Garrett Wenzelburger has great numbers, especially since his star quarterback was hurt this week. But CUW has not had its sucess on the scoreboard. Photo for Concordia (Wis.) athletics by Trammell Lynes

Wide receiver Garrett Wenzelburger had hoped for better at this point of the season for his Concordia (Wis.) Falcons.

Wenzelburger and the Falcons' high flying offense has certainly believed they would be in a position to do better than their 1-2 record this season. Wenzelburger has stats over the first three games that belies the record – his 416 receiving yards is third among all Division III receivers and his 138.7 yards per game average is seventh best in the nation.

"It is disappointing," Wenzelburger admitted this week after the Falcons dropped its second consecutive nonconference game Saturday, this time Albion 57-20, but without its injured quarterback Austin Damaschke. "We had aspirations of running the table. We knew with our nonconference schedule it would be tough do that, but we're not discouraged. We have a bye week and I think we'll be alright."

But Concordia now has a bye week to lick its wounds before plunging into Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play, where it has won 10 games in a row, including a perfect 6-0 record last year. Falcons coach Greg Etter promises that Damaschke will be back in the saddle Oct. 4 for the NACC opener against Concordia-Chicago, the last team Concordia (Wis.) lost a league contest to back in 2012.

"(Damaschke) just got a little nicked up and we had a nonconference where we wanted to let him heal along with the bye week," Etter said. "He will be back and ready to go for conference week.

Over their first three games, Concordia is churning out nearly 500 yards in total offense per game (492.3), 333.3 yards through the air. Along with Wenzelburger's 26 catches this season, the Falcons have two other receivers with 20 catches – sophomore Derrick Estfan (22-243) and senior Dylan Krivoshein (20-173).

Etter said, though, it's been the Falcons’ ability to run that has helped its offense this season. Senior running back Shay Kitzke is averaging 67.0 yards per game and freshman quarterback Aaron Dixon rushed for 136 yards on 16 carries against Albion on Saturday.

"One of the goals we have is to rush the ball effectively," Etter said. "When we rush the ball effectively, we're no longer one dimensional and we can take what the defensive gives us.

"Everyone in the conference knows that for us everything begins and ends for us with Austin and Garrett. They are really clicking right now. They have a friendship and a bond off the field and that really enhanced what they are doing on field. We have put Garrett in different spots on the field to use him in different ways he has really excelled. Austin, for his part, has done a great job at getting him the ball."

Wenzelburger said this connection with Damaschke has been molded and shaped during the sweat and sun of lonely summer offseason routes between the two since their freshman year. The 6-6 wide receiver said his height also makes him an easy target against most defensive secondary squads in NACC.

"I've had him as my quarterback for four years since the third game of freshman year," Wenzelburger said. "I think we just developed a relationship working with each other every off season and having those under our belt. He knows my speed where I'm looking for the ball. He puts the ball in spots where having a big body I can shield the defender. He has a feel for where to put the ball where I have a chance for it or no one will have a chance for it."

The challenge with Concordia has been its defense, and that may be putting it kindly. The Falcons have given up more than 50 points in back-to-back contests, a fact that brought a chuckle to Etter when ask how quickly he would like to change the problems with his unit. No, he did not think it was funny.

"It can't happen quickly enough," Etter said. "There are personnel issues we are discussing. There are technique issues are correcting and there are schematic issues we are discussing. There's no doubt in my mind that we have the players to be successful. We have to put them in a position to be successful.

"Now, we've played some good offensive football teams, so I don't want to take anything away from them," Etter continued. "But we had our hand, too, in making them look good in what we were doing on the defensive side of the football."

Etter said he will be leaning on senior captains like defensive lineman Uzziel McDermit and defensive back Brett Waldrof to help right the ship on defense.

"We need to stop the run, first and foremost," Etter said. "In the game of football, everything starts up front. We've had some sack production during the nonconference season but we have to consistently stop the run during the conference season. … We've got to have good senior leadership to relay to the team what the coaches want to see on the field and to make sure that carries over to the rest of the team."

Etter and Wenzelburger said even though they know every team in the NACC will be gunning for them; they look forward to getting every conference team's best shot.

"This is where everything matters," Etter said. "You have well-coached teams and the minute you take one for granted you're going to get beat. We're excited and we're looking forward to the challenge."

Game of the Week

No. 5 North Central (2-0) at UW-Stevens Point (2-0), 3 p.m.: After beating No. 13 UW-Platteville at home last week, this time the Cardinals go on the road to face another undefeated WIAC team in the Pointers. It would be impressive for North Central to defeat two teams from a power conference like the WIAC in consecutive weeks. It would be equally as impressively for Stevens Point to beat a North Central team that has had such great playoff success and go 3-0 before its rugged league play.