GAME EIGHT || Saturday, October 25, 2014 || 1:00 PMSt. Paul, Minn. || Sea Foam StadiumUpper Iowa University at Concordia University, St. Paul
LIVE OPTIONSWEBCAST || LIVE STATS || NSIC SCORES || AM 950 KOEL
WEEKLY NOTESUPPER IOWA || CONCORDIA-ST. PAUL || NORTHERN SUN || TWO DEEPS
THIS WEEK IN PEACOCK FOOTBALL... Upper Iowa will look to bounce back after a pair of losses in the NSIC South. The Peacocks fell to Winona State last Saturday when the Warriors turned them over five times in a 38-19 loss on Military Day. Last season, Upper Iowa earned their first-ever win over Concordia University, St. Paul, 28-24, on UIU's Homecoming. The Golden Bears have struggled through the 2014 season posting a 1-6 mark overall and a 0-3 record in the division. CU's win came in a 44-3 domination of Minnesota Crookston in week four. The Golden Bears are led by running back Tre Spears and wide receiver Cordell Smith. Spears has gained 599 yards on 143 attempts for a 4.2 yard average per carry, while Smith has caught 26 passes for 354 yards and four touchdowns. Kicker Tom Obarski has been the Golden Bears best weapon this season scoring 48 points thanks to 12 of 13 field goals including 5 of 5 on 40-49 yard attempts and 12 of 12 on extra points. Linebacker Jordan Halverson leads the CU defense with 77 tackles including 5 for loss.
The Series... Upper Iowa earned their first win over Concordia last season on Homecoming weekend in Fayette. The Peacocks held on for a 28-24 victory after the Golden Bears couldn't reach the endzone from a first and goal in the last minute. CU won the previous seven match ups with UIU. The annual meeting has occurred since 2006. After the first game, which the Golden Bears dominated 41-14, CU and UIU have locked up in five close games including last season's result. The Peacocks lost 20-17 in 2007 and 23-14 in 2008 before dropping a wild 57-56 double overtime game in Fayette in 2009. The 2011 contest marked the fourth game decided in the final quarter in the series. Concordia claimed a come-from-behind, one-point win, 20-19, after scoring 13 points in the final four minutes of the game. In UIU's last visit to Seafoam Stadium, the Peacocks turned the ball over six times in addition to three more fourth down misfires losing 35-6.
"AIR" APPARENT… Senior Cole Jaeschke looks to be the heir apparent in the conference for career total offense by the end of his final campaign. He has now thrown for 10,387 yards in his career including 10,254 in 39 conference games, which is the most of any quarterback in Northern Sun Conference history. He is also now second in total offense (passing yards plus rushing yards) all-time in the NSIC needing 617 yards to become the conference's all-time leader in that category as well. Jaeschke has thrown for the 5th most completions in the nation and most among NSIC QB's with 189 and is connecting with his receivers at a completion percentage of 59.1% (66th NCAA/5th NSIC). His 2,023 passing yards are ranked 15th among NCAA DII signal callers and 2nd in the NSIC, while his 2,038 yards of total offense are 32nd best in the country and 3rd in the conference. His 12 touchdown passes (47th NCAA/5th NSIC) add on to his program record for scores thrown in a career; he now has 74 through the air and has added 7 on the ground.
BIG SHOES TO FILL... Senior Chris Smith missed last week's game due to injury which limited UIU's running game. Joe McCaffery (6-23), Evan Dornink (9-22-1 TD) and Vincent Otdoerfer (3-10) took Smith's spot in the backfield against Winona State. Over the years, injuries have kept UIU's top back out of eight games. In his 32 games for Upper Iowa, the senior tailback has 4,154 in 32 games (129.8 yards/game). Smith is 3rd in the nation in rushing touchdowns (42 in his career) and is averaging 2.7 trips over the goal line per game. Smith has carried the ball 142 times for 941 yards in 2014. The Brown Deer, Wis. product is 8th in the country in rushing yards and 3rd nationally in yards per game (156.8), and is also ranked 11th nationally with 181.7 all-purpose yards per game. He is now third all-time in Northern Sun Conference history in career rushing yards and needs 97 yards to take over second place and 686 yards to become the all-time leader in NSIC history.
"BACKERS" TO THE FUTURE... Redshirt junior linebackers Alex Wahl and Tyler Fisher are leading the Peacock defense registering 48 tackles for loss (9th NSIC). Wahl's 82 tackles (16th NCAA/3rd NSIC), 52 solo stops (6th NCAA/1st NCAA) and 3 forced fumbles (8th NCAA/1st NSIC) lead the team, while Fisher is second on the team in tackles with 62 (8th NSIC) and solo tackles with 33 (8th NSIC). Junior Cole Stephen led the team in tackles against Winona State with 9 tackles including 1.5 for loss. The Manchester, Iowa product now has 35 tackles on the year.
PICK CITY... The Peacocks picked off another pass last week raising their season total of interceptions to 12, which is the 12th highest count in the country and second largest tally in the NSIC behind Sioux Falls. Chayz Holt leads the team with 6 (5th NCAA/2nd NSIC), while fellow corner Javon Moore's 3 picks rank him 42nd in the nation and 4th in the NSIC. Jeff Arends has two interceptions, while safety Paul Yokas pulled in the remaining takeaway. Holt is also ranked 7th in the nation and 2nd in the NSIC in passes defended with 13.
FEARSOME FOURSOME... Quarterback Cole Jaeschke has a wealth of weapons around him including four solid targets as the team enters week eight. Redshirt sophomore Trey MacTaggart caught the lone touchdown pass last week against Winona State, while senior Derek Giesking and Lucas Hefty combined for 17 receptions for 135 yards. Shay Gutman was held to just one catch for 21 yards on Saturday. For the season, Gutman has snared 43 catches (38th NCAA/ 5th NSIC) for 590 yards (43rd NCAA/6th NSIC) and five scores (58th NCAA/7th NSIC). The Cedar Rapids product has caught 171 passes for 2,548 yards in his career. He is currently fourth on the all-time receptions list trailing the leader Dwayne Croker (2004-07) by 23 and the all-time receiving yards list behind the record holder Jackie Bridges (1989-92) by 94 yards. Giesking, who missed the first game, has caught 47 balls for 459 yards (12th NSIC) and 2 touchdowns. His 7.8 receptions per game are 9th best in the NCAA and tops among NSIC receivers, while his yards per game (76.5) are 7th best in the conference. Hefty has hauled in 40 catches (6th NSIC) for 381 yards (21st NSIC) and two scores.
IN THE ZONE... The Peacock offense bounced back in the redzone last week converting all four of their opportunities and ranks 11th in the country and 3rd in the NSIC making good on 89.3% of their possessions inside the 20. On defense, Upper Iowa is ranked 21st in the country and 1st in the NSIC in redzone defense holding opponents to a 66.7% success rate. Upper Iowa has held their opponents to eighteen scores (5 FG/13 TD) in twenty-seven trips into the redzone. UIU has made stops when it counts as opponents have only converted 6 of 21 fourth down attempts resulting in a fifteen turnovers on downs.
