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THIS WEEK'S GAME: The Blue Devils (0-0, 0-0 WIAC) will open the 2016 campaign when they host the
Simpson College Storm (0-0, 0-0 IIAC) Saturday, Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. in a non-conference contest to open the season. The Blue Devils finished last season at 3-7 overall, 2-5 in the WIAC. The Storm finished last year at 4-6 overall and 2-5 in the IIAC. The two teams have met only once on the gridiron, that coming to open the 2009 season at Williams Stadium as the Blue Devils rolled to a 35-7 win on Stout's way to an 8-2 overall record.
ON THE AIR: WMEQ 880 AM Radio will provide broadcast coverage for the season with Pete Knutson and Jake Bostrom providing commentary during the games.
WMEQ will also audio stream the games. At home games, WMEQ will provide the audio portion for
Live Video streaming of all home football games, network providing.
Live Stats will be available for all home games.
WEEKLY INTERVIEW: UW-Stout head coach
Clayt Birmingham will speak with Pete Knutson on Sports Radio 1400 on a weekly basis about the upcoming game and last week's game. A link to the weekly broadcast is available here.
This week's interview |
Weekly Interviews
LAST TIME OUT: UW-Stout: It's a big enough task to take on the two-time defending national champion, but to have to play without your starting quarterback made the task all the harder as UW-Whitewater defeated UW-Stout, 63-14, in the Blue Devils' season finale at Warhawk Stadium Nov. 14, 2015. Senior quarterback
Hank Kujak was injured towards the end of the win over UW-Stevens Point, and didn't practice all week. Kujak attempted two passes in the Blue Devils' first possession and sat the rest of the game. The Warhawks ran off to a 14-0 lead in the first four minutes of the game, but Stout cut the lead in half midway through the first period. Freshman quarterback
Jay Alston led a 14-play, 5-minute, 33-second, 76-yard drive. Alston completed 5-of-8 passes in the drive, including a 24-yard pass to
Jordan Dabney on third down early in the drive to move the chains. Alston completed the drive by finding
Chris Pica-Anderson for an eight-yard score and Stout trailed 14-7. It was all Whitewater after that as the Warhawks would finish with 595 yards of total offense for the game, scoring the next seven TDs to take a 63-7 lead.. |
Complete Story and Box Score
LAST TIME OUT: Simpson College: Jordan Beem put an exclamation point on an already impressive junior season, leading Simpson College to a 42-28 win over Luther College in the season finale Nov. 14 in Decorah, Iowa. Beem ran for a career-high 211 yards and three TDs, scoring on back-to-back plays from scrimmage in the third quarter to help the Storm (4-6, 3-4 Iowa Conference) snap a three-game losing streak. He scored on runs 52, 12 and 24 yards. Luther trailed by a touchdown in the third quarter when quarterback Brady Letney tied it 21-all on a 3-yard TD run. Beem responded with a 12-yard score, closing an eight-play, 59-yard drive to put Simpson ahead 27-21 after a failed extra point. The game took a turn when Luther couldn't handle Travis Tupper's ensuing kickoff. Simpson recovered the fumble and Beem ran 24 yards for a TD on the next play for a comfortable 34-21 lead. Caleb Frye completed 11 of 18 passes for 135 yards and three TDs, closing the season with seven TDs and zero INTs in the last two games. He threw scoring strikes to Sam Bartlett, Corbin Clark and Nathan Russell. | Complete Story and Box Score
WHEN STOUT AND SIMPSON LAST MET: Craig Warminski scored twice in the first half, and three players scored on big plays in the second half to lift UW-Stout to a 35-7 season opening win over Simpson College Saturday at Don & Nona Williams Stadium, Sept. 5, 2009. Stout tallied 450 total yards, 299 coming on the ground and 151 in the air. The Blue Devil defense held Simpson to 209 total yards, 106 by rush, 103 by pass. Carlos Concepcion led all rushers with 124 yards on eight carries. Warminski tallied 88 yards on the ground in 19 totes. Quarterback Ross Carey accumulated 51 yards rushing, getting most of that on a 27-yard jaunt. Carey completed 7-of-14 passes for 132 yards. Adam Winberg had three receptions for 46 yards and John Sherman had two grabs for 46 yards. For the Storm, quarterback Tyson Unkrich rushed for 59 yards and completed 8-of-17 passes for 90 yards, his longest pass a 43-yard reception by Legrand Bien-Aime. | Complete Story and Box Score
THE SERIES: The Blue Devils lead the series, 1-0.
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WHO'S WHO: UW-Stout: After losing some key position players, the Blue Devils are looking at the glass half full, and full of oppertunity. The most visible spot that will need to be filled is at quarterback. After spring practice, sophomore Jay Alston who played in four games last year, and senior transfer Danny Farley have the inside track. Alston threw for 135 yards, completing 16-of-33 passes with two touchdowns against powerhouse UW-Whitewater, getting pressed into action after Kujak was injured before the final game of the season. Farley has been a bit of a journeyman. After one year at a junior college, Farley played at Division I Rhode Island for a year. He transferred to Delaware Valley State in Pennsylvania before coming to Stout.
CATCHING THE BALL: Stout's leading receiver last season, Brian Alvarez, will return this season as a wide receiver coach for the team. He will be working with former teammates Chris Pica-Anderson (Sr, Eleva), Kevion McDonald (So, Hopkins, Minn) and Jordan Dabney (Sr, Monteca, Calif). Pica-Anderson caught 48 balls in the slot last season for 529 yards and a pair of scores. McDonald, as a true freshman, displayed his athleticism in catching 28 passes for 422 yards and two touchdowns. Dabney, in his first year with the Blue Devils, displayed a knack for finding the end zone. Dabney scored six times, second behind only Alvarez, with 20 receptions for 416 yards and a team-best 20.8 yards per catch.
RUNNING THE BALL: Travis Urlaub (Sr, Stratford), Adolfo Pacheco (Sr, South Elgin, Ill) and KeyShawn Carpenter (Jr, Evergreen Park, Ill) all carried the ball last season. Urlaub emerged as the team's leading rusher in 2015, carrying the ball 63 times for 350 yards and a team-best 5.6 yards per carry. Urlaub earned the starting spot in the final four games and in his first start, ran for 105 yards on 10 carries against UW-River Falls. Pacheco is looking to return to the all-conference form he showed as a true freshman in 2013; Pacheco rushed for a career-low 330 yards, but still showed a penchant for the end zone, scoring five times. The senior is currently 13th on the Stout all-time rushing list with 1665 yards and is just short of getting mentioned on the all-time scoring list, tallying 16 career TDs for 96 points. Carpenter carried the ball 67 times last season for 248 yards and a score, but is not competing this season.
O-LINE: The Blue Devil offensive line returns virtually intact. With the exception of David Koronkiewicz, graduated center, Stout will return several players who both battled injury and recieved playing time in the stead of injured players. The injury-battered Blue Devil offensive line allowed only six sacks throughout the entire season - 10 less than any other team in the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) and ranked fourth in the NCAA Division III in fewest sacks allowed. Kane'ala Atchison-Keolanui and Logan Stoa will key a line that has gained quite a bit of experience. Atchison-Keolanui was the Blue Devils' only first team all-conference pick last season. The senior lineman from Lodi was an all-region pick last season and this season was a D3football.com second team preseason All-America selection. Other key contributors include junior Corey Parris, senior Mark Hatcher, junior Cody Marquardt, sophomore Caleb Adams and junior Greg Okray.
DEFENSE: The Blue Devils return a good portion of their defense from last year. The defensive line returns veterans Isaiah Hardy (Jr, Olympia Fields, Ill), Iyen Ogbomoh (Jr, Olympia Fields, Ill), Travis Shackleton (Jr, Baldwin) and Troy Rudesill (Jr, Spring Valley). Hardy is one of three defensive players to have started all games last year and recorded five tackles for loss. Shackleton, Rudesill and Ogbomoh played in all 10 games. At linebacker, Josh Robinson (Sr, Lakeville, Minn), despite an arm injury, started all 10 games, recording 65 tackles, 23 solo. He had 3.5 tackles for loss and forced a fumble. Looking to fill the other linebacker spot will be Mike Maenner (Jr, Eau Claire), Joe Hakeem (Sr, Woodbury, Minn), Jared Allen (Jr, Maple Grove, Minn), Bradley Myers (So, Triton, Minn), and Nick Schulenburg (Jr, Fort Atkinson).
BALL HAWKS: Defensive back Michael Pierson (Jr, Lino Lake, Minn) took advantage of his opportunity and recorded 53 tackles and produced a team-high three interceptions - fifth in the WIAC - and nine pass break-ups at cornerback. Javauhn Staley (Sr, Sanford, Fla) had two interceptions and five pass break-ups on the corner. Chase Fanelle (So, Kenosha) saw action in seven games. LaRon Thompson (Sr, Modesto, Calif) is expected to be back at corner. Coming off a season where he had nine pass break-ups, Thompson was lost for the season after two games in 2015. Tony Blair (Jr, Chippewa Falls) was the only safety to make it through the season without missing a game. As a sophomore, Blair started all 10 games, recorded his first collegiate interception in the season-opener, was second on the team in tackles with 77 and had three pass break-ups.Transfer Josh Johnson (Jr, Little Canada, Minn) had a solid opening game going, recording his first Stout interception before breaking his foot against nationally-ranked Bethel University. Enzo Rosani played nine games, but injured his hand in practice and missed a game, playing the final games with a cast. Besides returning a blocked field goal attempt for a TD, the French player had two interceptions, four pass break-ups and 48 tackles. Levi Wulf (So, Elmwood), who switched from quarterback to safety, Jason Dilly (So, Andover, Minn), who played as a true freshman, but was out last year, and transfer Blaise Pridgen-Engle (Fr, St. Paul, Minn), will look for time at safety.
GIVE IT A BOOT: Punter Clark Riedel (Jr, Waukesha) earned honorable mention all-conference honors after leading the conference in punting average at 40.1 yards per boot.
ON A TEE: The kicking game returns intact. Taylor Pahl (Jr, Greenville) started off as the placekicker for extra points and field goals, but then specialized on kickoffs. Drew Pearson (So, Wausau) took over the placekicking duties, and drilled 27-of-28 extra point attempts, while making a pair of field goals. Clay Dziekan (So, Mondovi) returns at long snapper.
PRESEASON POLLS: The Blue Devils finished seventh in the competitive WIAC last season and according to a preseason poll by WIAC football coaches and sports information directors, the Blue Devils are picked to finish seventh again this year.
WHO'S WHO: Simpson: The Storm return five players - three that earned first team honors - that were selected to the 2015 All-Iowa Conference (IIAC) Football Team. Simpson went 4-6 in 2015 under eighth-year head coach Jim Glogowski, who resigned at the end of the season. The Storm went 3-4 in the Iowa Conference to tie for fourth in the league. Senior running back Jordan Beem finished the season as the Iowa Conference's leading rusher, racking up 1,254 yards and 13 TDs for the 10th 1,000-yard rushing season in Simpson history. He averaged 125.4 rushing yards per game and eclipsed 100 yards in each of the final seven games, becoming the first player to rush for 100 yards in every conference game since Ricky Gales in 1989. He also caught 15 passes for 254 yards and two TDs. An honorable mention pick as a running back a year ago, Beem earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors and was a third team D3football.com all-region selection He was named IIAC Offensive Player of the Week following a three-TD performance in a 43-13 win over Buena Vista on Oct. 3 Senior defensive end Isaac Frazier enjoyed a breakout season with a league-best 8.0 sacks in 2015. His 11.5 tackles for loss ranked second in the league, as did his three forced fumbles. The 6-foot-4, 210 pounder recorded 40 total tackles, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery. Return specialist Davey Jergens led the Iowa Conference with a 24.8 yard kick return average. The explosive returner had five returns of 40-or-more yards, including a season-long 54 yarder against Dubuque on Oct. 10. He had returns of 41 and 42 yards against Wartburg on Nov. 7, setting a school-record with 184 kick return yards in the game. He earned IIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after the week one win over Wis.-River Falls in which he scored three TDs off a 2-yard run, a 54-yard run and a 63-yard reception. Junior tackle Dustin Ihns joined since-graduated first team all-conference tackle Blake Bergstrom to make up arguably the best offensive line in the league. Ihns, a second team all-league player, made an immediate impact protecting the blind side after moving from the defensive line as a freshman in 2014. Junior placekicker Drew Jensen took home honorable mention honors for the second season in a row. He made 8 of 10 field goal attempts and went 24 of 28 on extra point attempts. He was a perfect 4-for-4 from inside 30 yards and went 3-for-4 from 40-plus. His career-long 45-yarder at Loras on Oct. 24 was the longest field goal in the IIAC in 2015, helping him to Special Teams Player of the Week honors. He went 3-for-3 that game, tying a single-game school record for made field goals. | 2015 Statistics
THE MATCHUP: Comparing the numbers:
| Stout |
WIAC Rank |
|
IIAC Rank |
Simpson |
| 29.1 |
5 |
PPG |
5 |
29.3 |
| 41.8 |
7 |
Opp. PPG |
5 |
28.0 |
| 267.7 |
3 |
Pass Yds |
6 |
236.1 |
| 129.2 |
6 |
Rush Yds |
2 |
211.9 |
| 4 (16/14) |
T5 |
Turnover /- |
3 |
13 (13/8) |
LOTS OF RANKED OPPONENTS: The Blue Devils will four teams that are ranked In the first D3football.com Top 25 poll, three of them on the road. The Blue Devils will travel to St. Thomas (No. 4), Saturday, Sept. 10, will be UW-Oshkosh (No. 6), Saturday, Oct. 1, at UW-Platteville No. 12), Saturday, Oct. 25 and will host UW-Whitewater (No. 3), Saturday, Nov. 12 to close the regular season.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: Players of the week will be announced the Monday following each game.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Captains for the 2016 season include offensive lineman Logan Stoa (Sr, Hawley, Minn), offensive lineman Kane'ala Atchison-Keolanui (Sr, Lodi), defensive back LaRon Thompson (Sr, Modesto, Calif.), and defensive back Joe Hakeem (Sr, Woodbury, Minn). Stoa is the team captain, Atchison-Keolanui is the offensive captain, Thompson is the defensive captain and Hakeem is the special teams captain.
ODDS AND ENDS: The Blue Devils play their first game of the season Saturday, Sept. 3 at home against Simpson College, then are away for more than a month before hosting the annual Homecoming contest Saturday, Oct. 8 against UW-La Crosse. The Storm has a similar schedule, except they begin the season with four straight road games before opening their home portion of the schedule Saturday, Oct. 8 with their annual homecoming game. Stout has their bye week Saturday, Sept. 24, whil the Storm are idle Saturday, Oct. 1.
THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Clayt Birmingham (23-37) is in his seventh year as the UW-Stout head coach. Before coming to Stout, Birmingham coached at Western Michigan, Emporia College and UW-Stevens Point. Birmingham was the UW-Stout defensive coordinator for three years before assuming the head coaching role. Birmingham played his college football at UW-Stevens Point.
Simpson College: Matt Jeter is in his first year as head coach for for the Storm, following a six-year stint at NCAA Division II Central Missouri. Jeter started out as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for the Warrensburg, Mo. institution before taking over as the defensive coordinator from 2011-15. Jeter was a two-year starter at cornerback for the Simpson football team from 1996-97, helping the Storm to a record of 22-2 and two trips to the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Prior to joining the staff at Central Missouri, Jeter spent eight years as an assistant at NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision member Drake University. He served as the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator for the Bulldogs, helping Drake win the Pioneer Football League title in 2004. He was the defensive coordinator in 2007, piloting a unit that led the PFL in redzone scoring and ranked fourth in the nation with 31 forced turnovers. Jeter helped the Bulldogs to six consecutive winning seasons from 2004-09, including a 10-2 mark in 2004, a 9-2 record in 2006 and an 8-3 mark in 2009
COACHING STAFF Travis Destache returns as the defensive coordinator.. Chase Vogel returns for his third year and will work with the quarterbacks and the passing game.
Derek Branch returned to UW-Stout where he played for two years, earning all-conference honors as an offensive lineman. Branch will work with the offensive line. Luke Pederson joined the staff this year and will work with the linebackers.
Jed Stutzman returns, as does student assistant coach Matt McKone and graduate assistant
Jake Pollock.
Tony Lombardi begins his first year with the Blue Devils, but brings 30 years of coaching experience to his work with defensive backs. Jeff Sullivan returns after 11 years. Sullivan coached with the Blue Devils from 2003-05. During the interim, Sullivan was an assistant coach with a number of high school programs.
THE LEAGUES: UW-Stout is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Stout finished seventh in league play last season. A
WIAC preseason poll was released in mid-August, and the Blue Devils are picked to finish seventh. Simpson College is a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and last year finished sixth in the eight team conference.
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Senior offensive lineman
Logan Stoa has been nominated as a National Football Foundation (NFF) scholar-athlete. Stoa, a team captain, is a construction major from Hawley, Minn.
SEASON HONORS: Offensive lineman Kane'ala Atchison-Keolauni was a D3football.com second team preseason All-America selection...returners to the 2016 season that were all-conference selections are offensive lineman Kane'ala Atchison-Keolauni, who was a first team pick. Punter
Clark Riedel, who led the conference in punting average, was an honorable mention selection...
2015: Linebacker
Kyle Hoefft and punter
Clark Riedel were selected as the WIAC athletes of the week, Hoefft on defense and Riedel for special teams, and were named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after their roles in a 34-31 win over UW-Stevens Point. Hoefft was selected as the defensive player of the week by USA College Football DIII and Riedel was an honorable mention selection to the same squad...Quarterback
Hank Kujak was selected as the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual Athlete of the week after throwing for five TDs and running for another in a 54-48 loss to UW-River Falls...Quarterback
Hank Kujak was selected as the WIAC offensive player of the week after throwing for five TDs and running for another in a 45-12 win over UW-Eau Claire....wide receiver
Brian Alvarez was selected as UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week after catching 10 passes for 159 yards and three TDs...quarterback
Hank Kujak was selected as the WIAC offensive player of the week and the UW-Stout/Northwestern Mutual athlete of the week after throwing for 418 yards and three TDs against Loras College...defensive back
Enzo Rosani was selected as the WIAC defensive player of the week after intercepting two passes against Loras College.
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TOPPERS: The following are career bests for several of Stout's offensive players
Jay Alston - Passing
16 comp, 33 comp, 135 yds, 2 TDs, vs. UW-Whitewater, Nov. 14, 2015
2 comp, 7 att, 36 yds, vs. UW-Oshkosh, Oct. 3, 2015
Adolfo Pacheco - Rushing
28 carries, 194 yards, 3 TD vs. UW-Platteville, Oct. 26, 2013
25 carries, 143 yards, 1 TD vs. UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 16, 2013
27 carries, 139 yards, 1 TD vs. UW-River Falls, Nov. 9, 2013
24 carries, 124 yards, 2 TD vs. UW-Eau Claire, Nov. 2, 2013
35 carries, 118 yards vs. Loras College, Sept. 13, 2014
13 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD vs. UW-Oshkosh, Oct. 5, 2013
13 carries, 85 yards, vs. Wartburg College, Sept. 20, 2014
17 carries, 77 yards vs. Loras College, Sept. 12, 2015
16 carries, 67 yards vs. Dakota Wesleyan, Sept. 7, 2013
14 carries, 65 yards vs. UW-La Crosse, Oct. 19, 2013
8 carries, 65 yards vs. North Central College, Sept. 21, 2013
Travis Urlaub - Rushing
10 carries, 105 yards, 1 TD vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 24, 2015
11 carries, 78 yards, vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 17, 2015
12 carries, 62 yards vs. UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 7, 2015
KeyShawn Carpenter - Rushing
12 carries, 59 yards vs. Wartburg College, Sept. 19, 2015
Chris Pica-Anderson - Receiving
7 receptions, 126 yards vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 24, 2015
8 receptions, 94 yards vs. UW-Platteville, Oct. 25, 2014
8 receptions, 60 yards vs. UW-La Crosse, Oct. 10, 2015
4 receptions, 76 yards vs. Wartburg College, Sept. 19, 2015
5 receptions, 70 yards vs. Loras College, Sept. 12, 2015
Kevion McDonald - Receiving
5 receptions, 98 yards vs. Loras College, Sept. 12, 2015
3 receptions, 71 yards, 2 TDs vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 17, 2015
5 receptions, 67 yards vs. UW-La Crosse, Oct. 10, 2015
7 receptions, 72 yards vs. Bethel University, Sept. 3, 2015
Jordan Dabney - Receiving
4 receptions, 124 yards, 2 TDs vs. Loras College, Sept. 12, 2015
DON & NONA WILLIAMS STADIUM MARKS
Longest Pass Play
87 - Jon Bane to Anthony Muilenburg (Dakota Wesleyan) Sept. 7, 2013
85 - Michael Blizel to Trevor Morning vs. Jamestown, Sept. 8, 2012
85 - Brett Kasper to Sam Mentkowski (UW-Oshkosh), Oct. 3, 2015
Longest Run from Scrimmage
86 - Craig Warminski vs. UW-Oshkosh, Nov. 13, 2010
Longest Field Goal
55 - Nick Dace (North Central College), Sept. 15, 2012
53 - Nick Dace (North Central College), Sept. 15, 2012
Longest Punt Return
80 - Craig Warminski vs. Eureka College, Sept. 18, 2010
Longest Kickoff Return
90 - Carlos Concepcion vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 23, 2010
Most Rushing Yards in a Game
328 - Luke Bundgaard vs. UW-Platteville, Nov. 15, 2003
207 - Taylor Edwards (UW-River Falls), Oct. 3, 2009
207 - Justin Biever (UW-Whitewater), Nov. 5, 2005
Most Yards Passing in a Game
446 - Tom Stetzer (UW-Platteville), Sept. 29, 2001
381 - Dylan Jones (Loras College), Sept. 13, 2014
358 - Brett Borchert (UW-Stevens Point), Oct. 16, 2004
357 - Hank Kujak vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 24, 2015
350 - Brett Kasper (UW-Oshkosh), Oct. 3, 2015
349 - Austin Neu (UW-Eau Claire), Oct. 1, 2011
341 - Hank Kujak vs. Bethel University, Sept. 3, 2015
Most Yards Receiving in a Game
243 - Max Boe (Jamestown), Sept. 11, 2010
238 - Nate Even (Loras College), Sept. 13, 2014
Most TDs Scored in a Game
4 - Luke Bundgaard vs. UW-Platteville, Nov. 15, 2003
THE LAST TIME A STOUT PLAYER...
Threw for 400-plus yards
418 - Hank Kujak vs. Loras College, Sept. 12, 2015 (22 comp, 44 att, 3 TD)
457 - Matt Bunyan vs. UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 7, 1998 (31 comp, 58 att, 4 TD)
Threw for 300-399 yards
325 - Hank Kujak vs. UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 7, 2015 (16 comp, 31 att, 3 TD)
357 - Hank Kujak vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 24, 2015 (23 comp, 48 att, 5 TD)
Ran for 300-plus yards
328 - Luke Bundgaard vs. UW-Platteville, Nov. 15, 2003 (53* carries, x TD)
Ran for 200-299 yards
207 - Craig Warminski vs. UW-La Crosse, Nov. 1, 2008 (32 carries, 2 TD)
Ran for 100-199 yards
105 - Travis Urlaub vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 24, 2015 (10 carries, 1 TD)
Recorded 200-plus receiving yards
241* - Dan Austin vs. UW-La Crosse, Nov. 1, 2003 (9 rec, 1 TD)
Recorded 150-199 receiving yards
159 - Brian Alvarez vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 17, 2015 (10 rec, 3 TD)
Caught 10-plus receptions
10 - Brian Alvarez vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 17, 2015 (159 yds, 3TD)
Scored 4 touchdowns
4 - Craig Warminski vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 25, 2008 (28 carries, 250 yds)
Scored 3 touchdowns
3 - Brian Alvarez vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 17, 2015 (10 rec, 159 yds)
* school record
FIELD GOAL BLOCK & RETURN: During the 2015 season, Travis Shackleton blocked a 29-yard field goal attempt by UW-La Crosse in La Crosse, Oct. 10, 2015, and Enzo Rosani scooped up the ball on the La Crosse 14, returning it 86 yards for a score. The blocked kick was Shackleton's first career block and the touchdown was Rosani's first collegiate TD. There is no mention in the UW-Stout, the WIAC or the NCAA record books for returning blocked field goal attempts. There will now be a category in the Stout record book. After sending out a request to NCAA Division III sports information directors, the following list of blocked field goals was compiled.
Blocked Field Goal Attempt Returns
95t, Javicz Jones (Mary Hardin-Baylor vs. Lousiana College), 2012
86t, Enzo Rosani (UW-Stout vs. UW-La Crosse), Oct. 17, 2015
82t, Anthony Giuliano (SUNY-Cortland vs. William Paterson), 2010
79t, Ryan Bonheyo (Gallaudet University vs. Becker College), Nov. 2, 2013 (game winning TD)
77t, Jim Smith (SUNY-Cortland vs. SUNY-Brockport), 2007
76t, Rick Mateja (North Central College vs. Wheaton College), Sept. 21, 1985
67t, Justin Baker (St. Norbert College vs. Lake Forest College), Sept. 26, 2009
61, Derek Sulo (North Central College vs. Carthage College), Nov. 10, 2007
PROMOTIONS PLANNED FOR 2016: The Blue Devils will host their annual Homecoming game Saturday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. vs. UW-La Crosse. Stout will hold a Military Appreciation Day, Saturday, Oct. 29 when they meet UW-Platteville at 2 p.m. The seniors will be recognized Saturday, Nov. 12 in the final regular season game as Stout hosts UW-Whitewater at 2 p.m.
MAX SPARGER: UW-Stout dedicated the Don & Nona Williams Stadium press box in honor of former UW-Stout athletic director and coach Max Sparger, September 11, 2010. Sparger led the Blue Devil football team to the 1965 WSUC championship. After leaving Stout in 1972, Sparger served as the WSUC commissioner. Sparger is a member of the UW-Stout Hall of Fame, as well as the WIAC Hall of Fame.
STOUT FOOTBALL HISTORY: Stout Institute played their first game on Nov. 4, 1911, when they lost to River Falls Normal School, 13-11. Walter Anderson scored Stout's first touchdown, an 85 yard kickoff return. A week later, Stout won their first game, 30-2, against LaCrosse Business School as Harvey Tice scored four touchdowns. The predecessor to the WIAC began in 1913 and Stout has won five conference titles - 1921, 1941, 1949, 1965 and 2000. Stout became the Blue Devils during the late 1920s or early 1930s. Football was not played during the war years of 1918, 1943, and 1944. Along the way, the school has gone through a number of name changes - Stout Institute, Stout State College, Stout State University and the University of Wisconsin-Stout. Stout celebrated 100 years of football with a season-long celebration and alumni reunion during the 2011 season. | A 10-week series on Stout football is available.
TAILGATING RETURNED IN 2009: UW-Stout has adopted a formal tailgating policy for Blue Devil football games. The south end of the parking lot by the Don and Nona Williams Stadium has been designated as a tailgating area known as the "Tailgate Zone." Fans will be able to participate in the Blue Devil Walk. Tailgating is permitted three hours before the game, and tailgating activities will cease at game time. Only propane grills are permitted, no open flame grills. Tobacco is not permitted.
EUROPEAN FLAVOR: UW-Stout coach Clayt Birmingham has been active in raising the popularity of American football in Europe and has made several trips to Europe to participate in workshops and coaching clinics. Last fall, the Blue Devils had a coach from Germany into preseason camp for a couple of days. Enzo Rosani began his career as a Blue Devil, joining Stout as a cornerback from France on the 2014 roster. Feature Story The Blue Devils have consistently welcomed European coaches to their training camp. In 2011 it was Nico Teichert and Johannes Fiebig from Germany getting an up close look at American football. The Blue Devils also had Antti Kurenniemi, a native of Finland, on their roster in 2011. Kurenniemi saw action in several games. In 2012, the Blue Devils, for the first time in several years, did not host a European coach, but did have an international player, Jan Andre Millemann from Germany, who is the subject of this feature story.
DON & NONA WILLIAMS STADIUM: The Blue Devils' home stadium - Don & Nona Williams Stadium - got a facelift during the summer of 2008 when the original Astroturf-type surface was replaced with ProGrass, a surface that more closely resembles natural grass. Don & Nona Williams Stadium was only the second artificial playing surface in the state of Wisconsin when it opened in 2001. Only the Wisconsin Badgers played their games on artificial turf. The Green Bay Packers had an artificial surface in their practice facility. Now, nearly every WIAC school either has or is planning an artificial surface, and many high schools in the state have followed suit.
UP NEXT: The Blue Devils will travel to fourth ranked St. Thomas, Saturday, Sept. 10 for a 1 p.m. contest with the Tommies.
