Ichabod Football - Game 1
Washburn (0-0) vs Colorado Mines (0-0)
Date: Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008
Time: 7 p.m. CST    Site: Topeka, Kan.
Stadium: Yager Stadium    Opened: 1928
Surface: Sportexe    Capacity: 7,200
Series History: Thursday's meeting is the 16th all-time … Washburn leads 11-4 having won 3 of the last 4 games.
Rankings (AFCA/D2football.com): WU (RV/NR), CSM (NR/NR)

Broadcast Information:
Television: none
WU Radio:  AM580 WIBW with Bruce Steinbrock (play-by-play), Mark Elliott (color analyst), Jan Lunsford (sideline). The broadcast begins 30 minutes before kickoff.
Streaming Video: Live online through themiaa.tv. for $5.95
Live Stats: www.wusports.com/

Game Notes:
Washburn | Colorado Mines

Setting the scene. . .
The Ichabod football team will kickoff the 118th season of gridiron action at Washburn as they open with the Colorado School of Mines in a Thursday night contest on Aug. 28 in Yager Stadium. The game will mark the first time in school history the Ichabods have started the season on a Thursday evening and it will also be the first Thursday game for the Ichabods since an Oct. 11, 2001 game with Central Missouri which was played in Topeka. Washburn reached the NCAA Playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons last year and the Orediggers played in the 2007 Dixie Rotary Bowl - the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's version of the Mineral Water Bowl.

Ichabods on Radio . . .
The game will be broadcast live on WIBW AM 580 - the home of the Ichabods and Lady Blues. The game can also be heard on the internet at www.wusports.com by following the “Listen to the Game” links. Bruce Steinbrock will be the play-by-play voice of the Ichabods and former WU quarterback Mark Elliott will be the color analyst. Jan Lunsford will provide sideline insight for listeners on the field.

The Coaches . . .
Washburn head football coach Craig Schurig was named head coach of the Ichabod football program Dec. 28, 2001. Schurig is 40-29 (.593) in his seventh season as the Ichabod head coach and he is 32-21 (.491) against the MIAA. He has led the Ichabods to two NCAA Playoff appearances in the last three seasons and to the 2005 MIAA Championship.
The Colorado School of Mines alum is 3-1 against the Orediggers.
Colorado Mines head coach Bob Stitt is in his eighth season as the Orediggers' coach. He is 51-39 entering his ninth season as the Orediggers head coach. He is a 1986 graduate of Doane College. He is 1-3 against the Ichabods.

About the Ichabods - Preview . . .
Coming off their fourth winning season in a row, something which has not been accomplished at Washburn in more than 100 years, the Ichabods find themselves entering the 2008 season with a solid mixture of returning lettermen and youthful depth with 43 returning lettermen and 17 starters from an 8-4 team from one year ago which reached the NCAA Playoffs.
It has been more than 100 years since the Ichabod football program has rolled off five straight seasons of winning football. Since Craig Schurig took over the program prior to the 2002 season, the Ichabods have gone 40-29 with two NCAA Playoff appearances and the 2005 MIAA title. The Ichabods have not had five straight winning seasons since the 1903 to 1907 seasons.
“We feel our program is to the point where we can continue to build on success from the previous seasons with outstanding veteran players and the influx of new talent,” Schurig said. “Winning creates winning and that is what our coaching staff and players have been striving for is to continue to improve each season.”
The Ichabods reached the NCAA Playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons falling at West Texas A&M.
This season the Ichabods are slated to return 43 lettermen in fall camp along with 17 starters. Add to the mix of back-to-back top-flight recruiting classes the competition for playing time is as strong as it has been at Washburn.

About the opponents . . .
The Orediggers return 17 starters with seven on the offensive side of the ball including two of the top three skill position players in quarterback David Pesek and running back J.T. Baum. Pesek completed 274 of 436 passes for 2,927 yards and 16 touchdowns and Baum rushed for 433 yards on 115 carries.
Adam Saur is the leading receiver returning to the Orediggers after collecting 48 passes for 695 yards and four touchdowns.
Defensively, Mines returns 10 starters led by linebacker Hunter Wardlaw with his 81 total tackles including 3.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss.
The Orediggers finished the 2007 season 7-5 overall and finshed 6-2 in the RMAC placing third. CSM played in the 2007 Dixie Rotary Bowl falling to Western Oregon from the Great Northwest Athletic Conference 26-12.
Colorado School of Mines was picked to finish fourth (out of 10 teams) in the 2008 RMAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll. In addition, five Orediggers were named to the 2008 Pre-Season All-RMAC squad, including Baum, senior safety Drew Ferren, junior linebacker Nick Haniszewski, sophomore wide receiver Tom Kastens and sophomore defensive lineman Marc Schiechl.

Series Notes . . .
Thursday's meeting is the 16th in the all-time series and the fifth in a continuous series which has been signed through the 2013 season. The Ichabods lead the all-time series 11-4. The Ichabods have won three of the last four meetings since the series was continued in the 2004 season after being dormant since Oct. 3, 1964. The Ichabods won that meeting 16-0 in Golden. The Ichabods are 4-3 in games against the Orediggers in Topeka and 7-1 in games played in Golden.

Last Meeting with Colorado Mines . . .
(Sept. 1, 2007) GOLDEN, Colo. – The Washburn defense forced the Colorado School of Mines into five turnovers as the  Ichabods turned a close game at the half into a 27-7 win over the Colorado School of Mines.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Ichabods jumped on the board with 1:10 remaining in the half on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jordan Brill to Brandon Walker as the Ichabods took the 7-0 lead into the half.
The Orediggers knotted the score at 7-7 on their first drive of the second half as Derek Dykstra recorded a 47-yard reception for a touchdown with 8:56 remaining in the third quarter.
Washburn took the lead for good as Ra'Shawn Mosley scored the first of his two touchdown rushes with 1:01 remaining in the third capping a five-play, 36-yard drive in 90 seconds.
Mosley scored his second rushing touchdown of the game putting the Ichabods up 20-7 wrapping up a 63-yard drive.
Washburn closed out the scoring as Adam Ewy returned a 32-yard interception return finishing out the scoring 27-7.
However the story of the day many have been the Ichabod defense as they were on the field for 81 plays and picked off four interceptions and forced two fumbles, one of which was recovered by the Ichabods.
Zach Watkins recorded 19 tackles for the Ichabods to lead the defense. His 19 tackles included eight solo stops and 11 assisted tackles, were the most by an Ichabod since Joe Corcoran recorded 19 stops against Northwest Missouri on Oct. 5, 2002. Watkins added a tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and a 29-yard interception return.
Also in double-figure tackles was Michael Krajicek, who recorded 15 tackles with six solo stops.
Eric Lawrence had nine tackles with three tackles for loss and two sacks for 18 yards. Cary Williams had his first interception of the season and Michael Wilhoite also picked off a pass.
Mosley finished with 95 yards on 15 carries and the two touchdown scores. Brill was 9 of 22 for 176 yards and was sacked two times.
Walker finished with three receptions for 53 yards and Jake Lebahn and Brad Cole each had two receptions.
Ben Boswell averaged 45.8 yards per punt including a 53 yard attempt.
As a team, the Ichabod defense held the Orediggers to 55 yards rushing on 34 attempts, while the Ichabods had 32 carries for 124 yards.
   
Washburn Football History . . .
Washburn is 483-540-44 in the 118th year of Ichabod football.

A win for Washburn would . . .
• lift the Ichabods to 484-540-44 in its football history.
• lift the Ichabods to 12-4 all-time against Colorado Mines.
• make the CSM alum Craig Schurig 4-1 against his alma mater.
• be the second straight win over the Orediggers in Topeka.

A loss for Washburn would . . .
• drop the Ichabods to 483-541-44 in its football history.
• drop the Ichabods to 11-5 all-time against the Orediggers.
• be the Ichabods' second-straight season-opening loss to a member of the RMAC after Chadron State nipped the Ichabods in the 2007 lidlifter in Yager Stadium 34-24.

The Ichabods in the National Polls . . .
The Washburn Ichabods received votes in the preseason American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches Poll released on Aug. 12. The Ichabods were ranked 30th in the preseason poll after finishing last season's poll ranked 24th after reaching the NCAA Playoffs for the second time in the last three seasons.

Ichabods vs ranked opponents . .
   The Ichabods are 8-36 vs ranked Division II opponents after their win over No. 18 Pittsburg State on Nov. 3, 2007. The win over the then No. 14 ranked Colorado Mines in the 2005 opener was the first win over a ranked team on the road for the Ichabods and the win over then No. 5 Northwest Missouri was the Ichabods' highest win over a ranked opponent on the road.  The Ichabods' highest win ever over a ranked opponents is their 35-34 overtime win over Pittsburg State, who was ranked No. 4 before losing to the Ichabods on Oct. 1, 2005. Under head coach Craig Schurig, the Ichabods are 8-15 against ranked opponents since 2002. They are 6-7 since the 2004 season including a 3-1 record in 2005 and an 1-3 record in 2007.

Bods and Ends . . .
• Thursday's game will be the first night game played in Yager Stadium since Sept. 13, 2003 when the Ichabods took on Fort Hays State in a renovated home venue.
• Fifth game of an original four-game contract that has been extended another four seasons into a ten-game series expiring in 2013.
• Ichabod head coach Craig Schurig is a 1987 alum of School of Mines where he was team captain as a senior.
• Ichabod offensive coordinator Brian Miller is a Golden, Colo., native.
• Junior linebacker Zach Wakins is looking to lead the Ichabods in tackles for the third straight season. Since 1981, only Grant Gould led the team three straight times in tackles. Corey Phipps (1999-2000), Tony Scollieri (1996-97), Nolan Jeffery (1994-95), Todd McGhghy (1990-91) each led the team in tackles two seasons.

Record Chasers . . .
Several Ichabods enter the 2008 season with top 10 career records on the line in different categories.
• Senior running back Brandon Walker is 12th on the career rushing chart with 1,539 yards trailing all-time leader Ra'Shawn Mosley with 3,416. To enter the top 10 all-time, Walker needs to pass Bill Baker (1951-53) who had 1,698 yards. Only five rushers have gone over the 2,000-yard mark in their career at Washburn.
• Walker is also 10th on the all-time career touchdowns scored chart with 21 (18 rush, 3 receiving). The all-time leader is Trent Hearn (2002-06) with 49 (48 rush, 1 receiving).
• Junior linebacker Zach Watkins has 243 career tackles, which is ninth on the all-time Washburn chart … he trails Grant Gould (2002-05) who had 459 career tackles on the top of the charts.
• Watkins' 135 career assisted tackles is fourth all-time at Washburn trailing Gould's 254.
• Senior defensive end Eric Lawrence has 32.0 career tackles for loss trailing Tony Scollieri (1994-97) who had 37.0 tackles for loss.
• Lawrence is fifth in all-time sacks at Washburn with 13.5 trailing Jim Butler (1985-87) who had 29.5 in his career.

Up next . . .
The Ichabods will take on former MIAA member Missouri State on Sept. 4 in Springfield, Mo. The Bears were charter members of the MIAA and stayed in the conference until 1981 when they moved up to the ranks of NCAA Division I as Southwest Missouri State before chaning their school name in 2007. Following the game with the Bears, the Ichabods will continue a two-game road stretch opening the MIAA schedule on Sept. 13 against Fort Hays State and Central Missouri on Sept. 20 before retuning home on Sept. 27 to face Missouri Western on Family Day in Yager Stadium at 1 p.m.