As is the case every year irreplaceable players need to be replaced, and 2011 is no different for head coach John Gagliardi and his staff.

Here is a sneak peek of what holes the Johnnies will have to fill for the 2011 season.

Offense listens to instructions

The QB spot is up for grabs as 3 year starter Joe Boyle is gone and  John Ries,last season’s number two on the depth chart, has a challenger in Connor Bruns and the competition is heating up. To make matters even more interesting  Ben Krebsbach and Tyler Greguson, among others are in the mix for a spot on the travel roster.

The TE spot is vacant as 3 year starter Josh Overman has also been lost to graduation. The three main competitors for fill this vacancy are  Scott Ramey,Wade Powers and  Tyler Freetly.

The WR position is more settled as returning starters Brent Graboski and Sam Pederson are back for their Sr. season. In the mix at WR are Max Forster and  Rob Voshell who will be eager to see playing time in the 2011 season.

The offensive line who will be providing protection for a new QB is the most settled. At this point it appears to be Jimmy Stodolka at center,Eric Dirkes and Andrew Ghostley playing the guard positions and Jack Hedlund and Pete Schwartz at the tackle spots. The offensive line had its share of injuries last year and valuable game experience was gained by others in 2010 as well. To be sure, there are several other players in the mix and they need to be ready in case the injury bug bites again in 2011.

The RB position has 4 players that either started or saw extensive playing time in 2010. Harry Awe,Stephen Johnson,Jakob Reding and Nick Schneider will be sharing duties again in 2011.

Over on the defensive side of the ball the secondary will have three starters returning from last year. Kevin Wenner,Alex Powell and Ian Goldsmith. Several candidates are looking to fill out the secondary ,among them Andrew Rothschafer,Bobby Fischer and Adam Weber. Depending on personnel match up situations, Goldsmith could also play at the weak side linebacker position.

The starting linebackers will be all new this season and jockeying for starting spots continue. Players in the mix Taylor Dammermann,Jake King,Ricky Davis,John Gans,Luke Sweeter,Andrew Rose,Blake Bellefeuille and Darryl Williams.

The defensive line lost all the 2010 starters to graduation and early on there will be a lot of rotation until a core unit steps up to claim their spots. In the mix will be Evan Cobb, Connor Grill, Jeremy Hill, Jack Daggett, John Gervais, Phil Nowak, Joe Donner and several others.

To be sure, there are no starting spots “locked up” thus far in the pre-season and the non-conference games will be auditions for many players as they look to establish their spot in the line up for the MIAC season and beyond.

Connor Grill locking up

Piper Offense:  The Pipers are led by QB Adam Meyer #3 who has thrown for just over a 50% completion percentage with 9 TDs and 12 INTs this season.  Freshman RB Zach Cornish #37 is the Pipers main threat in the backfield with 504 yards and 6 TDs.  Senior WRs Alex House and Tim Queck have nearly identical statistics with 519 yards receiving and 4 & 3 TDs respectively.  Hamline runs a pro style offense that is capable of big plays but also must have excellent protection from its offensive line or there will be turnovers abound.

Johnnie Offense:  Senior QB Joe Boyle had a terrific day last week against the Oles passing for 329 yards and 3 TDs in the blowout win.  He was named MIAC Offensive Player of the Week for his performance.  The Johnnies have been able to get all 4 RBs involved in the game and have been able to find open receivers when teams decide to blitz to create pressure on the QB.

Piper Defense:  The Pipers have been decimated all season by opposing offenses.  They are simply overmatched and Saturday should be no exception.  WLB Justin Bain #29 leads the team with 10 tackles for loss.  FS J-M Vandenberg #31 and S Brady Lorenzen #5 are the other key contributors to the Piper defense.

Johnnie Defense:  Senior DT Kyle Schroeder #97 has been double & triple teamed all season following his All-American campaign last fall.  Despite the extra attention from offensive lines he has been a stalwart and spent a lot of time in opposing backfields.  The extra attention has allowed his teammates along the defensive line and the linebacking group to get free & make more plays.  It is a classic case of the statistics not telling the whole story.

Piper Special Teams:  John Broback is the Pipers Kicker and Punter.  He is 6 of 7 in FGs and a perfect 22 of 22 in PATs.  Broback’s punt average is 37.4 yards with 7 landing inside the 20 yard line and 2 blocked kicks.  Speedsters Alex House and Tim Queck handle the punt & kick return responsibilities.

Johnnie Special Teams:  Jimmie Mattson was a perfect 6 for 6 on PATs last week at St. Olaf and P Scott Ramey has really been booming his punts in the 2nd half of the season.  This game should not come down to special teams.  A few big punt returns could set up short fields and quick scores for the Johnnies allowing the 3rd, 4th, 5th string players to get some game experience for next season.

By all objective and subjective measures this game should be an overwhelming blowout.  The Johnnies come into the game with the #1 ranking in total offense in the MIAC and #2 ranking in the all important scoring offense behind St. Thomas.  The Pipers have been systematically dismantled all season by some pretty average football teams.  A trip to Collegeville in November is not a recipe for success.

St. John’s 52 – Hamline 10

Ole Offense:  Sophomore QB, Dan Dobson #1, is this week’s MIAC Player of the Week after throwing 5 TD passes last week against Hamline.  He has thrown 19 TD passes and run for 3 this season.  Junior RB, Leon Clark #5, leads the Ole rushing attack with 7 TDs and 933 yards this year.  He is extremely shifty and quick through the hole.  Senior WR, Antonio Jennings #2, has 10 TD receptions and 593 yards on the season.  The Oles have numerous weapons and they will be a stern test for the Johnnie defense.

Johnnie Offense:  The key to a great offense is exhibiting a good balance between pass & run thereby not becoming too predictable for the opposing defense.  Josh Overman and the dynamic 4 pronged Johnnie rushing attack have the ability to do that on a weekly basis.  The Ole defense is absolutely no slouch and they will prove a challenge to move the ball effectively.

Ole Defense:  Sophomore DB, Ben Dobson #7, and Junior LB, Matt Olson #37, are the key cogs in the Ole defense.  They make plays all over the field and have a great nose for the football.  The Oles were steamrolled by St. Thomas earlier in the season but excluding that they’ve been very stingy all season.  If they can create havoc and force some turnovers (which the Johnnies have been prone to all season) the Oles have a great shot on Saturday.

Johnnie Defense:  Senior DL, Kyle Schroeder #97, is the reigning MIAC Defensive Player of the Week following a stellar performance last week at Carleton.  The Oles come at you in waves with lots of outstanding skill position players and speed all over the field.  The key will be making them as one dimensional as possible.

Ole Special Teams:  Sophomore Punter/Kicker, Jason Obarski #3, is 5-8 in FGs and 27-31 in PATs this season.  Freshman, Michael Thai #22, is returning punts with a 10.1 yards per return this season.  Leon Clark and Reggie Woods are returning kicks for the Oles.

Johnnie Special Teams:  Jimmie Mattson and Scott Ramey continue to take the kicking duties.  They will be key in helping to tilt the field for optimal field position on Saturday.  The Oles have lots of offensive weapons and making them go 80+ yards to score will be critical. 

The Oles are young, talented, and hungry.  They will be contending for the MIAC title next season with help from their continued strong pipeline of recruits from Florida & Atlanta.  The Johnnies continue to let opponents hang around while showing a propensity for making turnovers.  This game will be close.

St. John’s 20 – St. Olaf 21

Knight Offense: Vaughn Schmid (#17) starts at QB and is both a threat to run & pass. Jon Lien (#39) is the top Knight RB with 662 yards and 7 TDs on the season. Both Killian Murphy (#7) and C.J. Dale (#14) have been potent weapons for the Knight’s passing game with 3 & 4 TDs respectively. Former Johnnie standout QB, Kurt Ramler, is in his 5th season leading the Carleton program. He is familiar with the SJU schemes and this tends to create some great in-game adjustments.

Johnnie Offense: The Johnnie offense runs the smoothest when they are in the no huddle or hurry up offense. Unfortunately this has been seen mostly at the end of games when SJU is trailing & needs to score points fast. Offensive coordinator, Jim Gagliardi, spent last week in the press box switching places with Mike Trewick. The offense hummed along early and it looked like the Johnnies might roll up 50+ points on the Gusties. If the offense stays aggressive and spreads the field to optimize the mismatchs, there is no reason the Johnnies shouldn’t put up huge numbers this week.

Knight Defense: The Knights are led by senior LB Mark Skoglund, S Neil Kolstad, and S Mike Elder. They’ve allowed over 400 yards of offense per game (and it is NOT a good sign when players in your secondary are near the team lead in tackles). They will be aggressive and bring the blitz to force Joe Boyle to make fast decisions in hopes of forcing some turnovers which Boyle has done this season.

Johnnie Defense: The Johnnies have begun rotating more players into the game on the defensive side of the football, particularly the defensive line. There hasn’t been much pressure from the line all season long and this has been a significant contributor to the 3 SJU losses. The LBs continue to swarm to the football and make running the football difficult for the opposition. A few early turnovers would be just the ticket to a big win.

Knight Special Teams: Eric Murphy handles the Knight placekicking going 3-5 on FGs, and 27-28 on PATs. Bill Moritz is the punter who averages 31.1 yards/kick and has 4 balls inside the 20 yard line. DeAngelo Williams and Tsubasa Matsui are the Carleton kick returners while Jordan Soteros returns punts.

Johnnie Special Teams: Jimmie Mattson continues to handle the placekicking. He missed a PAT last week and appeared to be trying to boom a 50 yard FG. Instead the following PATs were just modest chip shots which is all that is necessary for maximum accuracy. The kicking game has been just a little out of sync all season as the long snapper has a broken thumb that has resulted in several bouncing snaps on punts/FGs/PATs.

The Johnnies haven’t come close to hitting on all cylinders all season long. They’ve been plagued by countless turnovers and some suspect playcalling which has resulted in several close games. There is no reason to believe that Saturday’s game should be close…but I bet it will be. Call it the Ramler Factor!

St. John’s 34 – Carleton 24

Gustie Offense: The Gusties are led by freshman RB Jeffrey Dubose who is averaging 79 yards a game with 4 TDs on the season. Sophomore WR Muresuk Mena has 43 catches for 258 yards and 3 TDs. QB Logan Becker leads the Gusties with 8 TDs, 8 INTs, and has thrown for 169 yards per game. They continue to run a pro-style offense which has been feast or famine for them this season.

Johnnie Offense: The Johnnies offense has to find a way to right the ship and put some big points on the board. One of the keys to the great Johnnie squads of year’s past was the ability to get out to big leads thus allowing the underclassmen valuable playing time against the opposition’s #1 unit.

Gustie Defense: The Gusties are led on by LBs Zach Lundquist and Paul Stommes. CB Dustin Kammerer leads the team with 50 tackles including 4 for loss. They’ve held a very good Wartburg team to 27 pts and an equally solid Bethel squad to 20 pts. Look for them to bring pressure and try to create turnovers to swing the momentum of the game early in the contest.

Johnnie Defense: The defense will have to force the Gusties to throw the ball. The Johnnies always have a strong gameplan versus Gustavus and this week should be no exception. Look for them to focus on stopping the run early in the game forcing GAC into uncomfortable 3rd and long situations.

Gustie Special Teams: Tom Huepenbecker handles the kicking and is 2-6 in FGs and 15-17 in PATs.  The Gusties have had 2 punts blocked on the season.  If the game comes down to special teams that would mean Gustavus is where they want to be.

Johnnie Special Teams: The SJU special teams can tilt the field with excellent field position with some quality kick coverage and nice returns themselves. If this game comes down to the kicking game the advantage is to the Johnnies.

Prediction: The Gusties have played some quality teams this season and played decent. I think they’ll hang around for a half on Saturday. However, if the weather is nice I see lots of built up frustration being exercised onto the Gustavus squad.

St. John’s 42 – Gustavus 7

Royals Offense:  The Royals are led by junior QB Josh Aakre who is a dual threat on the ground and through the air.  Logan Flannery leads the MIAC in rushing yards averaging 143 yards/game with 8 TDs on the season.  The Royals top receiver is sophomore Jay Hilbrands who has 14 receptions for 201 yards and 1 TD on the season.  TE Alex Wright has also been a top target for QB Josh Aakre with 8 catches for 90 yards and 2 TDs through 4 games.

Johnnies Offense:  The Johnnies have settled into a nice groove on the offensive side of the ball.  Clearly the best formations are when they are spreading the field allowing QB Joe Boyle to identify favorable matchups and/or audible into positive plays.  The contrast between the bruising style of Jakob Reding and the quick flash of Harry Awe has been working tremendously.  The offense will need to put up some points so as not to allow this Bethel squad to hang around and steal the game late in the 4th quarter (see previous losses to Bethel).

Royals Defense:  The Royals have the top rated defense in the MIAC this season.  They are led by DE Andrew Johnson, LB Billy Morgan, & UST transfer LB Ross Petterson.  Bethel plays a 3-4 defense that is big, physical, and swarms to the football.  They always have a great scheme versus the Johnnies and this week should be no different.

Johnnies Defense:  The J’s defense better be ready to rock this week as the Royals offense has been even more productive than the Tommies so far this season.  LB Billy Lawrence left the game late in the 4th quarter last week and his status is unknown.  The one thing that is certain is that the Bethel coaches saw the UST/SJU video.  They saw how undisciplined the Johnnie DEs were throughout the game (being sucked inside losing containment and outside leverage allowing Tommies QB Tracy to continually get outside the pocket on the bootlegs).

Royals Special Teams:  Kicker Matt Wetherall is 0 for 2 on FGs and just 16 for 22 on PATs.  Clearly placekicking is not a strength of the 2010 Royals.  Backup RB Kevin Lindh has been returning kicks.  Ben Jameson is averaging 41 yards a punt (after snubbing the Penn State Nittany Lions for Bethel U).  Special Teams have played a big part in the annual SJU/BU games, so any big play either way could determine the outcome late Saturday afternoon.

Johnnies Special Teams:  The Johnnies continue to have problems kicking the ball.  Punter Scott Ramey has had several shanks the last few weeks which have put the defense with short fields and in precarious positions.  Jimmie Mattson continues to do well on his field goal attempts, but is just 21 for 24 in PATs.  Getting the upper hand in the battle for field position could be critical on Saturday.  Kick coverage could also be telling as last week Tommie star Fritz Waldvogel was very close to breaking several returns for touchdowns.

Prediction:  The Royals are 4-0 and riding high following a tight victory over St. Olaf last Saturday in Northfield.  They seem to have figured out a scheme to give the Johnnies all they can handle every year.  Ball control, timely turnovers, and impeccable execution have helped the Royals beat the Johnnies more than any other team over the past decade.  All that being said, the Johnnies are playing for their playoff lives (albeit very small chance) on Saturday in Arden Hills. 

St. John’s 24 – Bethel 20

Tommie Offense: The Toms are going with a 2 man QB rotation of starter Dakota Tracy and backup Greg Morse.  Tracy tends to be the purple’s “running” QB while Morse is the “throwing” QB.  Tracy has gotten more snaps and shown more poise in the pocket (not forcing balls into tight spots prone to interceptions).  RB Ben Wartman has been out the last 2 weeks with injury and RB Colin Tobin has filled in admirably.  The Toms best weapon on offense is WR Fritz Waldvogel.  He is quick, shifty, & makes big plays especially on special teams returning both punts and kicks.  The Tommies are fairly balanced on offense, but have shown they like the trick play.  Both Wartman and Tobin have thrown halfback passes this season (one for a TD, the other for an INT).

Johnnie Offense: This is the game that will define Joe Boyle’s Johnnie career.  If he plays well and leads the Cardinal & Blue to victory this game will serve as a springboard for the rest of the season (including a big game next week at Bethel) & the playoffs.  The Johnnie offense has hummed the last couple of weeks primarily using RB Steve Johnson to carry the load with Jakob Reding offering a bruising style, Harry Awe a much needed change of pace, and Nick Schneider a dual threat out of the backfield.  Dynamic playcalling along with creative offensive formations (shifting, extra TEs, 5 WRs, motion, etc) will be necessary to keep this high powered Tommie defense off balance.

Tommie Defense: The Toms play a 3-4 defensive scheme and are led by LBs Tommy Becker, Willy Baregi, and Tony Danna.  These guys are big and fast with exceptional ability to fly sideline to sideline.  Brady Ervin leads the team with 3 interceptions including 1 brought back for a TD.  The defense returned nearly all starters from last year’s team that advanced to the West Region Final.

Johnnie Defense: The Johnnies have their biggest test of the season trying to contain the multitude of weapons the Tommies can attack with.  The goal is to make them one dimensional and force them into 3rd and long situations.  The Toms have a big experienced offensive line which will be trying to impose their will on the Johnnie D-Line.  Maintaining discipline and not looking in the Tommie backfield will be essential as Tommie Head Coach Glenn Caruso loves the trick play.  A big play (INT or fumble recovery for a TD) and winning the turnover margin could be critical to victory.

Tommie Special Teams: Fritz Waldvogel returns kicks and punts (where he averages an astronomical 21 yards a return).  Tim Albright is the Tommie kicker.  He is 1 for 3 on FGs (missing twice last week against Concordia) and 21 of 23 on PATs.  Garrett Maloney handles the punting for the Toms averaging 41 yards a kick with 4 kicks landing inside the 20 yard line.

Johnnie Special Teams: Andrew Rotschafer has stepped in for the injured Brayde Lipp to return punts while Mike Bonynge and Jimmy Loonan take the kickoffs.  Jimmie Mattson is 4 for 4 on FGs and 19 of 21 on PATs.  Scott Ramey could be an important player in helping the Johnnies win the field position battle.  He is averaging 36 yards a punt and has 2 balls inside the 20 yard line.

Prediction: I really have absolutely no idea what will happen on Saturday and that is the greatest thing about sports.  The unknown.  People can prognosticate, analyze, overanalyze, digest, and venture a guess on what they think will happen all day long.  Ultimately the game is unpredictable which is why the game of football is so great.  A big play, a turnover, a missed extra point, and a bad call from the officials can all swing the outcome of the game.  The Tommies come in highly touted following a great run in the 2009 playoffs and the return of all their key players.  The Johnnies are in a virtual must win situation following the loss at Eau-Claire and will unquestionably play in front of the largest crowd of their careers.  My heart says the Johnnies.  My mind says the Tommies.

St. John’s 27 – St. Thomas 30

1st year alum Nick Gunderson in 2008

Auggies Offense:  The Auggies always have the ability to put lots of points on the scoreboard fast and this year (including last week) is no exception.  They are led by QB Marcus Brumm who won the MIAC Player of the Week award last week.  Brumm’s top offensive weapon is WR Muneer-Al Hameed who is averaging 145 yards/game and has scored 4 touchdowns on the season.  The Auggies will run a pro-style offense and will often go with 5 WRs and an empty backfield in order to spread the defense out to isolate mismatches in the defense.

Johnnies Offense:  The Johnnies finally showed some creativity and dynamic playcalling last week against the Cobbers.  They threw 2 halfback passes which were executed to perfection.  The Johnnies should be able to put lots of points on the board.  It’s never a good sign when you allow 38 points to perennial MIAC doormat, Hamline.  Brett Graboski stepped up big last week with 2 touchdown catches and will now get an increased role in the lineup following the loss of Brayde Lipp to an ACL injury for the season.

Auggies Defense:  The Auggies have played three mediocre teams so far this season.  They are led in tackles by SLB Adam Mead and S Dane Bates.  The Auggies play an agressive defensive that loves to gamble.  They will guess right on some blitzes resulting in sacks, but they are also very susceptible to allowing big plays down the field.

Johnnies Defense:  The time has come in the season for the Johnnies defense to start to gel.  They’ve looked a step slow and continually not been able to sack/wrap up the scrambling QB.  The Auggies QB Marcus Brumm is averaging 375 yards passing per game.  No question the secondary will be tested and the ability to put pressure on him from the defensive line will be critical.  3rd & long situations will really help the young Johnnies DBs.

Auggies Special Teams:  WR standout Al-Hameed returns punts for the Auggies averaging 16.5 yards a return (this is excellent).  Wesley Waytashek is returning kicks and Jack Christopherson is handling all kicking duties.  He is 1-2 in FG (missing a 25 yarder in the Auggies season opener) and 16-17 in PATs.

Johnnies Special Teams:  Losing WR and return special Brayde Lipp hurts the Johnnies.  He was showing great speed and an able replacement will be important to tilt the field position for SJU.  Jimmie Mattson had a PAT blocked and missed last week which drew the ire of the Collegeville crowd.  Punter Scott Ramey had a 5 yard shank last week, but that appears more the exception than the rule. 

Prediction:  I think this game has the potential to be a wild west shootout or a big Johnnies blowout win.  If the playcalling stays unpredictable and the Cardinal & Blue defense shores up the holes it showed last week there is no reason to think this game should be close.

St. John’s 48 – Augsburg 10

Concordia Offense:  The Cobbers are led by 2nd Team All-MIAC QB Michael Dunham.  They continue to run the Wing-T offense which relies on deception & discipline for success.  Trent Johnson and Ben SaariBovre have been the most effective RBs for the Cobbers.  The Cobbers are passing the ball more than in recent seasons and will surely test the Johnnies secondary with WR Bronson Shepherd.

St. John’s Offense:  The Johnnies will need to mix up the play calling this week.  They became very predictable (and some would argue for the last several seasons) last week against Eau-Claire.  It was “Run between the tackles, Run between the tackles, 3rd & long pass”.  QB Joe Boyle missed several wide open receivers last week and will need to find his touch for the Johnnies to make big plays this week.

Concordia Defense:  The Cobber defense has been a mirage.  Week 1 they allowed 29 points and last week they pitched a shutout against Valley City State in Moorhead.  The secondary has allowed several big plays leading to touchdowns in the first two weeks of the season.  If the Cobber defensive line can win the battle upfront in the trenches and create havoc in the Johnnie backfield that will be key to their success this Saturday.

St. John’s Defense: The Johnnie defense has solid for the most part.  They need to be more disciplined and can’t afford costly penalties especially during the 4th quarter crunch time.  Staying within their gaps and staying home (everyone must follow their responsibilities in defending the Wing-T offense) will be critical.  A few turnovers would really help tilt the field towards the Cardinal and Red this week.

Concordia Special Teams:  The Cobbers kicker Porfirio Diaz is 1 for 3 on FGs (missing 2 short ones) and has been 9 for 9 on his PATs.  Free Safety Zach Debeltz returns punts and kicks for the Cobbers.  He has averaged 16.3 yards per punt return and 22 yards per kickoff return.  Alex Jenson is averaging 35.5 yards per punt and has no balls downed inside the 20 yard line.

St. John’s Special Teams:  Johnnies kicker Jimmie Mattson is 2 for 2 on FGs and has been 9 for 9 on PATs.  Scott Ramey is averaging 39.7 yards per punt and has had 2 balls downed inside the 20 yard line.  Mike Bonynge and Brayde Lipp continue to handle the kickoff returns while Lipp takes the punt returns.

Prediction:  The Cobbers always seem to be one of the teams in the MIAC who play the Johnnies tough regardless of what kind of season they are having.  I see this year’s matchup being no different.  They are always big and physical on the lines with a nasty streak.  The offense will need to find ways to be more dynamic and find the mismatches when the Cobbers bring the blitz.  I think this one will come down to late in the 4th quarter and possibly hang on the foot of either team’s kicker.

St. John’s 24 – Concordia 27

Eau-Claire Offense: The Blugolds hit the jackpot with freshmen RB Joel Sweeney (6′1″, 241 lbs).  He racked up 3 TDs and over 200 total yards in last week’s win over Bethel of Tennessee (NAIA).  Sweeney will be the UWEC workhorse as the Blugolds try to wear opponents down by running the ball on the ground.  QB Austin Neu only completed 4 passes last week and none to his starting WRs.

St. John’s Offense: The Johnnies will go with a potent quartet of RBs (Jakob Reding, Harry Awe, Nick Schneider, and Steve Johnson) who each reached the endzone in last week’s Monkey Stomp of Northwestern.  QB Joe Boyle showed great poise in the pocket last week (but must eliminate the fumbles) and the extensive depth in the backfield should allow for passing plays to open up down the field.  UWEC plays a 3-4 defense so the offensive lineman will have to get on the linebackers to create space.

Eau-Claire Defense: As previously mentioned the Blugolds play a 3-4 defense making their linebackers integral parts of the defense who must flow to the football and make the majority of the tackles.  They struggled last week allowing 203 yards rushing for Bethel.  Look for big DE Burt Geurkink (6′6″, 288 lbs) and ILB Andy Neumann (6′1″, 231 lbs) to be the playmakers for UWEC. 

St. John’s Defense: The Johnnies defense has been the one element you could count on to be rock solid for decades.  This year is no exception, especially the run defense, which allowed a meager 75 yards last week on 30 carries (while rotating in several strings of players).  LBs Billy Lawrence and John Stanton always seem to find their way to the football.  Kyle Schroeder anchors the defensive line which will need to have a big game facing a huge WIAC offensive line leaning on them for 4 quarters.

Eau-Claire Special Teams: Punter Scott Burzynski averaged just 30.6 yards per punt.  Kicker Brandon Raciborski was 5 for 5 in PATs and averaged 55.3 yards per kickoff.  WR Mike O’Connell returns punts and kickoffs for the Blugolds.

St. John’s Special Teams: Jimmie Mattson, the new kicker, was 7 for 7 on PATs and averaged 61.4 yards per kickoff with one touchback.  He was regularly kicking FGs of 40+ yards in warmups.  Scott Ramey and Max McHugh showed tremendous legs in the punting game (including a long of 55 yards).  Mike Bonynge, Brayde Lipp, and Dylan Graves have put the Johnnies kick and punt returns in good hands.

Prediction: The Blugolds are a formidable WIAC opponent, but they are strong (running game) where the Johnnies excel (run defense) and weak (passing game) where the Johnnies tend to have issues (pass defense).  The heavy Blugold emphasis on running the ball allows the Johnnies to stack the box with 8-9 defenders forcing UWEC to pass.  A diverse offensive attack from the Johnnies should allow them to move the ball effectively.

St. John’s 38 – Wisconsin-Eau Claire 20

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Stiftungsfestivities Tailgate Party: The tailgate will be held this week starting between 4:30 and 5:00pm at Carson Park adjacent to the Football Stadium (either in the pavilion or nearby in the parking lot).  We’ll provide all meat/condiments.  Please bring your own beverages and a treat to share if you wish (brownies, cookies, salads, desserts, chips, etc).  Everyone is welcome!  There are usually alumni from every decade since the 50s, parents of players/students, families, and it is a great pregame gathering that has grown immensely over the past several years.