GAME NOTES (PDF)
This week: Augustana (2-0, 1-0 NSIC) meets the University of Mary (0-2, 0-1 NSIC) in its first home Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference game of 2010 on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. at Kirkeby-Over Stadium.
The series: Saturday will be just the second meeting between Augustana and U-Mary. The lone contest between the two programs was on Aug. 25, 2007, in Bismarck, N.D.; the Vikings won 26-19.
Television stars: Saturday's game is being broadcasted by the new Midco Sports Network and can be viewed live and in syndication on Channel 26 on Midcontinent Communications. Tom Nieman will handle the play-by-play, while Al Bahe will provide color commentary.
Get low: Augustana's 10-0 victory over Bemidji State last Saturday marked a host of “the last time” scenarios. The following is a summary of some of those, most of which involve lows…
• Augustana held BSU to 106 yards of total offense--the least yards of total offense allowed since Sept. 11, 2004, when the Vikings held Minnesota, Crookston to just 79 yards.
• The Vikings limited the Beavers to 9 yards rushing—the least rushing yards allowed since Oct. 11, 2008, when Augustana held Southwest Minnesota State to negative 13 yards rushing.
• The 10 combined points was the lowest since Sept. 21, 2002, when Augustana and Minnesota State combined for just seven points in the Mavericks' 7-0 win over the Vikings.
• Augustana's last shutout prior to last Saturday was in 2009 when the Vikings blanked Minnesota, Crookston 49-0 on Sept. 12.
Two wins to start: Augustana 2-0 start marks the second consecutive season the Vikings have been victorious in their first two contests of the season. In 2009, Augustana began the year by knocking off St. Cloud State and Emporia State. Since 2000, Augustana has started 2-0 six times (2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2009 and 2010).
Ben can: Junior Ben Wardell (Sturgis, S.D.) was instrumental in Augustana's impressive defensive performance against Bemidji State last Saturday. The defensive lineman charted a career-high 11 tackles—including two sacks—in the Vikings' 10-0 shutout.
Another strong outing: Making his third career start, Josh Hanson (Watertown, S.D.) completed 25 of 43 passes for 253 yards and one touchdown last Saturday. His 37-yard completion to Tyler Schulte scored the game's only touchdown and gave the Vikings their decisive 10-point lead. Hanson also rushed for 32 yards, including breaking one off for a 14-yard gain. In just two games this season, Hanson has already thrown for 509 yards.
The leg: Kicker/punter Andrew Behrens (Pleasant Hill, Iowa) has been a consistent element in the Augustana special teams game. Last Saturday, the sophomore had another solid performance as he drilled a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter—three points that would be vital to Augustana's shutout victory in the low-scoring affair. He also averaged 38.2 yards per punt on eight tries, including booting a 60-yard bomb. Behrens also averaged 58.3 yards on three kickoffs. For the season, Behrens is 2 of 5 on field goals and is averaging 42.1 yards per punt and 61.8 yards per kickoff.
Worthy game by Ellingworth: Senior Eric Ellingworth (Redwood Falls, Minn.) grabbed nine balls for 92 yards last Saturday, putting together the best game of his career. Though the offense only put up 10 points in the win, the wide receiver had a key catch on the Vikings' first scoring drive. Ellingworth is currently averaging 10.3 yards per catch.
Twice is nice: Senior Tyler Schulte (Sioux Falls) has had two straight games with a touchdown reception after his 37-yard score against Bemidji State last Saturday. The two-game streak matches the longest of his career; he also had back-to-back games with touchdown catches last season. Schulte has caught nine passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns in 2010.
Receiving votes: Augustana has received votes in the first four American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Polls of 2010. The Vikings earned 31 votes in the fourth rankings of the season released Monday. Grand Valley State took the No. 1 spot with 646 points and 23 first-place votes. Augustana was one of five NSIC teams to make the top 25 or receive votes. Conference neighbors Minnesota Duluth (No. 2), Minnesota State (No. 16), Winona State (No. 17), Wayne State (No. 18) and also made an appearance in the poll.
Take me to your leaders: Four seniors will serve as the Vikings captains for the 2010 season. Tyler Schulte, Chris Janisch, Eric Bergman and Dan Schoen have been chosen to lead Augustana this year; a special teams captain will also be named each week.
Let's go Joe: Senior running back Joe Clark (Rochester, Minn.) is inching closer to becoming Augustana's all-time leading rusher. The shifty runner is just 426 yards from tying Chris San Agustin's (1987-1990) career record of 3,098 yards. Clark is hardly a stranger to the Viking record book; he already holds the record for rushing yards in a season (1,114 in 2008).
Home sweet home: The Vikings are 6-1 in Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Augustana has outscored its opponents 252-130 in the facility.
We like Mike: The Mike Aldrich era is officially underway. The first-year head coach served as the Vikings' defensive coordinator the past four seasons and has a plethora of experience coaching in the collegiate ranks, including stops at Louisville, California Lutheran, College of the Sequoias and St. Olaf.
According to the coaches: The NSIC's 14 head coaches picked Augustana to finish third overall in their Preseason Coaches' Poll. Minnesota Duluth was tabbed the preseason favorite by the conference's 14 head coaches. Augustana was also picked to finish second in the seven-team NSIC South Division. The Vikings, who received one first-place vote in the South Division rankings, received 125 points in the overall rankings and 27 points in the South Division rankings.
They're back: The Vikings return a total of 17 starters from last year's squad (seven on offense, six on defense, and four specialists).
Football forecast: Saturday's forecast calls for a high of 61 degrees and a chance of showers.
The house that Bob built: 2010 marks the second season in the lavish Kirkeby-Over Stadium for the Vikings. Made possible by a lead gift of $6.1 million by Bob and Kari Hall, K-O Stadium has gained the reputation of being one of the best football facilities in NCAA Division II. Bob Hall, who serves as Augustana's equipment manager, has been instrumental in the construction of several athletic facilities on campus. As Bob has always said, “It's for the kids.”
History lesson: Augustana is in its 88th year of competition in 2010. The Vikings own an all-time record of 356-433-15. Augustana has recorded 30 winning seasons, including the past two years.
Senior momentum: The 2010 roster features 14 seniors, all of whom have played an important roll during their careers as Vikings.
Take me to your leaders: Four seniors will serve as the Vikings captains for the 2010 season. Tyler Schulte, Chris Janisch, Eric Bergman and Dan Schoen have been chosen to lead Augustana this year; a special teams captain will also be named each week.
About Augustana: The Vikings are off to a 2-0 start in 2010—thanks to spirited performances in two closely matched games. Augustana posted a nine-point victory over St. Cloud State in its season opener at Kirkeby Over Stadium and posted a 10-point win over Bemidji State last Saturday in its NSIC opener. Sophomore signal caller Josh Hanson has thrown from more than 500 yards thus far, while senior utility man Tyler Schulte is averaging 143.0 receiving yards per game. Senior Ryan Isaacson spearheads a plethora of defensive players who have a knack for having big games. Isaacson has charted 17 tackles on the season. Junior Ben Wardell has added a team-best 2.5 sacks.
About U-Mary: The Marauders are looking for their first win of the season after having lost 35-3 to Chadron State and 21-14 to Southwest Minnesota State. U-Mary has yet to find its stride offensively, averaging just 224.0 yards of total offense per game. Jamal Lomax, who has played in one game, leads the Marauders with 114 yards rushing. Craig Bagnell has thrown for 276 yards this season, while Terry Newsome has caught eight passes for 112 yards. Defensively, Marcus Broome has a Marauder-best 14 tackles.
Augustana coaches' show: Live from the Gateway Lounge in Sioux Falls, The Augustana Coaches' Show airs each Monday at 5 p.m. Join Jeff Fylling and Augustana head coaches as they discuss various topics surrounding Viking athletics.
Stay connected: Follow Augustana all season long on its official online home, www.GoAugie.com. You can also get the latest on the Vikings on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GoAugie) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/GoAugie). To view video highlights and the latest episode of the Augustana Sportscene, log onto the Vikings' official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/GoAugie).
Up next: Augustana continues conference play at home next Saturday with a 1 p.m. meeting with Southwest Minnesota State. The game will be the first one this season with an opponent from the NSIC South Division.
