Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats
By Chris Mazzocco

      The coaches choose Northwest Missouri State as the favorite to win the MIAA at the July 31 MIAA media day in Kansas City. NWMSU returns a large core group of players but will look considerably different with key losses due to graduation.

      For the first time in what seems like forever the receiving corps will be void of anyone named Rector.

      “That’s to bad,” Coach Mel Tjeerdsma said jokingly. “We miss those guys, but we think we have some outstanding young men coming up with a lot of ability.”

      E.J. Falkner, Kendal Wright, and Rapheal Robinson all had a wealth of playing time last season and impressed their coaches down the stretch. Wright, a red shirt sophomore, will most likely assume the #1 wide receiver position. Junior E.J. Falkner will make the transition from a secondary receiver to an every down receiver, which Coach Tjeerdsma says “he is ready for”. Red shirt sophomores Luke Basengtson and Abe Qauod as well as senior transfer Ryan Clift will join the red shirt sophomore Robinson in the battle for the remainder of WR slots.

      Under center will be a new face for the 11-4 Bearcats of a year ago. Second team all conference quarterback Josh Lamberson has moved on to the National Indoor Football League playing for the River City Rage. Waiting in the wings is a pair of talented young quarterbacks that Coach Tjeerdsma is not ready to make a decision on quite yet. Junior Josh Mathews looks to have a slight advantage over Joel Osborn, a red shirt sophomore, coming into the beginning of fall practices. Mathews brings experience to the table after taking over the signal caller duties in the final five games of the 2004 season after Lamberson was sidelined with a hip injury. Coach Tjeerdsma said Mathews had an excellent spring were as Osborn was hampered with a nagging shoulder injury.

      Losing Rector and Lamberson is not however Tjeerdsma’s biggest concern.

      “Our offensive line is probably our biggest concern because we loose three very good players,” Coach Tjeerdsma explains.

      Those departing offensive lineman include Keith Holden, Jordan Wilcox, and Eric Hoyt. All three earned all conference honors last season as 2^nd team, honorable mention, and honorable mention respectively.

      Senior Joe Holtzclaw and junior Reid Kirby are the two holdovers from the Bearcats O-line. Adam Schroeder, a junior, spent most of the year as a back up but gained valuable starting experience with starts in the national semi finals and championship game last season. The versatile junior Tom Pestock saw more time on the depleted defensive line late last year after spending the majority of the regular season as a back up offensive lineman. Pestock as well as fifth year senior Gabe Frank and four transfers will compete for the final starting spots. Those transfers include Kyle Dunn (North Iowa Area C.C.), Adam Barr (Butte (Calif) C.C.), Jeremy Davis (Univ. of Houston), and Steve Stroh (Moorpark College)

      Coach Tjeerdsma hinted to the possibility of the favorites to start as being Holtzclaw, Kirby, Schroeder, Frank, and the final spot most likely being filled by one of the transfers. Don’t be surprised to even see two transfers starting Sept. 2 at home against Minnesota State.

      Xavier Omon took more handoffs last season than any other running back in NWMSU history in a single season. The junior running back had a school record 309 rushing attempts on his way to being named 2^nd team all MIAA in his sophomore campaign. That number of attempts may decrease a few carries per game as red shirt freshman LaRon Council will see some playing time after an outstanding spring. Also helping to lighten the load and add depth are red shirt sophomore Brad Gregg, and senior Zach Sherman. Gregg, Sherman, and red shirt freshman Josh Maschmeier will battle to fill the FB position left vacant by the graduated Darren Roberts.

      Mike Peterson returns for his junior year at NWMSU. Peterson received all MIAA honorable mention honors last season and returns as the top returning pass catcher in 06. Junior Jon Goss, sophomore Josh Gannon, and red shirt freshman Kyle Kreifels will compete for the back up tight end position adding depth behind Peterson.

      The most recognizable absence on the defense will most likely be All American defensive end Dave Tollefson. Tollefson still wears green but this training camp it will be a Green Bay Packers uniform after they drafted him in the 7^th round of the 2006 NFL draft. The other three members of the defensive line are ready to take up the slack left by Tollefson. Returning are senior Ryan Walters, senior Kyle Kaiser, and junior Dallas Flynn.

      Coach Tjeerdsma describes Kaiser as a “solid, solid, solid player”. He also loves Kaiser’s motor. “He played a lot last year, we like to rotate the defensive line but we didn’t rotate him much.”

      Walters and Flynn are both recovering from shoulder injuries that required surgery to fix. Tjeerdsma reports both look very good coming into the fall practice session and will be ready to practice right away.

      In contention for the final defensive line spot are sophomore Ramsey Athieh, fellow classmate Brett Harding, and a number of transfers. Transfers include sophomore Ryan Binkley ( Univ. of Nebraska), and juniors Dominic Foli (Moorpark (Ca) College), T.J. Kaatmann (Eastern Illinois), and Terry Bilbro (Bakersfield Ca.).

      Ben Harness leads an experienced group returning at linebacker. Harness, a senior 2^nd team all conference selection a year ago will play along side Jarred Erspamer. Coach Tjeerdsma believes Erspamer “didn’t get the recognition he deserved last season and should have a break out season.” Junior Tommy Miller saw a great deal of playing time last season and will likely get a starting job. Thomas Smith, a senior transfer from Northern Colorado coming off a knee injury should round out the LB corp.

      Four cornerbacks with experience will be competing for two starting spots. Quinten Womack, a senior was a 2^nd team all conference selection last season. Junior Brandon Clayton was the starter for the first five games until knee surgery ended his season. In Claytons absence Senior Darcell Clark and Diezeas Calbert, a senior, earned valuable playing time. All four young men will report healthy and comprise one of the deepest secondary in the MIAA.

      That secondary strength and depth continues on into the safeties positions. Three of the top four safeties return from the 05 season. Brandon Pratt returns for his senior season as the starting free safety. His back up and fellow classmate Tyler Martin also returns. Chris Termini, a junior, played a back up roll last year and looks to be the front-runner for the starting strong safety.

      NWMSU will open the season at home against Minnesota State. The Bearcats will meet the Gorillas at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium for the 5^th annual Fall Classic Nov. 4.