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 third and final installment in a three-part season preview series and focuses on the offense as well as this week's matchup.
 
Tickets for the season opener in Winona went on sale on Monday, August 30. More information is available online at the WSU box office. Thursday is expected to feature temperatures in the low 70s with a 7 mph ESE wind and slight chance of rain, however the forecast does show a 70 percent chance of rain after midnight, continuing into Friday.
 
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.
 
SERIES HISTORY: WINONA STATE 18, CSP 4
The 2021 season opener marks the 23^rd meeting in the all-time series between the programs, with all but one of those coming during Concorida's membership as an NCAA Division II program starting in 1999. The lone non-NSIC era meeting occurred in 1988, a UMAC Championship season for Concordia with WSU handing CSP a 47-3 defeat in Minneapolis.
 
The Warriors have captured five consecutive wins in the series dating back to CSP's back-to-back wins in 2013 and 2014. The last two outings have been close, with WSU winning 24-20 in the 2018 finale in Winona and 20-10 in the 2019 finale at Sea Foam Stadium in the last live game for Concordia while WSU advanced to the Mineral Water Bowl.
 
Concordia is 1-8 all-time in Winona with its lone victory in 2014, a 31-28 triumph.
 
The Golden Bears also scored decisive wins in the 2003 and 2005 NSIC Championship seasons, splitting the NSIC title with Winona State each year but winning 23-20 in overtime at Griffin Stadium in 2003 and 35-21 at the Metrodome in 2005.
 
The teams have met every season since 1999.
 
SCOUTING THE WARRIORS
The Warriors' 2021 season will be the last for head coach Tom Sawyer, who has led the program for 25 years. He enters the year with a 190-85 career record including 11 postseason appearances, most recently the 2019 Mineral Water Bowl.
 
Winona State comes into the year with back-to-back 8-win seasons, was picked fifth overall in the 14-team NSIC including one first place vote and third in the NSIC South Division with one first place vote, just one point shy of second place Augustana and in a tie with Sioux Falls.
 
Senior safety Cam Gavin was named the NSIC South Division Preseason Player of the Year, coming off a 47 tackle season in 2019 while earning All-NSIC South Division honorable mention honors.
 
Sawyer announced the team captains earlier this week, senior quarterback Owen Burke, wide receiver Tyler Anderson, linebacker Devon Moore and defensive tackle Cole LaLiberty. Burke has compiled 42 career touchdown passes while Moore has 96 tackles and 14 tackles for loss.
 
OFFENSIVE OVERVIEW
Concordia enters the 2021 season looking to replace its top three rushing leaders, 100 percent of the pass completions under center and its top six pass catchers (seven out of the top eight pass catchers).
 
The team's leading rushing leader, Lajuan Preston, finished 2019 with 177 yards with a strong 5.5 average on 32 carries in four games before a season ending injury, which should provide an additional year of eligibility.
 
The leading returning receiver is tight end Kevin Ventura-Cortes, who had 11 catches for 76 yards and none of the eight touchdown receptions is on the 2021 roster. In fact, of the 162 pass completions in 2019, only 15 receptions return for the Golden Bears.
 
Under center, all but one of the 288 pass attempts and none of the 162 completions return, leaving sophomore Abe Schwartz as the leading passer, going 0-for-1 and adding a 12 yard scramble.
 
Up front, the starting offensive line returns Matthew Montgomery, who started all 11 games at center, Sam Marshalek who started two games in the middle of the year at right guard, and Adam Cook who started the final three games at right tackle as the team essentially replaces four of the five starters.
 
But the coaching staff has had two years to develop the younger players and recruit additional depth and competition for starting positions, and this year's offense is poised to be as deep and dynamic as it has been since head coach Shannon Currier returned to the program in 2016.
 
"Our goal is to find some identity with the running game, our foundation is to run the ball," said Currier. "We have a talented group of running backs. That, combined with the best offensive line we've had in a while, we're going to be successful running the ball. We also need to be more dynamic, create big plays and score more points than in the past."
 
"I'm confident we will average more points per game than we did in the last few years," he stated.
 
To do so, Concordia must top the 22.5 points it put up in 2019's winning 6-5 season, the 20.8 scoring average in a 5-6 2018 campaign  and the 19.4 points it scored during the 2017 season when CSP was a 2-9 squad.
 
MEET THE BEARS: OFFENSIVE LINE
It all starts up front, where Concordia has built a consistent and high performing offensive line since Currier and his staff inherited four offensive linemen in the program in 2016.
 
The team now boasts 22 offensive linemen including five transfers from St. Cloud State. It's not only a crowded room, but a competitive one where multiple players have the ability to start or garner significant playing time if the opportunity presents itself.
 
"We have a lot of good depth, and a lot of guys who can play which breeds competition in practice," said Currier. "People are not complacent because they know they have to perform every day because someone is chasing their job. We will play a lot of players because we do have a lot of depth. The five SCSU transfers enhance the position, and this is the most offensive linemen we've had through fall camp."
 
The depth chart late in fall camp saw sophomore Matthew Montgomery shifting from center to right guard and sophomore Sam Mashalek moving to the center position. Sophomore Adam Cook continues his hold on the right tackle position that he claimed late in 2019 and All-NSIC North Division left tackle Robert Kraklow brings his experience to the left side of the line. The most heated competition in fall camp came at left guard, where redshirt freshman Brody Card has an edge for the starting role with SCSU sophomore Sarek Hoerth also in the mix.
 
"We're looking forward to Matt Montgomery having his best year (in 2021), Kraklow is a proven player in this league and an all-conference performer, Cook is coming off ascending to the starting role in 2019 while Marshalek gained a lot of experience that year and has continued to improve," said Currier. "The left guard spot was a solid two way battle between Card and Hoerth."
 
The 2021 season will likely feature a two deep of 10 different offensive linemen, while in years past players may have backed up multiple positions, or a starter was also listed as a backup at another spot.
 
Providing depth up front at the tackles are second year freshman Jac Carver on the left side and SCSU sophomore transfer Jake Edwards on the right side, while another SCSU transfer, Robby Carrillo, is also in the mix. "Edwards is one of our best athletes and provides a different dynamic to our offense while Carver and Carrillo give us multiple legitimate tackles in this league and are expected to contribute."
 
On the interior, CJ Picazo joins Hoerth as a reserve guard while SCSU transfer Taylon Hensley and Elliott Wolfe provide the depth at the center position, with Hensley providing versatility, depth and competition at the guard position, as well.
 
MEET THE BEARS: TIGHT ENDS
One of the lone incumbent members of the skill positions, senior Kevin Ventura-Cortes leads the tight end position, playing in all 11 games in 2019 with 11 catches for 76 yards and a long of 16.
 
"We're improved at this position," said Currier. "Kevin Ventura-Cortes made progress from 2019 to now and has had a great fall camp. Transfer Luke Shepherd gives us two players who have proven they can play in this league. They are outstanding tight ends, can both catch and are quality blockers that we'll look to utilize in various ways."
 
Shepherd played in 16 games for the Huskies, with his first career reception being a 13-yard touchdown against Minnesota Crookston in 2017, and he added a pair of catches in 2019.
 
MEET THE BEARS: WIDE RECEIVERS
A nearly entirely new group, Concordia turns the page on a talented trio of wide receivers in Olympic trails thrower Marcus Gustaveson (10-140, 3 TD), MJ Williams (28-341, 1 TD) and Jabril Clewis (28-416, 3 TD) while the team also loses Jake Tanner (23-241) and three running backs who combined for 45 catches out of the backfield.
 
"We have some big losses at wide receiver," Currier acknowledged. "We will miss quality players like Marcus Gustaveson, Jabril Clewis, MJ Williams, Jake Tanner and Gabe Steed."
 
He continued, "But I really think this group has been enhanced, even though you can't replace those guys as individuals. I think we've added some transfers that has really helped our depth and competition, and we have a few returners who are looking to step into new roles."
 
Three new wide receivers come from St. Cloud State's program: Nathan Gimza, Mason Van Zeeland and Nick Webley. Gimza had his breakout year in 2018, with 13 catches for 221 yards to finish fourth on the team in receiving yards while leading the team with 17.0 yards per catch, while Van Zeeland and Webley redshirted in their lone year at SCSU in 2019.
 
"Going in, Nathan Gimza is a guy we're really excited about. He's dynamic and can play a lot of positions. Mason Van Zeeland had a great summer and we're also expecting Nick Webley to factor into the mix on the outside."
 
The outside receivers also see the return of Jake Shepley, a veteran in the program who had four catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns including a long TD of 76 yards in 2018 when he also punted for the Golden Bears with a 39.3 average.
 
"Shepley has played well and has experience. He's taken his game to another level."
 
Younger players at the position include second year freshman Evan Peterson and true freshman Jahiem Arnold.
 
The receiver position group also features a number of players at the slot who will look to make an impact led by Isaiah Koran who had a pair of catches in 2019 while also returning 10 kickoffs for a 21.2 average and a long of 45, while he's joined by second year transfer Jonas McMillan and first year transfer Joey Farley.
 
"Our slot guys provide us with three strong performers, and we'll have a lot of different ways of getting various looks to them on the field."
 
Already a deep group, returning players Jack Munsterteiger and Reese Haywood "are also able to go out and make plays for us," said Currier.
 
He concluded, "We have a lot of speed in this group, they are trending upwards and will only continue to get better with more opportunities."
 
MEET THE BEARS: RUNNING BACKS
A consistent strength of the program is the running back position, and 2021 will be no different even if the faces are.
 
"I think the running backs are one of the most talented position groups on the team. We're excited to get them the ball. We have two 3-star recruits in 'Lank' & Jaylin, and our warrior through the years is Lajuan. The trio is as good as we've had. I expect them to be the best trio in the league.
 
Lajuan Preston returns from an injury that cut short his 2019 season in week four when he was poised to have his best year, averaging 5.5 yards per carry with 177 yards and two touchdowns on just 32 carries. In 26 games across three years, Preston has dashed for 1,013 yards at a 5.9 per carry clip and had a career-high 704 yards at 6.5 yards per carry as a sophomore in 2018.
 
"'LP' is a slasher, a warrior. He's up to 200 pounds and ready to go."
 
The two 3-star recruits Currier mentioned were Purdue transfer Brian Lankford-Johnson and Northern Iowa transfer Jaylin Richardson. Lankford-Johnson was an impact player for the Boilermakers, finishing second on the team in 2016 with 314 rushing yards with a team-best 6.5 yard per carry average and the team's longest run of the year (48), adding 11 catches for 90 yards. He was second on the team with 920 all-purpose yards and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week when he gashed Illinois for 127 yards on 18 carries and a touchdown in a Purdue victory.
 
"With 'Lank', I think of speed. He lulls the defense to sleep, but when he finds space, he has another gear and he's out of there," exclaimed Currier. "He catches the ball well and will be utilized in various ways. We have to get him the ball as many times as we possibly can."
 
Jaylin Richardson was a highly touted prep in the Kansas City area, receiving an offer and committing to Kansas before ending up signing with Northern Iowa where he contributed during the spring 2021 season as a true freshman after being an early enrollee in the spring 2020 term prior to the COVID-19 shutdown that spring.
 
"Jaylin is a complete back," Currier stated. "He has the physicality of an inside runner combined with the speed to go outside, and the ability to catch the football."
 
While Currier expects the trio to be elite in the Northern Sun in 2021, the future remains bright at the position with true freshman Keron Franklin poised to make the travel roster and potentially debut in 2021.
 
Adding a different element is Ethan Falaniko, who is expected to miss time at the beginning of the year. "We're looking forward to adding Ethan's physical inside running style," said Currier.
 
MEET THE BEARS: QUARTERBACKS
In Coach Currier's four years seasons since being back at the helm of the Golden Bear football team, at least two different players have registered 23 or more pass attempts each year, with three quarterbacks attempting at least one pass in three of the last four years with two of those years seeing three QBs make at least 12 throws.
 
In 2019, CSP was fortunate to have Maxon Hutton attempt 262 of the team's 288 passes in his best college season as he passed for 1,527 yards and seven touchdowns and ran for 358 yards and three more scores.
 
With the position's top two players from 2019, including Jared Olsgaard's 128 yards and a touchdown, 87 rushing yards and a touchdown and 90 receiving yards, the program had a true competition for the starting role entering 2021.
 
"It's been a good battle through fall camp, and we have a group of four quarterbacks who can all play for us. They are all athletic, intelligent and all throw the ball well," said Currier as an overview of the position.
 
He continued, "In the end, it came down to freshman Conner Cordts and sophomore Abe Schwartz, with Conner being declared the starting quarterback last Sunday."
 
Cordts came to Concordia from Peoria, Arizona for the 2020-21 academic year, and has already experienced a full year of college and the additional growth and development that came with the expanded spring season including outside scrimmages with Bethel and St. Thomas as well as intrasquad opportunities.
 
"Conner gives us big play potential with his athleticism and speed. He's young, and each day he is focusing on improving his game," said Currier.
 
He shifted, "At the same time, we have a lot of confidence in Abe. He commands tremendous respect from teammates and manages the game. He finds ways to move the ball and score points."
 
Now in his fourth year in the program and still just a sophomore, Schwartz has held leadership roles on campus, serving as Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) president in 2020-21. Finding any way to get on the field, Schwartz was a special teams standout, making six tackles in nine games and serving as one of the team's holders in the kicking game. He quarterbacked a series in the season finale, converting a first down with a 12-yard keeper against the Warriors.
 
The team's third quarterback will be second year freshman Bryce Sievers, who was in the same recruiting class as Cordts. "Bryce is a quality young, up-and-coming quarterback with a lot of potential. He's already grown a lot in his short time here, throws the ball well and is fun to watch develop. He always seems to come out of our scrimmages with a lot of passing yards."
 
The fourth quarterback on the roster is junior Johnny Saavedra who is in his third year at CSP after being an all-conference junior college quarterback in California. "Johnny is recovering from injury and I'm excited to see him back at his best. He has potential, throws the ball well and is a good athlete," Currier concluded.