ST. PAUL, Minn. – This Saturday at 6 p.m., the Golden Bears will kickoff the 2024 campaign at Harms-Eischeid Stadium at Upper Iowa (0-1) in a non-conference contest on the road.
 
This is the first of a three-part season preview series, and will be followed by part two (defense) and part three (offense) over the next two days.
 
The Peacocks opened the season last Thursday night in Division II's week zero, falling on the road at a Division I opponent 40-7 at Butler University in Indianapolis. The Peacocks, entering their second year as members of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC), were picked seventh of nine teams in the GLVC Preseason Poll. Last year, UIU was 3-8 overall, going 1-6 in their first year as members of the GLVC to tie for seventh in last year's eight-team league. They return 19 starters.
 
Meanwhile, the Golden Bears return 17 starters from a team that also finished 3-8 overall and 2-8 in the NSIC while being picked 10^th in the 13-team NSIC. Last year, Concordia scored a 43-20 season-opening win at home over Upper Iowa to improve to 12-4 in the all-time series with the Peacocks including an 8-1 home record. CSP will travel to UIU for the seventh time in the all-time series where the teams have split the previous six meetings.
 
In last year's opener, CSP running backs Jaylin Richardson (16-108) and Daniel Hornacek (10-100) each topped 100 yards on the ground, combining for three rushing touchdowns led by Richardson's two while quarterback Conner Cordts completed 21-30 for 191 yards and two touchdowns, adding 5-42 rushing and another score as CSP rushed for 281 yards at 7.8 per carry while holding UIU to 73 rushing yards at 2.8 per rush. Cordts wasn't sacked and didn't turn the ball over while CSP had a pair of sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery defensively.
 
2024 OFFSEASON OVERVIEW CULTURE & ACCOUNTABILITY
A staple of Concordia's program in head coach Shannon Currier's second term leading the program has been continuity, both among the roster with high retention rates as well as among the coaching staff. Currier led Concordia initially from 2000 to 2003, one of the best four-year runs of any coach in program history that included four winning seasons culminating in an NSIC Championship and the program's first-ever postseason berth, a trip to the 2003 Mineral Water Bowl. He returned to the CSP sidelines in 2016 and by the 2019 season had the club trending upward with a 6-5 season with a number of closely contested losses that showed the team was on the brink of becoming a conference contender.
 
While the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the team's direction as players graduated and moved on to the next stage of their lives as young professionals, other programs saw their players continue to their football careers after graduating. While CSP had young, talented players competing, the winning trajectory was shifted in favor of new players accumulating important game experience.
 
The tides have turned for Currier and the Golden Bears, who return 17 of their regular 22 starting offensive and defensive starters from a year ago, while plugging in players with starting and key rotational experience into the few vacated spots as CSP will look to its experience and veteran status as an asset heading into the 2024 season.
 
"We had an excellent offseason, and it really started when we had eight or nine players who graduated that decided to come back for graduate school and commit in the winter to return and lead this program," said Currier. "Guys like Jaylin Richardson, Taylon Hensley, Jac Carver, Robby Carrillo, Drew Enke, Caden Baarts and Brayden Hilgemann made that commitment early and it was huge for our program because I believe we were better than our record last year and I'm confident that we are a better team today than last year and it starts with the desire to be great."
 
Not long after, Richard Wauer also made the commitment to return for the 2024 season to boost the squad even further.
 
Last spring also featured a new wrinkle on the Division II landscape, the ability to face outside competition. Concordia took advantage by meeting up to battle the University of Nebraska Kearney, with the Lopers looking up early in 2024 following a week zero win over in-state rival Chadron State.
 
"Spring ball was good, and the ability to compete against UNK gave us a chance to see where we're at a a number of positions. We had some key guys out against the Lopers, so it gave us a chance to evaluate a lot of players in a live setting. We learned that we had some holes to fill despite returning so many starters. We were a 3-8 team, so we know we needed to improve, but we had great retention and have a lot of leadership back in the program. It's one of our best situations in terms of culture and leadership that we've had here and has turned into more of a players-led and less of a coaches-fed leadership environment where we have much more player-to-player accountability, more honest conversations are being had even if it leads to hurt feelings."
 
He continued, "Iron only sharpens iron if you can say the truth and hold someone accountable. Leaders like Richard Wauer, Caden Baarts, Conner Cordts, Drew Enke, Taylon Hensley, Jac Carver, Robby Carrillo, Jaylin Richardson, Brayden Hilgemann, Russell Corrigan, Jackson Savre, Cyrus McClure, McKinley Egland-Young, Hudson Jean, Carter Otto, Parker Dahlman, Jawon Carr and Caydon Christensen have really formed our glue and our best leadership unit we've had here."
 
And transitioning from spring football when class was in session to summer lifting and conditioning led by strength & conditioning head coach Eric Overland, retaining key leaders and accountability during these months is crucial when the football staff does not have the same level of planning and oversight due to NCAA regulations.
 
"It was a good summer, a lot of guys stayed locally to continue to build their team culture and cohesion and they made a lot of progress, it was evident on the first day of fall camp," said Currier. "We are blessed to have one of the best strength & conditioning staffs. Coach O is committed to the overall development physically, mentally and spiritually of our young men and he has a great track record of loyal players such as Michael Floyd and Harrison Smith in his past positions that really speaks to his credibility. Our players and staff are blessed to have his commitment to his role and our program because it's not something that I take for granted as a head coach."
 
In addition to Currier's off-field development of players with the strength & conditioning staff, he emphasized a recommitment to values and standards, starting with player accountability and leadership, along with his role in fostering that improvement.
 
"It was important that I lead by example, so I got certified last spring through a training with Brian Cain to open my eyes and do a better job to help the student-athletes in the various elements from an ultimate mindset, focus & awareness, self-control & discipline, process over outcome, meditation & mental imagery, routines & habits of excellence, time management & organization, leadership, culture, breathing and positive self-talk. These are things we've focused on each day and made strides to increase the belief that we're better than we've been and we're better than what people on the outside think we are and we truly have to believe it. I believe that our team believes we will be the surprise team in the league this year."
 
Currier elaborated, "We lean into the resources and foundation of Concordia's Lutheran identity and use scripture to emphasize these points, that what we truly believe can become a reality. We believe in the power of prayer and have a daily prayer after every practice or walk-through. That routine itself doesn't help you win games on its own, but it leads to the power of prayer, how our brotherhood can lead to greater love for teammates and to be less selfish and more accountable. It's what makes Concordia unique – people aren't forced to believe here, but we speak God's word which leads to more awareness up-and-down our roster, and when they learn what God's word is and what it means, the seeds are planted and someday will flourish when they are ready and when it's right for them. We've had many messages here, such as FCA, multiple church services – guys are reminded of scripture and truth."
 
He concluded, "We want to help our players be the best versions of themselves on and off the field, and I recognize that we aren't in control, God is, and that builds our culture."
 
2024 OFFSEASON OVERVIEW: COACHING STAFF RETENTION & CHANGES
Concordia continues its trend of retaining top staff members to full-time positions as Currier is rejoined by defensive coordinator Craig Stern, special teams coordinator Jake Munkwitz, recruiting coordinator Mike Bond, and run game coordinator Jon Medlo.
 
"To have that continuity in this business is an advantage, because there is a lot of change baked into college football, but we've had the same scheme, same coaches, we continue to polish what works and reexamine what doesn't to improve what we do, and it allows us to get more detailed because we've been doing things a certain way for a while," said Currier.
 
"But the key element for me is relationships. Our relationship with players is top-notch, we have six year seniors who've had the same coaches throughout their time. When you bring in new coaches, especially on a full-time basis, players and coaches have to prove themselves to each other, earn trust and build rapport – it's a huge benefit to have the same full-time staff."
 
Currier also sees it as a relationship boost behind closed doors in staff meetings to have hard conversations, question existing processes and make difficult choices to make on-field improvements and adjustments.
 
"How do we get better? We focus on what's most important and through our adversity our staff has improved. We've eliminated auxiliary things in the profession to emphasize production on the field. We hold each other accountable as staff members precisely because we have those strong relationships and trust. We grow as men and build character, it allows us to speak the truth, hold each other accountable and no one gets offended in that full-time staff group, and that's vital."
 
While Currier brings back the same full-time crew, the collection of part-time, volunteer and graduate assistant staff have evolved as former staff members have advanced in the profession to allow for new voices to enter the room.
 
"We've been blessed to have so many young coaches who are on the right track to obtain full-time coaching positions or steps forward on the coaching ladder. Guys who started here with entry level positions but have proven themselves and made connections in the college football industry to advance their careers. We'd love to keep these guys around, but these positions aren't paid as well so there is more turnover. My job is to help these guys develop and grow in their roles so if we can't retain them into full-time roles like we've done with Munk and Bond, that they stay in the profession and find other opportunities."

Recent success stories include Mitchell Heinz at the University of Minnesota, Woody Corey at Northern Illinois, Tim Lydon at Central College, Robert Kraklow with the St. Paul Saints, Trevor Warner at St. Thomas, Ethan Aune at Waldorf, among others.
 
"It's great for them to use these opportunities as stepping stones to further their coaching careers, we aren't being realistic if we think we can keep a really good coach in that role for a long time, and we've used past full-time openings to hire from within these types of entry positions when we promoted Jake Munkwitz and Mike Bond. It's a good thing for the program, and we're now hiring former players to remain in the program to fill these spots as graduate assistants and it's a real value because we know they are committed and all-in, it means more to them than just a job."
 
The staff was able to retain Jake Schaper (tight ends) as the lone returning staff member from outside the full-time ranks, while adding Levy Hamer (wide receivers), Devin Vouk (running backs), Sarek Hoerth (GA/offensive line), Juwaan Jenkins (GA/defensive line), Richard Boyes (defensive analyst) and Tim Dudyrev (offensive analyst).
 
"We hit the paydirt this year," explained Coach Currier. "With the overall moves among our staff, our goal was to ensure that each position group has someone here all day long that's committed to their job and available to the student-athletes for guidance and mentorship."
 
"We've retained a former player, moving Sarek Hoerth from our offensive line to a GA role working alongside Coach Medlo, we retained Coach Schaper to work with the tight ends, Coach Hamer joined us in the spring has been a great fit with his passion and desire to impact people – and his playing career backs it up with his mentality in coaching transitioning to the work ethic and desire he expects from his position group. Couch Vouk comes to us from a successful St. John's program and it's the first time we've had a former running back coaching the running backs since I've been here and it's been received well. We snagged a phenomenal defensive GA in Juwaan Jenkins from Florida Atlantic (FAU), he has attention to detail, a drive for greatness and his love for recruiting makes him a really solid addition to our defensive staff – he's already one of the best GAs we've had here. And we've added a couple of new positions with our offensive and defensive analysts with Rick Boyes handling the defensive analyst duties and Tim Dudyrev off to a phenomenal start on the offensive side which has taken some of the workload off."
 
MEET THE TEAM: SPECIAL TEAMS PREVIEW
Armed with a large number of returning seniors who chose to stay with the program despite earning their degrees, a large number of returning starters and influx of transfers and freshmen competing for starting and key two-deep positions to make the travel roster, the Golden Bear roster is poised for a substantial improvement to the special teams.
 
And with the rededication of graduated seniors returning with eligibility marking a key theme to the 2024 season, the special teams unit also starts with the rededication of head coach Shannon Currier.
 
"We've made a recommitment to the special teams being 'Our Team,' starting with myself," Coach Currier commented. "Last year as I spent more time working with the quarterbacks position group, I wasn't in every (special teams) meeting. It has to be important to me. Our special teams coordinator, Jake Munkwitz, is organized, knowledgeable and has grown in his role in overseeing the special teams. He spends a lot of time, preparation and work in the offseason to improve our schemes. And we have enough guys to be a dominant unit."
 
He continued, "With 17 returning starters, we are deep on punt protect and our kickoff coverage. Jaylin (Richardson), Peter (Udoibok) and Drew (Enke) have committed to take strong special teams roles which will make us more explosive."
 
Currier sees a number of potential impact players shining on the special teams stage, including linebackers Carter Otto, Richard Wauer, Brayden Hilgemann, Ben Rehl and Caden Baarts, running backs Jaylin Richardson and Daniel Hornacek, tight ends Russell Corrigan, EJ Stoffel, Jacob Cannon and James Wade, safeties Cyrus McClure, Machai Campbell, Anthony Ukofia and Hudson Jean.
 
"Our goal is to block some punts and to use our special teams to change games," he stated.
 
Richardson, Troy Ellison, incoming transfer Jaylon Washington and freshman EJ Previlma all will get looks in the return game. Last year, Ellison averaged over 10 yards per punt return and led the team in kickoff return attempts, as well. A playmaker with vision, he's amassed 1,424 all-purpose yards in a variety of ways in 20 games over the past two seasons. And although Richardson didn't feature in the return game last season, he does have 10 career kick returns including a career long of 51 yards in 2021 and returned four punts in 2021, as well.
 
The kicking game received a boost with the addition of All-WIAC and WIAC Newcomer of the Year Jeff Isotalo-McGuire, a transfer from UW-Whitewater, who has converted 25 field goals the past two seasons and brings 171 career points to the Golden Bear program.
 
"We were fortunate to land Jeff in our program, and he's really performed well during camp, I think he's only missed two kicks all fall."
 
The kicking game also features incumbent punter Parker Dahlman who enters his senior year and his fourth as the Golden Bear punter. In a program with a strong tradition of kickers and punters, Dahlman is putting his name all over the CSP record books, topping the charts with a 40.7 career average in 33 games. As a junior, he was the seventh-ranked punter in Division II with a 43.7 average, a new program single-season record, and set the single-game punting record with a 54.0 average which topped the national leaderboard last year with a minimum of five punts in a game.
 
While his distance has always been a standout tool in his game, Dahlman is also a consistent team performer, looking for accuracy and directional kicking to allow the special teams line to limit big returns.
 
Currier puts Dahlman as "arguably the best punter in the league" entering the 2024 season.