Week 4 against Gustavus has the makings for a letdown game for the Johnnies. They come off a long road trip to Moorhead that was successful, but did NOT shorten the injury report for St. John’s. This would be an easy game to overlook when you can see a potentially huge Homecoming game with Bethel peeking just around the corner. The Royals have beat the Johnnies three consecutive years after they hadn’t ever beat SJU at Collegeville in school history, so you know both teams will be fired up next week (They have overcome the Johnnie mystique).
Gustavus has been a MIAC patsy the past few seasons. They fight and claw for one half of football then lay an egg in the 2nd half. Or worse lose to Hamline (which they did last year and nearly did last week in double overtime). However, things have changed. They have a new head coach, Peter Haugen, who comes from the Minneapolis city conference at Washburn High School. He has brought in a mostly new coaching staff with a few exceptions. Reports from Gustavus alumni are mixed on this move. Many were extraordinarily fond of former head coach Jay Schoenbeck and wide receivers/special teams coordinator Tom Brown (who was subsequently the #2 choice for the new head coaching position).
This means that no one really knows how the new Gustie coaching staff will play the Johnnies. What defensive front will they show? What kind of coverage will they play in the secondary? Will they run the spread offense? Smash mouth? The Wildcat formation which is in vogue in the NFL currently? This uncertainty leads to a difficult task in preparing for a team (similar to that of facing a playoff team whom you’ve never seen before).
It would be easy to predict a blowout St. John’s win, but I don’t think I can do it. Too many signs point to a closer than expected final score.
See everyone at Patrick’s Bar and Grill in St. Peter at 11am. The address is 125 S. 3rd Street and the phone number is 507-931-9051.