For those making the return trip from Pella, Iowa to Minnesota on a dreary fall day last November, it was easy for thoughts to drift to the start of a new football season. Actually, thoughts of pretty much anything besides the Johnnies’ crushing 37-7 loss to Central in the second round of the NCAA playoffs were a welcome diversion. Now, with the once-distant dawning of the 2008 St. John’s Football season only weeks away, here’s a look at the upcoming schedule for what promises to be another exciting season of Johnnie football.
For the second straight season, the Johnnies (ranked #6 in the d3football.com preseason poll) open at home with a strange opponent from a strange land. A year after trouncing Ohio’s Marietta 55-14 to kick off the 2007 campaign, the Johnnies welcome East Texas Baptist of the American Southwest Conference to Clemens Stadium as the first opponent of 2008. Five seasons removed from their only NCAA tournament appearance (and playoff win), the Tigers have been the very definition of mediocre since, compiling a record of 18-22 over the past four seasons. Still, they should pose a fair opening challenge for the Johnnies as they are no strangers to strong opponents and big stages, having played perennial powers Trinity (TX), Hardin-Simmons, and Mary Hardin-Baylor last season.
Week Two brings a more conventional non-conference opponent to Clemens Stadium. For the tenth straight season, the Johnnies’ non-conference schedule includes a WIAC opponent, and for the third season in a row that opponent is the UW-River Falls Falcons. The Falcons have finished 3-7 the last four seasons in the always-competitive WIAC, including 21-10 and 41-9 losses to the Johnnies the last two seasons.
The Johnnies kick off MIAC play in Week Three as they host rival Concordia-Moorhead. The Cobbers’ only three losses in 2007 were to MIAC powers Bethel (by 3 points in three overtimes), St. Olaf (by one point), and a surprisingly lopsided 52-21 defeat at the hands of the Johnnies. The Cobbers received consideration in the d3football.com preseason poll and promise to be back in contention for the MIAC title in 2008.
St. John’s wraps up its season-opening four game homestand when it hosts Gustavus Adolphus in Week Four. As the Gusties hope to make the leap into the upper echelon of the MIAC, they will try to avenge last year’s 40-0 homecoming loss to St. John’s. Expect a packed house at Clemens Stadium for the Johnnies’ homecoming weekend.
Week Five brings the game that everyone has circled on their calendar: The Johnnies invade Arden Hills to take on MIAC co-favorite (and 5th ranked) Bethel. The Royals have beaten St. John’s the last two seasons to claim a share of the conference title in 2006 and win it outright in 2007. Last year they finally experienced success in the NCAA playoffs, notching the first three playoff wins in school history and winning the West Region title before being dismantled by Division III juggernaut Mount Union in the national semifinals. Expectations are once again high for the Royals as they attempt to become the first team to beat the Johnnies in three straight seasons since St. Olaf turned the trick in 1984-86.
After being afforded a bit of a respite in the form of a Week Six home date with doormat Hamline, the Johnnies are back on the road to take on the hated St. Thomas Tommies in Week Seven. St. John’s has turned the conference’s biggest rivalry into something of a laugher of late, winning the last 10 meetings between the two teams, including the last three by at least three scores. New head coach Glenn Caruso, fresh off an impressive rebuilding effort across town at Macalester College, aims to bring a St. Thomas program back to prominence following an embarrassing 2-8 showing in 2007. The Tommies have already seen success on the recruiting trail, securing a handful of top Twin Cities prospects for 2008, but challenging the Johnnies this season may be a bit of a stretch.
Without a doubt, the most exciting Johnnie victory of 2007 was the 30-29 nail-biter over St. Olaf in early October. Both teams entered the game 5-0; the Johnnies ranked #3 in the nation and looked to defend their home turf on homecoming weekend, the Oles ranked #14 nationally and looked for the landmark victory that would put, arguably, the most talented team in school history on the national map. The game didn’t disappoint—the Johnnies needed a pair of late touchdowns to overcome a two-score, 4th quarter deficit and a late defensive stand to ice the victory. When the Johnnies make a visit to Northfield for their Week Eight matchup this fall, three key Oles from last years game will have graduated to the professional sports ranks: Head coach Chris Meidt and wide receiver Horace Gant are both with the Washington Redskins, while wide receive Andrew Schmiesing is a Beloit Snapper after being drafted by the Minnesota Twins. The Oles remain talented this year, and their matchup with the Johnnies should be a key indicator as to whether 2008 should be considered a rebuilding season or a reloading one for the Oles.
The Johnnies opened their 2007 MIAC season by humiliating Augsburg 62-7 in what looked like another lost season for the Auggies. Now, less than a year later, Augsburg enters the 2008 season with national credibility (they received votes in the d3football.com Top 25 poll for the first time in the poll’s history this preseason), a surprisingly potent passing attack, and hopes of playing meaningful football past the 4th game on their schedule for the first time in years. The Johnnies have a bye week to prepare for their Week Ten home game with Augsburg so they should avoid any surprises. Still, the fact that I’m even writing about the Auggies in a preseason preview—rather than simply glossing over them like the Pipers two paragraphs prior—means the team is headed in the right direction.
Twenty-five times the Johnnies and Carleton Knights have met up in the gridiron and twenty five times the Johnnies have come out ahead, but after last season’s game St. John’s sure isn’t taking 2008’s regular season finale for granted. The Knights, behind head coach (and former Johnnie great) Kurt Ramler’s intimate knowledge of St. John’s game plan and a little help from Mother Nature, turned the game into a muddy slugfest in Northfield. The Johnnies needed a last-minute touchdown to pull out a 10-7 win, the closest of the Knights 7 losses on the season. Don’t expect this year’s return engagement to be so close—Carleton should come up short yet again in the talent department as the Johnnies (hopefully) get a final tune up for the playoffs.
The 2008 season promises a compelling mix of competitive matchups and intriguing storylines as the Johnnies try to reclaim MIAC dominance. Be sure to check back later this week as we take a position-by-position look at the irreplaceable players the Johnnies lost over the off-season and the new batch of irreplaceable players ready to step in and take their place.
