The last team to defeat the Central College football squad in a regular-season game is the opponent Saturday as the Dutch look to clinch an outright American Rivers title.
The University of Dubuque (5-3 overall, 4-2 conference) visits Ron and Joyce Schipper Stadium Saturday in a 1 p.m. game. Central (8-0 overall, 6-0 conference) secured a share of a record 32nd league crown by overwhelming Luther College 76-13 at Decorah last Saturday. Meanwhile Dubuque suffered a 34-27 home-field defeat against Coe College.
It's the regular-season home finale and Senior Day/Legacy Day, as the Dutch salute the program's seniors as well as its alumni.
Central needs to win one of its final two regular-season games to avoid sharing the title and also to guarantee receiving the league's automatic berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs, which open Nov. 20. The Dutch are ranked No. 10 in the AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll and No. 9 in the D3football.com Top 25.
"After the Luther game we started talking to the players about (an outright championship) and what that means to this program and to them, and about what's going to be the legacy of this season," coach Jeff McMartin said. "They know what they have an opportunity to do and so they're really locked into this game and excited to play it."
On the air and online—The Voice of the Dutch, Trevor Castle, will call Saturday's action on KRLS-FM (92.1), with NFCA Hall of Fame softball coach George Wares providing the color. The KRLS pregame show will air at 12:35 p.m. The broadcast can be accessed through www.kniakrls.com or directly at rdo.to/krls. It's also accessible via mobile device with the KRLS app available through iTunes and other outlets.
A video webcast of the action and live stats can be accessed via the Central athletics website at athletics.central.edu. Twitter users can get updates through @CentralDutch.
Castle also hosts "Coaches' Corner" with coach Jeff McMartin each Monday at 6 p.m. on KRLS and its available on demand online.
The series—Dubuque saddled Central with a 28-7 loss at Pella Oct. 12, 2019. Since then, the Dutch have rattled off 15 consecutive regular-season victories. Central holds a 58-21-2 advantage in the teams' all-time series which launched in 1930.
Senior Day/Legacy Day—It's the final regular-season home appearance for 28 Dutch seniors, including 15 players who returned for a fifth year after the 2020 fall campaign was wiped out due to the global pandemic. Central played an abbreviated two-game spring schedule but the NCAA granted an additional year of eligibility to last season's squad members. Central will also recognize six members of the 2020-21 team who graduated and chose to conclude their careers in the spring.
"They've all provided great leadership, through example and through their word," McMartin said. "They've also really tried to grow as leaders and accepted those challenges. They've set the standard for our team. Great teams are set by standards, not by feelings, and these guys have done a great job of playing and living to the Central standard. I can't think of a better compliment."
Helping honor those players will be numerous Central football alumni back on campus for the program's inaugural Legacy Day. More than 200 former players and family members will gather for a special day of activities as Central salutes all those who have been a part of the program's championship legacy. The Dutch have not had a losing season since 1960 and since 1975 are the fourth-winningest team at all levels of NCAA play. Central has a .796 winning percentage in that time and since 1961, the Dutch have compiled a 485-124-3 mark (.794), the fifth-best record in the U.S.
"We want to continue to find ways for our alumni to keep connected to each other and the program," McMartin said. "Central football has a very special legacy and connecting the present with the past has always been a big part of that. We're excited to see where this goes."
McMartin said it's appropriate that Senior Day and Legacy Day coincide, illustrating to the Dutch seniors how they'll always remain part of the program and what it means to be Forever Dutch.
"We want someone who plays football at Central College to always feel connected to the college and the football program throughout their lives," he said.
The Spartans—Central had difficulty solving the Dubuque defense in the 2019 loss and the Spartans will present challenges again. They're second in the league in total defense (304.4 yards per game) and pass defense (202.0 yards) and third in rushing defense (102.4 yards).
"When you go back to 2019 and look at how we played, give (Dubuque) credit," McMartin said. "They made plays when they had to. I'm confident there are things that we can fix but we have to play better. Dubuque is well coached and they have very good athletes.
"Their secondary is extremely fast and physical. Their defensive line moves well and we're going to see a lot of pressure. They'll bring their linebackers and they'll even bring blitzes from the secondary. We've got to be ready to handle that."
Dubuque quarterback Jacob Keller has completed 84 of 140 passes for 1004 yards with seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
"He's got a strong arm and distributes the ball well," McMartin said. "They're very committed to being balanced and do a great job in the running game. They run a lot of zone power and utilize the running back well. They've got athletic receivers so they'll give you pro formations and also spread it out.
"They've got great team speed and they know what they're about," McMartin said. "They do a great job of being really consistent and playing to their strengths."
Numbers, numbers, numbers—Central is dominating the statistical spotlight in Division III, primarily with its powerful offense. The Dutch are first in Division III in total offense (622.6 yards per game), passing offense (406.6 yards), scoring offense (58.6 points), first downs (250), passing efficiency (218.73) and completion percentage (.748) and tied for first in fourth down conversions (12-15, .800) and fewest interceptions (1).
The national leader--It's equally challenging keeping up with the numbers quarterback Blaine Hawkins (5th-year, Ankeny) is posting. This week he's leading all NCAA divisions in touchdown passes (39), pass efficiency (227.1) and points responsible for (252). He's tops in Division III in completion percentage (.750) and fourth in passing yards (2,692).
The interception he threw at Luther Saturday ended a school-record streak of 251 passes without a pass getting picked off.
10,000, a new frontier –Saturday Hawkins became the first player in conference history to throw for more than 10,000 yards in his career. Since arriving in 2017, he's completed 731 of 1078 passes for 10,019 yards with 25 interceptions and 124 touchdowns.
"What a milestone," McMartin said. "The air starts getting pretty thin when you look across the country at quarterbacks who have accomplished that. It says a lot about the type of quarterback he is. He can throw the short, intermediate and deep balls. He's had some great protection over the years but he's also been able to create things and buy time with his legs and keep his eyes downfield. He's a good decision-maker. He knows where to go with the ball.
"His mind, his ability to extend and create, and then his arm and technique are really strong. He's also had some great teammates and some really good receivers to throw to. And he's had a really good offensive line and backs that have helped him in protection and to throw to. But what an accomplishment and what a great credit to him."
Deep receiving corps—Even after losing last spring's top receiver, Logan Mont (sophomore, Aurora, Ill., West Aurora HS), to injury in the season opener at St. Olaf College (Minn.) Sept. 4, the Dutch have flashed plenty of receiving depth. Five players have four or more touchdown receptions. Tanner Schminke (5th-year, Boone) has 46 catches for 894 yards and 11 scores. Jeff Herbers (junior, Urbandale, Des Moines Christian HS) has 40 receptions for 692 yards and nine TDs and Erik Knaack (5th-year, Reinbeck, Gladbrook-Reinbeck HS), who is expected to return to action Saturday after missing time with injury, has 36 catches for 500 yards and nine TDs.
McMartin also cited tight ends Billy Friis (senior, West Branch) and Grant Nelson (freshman, Pella), running back Jason Hopp (senior, Earlham) as well as receivers Ryan Neu (sophomore, West Des Moines, Valley HS), Hayden Vroom (senior, Pella, Pella Christian HS) and Grady Burns (sophomore, Queen Creek, Ariz., Casteel HS), who stepped up in Knaack's absence Saturday.
"I think it speaks to the type of offense that we have where there are a lot of people who are involved," McMartin said. "It's a playmaker-friendly offense where, regardless what position you play, if you can make plays, you can fit in well in what we're trying to do. It's nice to see there's really good depth in our receiving corps."
League record watch--With two conference games remaining, Hawkins needs three TD passes to top the league record of 35 set by Wyatt Hanus of the University of Dubuque in 2011. League records include conference games only. Hawkins has 2,095 conference passing yards, still 680 yards short of the league record of 2,775 set by Tim Vinyard of Coe College in 2000. Vinyard had the advantage of an extra game as teams played a nine-team league schedule that year. He averaged 308.3 yards per conference game while Hawkins is averaging 349.1.
Central is also closing in on some conference team records. The Dutch have scored 354 points and need 65 points in the final two games to top Simpson College's 1998 league scoring mark of 418. However, Central is well ahead of Simpson's scoring pace from that year as the league had a 10-game league schedule in 1998 and plays eight this season. Simpson set a league yardage mark in 1997, averaging 570.7 yards. The Dutch are averaging 622.3 yards in conference games. Central needs just 303 passing yards in two games to surpass Buena Vista's 2017 conference mark of 2,795 yards.
First-half efficiency-- In 60 first-half possessions, which is when Central's starters have received the bulk of their playing time, the Dutch have scored 44 touchdowns and kicked two field goals. They've only punted eight times in the first half. The Dutch have scored touchdowns on their opening possession in seven of their eight game. Central is averaging 38.6 points in the first half and 21.7 points in the second quarter.
Notes—Central is 34-2 in games Hawkins has started in his Dutch career… Entering last weekend, Central and Baldwin-Wallace College (Ohio) were the only two Division III teams yet to throw an interception. But while the Dutch had a pass picked off at Luther, Baldwin-Wallace threw two interceptions in a 24-21 win over Marietta College (Ohio). Central is among five Division III schools throwing one interception this year…With their quick-strike offense, Central has only held the advantage in time of possession in three games this year and never in the first half…The Dutch hold a 17-3 advantage in turnovers gained and lost…Saturday's game at Luther was the first time Central hasn't completed a pass of at least 40 yards…The Dutch have intercepted a pass in seven of the eight games…Kicker Logan Sunvold (sophomore, Monroe, Southeast Polk HS) has converted 55 extra points. That's four short of the school mark set by consensus all-American Jon Alberts in 2019 when he was 59 of 59. Central is only one extra-point shy of the team record of 59 as Rylan Penke (freshman, Gretna, Neb.) has booted four in four tries.