Athletics > Football > Season outlook

2007 OUTLOOK

The target for Iowa Conference opponents is squarely on the back of the Central College football team once again.

Without a losing season for the Dutch since 1960, perhaps the bulls-eye never really strayed, despite uncharacteristic 5-5 and 6-4 seasons in 2003 and 2004. But after sharing the 2005 title and then capturing the school's 28th Iowa Conference crown last year, Central will have the full attention of each team on its schedule. The Dutch are 21-1 in their last 22 regular-season games and the return of 14 starters and 40 letterwinners—including six all-conference honorees--from a club that gained a record-tying 18th NCAA Division III playoff berth has generated some preseason mention nationally as well. Central has made 16 playoff appearances in the past 22 years.

Coach Jeff McMartin, who has already piloted the Dutch to a pair of league titles and playoff berths in three seasons back at his alma mater, knows that his squad will be held to a lofty standard. He wouldn't have it any other way.

“We had a good season and we're fortunate enough to have a lot of people back, so there are high expectations,” he said. “A lot of people are going to be excited to play us this year. But that's a good thing. Our guys know they're going to play in some big, close and exciting games and they know that everyone is going to give us their best shot. I think it's just something we have to prepare them for because there's not going to be an easy game on the schedule.”

It's not as though the Dutch coasted through 2006, either. Central's 10-0 regular-season mark could have easily been much closer to .500. Three of the eight conference games were decided in overtime, so there's little chance McMartin's players are taking anything for granted.

“If they need a reminder of how tough it's going to be, they can just look at last year,” he said. “But the thing that makes me feel good is that we've got guys who have really worked hard in the off-season. Our strength coach, Jake Anderson, does a great job with our players. They have high expectations but they also have a willingness to work for what they want.

“Our guys have been very humble in their approach and I think they will continue to be that way.”

Never before has Central had what it has this year in senior running back Vance Schuring: a returning two-time Iowa Conference MVP. Schuring is just the third repeat MVP in league history. In only two seasons of action he's climbed into sixth on Central's all-time rushing yardage list with 2,538, an average of 4.7 yards per carry and 120.0 per game.

Joining him in the backfield is senior quarterback Tim Connell, a second-team all-conference honoree.

Four all-conference picks are back for a defense spearheaded by another two-time, first-team all-conference honoree in senior linebacker Andrew Lehn, along with second-team choices Dustyn Baethke, a senior stinger, senior defensive lineman Nick Mulder and senior defensive back Brett Doud.

Central won by making special teams and defense a priority. The Dutch graduated standout performers at punter and kicker, but even without them, McMartin's approach won't change.

“Special teams are an emphasis at Central,” he said. “That's something we continue to believe in and take very seriously. We also want to have a great defense and we want an offense that attacks and is opportunistic.”

Like his hall of fame predecessor, Ron Schipper, McMartin preaches error-free football and the Dutch made a living at it last year. Central led Division III in fewest turnovers (10), and was first in fumbles lost, giving up only two. Meanwhile they were fifth in quarterback sacks allowed with 0.25 per game.

“In the regular season, we gave up only two sacks and one fumble—and the fumble was on a snap in the rain,” McMartin said. “We didn't have a running back lose a fumble the entire season. If you don't fumble and you don't give up sacks, you've got a great chance to win.”

Central's opportunism was the difference in many close games. Remarkably, in the last eight regular-season games in which the opponent has outgained Central, the Dutch are 8-0, a streak that dates to Oct. 30, 2004.

Quarterback
Connell is entering his third year as the Dutch starter. He completed 141 of 236 passes (59.1 percent) for 1,514 yards with eight interceptions and 12 touchdowns in 11 games. He was also Central's second-leading rusher with 470 yards on 107 carries with three scores.

“Tim certainly did a nice job and we're looking forward to having him come back and see how he's progressed,” McMartin said. “He's very capable of directing our offense and getting us where we want to go, both as a runner and a passer. He understands our offense and does a great job of communicating with the players and coaches.”

Sophomore Jason Townsley is the only other returning quarterback although senior wide receiver Dan Buchholz has served as an effective backup and could step in if needed.

“He knows the offense very well,” he said.
But McMartin is also excited about some quarterback help that's arriving with the freshman class.

Running back
In a program bursting with game-breaking running backs throughout its history, Schuring could go down as one of the best. The 6-foot, 1-inch 205-pound Pella native racked up six 100-yard games last year, finishing with 1,199 yards on 252 carries with 12 touchdowns despite missing a game due to injury. He also had 12 pass receptions for 121 yards. Schuring was an honorable mention all-America pick by D3football.com and received all-region honors for the second time. He's also entering his second season as a team co-captain.

“Vance has been a great captain and a great leader,” McMartin said. “He's also a very special runner. He can run around you, past you or over you. He's a threat any time the ball's in his hands and has made a lot of tough yards.

“Our job is to find new ways to use him and to feature him in ways where he operates at his best.”
Junior Dustin Veldhuizen (6-0, 205) and sophomores David Zachary (5-9, 180) and Korey Van Wyk (5-11, 170) are more than adequate backups. Veldhuizen rushed for 226 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries. Zachary gained 55 yards on 18 carries, including 31 yards against Hope (Mich.) in the season's second game. He was the O'Donnell Award winner as the team's top freshman.  Van Wyk also looks to push for playing time as he enters his sophomore year.

“Dustin (Veldhuizen) did a great job when Vance got hurt last year,” McMartin said. “He had some big runs. He's got really good feet and can put his head down and run tackle-to-tackle. David continues to get better as well. I'd like to see them both get on the field more.”

Central is also in good shape at the S-back position, the hybrid fullback/flanker/tight end in the Dutch offense. Junior Justin Johnson (5-10, 200) and sophomore Nathan Craft (6-1, 210) are the frontrunners for the open spot. Craft gained 51 yards and two TDs on 17 rushes.

“Nathan catches the ball well, runs well and is an excellent blocker,” McMartin said. “And he's gotten a lot stronger. He will allow us to do some different things because of his versatility.

“Justin (Johnson) could really benefit our program as a tailback or an S-back. He has become a lot faster and added a lot to his versatility as well.”

Tight end
Senior Jon Haugen (6-3, 215) is back at tight end. He served primarily as a blocker but caught six passes for 81 yards and two TDs.

“Jon had a good off-season,” McMartin said. “He's very athletic and has a keen sense of how to get open. His blocking improved as the season went on as well. He's becoming a complete tight end. We just want to keep him healthy.”

Junior Jacob Nero (6-3, 220) moved to tight end last year and will likely see the field as well, along with sophomores Jordan Leuschen (6-6, 205) and Alex Dittmer (6-1, 180), as the Dutch employ several two-tight end sets.

“Jake (Nero) is continuing to learn the position and get comfortable,” McMartin said. “He's got good hands and can help us in special teams as well.

“We lost Jordan (Leuschen) with a foot injury last year but we're excited about him. He was playing well before he got hurt and had a lot of success as a basketball player last year. I think that experience is going to benefit him because he's competed at the varsity level.

“Alex (Dittmer) is very athletic. He's got great hands and is a tenacious competitor. I'm excited to see what he can do.”

Receivers
Central returns its leading receiver in senior Cody Huisman, who made 40 catches for 552 yards and three touchdowns last year. He erupted for a nine-catch, 144-yard day in the regular-season finale with Simpson Nov. 11. He also returned six kickoffs for 21.0 yards and four punts for 6.2 yards for the year.

“Cody really ended last year with a flourish,” McMartin said. “He's made some big plays for us and has also become a good blocker. He's an exciting player who plays with a lot of passion. He's going to be a guy that we can feature in many different ways.”

Senior Josh Smith (6-5, 205) made 23 catches last year for 233 yards and two scores.   
“Josh is a big target,” McMartin said. “We need to create some good matchups for him and we expect him to make some big plays for us.”

Senior Cody Wille (6-4, 190) also has a size advantage. He caught seven passes for 58 yards and should see more action this year.

“Cody has really improved,” McMartin said. “He's a good competitor and we're excited to see what he can do this year.”

McMartin is also counting on contributions from Buchholz (6-1, 200) and from juniors Matt VerMeer (6-3, 185) and Cam Waugh (5-10, 190).

“Matt and Cam got their feet wet as sophomores last year and I'd like to see them take that next step this season,” he said.

After gaining experience on the junior varsity, sophomores Tyler Motter (6-0, 170) and Corben Schueler (6-3, 175) also look to compete for playing time.

Offensive line
Central returns two starters up front but must fill the guard and center positions. Senior Keith Bowers (6-2, 245) and junior Spenser Remick (6-4, 280) are back at tackle.

“Keith is a very unselfish player,” McMartin said. “He moved from nose guard to right tackle for us and did a great job. He's very smart and a hard worker who is going to continue to get better. He gives us a lot of security at right tackle.

“The nice thing is we also return our starter at left tackle. Spenser Remick is the strongest player on the team. He came in and started every game as a sophomore and was one of our most improved players as well. We asked him to be the man at left tackle and he did a good job.”

There will be some competition for the other three line spots. Senior Neal Mick (6-1, 245) earned McMartin's praise for his efforts at center on the team's early summer trip to Italy. Juniors Owen Haberman (6-6, 300),  Aron Burk (6-2, 240), and Jordan Edgerly (6-0, 265) are strong candidates, along with sophomores Andy Kneib (6-0, 255), Kyle Wnenk (6-2, 280) and Todd Stoel (6-1, 250). Haberman is a two-time letterwinner and Wnenk lettered as a freshman last season.

“We expect those guys to come in and solidify the offensive line,” McMartin said. “We're also very excited about our freshmen offensive linemen. I think we have a really special class coming in.”

Defensive line
McMartin is enthused about the return of senior Nick Mulder (6-6, 240), a second-team all-conference pick at defensive tackle. He made 15 solo tackles with 12 assists and recorded a team-high 6.5 sacks along with seven tackles for loss.

“He's big and he's athletic,” McMartin said. “He's exactly what we look for in a defensive lineman. He makes plays.”

Junior J.J. Owens (6-1, 245) is also a returning starter and is probably slotted for nose guard after making eight solo tackles with nine assists last year.

“We're looking for big things from J.J.,” McMartin said. “He needs to be a guy who is creating problems for the other team's offense play after play.”

Getting an early look at the other line spot will be senior Chris Willis (6-2, 250), who lettered in his first season at Central last year and notched 11 tackles, including three for loss.

“Chris moved from linebacker and is very athletic,” McMartin said. “He can play nose guard or tackle, which is a real luxury. He's a very tenacious player who loves the game.”

Junior Garrett Hill (6-3, 235) also lettered in his first season.
“Garrett was a great addition to the program,” McMartin said. “I like what he's doing out there. He's a big, strong guy who can make a lot of plays for us.”

Junior David Cain (5-9, 230), sophomore Stephen Cain (5-6, 170) and sophomore Kyle Erickson (6-6, 220) give the Dutch some additional depth.

Linebacker
Two-time first-team all-conference pick Andrew Lehn, a 5-11, 235-pound senior, heads a productive linebacking corps. Lehn, the Lankelma Award winner the past two seasons as the team's top underclassman, again topped the Central tackle charts last year with 45 unasssisted stops and 58 assists. He made 6.5 tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks, a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery.

“Andrew has led our team in tackles the last two years and is poised to have a great senior year,” McMartin said. “He makes plays, pure and simple. He gets off blocks well, he's athletic and he's got size.”

Another returning starter is senior Greg Altmaier (6-1, 200). He made 19 solo tackles with 28 assists, seven tackles for loss and four sacks.

“Greg's good at putting pressure on the quarterback and is a good run-stopper for us, too,” McMartin said.
Junior Ryan Thompson (6-1, 200) shared last year's Claussen Award as the team's most improved player, making 18 solo tackles with 17 assists and recovered two fumbles, including a game-saver in an overtime win at Luther.

“Ryan played quite a bit as a sophomore and will compete for a lot of playing time,” McMartin said.


Also in that category are senior Scott Paja (6-0, 200), and juniors Justin Ver Steeg (6-2, 210), Ramy Mosbah (6-1, 215) and Jeremy Swafford (5-10, 185).

“Scott (Paja) has been bit by the injury bug, but he's going to help us,” McMartin said. “He's been great on special teams. He's a great leader and a super person.”

Forcing their way into the picture are sophomores Zach Van Arkel (6-1, 185) Caleb Bonjour (6-1, 230) and Kyle Cheney (6-3, 215).

“They've gotten a lot bigger this off-season,” McMartin said. “We've got to find a place for those guys.”

Stinger
Two-year team co-captain Dustyn Baethke, a 6-2, 205-pound senior and a second-team all-conference pick, possesses all the ingredients needed to excel at Central's stinger position, a hybrid defensive end/linebacker/strong safety. He made 32 solo tackles with 24 assists, had a team-high six pass breakups, two interceptions, three tackles for loss and a sack.

His former Williamsburg High School teammate Trenton Blythe, a 6-4, 210-pound senior, is also a returning starter. Blythe made 16 solo tackles with 11 assists, six tackles for loss and three sacks. Senior Aaron Rasmussen (6-0, 200) saw significant playing time as well with 11 solo tackles and 20 assists along with 4.5 tackles for loss.  Aaron is also a force on special teams.

“They've all played a lot and been an integral part of the success we've had on defense,” McMartin said. “They're all great pass defenders and they do a great job on blitzes. When we have good stinger play, it makes our defense special and that's what we've got from these guys the past two years.”

McMartin needs to identify backup help and thinks he'll get it from a talented group of underclassmen including  juniors Jordan Jaspering (5-8, 160) and Curtis Johnson (6-0, 170).

“They've both gotten bigger and better,” he said. “They've helped us on special teams and will be important players for us this year.”

McMartin also is encouraged by the promise shown by sophomores Colton Steeve (6-1, 165), Chris Chitwood (6-0, 180) and Derek Roorda (5-11, 190). 

Defensive back
The Dutch have another playmaker in the secondary in two-time co-captain Brett Doud, a 6-0, 180-pound senior. A first-team all-conference honoree as a sophomore as both a cornerback and kick returner, Doud's junior season was slowed by illness but he still garnered second-team recognition at cornerback. He made a team-high four interceptions and ranks fourth on Central's career charts with 12. Doud also made 17 solo tackles with seven assists and two pass breakups while averaging 9.0 yards on 18 punt returns and 27.5 yards on six kick returns.

“Brett's a special athlete,” McMartin said. “He's a big-time kick returner and punt returner and does a great job at cornerback. He had some sickness that hurt him last year but we need him out there.”

Also returning as a starting cornerback is senior Guy Dierikx (5-11, 170). A five-time all-America honoree in track and field, Dierikx came on strong last season, finishing with 29 solo tackles, 21 assists, two tackles for loss, an interception and five pass breakups.

“Guy came up big in a lot of games and a lot of key situations,” McMartin said. “Some teams would go away from passing at Brett Doud and try to go after Guy. But he's such a great competitor and has such great speed, there wasn't much for them to go after.”

The Dutch must find a starter at free safety. One candidate is senior Marc Badeaux (6-4, 190), who made five solo tackles and nine assists along with three interceptions and a fumble recovery. McMartin wants him to see more regular duty this year.

“We've got to find a place for him,” he said. “He's a good hitter and a good player.”


McMartin said senior Austen Schueler is a free safety candidate as well, after earning his first varsity letter last season.

Junior Chad Eisenman (6-1, 175), who shared the Claussen Award as the team's most improved player, filled in when Doud was sidelined.

“He really made nice strides,” McMartin said. “He filled in for Brett and made a lot of big plays.”

Sophomore Cody Baethke (6-0, 160) showed great promise as a freshman, making six solo tackles and four assists after working his way onto the field later in the year. Sophomores Kevin Good (5-10, 160), Brock Seeman (6-0, 160), Jacob Jordan (5-10, 160) and Brad Soma (6-1, 175) round out the secondary returnees.

Special teams
Few squads rely as heavily on special teams play as Central. That will continue but there are holes to fill.

“We have some work to do to find a good kicker and punter,” McMartin said. “But we also need to understand that the 10 other guys on the field need to do the absolute best they can do to help make up for that.”

Sophomore Blake Warrick is among the hopefuls at punter while Kip Morsch (6-3, 185), Warrick, Paja and David Cain (5-9, 230) are battling for placekicking duties. McMartin isn't ruling out tapping a talented freshman group.

“I expect guys will develop,” McMartin said. “The big thing is we have to stress coverage.”

But the Dutch are not without special teams experience.

“Flip the coin to punt returns and kick returns,” McMartin said. “We've got a lot of those guys back. We can be very dangerous there.”

Doud has been a standout returning punts and kicks. He could get help from Huisman, Cody Baethke and Johnson.

The freshmen
Evaluating a recruiting class before the players arrive on campus is often time misspent, but McMartin is as enthused as he's been in his time at Central about this year's newcomers. Even with the number of veterans back for the Dutch, McMartin said some freshmen could contribute this fall.

“We've got a lot of good, young guys coming in,” he said. “They've got a lot of ability and did a nice job in their high school careers by being good players and good people. They've been good students as well. The things we look for in Central College recruits are there. We've got some real good potential.”

The schedule
After a talented St. Thomas (Minn.) club pays its first visit to Pella Sept. 1, Central plays its first night game since 1985 when the Dutch journey to Holland, Mich. to face Hope (Mich.). Then the Iowa Conference gauntlet begins. McMartin is reluctant to pick a favorite, given the league's surging talent level and balance. But many will tab Wartburg, which had a stellar defense last year and returns nearly the entire unit. Coe boasts several offensive weapons and is among the contenders as well.

McMartin makes no guarantees other than promising the Dutch will be well-prepared. The work in the off-season often makes the difference in-season and Anderson's strength and conditioning efforts focus on more than weightlifting.

“We have gotten faster,” McMartin said. “We're seeing some great improvements in speed, which is important at Central. We've never been an overly big team and we value guys who can run.”

Meanwhile, McMartin won't get caught up in thinking about expectations.
“We've really stressed just getting better each week and we've done that,” he said. “It will be fun to see how well we can play.”