Football | 10/20/2017 10:29:00 AM

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After a 23-day absence, the University of Minnesota Duluth will return to its home turf this Saturday (Oct. 21) to take on Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division rival Minot State University in the Bulldogs' Homecoming game. Opening kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m. at James S. Malosky Stadium (5,000/artificial turf) on the UMD campus.

THE RECORDS: UMD, which has won four straight, is 5-2 while the Beavers are 1-6.
                
THE BROADCAST: The UMD-Minot State clash will be carried live locally on KDAL-Radio (610 AM and 103.9 FM) with Jeff Papas handling the play-by-play responsibilities and ex-University of North Dakota offensive lineman Gregg Swartwoudt providing color commentary. That broadcast can also be heard at: kdal610.com.

For the 10th consecutive year, My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9) is televising all UMD home games. KBJR-TV sports director Zach Schneider and former long-time UMD defensive coordinator Vince Repesh will serve as the on-air talent. The telecast, which is also available locally on Charter and Mediacom cable, will be videostreammed as well and can be accessed for free at: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd.

THE COACH: Curt Wiese is in his fifth season of head coaching duty with the Bulldogs, having guided them to a 48-10 overall record (only two NCAA II coaches have won more games during that stretch), three NCAA II playoff appearances (2013, 2014 and 2016), one overall NSIC title (it shared that honor with Minnesota State University-Mankato in 2014), four straight NSIC North Division crowns and a school-record 22-game home winning streak which stretched between Oct. 5, 2013 and Nov. 12, 2016.

Last fall, his Bulldogs reeled off 10 straight victories following a setback in the season opener and wound up going 10-2. Along the way they returned to the NCAA II playoffs after a brief, one-year absence, and occupied the No. 13 spot in the final AFCA II poll. One year earlier, UMD capped off a 9-3 season by defeating Fort Hays State University 30-22 in the Mineral Water Bowl and in 2014 rolled up a 13-1 overall record (the third most wins in program history) and captured a share of its league-record 19th NSIC crown after going 11-0 in conference play. That was in addition to advancing to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA II playoffs and ending up at No. 3 spot in the final AFCA II poll. That followed up Wiese's rookie-go-around that included an 11-2 mark in all games and a No. 8 final AFCA II poll ranking.

For his exemplary efforts, Wiese was selected the 2013 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award winner for Division II, a prestigious honor recognizing coaches for their responsibility, integrity, sportsmanship and excellence, on and off the field.

Since being appointed UMD's sixth head coach on Dec. 21, 2012, Wiese has helped produce 17 different All-Americans and 27 All-NSIC first team selections while his Bulldogs have earned NSIC All-Academic status 55 times. That includes offensive lineman Andrew Pattock, who as a senior in 2013 was named a first team CoSIDA Academic All-American.

Over the course of Wiese's successful five-season run as the team's offensive coordinator, the Bulldogs finished near the top of the NCAA II leader board four times in scoring (third in 2012 with a school-record 46.5 points per game average, fifth in 2008, sixth in 2010 and ninth in 2009) and in 2012 possessed the nation's seventh best rushing attack (after ranking seventh, fourth, and third, respectively, in that department the previous three seasons). The 2012 Bulldogs were also the nation's leader in third down conversions (54.8 percent). In addition, no less than 15 of his pupils landed some kind of All-American recognition, including a pair of Harlon Hill Award finalists -- quarterback Ted Schlafke (2008), the school's career passing and total offense leader, and running back Isaac Odim (2009), UMD's No. 1 all-time ground gainer and scorer and the holder of 17 school records. In addition, his starting offensive guard from 2009-12, Garth Heikkinen, became the school's first recipient of the Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year of Award and earned a playing spot in the annual East-West Shrine Game in January 2013.

Since Wiese's arrival at UMD in February 2008, the Bulldogs have generated both the second- most victories (they are 110-17) and winning percentage (.866) in the country while capturing two NCAA II national championships (2008 and 2010), six overall NSIC titles (2008-12 and 2014) and nine NSIC North Division crowns. They've also made eight NCAA II playoff appearances and produced two perfect 15-0 seasons and three 11-0 regular seasons.
Wiese came to UMD following two years of employment as the head coach at NCAA III member Marietta College (Ohio). He compiled a 9-11 career overall record with the Pioneers, including a 6-4 mark in 2006. The Stoughton, Wis., native signed on with the Marietta football program in 2003 when he became the team's offensive coordinator -- a duty he continued to maintain after he was elevated to head coach. In five years of directing the Marietta offense, Wiese helped churn out two All-Americans and 12 All-Ohio Athletic Conference selections and was a finalist for the 2004 AFCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Award.

Prior to his move to Marietta, Wiese worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, tutoring the tight ends for two years and the offensive line for one season. He entered the coaching arena a little over a dozen years ago on the heels of a four-year collegiate playing career. After three seasons at Minnesota State University-Mankato (1995-97), Wiese transferred to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, where as a senior in 1998, he quarterbacked the Pointers to a share of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title.

Wiese was among 10 head coaches nationwide who were honorary coach nominees for the 2016 Allstate Insurance and American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

    WIESE BY THE NUMBERS
    Record at UMD (Year): 48-10 (5th)
    Overall Coaching Record (Year): 57-21 (7th)
    Career NSIC Record: 45-7
    Career UMD Home Record: 24-3
    Career UMD Road Record: 24-7
    vs. Northern State: 4-0

THE RIVALRY: UMD and Minot State have met on just five previous occasions with all coming since the 2012 season when the Beavers joined forces with the NSIC.
 

Date	Result	Site
10/13/12	UMD 44, MSU 6	Minot, N.D.
10/19/13	UMD 52, MSU 0	Duluth, Minn.
11/15/14	UMD 56, MSU 0	Minot, N.D.
11/14/15	UMD 36, MSU 10	Duluth, Minn.
10/8/16	UMD 38, MSU 7	Minot, N.D

Last fall, UMD made its NSIC North Division road debut against Minot State and dominated the Beavers in virtually every statistical category including total yards (516 to 181), first downs (27 to 9), rushing yards (194 to 51) and passing yards (322 to 130). Minot State mustered just 53 overall yards (a mere three yards via the rush) the entire first half and turned the ball over three times -- all fumbles -- on the day.

LAST WEEK: UMD remained unbeaten in NSIC North Division play (3-0) by overwhelming Northern State 41-0 Saturday in Aberdeen, S.D.
The Bulldogs gave up just 83 yards of total offense on 58 plays and seven first downs on their way to posting their first shutout in two years. UMD also rolled up a 2017 season-high 300 yards on the ground as 10 different Bulldogs got a piece of the rushing action. That included redshirt freshman Austin Sylvester who ran 16 times for a personal-best 104 yards Redshirt freshman quarterback John Larson, making his first collegiate start, completed 11 of 19 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns. The first of those was a seven-yard strike 9:07 into the opening quarter to senior wide out Dominic Bonner that gave the Bulldogs all the scoring they would need. The Bulldog defense, which limited the Wolves to only 26 yards via the pass, got six stops each from junior inside linebacker A.J. Naatz and Gus Wedig and senior defensive end Nick Thorpe. Junior free safety Sam Lynch had the game's only interception, the fifth of his career.

Minot State spotted Bemidji State University a 19-0 first quarter lead and never recovered as it fell 40-14 to the visiting Beavers Saturday afternoon. Senior running back Larry Overstreet rushed for one touchdown and threw for another score in the setback

PRIDE OF THE NORTH: In addition to claiming at least a share of all nine NSIC North Division titles since the league instituted divisional play in 2008, the Bulldogs are a sizzling 59-3 in North Division assignments. That includes a perfect 32-0 mark at home. Besides a 23-15 defeat at Northern State on Oct. 31, 2015, UMD's other NSIC North Division losses came in consecutive years at St. Cloud State (51-49 in 2012 and 35-7 in 2011).

COMING UP EMPTY: Saturday's shutout was the first by the Bulldogs since they took down the University of Mary 45-0 on Oct. 17, 2015 in Bismarck, N.D. ). The 83 total yards Northern State generated on the afternoon was the lowest offensive output by a UMD opponent since the University of Minnesota Crookston mustered just 78 total yards on Oct. 31, 2009

BEAVER BUSTERS: Not only are the Bulldogs 5-0 all-time versus the Beavers, but they have outscored them 226-23 in those five triumphs while never allowing more than one touchdown.

FAMILIAR FACE: While this Saturday is the first time Mike Aldrich will face UMD as Minot State's head coach, he is 0-3 lifetime against the Bulldogs as he handled the head coaching responsibilities at NSIC rival Augustana University between 2010-12.

NOT IN OUR HOUSE: Since the 2008 opener, the Bulldogs are 50-6 at Malosky Stadium (with two of the losses coming to Minnesota State-Mankato in 2013 and 2017 and two in the NCAA II playoffs). Here are the some of the streaks UMD will put on the line this Saturday:

Consecutive NSIC North Division Home Wins: 32
Consecutive Home Games Without Being Shut Out: 78
Consecutive NSIC Home Games Without Being Shut Out: 120
Consecutive Wins vs. Minot State: 5

The Bulldogs haven't been blanked by a NSIC foe at Malosky Stadium since MSU-Moorhead turned the trick (29-0) back on Oct. 31, 1981. The last visiting team of any kind to hold UMD scoreless was St. Cloud State (28-0 in a North Central Conference clash on Nov. 6, 2004).

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE: UMD is now the lone NCAA II school that has yet to allow a fourth down conversion this season as opponents are 0-for-5 in that situation.

SACK IT TO ME: The Bulldogs have 19 sacks on the season, but 17 of those have come in the past four games. One year ago, the Bulldogs racked up a program-record 52 sacks, 11.5 of which came from current senior outside linebacker Zach Bassuener. Bassuener, a 2016 All-NSIC first team selection, has been credited with a team-leading 4.0 sacks thus far in 2017. That gives him 18.5 for his career, which ties him for fifth place on UMD's all-time charts. Sitting at No. 4 on that list is Bassuener's former teammate, 2016 NSIC Defensive Player of the Year Beau Bates (with 19.0).

WE'LL PASS ON THAT: Minot State has given up the fewest passing yards in the NSIC this season (148.1 yards) while UMD's air attack (246.1 ypg) ranks third in the league.

GREAT BALTS OF FIRE: Jason Balts, who four weeks ago at Wayne State College generated the third-highest single-game pass reception yardage total (217) in UMD history, continues to top the Bulldogs in catches (578). He currently ranks second in the NSIC in kickoff return average (23.8 yards), third in multipurpose yars (122.9 yards per game) and fourth in receiving yards per game (82.6) and Balts' multi-purpose yards per game average (122.9) this fall is the third best figure in the NSIC.

SOME TOUGH SLEDDING: UMD's seven opponents to date are a combined 31-18 and the two clubs that defeated the Bulldogs earlier this year -- nationally ranked Minnesota State (7-0) and Sioux Falls 6-1) -- are No. 1 and No. 3 in the overall NSIC standings. MSU-Moorhead is the only team UMD has faced thus far that (at game time) owned a losing record. Minot State will be the second.

WHAT A RUSH: Some 12 different Bulldogs have already run the football this season, including junior transfer Anthony Wood, whose 407 yards on 74 carries tops the club. Wood (vs. St. Cloud State) and redshirt freshman running back Austin Sylvester (at Northern State) each have one 100-yard rushing day to their 2017 credit. UMD, which finished 13th in NCAA II rushing offense last fall (averaging 233.4 yards per outing), has outgained the opposition on the ground in 26 of the past 28 games with the 2017 opener against Sioux Falls (when UMD managed negative-16 yards of rushing offense) and ensuing weekend (59 yards versus Minnesota State-Mankato) being the exceptions.

WHAT A RUSH II: Senior offensive tackle and part-time fullback Nolan Folkert has rushed 14 times for 14 yards and 10 touchdowns during his career (with all those carries coming in the past two seasons). Folkert's fellow 2016 All-NSIC first team interior lineman, junior nose tackle  Dre Greer, parlayed his first collegiate rush attempt into a two-yard touchdown run last Saturday at Northern State.

START ME UP: Junior Matt Juneau, a 2016 All-NSIC second team honoree who relocated from right tackle to left tackle on the UMD offensive front this season, has cracked the starting lineup in 27 consecutive games -- the longest ironman streak of any 2017 Bulldog. Senior outside linebacker Zach Bassuener is next with 23.

IN GOOD HANDS: No NCAA II outfit in the country did a better job of controlling the football last season than UMD. The Bulldogs ranked first nationally in time of possession with a 36:06 per game average after occupying the No. 3 spot at the conclusion of the 2015 season (34:08). Thus far in 2017, UMD ranks 9th nationally and third in the NSIC in that department (33:45). The Bulldogs have held the upper hand in time of possession in 21 of the past 23 games.

SPECIAL TEAMS KING: Justic'e King, who has started the past two games at right cornerback, paces the 2017 Bulldogs in special teams tackles with six. Both King and fellow cornerback Jake Goodman, who made his collegiate debut three weeks ago against St. Cloud State, are the lone two first-year Bulldog freshmen to see playing time so far in 2017. King has been credited with 16 total tackles and one interception while Goodman has been in on three stops.

BULLDOG BITS: Sophomore Cameron Hausman has already punted a career-high 44 times this year after he -- and two other Bulldogs -- registered 33 punts during the entire 12-game 2017 season. (Hausman had 26 of those punts). Last Saturday in Aberdeen, Hausman completed a 42-yard pass out off a fake punt and is now 2-for-2 passing as a collegian.

• The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 64-34 in the final 15 minutes of regulation this season. Going back to last fall.  UMD has  trailed at the end of the third quarter in seven of its past nine games going back to last season.
 
• Since taking over the Bulldog program four-plus seasons ago, Curt Wiese has won 48 of 58 games Only two other NCAA II head coaches -- Shepherd University's Monte Cater (both with 51) Colorado State University-Pueblo's John Wristen (50) -- have accumulated more victories during that the time period. Of Wiese's 10 lifetime losses, seven have come against NSIC South Division members (including four at the hands of Minnesota State) and one against a NSIC North Division foe (at Northern State on Oct. 31, 2015). The other two setbacks have occurred versus NCAA II postseason opponents (besides Minnesota State-Mankato)

• Six current Bulldogs have an interception to their collegiate credit and four of those have multiple thefts -- junior strong safety Sam Lynch (five, including a team-leading three in 2016), senior free safety Kegan Wirtz (three), sophomore strong safety Bill Atkins (two - both last fall) and sophomore cornerback Bishop McDonald (two including the club's first pick of this season). First-year Bulldogs Justic'e King and Dennis Archibald both recorded their first interceptions at UMD at Wayne State on Sept. 23.

•Going back to the 2008 season opener, only one NCAA II team in the country has racked up more victories (110) and posted a higher winning percentage (.866) than UMD. That club, top-ranked Northwest Missouri State University, is the two-time the defending NCAA II champion, and owns the nation's longest winning streak at 37 games, having not lost since falling 25-21 to host UMD in the opening round of the 2014 NCAA II playoffs (Nov. 22).

WELCOME BACK: The 2002 Bulldogs will be UMD's guests of honors this Saturday afternoon  and recognized between the first and second quarters of the  Bulldog-Minot State game. That 2002 club, under the direction of then third-year coach Bob Nielson, was the first Bulldog team to ever qualify for the NCAA II playoffs, the first  finish a regular season 11-0 and the first to post nine wins in NSIC play (while winning their first league crown in six years).

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL: The Bulldogs will hit the road for a Thursday night NSIC North Division Showdown with Bemidji State on Oct. 26.