2002 Colorado School of Mines Football
(4-3 Overall, 1-3 RMAC)
Week #8 Notes - vs. New Mexico Highlands (0-6, 0-4 RMAC)

THE HEAD COACHES: Bob Stitt (Doane College ‘86) is in his third season at the helm of the Oredigger football program. He claims an overall record of 13-15, including a 6-14 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. A year ago, Stitt coached CSM to a 7-4 mark, which marked the most wins for a football team at Mines since 1958 and the first winning season in Golden since 1991. New Mexico Highlands is led by second-year Head Coach Greg Critchett who claims a record of 4-12 in his time at Highlands.

ALL-TIME SERIES: New Mexico Highlands leads the all-time series with Mines, 24-10-2.

NEXT WEEK: The Orediggers will play their final home game of the 2002 campaign when they host Mesa State at 1:00 pm at Brooks Field on Senior Day.

WELCOME BACK: Senior All-American Brian Sump returned to the CSM lineup after missing the Nebraska-Kearney game two weeks ago. Prior to the UNK game, Sump had played in 35 straight contests for Mines.

TAKE IT TO THE HOUSE: Senior wide receiver/kick returner Brian Sump recorded his sixth career touchdown off a return with a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in the victory over South Dakota Tech. He now has five career kickoff returns for touchdowns and one career touchdown off a punt return.

TAKE IT TO THE HOUSE PART DEUX: Sophomore wide receiver/return specialist Jonny Chan, filling in for the injured Brian Sump at Nebraska-Kearney, scored his first career touchdown off a return when he went 100-yards on a kickoff during CSM’s loss at Nebraska-Kearney on Saturday.

LAST TIME OUT (10/19/02): The Colorado School of Mines football team fell to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the conference with a 33-30 loss at Fort Lewis in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action on Saturday afternoon. The teams were tied at 3-3 after each team’s kicker connected for a field goal. The Skyhawks gained a 10-3 lead 22 seconds into the second quarter as Andrew Webb connected with Martin Tatom from 36 yards out. However, CSM used a pair of one yard touchdown runs from sophomore running back Craig Van Horn and senior running back Jared Thompson to claim a 15-10 advantage with 5:08 left in the first half. FLC tacked on a score with 3:01 left in the half to gain a 16-15 lead at halftime. The Skyhawks extended their lead to 23-15 just 56 seconds into the third quarter as Jamal Allen recovered a blocked punt and scored from two yards out. Bjork added a 22 yard field goal with 13:30 left in the game to give Fort Lewis a 26-15 lead. However, CSM responded at the 9:10 mark as Van Horn hauled in a 23 yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf. The Orediggers then regained the lead (30-26) with 3:47 left in the game as Friehauf hit Thompson from one yard out. However, the Skyhawks responded with a 14 play, 80 yard drive which was capped when Joe Moore caught a 30 yard touchdown pass from Webb with just 39 seconds remaining in the game. Sophomore Chad Friehauf completed the game 29-of-53 for 256 yards and two scores, while Van Horn toted the ball 11 times for 110 yards and a score. He also caught seven passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. CSM’s defense forced seven FLC fumbles and recovered four, while redshirt freshman linebacker Jared Heath made a game-high 13 tackles. He also forced a fumble and recorded a sack.

LAST TIME VS. HIGHLANDS (10/13/01): CSM knocked off NMHU, 50-43, in Las Vegas, N.M. last season as Dayven Johsnston caught a 15 yard touchdown pass from Nate Jackson with 6:40 left in the game that proved to be the game-winner. Jackson completed 25-of-41 passes for 451 yards and five touchdowns, while Brian Sump caught eight passes for 228 yards and two scores. In addition, Sump returned a kickoff 75 yards for a score.

THANK YOU, VERY MUCH: The Oredigger defense has come up with at least one interception in each of the first seven games this season, including a season-high three at Western New Mexico on Sept. 21. Sophomore free safety Brandon Carerra kept the streak alive with his first pick of the season at Fort Lewis on Saturday. Through six games, CSM is ranked second in the RMAC with nine picks. Sophomore cornerback Grant Newton leads the team with three picks, including one for a 93-yard touchdown return, while sophomore strong safety Daniel Leger has picked off two passes.

IT’S BEEN AWHILE: The CSM football team has not compiled back-to-back winning seasons in more than 25 years. In fact, the last time it happened was 1975 and 1976. The 1975 squad posted a 6-4 record and the 1976 team followed with a 5-4 record. Head Coach Bob Stitt and his unit will be out to follow last year’s 7-4 record with another winning season and post CSM’s first consecutive winning seasons in 26 years. Mines needs two wins in its final five games to assure itself of a winning season.

RECORD SETTER: With his three TD receptions at Western New Mexico, senior wide receiver Brian Sump broke the school record for career touchdown receptions and now has 23 for his career. In addition, Sump is just 10 catches shy of breaking the CSM record for career receptions (145). In all, Sump claims 21 game, season and career records as an Oredigger.

I’VE GOT YOUR BACK: Backup sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf has been sensational while filling in for the injured Nate Jackson this year. Through five games, Friehauf has completed 108-of-177 passes for 1,275 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Jackson is 51-of-77 for 745 yards and eight TD tosses this season. Jackson (174.00) and Friehauf (135.25) are the top-rated passers in the conference.

FOURTH QUARTER DOMINANCE: Colorado Mines has outscored its opponents, 71-31, in the final quarters of games this season. In fact, Mines has blanked three of its opponents in the final stanza, while holding two others to seven points each.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP HERE: Sophomore strong safety Daniel Leger is ranked second in the RMAC with 9.4 tackles per game. In addition, Leger has posted 66 stops this season which ranks second in the conference. Through seven games this season, Leger, an Honorable Mention All-RMAC pick as a true freshman last season, has made 66 tackles, seven pass breakups, five tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery which he returned 40 yards for a touchdown.

CAPTAIN CASEY: Senior defensive end and co-captain Casey Kraft has made a smooth transition from linebacker to defensive end this season. After six games from his defensive end position, Kraft is ranked third in the RMAC with 4.5 sacks. In addition, he has tallied 24 tackles, including nine for losses totaling 51 yards, which ranks him seventh in the conference.

MAKING A NAME: Redshirt freshman linebacker Jared Heath has been outstanding while filling in for injured CSM players. Heath, who did not play in the season opener, has recorded at least six tackles in five of the last six games including a career-high 13 in the loss at Fort Lewis on Saturday. Heath, second on the squad with 47 stops this season, has also notched five tackles for loss, two sacks, and one forced fumble.

SCOUTING HIGHLANDS: The Cowboys enter today’s game at 0-6 overall and 0-4 in the RMAC following a 52-21 loss at Western State last Saturday as Western jumped out to a 38-14 lead at halftime to earn the win. Nick Higgs completed 16-of-33 passes for 204 yards and also gained 41 yards on the ground on 17 carries. For the season, Higgs has completed 53-of-119 passes for 724 yards and seven touchdowns. His favorite receiver has been Justin Dale who has caught 15 balls for 274 yards and four scores, while Deshon Mason has rushed 68 times for 256 yards and a score. As a team, NMHU is scoring 19.2 points per game, but is surrendering 52.8 points per contest.

ON THE WEB: Be sure to follow all the latest news, game recpas, stats and updates of all the Oredigger athletic teams on the web at athletics.mines.edu