THIS WEEK
For the second time in the first three weeks of the season the University of Mary football team is back on the road, this time travelling to Marshall, MN, for a meeting with the Southwest Minnesota State University Mustangs. This is SMSU's annual Ag Bowl. Kickoff is set for 6 pm at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center.   

THE RECORDS/LAST WEEK
Both teams are in search of their first win of the season and own records of 0-2 overall/Northern Sun... Neither team has played a divisional game...UMary lost 42-20 to visiting #25 Augustana... The Mustangs dropped a 30-13 decision at Northern State. 

MARAUDERS-MUSTANGS SERIES HISTORY
This is the 10th meeting between the Marauders and the Mustangs... The Marauders won the first three meetings... The 1999 victory that was the first collegiate win for Marauders Hall of Fame head coach Myron Schulz when UMary was an NAIA program... The Marauders 1st NCAA Division II win was a 20-0 victory at SMSU in 2006... Mike Williams caught an 83-yard touchdown pass from Blair Sandy with 23 seconds left in the game... UMary also won the 2014 game in the closing seconds when Zach Roberson hit Jake East on a scoring pass and Brody Riggs nailed the extra point for a 19-18 win. It was Josh Kotelnicki's first win as a UMary coach... the Marauders have played in the Ag Bowl twice before this year.  

FOLLOW LIVE 
Voice of the Marauders Jesse Rostvedt and former UMary athletic director and Hall of Fame football coach Roger Thomas team up to broadcast Marauders games on KFYR 550 AM. The game is also streamed online at www.kfyr.com.
Free video streaming of Marauders home and Northern Sun games is available  https://nsicnetwork.com/goumary and at www.GoUMary.com/coverage  
Live stats for this Saturday's game are available online at www.GoUMary.com.


QUICK HITTER STORY LINES

• Both Marauders and Mustangs in search of their first wins of the season
• Marauders are +1 in turnovers. The Mustangs are a -5.
• UMary has year to commit a turnover, one of only 10 teams out of 162 in NCAA Division II that has yet to turn the ball over.
• The Marauders are 6th nationally in yards passing/game (361.5)
• UMary is 7th in 1st downs (52 total)
• Danny Kittner ranks 2nd nationally in receptions/game (13.5), #2 in reception yards/game (168.5) and #8 in all purpose yards/game (203.0.
• Luke Little ranks #10 in receptions/game (8.0) and #17 in receiving yards/game (115.5)
• Danny Kittner and Luke Little are tied for 8th nationally in TD catches (3)
• Newcomer Tylen Small is 14th nationally in tackles/game (7.5)
• Logan Nelson is 11th in completions/game (25.5) and 16th in passing yards/game (302) 

PASSING FANCY
The Marauders have created one of the nation's top passing attacks through the first two games of the season. UMary has cracked 300 yards through the air in both contests and generates 361.5 yards/game, the 6th best total in NCAA Division II. After throwing for 399 yards and 4 TDs in the opener at Wayne State, Logan Nelson added 205 yards and a TD against Augustana. He also ran for a score against the Vikings. Jesse Forknell added another 119 yards passing and a TD against Augie in his collegiate debut as the Marauders posted 324 yards in their home opener. 

DYNAMIC DUO
Danny Kittner and Luke Little became the Marauders first receiving duo to both crack 100 yards in a game for two straight games. Kittner had 202 in the season opener at Wayne State and 135 against Augustana. Little opened the season with 123 at WSC with another 108 againt the Vikings in week 2... Since beginning NCAA cmpetition in 2006, the Marauders have only had three total prior instances where teammates cracked 100 yards in the same game - Jake East (174 yards) and Elby Pope 129) against Northern State in 2014, Avan Leday (104) and Tyler Steffan (101) against Southwest Minnesota State in 2011 and Roman Penirian (108) and Erik Kruse (125) at Bemidji State in 2008. 

BALL SECURITY
Through two games the Marauders have yet to commit a turnover. UMary is one of only 10 teams out of 162 NCAA DIvision II schools who have yet to turn over the ball. So far this season UMary is +1 on an Isiah Pittman interception against the Vikings.  

ROCKING THE CHARTS
Danny Kittner is off to an amazing start in 2021. After two games the 2019 All-NSIC performer has 27 catches for 337 yards and 3 TDs. He set a school record with 17 receptions in the opener at Wayne State... For the second time in his career he has cracked the century mark in consecutiive games with 202 at Wayne State and 135 against Augie... The junior from Gilbert, AZ, is ranked highly nationally in several categories:
#2 nationally/#1 NSIC in receptions/game (13.5)
#2 nationally/#1 NSIC in reception yards/game (168.5) 
#8 nationally/#1 NSIC in all purpose yards/game (203.0)
#8 nationally/#1 NSIC in TD catches (3)
#21 nationally/#3 NSIC in TDs (3)

DANNY THE HANDY MAN
Not only is Danny Kittner among the nation's leaders in receiving, he also...
Returns kicks and punts
Holds on field goals and extra points
Recovered an onside kick at Wayne State

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Luke Little and Danny Kittner are climbing the career receiving charts at UMary. Little is 12th in receiving yards (1,372) and 14th in catches (89). He also has 13 career TD receptions... Kittner is 12th in receptions (101) and 14th in receiving yardage (1,286). He has 8 career receiving TDs.  

LITTLE LOOMS LARGE 
An All-NSIC receiver in 2018, team captain Luke Little is off to a tremendous start. The Bismarck, ND, native owns 16 catches for 231 yards and 3 TDs through two games... He opened the season with 9 catches for 123 yards and 2 TDs at Wayne State. Saturday against Augie Little made 7 catches for 108 yards and 1 TD... for the year Little ranks:
#8 NCAA/#1 NSIC in touchdown catches (3)
#10 NCAA/#4 NSIC in receptions/game (8.0)
#17 NCAA/#5 NSIC receiving yards/game (115.5)
#21 NCAA/#2 NSIC total touchdowns (3)

HOT ROUTE RECOGNITION
Hot Route Analytics grades Danny Kittner as the #2 receiver in NCAA Division II this season with an overall mark of 93 after each game. Kittner was 1st after opening week with a 93.   

LOGAN'S RUN PASS
Known for his ability to make huge plays with his legs, Logan Nelson has relied on his arm to make the Marauders offense go in 2021... He opened the season completing 34-of-59 passes for 399 yards and 4 TDs without an interception at Wayne State, all career highs... he followed up by throwing for 205 yards and a TD with no interceptions against Augie. Nelson also ran for a score... After two games Nelson ranks:
#11 NCAA/#2 NSIC in completions/game (25.5)
#13 NCAA/#4 NSIC passing yards (604)
#19 NCAA/#3 NSIC passing TDs (5) 
Nelson has also made an impact with his legs. Since UMary began playing NCAA competition in 2006, the Marauders have had eight runs of at least 60 yards and Logan Nelson owns two of them. The QB had a 72 yard run against UIU and 62 yards against Minot State. If you include his runs of 55 and 49 yards, Nelson has four of the top 15 runs in only seven games in 2019... Nelson owns two of the four 100 yard rushing games by a Marauders quarterback in an NCAA game. He ran for 149 yards against Minot State and 129 against Upper Iowa. The other two: Colton Farmer ran for 175 at Minnesota Crookston in 2018 and Blair Sandy posted 111 against UMC in 2006... in 2019 Nelson became the first UMary player to crack 100 yards rushing and 200 yards passing in the same game against Upper Iowa when he carried the ball for 129 yards and a score and passed for 205 and two touchdowns. He also ran for 149 three touchdowns and passed for 179 and a score against Minot State.

SMALL MAKING BIG IMPACT
Tylen Small had a big debut for the Marauders. A transfer from NCAA D1 FCS South Dakota State University, Small was credited with 12 tackles, including 11 solo stops. The Marauders free safety also had a tackle for loss in the game... he followed up with 9 tackles (4 solo) against Augustana... for the year he has a team-high 21 tackles. Small ranks #33 in the NCAA and #2 in the NSIC in tackles. 

EXPLOSION
The Marauders offense is starting to rev up in 2021 and has already generated 7 chunk plays of 20 or more yards in two games, including four by Luke Little... UMary generated 51 chunk plays in 2019 with as many as 8 big plays in wins over Upper Iowa and Minnesota Crookston... QB Logan Nelson was involved in 23 plays of 20+ yards in 2019, including four runs of 49+ yards and 18 chunk pass completions...  Danny Kittner has 11 catches of at least 20 yards. 

2021 Explosive Offensive Plays
47 | Kittner catch at WSC (TD)
31 | Luke Little catch v Augie
27 | Luke Little catch at WSC
25 | Danny Kittner catch v Augie (TD)
21 | Luke Little catch v Augie
21 | Luke Little catch at WSC
20 | Luke Bodine catch at WSC

DEBUTS
27 scholar-athletes made their Marauders debut in the season opener, including 10 starters. Starters making their Marauders debut included RB David Small, OL Mika Fuamatu, OL Nick Thune, OL Melvin Hudson, WR Collin Gapen, DB Ty'Rese Gibson, DB Ty'Rhae Gibson, DB Ronnie Preston, DB Tylen Small, and DL Collintino Andrews... Several other Marauders made their starting debuts in the Augustana game, including WR Brandon Morris, OL Alec Rodriguez, OL Sam Harris, DL Tanner Vaughan, LB Nate Eschleman, LB Jack Barry, DB Jacob Romero and DB Isaiah Pittman.    

FAMILIAR FACES
The Marauders have 28 players who have donned the Blue & Orange in a game for UMary prior to the 2021 season... The Marauders return 70 players from the cancelled 2020 season. 

FAMILIAR FACES PART 2
Head coach Craig Bagnell, defensive coordinator Ben Davis and offensive line coach/co-offensive coordinator Mark Martin are the three Marauders coaches who have roamed the UMary sideline during a regular season game. Recruiting coordinator/defensive line coach Alex Kastens, special teams coordinator/wide receivers coach Nathan Frame, defensive backs coach Jared Gallatin, running backs coach Major Ali, linebackers coach Brady Daigh and asst. defensive backs coach Bryce Jones made their Marauders coaching debut in the season opener at Wayne State College. 

SENIOR SALUTE
The Marauders roster features six seniors: DL Collintino Andrews, LB Will Blewett, WR Luke Little, QB Logan Nelson, DB Toure' Oliver and DL Su'e Taugavau... Little played as a true freshman in 2017 and is entering his third season as a starter... Nelson claimed a starting role under center in 2019... Blewett saw considerable action as a sophomore and junior, posting two sacks in the Marauders last game played against Minnesota Crookston in 2019... Taugavau moves into a starting role at nose guard after playing nine games in 2019...  Andrews joins the Marauders this season after earning All-Pioneer League honorable mention honors in 2019 at Stetson University. 

BY THE NUMBERS | ROSTER BREAKDOWN
108 players
6 seniors
27 juniors
17 sophomores
6 redshirt freshman (on 2019 roster and did not play)
52 freshman (16 returning freshmen from 2020, 36 new freshmen in 2021)
28 players who have played a regular season game for the Marauders

ALL-NSIC
The Marauders return two of their five All-Northern Sun performers from 2019... One of the best kick and punt returners in the nation who is a threat to score anywhere on the field, junior WR Danny Kittner earned 1st team honors after averaging 145.8 all-purpose yards/game to rank 24th in the country. He had 685 receiving yards on 46 catches... As a true freshman, tackle Drake Lalim anchored the left side of the Marauders line and earned honorable mention honors after starting nine games.

NUMBERS TO KNOW

• 33 This is the 33rd 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. 
• 15 This is the Marauders 15th season competing in the NSIC and NCAA Division II

BROTHERS
The Marauders have a pair of brother combinations on their 2021 roster... Jr. OL Dylan Thomsen and Soph. DL Jacob Thomsen are natives of Thompson, ND... Soph. cornerbacks Ty'Rhae and Ty'Rese Gibson transferred to UMary last year from Montana State. The Los Angeles, CA, natives are the Marauders starting cornerbacks.   

BROTHERS PART 2
The Marauders also have several players who have had older brothers play for the Marauders, including Will Blewett (older brother Grady), Cru Darrah (Curtis), Jonah Krebs (Noah) and Ryan Woroniecki (Adam).

COUSINS
Soph. DB Tylen Small and Jr. RB David Small, Jr. are cousins.

TICKETS: Game tickets for Marauders home games are available online at www.UMaryTickets.com and at the door. 
Adult tickets are $15 and youth (13-18) and senior citizens are $8. UMary students with their M-card and children 12 and under are free. UMary faculty and staff are admitted free with their M-Cards and get 50 percent off all tickets purchased. Tickets are also for sale on gamedays at the MDU Resources Community Bowl. 

NEXT WEEK | UMARY HOSTS WINONA STATE | 2 PM SEPT. 25

• Tackle Hunger food drive | Marauders fans are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to the game
• The Marauders will honor the University of Mary School of Engineering faculty
• Marauders Alley Tailgating begins at 10:30 am in the MDU Resources Community Bowl north parking lot 
• The Marauders football team will enter the stadium through Marauders Alley at  11:40 am 
• Laughing Sun Brewery will operate the beer garden inside the MDU Resources Community Bowl during the game.
• Game tickets available online at www.UMaryTickets.com
• Tickets also available at the gate. $15 for adults, $8 for seniors and children 13-18 | Children 12-under admitted free with parent | UMary students and faculty/staff admitted free with MCard.  

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