The day the 2005 CCIW schedule came out I grabbed a marker and circled several games that I couldn’t wait to suit up for. October 8th was most definitely one of those dates because that meant we were heading up to Kenosha, Wisconsin to take on the Carthage Redman. Last year we beat them 35-0 at our place, but essentially that meant absolutely nothing considering they were the 2004 CCIW co-champions and made a stellar playoff run. They had accomplished something that this senior class at Augustana has never experienced, and we were well aware of that heading into week 6.

This past Friday I received a call from a good friend of mine that plays football at the University of North Texas. He recently transferred from Miami-Ohio where he played as well, but things were not going as he planned so he eventually found his way onto the North Texas campus. Anyways, he asked how we matched up against Carthage and he asked how our hotel was. Hotel? I told him I was sleeping at home in Rock Island and we were leaving early Saturday morning for our four hour bus ride to Kenosha. Here is a kid who has been involved with two different Division I-A programs so the thought of leaving on a Friday for a game is rare, let alone a game day. There was a moment of silence followed by an eruption of laughter. He was in disbelief as he is accustomed to leaving on a Thursday for a Saturday game. I just laughed and replied, “Frank, that’s Division III football my friend”.

This Saturday’s game met most expectations as it was a hard fought battle between two hardnosed teams on a cold night in Wisconsin. The Augustana offense versus the Carthage defense was the main draw as the stands were full and fans piled onto a hill on- looking the stadium providing a great football atmosphere under the lights.

The first quarter ended in a 0-0 score with solid play by both defenses, but we cracked the scoreboard midway through the second quarter on a Matt Roe 17 yard touchdown pass to tight end Tom McIntire. McIntire’s grab coupled with a with 4th quarter goal line stand(capped by a 7 yard sack by linebacker Joe Youngbauer) were crucial to our victory. While the Carthage defense held our offense in check, the defense pitched a shut out and carried our squad with the leadership of Tom Anthony who rightfully earned CCIW player of the week honors. This squad has adapted a team attitude and it really showed as contributions from all over pulled us together for a victory.

Homecoming week is ahead and we take on the Titans of Illinois Wesleyan(1-4) here in Rock Island. It is essential that we have great preparation for the next five days as we strive to continually improve from week to week. We are looking forward to another test this Saturday as the Augie-Wesleyan game has traditionally been a great game with plenty of emotion.

My earliest memories of football all trace back to backyard football with my friends from back home in Crystal Lake, IL. No matter the weather we were out there playing everyday right after school, and if you couldn’t make it, you better have had a pretty good excuse or else the next day of school was a living nightmare. No one came to watch us and there were certainly no camera crews around, but the passion we experienced together for those two hours exceeded the fulfillment any newspaper clipping could have temporarily provided.

This grueling game has taught me some lifelong lessons and it has introduced me to some lifelong friends. The game of football was a key factor in my path towards Augustana College and it has allowed me to be acquainted with the ‘backyard’ atmosphere that division III football brings. I don’t play in front of tens and thousands of people every Saturday, you won’t find me in the 2005 edition of NCAA Football for Playstation 2, nor did I get a full scholarship, but that is fine with me because I am playing the game I love with friends and coaches I care about.

That said, my teammates and I took a good initial step on the opening day of CCIW play as the Vikings of North Park bussed through 150 miles of corn to take us on in Rock Island. North Park got my adrenaline flowing as they stepped onto our field with a little swagger being 3-0 for the first time in quite a while. They approached the game with a different emotion than previous North Park teams and because of that alone, I think they will pick up a conference victory this year. However, last Saturday we jumped out to a 19-0 lead by the start of the second quarter, and again, our defense and ground attack rode with the momentum. The defense was lead by Tom Anthony and his three interceptions as Aaron Kuzniar led all Augie ball carriers with 146 yards on 15 carries. As the final seconds ticked away the scoreboard read 50-6 in our favor, but walking away from this game, we are completely aware that there are many things we need to improve upon in the following weeks to become a better football team.

Holding that thought, we travel to Kenosha, WI in week 6 to face the defending conference champions and the number 16 team in the nation, Carthage College. Returning 10 of 11 starters on defense from that conference championship team a year ago, our offense is up for the steepest challenge yet this year which should make for quite a game. As we strive to improve week to week we know that we must have a strong and productive string of practices leading up to an emotional game this Saturday at 6:00 pm under the lights. There won’t be tens and thousands of people in Kenosha on Saturday night, but you can surely bet that the intensity between the lines will match any other big game in the nation on any other football field … or backyard.

Dear reader:

We’ve asked a few Division III players to join our blog and give us an inside look into life in Division III football. Allow us to re-introduce Augustana wingback J.J. McDowell, who originally wrote for us as a junior last season in Around the Midwest:

The newborn 2005 season has already presented my teammates and I with a few significant experiences. Before we even had the chance to take the field against an opponent we lost senior captain Chris Studer to a broken arm. Chris is the type of player/person that every coach yearns to have on his roster. For three years he has put nothing less than one hundred percent into every off-season workout and every practice without a single complaint. Then his senior year rolls around, and his hard work and commitment finally earn him the opportunity to show what he is capable of doing on Saturday afternoons, but after one play, it is all taken away from him after an awkward landing after a reception. Unfortunately, Chris will miss the rest of the season, but he still hasn’t complained nor has he missed a single practice. He may not be strapping it up with us on Saturdays, but because of what he means to his teammates and this program, he remains to be a staple on the 2005 Augie football team.

Heading into week four after a bye week, with a record of 1-1, we hosted the University of Wisconsin-Platteville in front of our 1985 National Championship team. The defense came up with a stop on the opening drive, and we responded with a 92 yard drive resulting in seven points. A long interception return by defensive back Travis Shea, and a blocked punt by junior Aaron Call sparked the offensive ground attack and the momentum carried throughout the entire game. Though we walked away with a strong effort and a 45- 14 victory, we lost starting center, sophomore Donnie Gelsomino to yet, another broken limb. During the first half, at the end of a running play, a series of screams could be heard throughout Ericson field. I was ahead of the play so when I turned around I found Donnie, a kid who had worked so hard to earn a starting spot, lying there holding his leg up as his foot awkwardly hung with no support. Donnie suffered a broken leg, but just like Chris, will continue to be an essential part of this team.

Looking beyond our misfortunes, it was nice to get a big win in front of the 1985 National Championship team. One of my roommates who does not participate in football has an uncle who was on the ‘85 team, and after the game a bunch of alumni were at my house and I had the opportunity to talk to them for a while. It was fun swapping stories because many of the drills in practice and coaches they had are still around today. We shared quite a few laughs and I got to meet Brad Price, one of the greatest running backs Augie football has ever seen. It was enlightening to hear stories of the past and see their faces light up when talking of the championships or cracking a joke on a former teammate.

Next week we meet up with North Park University (3-0) for our second home game in a row. No matter what previous seasons North Park has had, running backs coach, Tom Schmulbach was quick to point out that they are currently leading the conference in rushing defense. That is all he needed to say, these Vikings will be ready for the challenge.