2015 MIAC FB Tour - Concordia

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

In late August, I visited nine schools in nine days and traveled a total of nearly 800 miles. And it was all totally worth it. As I file my ninth and final report from the 2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour, it's safe to say the annual trip around the league was again a rousing success, and hopefully the blogs and videos have everyone ready to see their favorite team in action starting tonight or Saturday.

That's right, the kickoff of the MIAC football season is upon us. Bethel starts things off at UW-Stout tonight (Thursday, Aug. 3) at 7 p.m., and the other eight teams make their 2015 debuts on Saturday. Follow all the action on the MIAC football scoreboard.

The camp tour concluded on Wednesday, Aug. 26, with the second half of my two-stop trip in Moorhead, Minn. I got to Concordia practice early for an impressive display by a Cobber team with annual high aspirations. 2015 will be no different, as the team returns a ton of talent but aims to replace one of the best QBs in school history. Griffin Neal is gone, but there I saw plenty of other reasons to be optimistic around Cobber camp.

My top four observations from last Wednesday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from Cobber practice, as well as a video with highlights and interviews with Head Coach Terry Horan, WR Brandon Zylstra and LB Levi Hintermeister.

Concordia has plenty of playmakers back
to fuel high hopes for the 2015 season.

FIRST DOWN - Next up after Neal

The top storyline in Cobber camp all season has been who will replace graduated star QB Griffin Neal, who started and excelled for three years and had a career record of 24-6 as a starter. After a spirited, three-man competition for the starting spot, Horan gave the nod to Alex Grove for Saturday's opener against Jamestown. During my visit, I thought Grove looked comfortable in the offense and threw some really nice passes, especially the intermediate routes. The junior from Willmar spent the last two seasons learning under Neal and preparing for this opportunity. All eyes will be on him when the Cobbers cruise into the 2015 season. His play will certainly go a long way toward determining the team's success ... but he won't be alone in the spotlight.

SECOND DOWN - Surrounded by Standouts

Grove may be a new starter at QB, but he walks into a dream situation for a new signal-caller. He's got two All-MIAC wide receivers back and four of five starters on the offensive line. Last season, Jon Baune and Brandon Zylstra combined for 77 catches, 985 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Zylstra - one of the MIAC's most athletic and electric players - started the season with an injury but both are at full strength and ready for even bigger things as a senior. Horan stressed that Grove just needs to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers and let them do the rest, and with a veteran offensive line up front and experience in the backfield as well, the new QB finds himself surrounded by a ton of talent to ease the transition. If Grove can avoid the big mistakes and make the smart, efficient reads, the Cobber offense should continue to hum.

The Cobber defense works on tackling
fundamentals during last Wednesday's practice.

THIRD DOWN - Tackling machines

The Cobber defense was stout again in 2014, and despite some holes to fill on the defensive line - including 2013 Mike Stam Award winner Nate Adams - the team is loaded at linebacker and at defensive back. Erik Bye and Hintermeister shared the team lead with 54 tackles apiece last season, and both returns as senior captains and will be a huge key to the Concordia defense. Horan is also pleased with all the talent in the secondary, which he thinks improved throughout the season a year ago. I was really impressed with the way Concordia both stressed and coached fundamentals on defense during my visit to camp. They had several stations that focused on tackling, and even though it was the second week of camp guys were being coached up like it was the first day in pads. I was impressed with both the technique, and the safety, being employed by the defensive staff. Now it's easy to see why the Cobbers run out such sure tacklers every year. Concordia had the second-best scoring defense (17.3 ppg) and total defense (331.3 ypg) a year ago, and there's no reason to think the Cobbers won't be every bit as lethal on that side of the ball again in 2015.

FOURTH DOWN - 8-2 and beyond

Horan said before practice that they've certainly enjoyed their recent success . Concordia has finished 8-2 each of the past three seasons and was the only team to knock off MIAC champion Saint John's in the regular season in 2014. However, he said each of the past three teams were just a couple plays away from making a really nice run to either the MIAC title or into the NCAA Playoffs - or both - and he's right. This year the Cobbers expect to be in the mix again with the Johnnies, St. Thomas and Bethel, and will undoubtedly find themselves in close games and key situations against the MIAC's elite. If they reverse their fortunes in those big games, this could be the season the Cobbers take that next step. With strong senior playmakers on offense and a veteran defense, they'll lean heavily on their leadership in those big spots, and all that's left is to see how they respond.

CAMP TOUR COMES TO AN END

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and just in time as the season officially kicks off tonight with Bethel visiting UW-Stout at  7 p.m., and the rest of the MIAC kicking off their seasons on Saturday. Below is the date I visited each school during the preseason trip around the conference, and be sure to visit the tour home page to see the blogs and videos from each stop on the tour to prepare for this weekend's games.

2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Re-live or discuss the tour on social media, as we've been posting on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and used the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has also done a great job on the first-ever MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.

2015 MIAC FB Tour - Saint John's

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

Last Wednesday I finished off the 2015 MIAC Football CampTour where it all started. In 2013, Gary Fasching was taking over as the Saint John's head coach and we wanted to do a "changing of the guard" story on our site after he took over from the legendary John Gagliardi. So to do my interviews & research, I went up to Collegeville for a day, took in practice, talked to coaches and players and gathered the info I needed for my story.

My time at practice was even more enjoyable and insightful than I could have predicted, which led to me reaching out to a few other coaches and hitting a few other camps that fall. Last year (2014), we expanded it to include all nine teams, and here we are doing it again with a side of volleyball in 2015.

In my three visits to Saint John's, things have evolved a lot. The 2013 trip revealed a team hoping to improve, which it did to 7-3. Last year, the team hoped to take the next step, which it did with a 9-1 regular season, the MIAC title and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. This year, there are a ton of major pieces back in place surrounded by another strong recruiting effort, and the Johnnies find themselves back in the role of the hunted, rather than the hunter. But along with that comes even bigger expectations, and the team revealed many of the same strengths that made them so good a year ago, while working to polish things up in a few areas.

My top four observations from last Wednesday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from Saint John's practice, as well as a video with highlights and interviews with Head Coach Gary Fasching, RB Sam Sura and LB Carter Hanson.

The Saint John's defense hopes to be
among the MIAC's best again in 2015.

FIRST DOWN - Sura's Sendoff

The 2014 MIAC MVP is back in the Johnnie backfield, so everything starts with Sam Sura's senior campaign. A year ago, he defined the term "workhorse," leading the MIAC in carries (301), rushing yards (1,769), rushing yards per game (147.4), and rushing touchdowns (19). However, Sura suffered an injury in a second-round Playoff loss to Wartburg and it completely altered SJU's game plan. This year, keeping him fresh and healthy for the team's biggest spots will be a key, so don't expect him to tote the rock more than 300 times again. He told me that he's happy to help out in the passing game or block if it helps the offense, but he's also ready to carry the load again if needed. Coach Fasching stressed the need for more balance this season, but it's got to feel pretty good knowing the MIAC MVP is there and ready to finish his career in remarkable fashion when you need him.

SECOND DOWN - Read your Keys

Aside from Sura, SJU can credit last year's title to a remarkable season on defense. The Johnnies led the MIAC in scoring defense (12.6 ppg allowed), yards allowed (325.4 ppg), interceptions (22), fumble recoveries (12) and was third in sacks (20). All-MIAC First Team LB Carter Hanson talked about how the Johnnies work on reading and reacting ... they work to combine the mental side of the game with the physical, and last season, the reads were often right and the reactions led to big stops or turnovers. The team has graduated a few standouts over the past two seasons, but has a lot back to expect further big things from the defense. Hanson and company certainly looked sharp in 11-on-11 drills during my visit, including impressive work against the pass and in the red zone when it went up against the first team offense. SJU is famous for not tackling during practice ... but they definitely still do some hitting. The linebackers and defensive backs certainly showed me some impressive physicality on my visit.

A little more balance could go a
long way for Saint John's in 2015.

THIRD DOWN - Improve through the air

I kind of covered this already in First Down, but any improvement through the air will not only boost the team's chances to repeat as MIAC champs, it would also make the team a legitimate threat to go deep in the NCAA Playoffs. The experience is there as Nick Martin returns under center, and standout WR Josh Bungum leads a deep crop of playmakers on the outside. Last year, Saint John's was eighth in the MIAC with 127.1 passing yards per game. A lot of that was the game plan to get a lead early and rely on the run game and defense, but even if that number crept up closer to 200 yards per game it would make the offense infinitely more dangerous. Fewer defenders in the box will make Sura even more dangerous, and a more balanced attack could have Saint John's soaring to new heights in Fasching's fourth season.

FOURTH DOWN - Reloading

Part of SJU's resurgence over the last two seasons can definitely be credited to some solid recruiting classes, and 2015 appears to be no different. The team had 213 players at practice during my visit, and some of the newcomers could definitely step in and contribute. If nothing else, the team should be deeper - particularly at running back behind Sura and on defense. If the Johnnies can successfully replace a couple departed All-Conference players on defense and fill out some of the offensive line and skill positions with some new talent, there's no reason the 2015 edition won't be even better than a year ago. The veterans certainly appeared to do a great job in the leadership department during my visit, and I really felt a sense of them incorporating the newcomers into the Johnnie football family, and getting them up to speed to step in and help.

CAMP TOUR RECAPS CONCLUDE THURSDAY

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and we'll finish off another entertaining trip around the conference with our friends up in Moorhead, Concordia College. The full camp tour schedule is listed below with my date I visited each school. Visit the tour home page to see the blogs and videos from each stop on the tour.

2015 MIACFootball Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Follow along with the tour on social media, as we've been posting on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and we'll be using the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has been crushing it on the MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.

2015 MIAC FB Tour - Hamline

By Matt Higgins, MIAC

The 2015 MIAC Football Camp Tour stayed in St. Paul for its seventh stop, as I spent the afternoon at Hamline University on Tuesday, Aug. 25. Though it was getting near the end of Piper camp, the energy was still remarkably high and it was one of the most aggressive and physical practices I attended on the tour. This team is fired up.

Hamline nearly made it to .500 last season, and even getting to four wins was a huge step in the right direction for a program that appears to be on the rise under third-year Head Coach Chad Rogosheske. The Pipers have started carving out an identity as a smash-mouth team, and they're embracing that philosophy as they hope to continue their progress in 2015.

My top four observations from last Tuesday's practice are below in "Four Downs" and be sure to check out our updated photo gallery with some images from Hamline's practice, as well as a video with highlightsand interviews with Head Coach Chad Rogosheske, Senior RB Ryan Ferkinhoff and Junior DB Zach Schwalbach.

Hamline looked energetic and aggressive
during the MIAC Camp Tour stop in St. Paul.

FIRST DOWN - Slam Duncan

The majority of Hamline's offensive identity over the past three seasons has resided in the backfield in the form of now senior star RB Austin Duncan. He's already the Pipers' all-time leader in rushing yards (3,434) and touchdowns (25). Last season, Duncan ran for 1,237 yards and seven scores in just nine games. As a senior, Hamline will hope to ratchet down his carries a bit (228 in 2014) and hope for the similar bruising, dynamic style that has made him one of the MIAC's best throughout his career. However, keeping him healthy all season will be key, which brings me to my next point...

SECOND DOWN - Bring the Balance

The Pipers will need to find some other playmakers around Duncan to take that next step. Gone is QB Tim Bona, who had a solid season in 2014 with 2,115 passing yards and 13 scores. The new signal caller will benefit from the return of TE Phillip Sherman, who was ninth in the MIAC in receptions (43) and eighth in receiving yards (596) and he could be an even bigger part of the plan in 2015. Naji El-Araby and Nick Kampa are also back, and Ferkinhoff offers a great change of pace and solid receiving skills in the backfield to compliment Duncan. The balance extends to the other side of the ball, where Hamline hopes to have a good defense led by a strong secondary. Schwalbach (71 tackles) and fellow DB Anthony Hill (94 tackles) give the Pipers an athletic, aggressive back end, and Jonny Nguyen returns at LB. Hamline improved to sixth in points allowed (31.5 per game) and yards allowed (417.6 per game) and hopes to continue that trend in 2015.

Last Tuesday's visit to Hamline was
filled with big hits and big plays.

THIRD DOWN - Creating a Culture

As I alluded to in my intro, this is year three under Rogosheske's guidance, and each year the team gets a little crisper, a little more polished and a little more enthusiastic. Schwalbach told me that they embrace being one of the MIAC's "blue collar" schools and want to bring that same attitude and work ethic into each week. Rogosheske said that he's pleased with the direction the team is heading, and that this camp has more veterans and more guys that know what to expect, so things have moved quicker than his first two years. He said they're pleased with the step up to four wins in 2014, but he's cautioned his team that they still have a long way to go to reach their goals. This was my third year attending a Hamline preseason practice, and I have definitely noticed the evolution. They had a ton of energy during my visit, and it was one of the sharpest workouts I saw on the tour. It also featured some of the hardest hitting, especially from the aforementioned defensive backs.

FOURTH DOWN - Strength in Numbers

During each of Rogosheske's first two seasons, they've had single-digit senior classes. This year they increase a little, but next season (2016) they'll have their first group of more than 20 seniors and have much bigger classes in line behind them. The result of the increased numbers is twofold: there are more upperclassmen and, therefore, more leadership and more individuals to help instill that culture, and it also makes the team deeper and more able to put guys in spots to succeed. The increased roster is further evidence of the building going on in St. Paul, and as the roster and talent grows, so too should the win totals. Four was the magic number last season after winning just four total games over the four prior season (2010-2013). Getting to .500 this season would be continued evidence of that progress, and if Hamline could find a way to get to six or seven wins, heads would really start to turn toward Klas Field.

CAMP TOUR RECAPS CONTINUE WEDNESDAY

The MIAC Football Camp Tour has hit each of the nine schools, and this week we'll be finishing up with recaps from the final stops. Look for a report from Saint John's camp tomorrow, followed by Concordia Thursday. The full camp tour schedule is listed below with my date I visited each school.

2015 MIACFootball Camp Tour

Tuesday, Aug. 18 -Gustavus - St. Peter, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 19 - Bethel - Arden Hills, Minn.

Thursday, Aug. 20 - Augsburg - Minneapolis, Minn.

Friday, Aug. 21 - St. Olaf and Carleton - Northfield, Minn.

 Monday, Aug. 24 - St. Thomas - St. Paul, Minn.

Tuesday, Aug. 25 - Hamline - St. Paul, Minn.

Wednesday, Aug. 26-  Saint John's and Concordia - Collegeville and Moorhead, Minn.

Follow along with the tour on social media, as we've been posting on on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at each stop, and we'll be using the hashtag #MIACcamptour for both our football and volleyball treks around the MIAC. Kelsey has been crushing it on the MIAC Volleyball Camp Tour as well, and you can follow her progress on the blog or the Volleyball Camp Tour home page.