Season start could be key for young Central football squad

Central Dutch Athletics

PELLA– Coach Jeff McMartin likes the way his Central College football team finished the 2017 season. Now he wants the Dutch to start 2018 as successfully as well.

With a pair of daunting new non-conference opponents, that’s a demanding assignment, but the Dutch want to avoid going 1-2 out of the blocks as they did a year ago. Central rallied for a 6-1 finish to close at 7-3 and take second place in the Iowa Conference. It was the 57th straight year that the Dutch avoided a losing season. The program remains the fourth-winningest in college football since 1975 with a 351-91-1 mark (.793) and has captured a record 30 league championships, along with 20 NCAA Division III berths.

Nine starters return with six on defense and three on offense, along with all-conference picks back at kicker and punter. What the Dutch lack in experience at some spots should be compensated for by effort, McMartin said.

“It’s an interesting team,” he said. “There are some glaring losses at certain positions, like linebacker, wide receiver and offensive and defensive line. But in all those cases, especially on the lines, we have guys returning with a lot of game experience and are very capable. It will be exciting to see how everyone comes along.

“We have very high expectations for this season,” he said. “We believe these guys can meet our standards. They will play really hard. They give great effort. They like to play football.”

That effort needs to be there on opening day, McMartin said.

“We need to get off to a better start,” he said. “We started off slowly last year. To finish second after starting 0-1 in the conference and 1-2 overall, that’s a credit to the players. They stayed focused and stuck with the process.

“This year we have to take care of the football and not beat ourselves. We need to limit turnovers, penalties, mistakes and blown assignments. As coaches we will stress ways to improve all aspects of the game. If we get off to a faster start, good things can happen.”

Offensive line

“Everything starts up front,” McMartin said. “The good thing is, we have experience back, even though we don’t have a lot of seniors.”

But the Dutch do have some depth as two sets of twins will see action.

Officially, Central has just one returning offensive line starter in senior left guard Tylor Newhouse but several others have played significant snaps.

“Tylor had a great season for us last year,” McMartin said. “He was consistent. He does the right thing. You just look for him and his experience to kind of take over. We’re very productive when he’s in there. We have to keep him on the field.”

Initially behind Newhouse are senior Cody Tuttle and sophomore Griffin Sargent. At right guard, sophomore Josh Mayhew battles senior Dylan Tuttle and junior Nick Yarkosky.

“Dylan and Cody Tuttle have really worked hard and provide a lot of leadership,” McMartin said. “They bring a lot of passion and a great work ethic to our offensive line. And Josh Mayhew and Nick Yarkosky will compete.”

A pair of juniors, Jake Suggett and Ed Henning, line up at center.

“Jake played quite a bit at guard for us last year and he’s very capable of snapping the ball as well,” McMartin said. “Ed has done a good job there, too.”

At right tackle, the Dutch are looking at sophomore Travis Wagner, junior Carter Smith and sophomore Dayne Gustafson, who moved from center. Wagner and Smith are the early favorites.

“It will be a battle between them,” McMartin said.

At left tackle, junior Cody Smith will be challenged by sophomores Cooper Johnson and James Lamgo.

“Cody has taken another step in his development,” McMartin said. “He’s bigger, stronger and more vocal.”

McMartin likes the line’s potential.

“They’re physically a bigger group,” McMartin said. “They’re strong and they’re athletic. We want to stay healthy, obviously, and keep everybody on the field, but if we do, they give us a great chance to be effective offensively.”

Five freshmen are added to the mix.

Tight end

The Dutch graduated starting tight end P.J. Norem but could replace him with his brother, junior Ross Norem, who moved from quarterback.

“Ross looked good in the spring,” McMartin said. “It was a good move for him.”

A pair of seniors, Spencer Barber and Aaron Fogt, will also compete.

“Aaron has done a lot with special teams,” McMartin said. “Spencer has not only contributed at tight end but does a lot of our signaling and is willing to do whatever the team needs.”

Receivers

Matching the production of graduated record-setting all-American wide receiver Sam Markham isn’t realistic but the Dutch are looking at several candidates for playing time. Juniors Hunter Robinson and Brady Johnson are joined by sophomores Erik Knaack, Logan Huinker, Gavin Ritchie, T.J. Snyder and Tylor Obermeyer.

“There’s a lot of competition there,” McMartin said. “We don’t have clear-cut starters right now. Guys have to come to camp and earn playing time. It will be interesting to see who steps up and makes plays.”

With just three catches for 28 yards last year, Robinson is the leading receiver in the group, but there have been chances to shine.

“All through the spring and going over to Germany and Austria, guys had opportunities to show what they can do,” McMartin said. “Right now we feel like it’s wide open. Nobody has separated themselves from the pack. It’s going to come down to who gets open in space, making tough catches, knowing their assignment and how well they block. Those are all important considerations in determining who’s going to start.”

Markham, who had 63 catches for 1042 yards and 11 TDs, set nearly every receiving school record in the book, including career catches (289), receiving yards (3,887) and TDs (33). But McMartin said the Dutch passing game can still be effective.

“You have to throw the ball in different ways,” he said. “In some ways, it’s like when you change to a quarterback with a different style. You have to find out what fits you. That’s going to be what we decide on this fall. Our offense is balanced and it requires receivers to run routes, get open and make plays. That’s not going to change.”

Running back

Unlike receiver, experience abounds at running back with three talented seniors in Donny Groezinger, Pat Gray and Nathan Fitzgerald.

Groezinger ran for 507 yards and five touchdowns on 107 carries last year. He’s also Central’s top returning receiver with 15 catches for 102 yards and three scores.

“Donny is very electric as a runner,” McMartin said. “He has great agility and cuts well, but he also knows how to fit it when it comes to zone plays.”

Fitzgerald rushed for 439 yards and a pair of TDs on 84 carries while catching seven balls for 75 yards. He was named the team’s Lankelma-Menning Award winner as the top underclass player in 2016.

“Nathan really runs hard,” McMartin said. “He runs downhill. He is ready to have a great senior year.

Gray continues to show great promise despite coming off a series of injuries earlier in his career. The O’Donnell Award winner as the team’s top freshman in 2015, Gray gained 319 yards and three TDs on 60 carries last year and also caught six passes for 21 yards and a score.

“Pat is very strong,” McMartin said. “He has a slashing running style. He also catches the ball well. He may have the best hands on our team. He’s a good athlete and a fearless blocker who will throw his body around.”

In addition, Sophomore Jordon Woods had an encouraging rookie campaign, gaining 93 yards on 17 carries.

The Dutch will utilize their depth.

“They each have their own running style,” McMartin said. “I think it’s a luxury for a coach to have that. We can change up gears, see how guys are feeling and see who’s effective.”

S-back

Central’s hybrid fullback/tight end position, the S-back, was unsettled entering preseason camp. Senior Daniel Coovert and sophomore Caleb Schlatter are unproven but capable, McMartin said.

“I like both of them,” McMartin said. “They have great hands and are very solid blockers.”

Quarterback

An injury created an opening for Blaine Hawkins to get a shot as the starting quarterback as a freshman last year and he didn’t let go. Hawkins dazzled, starting the final six games and leading Central in both passing and rushing. He threw for 1,691 yards, completing 116 of 186 passes (.624) with 18 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed 86 times for 593 yards and nine TDs.

“Blaine had a great freshman year,” McMartin said. “He’s very versatile and keeps a really even keel. He just goes to work every day. Our players enjoy being around him and he’s done a good job of leading the team.”

But continued improvement is essential.

“He has to know how to utilize the people around him,” McMartin said. “Last year he had different receivers. He had guys with a lot of experience. This year, he has to be prepared to find the openings, find the soft spots on the field, and I’m confident that he will. He’s very smart. He’s a student of the game. The things that (assistant) Coach (Ryan) Maiuri will teach him, I know he’ll put into place.”

Sophomore Tanner Schminke, who moved to help out at defensive back last year, is returning to challenge for playing time at quarterback. Much like last year’s graduated back-up, Kohle Helle, Schminke will likely also spend time at wide receiver as the Dutch seek ways to get him on the field.

The Dutch also have a promising freshman quarterback candidate, McMartin said.

Defensive line

Junior nose guard Martin Olson is the lone returnee with any starting experience up front. He made 13 tackles last year. Sophomore Blade Durbala played extensively as well and had 15 stops, including one for loss. Sophomore Joe Pepe is also at nose guard.

“They’re all going to compete,” McMartin said. “Blade played quite a bit as the year went on. He and Martin will create some mismatches up front and do some very good things.”

The picture at the ends is less clear. On the right side, junior Carter Terpstra is a letterwinner, making seven tackles a year ago. He’s pushed by senior Tanner Gilliland and sophomores Matt Glockel and Isaiah Arana.

At left end, it’s junior Jeffrey Banks seeking time along with sophomores Lou Gomez, converted linebacker Hunter Maddy and Henry Fair.

“Martin Olson, Carter Terpstra and Jeffrey Banks have all done a really good job,” McMartin said. “We’ve got some guys with good size and speed. And the guys that are in the sophomore class were really effective in JV games last year. We feel like they’ve risen to the point where they’re ready to compete for varsity positions. I like their athleticism and they go really hard. You don’t have to get after them. They know how to push it.”

Linebacker

Central’s starting linebacker corps was wiped out by graduation.

Yet McMartin feels good about his options. On the outside, juniors Connor Lewin and Tate O’Tool and senior Louis Kriegel bring the most experience. O’Tool had 35 tackles with an interception and four breakups while Lewin made 10 stops and Kriegel had two. Central can also turn to senior Josiah Soderstrum, who moved from safety, and senior Jake Poster, junior Alex Cloyed and sophomores Malik Hatch, Cody Wonderlich and Casey Crum.

“There’s really good competition developing there,” McMartin said. “We feel like it’s a strong position for us.”

There’s less experience inside. At one inside spot, sophomore Drew Smith lettered as a freshman and is joined by sophomore Cade Humphries, who moved from S-back, along with junior Cody Fields and sophomore Andrue Wright.

At the other inside position, senior Drew Kithcart is a two-time letterwinner. He had 12 tackles last year and is joined by classmates Thomas Fox, Alex Tamerius and Austin Carney.

“It’s an area we’re working hard to develop,” McMartin said. “There’s talent there. They can run and they’re physical. It’s a matter of finding guys who are consistent and make plays. Some of that will be determined in scrimmages and the preseason. But during non-contact drills, they’ve looked good.”

But McMartin won’t hesitate to consider other options, particularly if additional pass defense is needed.

“We might not be done moving people yet,” he said. “the game of football is changing. Teams still want to run the ball and if they can, they will, but there’s a lot more passing going on. You’ve got to find guys who are cover guys, too.”

Defensive back

McMartin calls the secondary the most experienced area on the team as the Dutch have returning starters at all four spots as well as other veterans.

Senior Tate Jensen returns at strong safety with senior Collin Erickson at free safety but McMartin notes that junior Jordy Borman was a part-time starter as well as part of a three-man rotation. Jensen made 39 tackles with an interception and seven pass breakups. Erickson had 46 stops with two interceptions and five breakups while Borman had 33 stops with three breakups.

“They’re very physical,” McMartin said. “They’re good tacklers who know how to hit you. They’re very smart, too. We’re looking to them to quarterback the defense and provide some big playmaking ability and get some takeaways. “

Converted quarterback Brett Staton, a sophomore, is also at strong safety while sophomore William Diaz is at free safety.

“They will compete,” McMartin said. “They had a good freshman year. We expect them to take that next step and get on the field. It’s critical that we get those guys to improve this season to make sure we’re ready to be effective each week.”

Junior Danny Anderson has already started for two seasons at cornerback. He had 33 tackles and seven pass breakups last year. Senior Trevor Smith is back at the other cornerback spot. He’s Central’s leading returning tackler with 56 stops, including 38 solos. He was tops in pass breakups with nine and had an interception. But they’re being pressured by junior Christian Escobar and sophomores Gavin Thompson, Mason Cross and Tre Wilridge.

“Anytime you have guys that have started, you expect they’re going to be a year better, faster, stronger and more knowledgeable but certainly, for the guys who have only been there a year or two, they’re going to battle to get on the field and we believe they’re talented enough to do that,” McMartin said. “There’s talent there, so it will be very competitive. It will come down to who makes the most plays and defends receivers the best.

Special teams

Two of Central’s top all-star candidates are special teams performers. Junior kicker Jon Alberts and senior punter Tyler Bryant were first-team all-conference picks and each received D3football.com team of the week honors during the season.

Alberts hit a school-record 14 field goals in 16 tries (.875), including a record four against Augustana (Ill.), and booted a long of 40 yards. He also converted 38 of 41 extra points. He was a three-time league special teams player of the week and a CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII first-team honoree.

Bryant averaged 39.5 yards on 43 punts with a long of 69 and 15 kicks inside the opponent 20-yard line. He also was a league special teams player of the week.

The Dutch also regain the services of senior Cam Kiner, who was the team’s punter in 2015 and 2016, averaging 36.1 yards. He missed last season with a broken leg, opening the door for Bryant.

“We’re in great shape,” McMartin said. “What we have going from a competitive standpoint is really good. These guys have been through the fires together. We’re just hopeful they’ll have the type of seasons that they’re capable of having.”

Anderson and Robinson shared punt return chores last year. Anderson had 10 for 51 yards while Robinson had nine for 12.1. Wilridge returned punts in junior varsity games last year and could be utilized as well.

Meanwhile, Anderson returned 17 kicks for 24.5 yards while Lewin returned 13 for 22.3 yards.

“There might be a freshman or two step up, too,” McMartin said.

Special teams are a traditional area of emphasis at Central and the returning talent makes McMartin excited.

“I think special teams could be a strength,” he said. “We have athletic people. (Assistant) Coach (Austen) Schuler does a great job of coordinating special teams and a lot of coaches have a hand in it. We’ve always felt like that’s been a strength of ours. We’ve got the type of people with the mentality you need to make some big plays.”

The schedule

Wartburg was tabbed as the preseason favorite in coaches’ poll for the newly renamed American Rivers Conference, while Central was picked for second, just in front of Dubuque.

“The league might be as balanced as it’s been in a long time,” McMartin said. “With the graduation losses that we all had, you’re going to see a lot of new faces in the conference this year. You can go into every game feeling like you have a chance and so does your opponent.”

Meanwhile, the schedule is not set up favorably for the fast start McMartin longs for. The Dutch open with a pair of first-ever road meetings at Northwestern-St. Paul (Minn.) and DePauw (Ind.), and both are league title contenders.

Northwestern-St. Paul was 6-4 last year, closing with a four-game win streak. The Eagles return five Upper Midwest Athletic Conference performers, including defensive back Nick Swore, who received second-team D3football.com All-America honors.

DePauw was 8-2 and returns five all-North Coast Athletic Conference performers. The Tigers have won eight or more games three straight years and received votes in last year’s final AFCA Division III top 25 poll. It’s also where McMartin served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for four seasons before returning to Central in 2004.

“Northwestern-St. Paul is one of the top teams in that conference,” McMartin said. “And DePauw had a great season last year and has a lot of people back.”

Six of Central’s 10 games are on the road, increasing the schedule’s degree of difficulty.

“That’s not a big issue for me,” McMartin said. “I like that you maybe have to play harder on the road and be a bit of an underdog. We wear that well.”

With a young lineup, that will have to be the mindset throughout the season.

“We have a lot of talent at some key positions that you need and it’s going to depend on how well some of these new faces can come along and get going,” McMartin said. “We’re going to learn a lot about this football team in camp.”

Fueling McMartin’s optimism is the mindset of the younger players.

“A lot of these guys, when they played in JV games last year, you could tell they knew how to play really hard and were ready to go,” he said. “I like teams like that. As a coach, you don’t have to push them to go hard. They don’t need a pep talk. They’re ready to go so it’s a matter of making sure they’re focused on the right things and do them well.”

Significant questions remain. And just a few missed tackles and dropped passes separate a 9-1 campaign from 5-5 or even worse. Yet McMartin is hopeful.

“I wouldn’t put anything past this team,” he said. “It’s a team with a great legacy. These guys want to win and they’re going to work hard. When the whistle blows, they’re going to put the pedal down and go. That will be every week with these guys.”