The Augustana College spring football practices concluded with the Gold (Offense) claiming a close 30-29 victory over the Blue (Defense) in the annual Blue-Gold Spring Football Game, held Saturday, April 30, at the Augustana practice field.
The game was scored by using a modified scoring system developed by the Viking coaching staff that gave the defense points based on turnovers, three-play series’ and field position stops. The offense scored on touchdowns, field goals and field position scenarios.
The Spring Game was an opportunity for the younger members of the Viking football squad to see a considerable amount of playing time. All of the projected starters played in the contest, but some were limited in the amount of playing time they received.
Returning junior-to-be quarterback
Tommy Flyger (Sioux Falls, SD) started the game for the Gold and promptly led the offense down the field by completing seven straight passes, finishing with a completion to senior
Dan Klumper (Worthington, MN) for a touchdown.
Flyger finished the day completing 17 of 19 passes for an impressive completion percentage of 89.5 percent. He threw for one touchdown and had no interceptions.
Four other quarterbacks saw action for the Vikings, with junior
Chris Pomerleau (Council Bluffs, IA) seeing most of the action. Pomerleau finished the day completing 4 of 11 passes with one touchdown and one interception.
The Viking rushing attack was led by starting tailback and senior
Ryan Corcoran (Sioux Falls, SD), who rushed seven times for 31 yards. Sophomore
Jeremy Huber (Emery, SD) tallied 37 yards on eight carries. Junior
Josh Fulton (Rochester, MN) and redshirt freshman
Seth Nelson both saw action as well.
The top targets for the Viking air assault were Klumper, junior
Sam Ward (Minneapolis, MN) and junior
Ryan Rothenberger (Lennox, SD). Klumper finished with 7 catches for 63 yards and one touchdown, Ward tallied 6 catches for 41 yards and one touchdown and Rothenberger had 5 catches for 80 yards.
The defensive Blue Team was led by junior all-conference defensive lineman
Craig Bosch (Luverne, MN) who tallied three quarterback sacks. Three redshirt freshmen, linebacker Brandon McMichael (St. Louis Park, MN), safety Matt Lien (Duluth, MN) and safety Brian Baumgartner (Blaine, MN), had impressive debuts by recording five tackles each.
Senior Allan Pudwill (Brandon, SD), junior Clint Bresee (Spearfish, SD) and junior Shane Yates (Fremont, NE) added four tackles a piece from their defensive back positions.
The Brad Salem era begins Saturday, August 27 at 7:00 p.m. when the Augustana Vikings travel to St. Paul, MN to face the Golden Bears of Concordia University-St. Paul. The home schedule begins September 10 at 12:00 p.m. when the Vikings host Southwest Minnesota State University.
