Tale of Two Halves: By the time Brian Weber hauled in a 13-yard pass from Alex Kofoed with under a minute remaining in the second quarter, he was already well on his way to a huge day. That reception, which set up a 14-yard Mike Patnode touchdown grab on the next play, came just moments after Weber’s 61-yard catch-and-run extended the Johnnies’ lead to 14-6. The reception also put him over the century mark for receiving yards on the day, with 5 catches for 102 yards.

Amazingly, that would be Weber’s last reception of the day. Alex Kofoed threw 12 passes in the second half, only 4 of those to wide receivers, and none to Weber. The Johnnies went to a more conservative offense in the second half, designed to protect the lead created by the big plays just before halftime. The main beneficiary of this offensive shift was running back Mike Patnode. He caught three of the four second half passes thrown his way, including his second touchdown reception of the afternoon. Patnode’s 6 catches paced the Johnnies.

Our #5 proved better than their #5 on Saturday as Johnnies receiver Brian Weber runs away from Redlands corner Brad Smith for a 61-yard touchdown.

Mr. Consistent: For Weber, Saturday’s performance was business as usual. He topped 100 yards receiving for the fourth time on the season and now has a touchdown catch in 8 of the 11 games St. John’s has played this year. His 61-yard second quarter touchdown reception is tied for the Johnnies second longest offensive play from scrimmage on the year, just short of the 62-yard touchdown pass that Kofoed and Weber connected on against St. Thomas. Mike Patnode has the season’s longest run, a 61-yard scoring effort against Hamline.

New Team, Same Result: The win over Redlands marked the Johnnies’ 14th straight win in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. St. John’s received a first round bye in 2003 before beating St. Norbert in the second round, meaning the Johnnies have won at least one game every time they have qualified for the playoffs since 1985.

The Johnnies ride another impressive winning streak into next week’s game with Central. St. John’s has beaten the Dutch the last four times the teams have met, ending Central’s season in 1989, 1999, 2000, and 2006. Only the 1999 game was played in Collegeville.

The Johnnies lost to the Dutch 13-3 the first time the two teams met, in Pella, IA, in the 1987 NCAA West Regional Final. Since then, St. John’s has won 10 straight games against Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference foes, all of them playoff games.

A Call for More Nice Fields: I hate to keep harping on the discrepancy between the Johnnies’ performances at home versus on the road, so let’s take a look at the issue from a different angle this week. In the three games the Johnnies have played on natural grass fields, at UW-River Falls, at Carleton, and at Bethel, the offense has struggled mightily, averaging 15 points and 303 offensive yards per game.

On artificial turf—the 6 home games, as well as road games at Hamline and Gustavus—the Johnnie offense has been nearly unstoppable, rolling up 465 yard of offense and more than 47 points per game. The three lowest single-game point- and yardage-outputs of the season have come in the three games on natural grass.

This has exciting implications for this week’s game, as well as potential games on the road to the Stagg Bowl. As fans who made the trip down to Pella for last season’s game may recall, the Dutch installed new-style turf similar to Clemens Stadium’s SprinTurf prior to the 2006 season. If the Johnnies survive the trip to Pella, they are an Eau Claire upset at Bethel away from hosting the regional final in Collegeville. From there, the likely quarterfinal match-up at Mount Union and potential Stagg Bowl would also be on artificial turf fields.

Quick Hits: The Collegeville crowd may have gotten a glimpse of the future on the Johnnies’ final drive of the game. With 5:04 of the 4th quarter remaining, sophomore quarterback Jordan Hansel, junior running back Billy Ryan, and a platoon of backup linemen entered the game to try to run out the clock. Eight plays, 39 Ryan rushing yards, and 3 first downs later, St. John’s had done just that behind the aggressive play of the offensive line… Both offenses struggled on 3rd down (Redlands was 4-of-15, while the Johnnies were nearly as bad at 4-of-13) but combined to go 6-for-7 on 4th down (the Bulldogs converting 3 of their 4 attempts, while St. John’s was perfect on their three tries)… In jumping to a 24-6 lead, the Johnnies held the ball for only 10:18 in the first half, but controlled the clocking in the second half with a time of possession of 19:39… The 47-yard field goal attempted by Redlands kicker Joe Macmillan in the 2nd quarter was the longest attempt by a Johnnie opponent this season. Even with a stiff wind at the kicker’s back, the try fell well short… The announced attendance was 2,637, the Johnnies’ lowest total for a game at Clemens Stadium this season.

The Johnnies began the game with a bang. After kicking off to Redlands, the first play from scrimmage by Redlands was a pass play that was intercepted by SJU safety John Cloeter. Cloeter returned the intercepted pass for an apparent TD, but an illegal block gave the Johnnies the ball on the Redlands 20-yard line. Five plays later the Johnnie’s Alex Kofoed ran the ball in from 4-yards out. Russell Gliadon added the PAT and the Johnnies led 7-0.

Midway through the second quarter Redlands got on the scoreboard with a 4-yard run by RB Zach Schafer, the PAT failed and the Johnnies lead was cut to 7-6.

Both teams went back and forth not scoring again until just under 2 minutes remaining in the second quarter. This is the point of the game when the fireworks began, both on the field and on the sidelines.

Weber hauls in the long TD pass from Kofoed

Alex Kofoed called an audible at the line seeing a defensive miscue by Redlands and taking advantage by airing out a pass that Brian Weber converted into a 61-yard catch and run which put SJU up 14-6 with the conversion of Gliadon’s PAT.

This is where the fireworks begin. After kicking off to the Bulldogs the Johnnie’s Ryan Wimmer forced a fumble two plays later, which was recovered by Mitch Eversman.

Four plays later, Kofoed hooks up on a 14-yard pass play to Mike Patnode to make the score SJU 21-Redlands 6 with just under a minute remaining in the 1st half.

The Johnnies fireworks were not done yet. The first play of the Redlands possession was intercepted by SJU safety John Cloeter and the Johnnies took over at the Redland’s 35-yard line with 23 seconds to play in the half. Kofoed connects with Chace Pollock for a 1st down. Two plays later Kofoed throws to Pollock in the end zone for an apparent Johnnie TD. The official ruled that Pollock did not have sole passion of the ball before the Redlands defender knocked the ball from his hands. A lengthy discussion between John Gagliardi and the officiating crew ensured. This discussion did not change the ruling on the field, but it certainly energized the coaching staff, players and the Johnnie crowd. Russell Gliadon notched a 26-yard FG with 2 seconds remaining on the clock.

The Johnnies go into half time with a 24 to 6 lead and momentum on their side.

The Johnnies take over in the 3rd quarter where they left off at half time. On their first possession the Johnnies moved the ball down the field and scored on a 27-yard Russell Gliadon FG. The Johnnies lead is extended to 27-6. In the play-offs, the kicking game is magnified as so many games can be determined by the slightest of margins, and to this point in the tournament the Johnnie’s kicking game has been spectacular.

Patnode racks up some of his 180 all-purpose yards

After exchanging passions in the 3rd quarter the Johnnies get back on the board, this time Kofoed again connects with Mike Patnode for a 4-yard TD pass, With the Gliadon PAT the score is SJU 34-Redlands 6.

Redlands continues a drive that they started in the 3rd quarter and notches their final score 2-minutes into the 4th quarter and the Johnnies lead is cut to 34-13.

Midway through the 4th quarter the Johnnie’s Dereck Stifter had a big 39-yard punt return that was the springboard for the Johnnie’s final score of the day. Stifter weaved his way to the Redlands 18-yard line. Seven plays later Kofoed connects with Chace Pollock in the end zone for a 4-yard scoring play. There was no controversy on this play and with the Gliadon PAT the score was SJU 41- Redlands 13. This would be the final score of the game.

The leading tacklers on the Johnnie defense were Ryan Wimmer, Kevin Boegel, James Shockman, Mitch Eversman, Dominic Haik, Nick Gunderson and Joe Luke.
John Cloeter had 2 interceptions and Kevin Boegel added another. James Shockman and Nick Gunderson each added QB sacks.

The Johnnie’s special team play was much improved, after less than stellar performances in the final conference games against St. Thomas and Bethel.

Next stop for the Johnnies is a familiar place, Pella, Iowa. The Johnnies will take on the Central College Dutch. The Johnnies have defeated the Dutch in Pella in both 2000 and 2006. If the Johnnies can defeat the Dutch once again, the West Region Championship game will be played either at Bethel or in Collegeville. The Bethel Royals host the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. If Eau Claire defeats Bethel and the Johnnies beat the Dutch then the championship is in Collegeville. If the Johnnies and Royals both win on Thanksgiving weekend they will have a re-match in Arden Hills. First things first, the Johnnies need to remain focused on the game at hand which will be in Pella at noon on Saturday.

This is the Division III Play-offs and it is a magical time of year. I can’t think of a better time for a little Johnnie magic and a 41-13 first round win is a great start!

Seasoned veterans of St. John’s football will remember the Bulldogs from the opening round of the 2002 playoffs, when their trip to Collegeville ended with a hard-fought 31-24 loss. Read on to see if our fearless prognosticators expect the Johnnies to send the Bulldogs home disappointed yet again:

Duffman: Any prediction that you read regarding this game is going to be a complete guess. The fact is there is not a one of us that has seen Redlands play since 2002. In pouring over their stats, I noted that the Bulldogs have a balanced and powerful offensive attack and an aggressive, play-making defense. This scares me, but for all I know, they could be racking up these stats against a bunch of Macalasters and Crown Colleges. The SCIAC is traditionally a bit weaker than the MIAC, so getting a pulse on how they will match up is difficult if not impossible.

I’d like to think that the Johnnies will come out and dominate. After all, Redlands doesn’t have the advantage of playing Gagliardi-coached teams on a regular basis, and the Johnnies usually do pretty well with that advantage. Then again, the past several Johnnie game have not inspired a lot of confidence.

I think if Saint John’s can shut down the Bulldog running game, they will be in good shape. This was a big problem in the Bethel game, and it would have definitely tipped the scales in the Johnnie’s direction if they could have done it. Offensively, Kofoed will really need to step up. He’ll need eliminate, or at least reduce, the number of bad throws he makes. Turnovers are killers, especially in the play-offs. Lastly, special teams will need to shine. The kick return versus Bethel pointed out a weakness, but I am sure that has been straightened out.

I don’t think we’ll see a blow-out, but I think the Johnnies will win. St. John’s 28, Redlands 14.

DustySJU: As excited as I was last Saturday for the St. John’s/Bethel title match my morning was tainted by the BU security rebuking my attempts to enter the stadium prior to the gates opening at 10:30am. While I met BU opposition at the hands of a student security worker I looked up and noticed Bethel students reserving their seats well before Johnnie fans would ever be allowed in. That frustration found its way to the Johnnie sideline Saturday and resulted in a less than productive SJU offense. The malaise has lingered and I find myself wondering about the upcoming playoffs. No technicalities here, if Johnnie was on the road I’d have to figure differently. St. John’s 27, Redlands 20.

Mr.Shoes: I’d be lying if I said I was supremely confident for tomorrow. I’m as nervous about a playoff game as I have been in a long time. Typically, I feel as though a loss by the Johnnies will only happen with the perfect confluence of factors. This year, said confluence feels a lot closer than before. It’s easy to attribute that to the game I witnessed in my least favorite place in the MIAC last week. It’s not easy to watch us get pushed around like that. However, knowing John like we all do, the Johnnies will come out with a fresh attitude and with a mission to accomplish. Alex Kofoed is not going to let four years of starting at QB end on a first-round loss. The defense is too good and too prideful to get pushed around again. Redlands is a good team and will bring an excellent game tomorrow, but nervousness aside, I still think we win. St. John’s 24, Redlands 13

Sjusection105: I’m going to share a secret with everyone about the Redlands Bulldogs. Read this next sentence very carefully, because it is critical to my game prediction. Everything that I know about the 2007 Redlands Bulldogs football team, I learned from Duffman. That’s the secret, I read Duffman’s game preview. I didn’t spend hours breaking down game film looking for tendencies. I never do, but Duffman does. Wait until he gets married in the spring, that may all change!

What I do know is that this is the NCAA Division III play-off and everyone starts with a fresh slate. Any big wins over conference rivals are ancient history. The rules are very simple: the team that wins gets to extend their season another week.

The Johnnies will have their special teams “issues” on kick coverage taken careof, of this I am confident. The Big Uglies will give AK-11 time to throw and the Johnnie D will swarm like they do every week. St. John’s 24, Redlands 17.

TC: Obviously, the last two Johnnie performances have to be troubling for any St. John’s fans. Three weeks ago, a St. Thomas team that spent the season finding new depths of ineptitude spent the afternoon scorching the Clemens Stadium turf with their passing game. Last week, after the Johnnies had a bye week to prepare for the biggest game of the season, the offense looked as disjointed as it has in years in falling to Bethel.

While the problems brought into focus over the last couple games certainly call into question the team’s ability to make a deep playoff run, I don’t think the season ends this weekend. Alex Kofoed has been unstoppable at home this season as the Johnnies have lit up the Clemens Stadium scoreboard to the tune of 55, 62, 52, 30 and 51 points.

The SCIAC, Redlands’ home conference, has grown in stature since the last time the two teams met, but they still are not one of the nation’s power conferences. The SCIAC was 9-12 in non-conference play this year, while the MIAC went 15-3. Even if the current players don’t remember the 2002 game, the Johnnie coaches sure do so expect the team to come out ready to play this week.

When it comes down to it, the Bulldogs are trying to become the first team in to beat the Johnnies in a first round playoff game in 15 tries. While I don’t expect a repeat of 2005’s laugher of opening round game (the Johnnies beat Monmouth by a comfortable 62-3 margin), I do think this game will a relatively easy St. John’s win. St. John’s 35, Redlands 13.

Touchdown Tommy: Redlands played like a team with nothing to lose in 2002 and I see no reason to think they won’t give the Johnnies some trouble again on Saturday. The statistics show that after the Johnnies and QB Alex Kofoed have a poor game they respond with a big blowout win. I haven’t been able to get a good feel for the potential of this Johnnies team all season. They have been terribly inconsistent and that is not a good thing heading into the playoffs. St. John’s 27, Redlands 24.

It’s Friday morning and most of us are just beginning to think about the work day and what it will take to make it through to “game day” tomorrow in Collegeville. Out on the west coast the University of Redlands Football team is now boarding a plane east and also pondering their first round NCAA playoff game vs. The Johnnies. Heading east this morning too with memories still fresh in his mind is former Bulldog player/captain Patrick Heisinger. Patrick relives what it was like for his Redlands teammates in 2002 and his hopes for Bulldog redemption in 2007! Thanks for your contribution Patrick.

On November 23, 2002 The University of Redlands and St. Johns University faced off in one of the most intense games of the 2002 season. What was supposed to be a 4 to 5 touchdown rout with St. John’s on the top, turned out to be a game for the ages, filled with big plays, hard hits, and two teams who left marks of glory, pride, and passion on the field.

The week leading up to the game echoed with “experts” proclaiming that Redlands should just be happy to be in the playoffs. The buzz was brewing that the 7-2 record that the Dogs were bringing to Collegeville was barely justified. However, back in Southern California, the entire Bulldog Family stood confident in the belief that a victory was certainly within reach. It has always been Bulldog tradition that The University of Redlands athletes would never back down, and always embrace opportunities to line up against the best competitors. The upcoming game was no exception.

In the early morning hours of November 22, excitement and enthusiasm grew among the Bulldogs as they boarded their chartered jet. Once the team arrived in Minnesota after a focused and unified flight, they headed straight for Collegeville to complete their walkthrough. The men of Southern California, expecting a frozen tundra as they exited the bus, donned parkas, long johns, layers of shirts, sweat pants, and ski masks. It could not have been colder than 35 degrees, but the Bulldogs were ready for all conditions!

The morning of the 23rd began like every other game day for Redlands. The team woke up, fueled up, and boarded the bus. They headed down what seemed like a small highway, full of panoramic views. Teammates surveyed each other and realized the calm, cool, collected expressions on all faces. All week the team had been regaled with stories of St. John’s legendary coach John Gagliardi, Blake Elliot (St. John’s glory man), the potential of 12,000 fans, and the bitter cold. At some point each Bulldog must have thought about the struggles and challenges they were about to encounter. A small town group of boys were about to “dance” with the big boys. Intimidation was inevitable, or so one would think.

As the bus began its decent towards the campus of St. Johns University, visions of large numbers of tailgating fans came into view. At that moment, The Redlands Bulldogs realized the extent of the emotion and confidence they each exhumed as they nodded their heads to each other in rhythm to the music that blared from their individual head phones. They came to fight, and they were prepared.

The team exited the bus, and in a uniformed pack, headed for the locker room. When all team members reunited in the end zone one hour prior to kickoff, it was evident Redlands came to play. They gained inspiration from the large crowds that had gathered. They understood that the intense environment they were experiencing was how football was supposed to be played. They understood that St. Johns University attacks game day the true way. And, they understood that this was the biggest party they had ever been invited to, and they were prepared to prove they were the guest of honor.

The first drive was eye opening, not because St. Johns drove down 80 yards in 9 plays, but because the Johnnie players were actually quite level with the Bulldogs. The expectation was to find St. John’s dominating the field. However, after the next drive, it was evident that Redlands was a true contender. Although the Bulldog’s defense was giving up yards both on the ground and by the air, they had been resilient towards such setbacks all season, and were skilled at producing forced turnovers.

As the game wore on, Redlands and St. Johns mirrored each other in terms of scoring drives, big plays, and turnovers. Redlands held the lead for most of the second half until St. Johns fatefully took the lead with 40 seconds remaining. After the final gun, the Redland’s Seniors realized that their loss would sting worse than any loss they had previously experienced. To be so close to defeating a perennial power, and watch a victory fall out of sight tore at the hearts of the young men. Although it was a nice feeling for them to walk off the field and be commended on their prowess on the football field by the Johnnie fans, it did not mend their hurt souls.

As mentioned before, the game against St. Johns is a memory that will never be lost. The 2002 Bulldogs often think about that game and have always wondered when Redlands would be invited back to St John’s Backyard to avenge their loss. That day is Saturday, November, 17th. The 2007 University of Redlands Football Team will be back in Collegeville ready to show the nation the real meaning of Bulldog football.

Like the team on the field, the SJU broadcasting team of Mark Lewendowski, Bryan Backes and the father-son sideline tandem of Mike and Charlie Carr has given Johnnie football fans as good a product you’ll get in football broadcasting. Nobody talks more football than these guys, so I thought I’d toss out a few questions to the guys about their work…

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Finsleft: You guys seem to have such great chemistry. What is your typical game day preparation routine?

Mark Lewendowski: Thanks Fins for the kind words on chemistry…we have been a “team” on the broadcasts for 8 years now…I have to say that things started out great that first season (2000) and have only gotten better. That first season was key, we did all 10 regular season games and then a 5 game run in the postseason in five states, we traveled together and really got to know each other, which has helped with that on-air chemistry. We like to have fun on the games and I hope that shows. The additions of Mike and Charlie Carr have only helped to enhance the overall chemistry, no one has a big ego, and we razz each other pretty good on and off air.

I think we all know our roles, I try to lead Bryan and Mike or Charlie when I can and then get out of the way so they can show their experience and knowledge of the game. I have to say its been great having Mike on board because we never get a call wrong, or at least how it should be interpreted.

Bryan Backes: First let me say, how fortunate SJU fans are to have Mark. He is an exceptional play by play announcer-my feeling is the best in the state. Its appropriate for the Johnnies. The chemistry was pretty much instant. We did not know each other before the Eau Claire game of 2000. Mark spent about 30 minutes interviewing me on the Tuesday or Wednesday prior to the game and we couldn’t ride together there because he was at his parents’ home in Wisconsin. So the game started—and things just flowed very naturally between us. The next week we traveled to St. Olaf and so we got to know each other better and have been very good friends ever since. Mark and his wife were pretty new to town and it’s been fun watching them become great community members.

We do have a great time calling the games—during the commercials it gets to be even more fun.

Mike Carr: We read johnniefootball.com! We also check web sites of both schools and faithfully read Frank Rajkowski’s articles and blogs. We have a lot of fun with each other which makes it really enjoyable to be a part of the broadcast team. We have nicknames for each other—Mark is “The King”. Bryan is the “Superstar”. Carbo is the “Mayor”. Charlie is the “Wolfman”.

The crew preps for another Johnnie football game

FL: We’re not used to seeing our team lose. What went wrong at Bethel?

ML: It was a basic Johnnies loss, the other team played well, SJU made some mistakes (turnovers, KO return allowed for a TD), and the other factor was that Bethel can really run the ball and SJU did not do as good a job as they would have liked slowing the attack. No one single person or side of the ball is to blame, it was a combination of things.

BB: For the second straight year I thought the Johnnies were very close to gaining firm control of the game but weren’t able to. Both years, a turnover before halftime proved very costly. When two teams are relatively equal in talent, games often come down to who can make the big plays on the special teams and who wins the turnover battle. Saint John’s did neither and yet still was very close to winning the game.

MC: Bethel had a better defense than was expected. I don’t think the Johnnie offense expected them to be that tough.

FL: What will SJU have to do differently on Saturday and how does Redlands compare to other teams we’ve faced this year?

ML: I think SJU needs to come out and play their brand of football, taking chances down field, using our great offensive line to open holes, and the defense needs to play without fear, Jerry and Gary have seen everything that an offense can throw at a team and Jimmy always finds plays that work. Have faith fans, these guys are great at getting teams ready to play playoff games.

As for Redlands, not much is known about them, they look to be a team which relies more on the run than the pass, their leading WR has caught 53 balls and after that it’s quite the drop off…they use 3 or 4 backs to carry the load. I am sure they are a solid team but I think it will be extremely tough for them to come in and win at Clemens…

BB: I don’t know anything about Redlands yet—usually begin my study in preparation for Thursday’s radio show. I’m confident Saint John’s will play well—we see it annually in the playoffs. The offensive attack of Saint John’s is so comprehensive that they present all kinds of problems for opponents who only see them every few years. The same is true of the defense—the speed of the Johnnie D always seems to be a huge factor in the playoffs—always seems difficult for other teams to adjust to it.

MC: The Johnnies will need to be more consistent offensively. They must do their part to control the game and keep the defense off the field. Typically, the California teams have had very good skill people. I would think they will not be a whole lot different than a St. Olaf or a Bethel.

FL: Other than the home comforts of SJU, what is your favorite place from which to broadcast a game and why? Least favorite?

ML: That is a great question…our favorite place is Salem, VA…for obvious reasons, but in conference we like the digs at Hamline and Gustavus, its a great view from the roof at St. Thomas as long as its not November. Augsburg had the worst situation—everyone in one box, a lot of talking, I usually came out with a headache. Carleton could use a remodel, one row of people is tough to navigate and do your job at times.

BB: Least favorite is Carleton—no separation—one long table everyone is on makes it very difficult to concentrate. UW Whitewater is far and away the best press box—PLU was second and now has a great booth.

MC:There is no small college atmosphere like SJU in the nation. St. Thomas has a great atmosphere in the MIAC. The new Gustie stadium is nice. Augsburg is my least favorite venue.

FL: What’s the funniest thing that’s happened during a SJU football broadcast?

ML: We have had a lot of laughs over the years and there are some great stories…my favorite happened down at St. Olaf last year involving Bryan and Brandon Novak. The coaches’ booth is right next to ours at St. Olaf, which is nice, but there was a play on the field that didn’t go the Johnnies’ way and Bryan kept saying the J’s won’t benefit from what is going on on the field—I think it had to do with a possession issue or something and Bryan was going on, and I noticed the door opened and Novy stuck his head in and started pointing at Bryan telling him to shut up, and telling me to shut him up…a few plays later I took the time to needle Bryan saying that Brandon wanted to see him at halftime on the “playground” to settle things. Bryan said that although he was confident he could defend himself, he was sure that Novak was the one guy on site that could take him in a fight. I responded with, “I am glad you think that…but there is a line (of other guys) forming to the right to test you…”

The other involves a slip of the tongue by yours truly…it happened last year during the Central game…it was right before the opening kickoff and I said that SJU would kick off to Cornell…I had been talking to the NCAA representative before the game, who was the AD from Cornell and it stuck on my brain, Carbo was on the sideline and after checking his roster of Central players and seeing that none of them were named Cornell, said, “Mark, aren’t we playing Central today?”, I immediately realized what I had said and then stated, “You’re right again Mike” (that seems to be a standard line when one of us gets on a roll with correct comments and it is said with much sarcasm). Later in the first half I would try to re-insert an injured Johnnies running back at least twice…I blame it on nerves, I want the J’s to do well so badly especially during the playoffs, that I lost a little focus. Needless to say my second half was much better and hey a Johnnies win is always a great game!

BB: There are funny moments every week. When Mark and I first started Mark would always give the Syracuse score—until I told him no one in Central Minnesota gives a rip about Syracuse except for him. Another one we laugh about every week us when Mark announced that Cornell would be kicking off and the Johnnies would be receiving. Carbo cuts in and says—”Mark, we’re still playing Central this week aren’t we?” At Hamline this year Mark had Koefed pitching to Gervais (same number as Patnode)—if you’ll remember the play scored. Gervais was carrying the ball for about 20 yards and magically Patnode carried it the final 40.

MC: When playing at Central of Iowa last year, Mark started the game off by saying the Johnnies were kicking to Cornell. We gave King Mark a lot of crap about that one.

FL: Do you guys read johnniefootball.com and other media before and after a game?

ML: I have to confess I read as much about Johnnies football as I can before and after a game, its funny to go on D3Football.com and read the comments from the fans as the game has been going on…especially if its been a close one like Carleton or St. Olaf.

Whoever came up with Johnniefootball.com was a genius…its exactly what the best football program on the DIII level needs, you guys do a great job with it.

BB: I read the game notes from the teams and the press clippings. Mark usually keeps up on johnniefootball.com and D3 Football. com. He thinks more like a fan, so he likes the speculation. I tend to think more like a coach and stay away from the wide ranging speculation. I have been promoting johnniefootball.com. I also pay attention to the interviews Mark does with the coaches which air on the pregame show—fans can learn a lot listening to the opposing coach and Jim Gagliardi and Jerry Haugen.

MC: Of course. It is a staple of SJU football this season. We read as much as is made available to us to try and cover all the bases.

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Tune in to 660 AM or 1330 AM to hear The King, Superstar, Mayor and Wolfman on a football broadcast that’s second to none. Thanks fellas!

finsleft@johnniefootball.com

Offensively, the Bulldogs are very well balanced. This season, they’ve passed for 296 yards per game and rushed for an astounding 180 yards per game. Calling the signals for Redlands is junior quarterback Dan Selway. Selway has completed 151 of 254 passes for nearly 2200 yards thus far in 2007. He has also run the ball 53 times for 118 yards. Junior running back Zack Schafer handles the bulk of the ball carrying duties. He’s rushed 137 times for 605 yards. Junior Jeff Stewart and sophomore George Foreman IV (yes, he’s the son of that George Foreman) get the remainder of the carries. Selway’s favorite target is grad student Kyle Godfrey. Godfrey’s hauled in 53 receptions for 763 yards. Junior Brian Putnam and sophomore Sean Scott also see time at wide receiver, but Godfrey has more than twice as many catches as either of them. Junior tight end Tom Romaine has contributed 15 catches for 120 yards, and Schafer has 10 catches out of the backfield. Clearing the way for the Redlands offense are graduate student D.J. Tano, senior Charles Cochran, junior Jared Schwass, and sophomores Travis McBride and Rick Albrecht. They’re not overly big (average 262 pounds), but they have to be talented to anchor the running game that the Bulldogs possess.

Redlands quarterback Dan Selway sets up to pass behind offensive lineman Rick Albrecht.

Defensively, the Bulldogs have held opponents to 14.2 points per game and limited them to 1.9 yards per rush. They have an active and aggressive defensive line anchored by junior end Brock Arndt. Arndt, a 2006 all-West Region selection has recorded 45 tackles with 5 sacks in 2007. At the other end is junior Nick Burruel with 4.5 tackles for loss. Filling the middle are juniors Mitchell Crocco and Gavril Gabriel. Crocco has 4.5 sacks and Gabriel has 7 sacks this season. At the linebackers are senior Kris Richardson and juniors Mack Gordon and Edward Stamm. Richardson leads the team in tackles with 58, has 6.5 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Stamm and Gordon have 50 and 38 tackles, respectively. The defensive backfield is anchored by 2006 all-West Region player Brad Smith. As a senior safety, Smith has recorded 29 tackles and 2 interceptions. He is joined by fellow seniors Conor Drake and Jerel Garcia, each of whom have 2 interceptions, and sophomore Jared Fink. What stands out to me is the fact that they’ve made 25 sacks and 12 interceptions as a team—they’re going to be an aggressive defense.

Freshman Joe MacMillan kicks field goals, extra points, and kick-offs for Redlands. He is 5-11 on field goals, 38-40 on extra points, and averages 50 yards per kick-off. Selway handles the punting game for the Bulldogs. He’s only averaged 31 yards per punt, but having the starting quarterback as a punter always gives me nightmares.

As was the last time Redlands visited Collegeville, I am sure much will be made of the fact that the Bulldogs won’t be used to the Minnesota cold. The predicted high for Saturday in Collegeville is 39, while for Redlands it is 74. While they might be a bit chilly, I don’t for one minute think that the temperature will affect the way they play the game. Once the ball is snapped, the temperature is forgotten. I am really looking forward to this game. Playoffs are an exciting time because it gives everyone a chance to see a new team that will present new challenges. Have no doubt; Redlands will give the Johnnies all they can handle.

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The cardinal and blue faithful left Royals Stadium on Saturday again feeling empty and uncertain about how the playoff brackets/selection show would go on Sunday morning.  How had the Central versus Wartburg game finished in Iowa?  How was the SCIAC going to turn out in California later in the evening?  Would the committee feel strongly enough about SJU to give them at least one home game (if for no other more obvious reason than a large gate in Collegeville $$$)?  Everyone was fairly certain the Johnnies were in the 32 team field, but who and where were definitely up in the air.

Well the NCAA took unprecedented action by moving Mount Union to the East Bracket and Wisconsin-Whitewater to the North Bracket in an effort to create more balance across the four playoff regions.  Nobody in their right minds predicted such a thing would happen and it left the Johnnies with a home date with SCIAC champion Redlands to open to playoffs.  The West Bracket sets up a possible 2nd round rematch with Central College in Pella, IA and either a rematch of the SJU at Bethel game we saw on Saturday or a home game with Wisconsin-Eau Claire for the West Region Final.  This is gonna be fun!

Notes:

• Don Roney, St. Thomas’ head football coach for the past 10 seasons, resigned on Tuesday.  This was not entirely surprising considering his well documented struggles as I pointed out a few weeks ago before the Johnnie/Tommie game.  He never beat the Johnnies and I have to believe just as John Gagliardi was asked 55 years ago by the monks of St. John’s (Can you beat Gustavus and St. Thomas?) that the next UST head man will be asked if he can beat St. John’s and return the rivalry to prominence in MIAC football.  This change at the top at St. Thomas is both frightening and exciting to me.  On one hand, this opens up the door to new, fresh blood who could bring UST back to competing for the MIAC championship.  On the other hand, I am hopeful that a change will bring back some of the sizzle and anticipation to the annual Johnnie/Tommie game that the past few years has lacked.  The rumors will swirl with names on who will be considered as Roney’s successor.  Among the names I am hearing are Glenn Caruso at Macalester, Dave Nelson at Minnetonka High School, Mike Grant at Eden Prairie High School, and Kurt Ramler at Carleton.  There will undoubtedly be a few darkhorses, but you know this job will be very desirable.  I fully expect a replacement to be hired by the 1st of the year.
• George Foreman, former boxing heavyweight champion of the world, may be making an appearance in Collegeville on Saturday.  That’s right, the man behind The Lean Mean Fat Reducing Grilling Machine has a son who plays RB and special teams for Redlands.  I’ll see what I can do to extend a special invitation for George Sr. to join the Johnnie faithful at the Stiftungsfestivities tailgate party.
• Remember that the NCAA playoff games will start at noon local time at all game locations.  The Johnnie tailgate party will be getting started around 8am in the Science Parking Lot directly north of the SJU library.  The tailgate gets more diversified each week with Tom and Carol Arth bringing their famous Chili, the Stiftungsfest burgers, wild rice bratwursts, Kool-Aid, cheesecakes, Mark Bingham’s outstanding state-of-the-art sound system, and this week the Polish King of Chicago will be bringing the world’s best Polish sausage along with a dozen Italian sausages.  Stop by for pregame conversation, a cold beverage, and some of the best food in the land.  Everyone is welcome including the Redlands fans.

Loop back nearly 12 months and a “Ground Hog” like day reappears on the Collegeville horizon and it’s a bout of Gagliardi “déjà vu” all over again.  Heck, when you’ve been the Football Sage at SJU for 55 seasons there’s a good chance things are bound to get a little quirky.

In 2006 the Johnnie season was played out in near identical fashion to the season ending thump that was handed to St. John’s on Saturday by Bethel University in Arden Hills.  The Johnnie football fortunes in 2006 began with a potential near miss of the playoffs but were miraculously revived with 3 rounds of wild trips to Pella, Spokane and Whitewater. 

In 2007 with the conference championship now in possession of the Bethel Royals, St. John’s was assured of a playoff spot but most assuredly a repeat trip to Pella, Iowa to play Central College.

Then began the most glorious day of the Minnesota fall with near 67 degree temperatures and was infused with even more glory when SJU was awarded it’s first home playoff game in nearly two years, avoiding a repeat first round drive south on I35!  For those of us committed to extending the SJU season, another day in football paradise awaits us next Saturday vs. the University of Redlands Bulldogs.

This year’s drive through the DIII playoffs will define itself beginning with what happens on the field next Saturday.  In 2006 it was a four hour drive down I35 and a very early 5am departure from the Twin Cities.  As the first Johnnies in Pella that morning we were also the first fans of any team to arrive save for the GrillMeister Mike Fahey who found “free” lodging with an accommodating fan the night before!

The Johnnies scored early in that first round match and had plenty of reliable offensive performers throughout the playoffs in seniors Kyle Gearman and Mike Lofboom. The gift for beating Central was another 5:00am departure the next weekend from the HHH terminal to Spokane, WA for a date with the Whitworth Pirates.

Another victory notched, this time at the Pine Bowl, four hours at the Spokane Applebee’s, several delays later and the Johnnie fan plane from Spokane arrived back in Minneapolis early that morning and you guessed it, back to our beds in the western burbs at 5:00am.

Round three as fate would have it was a second consecutive trip to the University of Whitewater and to get there for the noon start required another 5:00am departure from Eden Prairie. The very evident mantra at that point became; “We either leave at 5:00am or get home at 5:00am, it’s just how we roll!”

Anticipating yet another Johnnie playoff run next weekend we can only hope that Saturday’s loss to the Royals was an early wake up call for the entire SJU squad.  A wake up call that will eventually lead to a 2007 playoff that will write its own story.