2006 COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE #2

Colorado School of Mines vs. Fort Hays State
Saturday, September 9, 2006 - 12:00 pm
Golden, Colo. - Brooks Field

Click HERE for a complete .PDF version of the notes

ABOUT THE SERIES
Colorado School of Mines and Fort Hays State have met on the gridiron 19 times with the Tigers holding a 14-5 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1946. CSM has won four of the last five meetings, including a 46-10 win in Hays last season. The Tigers last defeated CSM, 27-17, in Hays during the 2003 season.

THE HEAD COACHES
Bob Stitt is in his seventh season as the head coach at CSM and claims a 40-28 (.588) overall record. Stitt’s .588 winning percentage is the highest by a CSM football coach who has coached in at least 20 games and the highest for a modern day coach at CSM. In addition, his 40 wins are the third most in CSM history and trail only Marv Kay (84 wins from 1969-1995) and Fritz Brennecke (78 wins from 1947-1969). Stitt is 4-2 all-time against Fort Hays State.

Fort Hays State is led by second-year Head Coach Kevin Verdugo who is 2-9 during his tenure at FHSU. Last season, Verdugo led the Tigers to a 2-8 overall record, including a 2-6 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. It was the final year in the RMAC for Fort Hays State as they are now members of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Verdugo is 0-1 all-time against Fort Hays State.

ALL-TIME RECORD
CSM claims a 364-508-30 all-time record since its first collegiate football game in 1888, a 6-4 win over Denver University.

CSM vs. THE “F’s”
CSM is 26-40 all-time against schools that begin with the letter “F”, including a 46-10 win at Fort Hays State back on Oct. 1.

RMAC OPENERS
Next weekend will mark the RMAC opener for CSM when it hosts Adams State on Saturday at Brooks Field. CSM claims a 2-11-1 record in 14 all-time RMAC openers since 1992. The two wins came in 2004 and 2005.

WHEN THE TIGERS HAVE THE BALL
Fort Hays State returned six starters on the offensive side of the ball. In Saturday’s loss to TAMC, the Tigers gained 285 yards and recorded 11 first downs. Shane Jackson completed 14-of-23 passes for 143 yards, while John Snyder caught eight passes for 146 yards (18.2 ypc) and a touchdown. Anthony Melton ran 11 times for 45 yards (4.1 ypc) and a touchdown.

AND WHEN THEY DON’T
FHSU returned six defensive starters to the fold in 2006. The defense gave up just 268 yards of offense and 12 first downs to Texas A&M Commerce on Saturday. It also forced two turnovers. Alonzo McAdoo led the way with 10 tackles, including one tackle for a loss of three yards. Jason Hill posted nine tackles, including two for losses, while Cody Engle registered six stops.

IN THE POLLS
Neither Colorado School of Mines, nor Fort Hays State are ranked in any of the Division II National Polls this week.

COLORADO CONNECTION
The Fort Hays State football rosters has a total of 27 players from the State of Colorado. The most notable for CSM fans is sophomore offensive lineman Jordan Stricker who is a native of Golden and also played high school football at Golden. Stricker is listed as the starting right tackle on the FHSU depth chart.

LAST TIME vs. FORT HAYS STATE (10/1/05)
The Colorado School of Mines football team moved back to .500 overall and stayed perfect in conference play with a 46-10 win at Fort Hays State. CSM raced out to a 33-7 halftime lead behind a pair of touchdown runs (9 and 1 yards) from running back Bryan Florendo and a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Danny Medina to wide receiver Justin Gallas. The scores went for 37 and 5 yards. Kicker Aaron Abel added second quarter field goals from 33 and 20 yards out and also kicked a 29 yarder in the third stanza and a 27 yarder in the final quarter. Florendo added a third scoring run from 48 yards out in the fourth quarter. He finished with 141 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries. Medina went 24-of-33 for 353 yards and two scores, while Gallas caught 10 passes for 184 yards and two touchdowns. CSM linebacker Jared Heath posted a team-high eight tackles and also recovered a fumble, while cornerback Grant Newton notched his second interception in as many weeks. The Oredigger defense also produced five sacks, including two from defensive lineman Caleb Ring. FHSU was led by quarterback Reed Gottula who went 24-of-39 for 257 yards and also ran for 12 yards and a touchdown.

STITT IN OPENERS
CSM Head Coach Bob Stitt is 4-3 in season openers at CSM after a 41-21 loss on Saturday at Washburn to open the 2006 season. CSM lost its first game under Stitt, 43-34, to MidAmerica Nazarene but rebounded to win four straight openers before losing to the Ichabods the last two season openers. In the last 20 openers, CSM is 15-5. In overall season openers, CSM is 57-56-5.

PRESEASON RMAC POLL
CSM was picked fourth in the Preseason RMAC Poll with 24 points. Fort Lewis was picked first with 14 points and four first place votes. The Skyhawks were followed by Nebraska-Kearney with four first place votes and 21 points, while Chadron State received the final first place vote and 22 total points. After Mines was Adams State (36 points), Mesa State (38), New Mexico Highlands and Western New Mexico (55) and Western State (58)

PRESEASON ALL-RMAC SELECTIONS
CSM had four players named to the Preseason All-RMAC Team. Senior running back Bryan Florendo and junior kicker Aaron Abel were named to the offensive squad, while senior defensive lineman Charles Yarbrough and senior linebacker Danny Sprague were named to the defensive team.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS
Two CSM players were named to Don Hansen’s National Football Gazette Preseason All-American Team. Senior running back Bryan Florendo and junior kicker Aaron Abel were both named to the squad.

SIX PACK
CSM has five straight winning seasons in the book and will be going after a sixth, a feat that has never been accomplished in program history. The five straight winning seasons are a record for CSM football.

RULE OF TWO
In 29 of the last 36 games, including all 13 in 2004, CSM had at least one player find the end zone two times. The Orediggers are 24-12 during that span.

THE HEAT IS ON
The CSM defense will have a new look this season thanks to Marty Heaton who is in his first year as Associate Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator. Heaton, who joined the CSM staff in January, consistently had one of the top defenses in the RMAC and Division II at Adams State where he worked from 1999-2005. Under Heaton, the ASC defense led the RMAC in both total and pass defense and sacks in 2003. In 2004, the Grizzlies were ranked at the top of nearly every defensive category in the RMAC and were named the NCAA Division II Defense of the Year by the College Sports Report. In addition, the defense finished the 2004 season ranked eighth in the nation in scoring defense, 11th in pass efficiency defense, 12th in total defense and 15th in rushing defense. In 2005, Heaton’s defense led the RMAC in pass defense, total defense, pass efficiency defense, sacks and opponent first downs. It also ranked 27th in Division II in total defense and 35th in rushing defense. Heaton guided several All-RMAC and All-Region players, including three-time All-American and two-time RMAC Defensive Player of the Year Adam McGurk (2003, 2004), Charles Allgood, a 2004 All-American and Cactus Bowl participant, and 2005 RMAC Defensive Lineman of the Year Ernesto Villasenor.

LESS IS MORE
The Oredigger offensive line will have a new leader this year in Assistant Coach Curt Lessman who took over for Scott Carey when Carey departed for a similar position at Tarleton State. Lessman came to CSM from Northwest Missouri State University (NWMSU) where he was an assistant coach (tight ends) last season and helped the Bearcats to a Division II National Runner-Up finish. Lessman also spent three years (1999-2001) at NWMSU as a player. He was part of the 1999 team that won the Division II National Championship and earned Honorable Mention All-MIAA honors in 2000 as an offensive lineman when the team finished fourth in the country. In 2001, Lessman was a First Team All-MIAA and All-Region pick as an offensive lineman and was selected to play in the Cactus Bowl, a Division II All Star Game.

TOPPING THE CENTURY MARK
CSM has had at least one wide receiver top the 100-yard plateau in 27 of the last 30 games. The only three times it did not happen was the 2004 regular season finale at Adams State when Jonny Chan led the team with 83 yards, a Sept. 24, 2005 win at Chadron State when Brent Chacon led the squad with 40 yards and an Oct. 22, 2005 win at N.M. Highlands when Michael Curl posted a team-best 91 yards.

WITH THE ARM AND LEGS
Senior quarterback Garrett Mehl showed in Saturday’s loss at Washburn that he is capable of running the offense with his arm, as well as his legs. Mehl finished 29-of-41 for 246 yards and a touchdown and also ran 12 times for 61 yards, including scoring runs of eight and 33 yards.

GO FLO
Big things will be expected out of senior running back Bryan Florendo this year. One of the top returnees to the 2006 squad, Florendo is coming off a season in which he earned First Team All-RMAC honors after totaling 1,492 yards from scrimmage. He ran 191 times for 913 yards and 15 touchdowns and also caught 53 passes for 579 yards and three more scores. Florendo, a Preseason All-America pick by Don Hansen’s National Football Gazette, is attempting to become the first CSM running back to break the 1,000-yard mark since 1939 when Lloyd Madden ran for a school-record 1,316 yards and 23 touchdowns on just 92 carries.

DOUBLE “D”
Junior wide receiver Derek Dykstra is primed to have a breakout season in 2006 and began it with a bang on Saturday at Washburn. The 6-foot-3 receiver caught a career-high 13 passes for 131 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown. The 13 receptions were one shy of the CSM single game record of 14 set by Dayven Johnston in a triple overtime win at Fort Hays State in 2001.

CURL’S ROUTE
Junior wide receiver Michael Curl is the speedster of the group and also led the team in yards per catch last season at 16.0 yards per reception. Curl hauled in 32 passes for 511 yards and four touchdowns, including a five catch, 100 yard, one touchdown performance in a loss to RMAC Champion Nebraska-Kearney last year. In addition, Curl posted three other games of at least 90 receiving yards. He has caught at least one pass in all 11 games he has played in. Curl is also a member of the CSM track teams and ran a season best 6.95 seconds in the 60-meter dash during the indoor season and a 10.7 in the 100-yard dash during the outdoor season.

ALL IN THE FAMILY
Senior wide receiver Brent Chacon has some good blood in his genes. He is the cousin of MLB pitcher Shawn Chacon, a pitcher for the Pittsbugh Pirates. Shawn Chacon also served stints with the Colorado Rockies and New York Yankees. With the Yankees, he played a key role in their 2005 playoff run.

EXPERIENCE UP FRONT
The Oredigger offensive line is again one of the most experienced groups under Head Coach Bob Stitt. The line features four returning starters from last year’s group, including center Nick Belden, a three-time All-RMAC honoree. In addition, junior left tackle James Reeves, junior right guard Stephen Immel and junior right tackle Brian Fitzpatrick all return after starting last season. Junior left guard James Tyree is penciled in as the starter this year after seeing significant action last year backing up two-time All-American Travis Yenne and also playing on the right side.

IT’S MILLER TIME
Senior free safety Tim Miller returns for his final year at CSM after posting 54 stops last season. He returns as the second leading tackler in 2006. As a sophomore, Miller played the role of “Jonny on the Spot” as he tallied a team-best six interceptions, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery en route to First Team All-RMAC accolades.

OH DANNY BOY
Senior linebacker Danny Sprague has come a long way since beginning his sophomore year as a backup linebacker. Sprague earned his first start on Oct. 18, 2003, in a 37-7 win against Fort Lewis and has not looked back. He finished the game with eight tackles and two sacks en route to RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors. Since that game, Sprague has registered 232 tackles over 29 games (8.0 tpg). He posted 10 tackles and two sacks in Saturday’s loss at Washburn.

MAR “IN” THE BACKFIELD
Junior defensive lineman Marin Richardson had his best game of the 2005 season in the season finale, a 42-27 win over Adams State, Richardson tallied seven tackles, including 3.5 tackles for losses totaling 20 yards and a sack for 15 yards lost. He also all but sealed the win when he sacked ASC quarterback Scott Coxon for a 15-yard loss to the Grizzly 40 yard line on fourth and one with 2:18 to play in the game and CSM clinging to a 35-27 lead. Last season, Richardson led the team and finished 32nd in Division II with 0.7 sacks per game and 71st with 1.2 tackles for loss per game.

CHARLES IN CHARGE
Senior defensive lineman Charles Yarbrough will be counted on to be one of the leaders on and off the field this season. This is evident as he was voted by his teammates as one of two Oredigger captains. Yarbrough, a Preseason All-RMAC selection, amassed 36 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks last season.

BEAU KNOWS DEFENSE
Senior defensive lineman Beau Koenig is getting a chance to start for the first time in his career at CSM. Koenig, who played in nine career games at CSM prior to this season, recorded four tackles, including a tackle for a loss of five yards, in his first career start Saturday at Washburn.

LAYING DOWN THE LAW
Redshirt freshman linebacker Hunter Wardlaw had quite a start to his CSM career in Saturday’s loss at Washburn. The Broomfield native registered a game-best 13 tackles, including six solo stops, and had 1.5 tackles for loss which totaled nine yards.

ONE SMART FRESHMAN
True freshman rover Isaiah Smart proved on Saturday that he will be a force on the field over the next four seasons. Smart finished second on the team with 10 tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.

WHAT’S IN A NAME
Sophomore cornerback Kevin Folly-Kossi made an immediate impact for CSM on Saturday at Washburn. Folly-Kossi, a transfer from Santa Monica J.C. (Calif.) and a native of the Ivory Coast, finished with six tackles five pass breakups.

READY, WILLING AND ABEL
Junior placekicker Aaron Abel returns for his third season as the Oredigger kicker. He has been solid at CSM as he has connected on 18-of-27 field goal attempts (.667), including 11-of-17 from 30 yards or more and 3-of-5 from 40 yards or more. Last season, Abel connected on a game-winning 27-yard field goal with three seconds left in a 27-26 win at Chadron State.

POINTS ON THE BOARD
CSM has a streak of 71 games in which it has scored, including all 68 games under Head Coach Bob Stitt. The last time the Orediggers were shut out was Oct. 16, 1999, a 47-0 loss to Mesa State. During that same time period, CSM has shutout three opponents with the last time being Sept. 11, 2004, a 58-0 blanking of Western State. During Stitt’s tenure as coach at CSM, the Orediggers have scored at least 30 points 40 times (out of 68 games).