Each year when the Johnnies play the Cobbers I get nervous. I am thankful that the Johnnies were scheduled to make the trip to Jake Christensen Stadium in mid-September instead of mid-November when the cold wind howls across the flat prairie and the natural grass field has seen better days. All signs point to more of this fantastic mild summer weather for Saturday’s game in Moorhead where the longest running competitive rivalry in the MIAC will add another chapter.
Freshmen RB Steve Johnson has excelled early in his 1st season at St. John's
These two teams share a mutual respect that simply doesn’t exist between for instance St. John’s and St. Thomas or St. John’s and Bethel for a variety of reasons. Both teams have always been well coached, prepared for games, and never resorted to cheap shots (which is something ahem…a few of the other MIAC schools can’t claim).
In recent years, the games have been nailbiters with each team winning in dramatic fashion on the other’s home field. When the Cobbers successfully kicked a late field goal in Collegeville to win 21-20 in 2004 you would have thought they had won the Super Bowl. Cobbers head coach Terry Horan was mobbed and immediately interviewed by a reporter from FSN North on the field. The excitement was tangible and rightfully so. These games might count the same as a win over Hamline or Augsburg, but the long-term competitiveness of the rivalry puts added emphasis on this specific game each season.
This week’s 3 Keys to Victory for St. John’s are:
- Control the line of scrimmage–The team that plays the best on the offensive/defensive lines will win the game. The Cobbers are always very well coached on both lines with plenty of “country” strong farm boys from outstate MN/ND who are tremendous football players. It is imperative to at least create a stalemate for the majority of the game. If Concordia starts to get great pressure on Boyle the afternoon could be a long one for Johnnie fans.
- Diverse Play Calling–SJU is moving the ball most effectively late in the halves. This is when they are spreading the field allowing for quick hit passes up the seam to the WR in the slot position, delayed draw plays, shovel passes, and more room to operate the option. The continued banging of the dive play for one yard on 1st down is ridiculous. There is no room there (especially this week against the always stout Concordia defensive line). St. John’s passes to set up the run NOT vice versa.
- Big Plays–The Johnnies have shown an explosive offense at times in the first 2 games. A couple big plays could be enough to break the Cobbers who are not designed offensively to score lots of points quickly.