running backs: Brenden Kavey, Bridgewater State; Casey Meehan, St. Norbert; Marcus Washington, Bridgewater (Va.).

Defensive linemen: Travis Almquist, Concordia-Moorhead; Michael Blair, Trinity (Conn.); Kevin Culbert, Frostburg State; Damien Dumonceaux, St. John"s; Michael Lewis, Adrian; Ryan Lewis, Baldwin-Wallace; Elex Reed, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Rob Tamillow, Chicago.

Linebackers: Brenton Brady, Alfred; Mike Bryant, Occidental (will play safety); Dan McCall, Muhlenberg; Lenny Radtke, North Central; Andrew Ubbelohde, St. Thomas; Justin Wood, Christopher Newport.

Defensive backs: Charlie Gibbs, Curry; Wes Hostetler, Ohio Northern; Aaron Margo, Grove City; Sam McDonald, Luther; Joe Seep, UW-Stout; Tyler Staker, Coe; Brent Tieri, UW-Eau Claire; Kris Zajac, Defiance.

Kicker: Andrew Day, Wheaton.

Punter: Jacob Thomas, Wittenberg.

Carleton coach Chris Brann has resigned his position to take the head coaching position at Beloit.

Brann, 9-41 in five seasons at Carleton but 9-21 over the past three seasons, led the Knights to a 4-6 mark in 2004, their best record since 1996. He had succeeded Bob Sullivan prior to the 2001 season after spending three seasons as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at the University of Chicago.

"There is no question in my mind that the Carleton football program is better than when Chris arrived," Carleton athletic director Leon Lunder said. "As a result we expect to have an excellent candidate pool in finding his replacement."

Lunder expects to begin an immediate search for a new coach, with a goal of having someone in place by March 1. Assistant coaches Gerald Young, Travis Walch and Aaron Rushing will coordinate recruiting efforts in the interim.

The Knights return eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters in 2006 and have 33 players back who saw significant action in 2005.

Trinity coach Chuck Priore, who led the Bantams to their fourth consecutive NESCAC Championship this season and the longest active winning streak in Division III, has accepted the head coach position at Division I-AA Stony Brook.

Three-time NESCAC Coach of the Year and two-time AFCA Regional Coach of the year, Priore has placed his stamp on the Trinity football program, with his focus on structure, team work, and game preparation. During his six years at Trinity and with his achievement of a 39-9 record, he coached players and teams that excelled on both sides of the ball.

Athletic director Rick Hazelton said, "Coach Priore has left an incredible record and legacy at Trinity. His work ethic, planning, and daily routine have created a special environment in which the players excel both on and off the field. They have not lost a game since 2002, a record that speaks volumes about the quality and success of the football program he has shaped at Trinity."

Priore said: "Trinity"s reputation as an outstanding academic institution allowed us to recruit good students who are also good football players. Our student-athletes work hard both in the classroom and on the field. We not only prepare our student-athletes for games, but for lives of leadership after college."

He adds, "I owe many, many thanks to the Trinity community and to the alumni for their support, as well as my deepest appreciation to all the coaches and players that I have had the opportunity to work with, for without their passion, success would not be possible."

Defensive coordinator Jeff Devanney was named head coach. A 1993 Trinity graduate and star player in football and baseball, he was voted the NESCAC Football Defensive Player of the Year in 1992. He earned his master"s degree in liberal studies from SUNY-Albany in 1995. Devanney is excited about his new position. "Becoming head coach at a great academic school has always been a goal of mine. I never dreamed that I would have the opportunity to do it here at my alma mater. I owe a lot to Chuck Priore for what he has done for Trinity"s football program and for me personally. I am looking forward to continuing his legacy of success."

Devanney was the defensive line coach in 2001 and the secondary coach from 2002 to 2004, before taking on duties as the defensive coordinator this year. Under his leadership this season, the Trinity defense led the NESCAC and the nation in scoring defense (4.5 points allowed per game), rushing defense (40.6 yards allowed per game), and total defense (165.9 yards allowed per game). The Bantams also claimed the New England Division II/III Defensive Player of the Year in 2005, as well as the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year the past two years.

Prior to Trinity, Devanney was the defensive coordinator at Central Connecticut State from 1998-2000. He also served as a secondary coach at Georgia Tech and worked with the wide receivers and tight ends at Albany and Coast Guard.

We are proud to unveil the 2005 D3football.com All-Region Teams.

This is the seventh season we have been covering Division III football, but our first venture of this kind. Originally announced this past summer, the All-Region teams honor three teams of players in each of the NCAA's four defined regions, including an offensive and defensive player of the year, as well as a coach of the year.

Voting was done by sports information directors in each region as well as D3football.com staff. There were 677 nominations.

Our offensive players of the year: Union running back Tom Arcidiacono (East Region), Thiel wide receiver Brandon Chambers and Catholic wide receiver Nick Bublavi (South co-players), Anderson running back Denny Kimmel (North) and Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott (West).

Our defensive players of the year: St. John's defensive lineman Damien Dumonceaux (West), Mount Union linebacker Mike Gibbons and Capital safety Kyle Hausler (North co-players), Wesley defensive lineman Bryan Robinson (South) and Cortland State defensive lineman Adam Haas (East).

The coaches of the year are Union's John Audino, Wesley's Mike Drass, Capital's Jim Collins and UW-Whitewater's Bob Berezowitz.

Thanks to all those who nominated (from nearly 180 schools) and to the voting committee.

The 2005 All-Region teams: East, North, South, West (.pdf format).

It will be all purple in Salem as No. 2 UW-Whitewater and No. 5 Mount Union are headed to Stagg Bowl XXXIII. It will be a familiar trip for Purple Raider fans after Mount Union defeated Rowan 19-7. Mount Union running back Nate Kmic plowed away for a career-high 48 carries, gaining 160 yards and a touchdown on the ground, with one more score through the air.

UW-Whitewater is joining them after routing Wesley 58-6. The Warhawks scored twice on defense, with a safety and interception return for a touchdown. Derek Stanley caught three touchdown passes and Justin Beaver ran for 185 yards and two scores. Photo gallery and Scoreboard.

Rowan got its only score on a big pass play to Phil Silva down to the 1-yard line and quarterback Joe Rankin punched it in from there late in the third quarter to cut the Mount Union lead to 14-7, but the Purple Raiders answered with a Mike Zimmerman field goal and a safety by Buddy Wolfe to make it 19-7. Check out our archived Mount Union/Rowan broadcast.

UW-Whitewater got on the board first, recording a safety on the first snap of the game. The Warhawks led Wesley 16-0 midway through the first quarter after a touchdown pass to tight end Pete Schmitt and a Kyle Johnson interception return for a score. It snowballed from there.

It was a defensive first quarter in Alliance as Mount Union quarterback Michael Jorris was sacked four times in the first quarter but hit Nate Kmic for a 30-yard TD pass with 11:36 in the second quarter for a 7-0 lead. Kmic added a 7-yard touchdown run for a 14-0 lead which the Purple Raiders took into the locker room.

Mount Union will be making its ninth trip to Salem, UW-Whitewater its first.

From the buzz surrounding this weekend's game, you'd think we should cancel the national semifinals and simply give UW-Whitewater and Mount Union a bye directly to Stagg Bowl XXXIII.

Well, pardon Wesley and Rowan if they're not interested in playing along with those plans. The two decided underdogs aren't in the Top 5 (or even the Top 10), but they will be representing the Delaware River valley this weekend, one step short of the national title game.

Wesley is led by senior quarterback Chris Warrick on offense and sophomore defensive lineman Bryan Robinson on defense. Rowan has lost its starting quarterback, running back and best defensive lineman since midseason.

Will Wesley's unsung stars or Rowan's replacement players be able to step up this weekend? Keith McMillan checks in with both squads in this week's Around the Nation.

Plus, check back on McMillan's playoff picks as he continues to take accountability for his words. He'll give you his new ones, respond to various fan musings and remind you how you can get involved in the postseason year in review column.

Wartburg coach Rick Willis is stepping aside to become athletic director, the school announced Tuesday. Willis was named interim AD in January but retained his coaching duties. The search for a new football coach will begin immediately.

"This was a difficult decision for me," said Willis. "The strong relationships I have formed with the coaching staff and the players and the success we have enjoyed make it difficult for me to step down. At the same time, I enjoy the administrative challenges associated with the director of athletics position. I look forward to the contributions I can make toward providing a meaningful experience for all of the student-athletes in Wartburg"s 19 men"s and women"s sports."

His teams produced an overall record of 79-17 and a 63-9 run against Iowa Conference competition in nine seasons. Under Willis, the Knights won four conference championships and earned four NCAA playoff berths. Over the past six years, the program has produced at least one academic All-American each season and six Aztec Bowl selections.

The American Football Coaches Association has announced its regional coach of the year honorees. The winners are selected by active members of the Association who vote for coaches in their respective regions and divisions.

Region 1: Chuck Priore, Trinity (Conn.)
Second AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Award (first was 2004). ... Led the Bantams to an 8-0 record and the New England Small College Athletic Conference title in 2005. ... Has a six-year career record of 39-9 (.812) at Trinity. ... The Bantams have won 30 consecutive games and four consecutive NESCAC titles. ... The 30 consecutive wins is the longest current streak in Division III. ... Trinity is now 31-1 since the start of the 2002 season.

Region 2: Jack Leipheimer, Thiel
First AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Award. ... Led the Tomcats to an 11-1 record, the Presidents Athletic Conference title and a berth in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs in 2005. ... Has a five-year career record of 26-26 (.500) at Thiel. ... This year's conference title was the first for the school since 1972 and the 11 wins are the most ever in a season for the program. ... This year's playoff berth was also the first in school history.

Region 3: Pete Fredenburg, Mary Hardin-Baylor
Third AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Award (also 2000, 2002). ... Led the Crusaders to a 9-2 record, the American Southwest Conference title and a berth in the second round of the NCAA playoffs in 2005. ... Has an eight-year career record of 65-22 (.747) as the only coach in the history of the UMHB program. ... Led UMHB to its first-ever Stagg Bowl appearance in 2004. ... Earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2002 when he led the Crusaders to a 10-1 record, the American Southwest Conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs ... Earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 2000 when he led the Crusaders to a 9-1 record.

Region 4: Jim Collins, Capital
First AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Award. ... Led the Crusaders to a 10-3 record and a berth in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III playoffs this season. ... Has an nine-year record of 47-46 (.505) at Capital and a 12-year career record of 51-72 (.414) at Capital and Dubuque. ... Capital's 10 wins this season were the most in school history. ... Capital's 38-15 record over the last five years is the best five-year run in school history.

Region 5: Bob Berezowitz, UW-Whitewater
Third AFCA Regional Coach of the Year Award (also 1988, 1990). ... Has led the Warhawks to a 13-0 record, the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title and a berth in the semifinals of the NCAA Division III playoff so far this season. ... Has a 21-year career record of 144-70-4 (.670) at Whitewater ... Earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 1990 when he led Whitewater to a 10-1 record, the WIAC title and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. ... Earned AFCA Regional Coach of the Year honors in 1988 when he led Whitewater to a 9-3 record, the WIAC title and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Here's a look at the top statistical performances in each region from Saturday's national quarterfinals:

Capital senior receiver Lewis Howes caught 12 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns, one of them a 70-yarder, in the Crusaders" 34-31 loss at Mount Union. Each of his touchdowns gave Capital the lead at the time.

Rowan"s Randy Tosh had 10 tackles (seven solo), three and a half for loss and two sacks in the Profs" 27-21 win against Delaware Valley. The sophomore linebacker also forced two fumbles, one of which led to Rowan"s first score in rallying from a 14-0 deficit.

Wesley running back Kevin Nelson ran for 98 yards on 18 carries and also caught five passes for 90 yards and a touchdown. Nelson opened the scoring with a 6-yard run to put the Wolverines up 7-0, a lead they would never lose in rolling past Bridgewater (Va.) 46-7. In fact, he accounted for every yard of that 43-yard scoring drive.

Linfield quarterback Brett Elliott threw 67 times, completing 47 of them for 528 yards and five touchdowns. He was intercepted twice. Brandon Hanzenberg, Casey Allen and Brad McKechnie each had 10 or more catches and 139 or more yards in the 44-41 loss to UW-Whitewater.

UW-Whitewater knocked out the defending national champions, as the No. 2 Warhawks got a touchdown run from Justin Beaver with just over a minute remaining and held on to defeat No. 1 Linfield 44-41. The Warhawks will host Wesley in the national semifinals.

Linfield had held the Warhawks on fourth down from the 10-yard line two minutes earlier but was unable to convert a first down, giving UW-Whitewater excellent field position for the final drive. The failed drive started with a Brett Elliott fumble that was returned to the 3-yard line. But the Wildcats had to punt from their own end zone, and Justin Beaver capped a quick drive with a touchdown with 1:08 left for the 44-41 lead.

The most competitive game was supposed to be Wesley/Bridgewater? Well, take that, pundits. The Cinderella pick of the bracket on Selection Sunday will represent the South Region in the national semifinals next week at UW-Whitewater. Scoreboard and bracket.

The other national semifinal will be a blast from the past, as Rowan will travel to Mount Union for the first time since K.C. Keeler's Profs ended Mount Union's then-record winning streak in 1999.

Wesley used the third quarter to extend its lead in the South, while Rowan used its to rally past Delaware Valley in the East. The Aggies turned the ball over three times in the third quarter and Rowan rolled up 27 unanswered points to turn a 14-0 deficit into a 27-14 lead and eventual 27-21 victory. Wesley rolled up 547 yards of total offense behind 287 passing yards for Chris Warrick in winning 46-7.

Mount Union took a 27-24 lead moments into the fourth quarter on a short Mike Zimmerman field goal, capping a drive kept alive by a Capital penalty for running into the punter. Capital took advantage of a Mount Union fumbled punt return and Rocky Pentello hit Lewis Howes for his third touchdown of the afternoon. But Mount Union got a big kickoff return and capped it with an Anthony Antonucci touchdown catch with 3:16 left in a 34-31 win.

By Pat Coleman
D3football.com

WHITEWATER, Wis. – UW-Whitewater's win Saturday against St. John's was not only called the biggest win in the program's history, it struck a blow for the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference as a whole. Derided as a conference of strong but oversized players that routinely got knocked out of the playoffs early, the WIAC's representative earned the league's best playoff win since UW-Eau Claire reached the national quarterfinals in 1998 by winning at Central and St. John's.

That was the last year of the 16-team playoff bracket. Eau Claire lost at Rowan in the national semifinals and Rowan fell to Mount Union in the Stagg Bowl. It also roughly coincided with new conference regulations limiting programs to 100-man rosters.

Although the league has compiled an unimpressive 5-7 record since, the WIAC representative has been eliminated once by Linfield, once by Mount Union and twice by St. John's. The Johnnies were 4-2 against the WIAC in the playoffs before Saturday's 34-7 Whitewater win.

UW-Whitewater came into the playoffs on a roll, riding the high of a perfect 10-0 regular season, something that rarely happens in the WIAC. The last team to do so, UW-Stout, lost at home to St. John's in 2000's first round – a year St. John's reached the Stagg Bowl.

Regardless, the league's strength from top to bottom has been the primary reason why the WIAC remains No. 1 in D3football.com's conference rankings.

Representing the league well is important to Warhawk coach Bob Berezowitz. "It's always big when we have to represent our league," Berezowitz said after the game. We feel we are representing the state of Wisconsin as well as the WIAC."

He believes the difference between this team and previous WIAC representatives is the togetherness of the club, something that can be hard to accomplish at a large institution. "This is as close a football team as I have ever been associated with," said Berezowitz, who has been the head coach at his alma mater for 21 seasons. "There's no egos on this team. They don't care how we get it done, as long as we do."

A short December The WIAC has had its ups and downs in the playoffs since the field expanded from 16 teams for the 1999 season. A look at every conference win, as well as the so-called "bad" losses, including the seeding of each team. Wins 2004, first round, No. 3 La Crosse def. No. 5 St. Norbert 37-23. La Crosse lost at Linfield in the second round. 2003, first round, No. 4 La Crosse def. No. 5 Concordia (Wis.) 52-13 La Crosse lost at Mount Union in the second round. 2001, first round, No. 3 Stevens Point def. No. 4 Bethel 37-27 Stevens Point lost at second-seeded St. John's in the second round 9-7. Bad losses 2002, first round, No. 6 La Crosse lost at No. 3 Coe 21-18 Coe lost at St. John's in the second round, 45-14. St. John's lost in the national semis. 1999, first round, No. 3 La Crosse lost at home to No. 4 Central 38-17 Central was edged 10-9 by St. John's in the second round.

This past week it started with the scout team. Although teams can only suit up 52 players for playoff games, the rest of Whitewater's roster played a role in preparation.

"Our scout team did a great job in practice," Berezowitz said. "We would tell them the snap count, to get them moving more quickly.

"We tried to use not big kids but quick kids. That was the only way we could simulate what they do."

When the defense wasn't holding St. John's in check (the Johnnies' only score came when they recovered a fumbled punt at the 24), the offense was doing its job. Running back Justin Beaver rolled up 168 yards on 34 carries and Derek Stanley had two long receptions plus an 18-yard touchdown from quarterback Justin Jacobs. Stanley has 40 catches for 979 yards and 12 touchdowns as the No. 2 receiver to Jim Leszczynski.

"His concentration is phenomenal," Berezowitz said of Stanley. "He can do unbelievable things to get the football."

The junior is still learning to play the position and has made great strides since the beginning of the WIAC schedule. "Last year we used him as a receiver, played him on defense, in the return game, but we had to limit his returns this year because we just couldn't keep putting him out there on every play."

But in the end, it was the defense that made the difference for the Warhawks, whose aggressive hitting forced five of St. John's eight fumbles and knocked down seven Alex Kofoed passes, three of them on consecutive plays from the 5-yard line with the game not out of reach in the third quarter.

The numbers are impressive: six tackles for loss, three of them sacks of Kofoed, despite his scrambling ability. "Our defense has been unsung. It's not flashy," said Berezowitz. "They're hard-working kids who believe in a concept."

That concept includes aggressive hitting, which helped force the fumbles, and relentless pursuit of the ball, with linebackers Collin Price and A.J. Raebel and linemen Ryan Kleppe, Eric Kosterman and Alex Thompson recording tackles for loss.

They'll have a stiff challenge this week at Linfield. But even if they lose, this is still a team that has done something no WIAC team has done in six seasons. There's something to be said for that. As Berezowitz put it: "Our kids believe they're a good football team. It's not cocky, not arrogant. They just believe."

The Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference has been the top-ranked conference in our rankings for several years running now. With an 18-5 record in non-conference games last season and a 17-8 mark this year, the league has certainly shown it, especially considering the league's teams have played Hardin-Simmons, Linfield, as well as Division II and I-AA schools over that time.

But the playoff results haven't been there. The WIAC did hold its seed last year, winning at home and losing at Linfield, but was 2-6 before that since the playoffs expanded from 16 teams in 1999.

That's why UW-Whitewater's success is so important for the league. The Warhawks know this. Inside the Warhawks' success and the conference's failures, in a feature by Pat Coleman.

Delaware Valley has been waiting 12 months for another shot at Rowan after the Profs handled the Aggies 56-7 in last year's regional final. Both teams are another year older. Rowan is missing some key players, but then again, has some of Delaware Valley's key players from last year's game.

Around the Nation also gives you a look at all four regional finals, with key info, notes from the people who have actually seen the teams play, as well as the Around the Nation prediction. Are you confused by the seedings? Reading misinformation on the boards rather than the facts written on the bracket? Keith McMillan lays it all out for you with every possible matchup for next week's semifinals, and who would host.

Plus, it's time to start thinking about the column's annual year in review. We lay out the categories and ask for your input in this week's Around the Nation.