By Clyde Hughes
D3sports.com
Looking at it from just about any angle and any stat imaginable, few could argue that Concordia (Ill.) is having one of its best seasons in school history.
The Cougars are 4-1, 1-1 in Northern Athletic Conference play and have a shot at challenging for the conference title under fourth-year head coach Lonnie Pries. How much of change from the norm is this for Concordia?
This is the team's best start since 1992 when they finished 5-5. When the Cougars won its first three games, it was the first time Concordia did that since 1969. Yes, during the Nixon Administration. First term.
Concordia has not been 4-1 since 1987.
But for all the stats and high-fives the Cougars are receiving, there is a sobering reminder for Concordia -- the season is only halfway over with a seething Lakeland waiting this week, a team the Cougars upset last year.
To his credit, Pries knows that and has his feet firmly on the ground. Conference favorites Lakeland and Concordia (Wis.) are still on the schedule as well as defending conference champion Aurora. The season's heavy lifting still needs to be done.
Khyree Copeland is Concordia's leading rusher. Concordia (Ill.) athletics photo |
"This means a great deal to the campus," Pries said. "For the people here and players who have been around for four years, they know it's been a long time. It's a great feeling, but we haven't achieved any of our goals. Our goal is not to win four games. Our goal is to win the conference championship."
Pries said his teams has found consistency from last year, where the Cougars lost to Olivet 59-0, only to come back to beat one of the conference's perennial favorites Lakeland 35-32. In his interview with D3football.com this week, he talked a lot about "trust."
He said the players are trusting their fellow teammates on offense and defense and then trusting each unit. Pries said that has made one of the biggest differences in changing the team's mindset.
"We definitely showed some of this last year," Pries said. "We showed some flashes of how good we could play when things are clicking and we start to trust each other on both sides of the ball. We have another year of experience and our kids getting healthy and avoiding key injuries."
This year, Concordia beat Olivet 12-7 on Sept. 27. The Rockford victory also avenged an overtime loss to them a season ago as well.
"We were able to get a ton of turnovers and we controlled the ball on offense," Pries said recounting the Olivet game as a possible turning point for his program. "I think we started to trust each other on offense and defense."
One of the big reasons for the Cougars success has been the emergence quarterback Mike Marotta. Marotta is averaging 345 passing yards a game, ranking him in the Top 10 of all Division III signal callers. His top target, wide receiver Mike Egebrecht is averaging 130 per game receiving.
"He's in his third year in the system," Pries said. " When he has protection and time, he does an exceptional job at making some very difficult throws. Sometimes I think he throws the harder passes better than some of the easier ones. He is knowledge, poised and his leadership has been instrumental. The offense goes as he goes and he's got a lot of very sure handed receivers, which helps."
Concordia has been able to run the ball as well, with Khyree Copeland (85.2 yards per game) and Justin Peacock (59.4) combining for an average 144 yards per contest.
Pries said he likes to stress the little things that help teams win. That has been how the Cougars have been able to improve. He said nose guard David Dwyer's ability to occupy offensive linemen don't show up on his stat sheet, but it has allowed inside linebackers Jason Talos (34 tackles) and D.J. Cooper (30 tackles) to lead the team in stops.
"David Dwyer's play in taking care of the A gaps has created opportunities and has been critical at the point of the attacked," Pries said. "Those little things are the things that separates a losing team from a conference champion. If you can get your team to pay attention to them and be aware of them, that team is going to be successful."
Case in point is Concordia's defense of it's opponent's running game. This year, Cougar opponents are averaging 111.6 yards and game on the ground and Concordia has given up one rushing touchdown. Last year, Concordia surrendered a whopping 281 yards on the ground and 36 rushing touchdowns.
Pries said for his team to be successful, it will have to keep winning the turnover battle, something that didn't happen last year and keep believing in each other. So far, the Cougars have been doing that at a record-setting pace.
Stretching the field
No. 11 Monmouth will to be trying to avoid the "trap game" on Saturday when it hits the road to play Ripon. Monmouth scored an impressive 52-24 victory over rival St. Norbert on Saturday, but Ripon is plenty capable to making this Saturday's game interesting. Ripon is 5-0 in Midwest Conference play and 5-1 overall. Monmouth edged Ripon 38-35 at home last year. Ripon finished with an 8-2 record a year ago and this year it's defense is limiting opponents to 11.2 points per contest.
