Concordia University St. Paul Athletics

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Concordia-St. Paul football team opens the 2013 season this Saturday at 11 a.m. at Sea Foam Stadium against Minot State.

SERIES HISTORY
The Golden Bears are 3-1 all-time against the Beavers in the series that started in 2008. Concordia is 2-0 at home against Minot State, and 1-0 at Sea Foam Stadium. In the last meeting between the teams in 2011, Concordia defeated Minot State 43-31 in Minot, N.D.

The Golden Bears are 1-1 in season openers under third year head coach Ryan Williams and are 4-5 at Sea Foam Stadium in his tenure.

STARTING QUARTERBACK & TEAM CAPTAINS
The biggest team news of the week is the announcement of the starting quarterback as junior Jared Russo edged out returning starter James Peterson. Russo was also voted as the team's only offensive team captain while defenders Zach Moore and Mike Willett earned the other two captain nods. The fourth captain will be a rotating gameday captain each week, with week one honors going to senior offensive tackle Steven Davis. The opening day honorary captain is CSP Hall of Famer Tim Walther, a two-time NAIA All-American and Concordia's career record holder with 42 interceptions.

ABOUT JARED RUSSO
Russo started three games and played in 10 as a redshirt freshman in 2011 while leading the team in passing attempts (170). He threw 10 touchdown passes and passed for 1,037 yards that season. He won his first career start at home against Northern State by throwing for over 200 yards with three touchdown passes. The following week he set career highs in completions (25) and passing yards (318) in a home loss to Minnesota State.

ZACH MOORE LEADS THE DEFENSE
Defensively, Moore is a preseason All-America first team pick by virtually all Division II outlets and is ranked as the fifth overall Division II talent by D2Football.com, including earning the second ranking among defensive ends and the third overall defensive player on the list. Last year he was fifth in the nation with 14.0 sacks and 11th with 21.5 tackles for loss. He enters the year with 26 career sacks, just four shy of the career record at Concordia.

OBARSKI LEADS SPECIAL TEAMS
The special teams unit is led by Fred Mitchell Award Watch List member Tom Obarski, one of the top kickers in the country. Last year he had the longest field goal in the nation at the Division II level with a 59-yarder which broke the school and NSIC record. He's delivered three of the longest six field goals in league history and five of the longest six in team history. He's also accurate close, making 12 of 13 inside of 40 yards. He also handles kickoff and punting duties, with his punting average increasing by over six yards per punt from his freshman to sophomore season.

The Golden Bears are coming off of a 2-9 campaign that included five losses by eight points or less (one score).

Minot State went 3-8 overall last year, winning all three games in North Division play against Mary, MSU Moorhead and Minnesota Crookston.