March 26, 2002
2002 Truman Football Schedule Set as Team Readies for Spring Practice
The 2002 Truman football schedule has been set and the Bulldogs will begin the '02 campaign on Sept. 7 at Division 1-AA non-scholarship Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The season-opener is a return trip after the DU Bulldogs came to Kirksville last year but were sent home with their tails between their legs, 40-29.
It's pay-back time for Quincy University (Ill.) the following week when the Hawks will be returning the trip to Kirksville after Truman forded the stream last year and beat QU, 51-7.
MIAA action opens with trips to Emporia and Missouri-Rolla before opening the conference slate at home with Southwest Baptist and Washburn on consecutive weekends. A trip to Missouri Southern precedes perhaps the toughest stretch of the year as the Bulldogs host Northwest Missouri and Pittsburg the next two weeks.
Games at Central Missouri and with Missouri Western at home wrap up the always tough MIAA schedule.
The Bulldogs will begin preparation for the 2002 season on Tuesday April 2. Spring drills will take place throughout the month of April and culminate on Saturday, April 27 with a Bulldog intrasquad scrimmage beginning at 2 p.m. at Stokes Stadium.
The spring practice is subject due to weather conditions, but is tentatively set as follows:
Tues., April 2--Helmets
Wed., April 3--Helmets
Thur., April 4--Shells
Fri., April 5--Shells
Mon., April 8--Shells
Tues., April 9--Full Pads
Wed., April 10--Shells
Thur., April 11--Full Pads
Mon., April 15--Full Pads
Wed., April 17--Full Pads
Fri., April 19--Full Pads
Mon., April 22--Shells
Tues., April 23--Full Pads
Thur., April 25--Helmets
2002 Preview
All indications are that the 2002 version of the Truman State University football team will be as good or better than the 8-3 team of 2001, despite the loss of first-team all-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association quarterback and Harlon Hill finalist, Eric Howe. He led the Bulldogs to a 16th-place ranking in NCAA Division II with 431 total offensive yards a game and to a 17th-place rating in passing offense (278.27 ypg).
While Howe's No. 1 targets in seniors Alfonso Pugh (Galesburg, Ill.) and Andrew Blakley (St. Joseph, Mo.) return to the gridiron, the question of who will be sending aerials their way is up in the air, heading into spring drills. But there is no lack of talent among head coach John Ware's options at signal-caller as he returns sophomore Jake Czeschin (Fulton, Mo.) and two redshirted freshmen who performed outstanding on scout teams last year, along with the addition of senior Dusty Burk (Tuscola, Ill.), a transfer to Truman in January from Division I-AA Illinois State University. Czeschin was a backup in eight games as a freshman in 2000 and completed 12 of 29 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown, but redshirted last year behind two senior QBs. Both Brandon Gutshall (Platte City, Mo./platte County) and Mike Speigel (Lee's Summit, Mo.) were standouts in the state as quarterback in high school and have made great strides on the practice field, while Burk was named the Gateway Conference's freshman of the year in 1999 and has one year of eligibility remaining.
Blakley and Pugh were two of the top receivers in the MIAA last year. Blakley led the conference and was eighth among NCAA Division II leaders in receptions (7.0 rpg) and was third in the conference and 30th in the nation with 88.5 receiving yards a game, earning first-team all-MIAA status in 2001. Pugh, who has piqued interest from NFL scouts for his size and speed, was third among MIAA all-purpose yards leaders (124.8 ypg) and ranked seventh in receptions (4.40 rpg) and eighth in receiving yards (58.8 ypg), en route to second-team all-MIAA honors. He also finished 15th in DII kickoff returns with 27.38 yards per run-back.
There will be no shortage of receivers either for the Bulldogs as senior Geoff Jensen (Grinnell, Iowa), who was third on the team in receiving and was named to the honorable mention all-conference list, returns for his final season. He will be joined by redshirt freshmen James Walton (Hinsdale, Ill.Hinsdale South) and Walter Washington (St. Louis/Webster Groves) who have showed exciting potential. Walton qualified for the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships in the long jump, while Washington was all-conference in the 400-meter dash at the league indoor track and field championships this past winter.
Also back on offense, are the Bulldogs' leading running back, Mike Redding (Lake Zurich, Ill.), who gained 535 yards on 116 carries with four touchdowns, along with junior Marc Heinecke (Colorado Springs, Colo./Air Force Prep) and senior fullback Carl Swenson (Marshalltown, Iowa). Heinecke finished fourth in rushing (38 for 180 yards) and Swenson had the longest run of the 2001 season (59 yards) and tied for second among the team's rushers with three TDs.
The offensive line will need to replace both tackles and a guard, but returns senior first-team all-MIAA center Nick Ruud (Moline, Ill.). However, senior Chris Burns (Moline, Ill.) will reappear at right tackle after missing most of last season with a knee injury. Juniors Greg Klipsch (St. Louis/Lindbergh) and Craig Knoth (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Central) are slated as the guards. Klipsch served as a valuable reserve on both sides last year, while Knoth returns to his starting role at right guard.
The tight ends will look to several redshirt freshmen, as well as some transfers from other positions, to fill the roles of three departed seniors.
The defense returns five all-MIAA players, headed by second-team picks Derek Kent (Lucas, Iowa/Chariton), a junior defensive back, and senior linebacker Jake Willrich (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes). Kent was fourth in the MIAA in tackles (10.9 tpg) and tied for second with three forced fumbles. Willrich was second on the team with 90 tackles for the year, and topped the team with three fumble recoveries, including one recovery he returned 39 yards for a touchdown.
Three senior honorable mention all-conference defenders return in defensive back Justin Walter (Chillicothe, Mo.), linebacker Judd Lienhard (Louisiana, Mo.) and defensive tackle Nick Weite (Ottumwa, Iowa). Walter grabbed a team-high four interceptions and has snagged seven arrent passes for his career, while Lienhard was third on the team with 37 tackles and topped the 2001 squad with 10 tackles for losses. Probably the strongest player on the team, Weite led the D-line with 36 stops, including eight for a loss of 23 yards and had an interception and five pass breakups. Both starting defensive ends were lost to graduation, but a large stable of experienced backups return to fill those holes, as well as the vacancy at weakside linebacker. A number of redshirt freshman will vie for the only job open in the defensive backfield.
The Bulldogs also return second-team all-MIAA kicker Austin Lepper (Ames, Iowa/Gilbert) who led the team in scoring (78 points), making good on 14-of-18 field goals (77.8). He had two game-winning kicks with a field goal in a cliffhanger win over Washburn and with a PAT in the upset of Northwest Missouri that returned the oldest DII trophy to Truman, the Old Hickory Stick.
Ware has guided the 'Dogs to 44-32 record over the last seven seasons
and is 41-22 in the MIAA during that span. Last season, Ware's team charted
the best record of his tenure with eight wins as the Bulldogs finished 6-3
in the conference, tying for fourth-place overall.