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NO. 6 BULLDOGS AND NO. 3 BEARCATS SET TO BATTLE FOR NCAA II FOOTBALL'S TOP PRIZE SATURDAY

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

The University of Minnesota Duluth will put the nation's only perfect 14-0 record on the line Saturday (Dec. 13) when the Bulldogs invade Florence, Ala. to take on Northwest Missouri State University for the NCAA Division II championship. Opening kickoff is set for 12 p.m. (CST) at Braly Municipal Stadium (14,215 capacity/natural grass).

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THE RECORDS: The Bulldogs are a perfect 14-0 this fall and captured the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference title with a 10-0 mark. The Bearcats own a 13-1 overall record and went 9-1 in Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletics Association play (first place).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and Northwest Missouri State stack up in the latest American Football Coaches Association Division II and d2football.com polls as well as the NCAA Division II Super Regional 3/1 Rankings:

AFCA d2football Regional 3/4
UMD 6th 7th 2nd
NMSU 3rd 3rd 2nd

THE BROADCAST: Saturday's NCAA II semifinal will be carried locally on 102.5 The Hog (KHQG-FM) with Mark Fleischer handling the play-by-play responsibilities. That broadcast can also be heard via the internet at: umdbulldogs.com.

In addition, the Bulldog-Bearcat matchup will be televised live nationally on ESPN2 with Pam Ward and former NFL linebacker Ray Bentley will serve as the broadcast team and be available online at: espn360.com.

Westwood radio will also be broadcasting the game nationwide with Kevin Kugler providing the play-by-play and former Auburn coach Terry Bowden doing color.

TRAVEL PLANS: The Bulldogs will depart the Duluth Airport for Muscle Shoals, Ala. via a charter plane at 7 p.m. Wednesday and return at approximately 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

THE COACHES: After a four-year hiatus, Bob Nielson returned to the UMD sidelines this fall and has picked up right where he left off. Nielson, the 2008 and 2002 NSIC Coach of the Year whose first tour of duty with the Bulldogs ran from 1999-2003, was officially appointed to his old post on Jan. 3, 2008. (He continues to also serve as UMD’s athletic director, a position he’s held since 2003-04). His overall record at UMD now stands at 52-19, which translates into a .733 winning percentage -- by far the best mark in school history. During his five previous years with the Bulldogs, Nielson helped marshal the UMD football program to new heights. In 2002, for example, his Bulldogs posted their second unbeaten, untied regular season record at that time (11-0), advanced to the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time ever and captured the NSIC championship. Nielson, who also coached UMD to its inaugural post-season appearance (the 2001 Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo.) and the school's greatest one-year turnaround up to that point (the Bulldogs went 7-4 in 2000 after managing a 3-8 mark the previous fall). The runnerup for the American Football Monthly magazine NCAA II Coach of the Year award, Nielson joined the UMD staff in the spring of 1999 after he had guided the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire to a share of the 1998 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title (its first since 1983) and an initial berth in NCAA III playoffs five months earlier. He amassed a record of 22-11 in three years with the Blugolds, including a 10-3 mark in his farewell season when Wisconsin-Eau Claire claimed a share of its first Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title while setting a team standard for victories. Nielson, the Football Gazette’s 1998 Division III Coach of the Year, also was employed for five years as the head football coach at his alma mater, Wartburg College, where he strung together five successive non-losing seasons and landed a pair of back-to-back NCAA III playoff berths (1993 and 1994) and two years at Ripon College (1989-90) in Wisconsin. He is 122-52-1 (.700) in 16 years of collegiate coaching activity.

NIELSON AT A GLANCE
Career Record (Year): 122-52-1 (16th)
Career Record at UMD (Year): 52-19 (6th)
Career NCAA II Playoff Record: 3-1
Career NCAA III Playoff Record: 3-3
Career Record vs. NMSU: 0-1

Mel Tjeerdsman is in his 15th year as the head coach at Northwest Missouri State and has a 157-39 overall record, two NCAA II championships (1998 and 1999) and 11 NCAA II playoff appearances to show for it. Prior to joining the Bearcats, Tjeerdsman spent 10 years overseeing the football program at Austin College (Texas). He owns an overall collegiate record of 216-77-4, including an 1-0 mark versus UMD.

THE SERIES: Saturday afternoon's game will mark just the second meeting between the Bulldogs and Bearcats. The two clubs butted heads in the opening round of the 2002 NCAA II playoffs in Maryville, Mo. where Northwest Missouri State pulled out a 45-41 win. UMD, which was making its first NCAA II postseason appearance, came into the day sporting a perfect 11-0 record.

LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs punched their ticket to the NCAA II title game by dismantling seventh ranked California University of Pennsylvania 45-7 Saturday. Sophomore running back Isaac Odim scored four touchdowns and rushed for 126 yards on 17 carries in the victory over the then 12-1 Vulcans. The Bulldogs also got touchdowns from sophomore Brad Foss (a nine-yard run) and senior wide receiver Tony Doherty (a four-yard pass reception which closed out the scoring) and a 23-yard field goal from freshman David Nadeau. UMD rolled up 451 yards of total offense, 211 of which came in the first half when it jumped out to a 17-0 lead. Senior quarterback Ted Schlafke connected on 12 of 21 passes for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns and added a another 67 yards on the ground.UMD came into the afternoon sporting the nation’s second toughest defense against the run and held the No. 7 Vulcans to just 56 yards (almost 150 yards below their season average) on 27 attempts. Sophomore inside linebacker Robbie Aurich was credited with game-high 11 total tackles while senior strong safety Jim Johnson had eight stops and a pair of interceptions.

Northwest Missouri State raced out to a 20-0 first quarter lead and went on upend the University of North Alabama 41-7 Saturday afternoon, LaRon Council rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns to lead the host Bobcats to their fourth straight semifinal round win in as many years. Bearcat quarterback Kevin McCabe threw for three touchdowns and 184 yards while going 22-of-29 against the No. 5 Lions.

THIS IS YOUR CAPTAIN SPEAKING: The Bulldogs' team captaincy responsibilities in 2008 rest in the hands of a quartet of seniors -- offensive guard Nate Baier, strong safety Jim Johnson, quarterback Ted Schlafke, and free safety Tyler Yelk.

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE: The year marks the third time the Bulldogs have qualified for the NCAA II playoffs. On Nov. 23, 2002, UMD dropped a 45-41 first-round road decision to host Northwest Missouri State. The Bulldogs returned to the tournament three years ago (Nov. 12, 2005) and were ambushed 23-12 by then-North Central Conference colleague University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, N.D. Northwest Missouri State is participating in NCAA II postseason play for the 13 the time ever. UMD is 3-2 all-time in NCAA II playoff competition while the Bearcats, who have two national titles (1998 and 1999) and four runnerup finishes (2005-2007) to their credit, are 25-10. Those 25 playoff wins are an NCAA II record.

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE II: Eight current Bulldog seniors all received their playoff baptismals three years ago when UMD squared off with North Dakota. That group includes outside linebackers Jake Comnick and Ben Loth, wide receiver Tony Doherty, defensive tackles Drew Fautsch (who was then a tight end) and Dustin Timmersman, strong safety Jim Johnson, quarterback Ted Schlafke, and free safety Tyler Yelk. Doherty, Johnson, Schlafke and Yelk all started that first-round playoff contest.

SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD: Nearly three dozen UMD team and individual single-game, single-season and career records have either been broken or equaled (*) in 2008:

TEAM (GAME)
Points (Quarter): 35* vs. Northern State (2nd)

TEAM (SEASON)
Games Played: 14
Wins: 14
Home Wins: 6*
Road Wins: 8
NSIC Wins: 10
First Downs: 318
First Downs Rushing: 170
Rushing Yards: 3,398
Rushing Touchdowns: 44
Pass Completion Percentage: .638
Total Plays: 948
Total Yards: 6,402
Yards Per Play: 6.8
Touchdowns: 83
Points: 592
Sacks: 43

INDIVIDUAL (GAME)
Interceptions: 3 by Forest Clements vs. St. Cloud State
Fumble Return: 99 yards by Jim Johnson vs. St. Cloud State

INDIVIDUAL (SEASON)
Games Played: 14 by Many
Rushing Touchdowns: 25 by Isaac Odim
Per Rush Average: 7.7 yards by Isaac Odim
100-yard rushing games: 9 by Isaac Odim
Consecutive 100-yd rushing games: 7 by Isaac Odim
Total Touchdowns: 28 by Isaac Odim
Points: 168 by Isaac Odim
Pass Reception Yardage: 1,179 by D.J. Winfield
Extra Points Made: 66 by David Nadeau
Extra Point Attempts: 75 by David Nadeau

INDIVIDUAL (CAREER)
Consecutive Games Played: 46 by Jake Comnick, Tony Doherty, Jim Johnson, Ben Loth, Ted Schlafke, Dustin Timmersman, Tyler Yelk
Consecutive Starts: 46 by Ted Schlafke
Passing Yardage: 11,459 by Ted Schlafke
Touchdown Passes: 104 by Ted Schlafke
Total Yards: 12,869 by Ted Schlafke
Total Tackles: 315 by Tyler Yelk

ONE FINAL FLING: Senior quarterback and Harlon Hill Trophy quarterfinalist Ted Schlafke has certainly saved some of his best football for last. The 2008 NSIC and Daktronics Superir Regional 3 Offensive Player of the Year currently owns the second best passing efficiency mark (174.73) and is 10th in pass completion percentage (65.6) in the NCAA II Schlafke, who has played an entire four quarters only five times all season (vs. St. Cloud State on Oct. 18, Winona State University on Nov. 8, and in each of the three playoff games) owns a string of 46 consecutive starts, which equals the schools record. He has established UMD career records for pass completions (1041 and counting), pass attempts (1,670), passing yardage (11,459), touchdown passes (104), total plays (2,207), and total offense (12,869 yards) while his .623 lifetime completion percentage is well above the current team mark (.548 by Darrell McKibbon between 1970-73). Schlafke, the first three-time team captain in the 76 years UMD has been playing football, also is the owner of Bulldog single-game and single-season records for pass completions, pass attempts, passing yards, total offense and total plays. Nationally, the four-time North Central Conference/NSIC All-Academic Team selection now ranks fourth on the NCAA II career total offense charts, is fifth all-time in passing yards and 9th in touchdown passes. Ever the double threat, Schlafke became just the second quarterback ever to lead UMD in rushing last fall. (500 yards on 176 carries)

THAT CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON: The Bulldogs laid claim to their 16th NSIC title this fall and, in the process, became the first team to ever win 10 league games in one season.

IT'S BEEN QUITE A RUN: In last Saturday's 45-7 win at California U., sophomore running back Isaac Odim, became UMD's single-season leader in rushing yardage (he now has 1,569 yards), rushing touchdowns (25) total touchdowns (28) and total points (168). The person he supplanted in all four of those categories was former All-American and National Football League running back Ted McKnight (1976). Odim, who transferred to UMD this fall from Rochester Community College, is averaging a 7.7 yards per carry this fall -- the sixth best mark in the nation. He also amassed 100 or more yards on the ground in each of the past seven games and nine times overall in 2008 (tying school records in both of those two departments). Odim, who leads the NSIC in rushing with an 112.0 yards per game average, has run for at least one touchdown in 14 of the 15 outings to date (he was kept out of the end zone by Chadron State three weeks ago). He current ranks fourth among NCAA II combatants with a 12.00 points per game average.

SCORE EARLY, SCORE OFTEN: UMD, which has found the end zone in eight of its 14 opening possessions this season (and kicked a field goal in another), has outscored the opposition 370-43 in the first half (and 172-20 in the opening quarter.

CATCHING ON FAST: Freshman wide receiver and 2008 NSIC Newcomer of the Year D.J. Winfield, whose debut year with the Bulldogs lasted less than two quarters (he suffered a season-ending ankle sprain in the 2007 opener with Bemidji State), has parlayed 14 of his team-leading 68 pass receptions into touchdowns this season. Those 14 scoring strikes rank third on the UMD single-season charts, trailing only Tim Battaglia (19 in 2002) and Greg Aker (15 in 2005). Winfield's one other TD this fall came on 48-yard run off a lateral in Game 1 at Concordia University-St. Paul. Winfield, who last weekend set a UMD single-season record for pass reception yardage (he now has 1,179) needs eight more catches to match the club's single-season mark of 77 (Vinny Flury in 2005).

FOOLS RUSH IN: The Bulldogs rank second among all NCAA II schools in rushing defense, yielding only 58.2 yards a game (and 2.1 yards per rush). The most yards an opponent has accumulated on the ground this season is 130 by St. Cloud State on Oct. 18.

SACK IT TO ME: Opposing running backs aren't the only ones who have found the going tough this season as the Bulldogs have chalked up quarterback sacks at a record-breaking pace. To date, UMD has been credited with 43 sacks, two more than the team previous single-season best established by the 2002 and 1987 Bulldogs. And, talk about spreading the wealth. Thus far in 2008, some 17 different Bulldogs have been in on at least one sack with senior inside linebacker Ben Loth leading the way with a team-high 5.0 sacks followed by defensive ends Kevin Pexa and Drew Fautsch (4.5 sacks) and Dustin Timmersman (4.0)

THESE 'DOGS HAD THEIR DAY: UMD not only had half of their starting lineup land All-NSIC first team recognition 2008, but they also claimed three of the five major conference awards -- Offensive Player of the Year (Ted Schlafke), Offensive Newcomer of the Year (D.J. Winfield) and Coach of the Year (Bob Nielson). Schlafke and Winfield were accompanied on the 24-member NSIC All-North Division first team by nine fellow Bulldogs -- senior offensive guard Nate Baier, senior offensive tackle Mitch Cady, senior outside linebacker Jake Comnick, senior defensive end Drew Fautsch, senior strong safety Jim Johnson, junior center Tobias Lemke, senior inside linebacker Ben Loth, sophomore running back Isaac Odim and senior free safety Tyler Yelk, an All-North Central Conference first team pick one year ago. UMD placed three more players on the All-North Division second team. That trio included sophomore inside linebacker Robbie Aurich, junior cornerback Cole Strilzuk and senior defensive end Dustin Timmersman. Sophomore running back Brad Foss, junior offensive tackle Sam Whitney and junior cornerback Brandon Wood all earned honorable mention acclaim.

ONE FOR THE BOOKS: UMD's current No. 6 AFCA II ranking is the school's highest ever in a national poll.

A REAL ONE-TWO PUNCH: The 2008 Bulldogs sport what is arguably the most gifted safety tandem in the NSIC (and perhaps in the storied history of UMD football) in seniors Tyler Yelk and Jim Johnson. Yelk, a two-time all-conference first team selection, has paced the Bulldogs in tackles three straight seasons -- a UMD first -- and six weeks ago took over as the school's career leader for stops (he currently has 315 tackles). Johnson, who joined Yelk on the All-NSIC first team this fall, has never finished lower than third among Bulldogs in tackles during the past three years. He now has 260 stops as a collegian, which is good for the No. 4 spot on the team's career list. Earlier this year against St. Cloud State (Oct. 18) Johnson returned a fumble a school-record 99 yards for a touchdown in capping off UMD's 38-21 road win.

THE BEAT GOES ON: The Bulldogs are currently riding a 15-game winning streak, the second longest in program history. UMD reeled off a school-record 20 victories between Nov. 3, 1979-Oct. 24, 1981.

YOU CAN HAVE IT BOTH WAYS: The Bulldogs currently sport both the NSIC's top offense (457.3 yards per game) and defense (230.7 ypg). In addition, UMD has scored more points (42.3 ppg) and given up less (11.4 ppg) than any NSIC club to date. On the NCAA II front, the Bulldogs rank second overall in rushing defense (58.2 ypg) and passing efficiency (171.1), third in total defense and scoring defense, third in scoring offense, seventh in rushing offense (242.7 ypg), eighth in turnover margin (1.57) and pass efficiency defense (171.1) and ninth in total offense (457.3).

LONELIER THAN THE MAYTAG REPAIRMAN: After being called into action an average of just over two times per game during the regular season, freshman Alex Miller has seen his workload nearly double during the NCAA II playoffs. In the 20-10 win over Chadron three weeks ago, Miller punted five times and had six punts the following Saturday at Grand Valley State. (He had a one punt blocked in each those two outings -- his only two of the 2008 season). Last Saturday, he averaged 42.9 yards on his four punts at California U.

TURNAROUND IS FAIR PLAY: UMD posted a 4-6 overall record in 2007 which means the current Bulldogs are part of the greatest one-year turnaround (+8) in school history and the greatest since the NCAA II began keeping that statistic in 1996. That honor was previous held by the 2000 UMD contingent which finished 7-4 after a 3-8 season one year earlier.

BETTER BY THE DOZEN: The 2008 Bulldog roster contains 12 seniors, all of whom began their collegiate careers at UMD and have helped lead the Bulldogs to a 32-14 overall record, two conference championships (the 2005 North Central Conference crown and the NSIC title this fall) and a pair of NCAA II playoff berths (2005 and 2008). That group includes offensive guards Nate Baier and Matt Horvath, outside linebackers Jake Comnick and Ben Loth, wide receivers Tony Doherty and Luke Schalekamp, defensive ends Drew Fautsch and Dustin Timmersman, offensive tackle Mitch Cady, strong safety Jim Johnson, quarterback Ted Schlafke, and free safety Tyler Yelk. Eleven of the 12 UMD seniors are full-time starters.

LEAD 'DOGS: The Bulldogs are 55-1 in the last 56 games they have been ahead after three quarters and 48-1 when they've led at halftime going back to November 2001. UMD has also gotten on the scoreboard first in 30 of its last 31 victories. On the flip side, since defeating the University of South Dakota 23-21 on the road on Sept. 22, 2002, UMD has lost 22 straight times when trailing at the half and is 0-24 when it's been behind heading into the final quarter. (The Bulldogs last posted a win in that situation on Sept. 8, 2001 by rallying from a 10-7 deficit to shade South Dakota 14-10).

INJURY UPDATE: UMD has no new injuries to report.

BULLDOG BITES: This marks the first time a UMD team in any sport has ever advanced to an NCAA II title game. The Bulldogs have appeared in five NCAA I women's championships (winning four of those) and one NCAA I men's hockey final (1983-84). In addition, UMD made it to the championship game of the 1988 NAIA softball tournament, before bowing out to Pacific Lutheran ... The Bulldogs are the only team in college football (at any level) to win 14 games this season ... UMD has trailed just one time during the past 15 games and that was in the first quarter of last Saturday's quarterfinal clash with Grand Valley State -- a 3-0 lead which lasted for 3:03 until a Schlafke-to-Odim touchdown toss put UMD up 7-3 ... Senior wide receiver and Tony Doherty has caught 30 or more passes in each of his four seasons with the Bulldogs and currently has 144 catches to his collegiate credit. That places the two-sport standout (he was an all-conference outfielder for the baseball Bulldogs) in the No. 3 slot on UMD's career pass receptions charts ... Jon Lynch has relieved Ted Schlafke in nine of the Bulldogs' 14 contests to date and, in the process, has become just the second true freshman quarterback in 24 years to see varsity time for UMD (Ricky Fritz was the other in 1998) ... The Bulldogs have come away with 28 interceptions (by 11 different players) in 2008, including two -- one each by junior cornerback Cole Strilzuk and junior nose tackle Tyler Johnson -- which have been brought back for touchdowns ... UMD has not allowed a run over 27 yards this season (Brandon Geiss, St. Cloud State on Oct. 18).

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