Minnesota Duluth football coach Curt Wiese said Northwest Missouri State probably has the best defense of any team he has seen in his seven years as a Bulldogs coach, and the Bearcats have the statistics to back it up.
Northwest Missouri State (10-1) enters the NCAA Division II first-round playoff game with UMD (11-0) at 1:05 p.m. today at Malosky Stadium ranking first out of roughly 170 teams in total defense, allowing just 204 yards per game.
The Bearcats rank in the top 10 in just about every defensive category, including second in rushing defense at 58 yards per game. That creates an interesting matchup against a Bulldogs team that ranks seventh at 305 rushing yards per game.
“Northwest Missouri’s defensive front is tremendously athletic and physical,” Wiese said. “How well we play against that will be a key factor in this football game. We’ve got to find ways to run the football and be creative in the pass game. We need to be able to sustain drives and play field position.”
UMD didn’t fare so well against that defensive front last year, and it’s close to the same front seven back. The key losses for the Bearcats’ defense from last season were twins, defensive backs Brandon and Brian Dixon, both of whom are now in the NFL. Even without them, Northwest Missouri ranks fifth in passing defense, allowing 146 yards per game through the air, and has recorded 32 quarterback sacks.
UMD managed just 98 rushing yards in last year’s 45-21 playoff loss, averaging only 2.5 yards per carry. Down 31-0 in the third quarter, the Bulldogs basically had to abandon the rush, their pride and joy.
Wiese has looked at tape of last year’s playoff loss, and the teams exchanged all film from this season. He said the Bulldogs’ inability to move the football had more to do with bad decisions and reads on the part of quarterback Drew Bauer and the UMD running backs than on the offensive line.
“Offensive line is a position group that doesn’t always get the amount of credit they deserve. We owe those guys a lot,” Wiese said. “Part of Duluth football is being reliant on your offensive line, and from where we were last spring to where we are now, I don’t know if another position group has improved as much. They’ve answered the bell. A lot of the credit for that goes to (offensive line) coach Peter Lue. Pete does a good job just making sure those guys play together, that they get along and communicate well, and a lot of that is just his personality. Pete is a giving person, and those guys see that and enjoy being around him. They respect and play hard for him.”
The unquestioned leader of that group is senior left guard Andrew Muer, who first started as a freshman in 2011 and has played four of the five offensive line positions.
Senior Phillip Rutz is at right tackle and sophomore Connor Randall at right guard. Sophomore Matt Catton is the center and sophomore Peter Bateman starts next to Muer at left tackle. Freshman Nolan Folkert is one of the top reserves.
They’re big and mobile, averaging a shade under 6-foot-5 and weighing about 285.
“We take a lot of pride in our ability to run the ball,” Rutz said. “We’re used to having one of the top lines in the country, so we hold that as our standard. If you’re going to be part of this team, you’re going to have to put in the effort, put in the work and be ready to perform, no matter who we play. We’re kind of what gets this team rolling. We’re the backbone, you could say.
“This is probably the best defensive unit we will see, but we’re preparing for them. It’s going to pose a challenge, but we’ve answered every challenge we’ve faced so far. We know what to expect, so now it’s just a matter of us going out there and doing our jobs.”
Wiese pointed to Rutz and senior tight end Ryan Miesbauer as the type of players that the Bulldogs have relied on to build their program.
Rutz overcame a broken left ankle suffered last fall to enjoy his first season as a full-time starter.
Miesbauer, the 2009 News Tribune All-Area football player of the year from South Range, bided his time as a backup before moving into a starting role this year. Used primarily as a blocker, Miesbauer caught his first collegiate pass in the Bulldogs’ 56-0 win at Minot State last week.
“Ryan is exactly what we’re about as a football team,” Wiese said. “Ryan came here and we put him out of position right away. He was a linebacker and running back in high school, but we made him kind of an H-back in our system. He has gone through a couple of injuries, but he is a guy who stuck it out for five years and finally, as a senior, has been able to play a considerable amount and has made the most of every opportunity he’s been given. That’s flat-out attributed to Ryan’s work ethic and his mentality, and it speaks to his character. He’s been a great program kid for us.”
College football
NO. 6 NW MISSOURI STATE (10-1)
AT NO. 2 MINNESOTA dULUTH (11-0)
What: NCAA Division II first-round playoff game
When: 1:05 p.m. today
Where: Malosky Stadium
Forecast: Mostly cloudy with a high of 35 and 5-10 mph wind
TV: My9
Webcast: portal.stretchinternet.com/umd/
Radio: KQDS-AM 1490; fan1490.com
Twitter: @TacoJon1
