Carleton College athletics for immediate release contact Eric Sieger, Sports Information Director September 20, 2003 Carleton Football Report - Week Two Carleton-Gustavus Preview MIAC Standings Matchup: Carleton College (0-1, 0-1 MIAC) kicks off its 2003 home campaign by hosting Gustavus Adolphus as of 9/13/03 College (0-2, 0-1 MIAC) at Carleton’s Laird Stadium at 1 p.m. MIAC Overall Bethel 1-0 2-0 Broadcast: Northfield’s KYMN 1080 AM will carry the game, with the pregame show beginning at 12:45 p.m., Concordia 1-0 2-0 followed by the kickoff at 1 p.m. The game is also available live via Carleton’s athletics Web site at www.car- St. Olaf 1-0 1-1 leton.edu/athletics/broadcasts. St. Peter’s KRBI 1310 AM will also carry the game. St. John’s 1-0 1-0 Augsburg 0-0 1-1 Coaches: Carleton’s Chris Brann (West Virginia Wesleyan ‘91) is 0-21 in his second season at Carleton. Jay Hamline 0-1 1-1 Schoenebeck (Gustavus ‘80) is 48-44 in his 10th year at his alma mater. Carleton 0-1 0-1 Series: The Knights lead the series with Gustavus, 14-11-3. The series is even since Carleton rejoined the MIAC Gustavus 0-1 0-2 St. Thomas 0-1 0-2 in 1983, with each team capturing 10 victories. Gustavus has won the past six meetings, dating back to a 1997 Games This Week win at Hollingsworth Field. Bethel at Concordia, 1 p.m. Gustavus at Carleton, 1 p.m. Scouting Gustavus: The Gusties fell 24-2 last week to Concordia College, Moorhead, failing to cross the Hamline at St. Thomas, 1 p.m. Cobbers’ 33-yard line all afternoon and posting only 32 yards rushing on 30 carries. Gustavus dropped their St. Olaf at Augsburg, 1 p.m. season opener 37-34 in triple overtime to Buena Vista University (Iowa). UW-Eau Claire at St. John’s, 1 p.m. The Gusties were the hardest-hit team in the MIAC by graduation, losing 13 starters off of last year’s third- Last week’s scores place squad. The most prolific of those starters was wide receiver Ryan Hoag, who earned the moniker “Mr. Concordia 24, Gustavus 2 Irrelevant” after being the final selection in the National Football League’s draft. Running back Andy Traetow, Bethel 40, St. Thomas 7 St. John’s 74, Hamline 7 a 1,000-yard rusher, and All-MIAC linebackers Brad Arndt and Dirk Erickson are also gone. UW-Eau Claire 52, Augsburg 20 Even with those losses, the conference coaches tabbed Gustavus fourth in the pre-season poll. Returning St. Olaf 40, Carleton 16 senior quarterback Sean O. Smith, who threw for more than 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns last year, is a big Games Next Week reason why. Three starters also return on the offensive line, along with senior tight end Nick Teigland, who Concordia at Carleton, 1 p.m. missed most of last season with an injury. Bethel at Hamline, 1 p.m. Defensively, the Gusties return only four starters from last year’s third-ranked defense in the MIAC. Augsburg at Gustavus, 1 p.m. St. John's at St. Olaf, 1 p.m. Anchoring the unit is senior Dan Myers and junior Kyle Spilseth on the line. The defense held Concordia to 270 St. Thomas at UW-Stout, 7 p.m. total yards last week, including 119 yards rushing on 51 carries. Linebacker Tyler Vrieze collected 13 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two tackles for losses and forced a fumble. Inside the Numbers Starters Carleton Opp. Gustavus Opp Offense 5 Ben Cooprider QB DeKalb, Ill. 16.0 40.0 Scoring Average 18.0 30.5 33 Erik Fisher RB Maple Lake, Minn. 21 30 First Downs 33 41 44 Kevin Hanley FB Chicago 230.0 285.0 Rushing Yardage Per Game 75.5 142.5 8Tyler Young SE Wheaton, Minn. 77 David Molzahn RT Hopkins, Minn. 5.6 4.9 Yards per Rush 2.3 3.0 75 Andrew Roberts RG Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 117 212 Passing Yardage Per Game 201.5 194.5 52 Bobby McMillan C New Hope, Minn. 31-14-2 30-21-0 Pass Att.-Comp.-Int. 81-47-2 56-31-1 60 David Derksen LG Rochester, Minn. 50 Travis Moncrief LT Roseville, Minn. 8.4 10.1 Yards per Pass Completion 8.6 12.5 11 Nate Flaherty WR Oakdale, Minn. 347.0 497.0 Total Offense Per Game 277.0 337.0 Defense 4.8 5.6 Yards per Play 3.8 4.4 7 Tim Blaha DE Northfield, Minn. 54 Matt Sevcik DT Lake Forest, Ill. 7-18.6 4-29.0 Kick Returns (No.-Avg.) 9-20.6 6-25.0 55 Doug Lind DT Braham, Minn. 0-0.0 2-0.5 Punt Returns (No.-Avg.) 1-20.0 8-5.0 91 Adam Witt DE Champlin, Minn. 5-2 1-1 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 3-1 45 Mike GravelleLBAustin, Minn. 58 Randy Foss LB Hastings, Minn. 10-86 12-130 Penalties-Yards 13-146 8-83 51 Andrew Wild LB Janesville, Wis. 28:23 31:37 Time of Possession-Avg. 28:58 30:22 15 Luke Muellerleile SS White Bear Lake, Minn. 4/15 (27%) 5/12 (42%) 3rd Down Conversions 16/38 (42%) 16/35 (46%) 18 Dan Karlgaard FS Brainerd, Minn. 38 Nick Brokke CB Roseville, Minn. 2/3 (66%) 2/3 (66%) 4th Down Conversions 1/3 (33%) 1/4 (25%) 16 Ben Phillips CB Woodstock, Ill. 00 Sacks 76

Office of Sports Information www.carleton.edu/athletics One North College Street, Northfield, Minnesota 55057 phone 507.646.4185 fax 507.646.5550 Carleton GameDay Notes Last Year Last year: Andy Traetow rushed for 210 yards and two scores as host Gustavus rushed for Carleton College at Gustavus Adolphus 254 yards to beat Carleton, 48-14. (Sept. 21, 2002 at St. Peter, Minn./Hollingsworth Field) Score by Quarters 1 2 3 4 Score Carleton (0-3, 0-2 MIAC) got on the board with just under a minute to go in the first Carleton College 0 6 8 0 14 half, as Erik Fisher burst in from three yards. The nine-play, 76-yard drive was set up by a Gustavus Adolphus 20 14 14 0 48 Scoring Summary: Luke Muellerleile interception, the first of his collegiate career. Nick Wanka directed the 1st 14:34 GAC - Andy Traetow 50 yd run (John Kurhajetz drive, which took just over two minutes. Wanka was 4-for-5 passing on the drive, includ- kick), 2-62 0:26, CAR 0 - GAC 7 08:35 GAC - Brad Arndt 14 yd interception return (John ing a key third-down completion to Drew Dean ‘03. He also rushed for 26 yards on three Kurhajetz kick), , CAR 0 - GAC 14 carries. 04:28 GAC - Brett Boese 28 yd pass from Sean Smith Carleton's second score came after the Knights' special teams forced a fumble on a (John Kurhajetz kick failed), 4-56 1:45, CAR 0 - GAC 20 2nd 14:39 GAC - Ryan Hoag 21 yd pass from Sean Smith punt return. The Knights, under the direction of Ben Cooprider, took over at the Gustavus (John Kurhajetz kick), 7-67 2:00, CAR 0 - GAC 27 39-yard line. After two rushed netted six yards, Cooprider hooked up with fellow rookie Eric 04:34 GAC - Ryan Hoag 2 yd pass from Tim Nesvig (John Kurhajetz kick), 4-58 0:49, CAR 0 - GAC 34 Svestka from 33 yards out. 00:59 CAR - Erik Fisher 3 yd run (Andrew Saalfield rush Wanka was 12 of 24 for 104 yards and Cooprider was 8 of 17 for 83 yards and one inter- failed), 9-76 2:01, CAR 6 - GAC 34 3rd 08:27 GAC - Brett Boese 20 yd pass from Sean Smith ception, which was the Knights' only turnover of the game. Dean was Carleton's top receiv- (John Kurhajetz kick), 4-41 1:20, CAR 6 - GAC 41 er with five catches for 50 yards. Eight different receivers caught at least one pass for 02:43 CAR - Eric Svestka 33 yd pass from Ben Cooprider Carleton. The defense forced four Gustie turnovers. Muellerleile had a hand in two, record- (Eric Svestka pass), 3-39 1:17, CAR 14 - GAC 41 00:26 GAC - Andy Traetow 2 yd run (John Kurhajetz kick), ing the interception and fumble recovery. Nick Brokke added his second pick in three 6-49 2:17, CAR 14 - GAC 48 games and tallied 6.0 tackles. Dan Karlgaard paced the Knights with 8.5 tackles. Andrew CAR GAC FIRST DOWNS...... 14 21 Wild added 6.5 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Justin Merriman ‘03 had a solid out- RUSHES-YARDS (NET)...... 34-32 39-254 ing, tallying 6.0 tackles and one for a loss. PASSING YDS (NET)...... 187 216 Passes Att-Comp-Int...... 41-20-1 28-19-2 Fisher tallies monster day: Senior running back Erik Fisher (Maple Lake, Minn.) romped TOTAL OFF. PLAYS-YARDS..... 75-219 67-470 through the St. Olaf defense last week for 190 yards on 23 carries, an eye-popping 8.3 Fumble Returns-Yards...... 0-0 0-0 yards per carry. The total, the seventh-highest in school history, earned Fisher MIAC offen- Punt Returns-Yards...... 1-0 5-62 Kickoff Returns-Yards...... 8-126 2-22 sive player of the week honors. Fisher ripped off a 42-yard TD scamper early in the second Interception Returns-Yards.... 2-3 1-14 quarter, pulling the Knights within two scores. His 26-yard run late in the first half set up Punts (Number-Avg)...... 12-31.1 4-36.5 Fumbles-Lost...... 1-0 3-3 a Carleton field goal and his 40-yard run early in the fourth quarter set up Carleton's sec- Penalties-Yards...... 6-40 9-75 ond touchdown of the afternoon. It marked the third consecutive game that Fisher has Possession Time...... 31:08 28:01 Sacks By: Number-Yards...... 1-5 4-34 rushed for more than 100 yards. The total is the most rushing yards in a single game since RUSHING: Carleton College-Erik Fisher 10-31; Nick Wanka Skye Flanagan '98 rushed for 218 yards against St. Olaf College. Fisher was Carleton's top 13-15; Dale Williams 6-minus 4; Drew Dean 1-minus 5; Ben rusher a year ago and is also the Knights’ top returning receiver. He gained 540 yards on Cooprider 4-minus 5. Gustavus Adolphus-Andy Traetow 18- 210; Drew Stifter 5-16; Shawn Naber 4-13; Jeff Pelant 2-8; the ground and 253 yards through the air and finished the season very strong despite an Ryan Hoag 1-5; Sean Smith 2-4; Team 3-0; Tim Nesvig 4- elbow injury that forced him to miss one contest, averaging 28.5 carries for 117.5 yards over minus 2. PASSING: Carleton College-Nick Wanka 12-24-0-104; Ben Carleton's last two games. He successfully petitioned for a fifth year after missing all of Cooprider 8-17-1-83. Gustavus Adolphus-Sean Smith 14-18- 2001 with a knee injury. 1-193; Tim Nesvig 5-10-1-23. RECEIVING: Carleton College-Drew Dean 6-50; Nate Flaherty Rookies dominate roster, not starting line-up: Although the Knights' roster features a 3-35; Erik Fisher 3-21; Ernie Asp 3-17; Eric Svestka 2-38; record 29 first-year players, only three will start in their collegiate debut. On offense, right Tyler Young 1-9; Alex Marston 1-9; Dale Williams 1-8. guard Andrew Roberts (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Pine Crest School) is starting, while lineback- Gustavus Adolphus-Brett Boese 7-107; Ryan Hoag 4-39; Jeff Pelant 3-34; Lane Swansson 2-22; Tom Hilden 1-11; Drew ers Mike Gravelle (Austin, Minn.) and Randy Foss (Hastings, Minn.) are starting on the Stifter 1-6; Andy Traetow 1-minus 3. defense. Nine rookies are back-ups on the offensive side of the ball and six defensive sec- INTERCEPTIONS: Carleton College-Nick Brokke 1-3; Luke ond-stringers are first-year players. Running back Wade Thompson (Fy./Rushford, Muellerleile 1-0. Gustavus Adolphus-Brad Arndt 1-14. Minn./Rushford-Peterson) will handle punt return duties and share in kick return duties. Last week, Foss recorded 10 tackles, nine solo and Gravelle chipped in with eight tackles, four solo. Rich Majerus (Fy./Rochester, Minn./Mayo), an all-state defensive end in high school, added three tackles, one for a loss. Thompson carried the ball four times for 11 yards, caught one ball for four years and returned four kicks for an average 15.8 yards. Strength in sophomores: Carleton's second-biggest class is the class of 2006, with 21 sophomores dotting the roster. Ten of those 21 are starters with nine of the 10 starting for the second straight season. Tough home schedule awaits Knights: Carleton has but four home games on its 2003 slate, and all four will prove to be major tests. The Knights open the home schedule by hosting Gustavus Adolphus College this week and then welcome last year's conference runner-up, Concordia College, Moorhead, the following week. National number two St. John's University is the Homecoming opponent on Oct. 11, with resurgent Bethel College closing out the home slate on Oct. 25. "Opening up in the MIAC is tough," Brann said. "Our home sched- ule is very interesting because we have some of the top teams in the MIAC coming here, but any MIAC school you play is a battle every week– I don’t care who you’re playing or who you are. You’ve got to show up every Saturday or somebody’s going to get you." Carleton’s four home opponents occupy the top four slots in the 2003 preseason MIAC coaches poll.

Trio of Knights in national rankings: Three Carleton players appear in this week’s NCAA statistical leaders. Running back Erik Fisher ranks sixth in the nation with 190 yards rushing. Senior linebacker Andrew Wild is ninth in the nation with 15 total tackles while fellow linebacker and first-year player Randy Foss ranks 10th with nine solo tackles. Wild, Fisher top MIAC rankings: Erik Fisher’s 190-yard performance palces him at hte top of the MIAC’s rushing chart. Only one other back, Concordia’s Robert Clark, is averaging more than 100 yards per game. Fisher is also among the leaders in total offense (3rd-190 Carleton Quick Facts Carleton GameDay Notes School: Carleton College Location: Northfield, Minn. yds) and all-purpose yardage (2nd-210 yds.). Senior linebacker Andrew Wild is second on Affiliation: NCAA Division III the MIAC in tackles per game at 15 while sophomore safety Luke Muellerleile ranks third Conference MIAC with 13. President: Robert A. Oden, Jr. (o-deen) Odds ‘n ends: Ben Cooprider completed 14 passes to eight different receivers in last Athletic Director: Leon Lunder Phone: (507)646-4056 week’s opener… Although 29 first-year players dot Carleton’s roster, only three started Sports Information Director: Eric Sieger last week: offensive lineman Andrew Roberts and linebackers Mike Gravelle and Randy Phone: (507)646-4185 Foss. Fax: (507)646-5550 Home: (952)469-2335 Next week: Carleton concludes its short two-game home stand by hosting Concordia Web: www.carleton.edu/athletics/ College, Moorhead, at 1 p.m. Email: [email protected] Last week: Erik Fisher (Sr./Maple Lake, Minn.) rushed for a career-best 190 yards and one Head Coach: Chris Brann touchdown as Carleton racked up 230 yards on the ground and 350 yards total, but host Telephone: (507)646-4054 Fax: (507)646-7040 St. Olaf retained the Goat Trophy, 40-16. The Oles ran out to a 20-0 first-quarter lead. Alma Mater/Year: West Virginia Wesleyan/1991 Carleton cut that advantage to 26-9 at the half, as Fisher romped 42 yards for a score early Record at school (years): 0-21 (third season) in the second and Pat Barry (Jr./Hercules, Calif.) booted a 19-yard field goal with 2:18 to Career record (yrs.): same go in the first half. Assistant Coaches: The Oles scored on their first drive of the second half to extend the lead to 33-9. Doug Lichtenberger (Offensive Coordinator/QBs) Carleton scored early in the fourth when Matt Topeff (Fy./Andover, Minn./Blaine) caught Gerald Young (Defensive Coordinator/DL) a three-yard toss from Ben Cooprider (So./DeKalb, Ill.) to make it 33-16. Carleton couldn't Tom Bell (Running Backs) Doug Boe (Wide Receivers/Special Teams) muster a score late and the Oles added one more score for the final tally. Steve LeGrand (Offensive Line) The Knights certainly had their chances early. They marched to the St. Olaf 37-yard Travis Walch (Linebackers) line on the initial drive of the game but were forced to punt. On their second drive, Richard Chorlton (Tight Ends) Carleton fumbled the ball on a fourth-and-one from their own 45-yard line. Both times the Overall record last year: 0-10 Oles scored, and when a fumble on Carleton's third drive occurred at their own 21-yard MIAC record/finish: 0-8/9th place line, the Oles again cashed in with a score. Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 38/14 After that first quarter, the Knights settled down, scoring on Fisher's long touchdown Starters Returning/Lost: 20/5 Basic offense: West Coast scamper. The Oles answered with a touchdown of their own, but Carleton responded with Basic defense: Pressure a 10-play, 68-yard drive, culminating in Barry's short field goal. Fisher's 26-yard run put Captains: Erik Fisher,Travis Moncrief, Andrew Wild the Knights into easy field goal range on the drive. The two teams exchanged turnovers First season: 1883 after that and Carleton had a chance to put more points on the board before the half, but All-time record: 431-372-25 Cooprider was intercepted in the red zone to end the half. Championships: The Oles scored to open the second half, but needed a holding penalty that negated MIAC: 1924, 1992 a Luke Muellerleile (So./White Bear Lake, Minn./Mahtomedi) goal-line interception. MWC: 1925, 1926, 1931, 1932, 1936, 1954, 1956, 1979 Carleton looked like they'd punch the ball in midway through the third, but a fumble near Playoff Appearances: One (1992) the goal-line was snapped up by the Oles. Another long Fisher run, this one 40 yards, set Playoff record: 0-1 up Carleton immediately in the fourth. Fisher banged ahead three times for a net of six yards, so on fourth-and-goal from the three, Cooprider went to the air and found Topeff 2003 Schedule forthis first collegiate catch, a touchdown. Cooprider was 14-of-30 for 117 yards and one touchdown against two interceptions, Date Opponent Time/Result although his first was a desperation toss near the end of the first half. Fisher's total Sept. 13 St. Olaf College* L 16-40 Sept. 20 Gustavus Adolphus College*1 p.m. spearheaded a potent run offense for the Knights. Carleton gave the ball away four times, Sept. 27 Concordia College, Moorhead* 1 p.m. compared to one for the Oles. St. Olaf committed five turnovers in last week's loss to Oct. 4 Augsburg College* 1 p.m. Luther College (Iowa). Defensively, Andrew Wild (Sr./Janesville, Wis./Craig) paced the Oct. 11 St. John’s Univ.* (HC) 1 p.m. Knights with 15 tackles. Muellerleile tallied 13 total tackles, eight solo. Randy Foss Oct. 18 Univ. of St. Thomas* 1 p.m. (Fy./Hastings, Minn.) added 10 tackles, nine solo. Oct. 25 Bethel College* 1 p.m. Nov. 1 Hamline University* 7 p.m. Nov. 8 Macalester College 1 p.m. Nov. 15 Colorado College 12 noon

bold designates home contest *indicates MIAC contest