Issued: August 30, 2002

FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Quick Facts

Head Coach: Todd Hoffner (beginning 4th year as head coach after 8 yrs as assistant at UW-Stevens Point)

2001 Season Record: 8-2 (both losses in double overtime)

2001 Conference Record: 5-2 (tied for first)

Post-season: no bid as co-champion Stevens Point earned conference automatic spot after beating the Blugolds 30-27 in double overtime in regular season finale

Conference: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

2001 Letterwinners (Seniors): 40 (10)

2002 Returning Starters: Offense - 5; Defense - 9; Kicker/Punter - 2

Tradition: School record for wins was 10-3 in 1998; the 1981 team had a 9-1 record…the next best records included 8 wins by the 2001, 1984, 1983 and 1978 teams. School has had just one post-season playoff team…the 1998 team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III tournament, beating Central of Iowa and St. John's University before losing to Rowan. Eau Claire has won or shared nine conference championships in 2001, 1998, 1983, 1981, 1964, 1963, 1956, 1948 and 1922.

Returning athletes with potential for All-Conference, All-Region or All-American recognition

Defense

Brad Gawronski, 6-0, 205, Senior, Linebacker

Austin Crow, 6-3, 215, Junior, Defensive End

Mike LaBarbera, 5-10, 175, Junior, Cornerback

Offense

Mike Bestul, 6-0, 265, Senior, Offensive Guard

Brian McIntyre, 6-1, 275, Senior, Offensive Tackle

Andy Jepsen, 6-2, 275, Senior, Center

Brad Newton, 6-5, 240, Senior, Tight End

Jason Foemmel, 6-0, 195, Senior, Wide Receiver

Special Teams

Nick Diciaula, 5-10, 165, Junior, Kicker

Can the 2002 UW-Eau Claire football team play as good a game as the game they might talk after sharing last year's Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship?

That is the concern of fourth-year head coach Todd Hoffner as he looks forward to trying to motivate his team to repeat. "Will we understand the need to work as hard to stay on top as we did to climb to the top," said Hoffner whose three previous teams went from 2-8 to 6-4 to 8-2 last season with both losses coming in double overtime.

One of the biggest improvements the Blugolds made from the 2000 season to the 2001 season was in defensive performance. To win eight games, which matched the third best victory total in school history, the Blugolds held NCAA playoff team St. John's to 10 points, Division IAA Valparaiso to nine, shut out defending WIAC champion Stout and limited perennial WIAC power La Crosse to seven points.

The Blugolds outscored their opponents 280-152 last season and normally got the jump on their foes by outscoring them 70-7 in the first quarter. The defense allowed opponents an average of 3.0 yards per rush and held opponents to a 94.29 pass efficiency rating.

Nine of the 11 defensive starters will return next season including All-Conference defensive end Austin Crow and All-Conference linebacker Brad Gawronski. The key loss is strong safety Jay Hoyord, a Hewlett-Packard second team All-American and Football Gazette third team All-American. The unanimous All-Conference pick also played for the U.S. Division III All-Stars in the Aztec Bowl. He led the team in tackles (101), pass interceptions (6) and fumble recoveries (3). Crow led the team in sacks (12) and tackles for loss (20) while Gawronski was third in tackles and second in interceptions (5). The other key hole to file will be in the defensive line with the loss of noseguards Adrian Wilson and Beau Price. The replacement for that position will come from a shifting of existing personnel according to Hoffner.

Offensively, the Blugolds lose their entire backfield with quarterback Brian Rasmussen, tailback Darrell Souhrada and fullback Josh Stieler. Souhrada averaged over 148 yards per game in each of the past two seasons. He broke the school single season and career rushing records as well as the conference career rushing and career scoring marks. Sophomore Dave Garrison is a top candidate to replace Souhrada after starting three games as a freshman when Souhrada was sidelined with an injury. Sophomore Nels Fredrickson will be a frontrunner for the signal-calling position. He was thrust into a starting role when Rasmussen missed last year's La Crosse game with an injury and directed the Blugolds to a 10-7 triumph that earned them a share of the conference title. Jeremy Darnell came on strong in spring ball and in two European games to push Fredrickson for time behind center. Jesse Krzyzanowski made a lot of strides as a redshirt last fall and will also have a shot at the QB position, according to Hoffner.

In addition to the backfield losses, the Blugolds will need to replace three-year starters Jon Polasky and Bob Schmidt, a d3Football.com second team All-American and Football Gazette third team All-American, in the offensive line. Mike Bestul, an All-Conference second team pick and first team Academic All-American, heads the list of four returning players with significant experience in the trenches, the others being Andy Jepsen, P. J. Madson and Brian McIntyre.

Also gone is wide receiver Jeremy Bergeron who led the team in touchdown receptions with seven. But the top two receivers in number of catches are back in the persons of tight end Brad Newton, an All-Conference first team selection, and Jason Foemmel who caught five TD passes. Foemmel has had two great seasons in a row according to Hoffner, and will serve as a team captain this fall.

Nick Diciaula, who was third on the team in scoring with six field goals and 23 extra points, could be a lethal weapon with some improvement in consistency said Hoffner. Matt Brink returns to handle the punting duties after averaging 36.4 per kick and putting nearly one-fourth of his kicks inside the 20. Opponents returned less than half of his punts and for only 4.4 yards per return.

The Blugolds have averaged better than 25 points per game since Hoffner became head coach but he faces his biggest challenge relative to the amount of rebuilding needed on the offensive side of the ball.

Offensive lineman Kerry Carlson, a junior college All-American and a transfer from Iowa State, could help in the offensive line where redshirt Dennis Peterson will offer a 280-pound body with tons of promise according to Hoffner. Redshirt Joe Gast will be a top candidate at running back along with newcomer Brian Mitchell while redshirt Andrew Jones should rank among the top four linebackers and Eric Schemenauer will be a contender on the defensive line.

Hoffner indicated that his recruiting class could be the best since he arrived in Eau Claire with quarterback candidates from two state championship squads and a bevy of strong perimeter players on defense.

Hoffner sees continued strength from top to bottom in the league with La Crosse, Stout, River Falls and Stevens Point as teams to be reckoned with based on returning players and quality of recruits.

The Blugolds will get ready for the conference race with a strong non-conference schedule that includes three of the top teams from the MIAC including NCAA playoff teams St. John's and Bethel as well as Augsburg.