THURSDAY

The next era for University of Mary football commences this week when Craig Bagnell makes his regular-season head coaching debut for the Marauders. The UMary alumnus leads his alma mater on the field when the Marauders open the season on Thursday, August 30. Kickoff is set for 6 pm at Husky Stadium in St. Cloud, MN. 

THE RECORDS

This is the season opener for both the Marauders and the Huskies, who are fellow NSIC North Division members.

LAST WEEK

This is the opening game for both teams.

LAST YEAR

UMary finished last season 1-10 overall and in the NSIC and 1-7 in the NSIC North... SCSU was 6-5 in the NSIC and overall and 3-4 in the NSIC North.  

RADIO CHANGE FOR OPENER

The Marauders football 2018 season opener will be broadcast on Fox Sports 710. The remainder of the season's games will be aired on KFYR 550, the home of Marauders football.

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS OPENER RECENT HISTORY

After going five seasons without opening up the season on a Thursday, the Marauders kick off the season on a Thursday for the second straight season when UMary visits St. Cloud State. In 2017 UMary opened its schedule at Minnesota State. Prior to playing the Mavericks last fall, the last Thursday opener occurred in 2011 when current UMary head coach Craig Bagnell - then the Marauders starting quarterback - ran for a touchdown and connected with Tyler Steffan for two scoring passes in a 31-24 win at Chadron State. Josh Murray scored the winning touchdown with 2:46 left in the game... After playing three times on a Thursday last year, the Marauders have only one Thursday game in 2018.

YOUNG BLOOD

At 28 years old, UMary head coach Craig Bagnell is the youngest head coach in the NCAA. The 2013 University of Mary graduate started his coaching career at Bemidji State in 2014 as a graduate assistant working with receivers. The next season he moved to offensive coordinator where he led a potent Beavers attack the last three years that featured creativity, balance and big plays. A four-year starter at quarterback for the Marauders, Bagnell was a two-time all-conference selection and UMary's all-time career leader in touchdown passes (75) and passing yardage (9,170). 

NSIC FAMILIARITY

Of the ten coaches on Craig Bagnell's staff, nine have either coached at or graduated from a Northern Sun school. Bagnell, Jordan Noskowiak, Matthew Splon and Rufus Saylee all have played and coached in the NSIC. Brett Holinka, Mark Martin and Tristian Johnson all coached in the NSIC at other schools before joining UMary in the off season. Randy Bandelow is in his third season with the Marauders and Nick Voorhees his second. 

FIVE NUMBERS TO KNOW

31 This is the 31st season of Marauders football. After playing a junior varsity schedule in 1987, head coach Jim Driscoll led the 1988 squad to a 27-18 home win in the program's first varsity game.  

8+3 The Marauders have a total of 11 freshmen on their 2-deep depth chart, including eight true freshmen and three redshirt freshmen who did not play last year. 

11 The 2018 Marauders team features 11 seniors, including eight who have played their entire careers at UMary: Ryan Nielsen, Colton Farmer, Sam Mackedanz, Ryan Naki-Poomaihealani, Cyrano Rayfield, Jackson Grad, Jared Taylor and Nick Benshetler. The other three seniors are Kendall Grier, Ryan Victorino (who was a freshman at UMary in 2007) and Raymond Calles. 

5 Five teams in Marauders history have won both a conference championship and qualified for the national playoffs. One of those five teams - the 1999 Marauders squad that advanced to the NAIA semifinals - will be inducted into the Marauders Hall of Fame during Homecoming 2018. Former players, coaches and staff on the 1999 team can go to www.GoUMary.com/1999footballRSVP to register for the event. 

3 Three Marauders return who earned All-NSIC honors last year; P Bailey Meyer (2nd team), DB Noah Krebs (honorable mention) and WR DeShawn Gay (honorable mention). 

SCHEDULE CHANGEUP

For the first time since the NSIC went to an 11-game schedule without non-conference games in 2012, North division teams will play fellow NSIC North division teams and South squads open against teams from the NSIC South. Before this season the first four weeks consisted of crossover games with North division teams playing South division teams. This year the first four games are interdivisional games before playing four straight crossover games against the other division. 

HEAD COACHES

At 28 years old, UMary head coach Craig Bagnell is the youngest head coach in the NCAA. The 2013 University of Mary graduate started his coaching career at Bemidji State in 2014 as a graduate assistant working with receivers. The next season he moved to offensive coordinator where he led a potent Beavers attack the last three years that featured creativity, balance and big plays. A four-year starter at quarterback for the Marauders, Bagnell was a two-time all-conference selection and UMary's all-time career leader in touchdown passes (75) and passing yardage (9,170)... In his 11th season leading the St. Cloud State University football program, Scott Underwood posted a winning record in each of his first eight years and owns a career mark of 75-41 overall and 70-35 in Northern Sun games. He was named the 2011 NSIC Coach of the Year after leading the Huskies to a share of the conference title and getting SCSU to a second straight NCAA playoff berth. Underwood has taken SCSU to the NCAA playoffs three times and is second all-time in wins at SCSU. The 1988 graduate of Augustana College was the SCSU defensive coordinator prior to earning the head job.

YEAR IN YEAR OUT

This is the 13th straight season the Marauders have played the Huskies. St. Cloud State is one of five teams Mary has faced every season since beginning NCAA play in 2006. The first two meetings (2006, 2007) were non-conference games. SCSU rejoined the Northern Sun in 2008. Bemidji State, Minnesota Crookston, Northern State and MSU Moorhead are the other four teams. 

THE MARAUDERS-HUSKIES SERIES HISTORY 

(SCSU leads the series 12-0)

An annual contest for the Marauders since beginning NCAA Division II play in 2006, Mary has faced SCSU 12 times with the Huskies winning all... 2006: In the first meeting between the two schools, the Marauders used scoring runs of 81 yards by Justin Fleck and seven yards by Blair Sandy to take a 14-13 lead in the third quarter. The Huskies exploded for 21 points in the fourth to take a 37-14 win. Matt Wall caught six passes for 100 yards and Fleck ran for 99... 2007: Brian Christan booted the game-winning field goal with 55 seconds left in the game from 36 yards in a SCSU 16-13 win. Sandy threw for 230 yards and Roman Penirian had five catches for 127 yards to lead Mary....  2008: Darius Dotch returned an interception 30 yards for the winning touchdown with three minutes left in the game in a 14-7 SCSU win. Mary pulled even in the third when Jesse Kozak connected with Erik Kruse from 15 yards out. Lamal Lomax ran for 77 yards to pace the Marauders offense. RB Brandon Geiss gained 124 of SCSU's 193 yards in the game... 2009: Joey Bollinger threw for 267 yards in his first collegiate start and Lomax scored two touchdowns but SCSU ran for 371 yards in a 35-17 Huskies win. Stripling led SCSU with 154 yards and two TDs, one of three Huskies to run for over 100 yards... 2010: John Oyloe returned an interception for a TD and Mo Burrough blocked a punt that was returned for a score by Marcus Parence for the only Marauders points in a 30-14 loss at SCSU. The Huskies ran for 291 of their 403 yards. Burrough also knocked down three passes... 2011: Mary intercepted four passes and held #18 SCSU to 99 yards passing but the Huskies ran for 354 and scored the last 14 points in a 45-24 road win. The Marauders led 14-7. Dante Steward led SCSU with 134 yards rushing, Michael Walker added 101 and Geiss had 87 yards and two touchdowns. Craig Bagnell threw for 235 yards and a score to Bryan Sandy. Mo Burrough and Andrew Richter each had two interceptions with Burrough returning one for a score... 2012: SCSU turned four Mary interceptions into 28 second quarter points in a 55-13 home win. Elby Pope (UM) caught seven passes for 81 yards and a TD. Dariouse Gravely ran for 68 yards, including a 24-yard score. SCSU rushed for 307 yards, led by Michael Walker with 166, including an 80 yard TD run. Phillip Klaphake was 12-of-14 for 187 yards and four TDs... 2013: Mary lost two fumbles  in a 20-13 SCSU win. The first fumble led to a Huskies TD. A Phil Klaphake TD pass doubled the SCSU lead to 14-0. UM then fumbled at the SCSU 5 yard line. Tyler Ryan hit a 34-yard field goal before Walker scored from the 1 yard line for the 2nd time, building a 20-3 lead with 7:14 left in the game. Craig Bagnell hit Jeremy Mayfield for a TD pass and another Ryan field goal with 1:59 left pulled UM within a touchdown but the Marauders never got the ball back. Troy Guptill had 3 sacks and 4 tackles for loss. Grant Singer added 3 tackles for loss. Bagnell passed for 269 yards and a score... 2014: Zach Roberson completed 40-of-64 passes for 505 yards (all school records) and five TDs and Elby Pope caught 11 passes for 199 yards and two TDs to become Mary's all-time leading receiver in a 55-44 Marauders loss at SCSU. Down 34-10 at half Mary could never catch up. Myron Baldoz-McArn caught seven catches for 99 yards and 1 TD and Jake East posted a line of 7-99-1. Troy Guptill had two tackles for loss, including a sack. Nate Meyer was 18-of-22 passing for 232 yards and 2 TDs for SCSU and Jaden Huff ran for 128 yards and 3 TDs... 2015: Caleb Buck was 38-of-55 passing for 260 yards, including a 1st quarter TD pass to Connor Graves that tied the game 7-7. SCSU took a 14-7 lead in the 2nd quarter and posted 28 points in the 4th for a 42-7 road win. Zack Graves caught 10 passes for 85 yards. Adam Woroniecki caught 10 passes for 37 yards and ran for 41 yards. Preston Tescher had 11 tackles, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble. Meyer passed for 234 yards and two TDs and ran for 71 yards and two TDs to lead SCSU. Jameson Parsons caught three passes for 120 yards and two TDs... 2016: Sam Mackedanz caught three passes for 47 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown from Colton Farmer, to highlight the Marauders efforts in a 41-7 road loss at St. Cloud State. Farmer passed for 111 yards. Zach Podoll ran for 45 yards. Noah Krebs had nine tackles. SCSU scored four second quarter touchdowns 41 straight points. Nate Meyer passed for 243 yards and three TDs and also ran for two scores for SCSU. Parsons caught three passes for 102 yards... 2017 Visiting SCSU scored 24 points in the second half - including 17 in the fourth quarter - to pull away from UMary. The Huskies scored nine points in the opening quarter before DeShawn Gay caught a 61 yard scoring pass from Nick McCann to close within 9-7 at half. SCSU expanded its lead with a 3rd quarter TD and finished with a 17-point outburst in the 4th. Noah Krebs had 15 tackles for UM and Jarad Zittleman added 13 stops and three PBUs. Devin Hope ran for 57 yards to lead UM. SCSU had a 327-244 edge in offense, despite UMary holding the Husky passing attack to a 7-of-19 effort for 73 yards.       

PAST MARAUDERS-HUSKIES MEETINGS (Huskies leads 12-0)

2006 SCSU 37 Mary 14 St. Cloud, MN

2007 SCSU 16 Mary 13 Bismarck, ND

2008 SCSU 14 Mary   7 Bismarck, ND

2009 SCSU 35 Mary 17 St. Cloud, MN

2010 SCSU 30 Mary 14 St. Cloud, MN

2011 SCSU 45 Mary 24 Bismarck, ND

2012 SCSU 55 Mary 13 St. Cloud, MN

2013 #25 SCSU 20 Mary 13 Bismarck, ND

2014 SCSU 55 Mary 44 St. Cloud, MN

2015 SCSU 42 Mary   7 Bismarck, ND

2016 SCSU 41 Mary   7 St. Cloud, MN

2017 SCSU 33 Mary   7 Bismarck, ND QUICK LOOK AT THE ST. CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY HUSKIES

A traditional pick to finish in the upper half of the Northern Sun, the Huskies own three NCAA playoff appearances in the last nine seasons. SCSU posted its 9th winning season since 2008 last year, finishing the season 6-5. The Huskies are picked to finish seventh overall and third in the North division in the 2018 NSIC Coaches preseason poll. The Huskies return a youthful team with veteran leadership on both sides of the ball, including junior quarterback and All-NSIC Honorable Mention recipient Dwayne Lawhorn. Lawhorn threw for 1,881 yards and 15 scores with just nine interceptions in nine games. Jack Horter, who tied for the team lead in sacks with 5.0, and Jack Schley (7.5 TFL) provide senior leadership to the defense. All-Conference RB Gregory Lewis (734 yards rushing, 9 TDs)  and TE Sam Hartman plus K Adam Stage (11-of-15 FGs) also return. 

FAMILIARITY

The Marauders return five starting offensive linemen from last year. Senior Nick Benshetler enters his fourth season as a starter. Fellow senior and team captain Jared Taylor and junior Tyson Lytle are three-year starters. Junior Hunter Hanson started all 11 games last season. Junior Rory Olson started several games as a redshirt freshman and last year as a junior. 

BROTHERS BLEWETT

The Marauders will have a pair of brothers from Bozeman, MT, starting at linebacker. Jr. Grady Blewett appeared in 11 games last season and had 20 tackles. R-Fr. Will Blewett redshirted last season... This is the second straight year the Marauders will start a brother combo on defense as Brady and Jarad Zittleman started in the backfield. 

BROTHERS

The Marauders other sibling duo is Jr. Noah Krebs and Fr. Jonah Krebs, both linebackers from St. Mary's in Bismarck, ND.

MOTHER AND SON

Head athletic trainer Rhonda Olson, who has treated the Marauders football players like her own sons since joining UMary in 2000, has her own son on the squad. Jaren Olson is a junior defensive lineman.

PINPOINT PRECISION

Soph. P Bailey Meyer finished second in the NSIC in punting last year at 40.8 yards/attempt. Thirteen of his 56 attempts have been downed inside the 20 with just five rolling into the end zone for touchbacks. There have been ten fair catches called and eight punts over 50 yards, including one for 82 yards. 

TAKEDOWN

Noah Krebs finished eighth in the NSIC last year in tackles with 92. He made 52 solo stops as a sophomore. A safety last season, Krebs moves to linebacker this season.

USS ANCHORAGE

Two Marauders are veterans of the United States Navy and served together on the USS Anchorage, one of the country's newest vessels. Jordan Beaty and Daquavian Ross are redshirt sophomores who joined the Marauders in 2016. Ross appeared in four games last season and moved up the depth chart to 2nd team this season. Beaty, who ran for 181 yards last year and caught a TD pass, is the Marauders starting RB.