2006 COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES
FOOTBALL WEEKLY RELEASE #11

Colorado School of Mines at Western State College
Saturday, November 11, 2006 - 1:00 pm
Gunnison, Colo. - Mountaineer Bowl

Click HERE for a complete .PDF version of the notes

ABOUT THE SERIES
Colorado School of Mines and Western State have met 81 times on the gridiron with the Mountaineers holding a 49-30-2 advantage in the all-time series which dates to 1925. CSM has won the last four meetings by a combined score of 188-71. The Orediggers have scored at least 38 points in each of the last four games against Western State. WSC last defeated the Orediggers, 40-17, in the 2001 season.

THE HEAD COACHES
Bob Stitt is in his seventh season as the head coach at CSM and claims a 44-33 (.571) overall record. Stitt’s .571 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 44 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 Western State.

Western State is led by first-year Head Coach Pat Stewart. He is 2-8 in his first year at WSC. He is 0-0 all-time against Colorado School of Mines.

ALL-TIME RECORD
CSM claims a 368-513-30 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 66-86-3 all-time against the seven schools it has played that begin with the letter “W”. In the 2006 season opener, CSM fell at Washburn, 41-21, and on Oct. 7, CSM won at Western New Mexico, 10-6.

RMAC OPENERS
The game on Sept. 16 against Adams State was the RMAC opener for CSM, which is now 2-12-1 in 14 all-time RMAC openers since 1992. The two wins came in 2004 and 2005, both against Western State. The game against Adams State was the first time CSM opened the RMAC season against the Grizzlies.

UP NEXT FOR CSM
Saturday’s game is the season finale for CSM.

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.

ABOUT WESTERN STATE
The Mountaineers enter the season finale at 2-8 overall and 1-6 in the RMAC. Last weekend, WSC lost to Chadron State, 47-0.

WHEN THE MOUNTAINEERS HAVE THE BALL
As a team, Western State is averaging 13.2 points and 235.4 yards of offense per game. Running back Avionne James leads the way with 132 carries for 591 yards and six scores. Dan Brethauer has completed 135-of-267 passes for 1,444 yards, seven touchdowns and seven picks, while his favorite receiver is Casey Adragna who leads the team with 29 catches for 436 yards and three scores. J.R. Finley has 28 receptions for 377 yards and three touchdowns.

AND WHEN THEY DON’T
The WSC defense is giving up 27.7 points and 348.6 yards of offense per game. Brendan Zink leads the squad with 61 total tackles, while Jordan Gage has been in on 47 stops. David Cummings has posted 44 tackles, including a team-best six tackles for losses.

LAST TIME vs. WESTERN STATE (9/10/2005)
Colorado School of Mines quarterback Garrett Mehl completed 23-of-33 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns and ran 16 times for 114 yards and three more scores to lead the Orediggers to a 45-13 victory over Western State at Brooks Field. CSM raced out to a 28-7 halftime lead as Mehl threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to running back Corey Huck and a 49-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Derek Dykstra in the first quarter. Mehl added scoring runs of one and three yards in the second stanza. WSC tallied its score with nine seconds to play in the half when Jordan Gage picked off a Mehl pass and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown. Mehl added a 1-yard scoring run in the third quarter and hooked up with wide receiver Justin Gallas for a 57-yard touchdown in the third quarter to extend the CSM lead to 42-7 midway through the quarter. Gallas finished with six catches for 107 yards and a score, while Dykstra hauled in four balls for 102 yards and a touchdown and wide receiver Michael Curl tallied six catches for 94 yards. The Oredigger defense, which held WSC to just 291 yards of offense, was led by linebacker Jared Heath who posted eight tackles and a sack. WSC quarterback Daniel Brethauer completed 18-of-41 passes for 255 yards and a score, while JR Finley caught six passes for 91 yards. Brendan Zink notched a game-best eight tackles.

STITT IN OPENERS
CSM Head Coach Bob Stitt is 4-3 in season openers at CSM after a 41-21 loss on Sept. 2 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. FLC was followed by Nebraska-Kearney with four first place votes and 21 points, while Chadron State received the final first place vote and 22 points. After Mines was Adams State (36 points), Mesa State (38), N.M. 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 had its streak of winning seasons snapped at five with Saturday's loss to Mesa State. It was a program record and also the longest current streak in the RMAC.

THE HEAT IS ON
The CSM defense has 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 and was part of the 1999 team that won the Division II National Championship.

WITH THE ARM AND LEGS
Senior quarterback Garrett Mehl has shown that he is capable of beating teams with his arm and his legs. Mehl has completed 95-of-146 passes for 1,013 yards and five scores this year and has also run for 164 yards and six touchdowns on 58 carries. Mehl missed four games earlier this season due to an injury. For his career, Mehl has thrown for 2,907 yards and 18 touchdowns and has also run for 855 yards and 14 more scores.

NICE START, KID
Freshman quarterback Keenan Bruchez played in and started his first collegiate game in the Sept. 30 win over Oklahoma Panhandle State. The 6-foot-4 Bruchez was impressive as he completed 11-of-18 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns and also ran five times for 55 yards and two more touchdowns. He led CSM to scores on 5-of-8 first half possessions, including the first two when he ran into the end zone from 26 and 7 yards out. Bruchez followed that up with a 301 yard day through the air in the Oct. 7 loss to New Mexico Highlands. He is expected to miss the rest of the season with an injury.

GO FLO
Senior running back Bryan Florendo had his breakout game of 2006 in the Sept. 30 win over Panhandle State when he rushed for a career-high 222 yards on just 16 carries (13.9 ypc) and scored three touchdowns on runs of 8, 40 and 54 yards. 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. This year, he is second on the team with 1,314 all-purpose yards, which ranks 25th in Division II (131.4 ypg). He needs 117 rush yards in the final game to reach 1,000 in 2006. Florendo would be the first CSM running back to reach the 1,000-yard mark since Lloyd Madden ran for 1,316 yards in 1939. Florendo has topped 100 yards rushing in each of the last three weeks. During that stretch, he has run 89 times for 423 yards and four scores.

DOUBLE “D”
Junior wide receiver Derek Dykstra started the season with a bang The 6-foot-3 receiver caught a career-high 13 passes for 131 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown in the season opening loss at Washburn. 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. He followed that up with a four catch, 124 yard game in the Sept. 9 win vs. Fort Hays. He has totaled 46 catches for 493 yards and two scores.

CURL’S ROUTE
Junior wide receiver Michael Curl is the speedster of the group and leads the team in yards per catch at 12.5 yards per reception. He has caught at least one pass in all 20 games he has played in at CSM, including a career-high 10 receptions in an Oct. 28 win at Nebraska-Kearney. Curl is also ranked sixth in Division II in kickoff returns (29.8 ypg), which was highlighted by a 93-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff in the Sept. 9 win over Fort Hays State. He is tops on the team in all-purpose yards (135.3 ypg), which ranks 22nd in Division II. Curl is a member of the CSM track teams and ran a 2006 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. Chacon has nine catches for 90 yards this year.

IT’S MILLER TIME
Senior free safety Tim Miller is in his final year at CSM after posting 54 stops last season. He returns as the second leading tackler in 2006. As a sophomore in 2004, 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. Miller has recorded 12 tackles and a team-high two fumble recoveries this season.

OH DANNY BOY
Senior linebacker Danny Sprague has come a long way since beginning his freshman 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 289 tackles over 38 games (7.6 tpg). He has 67 tackles, including a team-best seven for losses and 4.5 sacks this year.

MAR “IN” THE BACKFIELD
Junior defensive lineman Marin Richardson earned RMAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance in the Sept. 9 win over Fort Hays when he posted nine tackles, including three for losses and 2.5 sacks. His tackles for losses totaled nine yards. Richardson leads the team with six sacks this year and is third with 59 tackles this year. He has posted at least seven tackles five times this year.

CHARLES IN CHARGE
Senior defensive lineman Charles Yarbrough is being counted on as 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, has tallied 22 tackles, including three sacks and 2.5 tackles for loss in 2006.

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, has posted 44 tackles, including five for losses and three sacks this year. He had two sacks in the Sept. 16 loss to Adams State. Koenig has had at least four tackles in eight of the nine games he has played in this year. He missed the Oct. 28 game at Kearney.

LAYING DOWN THE LAW
Redshirt freshman linebacker Hunter Wardlaw has had quite a start to his CSM career. The Broomfield native opened his collegiate career by posting a game-best 13 tackles in the season opening loss at nationally-ranked Washburn. In an Oct. 14 win at Western New Mexico, Wardlaw recorded 10 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and fumble recovery and followed that with a 12 tackle performance and his first interception in the Oct. 21 loss to Fort Lewis. He leads the team and is ranked fourth in the RMAC with 83 tackles.

ONE SMART FRESHMAN
True freshman rover Isaiah Smart has proven that he will be a force on the field over the next four seasons. Smart has amassed 50 tackles, which ranks fourth on the team, and is fourth in tackles for loss (5) and third in sacks (4).

WHAT’S IN A NAME
Sophomore cornerback Kevin Folly-Kossi has made an immediate impact for CSM. Folly-Kossi, a transfer from Santa Monica J.C. (Calif.) and a native of the Ivory Coast, has recorded 32 tackles and is tops on the team with nine pass breakups.

READY, WILLING AND ABEL
Junior placekicker Aaron Abel is back for his third season as the Oredigger kicker. He has been solid at CSM as he has connected on 29-of-41 field goal attempts (.700), including 19-of-28 from 30 yards or more and 8-of-13 from 40 yards or more. In the Oct. 14 win at Western N.M., Abel hit a career-long 50-yard field goal. In the Oct. 7 loss to N.M. Highlands, Abel nailed all three of his field goal attempts en route to RMAC Player of the Week honors. He is 13th in Division II in field goals per game (1.1 fgpg). Last season, Abel connected on a game-winning 27-yard field goal with three seconds left in a 27-26 win at Chadron State.

SACK ATTACK
The CSM defense has set a single season school record with 31 sacks this year. The old record was 28 sacks set in 2002.

BEHIND THE LINE
The CSM defense has also posted 60 tackles for losses totaling 276 yards this year. Included in that total were 11 tackles for loss in a Sept. 30 win over Panhandle State.

POINTS ON THE BOARD
CSM had its streak of 73 games in which it has scored, including all 71 games under Head Coach Bob Stitt, snapped in a Sept. 23 loss at Chadron State (57-0). The last time the Orediggers were shut out prior to that was Oct. 16, 1999, a 47-0 loss to Mesa State. During that same time period, CSM had 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 43 times (out of 77 games). The 69 points scored against Panhandle State on Sept. 30 were the most since CSM posted 75 in a win at N.M. Highlands in 2003.

POINTS OFF THE BOARD
The CSM defense has done a great job of keeping points off the board this year. The Orediggers have limited two teams to fewer than 10 points this year as it shutout Oklahoma Panhandle State (69-0) and defeated Western New Mexico, 10-6. It is the first time since the 2003 season that CSM has held two opponents under 10 points. That year, the Orediggers defeated Missouri-Rolla, 28-7, and Fort Lewis, 37-7. The Orediggers have not held three opponents under 10 points in the same season since 1981.

FINALE FOR EIGHT SENIORS
Eight members of the CSM football team will be playing in their final game on Saturday. The group includes Nick Belden, Garrett Mehl, Tim Miller, Bryan Florendo, Danny Sprague, Beau Koenig, Charles Yarbrough and Brent Chacon.