By John Regenfuss
D3sports.com

For the next ten-plus weeks, I will be providing coverage for the Midwest Region (to include the CCIW, HCAC, IBFC, MWC, WIAC) for you, the faithful followers of Division III football. I am excited and honored to be associated with D3football.com and will strive to uphold the fine standards of integrity and objectivity already established by the veterans of the staff. 

As for my background, I am a very proud graduate of Ripon College, where I was a four-year member (three under current head coach Ron Ernst) of its football team. After Ripon, I went on to attain a master's degree in sport management from Ohio State. For the two years I attended OSU, I worked in its athletic department and was able to gain an insider's view of one of the largest Division I programs in the nation. Upon graduation from Ohio State and for the last two years, I was employed by the Big Ten Conference. I maintained, updated, and wrote for its website, in addition to providing live Internet coverage of its various championships. 

I currently work as a sports reporter for a newspaper in Bloomington, Indiana. I loved and thoroughly enjoyed my time at Ohio State and the Big Ten but am thrilled to have this opportunity to return to my roots and the Division III mindset. As many do who love and follow football at this level, I firmly believe Division III to be the last bastion of purity and amateurism in the realm of collegiate athletics. I am very much looking forward to the season ahead and to writing this column for DIII devotees. I hope the D3football.com visitors enjoy reading my column as much as I expect to enjoy writing it. 

To kick this column off and to preview the upcoming season in the Midwest region, each conference will be broken down into playoff favorites, contenders and a darkhorse. Six teams from the Midwest region are preseason nationally ranked, including one from the HCAC (Hanover), two from the CCIW (Wheaton and Augustana), and three from the WIAC (Stout, La Crosse, Stevens Point). Five teams from the region made the playoffs in 2002 (Wheaton, Hanover, MacMurray, Lake Forest, UW-La Crosse), with Wheaton advancing into the second round. 

Favorites
Wheaton
Not only is Wheaton the favorite to take the CCIW championship for the second consecutive season, but the Thunder has been deemed as a possible challenger to Mount Union. A 42-21 loser to the Purple Raiders in the 2002 playoffs, Wheaton would relish the opportunity for a rematch. For the Thunder, the preseason No. 2-ranked team in the nation, offensive weaponry from last season will be available once again with nine starters back in the fold in 2003. That is great news for Wheaton fans, because in 2002 the Thunder fielded one of the nation's most balanced and powerful offenses. Quarterback Chad Bradley (15 TDs, 2,253 yds.), tailback Dan Price (18 TDs), and wide receiver Brad Musso (62 rec., 1,189 yds., 11 TDs) headline the list of returnees. If questions exist about the championship potential of Wheaton, they lie within the Thunder's front seven. Among the personnel losses to graduation are All-American linebacker Justin Knapp and lineman Dane Lundgren. Replacing them and four others up front will be a daunting task for six new first-teamers.

Augustana
The main threat to Wheaton's bid for a repeat as CCIW champion will come from Augustana. The Vikings are powered by the strength of their rushing offense (301 yards per game in 2002) and their stout defense (88.1 yards rushing, 14.7 points in 2002). Augustana gets back its quarterback, Brad Wendell, and its leading rusher in Kyle Zick, but four linemen from last season's running machine are gone and will be sorely missed. How quickly and how well the new blockers up front jell will be a key to Augustana's fortunes in 2003. The nation's fourth-ranked defense in terms of yards allowed from a year ago remains predominantly intact for the Vikings. Eight starters return from that talented unit, including the entire front four, with an eye towards maintaining that high level of play. Undoubtedly, Augustana has Nov. 15 circled on its collective calendar, as the final Saturday of the season marks the day that the Vikings will get their shot at defending conference champion Wheaton at home in the friendly confines of Ericson Stadium.

Hanover
If Hanover, the No. 19 team in the nation, is to capture its second consecutive HCAC title and its sixth in nine years, as it is favored to do, it will rely heavily on its offense to spearhead the charge to the top. Hanover returns eight offensive starters, led by quarterback Brett Dietz and running back Clint Bobb. Dietz amassed 2,296 yards passing and 26 touchdowns en route to earning All-HCAC first team honors and Cobb hauled in 40 of Dietz's throws and totaled nine touchdowns in 2002. If any area of the 2003 Hanover team could potentially foil another run to the postseason, it is the defense. Questions abound on a unit that gets back just three starters from last year's 10-1 squad. Linebacker Scott Power returns to provide veteran leadership to what will be a very young and inexperienced defense. As a junior, Power notched 91 tackles and six sacks. The Panthers also must replace the conference's top special teams player in kicker Drew Starck. The all-HCAC first-teamer scored 65 points in 2002. 

Anderson
New head coach Jeff Judge walks into a situation at Anderson that most tenured mentors would love to have willed to him. The Ravens are coming off a 7-3 season (5-1 in the HCAC), return the two-time HCAC offensive player of the year in quarterback Joel Steele, and get seven starters back on the defensive side of the ball. The numbers associated with the golden-armed Anderson signal-caller are staggering. Steele has thrown for more than 7,500 yards and 75 touchdowns, including 33 a year ago, in his career and possesses all the Anderson passing records. Two of his favorite targets, receiver Alexander Gill and tight end Klint Rupley, are also back for the 2003 season. Not only does the Ravens' defense return seven starters but five of its top six tacklers. Linebackers Justin Helman and Doug O'Dell, who each recorded 79 tackles in 2002, anchor the unit. Cornerback Dustin Christian and tackle Dwayne Lockridge, All-HCAC members last season, will also be key components of the Anderson defense. Another positive for the Ravens is that they will get defending HCAC champion Hanover on their home turf of Macholtz Stadium on Oct. 25, a matchup that may decide the conference's representative to the postseason.

Concordia (Wis.)
After an 8-2 2002 season, Concordia, from all outward appearances, may be on the verge of a special season and close to attaining elite status in the Illini-Badger Football Conference in 2003. If that is to happen, the Falcons will need another huge year from the dynamic Cedric Simmons. The 2002 Wisconsin Private School Player of the Year and IBFC Player of the Year racked up 1034 rushing yards, averaging 8.3 yards per carry, totaled 35 receptions, and scored 18 touchdowns last season. Also returning to add punch to the Concordia offense is junior receiver Brandon Parker. As a sophomore, Parker averaged 39.7 yards per catch and hauled in 6 touchdowns, earning first-team All-IBFC honors. On defense, 2002 all-conference linebacker Jacob Knighton is back to lead a unit that finished No. 2 in the nation in total defense. Second-team IBFC selections defensive end James McKenney, linebacker Craig Loschedier, and defensive back Mike Litrenta also return to add star power and stability. The Falcons will need to be road warriors if they are to take the IBFC crown, as they will face rival MacMurray away from home in Jacksonville, Ill., in the final week of the regular season.

UW-Stout
Voted by the conference SIDs as the favorite to win the 2003 WIAC title, UW-Stout heads into the season with expectations to prove those experts right and to make amends for a prime opportunity missed a year ago. In 2002, the Blue Devils were just one foot away from a two-point conversion that would have clinched a conference championship. Stout returns a wealth of experience to the league's No. 1 offense, as all 11 starters are back, including All-American tackle Ben Knepper. The Blue Devil offensive attack also boasts a dual threat in its backfield, including the program's all-time leading rusher in tailback Luke Bundgaard. Ryan Englebert, who posted 801 yards a year ago, represents the other half of that potent running tandem. Six starters from the WIAC's top defense are also back. Missing from that group, though, are three All-Americans in linebacker Jamie Spielman and defensive backs Eric Moe and Tyrone Rhone. Replacing those cornerstones will be a key for Stout. There to help fill that void will be a big-time talent, defensive end Joe Kersten. Blessed with NFL-type size and speed, the 6-5, 305 lb. Kersten should be a disruptive force for opposing offenses all season. 

UW-Stevens Point
As with most members of the WIAC, UW-Stevens Point opens with the season with three grueling non-conference contests (at Augustana, at NAIA Tri-State, and versus DI-AA Butler). The outcome of those games will, most likely, set the tone for the 2003 campaign. If the Pointers weather the storm of that tough early stretch, they will undoubtedly be in the thick of the WIAC title race. They should know right away if that statement is true, as their opening WIAC games are on the road versus La Crosse and at home against Stout. Stevens Point welcomes back 18 starters from a team that compiled a 6-4 record a year ago, none more important than its ironman quarterback Scott Krause. The senior signal caller was the team's MVP and an All-WIAC selection in 2002. Defensively, linebacker Nick Haffele, who topped the WIAC in tackles last season, and defensive end Craig Johnson, who posted eight sacks a year ago, will provide leadership. 

UW-La Crosse
If the Eagles can survive a tough non-conference schedule that features match-ups with ASC power and No. 5-ranked Howard Payne, Illinois Wesleyan (in Bloomington), and Division II South Dakota with their confidence intact and their roster healthy, then La Crosse may have a legitimate shot at the WIAC crown. A plus will be having six home games, the most since 1986. Offensively, the Eagles must replace their quarterback but having all five starting linemen returning will serve to ease the transition. All-conference linebackers Adam Schneider and Dustin Powell, who finished 1-2 on the team in tackles in 2002, will headline La Crosse's veteran defense. Three returning starters on the defensive line and in the defensive backfield will also solidify the Eagle defensive unit.

Contenders
Illinois Wesleyan
The disappointment gleaned from a 3-4 conference record, including an upset loss to Carthage in its final game of the 2002 season, and the return of All-America candidate receiver Eric White (77 rec., 1,064 yards) may not be enough to boost the Titans into title contention. Most detrimental to Illinois Wesleyan was that it was hit hard by graduation. Head coach Norm Eash welcomes back just six offensive starters and four defensive first-teamers for the 2003 season. 

Bluffton, Defiance, Franklin, Manchester
In a conference where Hanover and Anderson are the clear and decisive top contenders and Mt. St. Joseph is on the cusp of challenging their stranglehold, the remainder of the HCAC will find it difficult to rise up the standings this season. Bluffton, Defiance, and Franklin have new coaching staffs this season and may have their progression stunted by the normal struggles associated with adjusting to a new leader, philosophy, or playbook. Yet, a year ago Mt. St. Joseph surprised the HCAC by catapulting from last place to third place, so a repeat of that feat by Bluffton, Defiance, Franklin, or Manchester in 2003 would not entirely unheard of. 

MacMurray
MacMurray has some considerable positive factors going for it heading into the 2003 season. The Highlanders are the two-time defending IBFC champion, they return their top-two leading rushers and second-team all-conference running backs in Steve Ballinger and Nehemiah Parker, and they get back mammoth offensive lineman and All-IBFC performer in Maurice Smith. However, there are greater factors that could prove to be significant obstacles to MacMurray's bid for an IBFC title three-peat. The Highlanders graduated 11 seniors, including seven all-conference performers (six of which were first-teamers). Four of MacMurray's top five tacklers on one of the nation's best defenses a year ago have departed. Also moving on are MacMurray's starting quarterback (Jonan Tiarks) and his favorite target (Terry Davies). Finally, there was a change at the top of the Highlander football program, as head coach Bob Frey resigned late in the summer and was replaced by offensive line coach Brandon McCray. All that upheaval in one offseason may be too much for to overcome for a MacMurray team with its sights set on another postseason berth. Yet, the IBFC has no standout preseason favorite and you can never count out a team with a winning attitude and significant playoff experience. 

Lake Forest, Ripon, St. Norbert
It is a rare occasion when no one or two teams step to the preseason forefront as the conference favorite but not assigning that designation may be the most accurate way to preview the 2003 MWC campaign. Lake Forest, Ripon, and St. Norbert each can make strong cases for earning that label of favorite for the 2003 MWC title. At the same time, each of the threesome also has some shortcomings that could serve to derail a run for a championship. 

Lake Forest, last year's surprise conference title-winner, is coming off its first winning season since 1986 but also a 45-0 drubbing in last year's playoffs at the hands of Wartburg. The Foresters will have the predominance of its offensive firepower back, as quarterback Don Lackey and prolific receivers Nick Hildreth and Marty Quinn return. Nevertheless, replacing Mr. Everything Casey Urlacher, who has departed due to graduation, will be next to impossible. The All-American linebacker led the team in tackles with 117 and set a school record for tackles for loss with 43. Urlacher also proved to be a prized offensive weapon, as he scored eight touchdowns from the fullback position in 2002. 

Ripon, the winningest program in MWC history, returns seven starters on both offense and defense. Headlining that list is junior quarterback Matt Trickey who threw for 23 touchdowns and finished third in the nation in passing efficiency in 2002. However, the heart of Ripon's roster, 2002 MWC Player of the Year running back Luke Hagel and All-American defensive back Travis LeRoy, has graduated. Finding fill-ins for those stars on the field and in the locker room will be crucial in determining the fate of head coach Ron Ernst's Red Hawks in 2003. A good recruiting class of incoming freshmen and solid depth will aid Ripon's chances for a conference championship. 

St. Norbert, which may be the closest thing to a 2003 Midwest Conference top contender, certainly has recent history on its side. The Green Knights' dominance of the MWC is best evident in its conference record over the past four years, an amazing 33-2. In that span, St. Norbert captured four MWC championships (two outright) and garnered three NCAA postseason berths. Standout defensive back and return specialist Tom Masciopinto is back to try to earn the Green Knights a return trip to the playoffs. If St. Norbert can bounce back from the grave disappointment of being shutout by Lake Forest in the final game of the 2002 regular season, then it should rise to top of the MWC standings once again and earn the conference's berth to the NCAA postseason.

UW-Whitewater
While it is nearly impossible to consider any team a non-contender in the unpredictable WIAC, UW-Whitewater comes the closest to fulfilling the definition. Despite being chosen by the conference SIDs to place third (while receiving one first-place vote) in 2003, the Warhawks have some obstacles to overcome to achieve that promise. The largest hurdle may be its schedule. Whitewater must play three of its toughest conference contests all on the road, with visits to Stout, Stevens Point, and La Crosse on the docket. However, on the positive side, the Warhawks do return seventeen starters armed with the motivation that stems from the tiresome mediocrity of three consecutive seasons of 5-5 finishes. Plus, having the winningest active coach in the league in Bob Berezowitz at the helm is a definite boon for Whitewater. Its first game of the season, on the road versus three-time defending national champion Mount Union, may shed some early light on the direction of the 2003 Warhawk campaign.

Darkhorses
Millikin
In a conference where Wheaton and Augustana are the clear favorites to capture the 2003 title, the remainder of the CCIW field could accurately be described as a darkhorse. However, one team fits this moniker best, Millikin. The Big Blue returns 14 first-teamers, including a three-year starter in quarterback Donnell Brown, from a team that earned a 4-3 conference record in 2002. Also helping the Millikin cause is that it hosts CCIW contenders Carthage, Augustana, and North Central this season. While Wheaton and Augustana will most likely battle it out for a postseason spot, an injury here and an upset there could vault the Big Blue into surprise contention.

Mount St. Joseph (5-5 in 2002)
An impressive jump in the win total column from zero to five in just one season's time has a confident Mount St. Joseph squad eyeing bigger and better things in 2003. The 2002 HCAC Coach of the Year Rod Huber gets back conference Freshman of the Year wide receiver Andy Wellendorf and Defensive Player of the Year lineman Pat McAtee to help the Lions make further strides this year. Increased dedication to offseason conditioning and a solid incoming recruiting class also points to the Mount St. Joseph program heading in the right direction.

Lakeland 
The Lakeland team that takes the field in 2003 will look much different than it did a year ago. Much of the same personnel returns but the coaches patrolling the sideline and the offensive and defensive systems they implement will give the Muskies an altered appearance. On offense, gone is the run and shoot; in is a more balanced attack. First-team All-IBFC quarterback Brent Luebke and his top targets from the receiver position, Jeff Taff and James Hayes are back. Defensively, Lakeland will employ a 4-2 base this year and will be anchored by linebackers Roosevelt Moore and Mike Gregory and defensive back Jacob Vigliante. If the Muskies adjust to new faces and formations quickly and successfully fill some holes, they could find themselves shifting from darkhorse to contender. 

Knox
After seasons of 2-6 and 2-7 MWC football, Knox greatly progressed in 2002 to post a 5-4 conference mark. Further improvement in the coming season is definitely within the realm of possibility for the Prairie Fire. Eighteen seniors, thirteen starters, and six All-MWC performers return to try to make Knox's promise a reality. Defensive stalwarts linebacker Jeff Burke and defensive back Seth Kopf headline the group of returnees. While the Prairie Fire may not vault to the forefront of the MWC and win the conference outright in 2003, it will be dangerous group to contend with on a weekly basis and could spoil the title plans of any of the contenders.

UW-Oshkosh
While UW-Whitewater may be the fashionable choice for the team on the rise in the WIAC, UW-Oshkosh could be poised to take the next step and challenge the conference powerhouses. The Titans, who have improved their win total each of the last two seasons, welcome back 14 starters from a team that lost five of six games last year by eight points or less. 

Games of the Week
Howard Payne at UW-La Crosse, 6:00 p.m., La Crosse, Wis.
The South invades the North, as No. 5 Howard Payne travels to meet 15th-ranked UW-La Crosse in the first of three daunting non-conference battles for the Eagles of the WIAC. The Yellow Jackets, out of the American Southwest Conference, missed the playoffs last season despite an impressive 9-1 record. Seventeen returning HPU starters will strive to ensure that does not happen again, starting in the unfamiliar territory of western Wisconsin. UW-La Crosse is shooting for a return to the Division III playoffs in 2003, with 16 starters coming back with the goal of getting the Eagles into the postseason for the ninth time in school history. 

UW-Stevens Point at Augustana, 1:00 p.m., Rock Island, Ill.
Two top-25 teams with long-standing winning traditions collide at Augustana's Ericson Field when the Vikings and the Pointers meet in this key early season intraconference dual. Augustana (No. 24) returns eight players from a defense that ranked sixth in the nation in total yards a year ago while UW-Stevens Point (No. 21) will look to begin improvement on its running game with a reshuffled but experienced offensive line.

Alma at Wheaton, 2:00 p.m., Wheaton, Ill.
The Alma-Wheaton Week 1 matchup features two teams that completed their 2002 conference schedules undefeated. The contest is also a rematch of last year's first round playoff battle, won by Wheaton 42-14. The Thunder, ranked No. 2 in the D3football.com preseason poll, will receive an early test of its revamped defense, which will feature seven new starters, against the Scots.

Capital at Anderson, 2:30 p.m., Anderson, Ind.
Jeff Judge, former defensive coordinator at UW-Stevens Point, will make his debut as head coach of the Anderson Ravens, welcoming Capital of the OAC for their season opener. The Crusaders, 6-4 a year ago, boast two preseason D3football.com All-Americans on defense in linebacker Ron Swearingin and defensive back Kyle Hausler. The potent Anderson offense will counter with the rocket arm of the two-time HCAC Offensive MVP, quarterback Joel Steele.