TWTW NAIA: USF Falls To Carroll For Title

The HQ got a full dose of the NAIA Championship this week in Rome, Georgia...

And, we don't really care, if it's Number One versus Number Two regardless of the brand-name attached- it should be a good match-up... and it was a good match-up...

These two schools, top-ranked Sioux Falls and second-ranked Carroll College ((Pictured over there, thanks Alondra Alondra)) met in Rome two years ago in what could best be described as a bowl of chocolate pudding. The rain took over Rome's virgin voyage of hosting a title game for that week, and it was cold, wet, rainy, and any other adjective that fit. The game was 23-7 in favor of Sioux Falls, but the images that keep popping in my mind are those of what-used-to-be white uniforms turned brown...

That game was the impetus for a US$52-million bond issue for grand improvements to Historic Barron Stadium- which, thankfully, included astroturf that debuted on television this year. The surrounding track and buildings will be renovated and turned into a quality facility when all is done. There's a videoboard as well that is capable of showing replays and such...

Top notch...

And since the NAIA title game is in Rome until 2015, the renovations needed to be done for long-term viability...

Even after Stage One, the place looks different... and it feels different...
A step up... ((See...? Over there is proof, thanks Alondra Alondra))

One of the Sioux Falls players actually came up to me and, jokingly, asked before kickoff where all the mud was. It was, thankfully, on the levee-side, in the parking lot, and in the grass that surrounded the place...

It was a game of two incredible defense that locked down two electric offenses- quarterbacked by Jon Eastman of USF and Gary Wagner at Carroll. Eastman has only been around for one season after transferring from Colorado State and Wagner, on the other hand, was a sixth-year senior.

Wagner is an automatic soundbite and a treasure for those of us who needed a quote-and-a-half... He's the kind of guy who will tuck and run instead of throw the ball away- and, quite surely, drove head coach Mike Van Diest crazy. Eastman is extraordinarily talented and knew to get the ball to NAIA Player of the Year Jon Ryan when he was in a jam.

But it was Wagner's 83-yard uphill run in the open off a draw/scramble that got the first points on the board. It was widely panned as the slowest touchdown run in the history of the NAIA. But USF came back with a steady drive of their own to tie it at seven.

"We came into this game knowing that we were going to be coming up against one of the top rushing defenses in the nation,” Carroll's John Camino said, and he couldn't have been more spot on. When you can hear the hitting over the crowd and the cold, you know you're in for one of THOSE games...

It stayed that way after three, and half-way through there was a bit of redemption for Carroll kicker Tom Yaremko. He had doinked, and I mean flush-doinked, two other field goal attempts in the game. Not to show impartiality, he hit each set of uprights on either end of the field.

Coach Van Diest admitted he's pretty hard on his kickers and didn't say anything to Yaremko going out for his third attempt. But the kick went through the target and Carroll had a 10-7 lead.

"He’s never had to win a football game and today he did, and he deserved it because I’m pretty hard on kickers,” Van Diest said. “He’s a hero back in Portland.”

They had to hold onto that three-point lead with everything they had as Carroll couldn't convert on a new set of downs after USF flunked a 4th-and-19 pass from Eastman to Ryan ((Pictured again over there, thanks Alondra Alondra)).

There were close to 30 seconds for the Cougars to get into field goal range for Brandon Wieking. They gave him the shot with 8 seconds left.

The breeze coming off the levee was cruel and pushed Wieking's field goal to the left and a bench that thought they had overtime started spiking helmets and had come to the realization that their 42-game win streak and the idea that they had won 69 of 70 under Kalen DeBoer and Jed Stugart was coming to a sudden end.

The Fighting Saints were champs again and the Cougars were heading to D2.

On to Year Four for the Host Committee and new challenges. The HQ just hopes their cell phones were turned off Sunday- all day Sunday.

Here's local USF coverage from David Brown and his friends at KELO-TV...

TWTW: USF Repeats NAIA Title, Lisa Debuts...

((ed. note- Lisa Weiss now joins our ranks as columnist, reporter, and general shenanigans chaser... she was part of the OSG crew that watched the NAIA National Championship Game on Saturday afternoon... Oh, the pictures are hers, too...))

When I was asked by my friend if I wanted to go to Rome, Georgia and watch the NAIA Football National Championship game to cover Sioux Falls I could not resist. I love football but I knew nothing about Sioux Falls other than my good friend went to school there and followed Cougar football religiously.

So like any good reporter, I started doing my homework and found out that the Cougars were gunning for their 3rd National Title in 4 years, they were undefeated, ranked #1 and outscored their opponents by an average of 44 points.

I was ready for an offensive super showdown. Their quarterback Lorenzo Brown is the teams 2nd leading rusher but he can also throw and right on the money his efficiency percentage 196.6.

I know not bad… not bad at all…

However, the first half of play against Lindenwood in the title game was anything but an offensive showing. The Cougars had possession of the ball for 19 minutes and walked away with only 8 points and the Lions leading at the half with 14.

The star on offense to me was freshman kicker Braden Wieking. A soccer player for 14 years making his football debut this season... stole the show. He was three for three including a 42 yarder and the game winning field goal. It was only fitting that the rookie kicker was named offensive player of the game.

Turnovers would haunt Brown he threw 2 interceptions including one in the end zone. Keeping his footing seemed to be a challenge that kept him off balance; “I wish I could have played a better game, I have high standards for myself and let their pressure get to me”.

In the third quarter I did see a glimpse of their scoring power, however not by the offense but special teams once again. On the opening kick off of the second half, Adam Lopez ran the race of his life 91 yards down the sideline for the TD. The Lions would quickly answer back, and within a little over 5 minutes 22 points were scored tying things up at 22 a apiece.

The Cougars took the lead with 9:50 left on the clock. At this point, I was frozen and ready to find warmth. All I wanted for Christmas was the Cougars to run the ball and run down the clock. But nothing is ever as easy as it would seem. Sioux Falls would fumble inside the Lindenwood 25-yard line- prolonging any chance I had of defrosting.

See… I am from California not South Dakota.

Therefore, unlike it feeling like summer or fall as it did to a few of the fans I talked with, it felt like the coldest winter day ever.

Oh yes, back to the game.

The Cougars defense was superb, ending any chance for the Lions to tie things up.

Brown was finally able to take a knee as USF would defend their National title by a final of 25-22.

And I was finally able to find warmth.

One last note… which I found to be a cool stat... the 20 USF seniors ended their career winning 56 games with only one loss and 3 National Titles.

((Lisa's USF friends were also sitting directly in front of the father of USF tailback Kristian Porter. Porter was subbing for Ryan Lowmiller in the last drive, but fumbled and gave the ball back to Lindenwood with 78 seconds left...

Porter's dad apparently said, "Oh, no," at the time if the fumble. But when the defense stood up one last time you can see Head COach Kalen DeBoer consoling Porter on the sidelines. DeBoer admitted in the post-game presser that they were tears of joy and relief from Porter.

Those of us at OSG HQ can only imagine what was going through the minds of father and son... congrats to them both...))

And this is what it looks like when Jon and TBH let Lisa do all the work...

TBH debated which festive hat to wear for the occasion, and proceeded to the car to avoid any and all lingering post-game comments...

We don't blame her one bit... even if it was her first title game from the sidelines...

NAIA Thursday: Meet The Teams

I've seen the University of Sioux Falls football team play before...

It was at last year's NAIA title game where, on a field that turned into chocolate pudding with all the rain and mud, Kalen DeBoer's Cougars took it to the Carroll College Saints for a title...

Now, they haven't lost a game in, like, 45 years coming in to this Saturday's game against Lindenwood ((Missouri)).

It's number one versus number three.
It's the last game on grass at Historic Barron Stadium in Rome, Georgia before they install SprinTurf and $3.6-million in capital improvements before next year's game.
And it's a game where a lot of people don't give the Lions a shot of winning before the Cougars head off to NCAA's Division II in 2010.

If you look at the offensive numbers these two teams have put up, it went past gaudy three months ago.

These two teams have top-ten offenses ALL TIME. Not just all time in the NAIA, but we're talking all versions of organized college football. Both are averaging over 53 points per game- USF at 53.6 and Lindenwood at 55.5. USF even put an 80 on someone early in the year.

Sioux Falls has an average margin of victory of 43 points to go with their 28-game win streak. Lindenwood has cleared 60 five times this year. This went past Arena Football numbers and went straight for XBOX 360-type stuff...

Here's your USF refresher... their 49-21 win against Augustana that gave them another conference title from a month ago...
((HT: USF SID))


Here's your Lindenwood reminder from the semi-finals...
A 42-35 win over Carroll in a freaking blizzard...
((HT: Helena Independent Record))


USF's motto this year is "Plus One." It surrounds the whole idea that you want to be one better than you were before- whether we're talking a play, a day, a game, a week, a month, or a season...

DeBoer says the players dig the notion of having a bull's eye on their back...
You look at QB Lorenzo Brown and he's been here before. He knows the drill...

Lindenwood isn't happy looking like they're just playing with house money in their first-ever championship game...

They're looking for a different kind of first-ever come Saturday afternoon...

More from the "Enchanted Land" tomorrow...

TWTW: NAIA Title Game Set For The 19th...

And we have a bit of a surprise...

Instead of a rematch of one versus two from last year, we have one and three...

The Cougars from the University of Sioux Falls are in and they get the Lions of Lindenwood...

The Cougs get to go to the title game for the fourth consecutive season. USF (14-0) earned their way by defeating No. 4 Saint Xavier University (13-1) 48-6.

Lindenwood upset Carroll 42-35 in a blizzard out in Carroll. Lindenwood marched 88 yards in just over a minute to score the winning touchdown against the Saints with 55seconds left. The Lions snapped Carroll's 25-game home winning streak.

Tim Peters from KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls has your highlights and post...


The title game is November 19th in Rome, Georgia at Barron Stadium.
Coverage will be here at OSG Sports in the coming weeks...

TWTW: NAIA Semi-Finals Have 1 Through 4 Seeds

((HT: Helena Independent Record/Windmueller))

Sioux Falls held Morningside (10-2) scoreless in the second half and won 49-21 at Sioux Falls... The win extended the Cougars winning streak to 27 straight games.

St. Xavier (Ill.) scored 52 unanswered points in the first three quarters en route to a 52-10 victory over Lambuth.

Those of us wish Lambuth's Hugh Freeze all the best when he's picked up as an OC very close to home very soon... we think...

Behind the strength of a school-record 37-point second quarter, Lindenwood secured a 64-26 win over Ottawa (Kan.).

And Carroll knocked off MidAmerica Nazarene 34-13 to go 25-2 in post-season games all-time...

Here's the IR's coverage from the game with highlights and postgame from Coach Van and a bunch of players...


Here's your semifinals, all times local next Saturday...
St. Xavier University (Ill.) @ University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) – 1 p.m.
Lindenwood University (Mo.) @ Carroll College (Mont.) – 12:07 p.m.

NAIA Football Poll ((Week of October 12))

1) University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) (18) 6-0
2) Carroll College (Mont.) (1) 7-0
3) Lindenwood University (Mo.) 6-0
4) University of Saint Francis (Ind.) 5-0
5) Morningside College (Iowa) 5-0
6) University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 6-0
7) Lambuth University (Tenn.) 6-0
8) Saint Xavier University (Ill.) 7-0
9) Ottawa University (Kan.) 6-0
10) Missouri Valley College 5-1
11) MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.) 5-1
12) McKendree University (Ill.) 5-1
13) Northwestern College (Iowa) 5-1
14) Friends University (Kan.) 4-1
15) Langston University (Okla.) 5-2
16) McPherson College (Kan.) 4-1
17) Minot State University (N.D.) 5-1
18) Saint Ambrose University (Iowa) 4-2
19) Eastern Oregon University 5-2
20) Central Methodist University (Mo.) 5-1
21) Walsh University (Ohio) 4-2
22) Hastings College (Neb.) 5-2
23) Ohio Dominican University 4-2
24) Dickinson State University (N.D.) 4-2
25) Georgetown College (Ky.) 4-2

NAIA Football Poll ((Week of September 21st))

1) University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) (18)
2) Carroll College (Mont.) (1)
3) Lindenwood University (Mo.)
4) University of Saint Francis (Ind.)
5) Morningside College (Iowa)
6) University of the Cumberlands (Ky.)
7) MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.)
8) Langston University (Okla.)
9) Lambuth University (Tenn.)
10) Union College (Ky.)
11) Shorter College (Ga.)
12) Saint Xavier University (Ill.)
13) Ottawa University (Kan.)
14) Saint Ambrose University (Iowa)
15) Missouri Valley College
16) McKendree University (Ill.)
17) Friends University (Kan.)
18) Northwestern College (Iowa)
19) Hastings College (Neb.)
20) McPherson College (Kan.)
21) Malone University (Ohio)
22) Sterling College (Kan.)
23) Eastern Oregon University
T24) Walsh University (Ohio)
T24) Minot State University (N.D.)

NAIA Football Poll ((Week of September 14th))

1) University of Sioux Falls (S.D.) (18)
2) Carroll College (Mont.) (1)
3) Lindenwood University (Mo.)
4) University of Saint Francis (Ind.)
5) Morningside College (Iowa)
6) University of the Cumberlands (Ky.)
7) MidAmerica Nazarene University (Kan.)
8) Langston University (Okla.)
9) Saint Ambrose University (Iowa)
T10) Union College (Ky.)
T10) Lambuth University (Tenn.)
12) Shorter College (Ga.)
13) Missouri Valley College
14) Saint Xavier University (Ill.)
15) Ottawa University (Kan.)
16) Montana State University-Northern
17) Benedictine College (Kan.)
18) Friends University (Kan.)
19) Hastings College (Neb.)
20) Ohio Dominican University
21) McPherson College (Kan.)
T22) Northwestern College (Iowa)
T22) McKendree University (Ill.)
24) Malone University (Ohio)
25) Nebraska Wesleyan University

Revenge Is A Dish Best Served Wet...

From what I understand, last year’s NAIA Championship Game was held in the bottom of a swimming pool, a band box, and a monsoon all wrapped up in one.

That’s not to slam Savannah, Tennessee in any way. That’s just the feedback I was getting comparing last year’s home game to this year’s in Rome, Georgia.

It was cold. It was wet. It was small. And it never stopped.
The rematch of number one and number two was all it was supposed to be.
Two great defenses beating each other’s brains in… point blank…
You couldn’t make any mistakes if you wanted to win this one…

I slap you... you slap me back. I hit you. You try to hit me harder.

The Carroll College Saints ((pictured, thanks Lisa Kunkel/Helenair.com)) blinked first.
A blocked punt of all things broke the game wide open…

10-nothing at the half… and the USF Cougars were thirty minutes away from their eighth shutout of the year… Eighth shutout…? In 14 games…

Truly ridiculous…

Six sacks of freshman quarterback Matt Ritter… the linebackers were in the kid’s uniform from the first series… and standing on the sidelines you could hear the hitting from guys like Kyle Cummings, Marlon Lobban, and Tyler Newman all day.

I was talking, as I often do, to people who are far smarter than I am about the game. Since it was being played on something that resembled a Slip-n-Slide on the grass at Barron Stadium, I thought the game would be in the thirties. You know…? Offenses know where they’re going. The defenses have to play on their heels…

That kind of thing…

I was reminded of that fact after three quarters at 10-nothing…

“I thought you said this game was going to be played in the thirties…?”
Shorter Hawks Head Coach Phil Jones ribbed me about it.

“Yep, I was right on target. That’s why I’m only 55-percent on my picks for the season.”

And I don’t know what it is about fourth quarters in playoff or title games, but it seems that offenses just open up and do some uncharacteristic things.

In the playoffs for high schools the week before, I’m seeing teams that run the Delaware Wing-T throw like the University of Hawai’i. This time around, Sioux Falls QB Lorenzo Brown, who was their leading rusher on the day, completes one of his two throws on the day- 50-plus yards for another score to Jon Ryan to make it 17-zip.

Brown was two-for-six passing by the way… for the game…
If you don’t need to pass, don’t… Brown and USF didn’t…

Carroll goes to the hurry-up and it seemed to free Ritter up a bit. They scored to close the gap to 17-7, but Drew DeGroot picked Ritter’s pocket a little later and ran it back for a score. A last pick sealed the game and the win for the Cougars…

They got their revenge over Carroll from last year’s deal, but I honestly think they view the game as a separate gig from one year to the next.

And they were the ones to get to do that ceremonial last-slide across the field. Any last hope that all the USF uniforms would come home white and/or clean was gone by then.

“It was an awful, awful feeling last year watching them celebrate,” Sioux Falls senior linebacker Tyler Newman said. “To get to do it ourselves by sliding across the field this year was a great, great feeling. ... We wanted revenge on Carroll real bad.”

“It feels a lot better to have won,” said Cougars coach Kalen DeBoer. “I’m proud of these guys.”

And for the guy who played there and gets to coach there now, the pride goes a lot deeper than what he tells you.

The city of Rome put on a first-class show- no question…

Now if only they could work on that weather machine they’re building and have it ready for next year’s game, we’d be all set…

I’m tired of umbrellas and all-weather boots…

Revenge At The Rivers- USF Style

"You guys finish scouting us yet...?"

USF Director of Athletics William Sanchez showed up at practice and noticed all the coaches looking at his team prepare for a title game.

Some were college coaches. Some were even local high school coaches looking for another day or two of looking at a sport they love so much...

Shorter Hawks Assistant Head Coach Mike Bartik was at a USF practice during Championship Week. He and Offensive Coordinator Tony Lundy were sitting on one of the metal benches on the track next to the practice field.

I asked why coaches come to these kinds of practices. You think, on some level maybe, it stings a little bit since the home town team is watching USF and Carroll playing for a title and you're hosting the party.

"This is what it's all about," Coach Bartik explained. "You're looking at some of the best in NAIA Division one football."

Maybe it's a practice habit. Maybe it's a routine. Something you can add...
And in USF's case, they run the same defense Shorter does.
It's pointers and compare/contrast...

University of Sioux Falls Head Coach Kalen DeBoer ((pictured, thanks usfcougars.com)) is a legacy...

Went there, played there, coached there, now head coaching there...
And he's this/close to being in his third straight title game...

38 and 3 in his time as a Head Coach...
Not bad...

He's a guy in his mid-30's who looks like he could still run you over if he felt like it.


He'll go over a pass play at practice with his high-powered offense step-by-step in a warm-up suit if he has to in order to get the point across...


He's been up against Carroll before in a lot of big games... recently, it's been on the losing end. Two games in particular stick out- last year's loss in the title game and the blow-out loss in the semi-finals in 2005.


"We, probably, learned more from losses sometimes than wins," DeBoer says. "And they've improved our program. We looked at how we trained and how we recruited. We even changed our defense after the semi-final loss in 2005- going from a 4-3 to a 3-4 which is what we have now."


But he also admits that you have to live in the now.
Last year's game, in particular, was last year's game.


"There are some key similarities," he continues. "But the defense is our backbone, and on offense we have to find a way to score. This game, you have to look at the spacing of your line on the inside. It's about the passing game and defending the pass. It's the 14th game of the season. You work out and you're moving on. We're not in awe of the championship. It's fun. You get to see the sights, but we're focused on our goals."


DeBoer is also complimentary of his counterpart in Coach Van Diest. He knows the game against Carroll will be a hard fought one. But the thing that seems to impress him the most is the class the program exhibits from the top down.


The word DeBoer uses when describing the Saints' class as a team is "consistently."


"There will be times, when you're playing other teams where they might punch or push after a gain of no yards. They ((Carroll)) don't do that. They play the game of football the right way, the way it was meant to be played. We have a lot of respect for each other."

And he's also glad that the team can feel its fingers...


SIDENOTE: At the Friday "Champions of Character" Banquet at the Forum in Rome, Carroll linebacker extraordinare Owen Koeppen was named NAIA Player of the Year.

The biggest roar came from his teammates, all sitting around him at the banquet. He's a "quiet leader," by his own admission.

"It feels great. It hasn’t really set in,” Koeppen said. “It’s a representation of Carroll College. I’m really honored to accept it as an individual award, but without the team and coaches it wouldn’t be possible.”

You talk to him and get the impression it never has been ((and never will be)) about him on the field. He cuts an imposing figure even at 6-2, 235. And when you talk to his head coach, Van Diest says that he knew what Koeppen was capable of when he transferred from Weber State before his Sophomore season.

AD Bruce Parker was one of a few people who knew the award was going to Koeppen, but the secret was well-guarded. Parker says maybe "three people knew."

Whaddya wanna bet Carroll's number 51 has had a big spot shadow around him in film sessions the last two weeks...?

Revenge At The Rivers- The Carroll Side

That’s what they’re calling this particular match-up…

Every game has to have a hook. Especially when you’re talking about two teams from Helena, Montana and Sioux Falls, South Dakota that get to play for a national title. It’s Number One and Number Two- Carroll College ((LB-slash NAIA stud Owen Koeppen pictured, thanks Carroll College SID)) and the University of Sioux Falls

It’s amazing what a playoff system will do for you…
Are you listening in Indianapolis…?
Didn't think so...

Thursday was the day for the standard press conference. The two teams trot out their coaches and key players, and it’s the job of us media types to draw out good quotes with good questions.

On the Carroll side, you’re talking about the reigning National Champions. For those of you that may know the name in some deep, dark recess of your brain- it’s where the last name “Petrino” actually means something without having anyone cringe or scowl.

Mike Van Diest is the head man now and he hasn’t changed the steamroller that is the Carroll College Saints. How does this squad continue being one of the top teams in the NAIA…? From what I’m told by football powers far smarter me, there are only two Division I-AA schools in the state ((Montana and Montana State)). If you can’t or don’t go there, you have five NAIA schools to choose from. Most choose Carroll…

The Saints arrived at about 2:00 AM. They were a day behind their anticipated showing in Rome. Their charter flight was supposed to come from the Midwest. If you’ve watched either Julie Martin or Jim Cantore on the Weather Channel recently- that idea didn’t work out so well. They waited a day, had meetings, and kept on going.
Another plane showed up and got them to Rome in time...

Didn’t faze Coach Van or the team at all…
Remember this is a team that came from 20-below zero temps to play in the 60’s.
They were wearing shorts at practice and flopped around in the mud when called upon...

There are 27 new players on his squad this year so the whole idea of his guys getting wrapped up in defending may not exist publicly. Coach Van views the teams as two different teams.

“It’s very fitting that these two teams are here to play,” he admitted. “It’s great that Carroll and the University of Sioux Falls are here at this moment. We all have goals in a season. From where we came from playing Azusa Pacific in August to now, and then you win that semi-final… there is that anticipation of ‘Hey, you’re playing in a national championship.”

He did it with a freshman quarterback, too.

And Matt Ritter was the fourth QB he had to use this season because of injuries.

“I didn’t envision in August that I would compete for a spot.”
Yeah…? But I did ask him as he was leaving if even he thought about what was going on...

"I never thought this would be what happened, it's been a fun ride."

Coach Van followed up that quote quickly by saying that if Ritter wasn’t playing QB, he would have found a spot for him as a receiver or something. He’s that much of a competitor and player for Carroll. But Matt has taken to the role and taken on the defenses he’s face- no worries.

But for Carroll to repeat, they know the following…
A) They’re the hunted…
B) Game plan stuff…? The USF linebackers and safeties are fast.
The offense presents a real threat…

“With all their shifts and motions,” Coach Van continued, “they’re well-planned and well-coached. They’re real fun to watch.”

And that’s why coaches showed up at the USF practice…

NAIA Title Game Set- One Versus Two

This was the match-up that the Championship Committee was looking for from Shorter College and the town of Rome, Georgia.

One Versus Two- Carroll College of Montana and The University of Sioux Falls

Carroll survived a 38-37 game at home in Helena against the Lindenwood Lions. Game MVP Cody Lamb broke up a two-point conversion attempt ((pictured, thanks Lisa Kunkel/Helena Independent Record)) with under 40 seconds to go in regulation to give the Saints the duke.

This game is a re-match of last year's title game when Carroll broke USF's 27-game win streak. Carroll has a 28-game streak heading in to the game at Barron Stadium.

Carroll's coverage from the Helena Independent Record is in black.

USF's coverage from KELO-TV is below and in black.