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When: Saturday, Sept. 11
Where: St. Paul, Minn.
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: River Falls, WI 54022
Enrollment: 5,800
Head coach: John O'Grady
(16th season 85-59-3 overall record)
(best time to reach O'Grady is early mornings, phone: 715/425-3135)
Assistant coaches: Kevin
Bullis, Jamie Herrick
National affiliations: National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) Div. III
Conference: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Conference members: Eau Claire, La Crosse, Oshkosh, Platteville,
River Falls, Stevens Point, Stout, Superior, Whitewater
Nickname: Falcons
Colors: Red and White
WIAC championships: (18) 1915, 1916, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1933, 1938,
1947, 1958, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1998
Offensive formation: Wishbone
Defensive formation: 4-4
2004 overall record: 0-0-0
2004 conference record: 0-0-0
2003 overall record: 2-7-0
2004 conference record: 2-5-0
Home field, phone: Ramer Field (4,300) press box phones, 715/425-3746
and 715/425-3369
Trainer: Gary Eloranta 715/425-3130
Sports information director: Jim
Thies 715/425-3846
Web site: http://www.uwrf.edu/sports/sports0405
Football
web site: http://www.uwrf.edu/sports/sports0405/fb_menu.htm
Sports information fax: 715/425-4486
Falcons Open Season at Concordia University
The 2004 season looks to be a turn around year for Coach John O’Grady
and the River Falls Falcons and that starts on Saturday when UWRF plays
its first game at Concordia-St. Paul. Kick off is set for 1:30 p.m.
O’Grady and the Falcons are coming off three consecutive losing
campaigns which include losing conference records the last two. O’Grady’s
only other losing season as head coach of the Falcons was in 1991. The
head coach is entering his 16th season and has an overall record of 85-59-3.
O’Grady has the third most wins among active WIAC coaches and is
10th all time. He could move up to eighth all time with four wins. O’Grady’s
record shows that it is time for a winning season for UWRF.
The head coach isn’t the only reason to have optimism this fall.
The Falcons return eight starters on offense and defense, including two-time
team most valuable player, senior running back John Peterlik. The two-time
first team All-WIAC selection tied for the conference lead in touchdowns(14),
was fourth in rushing(109.3 y/g - 984 total) and was first in all purpose
yards(185.4 y/g - 1669 total) in 2003. Peterlik will be without last year’s
backfield mate, All-WIAC fullback Owen Schmidt, who transferred to the
University of West Virginia. Schmidt led River Falls with 1,063 rushing
yards (third in the WIAC). The leading candidates to replace Schmidt are
junior Neal Folta and freshman John Ward. Helping to fill the rushing
void left by Schmidt will be halfback Jeremy Wolff. Wolff was the Falcons
third leading rusher last year with 289 yards on 39 attempts (7.4 avg.)
with one touchdown.
A positive for the Falcon running game is the return of four starters
from an offensive line that cleared the way for an RF offense that led
the WIAC in rushing (318.6 y/g) in 2003. Senior Jeremy Hotz returns at
the right guard spot while juniors Alan Nutt and Nate Cook come back at
the tackles. Junior tight end Chris Ammann will move inside to play center.
The new man of the group will be junior Dave Kapping at left guard.
Under center will be sophomore quarterback Andy Kolstad. Kolstad started
six games as a true freshman and is considered a student of the game by
O’Grady. The sophomore put on 25 pounds in the off season to help
take the blows that an option QB has to absorb. Kolstad ran for 191 yards
on 62 carries with three touchdowns and completed 11-16 passes for 182
yards with one TD and two interceptions as the head of the RF wishbone
attack in 2003.
The big story on defense is the departing of 14 year assistant coach and
defensive coordinator Tom Journell who took the head coaching position
at Elmhurst, Ill., College. Nine year assistant coach Kevin Bullis was
promoted from defensive line coach to defensive coordinator. Bullis was
the defensive coordinator for Gustavus Adolphus in 1993-94.
Eight starters return from a defensive unit that gave up the third most
points in the WIAC (305). O’Grady says the Falcons are going to simplify
the defensive scheme with the goal of giving up less big plays and being
harder to score on.
One of the strongest parts of the defense seems to be the secondary with
2003 leading tacklers Kyle Hoegh (66) and Matt Farmer (57) leading a defensive
backfield that also includes junior speed burner Roman Johnson and up
and coming sophomore O’Neal Hampton. The only downfall is the loss
of 2003 All-WIAC cornerback Lewie Parish. Sophomore corner Matt Jordan
will look to fill Parish’s shoes.
The defensive line will be a question mark with the loss of 2003 All-WIAC
defensive linemen Jeff Horton, Nate Hendrickson and Nick Rue. To combat
these losses the Falcons will go with only three down linemen. Senior
Josh Meyer and junior Josh Graham will make up the book ends while junior
Aaron Retzlaff will be in the middle.
The linebacker core will be led by seniors Ben Gillett and Nate Gray.
Gray was River Falls’ fourth leading tackler last season (48). The
Falcons fifth leading tackler in 2003, junior Dan Buker (35), fills out
the line backing unit on the outside. The RF defense hopes that their
new look will help improve a unit that gave up the third most yards (431.1
y/g) and the third most points (305) in the WIAC in 2003.
Special teams looks to be a strong area in 2004 with Johnson and Peterlik
handling kickoff and punt returns. Both players have the ability to make
game breaking plays. Also there is a lot of optimism about River Falls’
new kicker sophomore transfer Spasimir Bodurski. O’Grady feels that
Bodurski has the ability to kick the ball in the end zone more and give
the Falcons better field position. Helping with field position is returning
sophomore punter Jovin Kroll. As a freshman Kroll punted 11 times with
a 31.3 average and a long of 40 yards.
UWRF 2003 Rushing leaders (returning)
Att Gain Net Avg TD Long Avg/G GP
28 John Peterlik (Sr.) 139 1050 984 7.1 12 53 109.3 9
2 Jeremy Wolff (So.) 39 309 289 7.4 1 31 32.1 9
6 Andy Kolstad (So.) 62 227 191 3.1 3 14 31.8 6
2003 Passing Leader (returning)
Effic Cmp-Att Pct. Yds. TD Int. Lng. Avg/G GP
6 Andy Kolstad (So.) 159.92 11-16 68.8 182 1 2 43 30.3 6
2003 Receiving Leaders (returning)
Rec Yds Avg TD Lng A/G GP
28 John Peterlik (Sr.) 9 144 16.0 1 32 16.0 9
12 Chris Anderson (Jr.) 7 61 8.7 1 15 6.8 9
2 Jeremy Wolff (So.) 6 108 18.0 0 60 12.0 9
15 Corey Strinmoen (Sr.) 4 35 8.8 0 10 5.8 6
2003 All Purpose (returning)
Rush Rec PR KOR IR Tot Avg/G
28 John Peterlik (Sr.) 984 144 0 541 0 1669 185.4
2 Jeremy Wolff (So.) 289 108 0 13 0 410 45.6
23 Roman Johnson (Jr.) 0 0 94 217 13 324 46.3
2003 Tackles (returning)
Solo Assist Tot
32 Kyle Hoegh (DB-Sr.) 36 30 66
7 Matt Farmer (DB-Sr.) 35 22 57
38 Nate Gray (LB-Sr.) 26 22 48
48 Dan Buker (LB-So.) 19 16 35
23 Roman Johnson (DB-Jr.) 25 8 33
17 Ben Gillett (LB-Sr.) 15 17 32
27 O’Neal Hampton (DB-So.) 16 14 30
2003 Sacks (returning)
Sacks Yds
94 Jeff Cassellius (DE-Jr.) 3 19
9 Josh Meyer (DT-Sr.) 2 8
48 Dan Buker (LB-So.) 1 11
58 Aaron Retzlaff (DT-Jr.) 1 5
2003 Tackles for loss (returning)
TFL Yds
94 Jeff Cassellius (DE-Jr.) 6 22
9 Josh Meyer (DT-Sr.) 5 21
58 Aaron Retzlaff (DT-Jr.) 5 11
7 Matt Farmer (DB-Sr.) 4 15
48 Dan Buker (LB-So.) 4 15
2003 Interceptions (returning)
Int Yds
23 Roman Johnson (DB-Jr.) 1 13
27 O’Neal Hampton (DB-So.) 1 18
48 Dan Buker (LB-So.) 1 60
2003 Forced Fumbles (returning)
FF
7 Matt Farmer (DB-Sr.) 2
48 Dan Buker (LB-So.) 1
27 O’Neal Hampton (DB-So.) 1
94 Jeff Cassellius (DE-Jr.) 1
2003 Fumble Recoveries
FR Yds
32 Kyle Hoegh (DB-Sr.) 2 39
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John O'Grady
85-59-3 overall record
0-2-0 vs. Concordia
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