Carthage (6-4 in 2001)
Carthage football opens its 2002 season with a pair of road games, the first at Lakeland on Sept. 14, followed by a Sept. 21 contest at Benedictine. The Redmen open at home versus Adrian on Sept. 28 before launching their CCIW schedule against Millikin on Oct. 5. Carthage, coached by Tim Rucks, '83, (31-33-1, 7 years at Carthage, 40-66-4, 12 years overall), went 6-4 in 2001 (3-4, 5th CCIW).

The Redmen return 32 of 51 letterwinners. On offense, Carthage returns seven starters, including first-team All-CCIW tailback senior Randal Baker (Sr., 1,256 rushing yards), 2000 second-team All-CCIW senior quarterback Patrick Brown (933 rushing yards, 537 passing yards), senior second-team All-CCIW offensive lineman Gerrit Nagarwalla and junior fullback Jon Spyrnal. Reserve tailback, senior Bryan Turner (194 yards) also returns.

On defense, the Redmen return six starters including senior first-team All-CCIW defensive end Ray Hartmann (68½ tackles, eight sacks), junior outside linebacker Clint Evans (57½ tackles, two sacks), junior middle linebacker Eric Novak (48 tackles, one interception) and sophomore free safety Logan Reilly (47½ tackles, two interceptions).

On special teams, placekicker Jeff Grybash (23 of 24 extra points) and punt returner Conor Glascott (11.5 average) both graduated, while punter Adam Woodworth (CCIW-leading 38.4 average) is not returning. Sophomore kick returners Dante Washington (17.3 average) and John Janczak (17.2 average) both return.

Leading newcomers include all-area wide receiver Anthony Bagnara, all-state place kicker A.J. Corona, all-area nosebacker Jason Kalinowski, all-area defensive back Kyle Kalvaitis, all-state tight end Tyler Neill, all-state linebacker Mike Pelkowski and all-state strong safety Billy Timmons.

"This past offseason was very, very important for us," said Rucks. "We've got to change our way of thinking about what it's going to take for Carthage to win a CCIW championship. We have a lot of people back, and working toward a title is going to be our focus. A lot of that isn't so much a talent issue, but more of a mentality. We're going to have to pay a price to go into the 2002 season with that championship-approach, and we will."

Augustana (10-2 in 2001)
In his second year as the head coach of his alma mater, Augustana head football coach Jim Barnes was happy with the way his team performed. His Vikings had a 10-2 season, won the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin for the 19th time in school history and advanced to the NCAA playoffs for the 14th time since 1976. Overall a tremendous season, but Barnes is hoping that his team is not satisfied with the 2001 campaign.

A loss to Wheaton on the last play of the last game prevented the Blue & Gold from having an undefeated regular season and a road loss at Mount Union ended Augustana's season in the second round of the playoffs. With those two smudges on an otherwise clean slate, Barnes has come up with a slogan with which he can challenge his team.

"We have decided that our motto for this year will be 'Demonstrate our hunger' and we will use that to remind our players that there is more out there," said Barnes. "We accomplished a lot last year but we did leave some unfinished business that I hope our players will be aware of."

There should be no shortage of motivation for the Vikings as a non-conference schedule looms that includes two playoff teams (UW-Stevens Point and Central) and a club that led the nation in passing offense (UW-Platteville). After that comes the seven-game CCIW slate and compounding the issue is the fact that Augustana will play just four home games this fall as opposed to six on the road.

"We need to have the mentality to look at our season in two parts," said Barnes who is now 17-5 in two years at his alma mater (class of 1981) and 54-18 in seven years as a college head coach. "The (non-conference) portion is going to be as tough as any Augustana team has ever faced. Whatever happens in those three games we can't lose focus heading into the second portion of the season, which is the conference. We have the type of team that can, and will, compete for the CCIW title and we have to be ready for that."

For over two decades the Vikings have been known for a power running game and a punishing, physical defensive brand of football. Last year Barnes used that combination once again to a successful season. Augustana led the nation in rushing in 2001, averaging 370.4 yards per game and in the process set new school records for rushing yards in a single season (4,445) and total yards in a single season (5,284).

While four of five offensive lineman return and three members of the starting backfield are on hand, Barnes does have some important positions to fill for 2002. The main priority will be to replace runningback David Chorney, who last year set new Augustana school records for yards rushing (1,486) and points scored (126) in a single season. Chorney was the Most Valuable Offensive Player in the CCIW and was a D3football.com second team All-American as well as being named to the Aztec Bowl team.

Also gone from last year's offensive starters are tight ends Jim Triveri and Chad Weigle and guard Tony Manual. Triveri earned All-American honors from D3football.com and Manual was a first team all-conference selection.

In order to run the football the way the Vikings want, good line play is a must and the Vikings are in good shape in this area. J.D. Sheldon is a fifth-year senior who was a first team All-American last year and he will be a fixture at tackle. He will be trying to earn first team all-conference honors for the fourth consecutive year. Joining him on the offensive line will be tackle Brian McIntyre, guard Matt Kelly and center Bob Paulin. Kelly and Paulin will be in their fourth years as starters and Paulin was an honorable mention all-conference selection last year. Juniors Joe Marusarz, Tad DePorter, Mark Cole and Jared Winquist along with sophomore Kaleb Hirtzel will be in the hunt for the open spot in the line.

"We have an experienced group coming back on the offensive line but there is a question mark regarding our fifth starter," said Barnes. "As a unit they can be better than last year and we will work hard to make sure they are better."

In the backfield senior Brad Wendell did a solid job running the offense from his quarterback position last year and was named second team all-CCIW. He completed 21 of 46 passes for 286 yards and one touchdowns and gained 312 yards rushing on 71 carries with four touchdowns. Fellow senior Ben Kleinhans is a capable backup who shared starting duties with Wendell during his sophomore year. Kleinhans passed for 548 yards on 28 of 52 with five touchdowns and rushed for 75 yards on 44 attempts with one touchdown. Junior Barry DeBord and sophomore Kyle Reade will provide additional help.

Fullback David Zemke and wingback Kyle Zick were season long starters last year with Zemke earning second team all-conference honors after rushing for 511 yards on 102 attempts with seven touchdowns and Zick gaining 620 yards on 109 carries with five touchdowns. Behind Zemke will be sophomores John Quinlan and Tukes Ayangbile. Juniors Brad Blake and Kevin Danforth along with sophomore Blair Westerly should provide solid depth at wingback. Replacing Chorney at the runningback position will be an enormous chore but senior Drew Long and sophomore Roland Thornton seem ready for the challenge.

Junior Eric Hartwig will move into Triveri's tight end position with junior Craig Murray lending a hand here as well. The split end spot is completely wide open heading into training camp.

Defensively, Augustana loses linebacker Roy Fritz and cornerback Brad Haverback from the starting lineup. The entire defensive front, anchored by first-team All-American end Tim Williams. Williams, who also earned first team all-conference honors, led the team in tackles for loss with 19 and in quarterback sacks with 12 while recording 48 total tackles (26 solo and 22 assists). Fellow end Brandt Bennett and interior linemen Mike Hansen, Justin Georgacakis and Mike Brasile also return to make the Vikings formidable up front. Brasile was a second team all-conference pick in 2001 when he had 11 tackles for loss and six quarterback sacks.

Senior Matt Woodworth, juniors Brent Loftus and Lucas Beecher and sophomore Joel Stainbrook will provide solid backup help on the interior.

"I think the strength of our defense, especially early in the season, will be along our defensive front," said Barnes. "We have depth and talent there."

Leo LaBrie is the lone returnee at linebacker but he was second on the team in tackles with 76 (36 solo and 40 assists). Juniors Brian Mandel and Sean Christian and sophomores Craig Wojtkiewicz, Steve Szpejnowski, Matt Brownley, Beau Biagi and Greg Peck will all be in the hunt for the open linebacker position.

In the secondary three starters are back with senior Todd Baldwin leading the way. Baldwin, a fifth year senior, was a first team Verizon Academic All-American a year ago at cornerback when he had 47 tackles (25 solo and 22 assists) with two interceptions and five pass deflections. He will be joined by strong safety Matt Furlong and free safety Adam Guy. Guy was a Verizon Academic All-District pick in 2001 and was third on the team in tackles with 73 (28 solo and 45 assists) with seven tackles for loss four interceptions and four pass deflections. Furlong was fourth in total tackles with 55 (22 solo and 33 assists) and also had four interceptions and four assists.

Juniors Ben Hodges and Brad Dahl have both made valuable contributions and will likely find their way onto the field in some capacity. Sophomores Alex Arguello and Jeff Sturek had solid freshman seasons and will be counted on to continue improvement.

The kicking game is in great shape with sophomores Mike Clark and Mike Marquardt handling the placekicking and punting respectively. Clark set two school records last fall, for points kicking in a season (75) and field goals in a season (10). Marquardt wasn't called on much because the Augustana offense picked up 269 first downs during the year but he did average 34.9 yards per punt on 33 kicks. Long snapper Jamey Schoenhard also returns.

"Expectations will be high for us this year," said Barnes in looking forward to the 2002 season. "At Augustana, however, expectations are always high and that makes every year exciting. The question is will we make the three or four plays during the year that turn a good year into a great one? I think we can do that. We face a tough schedule, there is no question about that but I believe our team will be ready."

Wheaton (6-4 in 2001)
The 2002 edition of the Wheaton program has high hopes for the upcoming season. Wheaton is coming off of a 6-4 season in 2001 and a 5-2 conference record tied for third in the CCIW. The 2002 edition of the Thunder will feature 14 returning starters, including nine on offense with five on defense. In addition to the 14 starters, several players that saw a great deal of playing time as key reserves also return to the lineup.

Head coach Mike Swider says of his 2002 team, "The thing that I am most excited about is the singleness of purpose from our senior class. We have 20 kids in our senior class — and they are all on the same page. They have been on that page since they were freshmen. This is a special group.

"These seniors have been waiting for the opportunity to lead this team. For that reason this is very important to them. This team will be mentally focused because of our seniors." According to Swider the goal that the team, led by its seniors is simple, "Our goal is to win an undisputed conference championship."

Last season Wheaton featured a balanced offense that boasted the top passing attack in the CCIW with 2,153 yards through the air, another 1,601 yards on the ground for 3,754 yards of total offense. Wheaton ranked 35th in Division III in scoring with an average of 34 points per game. The offense will have tremendous depth as it returns the top two rushers, top seven receivers and four starting offensive linemen.

Second Team All-CCIW quarterback Josh Anderson also returns in addition to senior Neil Anderson and junior Chad Bradley who saw key time last season. Bradley made his first collegiate start in Wheaton's upset of then-No. 6 Augustana in last year's season finale. Swider says of the battle between the three returnees who have all seen valuable time, "Josh Anderson was the starter and got hurt, so he comes back for the first snap as the starter, but Neil Anderson and Chad Bradley are close on his heels."

Last season Josh Anderson completed 55.2 % of his passes, throwing for 1,810 yards with 15 touchdowns in earning All-Conference honors. In their limited time Neil Anderson and Bradley also connected on a high percentage of their passes. Neil Anderson connected on 57.1% of his 14 attempts last season, while Bradley hit receivers 56% of the time on his 25 attempts.

All-Conference tailback Mike Whalen returns for his senior season at halfback. Whalen ran into the end zone 15 times last season with 768 rushing yards on 165 carries, averaging 4.7 yard per carry. Sophomore Garrett Granberg and junior Dan Price will back up Whalen. Swider says Price "has made bigger strides in the offseason than anybody on the team."

The Thunder will have a very deep group at fullback led by senior Corey Noonan. Noonan ran for four touchdowns with 252 rushing yards on 67 carries and had four touchdown catches with 20 receptions for 205 yards. Sophomore Drew Thornfeldt saw some time last year and will be a key figure in the fullback mix this season. Sophomore transfers Matt Davis and Skip Ast will also add talent and depth to a solid backfield group.

Senior Jon Wills and sophomore Brad Musso will lead a talented and deep corps of receivers. Wills was a first team All-Conference performer last season with 39 catches for 638 yards, while Musso was a second team selection with 23 catches for 467 yards and six touchdowns. Sophomore Colin Sinclair will add depth to the wide receiver post. Senior Randy Rosen and junior Andrew King will return to their slotback post this season after considerable time last year. Last season Rosen was second on the team with 24 catches for 294 yards and one touchdown, while King had 21 receptions for 263 yards with two touchdowns.

Wheaton returns four starters to a very deep offensive line. The only starter lost from last season's team is All-CCIW center Jon Adams. At guard the Thunder return All-CCIW junior James Hoxworth and senior Randy Brescher. Juniors Reggie King and Chris Dubos will again play at their tackle spots for the second consecutive season. A large group of returnees are in the mix as well for the line. Sophomores Dusty Deetjen, Chad Wubbena and Brian Dini saw time last year and will compete for a spot this season. Fellow sophomores Drew Neal and Danny Paul will also be in the O-line mix.

On the defensive side of the ball the Thunder return five defensive starters. The defensive line returns four key components that have been waiting for the opportunity to lead the Thunder. The four seniors on the line are three-time All-CCIW performer Dane Lundgren at defensive tackle, John Diggs, defensive end Jeff Darnauer and Chad Isaacson.

Swider says of this quartet of leaders, "We have four seniors on the defensive line that have been waiting a long time to line up together." Lundgren has earned All-Conference honors all three seasons at Wheaton, making 50 total tackles last season with eight tackles for loss and eight quarterback hurries. Darnauer was hampered by injuries last season but will look to return to his All-American form of 2000 when he made 73 total tackles with 5½ sacks and 10 tackles for lost yardage. Diggs came off the bench last season to record 46 total tackles with 11 tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks. Senior Kyle Baker, junior Ben Reedy and sophomore Tim Cryer will add depth to the line.

Behind the line will be a veteran group of linebackers that gives the Thunder a strong front seven. Swider says of the unit, "Our front seven are pretty good. If those guys can't stop the run, I don't know who can." Last year's leading tackler Justin Knapp returns to his middle linebacker spot. The All-Region and All-CCIW performer led the team with 115 total tackles (74 solo). Junior outside linebacker Jeff Mumm was second on the club with 74 total tackles (49 solo) and returns for his second campaign as a starter. Senior Kevin Sellers saw considerable time last season and will start on the outside this year. In his junior season Sellers made 47 tackles (31 solo), with five tackles for loss (minus-30 yards) and 2½ sacks (minus-11 yards). Junior Tom McAndrews, who made a game-high 16 total tackles his first career start against Augustana in last year's season finale, will compete for time at linebacker.

The defensive area that will see the most new faces is the defensive backfield as three of last season's four starters have graduated. Swider says of that area, "My biggest concern is our secondary. It's not so much a concern because those that will be playing have no talent. It's a concern because the players in our secondary have very little experience." The lone returnee is safety Shawn Wildt, who led the defensive backs in tackles last season with 64, adding 10 passes broken up and two forced fumbles. Junior Grant Tillotson has seen considerable time in the backfield the past two seasons, but his return as a safety is up in the air. Tillotson suffered a medical situation this fall and will need clearance from doctors to suit up as a defensive back. He is also a kicker for the Thunder and has been cleared to boot the ball for Wheaton this season. Juniors Ty Gose and Jason McDearmon will also be in the mix at safety. McDearmon moves to the defensive side of the ball after two seasons at wide receiver.

In the open contest at cornerback four returnees figure into the picture. Junior Michael Drach and sophomores Mike Lindberg and Caleb Walters will battle for time at cornerback. It is a talented group, however, these three have seen little action as they have one tackle between them in their careers.
Wheaton will look to both familiar and new faces in the area of special teams this season. Tillotson will return to his duties as a punter this year. Last year he booted 40 punts, averaging 36.5 yards per punt. Freshmen Esteban Lopez and Andrew Day will compete for the placekicking chores this year. As a prep Lopez was a First Team Los Angeles Times All-Area kicker at southern California's Claremont High School. Day was an All-State placekicker in Minnesota last season, setting several school records. Whalen and Musso will share punt return duties again this year. Last season the duo combined on 32 punt returns for 399 yards. Sophomore Garrett Granberg is the likely candidate to take over for the graduated Bryant Wolfsberger as kick returner.

Millikin (8-2 in 2001)
With an 8-2 season under its belt, Millikin hopes to improve on the strides made by last season's team. Millikin was ranked high throughout the season, rising as high as No. 9 nationally in October 2001.

With the departure of 12 starters, including two who have broken school records and been recognized nationally, there will be rebuilding in some positions, but several key players also return in 2002.

The Big Blue will miss Deon Packer, a four-year starter at tailback, set the University record for career rushing yards, tallying 3,379 yards in his four years at Millikin. He also set a school scoring record, scoring 44 career touchdowns and 264 total points.

Also lost to graduation was Aztec Bowl selection and defensive end Michael Lindsey. Lindsey was named the Don Larson Award, given to the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Year in 2001.

Despite the loss of Packer, Lindsey and 10 other starters, Millikin will still have a foundation to build on. With its starting quarterback returning for his junior season and other previously weakened positions considerably strengthened after last season, a rebuilding year is not expected.

Donnell Brown returns at quarterback. Last season was his first starting for the Big Blue and he helped lead the team to an 8-2 season. Heading into the 2001 season, filling the quarterback spot was a major concern of coach Doug Neibuhr. In his first full season, Brown threw for 1,456 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 55 percent of his passes. He also piled up 232 yards on 75 carries.

"Donnell made significant progress throughout last season," Big Blue coach Doug Neibuhr said. "He is very talented and shows solid leadership ability. We expect him to perform at a very high level this season."

Millikin also has six other starters returning on offense including All-CCIW Lee Mateer on the offensive line. Mateer, a three-year starter, returns as co-captain in his senior season after helping protect an offense that averaged 36.2 points per game, 278.8 yards a game on the ground and 148.1 yards a game in the air.

Three of the top four wide receivers return in seniors Ryan Miller and Mike Gardiner and junior Michael Marker. Also returning is 2001 starting tight end senior Brandon Witte. Miller, a first team All-CCIW pick in 2001, led the team in receiving with 316 yards on 20 catches (15.8 ypc) with one touchdown. Gardiner caught 15 passes for 231 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Michael Marker also returns after pulling in 16 catches and 297 yards. Witte hauled in eight passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns.

On the ground assault, the Big Blue returns senior running backs John Bell and Ryan Corley. Bell finished third on the team in 2001 with 303 yards rushing with an average of 6.4 yards per carry while Corley collected 237 yards on 57 carries and 129 yards on 15 catches.

Defensively, Millikin will bear a little more of the brunt of the loss. Seven starters were lost to graduation, including Lindsey, leaving four returnees for the Big Blue defense. Looking to lead a young defense will be senior co-captain Nate Carden. The two-time CCIW champion in wrestling at 285, Carden was a second team All-CCIW pick in 2001 when he recorded 27 tackles with one for loss, three sacks, one fumble recovery and a blocked kick.

Junior Jason Harvey returns at linebacker after leading the team with six interceptions a year ago. As a sophomore, he also recorded 30 solo tackles and 12 assists.

Also returning on defense is junior lineman Jeff Beck. In 2001, Beck collected 19 tackles, 15 solos, with three for loss and one sack and returned a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown. Joining him on the line are seniors Tim Blankenship and co-captain Nick Shaub. Blankenship finished 2001 with 21 total tackles, three for loss and one sack while Shaub compiled 11 solo and nine assisted tackles with two for loss.

On special teams, place kicker Andy Beals looks to lead the way. As a sophomore, Beals set two school records in 2001: field goals made in a season (13) and kicking points scored in a season (80). A first-team All-CCIW pick, Beals converted 41 of 47 extra point attempts and six field goals from 30 yards or more. He also finished second in the CCIW in field goals and kick scoring.

"Andy has shown the ability to kick well under pressure," Neibuhr said. "He continues to improve his leg strength and accuracy. We expect him to have a solid year."

The team finished with the second best record in its conference last season, and rounded out the 2000 season with a 9-2 record and a playoff berth (and first-round exit). Millikin's 32-6 regular season record over the past four years not only makes it the winningest program in the conference during that span, but also the winningest program in Illinois. Millikin's 8-4 record against upper-echelon teams in the CCIW is the best of any program in the conference during the past four years. Millikin also shares the league lead with two playoff appearances during that time.

North Park (2-8 in 2001)
The North Park Vikings head into Robin Cooper's second season at the helm, trying to improve upon their 2-8 record of 2001. Cooper's Vikings got off to a 2-1 start last year, before dropping all seven of their College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin games. Two of those losses came in overtime as both Elmhurst and North Central beat the Vikings in extra time. If the Vikings had been able to win those two overtime games, they would have recorded the first four-win season by a North Park football team since 1993 and only the second four-win season for a Viking team since 1979.

Unfortunately, the Vikings weren't so close in their other five CCIW games. Augustana, Carthage, Illinois Wesleyan, Millikin and Wheaton outscored North Park by a total of 159-3.

Offensively, experience should be a strength, as the Vikings return all three of their starters in the offensive backfield. Junior quarterback, Phil DeWald will be back to run the Viking offense. In starting all 10 games last season, DeWald threw for 906 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for 149 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Dante Britten, who paced the Vikes with 447 yards rushing and two touchdowns as a freshman, returns to lead North Park's ground attack. Fullback, George Balentine, rushed for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a freshman. The Vikings receiving corps will be young and unproven. Gone are 2nd Team All-CCIW wide receiver, Chris Oquendo (34 receptions/410 yards) and Herve Medard (14 receptions/217 yards). Oquendo and Medard combined for 48 of the Vikings' 69 receptions and 627 of North Park's 911 receiving yards in 2001. Jimmie Ford and Kurt Rowells return on the offensive line. Rowells also handled the punting chores for the Vikings, averaging 35.1 yards on 60 punts last season and pinning the Vikings' opponents inside their own 20-yard line on 14 occasions.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Vikings return several talented and experienced players, but they must replace 2nd Team All-CCIW linebacker Tim Wisnar, who lead the conference with 120 tackles. The Vikes return 2nd Team All-CCIW lineman, Jackie Wayne. Wayne led the Vikings with four fumbles recovered and tied for the team lead with 6.5 sacks and one forced fumble in 2001. Wayne recorded 52.5 stops and 10.5 tackles for loss as a junior. Alfredo Cruz enjoyed a terrific season as a sophomore. Cruz tallied 61.5 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, four sacks, two interceptions and blocked a kick during the 2001 campaign. Anthony Jones (46.5 tackles, 2 PBU) and Scott Sousa (31.5 tackles and a team-high 8 PBU) return in the secondary, while John Zinchuk (42 tackles, 2.5 TFL), Jason Ellerman (33 tackles, 1 INT), Chuck Casalina (10 tackles, 3 TFL), and Chris Pederson (13 tackles, 3 TFL, sack) also return on the Vikings' defense.

Elmhurst (2-8 in 2001)
This season will present some significant changes for the Elmhurst but those quantum shifts look pretty good to the Bluejays. The changes include a new field, a new and wide-open offensive system, and two new coordinators on the staff of head coach Paul Krohn. It all adds up to an optimistic preseason for the Bluejays.

Granted, there’s always some transitional time,” said Krohn of the changes occurring at Langhorst Field this fall, “but tremendous things are waiting to happen here.”

Elmhurst welcomes record-setting former quarterback Tim Lester as its offensive coordinator. One of the most prolific field generals in NCAA history, the Wheaton-Warrenville South H.S. and Western Michigan graduate knows how to move the football. “People can expect to see a lot of different schemes and formations in Tim’s offense,” said Krohn. “It’s designed to get the ball into the hands of the playmakers.”

A key man in the offense will be junior Juan Quesada. "Whether at quarterback or another offensive position," Krohn said, "Juan will be called upon to make some big plays." After averaging 182 yards per game last season in total offense, Quesada will be isolated 1-on-1 against opposing defenders, and will assume several different roles to maximize his talent, maturity and speed.

“We’ll be doing our best to spread out the defense,” said Lester of his offensive plan, a hybrid of the “Fun & Gun” of ex-Florida coach Steve Spurrier. “We’re going to try to score and score fast. I have never been part of a boring team.”

In addition to Quesada, offensive players to watch include senior Andy Thompson, Elmhurst’s leading receiver in 2001, and senior tight end Klay Smith. Significantly, the Bluejays will return four-fifths of their starters on the offensive line.

Top candidates to quarterback the Bluejays’ new offense will be sophomore Dominic Demma and hotly recruited freshman Michael Schmidtke. “Demma is very patient, very cool, and hard to shake up,” noted Krohn. “He’s also battle-tested; Dominic won some huge games while leading his high school team to a state final.” Also in the hunt for the QB spot will be returnee Anthony Diaferio.

Elmhurst has promoted Todd Nichols, a five-year vet and its former defensive backfield coach, to the role of defensive coordinator. “Todd believes in team unity and chemistry," said Krohn. “He will focus on the fundamentals, like sound tackling,”

Nichols’ 4-3 defense will allow plenty of latitude for junior Chris Dembosz, whom Krohn calls “a savvy and recognized playmaker.” Dembosz will return to the linebacker position this fall, where he starred as a freshman in 2000.
Other defensive players to watch are junior linemen Chris Rydelski and James Taranowski. Also on the defensive line will be senior Anwar Wallace and Wallace's high school teammate, junior Jason Gonzalez.

The best and biggest change for the Jays may just be the playing area itself. Langhorst Field has been upgraded with new AstroPlay artificial turf, as well as a new scoreboard. The privately funded, $1 million remodeling project also includes more attractive fencing and a “Legacy Wall” (listing the names of all Elmhurst gridiron coaches) on the north face of the press box.

The College will officially dedicate its renovated football and soccer facility just prior to the season-opening “Community Day” football game at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, against Benedictine.

North Central (3-7 in 2001)
A new era of North Central football will be ushered in this fall as the Cardinals take the field under new head coach John Thorne. Thorne, who led Wheaton Warrenville South to an impressive four state titles, inherits a Cardinal team that finished the 2001 season with a 3-7 record and a sixth-place finish in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin.

"I'm truly excited to be coaching at the collegiate level," said Thorne. "I'm been very anxious to get our team out on the field and see what we're capable of. I think we're going to have an aggressive defense and an exciting offense this season."

The 2002 Cardinal offense will be looking for a new leader after losing first team All-CCIW quarterback Jeremy Walsh to graduation. The starting quarterback role is likely to be filled from a trio of candidates. Pete Brown saw a few snaps last season for the Cardinals while Dustin Bock will enter the program after an impressive high school career. Justin Hall is also expected to compete for the starter's role after transferring in from the College of DuPage.

"The quarterback position is going to be an open battle at the start of the season," said Thorne. "We have several athletes who are capable of running the offense on the field for us."

Michael Mims returns to lead the Cardinal backfield this season. Mims rushed for a career high 618 yards and four touchdowns last season while finishing as the team's second leading rusher. Joining Mims in the backfield is a group of newcomers that will add a great amount of depth. Rich Schutt joins the Cardinal team after spending the past three seasons at Division I-A Eastern Michigan, where he returned three kicks for 30 yards last season.. Schutt rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 18 touchdowns in his senior year at Lincolway High School.

After earning All-America honors in baseball last season, Mario Gianfortune will try to duplicate his success on the football field. Gianfortune has great speed and had a very successful high school career at tailback. Several freshmen should also receive touches in the backfield. Steve Holden, Nick Bean, John Alexander and Mike Jaber all are coming off impressive high school careers and are hoping to continue their success at the collegiate level.

"We will have a lot of speed in the backfield this year," Thorne said. "We have several explosive ball carriers who can breakaway for long runs."

The Cardinal offense will try to spread the field with its passing game, with some experienced targets at wide receiver. Brad Spencer proved to be a deep scoring threat last year with 10 receptions and three touchdowns. Bobby Miller caught 18 passes for 202 yards while Brant Roth caught 10 balls for 103 yards last season. Art Kwiatkowski and Jeff Krumlauf are both expected to contribute after not playing football last season. Chuck Earnest and Ivory Lofton are two incoming freshman who will provide the Cardinals with additional big targets over the middle.

"Our group of receivers is definitely strength for our team," said Thorne. "They have a lot of experience that should really pay off for us."

Thorne knows that the ability to score points on offense may depend on the success of the offensive line. The Cardinals return several players with experience up front. Dusty Wicks returns at guard after earning second team all-conference status last season. He's joined by returning starters, Will Braga, Nick Schaeffer and Bob Moore. Joe Hickok, Chris Williams, Mark Pfeiffer, David Schultz and Chad Schaefer also saw time on the offensive line and could contribute this year as well.

"We have several players who are very experienced on the offensive line," said Thorne. "It's quite possible that we could ask a few of them to switch to fullback or tight end to help expand our offense."

While Thorne concentrates on running the offense, Roger VanDeZande will run the Cardinals' defense after coming over from Southern Oregon University where he earned the "Assistant Coach of the Year" honors from the American Football Coaches Association.

"I'm thrilled to be a part of bringing the Cardinal football team to the top of the CCIW," said VanDeZande. "We're going to have a fun defense to watch."

Kurt Zak is expected to anchor the Cardinal defensive line after earning second team All-CCIW honors last season and leading the team in tackles for loss and sacks. Zach Andrews, Joe Buck, Brock McKinnon, Jon Gozdal and Aaron Siek have all seen significant time in the trenches and are expected to contribute to the Cardinal run-stopping attack. Newcomers Matt Gozdal, Mike Guzaldo and Michael Norwood should add some well-needed size in the middle of the defensive line.

"We should have a very strong and a large defensive line this season," said Thorne. "We should be able to put more pressure on the quarterback and stuff the run a little easier."

Gary Kmiec set a school record last season after making 119 tackles and earning second team All-CCIW honors. He returns to anchor the core of linebackers. Jeff Wink also returns after making 50 tackles in 2001. Kevin Jordan, Ryan Peterson and Sean Carlson provide the Cardinals with three additional experienced linebackers. Freshman Teddy Bolden could make an immediate impact as well for the Cardinals after a successful career at Mt. Carmel High School.

"Linebacker is the one spot where we do not have a lot of depth," said Thorne. "We're going to ask our regulars to really step up and carry us this season."

The Cardinal secondary features two returning starters from 2001. Ross Teresi made 31 tackles and broke up three passes starting at cornerback while Bob Goins finished fourth on the team in tackles with 69 and broke up eight passes. Pat Carney and Nick Armetta return after seeing time last season at cornerback. Transfer Doug Teutsch joins the Cardinal defense as a free safety after playing at Lindenwood. Newcomers Halston Hanstert and John Umunna could also play an important part in the Cardinal secondary.

"Our secondary should be solid," said Thorne. "We have a lot of speed and some safeties who like to really hit opponents."

On the special teams side of the ball, the Cardinals have said goodbye to three-time All-CCIW selection Ryan Jordan. Miller saw time punting and placekicking while Jordan battled an injury last year and could be asked to do more of the same in 2002. Chris Nelson is back after handling kickoff duties in 2001. The Cardinals welcome the addition of Mike Augustine from Northern Illinois University. Augustine was an All-State kicker in high school and should contribute immediately.

"We have several options when it comes to our kickers," said Thorne. "We have a few experienced returners and adding Mike is a big help."

Thorne knows that the Cardinals' 2002 schedule is certainly not going to be easy. North Central will have only four home games and will play perennial powerhouses Illinois Wesleyan and Wheaton on the road. The Cardinals face Colorado College for the first time in their home opener Sept. 21. The season begins Sept. 14 when North Central plays down the road at Benedictine.

"We have a tough schedule ahead of us," said Thorne. "We're looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead and are anxious to get our team out on the field."

Illinois Wesleyan (7-2 in 2001)
Illinois Wesleyan returns nine offensive and four defensive starters from a team that finished 7-2 overall and 6-1 in the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin, the second straight season the Titans have shared the CCIW championship. IWU is 16-3 (.842) the last two years and has won 80% of games in last five seasons (37-9). The two IWU losses were by a total of 10 points (17-14 at Washington U. and 14-7 vs. Augustana).

Head coach Norm Eash, whose next win will be his 100th as a head college coach, welcomes back four all-league performers — senior defensive back and punt returner Kevin Kaplan (20 tackles, 5 interceptions, led league in punt returns), senior linebacker Mike Clark (82 tackles, 45 solo, 13 tackles for loss); senior offensive tackle Adam Miller; and junior wide receiver Tim Snyder (27 catches for 396 yards).

In the offensive backfield, the Titans return a starting quarterback in Josh Akin and fullback in Pat Spangler. Akin was 90 of 182 for 1141 yards and 8 touchdowns last season while Spangler ran for 317 yards and three TDs on 85 carries. The likely tailback is senior Chris Ross, who scampered for 79 yards on 18 carries while backing up Aaron Telford last year. In addition to Snyder, Akin will aim for wide receiver Eric White, who gathered in 20 passes for 312 yards and six scoring strikes last fall.

The Titans amassed 3,156 yards of total offense last year (5.1 per play) and with the experience of a veteran offensive line, that number is likely to increase this seaon. On the offensive line in addition to Miller, returning starters are Nathan Gavzer and Tom Mikolajczyk at guards and Joe Bzdyl at the other tackle.

The Titan defensive is traditionally stingy — in last year's final NCAA Division III statistics, Illinois Wesleyan was 29th in total defense and 13th in scoring defense (12.0 allowed). In addition to Kaplan and Clark, linemen Brad Burtnette and Willie Chandler were starters last fall. Linebackers Peter Dabrowski and Kenny Hogue are heavily counted on to contribute in 2002.

On special teams, junior kicker Brian Klesath is back for his third year as IWU's full-time kicker. In 2001, he was 7-for-9 in field goals and 20-for-25 on PATs. For his career he's hit 45 of 52 PAT and 13 of 22 FG tries.

Freshman punter Drew Himes (6-6, 200 pounds) will join a short list of freshman starters during Eash's tenure. "We're real excited about Drew," Eash said. "We think he can be an All-American type of punter just because of the build of his body, the leg swing and so forth."

Eash, whose 15 year record is 99-40-1, told Doug Hamm of The Pantagraph that he has been pleased with the preseason progress of both his offensive and defensive units. "The offense is right where I thought it would be," Eash said. "There's a lot of potential there, and I think we will be very explosive. We've just got to guard against complacency and keep improving. Defensively I think we're going to be a surprise. Our kids are taking it to heart that maybe people don't believe we're going to be very good defensively. It's going to be a quick, fast, team pursuit type of defense. That's how we're going to have play because we're not going to be overly big."

In the preseason coaches poll, IWU was picked to finish second in the CCIW behind Augustana. "It's kind of funny because the last two years they picked us fourth in the conference and we won it," Snyder told The Pantagraph. "It doesn't mean anything to us anymore because we've been slapped in the face twice before and just shown everybody up in the conference. Everybody guns for us in the conference because everyone wants to beat us. It's kind of nice to prove it to them every year that we're the same team coming back."

The Titans open their grid campaign on Sept. 14 at UW-La Crosse before facing Washington University at 6 p.m. Sept. 21 in the home opener, the Titans' first night home game in 31 years.

Back to D3football.com