Camping like badgers
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Seven games in the region were shutouts while several teams put up some flashy numbers including UW-Whitewater’s 75 and UW-Oshkosh’s 57. Nearly every team will be in action in Week 2 but take a quick look around the west from Week 1 in this week’s West Region Recap.
A taste of the big time
Macalester head coach Glenn Caruso knows that turning around a losing program will be tough challenge. He also knows it’s been done before at other schools such as the University of Wisconsin in the early ’90s soon after Barry Alvarez arrived.
On Friday, Caruso wanted his players to hear first-hand what it takes to turn around a program. They stopped at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison on their way to Beloit for their season opener.
The team held a 30-minute walk through on the field before hearing from Macalester alum and former Wisconsin Gov. Scott McCallum and Pat O’Connor, football recruiter under Barry Alvarez.
“I wanted them to see what can be built and what can be done,” Caruso said. “No one thought 20 years ago Wisconsin would be a perennial power, but they are.”
The Scots struggled in their opener and lost 10-0. However, it was a better showing than the 58-14 drubbing in 2004. Macalester has lost 15 in a row.
He bangs, he bangs
William Hung of American Idol fame made “She bangs” an everyday phrase in pop culture. Bethel running back Jared Bangs hopes “He Bangs!” becomes an everyday phrase for Bethel football fans. The junior filled in for injured preseason All-American Phil Porta and rushed 28 times for 131 yards in a 13-0 shutout of Buena Vista.
Big foot
St. Olaf kicker and punter Paul Fortman had a great start to his 2006 season kicking opening the scoring for the Oles with a 23-yard field goal. He also was 4-for-4 on PATs and had a 53.3 yard punting average including a long bomb of 62 yards.
Take your pick
In the D3 shocker of the day, UW-La Crosse found out that less is more. The Eagles were outgained in nearly every major statistical category including total yardage (278-265), first downs (18-16) and time of possession (25:56-34:04). The Eagles capitalized on four interceptions, four sacks and only two penalties in knocking off the Division I-AA Jackrabbits.
It’s been a while
When Menlo defeated McMurry 14-0 on Saturday it snapped a 15-game losing streak for the Oaks dating to Oct. 2, 2004 in a 28-6 victory over Whittier. The shutout win was the first since a 27-0 blanking of Whittier in 1996 — a span of 90 games.
Power outage
After two years of beating up on their Division II neighbor in the Power Bowl, the Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers had the tables turn by Moorhead State losing 28-7 in their season opener. The Cobbers clubbed the Dragons 30-7 in 2004 and 29-12 last season but this year they were without two time MIAC MVP Brian Schumacher at quarterback and it showed. Replacement Eric Rodel struggled throwing three interceptions; something Schumacher never did in his career.
One-liners
• Puget Sound totaled two passing yards in a 26-19 victory over Whittier.
• Central recorded six sacks in the 17-7 victory including three by Greg Altmaier.
• Willamette has lost consecutive season openers to Western Oregon by a combined 77-0.
• Hamline Pipers have held their last two season opening opponents to 14 yards on 60 rushes.
• Simpson kicker Bill Nelson boomed three field goals (37, 35, 25) in the Storm’s 30-16 loss to Concordia (Wis.).
• Luther hung 598 yards of total offense on Martin Luther in a 60-0 drubbing.
• Cornell ran 25 more offensive plays than Northwestern and held the ball for nearly 15 minutes longer in a 30-14 victory.
Games to Watch
Cal Lutheran at Pacific Lutheran, 1:30 p.m., Tacoma, Wash.: This is a battle of two Lutheran schools coming off very different seasons. Cal Lutheran finished 8-1 in 2005 and felt snubbed by the playoff selection committee. Pacific Lutheran is coming off its worst record in the NWC in recent memory at 0-4 in 2005. Cal Lutheran will look to get a quick start to a season that it is very excited about. Pacific Lutheran will start their 2006 campaign with heavy hearts after the offseason drowning of offensive lineman Eric Fergen. The Lutes will wear patches on their uniforms with Fergen’s 51 and dedicate the season to him.
No. 25 Whitworth at Redlands, 7 p.m., Redlands, Calif.: Whitworth is ready to show there is more than just Linfield in the NWC while Redlands feel they should still be mentioned in the same breath as Occidental and Cal Lutheran in the SCIAC. We’ll see who’s for real when these teams meet at Redlands in a NWC/SCIAC showdown. The Bulldogs lost by two touchdowns on the road in 2005.