Northwestern at Morningside

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Game Time...23rd-ranked Northwestern faces fifth-ranked Morningside on the road in Sioux City, Iowa under the lights of Elwood Olsen Field this Saturday night. Both teams are coming off double-digit wins last week and are 1-0 on the season. Kickoff slated for 7:00 pm.

Head Coaches... Steve Ryan has a 56-24 career record for a .700 winning percentage in seven seasons with the Mustangs to make him one of the most successful head football coaches in Morningside history. Ryan, who has led the Mustangs to five consecutive NAIA National Playoff appearances, ranks third in school history in career victories and his .700 winning percentage is the highest victory rate in school history. Kyle Achterhoff is in his first season as head coach of the Raiders after spending the last 11 seasons as the offensive and defensive coordinators.

Last Week... Morningside went on the road to defeat 19th-ranked Dakota Wesleyan a 56-21  last week in Mitchell, S.D. The Mustangs opened up a 35-0 halftime lead and led 49-0 before DWU scored a touchdown late in the third quarter. Coach Ryan's squad gained over 600 yards of total offense and were very balanced with nearly 300 yards on the ground and 340 through the air. Senior running backs Jake Peterson (19/146) and Joe Don Hunter (20/105) eclipsed 100 yards rushing and combined for three touchdowns, averaging nearly six yards per carry. Quarterback Tim Richard completed 15-of-18 passes for 335 yards and four touchdowns. His favorite target, senior wideout Beau Kildow, caught nine passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns with a long of 78 yards. Defensively, Morningside gave up 380 yards to DWU but forced two interceptions, one by senior safety Mike Buckley, who also led the Mustangs with 6.5 tackles. Linebacker Justin Taylor posted 5.5 tackles and broke up one pass.

Taylor Malm scored three long rushing touchdowns and Northwestern compiled over 450 yards of total offense as the 23rd-ranked Red Raiders defeated Dordt College 35-3 last week. Malm had a career day for the Raiders as the junior running back set a career-high in rushing yards (145), touchdowns (3) and longest scoring run (74 yards) in the first quarter. He averaged 14.5 yards per carry and also caught a team-high five passes for 33 yards. His backfield counterpart, junior Kevin Vander Schaaf, totaled 63 yards on 13 carries and scored off an 18-yard run midway through the third quarter. Northwestern totaled 457 yards of total offense, 320 on the ground, and averaged 6.3 yards per play.

Junior quarterback Ryan Morgan, a transfer from Pima Community College, completed 14-of-28 pass attempts for 137 yards and no interceptions. Senior wideout Reed Van Hulzen caught four passes for 47 yards. Six other Raider players also had at least one catch.

The Raider D held Dordt to just 105 total yards, including a -14 yards rushing. Grant Hegstad led the way with eight tackles, four for a loss, and one sack, earning him GPAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors. Austin Rozeboom had four tackles, two for a loss, and one fumble recovery. Caleb Blauwet totaled 3.5 tackles and one interception that he ran back 44 yards for a touchdown.

Morningside News and Notes... The Mustangs return 72 players and 15 starters from a 2008 squad that finished with a 10-2 record, 9-1 in the GPAC. Coach Ryan's squad lost in the NAIA Quarterfinals, 34-31 to #7 Lindenwood (Mo.). Five offensive starters return, led by CFSN All-American wide receiver, Beau Kildow, who caught 64 passes for 977 yards and touchdowns. Joe Don Hunter and Jake Peterson, senior running backs, combined for over 1,300 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns in 2008. Under center, Morningside must replace Ian Gilworth who led the NAIA in pass efficiency and threw for 3,130 yards and 41 touchdowns. Tim Richard, who started as a freshman, takes over for Gilworth after throwing 19 passes last year. CJ Gradoville earned CFSN All-American honors as a place-kicker after not missing in 12 field goal attempts.

Defensively, Morningside returns eight starters from a unit that gave up 296 yards and 15 points per game. First team all-GPAC linebacker Justin Taylor totaled 78 tackles and one sack in 2008 and will be joined by Brett Nickolite who totaled 109 tackles and a team-best 15 for a loss. Vernon Moore anchors the defensive line after earning first team all-GPAC honors with 53 tackles in 2008. Mike Buckley returns in the secondary at safety and has 11 career interceptions.

The Series... This will be the 18th meeting between the two teams and the series is very close. Northwestern holds a 9-8 advantage but is just 1-4 in the last five match-ups. Last year, Morningside edged the Raiders 26-21 at DeValois Stadium.

In 2008...After a scoreless first quarter, Morningside kicker C.J. Gradoville connected on field goals of 39, 27 and 24 yards to take a 9-0 lead. Northwestern got on the board late in the first half when linebacker Nate Jansen forced a Mustangs fumble that was recovered by Jordan Te Grootenhuis on the visitors two-yard line. Running back Taylor Malm scored on the very next play to cut the Morningside lead to 9-7 at the half.

Northwestern took their first lead of the game on their opening drive in the second half when quarterback Cary Overholt hit Seth Moen for a two-yard touchdown pass that gave NWC a 14-9 lead. On Morningside's next possession Jake Peterson capped off a four-play, 48-yard drive with a one-yard run to give the lead back to the Mustangs, 16-14. After a three and out, Northwestern was forced to punt that Morningside blocked and recovered at the NWC 13-yard line. Three plays later, Gradoville booted a 25-yard field goal to put the Mustangs up, 19-14, with 5:30 left in the third quarter.

Morningside scored their final touchdown midway through the fourth quarter when Peterson scampered five yards on first-and-goal to give the Mustangs a 26-14 lead. Northwestern responded right back on their next possession when Overholt hit Reed Van Hulzen for a 10-yard touchdown pass with 5:24 left to play. Morningside, however, was able to get a pair of first downs on their next possession and then ran out the clock to seal the win for the Mustangs.

Northwestern gained 193 yards of total offense, 112 via the ground. Malm rushed for 55 yards on nine carries and one score while Overholt ended with 46 yards on seven carries. Overholt finished with seven completions in 18 attempts and two scores. Van Hulzen and Tyler Meekma were the top targets with five and three catches, respectively.

Defensively, linebackers Nate Jansen and Grant Hegstad led the way as they each finished with 10 total tackles. Jansen registered five tackles and 10 assisted, including 1.5 for a loss of five yards and one forced fumble. Hegstad added four solo's and 12 assisted tackles, one for a loss of five yards. Austin Rozeboom recorded nine tackles and Caleb Blauwet added 7.5 tackles. Caleb Van Otterloo and Jon Gerber each finished with six tackles.

Up Next... 23rd-ranked Northwestern will host Nebraska Wesleyan next Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1:00 pm.