ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Thursday, September 2 at 7 p.m., Concordia-St. Paul opens the 2021 season at Winona State at Altra Federal Credit Union Stadium. This article marks the second in a three-part season preview series and focuses on the team outlook on defense and special teams.
 
Tickets for the season opener in Winona go on sale on Monday, August 30. More information will be posted online at the WSU box office.
 
WATCH ONLINE – NSIC NETWORK
All Golden Bear football games will be available to watch online, free of charge, powered by the NSIC Network, supported by BlueFrame Technology. Visit nsicnetwork.com/cspbears on a laptop or desktop computer, download the NSIC Network app on your mobile device or watch on your supported OTT provider such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. Search "NSIC Network" and download the app for the league's full sport and team lineups. NSIC NETWORK FAQ
 
All home games will feature the play-by-play broadcasting provided by Dan Flanagan, the voice of the Golden Bears for over a decade. The St. Paul, Minnesota native studied broadcasting at Fordham University (N.Y.) where he was the voice of the Rams' football and basketball teams in the NCAA Division I Patriot League.
 
The season opener at Winona State will be produced by local cable station HBC.
 
DOWNLOAD THE APP
Fans can download the CSP Bears fan app, free of charge and available in the App Store or on Google Play. The app contains rosters, schedules, scores, stats, news, social media and more! Customize your options to get notifications to your favorite teams, as well. Search "CSP Bears" in the app store to stay up-to-date on Golden Bear athletics.
 
BUY TICKETS TO HOME GAMES ONLINE
New this year to Golden Bears is online ticketing. Buy tickets in advance and bring your QR code to the gates to skip the line! Friends and families who utilize the pass list will also be utilizing the online ticketing service while all students, faculty & staff will access their free CSP tickets through the service. Fans do not need to create a login, remember a username or password or download an app to purchase tickets, and tickets can still be purchased with cash at the gates. Find out more in the partnership announcement between CSP Athletics and HomeTown Ticketing.
 
DEFENSIVE OVERVIEW
Concordia's team defense is coming off of one of its best years in program history, coming a half sack short of the school's single season record of 41.5 set in 2003, a season in which the NSIC Champion Golden Bears competed in one extra game in the program's first-ever postseason appearance at the Mineral Water Bowl where CSP produced a pair of sacks against Missouri Western State.
 
That season featured a common component that the 2019 and now the 2021 Golden Bears rely on: the leadership of head coach Shannon Currier and defensive coordinator Craig Stern.
 
The duo enter their 10^th season with Concordia football and, both natives of Cosmos, Minnesota, returned to the program in 2016.
 
In between stints at Concordia, Stern earned his shot as a head college football coach but now that he has returned to oversee the CSP defense, he is laser-focused on his role with the results apparent in helping Concordia to its first winning season (6-5) in 2019 since 2011.
 
While Coach Stern is honed in on the defensive side of the ball and ensuring that the position coaches, veteran leaders and young players all follow his aggressive scheme, Coach Currier keeps a broad perspective about the program's path to a championship.
 
In the past few fall camps, Coach Currier has continually emphasized the need for the offense to become more dynamic and to score more points, a nod to the work produced by Coach Stern and the defense.
 
"We're building off the success we've had and the momentum they've created," said Currier. "They play as a physical defense that stops the run. I'm expecting us to find ways to continue to improve even though we've lost a lot of good, quality defensive linemen. I think we have a chance to be even better because we do return so many other guys throughout the defense."
 
The NCAA Division II leaders with 3.73 sacks per game in 2019 lost their top producer, two-time All-American, CSP career sacks record holder, NCAA DII record holder in forced fumbles and a one-time NCAA sack champion Chris Garrett, who was drafted with a year of eligibility remaining in the seventh round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams.
 
And while Garrett has had a productive rookie NFL preseason with the Rams, he's not the only key contributor to the team's nation-leading sacks effort as the rest of the starting defensive line and multiple key reserves up front all graduated.
 
But in a fortunate twist, Concordia's entire starting linebacker unit and most of the secondary return with more experience, more depth and players pushing the incumbent starters for time to elevate the defensive unit as a whole.
 
MEET THE BEARS: DEFENSIVE LINE
The team also emphasizes defensive line atop its recruiting priorities in every recruiting cycle to keep talent and depth infused in the program, even in the rare circumstances with so many experienced players graduating (or getting drafted) in the same year.
 
 "We've tried to recruit the position all the time, it's our number one position. We constantly emphasize the defensive line in recruiting and I feel like we've done a solid job solidifying the line and we're getting better as we go here," said Coach Currier. "When you can stop the run, you give yourself a chance to win. If they can't score, you have a chance, and for us it all starts up front."
 
Joining Garrett on the departures list were fellow four year starters Jackson Dobbs, Kelly Pierce and Dylan Wood along with key defensive line rotation contributors Cole Marmor and TJ Diallo who were both instant impact transfers in the program.
 
"First off, I'd like to acknowledge the quality of play and appreciation for the guys who left and what they consistently brought to our program," Currier said of the departing linemen. "Now we'll look to some guys who have had reps to step into a stronger role on the defensive line."
 
The rough depth chart nearing the end of fall camp had junior Richard Ficociello and Mark O'Reilly on the end with juniors Mel Jeudy and Shawn Aarhus on the interior.
 
Adding depth on the ends are junior Connor Weiss and senior Jake Richardson, a graduate of Minnehaha Academy (SMB) and Division I transfer from South Dakota while the interior will feature sophomore Keegan Larson and redshirt freshman Isaac Reed.
 
Although Richardson is the lone senior in the group, he's also the only newcomer to the program as the other seven are all at least in their third year on campus. While he won't start the year listed atop the depth chart, Richardson's presence has been felt this fall and after playing 25 of USD's 26 games across the last three years, he is capable of making an impact in the Northern Sun.
 
Jeudy, expected to step into a starting role this year, hasn't seen game action yet for Concordia and although he is a transfer, he's also in his third year on campus after joining the program for the spring 2020 term from Alderson Broaddus University and also was a member of Eastern Kentucky University's program for two years.
 
Aarhus is the most experienced of the group and is a reigning CoSIDA Academic All-America® Second Team selection. He's played in 22 games up front, registering 37 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and five sacks as a Golden Bear. Ficociello has played in 15 games, compiling 23 tackles, 4.0 for loss and a sack while O'Reilly played in 11 games in 2019 with 12 tackles, 6.5 for loss and four sacks.
 
"Aarhus is a solid kid and a mainstay, he's played a lot of football and has two years of eligibility left and will be our starting 3-technique next to Mel Jeudy. We're also expecting Richard Ficociello and Mark O'Reilly to step up this year," said Currier. "We're also expecting Keegan Larson to step into the fold, we expect Connor Weiss to be able to take some snaps. The additions of Jake Richardson and Brad Walker, and Isaac Reed coming off his redshirt season will also factor in. Jake's going to be a difference maker and Walker brings us depth in his first year here."
 
MEET THE BEARS: LINEBACKERS
While the defensive line will feature opportunities for players to step into new roles, the linebackers will look familiar to fans in the stands at Sea Foam Stadium.
 
Led by CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team® producer Dalton Smerchek with 33 career games played, he's flanked by two other returning starters in Jake Portz who tied the program's NSIC-era record with 105 tackles in a season and has played 22 games and Gabe Nkumu who produced the second most tackles (19) in a game in school history in 2019 and has played in 20 games.

Together, they've compiled 379 career tackles while competing in 75 games.
 
"This is one of the strengths of our team because a lot of football has been played by this group, and we also have depth and competition within this position group. And they all have their own special skills," stated Currier.
 
He continued, "Dalton has been one of the top leaders in the program. He holds people accountable and has a strong desire to be great. He has a tremendous work ethic and carries a huge GPA. He does a great job of doing the small things we refer to which allow him to be the player he is, and he's maximizing his opportunity to become his best."
 
Continuing on the returning starters, "Gabe is our starting SAM backer and is a dynamic player. But he brings more to the table than his on field presence. He's a strong vocal leader of the defense. Portz has been at the top of the leaderboard in tackles in his career and brings a ton of experience."
 
While discussing the contributions Portz has made in the middle, Currier added, "I feel like this is why our linebackers are so strong, because with Jake having such a strong career, we've gotten even better here because of the play of Andrew Egnarski who's been keeping up with Jake throughout fall camp, and I expect them both to get a lot of reps on our defense."
 
Egnarski enters his sophomore season in 2021 after playing in 11 games as a reserve and on special teams in 2019 in his redshirt freshman season but is now in his fourth year in the program and carries three years of eligibility moving forward.
 
"Egnarski is an 'energizer linebacker,' he plays hard and is a prototypical defensive player in that he's tough and he's been playing really fast this fall and really developed into a nice player," said Currier.
 
Others expected to contribute include junior Foster Conzet, freshmen Caden Baarts and Karson Vigeland who were in the program in 2020-21 and St. Cloud State transfer Dominic LaCombe.
 
MEET THE BEARS: SECONDARY
Concordia's secondary features a mixture of experienced leadership, dynamic returners and newcomers poised to make an impact.
 
"We return a really strong secondary with Preston Piltoff highlighting the group as one of the best cornerbacks in all of Division II. He's playing lights-out football, has great feet and athleticism," stated Coach Currier. "But overall, I like the experience and depth of this group, and feel we have a really strong secondary."
 
While Piltoff etched his name on the Division II national radar, ranked as the fourth cornerback in the country by CFB Network. He's coming off a 2019 season in which he led the NSIC with 11 pass breakups and had a pair of interceptions along with the longest interception return (92 yards) in the league.
 
A transfer to the program in 2019, he made an immediate impact and has continued to develop from an already high level through the canceled 2020 season.
 
Opposite Piltoff is another transfer as Kyle Moses came to CSP from UNLV for the 2020-21 academic year and has had a chance to go through two semesters and an offseason with the club to prepare for the opportunity.
 
The position adds depth and experience with the production of Lorenzo Kendricks who has played in 33 games as a Golden Bear, registering 69 total tackles and six pass breakups while McKinley Egland-Young, a redshirt freshman in his third year and Kahlil Robinson who was a freshman in 2020-21 also look to make an impact.
 
The safety position features the leadership of fifth year junior Rhett Sheehan who has played in 22 games with 80 total tackles and seven pass breakups.
 
"After the coaching staff, Rhett knows the playbook better than anyone and brings leadership to the entire defense. He gets us lined up, ensures we don't have a missed alignment and is so smart and able to direct the traffic from the safety position. He's improved his athleticism and has become a better football player while continuing to gain confidence and become an even better leader."
 
While Sheehan leads from the free safety position, Hunter Thompson has solidified his role as the rover and brings 10 games of experience to the secondary in a 2019 season that included his first interception among his 14 total tackles.
 
"We have good depth at the free, with Alex Andrade and Davaris Cheeks both serving as capable backups while Cyrus McClure joins Thompson at the rover and is another guy we expect to be a great player – those two have that spot locked down," commented Currier.
 
MEET THE BEARS: SPECIAL TEAMS
The kicking game has been a strength of Concordia football in recent years with the top four single season field goal totals all coming since 2014 including each of the last three seasons with 48 field goals made.
 
In 2021, it will be led by a pair of freshmen with Sam Henson returning following his first year on campus in 2020-21 and Parker Dahlman joining the program this fall.
 
"I'm excited about their potential," said Currier. "They're hardworking young men who I think will be some of the best specialists in the league in their time. We also have Kaleb Kazmarek who battled for a spot throughout camp and he's another player I'm excited to watch grow here."
 
The initial team depth chart features Henson as the place kicker and Dahlman as the punter.
 
They'll be set up by long snapper Dalton Smerchek, a consistent special teams standout entering his senior year, "he's very reliable and consistent in that role for us over the years," said Currier. He'll be sending the ball to veteran leader Abe Schwartz, one of the team's quarterbacks and an experienced, steady holder.

While the kicking game is key, the coverage units have been excelling throughout the fall camp with a deep array of contributors including Caden Baarts, Gabe Nkumu, Andrew Egnarski, Dalton Smerchek, Foster Conzet, Max Giannini, Hunter Thompson, Cyrus McClure, Davaris Cheeks and Rhett Sheehan with Nkumu, Egnarski, Conzet and Thompson standing above the rest through fall camp.
 
"We will be improved on special teams because we continue to compile more depth throughout the roster. We have more team speed, more defensive guys who can run – more defensive backs and linebackers, and we'll put our best guys out there. If we need to take a break, they'll get one on defense. We know that to play winning football means winning on special teams."
 
The return game includes dynamic play from returners Lajuan Preston and Isaiah Koran along with newcomers Jaylin Richardson, Joey Farley and Brian Lankford-Johnson. Richardson and Lankford-Johnson provide a compelling threat to opponents as Division I transfers from Northern Iowa and Purdue, respectively.