Briar Cliff entertains Hastings in home opener
BCU coach looking for improved line play
By Steven Allspach Journal sports writer | Posted: Saturday, September 08, 2007
Briar Cliff's offensive line remains a work in progress.
Lining up from tackle to tackle requires five bodies -- very large ones preferably -- on the interior line of scrimmage.
Someone might be waiting in the wings, but Charger Coach Dick Strittmatter figures it is time his O-linemen answer the call to heavy duty and forget about paying lip service to the form chart.
"This is our fifth year and it's about time in our program that our offensive linemen step up and become instrumental in what we want to accomplish,'' says Strittmatter, whose team entertains Hastings today in a Great Plains Athletic Conference home opener (1 p.m.) at Memorial Field. "To get this thing (program) where we want it to go we've got to establish a productive running game and we've got to do a much better job of protecting our quarterbacks.
"The coaches have issued a challenge to our guys on the O-line. It's up to them now to respond positively to that challenge. Honestly, as a group, we expect more from them and they understand that.
"Hopefully, the intensity and focus will increase and improve starting with this game with Hastings.
"We've had a hard, but very good week of practice.''
In a 36-23 season-opening loss at Concordia, Briar Cliff rushed the ball 35 times and gained a meager 42 yards. Aaron Robards gained 48 yards on 15 carries to lead the ground game, but sacks and other tackles for losses resulted in a negative 42 yards rushing.
Robards was the leading rusher last season, gaining 496 yards in a 5-6 campaign in which the Chargers averaged just 72.8 yards on the ground.
Senior left tackle Cory Roeder (6-2, 280), junior right tackle Drew Ullrich (6-2, 280), sophomore center Ashton Piechota (5-10, 260), sophomore left guard Nick Riessen (5-10, 255) and senior right guard Alex Williams (5-10, 235) manned the starting posts in the opener.
Roeder is from Fullerton (Neb.), Ullrich and Riessen played at Denison-Schleswig High School, Williams is from Aurora (Neb.) and Piechota hails from Houston, Texas.
"We have to improve in every way against Hastings,'' said Strittmatter. "We didn't do a good job with our specialty teams either and we've made several changes.''
A blocked BC punt led to a Concordia touchdown and Bulldog Jeff Neujahr returned a kickoff 98 yards for a TD.
Offensively, Kyle Gerdes started at quarterback against Concordia, but suffered a shoulder injury and has been ruled out of today's game. Lane Claussen, who played the second half and passed for 118 yards, will start. Gerdes threw for 102 yards, but was sacked three times and Claussen twice.
"Hastings traditionally wants to run the football and they'll try to do that against us,'' said Strittmatter.
In a 13-9 opening non-conference win over Dakota State, Hastings running back Maurice Mansfield rushed for 82 yards.
The two schools are meeting for the fourth time with Hastings holding a 3-1 lead in the series, including a 28-3 triumph last season.
BC's Michael Langfield, a sophomore out of Arvada, Colo., caught seven passes for 80 yards in the opener. The Chargers lost last year's top receiver, Luke Roder, to a season-ending knee injury in drills leading up to the Concordia contest.
The Hastings offense showcases Brandon Jacobitz (6-4, 317), and Evan Klanecky (6-4, 315), but Andrew Strandness (6-4, 270) may not play because of injuries and the Broncos were outrushed (231-116) and outgained (343-221) in the win over Dakota State.
Standout Hastings linebacker Mackenzie Hemje also missed the opener with an injury and is questionable for the GPAC opener for Coach Paul Mierkiewicz.
"Briar Cliff's score with Concordia is not indicative of how good they are,'' cautions Mierkiewicz, a graduate of Loras College in Dubuque. "They were ahead in most statistical categories.''
Lining up from tackle to tackle requires five bodies -- very large ones preferably -- on the interior line of scrimmage.
Someone might be waiting in the wings, but Charger Coach Dick Strittmatter figures it is time his O-linemen answer the call to heavy duty and forget about paying lip service to the form chart.
"This is our fifth year and it's about time in our program that our offensive linemen step up and become instrumental in what we want to accomplish,'' says Strittmatter, whose team entertains Hastings today in a Great Plains Athletic Conference home opener (1 p.m.) at Memorial Field. "To get this thing (program) where we want it to go we've got to establish a productive running game and we've got to do a much better job of protecting our quarterbacks.
"The coaches have issued a challenge to our guys on the O-line. It's up to them now to respond positively to that challenge. Honestly, as a group, we expect more from them and they understand that.
"Hopefully, the intensity and focus will increase and improve starting with this game with Hastings.
"We've had a hard, but very good week of practice.''
In a 36-23 season-opening loss at Concordia, Briar Cliff rushed the ball 35 times and gained a meager 42 yards. Aaron Robards gained 48 yards on 15 carries to lead the ground game, but sacks and other tackles for losses resulted in a negative 42 yards rushing.
Robards was the leading rusher last season, gaining 496 yards in a 5-6 campaign in which the Chargers averaged just 72.8 yards on the ground.
Senior left tackle Cory Roeder (6-2, 280), junior right tackle Drew Ullrich (6-2, 280), sophomore center Ashton Piechota (5-10, 260), sophomore left guard Nick Riessen (5-10, 255) and senior right guard Alex Williams (5-10, 235) manned the starting posts in the opener.
Roeder is from Fullerton (Neb.), Ullrich and Riessen played at Denison-Schleswig High School, Williams is from Aurora (Neb.) and Piechota hails from Houston, Texas.
"We have to improve in every way against Hastings,'' said Strittmatter. "We didn't do a good job with our specialty teams either and we've made several changes.''
A blocked BC punt led to a Concordia touchdown and Bulldog Jeff Neujahr returned a kickoff 98 yards for a TD.
Offensively, Kyle Gerdes started at quarterback against Concordia, but suffered a shoulder injury and has been ruled out of today's game. Lane Claussen, who played the second half and passed for 118 yards, will start. Gerdes threw for 102 yards, but was sacked three times and Claussen twice.
"Hastings traditionally wants to run the football and they'll try to do that against us,'' said Strittmatter.
In a 13-9 opening non-conference win over Dakota State, Hastings running back Maurice Mansfield rushed for 82 yards.
The two schools are meeting for the fourth time with Hastings holding a 3-1 lead in the series, including a 28-3 triumph last season.
BC's Michael Langfield, a sophomore out of Arvada, Colo., caught seven passes for 80 yards in the opener. The Chargers lost last year's top receiver, Luke Roder, to a season-ending knee injury in drills leading up to the Concordia contest.
The Hastings offense showcases Brandon Jacobitz (6-4, 317), and Evan Klanecky (6-4, 315), but Andrew Strandness (6-4, 270) may not play because of injuries and the Broncos were outrushed (231-116) and outgained (343-221) in the win over Dakota State.
Standout Hastings linebacker Mackenzie Hemje also missed the opener with an injury and is questionable for the GPAC opener for Coach Paul Mierkiewicz.
"Briar Cliff's score with Concordia is not indicative of how good they are,'' cautions Mierkiewicz, a graduate of Loras College in Dubuque. "They were ahead in most statistical categories.''
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