Fighting Scots kick off season at home vs. Concordia Saturday

Release Date: September 1, 2005

MONMOUTH, Ill. — If this season’s Monmouth College football opener against Concordia (Wis.) University is anything like last year’s, fans will be in for quite a treat Saturday as the Fighting Scots kick off their 2005 campaign on Community Day against the Falcons at 1:30 p.m. at Bobby Woll Memorial Field.

A year ago, the teams combined for 91 points in a see-saw affair. The Scots, who went on to post a stellar 9-1 record, eventually prevailed 52-39 thanks to a pair of short interception returns by linemen Adam Troll and Zach Kirchner and a safety following a Concordia punt snap that sailed over the punter’s head and out of the end zone.

In fact, that safety started Concordia’s unraveling process. Following the free kick, Monmouth scored on its first play from scrimmage, and Kirchner tallied his defensive score on the Falcons’ next play. All of a sudden, the Scots’ slim three-point lead was extended to 44-25.

“Concordia probably feels they gave the game to us last year,” said MC coach Steve Bell, whose team will open the season riding a seven-game winning streak. “They’re definitely going to come down here prepared and resolved to not let that happen again.”

Using Concordia’s experiences as a teaching tool, Bell is preaching to his team that it needs to avoid the turnovers and penalties that are often the difference in season openers. He also said that special team play and field position will likely be factors.

“There were some big kick returns last year (three of more than 50 yards), and the bad punt snap,” Bell recalled. “We’ve told our kids that special teams will play an important role again.”

The Scots figure to be in good shape in that area, with punter/kicker Nathan Palkovic in fine form after a freshman season that saw him average 37.8 yards per punt and convert 40-of-42 PATs. Handling the returns again will be the tandem of Evan Haffner and Bobby Gibbs, who each averaged more than 24 yards per kickoff return last fall.

Of course, the good ol’ offense vs. defense battle will figure prominently, too, and fans are likely to see a steady dose of running plays from Concordia.

“They use the wing-T and run 90 percent of the time,” said Bell. “Their fullback, (Immanuel) Mills, hurt us last year.”

Mills gained 108 yards on 15 carries as the Falcons totaled 502 yards, with 441 coming on the ground. Brandon Parker, who does not return for Concordia, busted scoring runs of 55 and 18 yards and finished with 182 yards on the day.

Monmouth also has two backs who will be a threat to reach the 100-yard mark. However, neither has gained a single yard in their college careers.

Jeff Davis and Dante Daniels will comprise Bell’s 1-2 tailback punch to start the season, and they both have impressive athletic resumes, though not at the college level. Davis gained more than 2,000 yards in 2003 for Oswego’s Class 7A state champions, while Daniels, a former Western Michigan recruit, won the Class AA 200-meter dash in 1999.

Those two players won the vacant tailback spot, and Bell noted that several other Scots stepped up during the preseason to win contested starting positions.

One of them directly affects Davis and Daniels, as Bell said, “In my opinion, you don’t run well without a good tight end.”

Abingdon product Shane Gordon, a former quarterback, has won that spot, and Bell noted that linebacker Jason Goldsworthy and cornerback Aaron Payette also look like they’re ready to make a name for themselves this season.

Rounding out the Scots’ opening day starters will be quarterback Mitch Tanney (who has “looked extremely good” in practice), receivers Haffner and Matt Hammer, fullback Jason Myers, tackles Joe Freitag and Tom Fabian, guards Tony Russo and Matt Woods and center Brad Reinhart.

On defense, the line will include Kirchner, Tyler Dihle, Nick Bush and Wes Levy, with T.J. Scruggs and Justin Zigler manning the other two linebacker spots. Joining Payette as a cornerback will be Ryan Bast, with Doug Stichter and Josh Schaver starting at safety.

Statistical leaders who return for Concordia include Mills, who rushed for 1,038 yards for last year’s 7-3 team. Halfback Aaron Gillespie was the third-leading rusher with 505 yards, and the team’s leading receiver, Jon Collier, is back after catching 32 passes for 465 yards and 11 scores.

The Falcons do not return either of their top two quarterbacks, so freshman Justin Kammler figures to get the nod.

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