at Simpson:
Live Video |
Live Audio |
Live Stats
THIS WEEK'S GAME: The Blue Devils (0-0, 0-0 WIAC) will will open the 2017 season when they travel to Indianola, Iowa, to take on
Simpson College (0-0, 0-0 IIAC), Saturday, Sept. 2 at 1 p.m.
The Blue Devils return 23 senior players, the largest senior class in Coach Clayt Birmingham's eight year tenure as head coach.
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 880 WMEQ radio 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: The Blue Devils finished the 2016 season at 3-7 overall, finishing tied for seventh in the WIAC. The Blue Devils showed promise for the future, dropping a 34-16 decision to nationally ranked UW-Whitewater in the final game of the season. Stout held a 16-10 halftime lead over the second ranked team in the country. The Blue Devils finished with 227 yards of offense.
Brian Sandifer pulled in eight catches for 101 yards.
Jay Alston was 8-of-29 for 101 yards and a score, but was intercepted three times.
Adolfo Pacheco carried the ball 11 times for 58 yards in his career-finale. |
Stats and Story
LAST TIME OUT: SIMPSON: The Storm also finished the 2016 season at 3-7 and were 2-6 in IIAC action, tying for seventh. Like the Blue Devils, the Storm lost their final game of the season, losing to Coe College, 47-29. Senior running back Jordan Beem ran for a career-high 227 yards to surpass 3,000 yards for his career and Caleb Frye threw two TD passes and Sam Sasso added another late in the game but the Storm couldn't keep pace with the league's top offensive attack, committing four turnovers that resulted in 13 points for Coe. |
Stats and Story
WHEN STOUT AND SIMPSON LAST MET: The Blue Devils got their 2016 campaign off to a great start with bang, defeating the Simpson Storm. They put up great offensive numbers, outscoring the Storm 45-30, racking up 74 plays and 521 total offensive yards. Senior
Jordan Dabney stood out for Stout, hauling in 223 yards receiving on five catches, two of them touchdowns.
Travis Urlaub also stood out, rushing the ball 23 times for 104 yards and a TD |
Stats and Story
THE SERIES: The Blue Devils lead the series, 2-0-0, with teams first meeting in Menomonie in 2009, with Stout capturing a 35-7 win. The teams met last season in Menomonie with Stout carrying a 45-30 win out of Don and Nona Williams Stadium.
WHO'S WHO: UW-Stout:
Jay Alston had a good sophomore season at quarterback, but will be challenged by sophomore J.Dan Sturgeon and transfer
Will Heller. Alston completed 124-of-258 passes 1657 yards and 13 touchdowns. Alston ran the ball for three TDs and 240 yards. Sturgeon is the only returning quarterback beside Alston to step under center last year for the Blue Devils.
CATCHING THE BALL: wide receiving corp leading the way with four seniors –
Akema Collins,
Brian Sandifer,
Josh Malone and
Keith Bolden. Collins started all 10 games, averaging 14.1 yards per catch. Sandifer made his presence known late in the season, yanking down 24 passes for 388 yards and a team-best six TDs. Malone and Bolden have seen limited action, but are coming off a good spring practice season and are looking to compete, Birmingham said.
Kevion McDonald brings a bigger body to the wide receiver spot. An athletic player, Birmingham said McDonald's strength is running after the catch. McDonald averaged 15.5 yards per catch last season as he fought off early season injuries to pull in 19 receptions for 294 yards and two TDs.
Noel Gonzalez could see more time this year in the slot. Last season, Gonzalez had only one reception, but earned WIAC special teams player of the week honors when he returned one of the longest kickoffs in school history, a 96 yarder for a score against UW-Stevens Point.
Heaven Hunt, who transferred from Concordia-St. Paul, should find time on the field after seeing time for the Division II program last season. At tight end, the Blue Devils find five solid players who will vie for time at the spot.
Mason Sturm and
Nick Siegel are seniors and, along with junior
Dustin Rondorf, saw action in at least nine games last year. Sophomores
Dawson Tusow and
Blake Purdy should also see considerable action.
RUNNING THE BALL: The question of who will be running the ball will be answered shortly.
Keyshawn Carpenter ha don't the most carries of a any Blue Devil coming into preseason camp. But the Illinois native took last season off after tallying 248 yards during the 2015 season. Senior
Lucian Coutier has seen limited time throught his career. Coutier did average 6.6 yards last year in 10 carries.
Mitchell Rahn will see his first varsity action.
IN THE TRENCHES: The offensive line returns the right side in tact with senior
Cody Marquardt at tackle and junior
Caleb Adams at tackle. The Blue Devils will need to replace all-conference left tackle Kane'ala Atchison-Keolanui and left guard
Logan Stoa, as well as starting center
Corey Parris, whose career was cut short due to injury..
A SENIOR DEFENSE: Defensively, the Blue Devils return seven starters in defensive linemen
Isaiah Hardy,
Troy Rudesill and
Tim Rue; linebackers
Iyen Ogbomoh and
Josh Johnson and defensive backs
Tony Blair and
Enzo Rosani. Blair, an honorable mention all-conference selection, was the team's – and the WIAC's - leading tackler with 101 tackles. Blair also had a conference-leading 65 solo tackles and ranked 18th nationally in solo tackles. Blair ranked 47th nationally in total tackles. Playing in a safety spot last year, Rosani led the team in interceptions with three and had 26 tackles and forced a fumble. Rosani played cornerback his first year with the Blue Devils before moving to safety. Rudesill returns as the nose guard where he had 33 tackles, four for loss and his first career interception. Hardy has been active as a defensive end, leading the team last season in sacks with 7.0 for 41 yards. A hard hitter, Hardy forced a team-best two fumbles and finished with 33 tackles. The lanky Ogbomoh trailed only his high school teammate Hardy in sacks, racking up 5.5, with 26 tackles of which 17 were solo. Ogbomoh was the WIAC player of the week last September after a 2.5 sack day against Mayville State. A standout special teams player, Ogbomoh has a penchant for blocking kicks, with seven to his career. Johnson recovered nicely from an early season injury in 2015 to making a statement in 2016. Playing in seven games, Johnson collected 48 tackles – third on the team – and had six tackles for loss. Pierson, who is a physical player, had 53 tackles in 2015, along with three interceptions and nine pass break ups.
GIVE IT A BOOT: The kicking game is one of the Blue Devils' strengths. Junior place kicker
Drew Pearson earned national recognition last season. Pearson, who won the place kicking job early in the season, earned All-America status on two separate teams while he set a school record with 16 field goals made during the season. Pearson was 16-of-19 in field goals – including two of more than 50 yards - and made all 27 extra points to lead the Blue Devils in scoring with 75 points. Pearson has earned preseason All-America nods for the 2017 season with D3football.com, Lindy's, Street & Smith and HERO Sports Network, along with returning to the Fred Mitchell Award watch list. Senior punter
Clark Riedel was a first team all-WIAC selection and an all-district pick, averaging 39.1 yards per boot and placed 15 punts inside the 20 yard line. Riedel is the holder for Pearson and long snapper Clay Dziekien returns for his third season. Riedel is the place kicking holder.
Taylor Pahl returns for his final season on kickoff duty and is a strong back-up to Pearson. Paul has booted nine field goals over his career and is 24-of-27 in extra points.
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 COLLEGE: The Storm are picked to finish fifth in the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC), two spots up from their seventh place finish in 2016. The Storm finshed the season as a team at 3-7 overall, 2-6 in the IIAC. Offensively, Sam Sasso is slated to take over the quarterback position after playing eight games last season. Sasso was 33-of-75 for 402 yards with four TDs. Jackson Redmond was the team's leading receiver, pulling in 49 passes for 704 yards (14.3 y/rec) with four TDs. Redmond averaged just a shade under five catches per game. The Storm return all-IIAC players Jake Sterns (Second Team, DL), Ryan Lehr (HM, DB), Nathan Hawkins (HM, P) and Ryan Sarver (HM, LB). Sterns finished with 74 tackles, three sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. Lehr had 67 tackles, two interceptions and two pass break ups. Sarver led the team in tackles with 89, adding a sack and six tackles for loss. Hawkins punted the ball in only five games, but when he did, he was a boomer, averaging 46.8 yards per punt with a long of 70 yards and placed 10 inside the 20-yard line. The Storm have some similarities to Stout, returning eight defensive starters. Drew Jensen returns as the team's placekicker, hitting 11-of-12 field goals (.917), ranking fourth in the NCAA Division III in accuracy. | Statistics
THE MATCHUP: Comparing the numbers:
| Stout |
WIAC Rank |
|
IIAC Rank |
Simpson |
| 23.7 |
7 |
PPG |
8 |
21.0 |
| 36.8 |
8 |
Opp. PPG |
5 |
28.2 |
| 204.1 |
6 |
Pass Yds |
8 |
203.3 |
| 138.8 |
6 |
Rush Yds |
8 |
135.1 |
| -6 (21/27) |
8 |
Turnover +/- |
NA |
NA |
LOTS OF RANKED OPPONENTS: The Blue Devils will play four teams that are ranked In the first D3football.com Top 25 poll, three of them on the road. The Blue Devils were at St. Thomas (No. 4), Saturday, Sept. 10, will be UW-Oshkosh (No. 5), Saturday, Oct. 3, host UW-Platteville (No. 11), Saturday, Oct. 25; Nov. 5 and will host UW-Whitewater (No. 2), Saturday, Nov. 12 to close the regular season.
TEAM CAPTAINS: Captains for the 2017 season include linebacker Jared Allen (Sr, Maple Grove, Minn), linebacker Nick Schulenberg (Sr, Fort Atkinson), defensive lineman Troy Rudesill (Sr, Spring Valley) and punter Clark Riedel (Sr, Waukesha).
ODDS AND ENDS: The Blue Devils play their first game of the season Saturday, Sept. 2 at Simpson College, then are home for the next two non-conference games, facing nationally ranked St. Thomas, Saturday, Sept. 9, then take two weeks off before opening the WIAC season by traveling to UW-Platteville, Saturday, Sept. 30 with a 2 p.m. start.
CANCELLATION BUMMER: A couple of weeks before the beginning of the season, the Blue Devils found out that their final non-conference game of the season with Trinity Bible College was cancelled. The Lions had fewer than 30 show up for preseason camp, only half as many as they had originally anticipated. The school, located in Ellendale, ND, has a total enrollment around 300 students. The team is still playing a limited schedule, but also cancelled a game with Waldorf College. This is the third football game in the past 25 years that has been cancelled, but the first that was cancelled just before the season began. In September, 1992, UW-Superior was forced to drop their program due to low numbers the week Stout and Superior were scheduled to tangle. A Sept. 15, 2001, game at Willamette University in Washington state was cancelled following the terrorist attack in New York City, Sept. 11, 2011, after all flights were canceled.
THE COACHES: UW-Stout: Clayt Birmingham (26-44) is in his eighth 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 (3-7) was hired as head coach of the Simpson football team on April 1, 2016 and will begin his second year at the helm for the Storm in 2017. A Simpson alumnus who won two Iowa Conference titles as a player with the Storm, Jeter comes back to Indianola from the University of Central Missouri, where he served as defensive coordinator.
COACHING STAFF Travis Destache returns as the defensive coordinator.. Chase Vogel returns for his fourth 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 last season 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 second year with the Blue Devils and brings 30-plus years of coaching experience to his work with defensive backs. Jeff Sullivan returns after 11 years. Jeff Sullivan coached with the Blue Devils from 2003-05, returning last year after an 11 year hiatus from college football. During the interim, Sullivan was an assistant coach with a number of high school programs and is a member of the first class to earn their PhD at Stout.
THE LEAGUES: UW-Stout is a member of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC). Stout finished seventh in league play last season and the Blue Devils were picked to finish seventh in a
WIAC preseason poll released in mid-August. Simpson is a member of the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) and finished in a tie for seventh.
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Senior
Jared Allen has been nominated as a National Football Foundation (NFF) scholar-athlete for 2017. Allen, a team captain, is a business major from Maple Grove, Minn., graduating from Hopkins High School. Allen has been involved with the Stout Student Association (SSA) senate throughout much of his tenure at Stout.
SEASON HONORS: 2017: Place kicker
Drew Pearson received preseason All-America honors by D3football.com, Street and Smith magazine, Lindy's magazine, and HERO Sports Network. Pearson is also on the watch list for the Fred Mitchell Award, an award he was a semi-finalist for last season...
2016: Kicker
Drew Pearson earned WIAC co-special team's player of the year honors, was selected a Fred Mtichell All-American, was a first team D3football.com first team All-American and a second team AFCA All-American...Pearson, punter
Clark Riedel and offensive lineman Kane'ala Atchison-Keolauni were D3football.com All-West Region selections, the trio, along with
Logan Stoa and
Tony Blair were all-WIAC, Stoa and Blair honorable mention, Pearson, Riedel and Atchison-Keolaunui first team...
Noel Gonzalez was named the WIAC special teams player of the week after returning a kickoff 96 yards for a score against UW-Stevens POint, Nov. 5...
Drew Pearson earned WIAC special team players of the week after making two 48 yard field goals and three PATs against UW-Platteville, Oct. 29...
Clark Riedel was the WIAC Special Team's Player of the Week after averaging 44.0 yards on five punts in which all five punts were inside the 20 in a 30-7 win over UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 15...Offensive lineman
Logan Stoa is one of three Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) football student-athletes named as semifinalists September 28 for the 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy, presented by Fidelity Investments and hosted at the New York Athletic Club....
Drew Pearson, for the month of September, has been selected for the watch list of the Fred Mitchell award, recognizing the best place kicker of the season. Pearson also was selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week, was the WIAC Special Teams Athlete of the Week and the UW-Stout/DigiCopy Athlete of the Week after making field goals of 42-, 44- and 52-yards in a 23-13 win over Mayville State, Sept. 17...Iyen Igbomoh was named the WIAC Defensive Athlete of the Week after recording 2.5 sacks in a 23-13 win over Mayville State, Sept. 17...Wide receiver
Jordan Dabney was the WIAC Offensive Player of the Week and the UW-Stout/Digicopy Athlete of the Week, Sept. 5, after catching five passes for 223 yards and two TDs in a 45-30 win over Simpson College, Sept. 3...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.
TOPPERS: The following are career bests for several of Stout's offensive players
Jay Alston - Passing
15 comp, 27 att, 311 yds, 3 TDs vs. Simpson College, Sept. 3, 2016
16 comp, 29 att, 289 yds, 4 TDs vs. River Falls, Oct. 22, 2016
18 comp, 33 att, 247 yds, 2 TDs vs. Stevens Point, Nov. 5, 2016
16 comp, 33 att, 135 yds, 2 TDs, vs. Whitewater, Nov. 14, 2015
13 comp, 28 att, 161 yds, 2 TDs, vs Platteville, Oct. 29, 2016
10 comp, 20 att, 148 yds, 1 TD, vs. St. Thomas, Sept. 10, 2016
Jay Alston - Rushing
9 carries, 96 yards, 2 TD vs. Eau Claire, Oct. 15, 2016
KeyShawn Carpenter - Rushing
12 carries, 59 yards vs. Wartburg College, Sept. 19, 2015
Kevion McDonald - Receiving
5 receptions, 98 yards vs. Loras College, Sept. 12, 2015
4 receptions, 94 yards, vs. UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 5, 2016
6 receptions, 85 yards, 1 TD vs. UW-Platteville, Oct. 29, 2016
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
Akema Collins - Receiving
3 receptions, 49 yards vs. St. Thomas, Sept. 10, 2016
2 receptions, 35 yards vs. Simpson College, Sept. 3, 2016
Brian Sandifer - Receiving
8 receptions, 101 yards, 1 TD vs. UW-Whitewater, Nov. 12, 2016
5 receptions, 101 yards, 2 TDs vs. UW-Platteville, Oct. 29, 2016
5 receptions, 78 yards, 2TDs vs. UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 5, 2016
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
85 - Adolfo Pacheco run for TD vs. Eau Claire, Oct. 15, 2016
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
311 - Jay Alston vs. Simpson College, Sept. 3, 2016 (15 comp, 27 att, 3 TDs)
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, 4 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
119 - Adolfo Pacheco vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 15, 2016 (11 carries, 1 TD)
104 - Travis Urlaub vs. Simpson College, Sept. 3, 2016 (23 carries, 1 TD)
105 - Travis Urlaub vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 24, 2015 (10 carries, 1 TD)
Recorded 200-plus receiving yards
223 - Jordan Dabney vs. Simpson College, Sept. 3, 2016 (5 rec, 2 TDs)
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)
Returned a kickoff 90-plus yards
96t - Noel Gonzalez at UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 5, 2016
90t - Carlos Concepcion vs. UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 23, 2010
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)
Recorded two interceptions
2 - Enzo Rosani vs. Mayville State, Sept. 17, 2016
Successfully Kicked a 50-plus yard field goal
51 - Drew Pearson at UW-Oshkosh, Oct. 1, 2016
52 - Drew Pearson at Mayville State, Sept. 17, 2016 (just before halftime)
52 - Brandon Raciborski vs. UW-River Falls, Oct. 20, 2007 (game winner with 45 seconds remaining)
* school record
BIG KICKOFF RETURNS: Noel Gonzalez returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against UW-Stevens Point, Nov. 5, 2016 at Stevens Point. The return was the longest return since Mike Bechtel returned a 98-yard kickoff return against UW-Whitewater, Oct. 14, 1995 on the Blue Devils' homecoming. Carlos Concepcion returned a kick 90 yards against UW-Eau Claire, Oct. 23, 2010. Jesse Wendt, who holds the school single season record for kickoff return average, returned a kickoff 90 yards in 2004. Tony Beckham did not have any 90-plus yard returns, but in back-to-back seasons, the future NFL draftee returned an 88-yard kickoff and an 89-yard return in 2000 and 2001, respectively.
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
WAR ON I-94: The War on I-94 Trophy between UW-Stout and UW-Eau Claire started in 2008. Eau Claire won the first contest for the trophy at Don and Nona Williams Stadium, Nov. 15, 2008, the final game of the 2008 season. Each team has won four times.
2008 - Eau Claire 17, Stout 6
2009 - Stout 36, Eau Claire 15
2010 - Stout 37, Eau Claire 28
2011 - Eau Claire 24, Stout 10
2012 - Eau Claire 21, Stout 13
2013 - Stout 35, Eau Claire 27
2014 - Eau Claire 20, Stout 17
2015 - Stout 45, Eau Claire 12
2016 - Stout 30, Eau Claire 7
PROMOTIONS PLANNED FOR 2017: The Blue Devils will welcome students back when they host Dorm Days, Saturday, Sept. 9 when St. Thomas comes to town for a 1:10 p.m. contest. The Blue Devils will host their annual Homecoming game Saturday, Oct. 14 at 2 p.m. vs. UW-River Falls. Stout will hold a Military Appreciation Day, Saturday, Nov. 11 when they meet UW-Oshkosh at 2 p.m. The seniors will be recognized Saturday, Nov. 11.
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 open the home portion of the season when they host nationally ranked St. Thomas, Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1:10 p.m. at Don & Nona Williams Stadium. The Tommies, who went 12-1 last season and were knocked off in the third round of the NCAA DIII playoffs, 34-31, by UW-Oshkosh, opened the season ranked fifth by D3football.com.
