GAME ONE || Friday, August 31 || 6:00 PM
Bemidji, Minn. || Chet Anderson Stadium
Upper Iowa University at Bemidji State University
UIU Game Notes | BSU Game Notes | NSIC Release | Two Deeps
Live Options
Live Stats | Live Webcast | Live Audio
This Week in Peacock Football...
Upper Iowa will open the 2012 season tonight in Bemidji, Minn. The Peacocks will face the Beavers of Bemidji State University at 6 p.m. under the lights in northern Minnesota. UIU will look to build on their 2011 season that saw the team open with three wins in their first six games. Linebackers Tony Leggett and Ethan Douglas return to lead the defense; the pair have combined for 337 tackles over the last two seasons. An experienced secondary also returns in the form of safeties Jordan Andera and Tom Nesvik and corners DaeJohn Love and Keaton Martin. The offense will be under the control of redshirt sophomore Cole Jaeschke, who returns after one of the best passing seasons by a Peacock freshman quarterback. Sophomore receiver Shay Gutman returns as one of Jaeschke’s favorite targets. The offensive line will be anchored by Matt Steffensmeier, Lucas Sharp and Alex Gonzales. Upper Iowa will host the Grand Opening of the transformed Harms-Eishcheid Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. with a 6 p.m. kickoff against the Huskies of St. Cloud State University to follow.
Radio...
Upper Iowa Peacock football can be heard throughout the 2012 season courtesy of AM 950 KOEL. Play-by-play announcer Joe Stasi is in his tenth season as the “Voice of the Peacocks.” He will be joined on the broadcast by Zach Carlyle, a sophomore sports communication major at UIU. The pre-game show is scheduled for 5:40 p.m.
The Series...
The Beavers have won all four meetings since the Peacocks moved up to NCAA Division II and the Northern Sun Conference. Bemidji State took both meetings in the Metrodome in 2006 (44-20) and 2007 (56-28). The teams did not meet in 2008 and 2009, but BSU has claimed wins the last two years. In Bemidji, the home team won 51-12, before claiming last year’s win in Fayette, 48-7.
Last Meeting...
The Beavers came into the game in Fayette with the 25th best defense in the country and they backed it up by controlling the Peacock offense. The Beaver defense combined with a powerful BSU rushing attack led the visitors to a 48-7 win over Upper Iowa. Bemidji State opened the game with a 65-yard touchdown run on the game’s first play from scrimmage by Dustin Kroeplin, his first of three rushing touchdowns on the day. Kroeplin added a 2-yard score late in the first quarter and added a 3-yard run prior to halftime. He amassed 153 yards on the ground to compliment his three trips to the endzone.
Mr. Smith leaves a mark…
Smith was named to the Beyond Sports Network Preseason All American Third Team after leaving NSIC defenders in his wake in a sensational rookie season for the Peacocks. Following the 2011 season, Smith was named to the Daktronics All-Super Region 3 Second Team and garnered two of the top honors in the NSIC; he also earned a spot on the All-NSIC South Division First Team. He ran into the record books posting two games with over 200 yards rushing in back-to-back weeks against Southwest Minnesota State University and Wayne State College. His 287 yards versus the Wildcats are the most yards rushed in a game by a UIU player, while his 230 yards against the Mustangs are fourth best in Peacock history. Smith accumulated 1,188 yards and 9 touchdowns on 154 carries in NSIC games, while missing 8 quarters of action due to injury. He topped the 100-yard mark six times and posted an impressive 7.7 yards per carry average in NSIC games. Smith added 8 receptions for 97 yards out of the back field to lead the Peacocks in all-purpose yards/game with 142.8. He was twice named NSIC Offensive Player of the Week this season following games against MSU Moorhead and Wayne State.
Not a freshman anymore…
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Cole Jaeschke completed one of the best passing seasons for a Peacock signal caller in 2011. He ranked 32nd in the country and 3rd in the NSIC in passing efficiency. He posted a 139.99 rating while leading the Peacock offense that ranked 45th in the country and 4th in the NSIC in total offense (406.6 yards/game). Jaeschke completed 58% of his passes for 2,446 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 67 yards on 57 carries. He ranked 53rd in the nation and 4th in the NSIC in total offense at 228.5 yards/game.
The 2,446 yards passing this season rank third all-time behind Jessie Willis’ 2,507 yards in 1998 and Jeff Roth’s total record of 2,709 yards in 1992.
Strong Up the Middle…
Senior Tony Legget, a BSN Preseason All American, missed one game in 2011 due to injury, but started the other ten games and was named to the All-NSIC South Division First Team; he recorded 109 tackles including 52 solo stops and 4 tackles for loss. Leggett recovered 4 fumbles including one he returned for a touchdown against MSU Moorhead on Homecoming weekend. The junior linebacker was second in the NSIC in tackles with 100 in 9 NSIC games posting an 11.1 average per game. His 10.9 tackles/game overall was the 9th highest average in the nation through the regular season.
Junior Ethan Douglas was named an honorable mention performer after his freshman season in 2010. The linebacker has posted more tackles than any other Peacock over the last two years with 170 stops including 17.5 for loss.
