SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Augustana football finished 6-5 in 2014, marking its first winning season since 2011, but the Vikings were just one snap, one play, possibly even one drive away from a 9-2 or an 8-3 finish. The Vikings lost three games by six or fewer points, including an overtime loss to North Division power Minnesota Duluth.

A 14-point fourth quarter allowed Augustana to put a scare into the No. 1 team in the country and 2014 national runner-up in Minnesota State on Oct. 25 last season. The Vikings came up short in a shootout in Fayette, Iowa and lost to Concordia-St. Paul on Nov. 8 before rebounding to win the season finale by a large margin against Southwest Minnesota State on the road.

In just his second season, Jerry Olszewski led the Vikings to a drastic improvement in 2014 after a 4-7 finish in 2013. Augustana found itself in postseason projections, making a bid for the Mineral Water Bowl, as the postseason neared but fell just short.

Augustana returns 18 starters and 41 letterwinners from a team that set a single-season record for total offense with 5,124 yards. The Vikings return over half of the offensive production from last season, which includes points scored, receiving and rushing yards and all of its quarterback production.

"We've been able to build our roster to provide depth at all positions," Olszewski said. "We were young last year too, but our kids know they can play with anybody. I'm extremely excited about this season because we have an identity, our kids know who we are and how we play and now we just need to finish."

Another important piece to the puzzle for the Vikings is the schedule. Augustana will play six home games, and will play in Sioux Falls three straight weeks from Oct. 17-31.

"I'm excited about our schedule," Olszewski said. "It doesn't matter, you're going to play tough teams at home and on the road in this league. Granted we play the two teams ranked above us in the preseason poll on the road, I think it's a good schedule for us."

Augustana has 12 seniors on its roster, but with 41 returning letterwinners, Olszewski feels he has the experience and leadership that will lead to future success.

Wide Receiver/Tight Ends
At the wide receiver position, Augustana returns two weapons who each had a breakout season in 2014. Juniors Matt Heller and Charlie Hayes both broke onto the scene with their quickness and great hands, and both possess the ability to break the big play.

Heller led the team in receptions and receiving yards while Hayes was close behind and led the team in touchdown receptions.

"Matt and Charlie are going to bring excellent leadership to their position group," Olszewski said. "They are both hungry and want to prove to people that we are one of the better offenses in the NSIC. Both of them are extremely committed to the success of our offense and unselfish players. If it's a blocking play, they're going to block. If it's a play where they aren't going to get the ball, they're going to make a block for their teammate."

Heller hauled in 46 passes for a team-high 796 yards and seven touchdowns. He averaged 17.3 yards per catch and 72.4 receiving yards per game. An All-NSIC South Division Honorable Mention honoree in 2014, Heller caught at least one pass in all 11 games and registered three 100-plus receiving yards three times on the season. Heller caught a touchdown pass in four straight games to open the season and turned into the deep threat for the Vikings.

"Matt really proved to people that he is one of the elite receivers in our league and someone that you're going to have a tough time just going single coverage on," Olszewski said. "When teams did single cover him, he won the matchup. He made himself tough to defend and he became our premier wide receiver as the season went on."

 

Hayes finished the season with 483 receiving yards and a team-high eight receiving touchdowns on 34 receptions. He averaged 14.2 yards per catch and 43.9 yards per game. He also returned 13 punts for 123 yards last season. Hayes hauled in a career-high three touchdowns passes at Wayne State on Oct. 18 and finished the season with a career-high 83 receiving yards at SMSU.

At 5-foot-9, 178 pounds, Olszewski says that Hayes gets everything out of his frame.

"Charlie is a tough kid that makes unbelievable plays on the field for us," Olszewski said. "To be honest, I was shocked at how well he played as early and as often as he did last season. He's a tough kid that is going to bring everything he has every day and he makes his teammates better every day."

Heller and Hayes are going to have to lead a young group of receivers into the 2015 season, but Olszewski believes that with their recent success, work ethic and leadership ability, they can do the job. Trevor DeSchepper, a 6-foot-3, 181-pound receiver from Sioux Falls will get a shot on the field after having a great spring season according to Olszewski.

Montrell Moore, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound receiver from Bloomington, Minn. sat out as a redshirt last season. He will also push his way into the rotation in 2015 for the Vikings. The Vikings will also have the addition of Jason Greenway to the receiving corp, as he will move into the slot position, offering another explosive athlete to the position group.

At the tight end position, Augustana will have to replace a lot of snaps with the graduation of Nick Lee who played in 33 consecutive games for the Vikings. With the starting position open and ready for a new name and number, Jake Bartscher will have the opportunity to make it his. Bartscher, a 6-foot-5, 243-pound tight end from Alexandria, S.D., played in nine games last season hauling in five passes for 69 yards. As a redshirt freshman in 2013, Bartscher caught two passes for 18 yards and a touchdown.
 

"Jake has improved his game every season that I have been here," Olszewski said. "He is primed to have a huge season, he played a lot last season. I personally think he has every skill to be special, he's a tenacious blocker, has great size and can run and catches everything you throw at him. I think he can have a breakout year and I'm really excited for him."

Jordan Meyer, who has battled through injuries, will also see an increased role in 2015.. Meyer played in seven games last season catching one pass for 13 yards. At 6-foot-4, 261 pounds, Meyer is physically ready for the job according to Olszewski.

"Jordan is our best blocking tight end," Olszewski said. "He's got a mean streak in him to block and his hands and feet keep improving."

Adding to the depth at the tight end position will be Brandon, S.D. native Nate Winter and Chet Peerenboom out of Little Chute, Wis.

Offensive Line
The last piece, but ultimately the most important piece to the offensive puzzle for the Vikings is the front five. A veteran group with a lot of snaps between them will anchor the line in 2015 and try to build off a record setting 2014.

Coach Olszewski says that the coaching staff has specifically recruited to ensure depth on the offensive line and that the program has made enormous changes at this position through recruiting.

Starting in the middle, Brian Long enters his senior season having started 33 consecutive games on the offensive line for the Vikings. As a redshirt freshman, Long started all 11 games at left tackle before moving to center as a sophomore. An All-NSIC South Division Second Team selection last season, Long will anchor a line that returns three starters from last season and will benefit from the return of junior Sam Lee who missed all of last season due to injury.

 

"Brian is our senior captain and a tremendous leader as our center," Olszewski said. "He does a great job making our other linemen confident. He knows our scheme inside and out, and could call our entire run scheme and pass protection."

Chris Mathieu started all 11 games at right tackle for the Vikings as a sophomore in 2014. Mathieu earned All-NSIC South Division Second Team honors last season and Olszewski could not have been more impressed with his performance throughout the season.

"Chris had an outstanding year last year and developed his game from start to finish during the season," Olszewski said. "He has dropped some weight this offseason and looks every part and plays the part of a starting right tackle."

Kyle Griffin anchored the left side of the line, making 11 starts in 2014. After offseason shoulder surgery he will enter 2015 strong and ready to go.

"Kyle is a young man who has absolutely done it the right way," Olszewski said. "He has earned his stripes and earned his spot. I'm incredibly excited about what he is going to do this year because he has a passion to play."

Lee will return to the offensive line for the Vikings but will move from his original spot at left tackle into the left guard position. Lee appeared in seven games, making five starts at left tackle as a true freshman in 2012 and then started all 11 games there in 2013. Following the 2013 season, Lee had hip surgery which forced him to miss the entire 2014 season.

Lee, at 6-foot-5, 296 pounds, will be a true force out of the guard position for the Viking offense.

"Throwing Sam into the mix with this group, we feel he has a better future playing inside," Olszewski said. "He runs so well on some of our pull scheme that we want him in that position. He's a kid that if he continues to develop, he might be playing at the next level."

Coach Olzewski is expecting great competition during fall camp for the right guard position between juniors Malcolm Willett and Dylan Baker and redshirt freshmen Cody Rofshus and Paul Herbes.A junior from Omaha, Neb., Willett has played in 15 games for the Vikings, including making one start at right guard last season. Baker has appeared in five games for Augustana while Rofshus and Herbes both sat out last season earning their redshirt.

Check back Wednesday afternoon for a breakdown of the defensive line and linebackers in part 3 of the Augustana football season preview. 

Third-year head coach Jerry Olszewski will welcome 102 players to fall camp on Friday, Aug. 14. The Vikings will hold their first practice on Saturday, Aug. 15 and are set to open the season on the road at Bemidji State on Saturday, Sept. 5. Augustana's home opener is set for Sept. 12 against St. Cloud State.