2006 COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE #1

Colorado School of Mines at Washburn
Saturday, September 2, 2006 - 1:00 pm
Topeka, Kan. - Yager Stadium at Moore Bowl

Click HERE for a complete .PDF version of the notes

ABOUT THE SERIES
Colorado School of Mines and Washburn have met on the gridiron 13 times with the Ichabods holding a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series dating back to 1953. The two teams played every year from 1953-1959 and again from 1961-1964 before resuming the series in 2004 when the Orediggers defeated Washburn, 34-27, in the season opener for both teams in Topeka, Kan. Last year, WU returned the favor by knocking off CSM in Golden, 28-17. Following is a complete list of the CSM-Washburn all-time series.

1953 WU 13, CSM 0
1954 WU 13, CSM 10
1955 WU 13, CSM 7
1956 WU 40, CSM 13
1957 WU 26, CSM 6
1958 CSM 13, WU 12
1959 WU 14, CSM 13
1961 WU 20, CSM 6
1962 CSM 34, WU 16
1963 CSM 22, WU 13
1964 WU 16, CSM 0
2004 CSM 34, WU 27
2005 WU 28, CSM 17

THE HEAD COACHES
Bob Stitt is in his seventh season as the head coach at CSM and claims a 40-27 (.597) overall record. Stitt’s .597 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 1-1 all-time vs. Washburn.

Washburn is led by fifth-year Head Coach Craig Schurig, who played his collegiate football at Colorado School of Mines. The 2005 MIAA Coach of the Year, was a four-year letterman as a defensive back for the Orediggers and was selected team captain as a senior when he garnered Second Team All-Conference accolades. Schurig earned a bachelor’s degree in petroleum engineering in 1987. He claims an overall mark of 25-21 at Washburn. Schurig is 1-1 all-time against CSM.

ALL-TIME RECORD
CSM claims a 364-507-30 all-time record since its first collegiate football game in 1888, a 6-4 win over Denver University.

CSM vs. THE “W’s”
CSM is 65-85-3 all-time against the seven schools it has played that begin with the letter “W”. The Orediggers have won eight of their last nine games against schools that begin with the letter “W” with the lone loss coming to Washburn in the season opener last year. Over those nine games, CSM has outscored its opponents, 386-174.

UP NEXT FOR CSM
CSM will return to action on Sept. 9 when it returns to Golden, Colo., for its 2006 home opener against former RMAC foe, Fort Hays State, now a member of the MIAA. Kickoff is slated for 12:00 pm at Brooks Field.

LISTEN LIVE TO CSM FOOTBALL ONLINE
Now you can follow all the action of CSM football games on the internet, courtesy of Mines Internet Radio. Visit radio.mines.edu and click on the LISTEN LIVE link to follow all the live action of CSM football.

COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES ON THE INTERNET
Now you can get all the latest and most comprehensive news on Oredigger football and Colorado School of Mines athletics 24 hours a day by visiting the Colorado School of Mines Athletics Department official website at ... http://athletics.mines.edu.

JOIN THE OREDIGGER EMAIL LIST
Get all the latest news on all of Colorado School of Mines Athletics by signing up for the Orediggers’ E-Mail List. Receive daily updates, game recaps and press releases on all of CSM’s athletic teams by emailing Sports Information Director Gregory Murphy at gjmurphy@mines.edu. You can sign up to receive updates on one sport, numerous sports or all sports. Please indicate in your email what sports you would like to be included on or if you would like to be included for all sports.

ALL ABOUT WASHBURN
The Ichabods are coming off a season which saw them capture the MIAA Championship and advance to the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Washburn finished the 2005 campaign at 9-3 overall (7-1 MIAA) and fell in the second round of the playoffs, 42-32, to eventual national runner-up, Northwest Missouri State. Last season, WU became the first team other than NWMS or Pittsburg State to win an outright MIAA Championship since Missouri Southern accomplished the feat in 1993. This year, the Ichabods are picked to finish third in the MIAA behind NWMS and Pittsburg State. The third place ranking is the highest for the Ichabods since joining the MIAA, topping last season’s fourth place preseason poll prediction by the MIAA coaches.

WHEN THE ICHABODS HAVE THE BALL
Washburn returns six starters on the offensive side of the ball, including their big three in junior quarterback Jordan Brill, senior running back Trent Hearn and senior wide receiver Sam Sissom. Brill is back after throwing for 2,775 yards and 24 touchdowns last season, while Hearn returns after his second 1,000-yard rushing season at WU. He finished the year with 1,203 yards and 20 touchdowns. Sissom, who played in just two games due to an injury, caught seven passes for 231 yards and three scores, all against CSM in the 2005 opener. As a team, the Ichabods averaged 415.1 yards per game and 35.8 points per game.

AND WHEN THEY DON’T
WU is slated to return five starters from the 2005 defense which allowed 395.5 yards per game and 27.4 points per game. Leading the way is All-American cornerback Fletcher Terrell who posted eight interceptions (he scored on two INT returns) and 19 pass breakups last season. In addition, he averaged 30.8 yards on 13 kickoff returns and scored twice. Linebacker Aaron Neal is the top tackler returning after recording 69 last season. Also back is senior lineman Trey Lewis who had eight tackles for loss and four sacks in 2005.

WASHBURN IN THE POLLS
In addition to being ranked third in the MIAA Preseason Poll, Washburn appears in several national preseason rankings. The Ichabods are tabbed 14th in Don Hansen’s National Football Gazette Poll, 15th in the d2football.com poll, 17th in the American Football Coaches Association Poll and 18th in Street & Smith’s Preseason Poll.

COLORADO CONNECTION
Washburn has three student-athletes on its roster who hail from Colorado. Leading the way is junior offensive lineman Jeff Rickard, a native of Westminster who played at Standley Lake. In addition, the roster features a pair of freshmen offensive linemen in Bill Boyer (Lakewood, Colo./Green Mountain) and Ty Lewis (Denver, Colo./Jefferson Acad.).

LAST TIME vs. WASHBURN (8/27/05)
The Colorado School of Mines football team dropped its 2005 season opener, 28-17, to Washburn University in nonconference action at Brooks Field. Washburn raced out to a 21-3 lead at the half thanks to three touchdown passes from Jordan Brill to Sam Sissom. The first score came 27 seconds into the game and covered 62 yards. Less than five minutes later, Brill hooked up Sissom for an 82-yard scoring strike to put the Ichabods up 14-0. After Washburn stopped CSM on a fourth and goal at the 3-yard line with 4:20 left in the first half, Brill marched the Ichabods on a seven play, 97 yard drive that was capped with a 6-yard touchdown pass to Sissom with 29 seconds to play in the first half. CSM kicker Aaron Abel cut the lead to 21-3 at the half with a 38-yard field goal just before the end of the half. The Orediggers sliced the lead to 21-10 with 11:54 to play in the third quarter as quarterback Garrett Mehl threw a 6-yard scoring pass to running back Corey Huck on the opening drive of the half. However, WU responded three minutes later when Trent Hearn plunged into the end zone from five yards out to extend the lead to 28-10. Mehl finished 29-of-45 for 281 yards and two scores and ran 16 times for 37 yards, while running back Bryan Florendo caught 10 balls for 86 yards and ran 10 times for 34 yards. Brill finished 14-of-25 for 348 yards and three scores, all to Sissom, who caught seven passes for 231 yards. Hearn finished with 21 carries for 106 yards and a score.

STITT IN OPENERS
CSM Head Coach Bob Stitt is 4-2 in season openers at CSM after a 28-17 loss to Washburn to open the 2005 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 last season. In the last 19 openers, CSM is 15-4. In overall season openers, CSM is 57-55-5.

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 28 of the last 35 games, including all 13 in 2004, CSM had at least one player find the end zone two times. The Orediggers are 24-11 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 26 of the last 29 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 is firmly entrenched as the No. 1 quarterback heading into the season after splitting duties with Danny Medina last season. Mehl finished the 2005 season by throwing for 1,736 yards and 10 touchdowns and also running for 493 yards and five more scores. In last year’s opener against Washburn, Mehl came in the game to relieve Medina in the second quarter and finished 29-of-45 for 281 yards and two scores. He also ran for 37 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. The 6-foot-3 inch, 200 pound Dykstra, caught 34 passes for 459 yards and two scores last season en route to Honorable Mention All-RMAC accolades.

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 caught at least one pass in all 10 games he 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 222 tackles over 28 games (7.9 tpg). He was one of three CSM players to record at least 100 tackles in 2004 when he finished with 103.

MAR “IN” THE BACKFIELD
Junior defensive lineman Marin Richardson is coming off perhaps his best game in a CSM uniform. In last year’s 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 has played in nine career games at CSM and has posted 12 tackles. But he will be heavily counted on this year to provide a pass rush from his end position.

READY, WILLING AND ABEL
Junior placekicker Aaron Abel returns for his third season as the Oredigger kicker. He has been solid his first two years 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 70 games in which it has scored, including all 67 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 67 games).