Background

2002 Colorado School of Mines Football
(4-1 Overall, 1-1 RMAC)
Week #6 Notes - at Nebraska-Kearney (4-1, 2-1 RMAC)

THE HEAD COACHES: Bob Stitt (Doane College ‘86) is in his third season at the helm of the Oredigger football program. He claims an overall record of 13-13, including a 6-12 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. A year ago, Stitt coached CSM to a 7-4 mark, which marked the most wins for a football team at Mines since 1958 and the first winning season in Golden since 1991. Nebraska-Kearney is led by 16th-year veteran Darrell Morris, who is in his third season at UNK at claims a 19-6 mark in his time with the Lopers. He is 15-4 all-time in the RMAC.

ALL-TIME SERIES: Nebraska-Kearney leads the all-time series with Colorado Mines, 11-2, including wins in the last 10 meetings. CSM has not defeated the Lopers since the 1937 season.

NEXT WEEK: The Orediggers will be back on the road to face Fort Lewis in Durango, Colo., at 1:00 pm.

TAKE IT TO THE HOUSE: Senior wide receiver/kick returner Brian Sump recorded his sixth career touchdown off a return with a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in the victory over South Dakota Tech. He now has five career kickoff returns for touchdowns and one career touchdown off a punt return.

LONG AND LONGER: The Orediggers executed the two longest plays in school history in the 49-7 victory over South Dakota Tech on September 7. Senior quarterback Nate Jackson tied an NCAA record when he connected with sophomore Jonny Chan for a 99-yard touchdown pass. Not to be outdone, backup sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf threw a 97-yard touchdown strike to sophomore Andrew Schmid.

LAST TIME OUT (10/5/02): The Colorado School of Mines football team won for the fourth time in five games this season as the Orediggers knocked off Fort Hays State, 42-27, at Brooks Field on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers jumped on the board first as they capitalized on a CSM fumble on the opening kickoff when Charles Lewis plunged into the end zone from two yards out just 37 seconds into the game. CSM responded at the 9:40 mark of the opening quarter as sophomore running back Craig Van Horn scored on a 17-yard pass from senior quarterback. FHSU regained the lead at 13-7 on a 4-yard touchdown run from Sir Jonathan Johnson with 8:54 left in the first half. However, the Orediggers would go on to tally 28 unanswered points on their final four possessions of the first half to assume a 35-13 lead at halftime. CSM senior running back Jared Thompson scored on a 10-yard run and also found the end zone on a 25-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf during the stretch. Mines extended its lead to 42-13 with 10:41 remaining in the game as Friehauf hit redshirt freshman Cole Henderson for a 5-yard touchdown strike. The Tigers added a pair of touchdowns late in the game to provide the final margin. For the Orediggers, Jackson and Friehauf combined to complete 23-of-32 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Brian Sump caught four passes for 83 yards, while Van Horn hauled in five passes for 61 yards and a score. The Oredigger defense was led by sophomore linebacker Gabe Florio who registered a career and game-high 12 tackles.

LAST TIME VS. KEARNEY (9/29/01): Mike Muma threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns, while Mike Miller ran for 166 yards and a score to lead the Lopers to a 34-17 victory over Colorado Mines at Brooks Field. UNK raced out to a 20-10 lead at halftime and used two Muma touchdown passes in the second half to secure the victory. For CSM, Nate Jackson completed 27-of-53 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns, while Brian Sump caught seven passes for 80 yards and a score.

THANK YOU, VERY MUCH: The Oredigger defense has come up with at least one interception in each of the first five games this season, including a season-high three at Western New Mexico on Sept. 21. Through five games, CSM is tied for the RMAC lead with seven interceptions. Sophomore cornerback Grant Newton leads the team with three picks, including one for a 93-yard touchdown return, while sophomore strong safety Daniel Leger has picked off two passes.

IT’S BEEN AWHILE: The CSM football team has not compiled back-to-back winning seasons in more than 25 years. In fact, the last time it happened was 1975 and 1976. The 1975 squad posted a 6-4 record and the 1976 team followed with a 5-4 record. Head Coach Bob Stitt and his unit will be out to follow last year’s 7-4 record with another winning season and post CSM’s first consecutive winning seasons in 26 years.

TWO’S ARE WILD: The number two has been the lucky number for the Oredigger football team over the last eight games. During those eight contests, Colorado Mines has had at least one player find the end zone more than one time and CSM is 6-2 in those games.

RECORD SETTER: With his three TD receptions at Western New Mexico, senior wide receiver Brian Sump broke the school record for career touchdown receptions and now has 23 for his career. In addition, Sump is just 13 catches shy of breaking the CSM record for career receptions (145).

I’VE GOT YOUR BACK: Backup sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf has been sensational while filling in for the injured Nate Jackson this year. Through five games, Friehauf has completed 58-of-87 passes for 813 yards and eight touchdowns, while Jackson is 51-of-77 for 745 yards and eight TD tosses this season. Jackson (174.00) and Friehauf (166.31) are the top-rated passers in the conference.

NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP HERE: Sophomore Daniel Leger is proving that not everybody experiences a sophomore slump. Last season, Leger earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC accolades as a true freshman as he led the Oredigger defense with 81.5 tackles. In addition, he tallied 15 tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. This year, Leger has recorded a team-best 47 tackles and is ranked third in the RMAC with 9.4 tackles per contest. He has also notched two tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions this season.

SACK MASTER: Senior defensive end Casey Kraft has made a smooth transition from linebacker to defensive end this season. Through five games, Kraft is second in the RMAC with four and a half sacks, including three solo. Kraft registered a pair of sacks in the loss to Chadron State on Sept. 28. This season, Kraft has tallied 21 tackles, including nine for loss totaling 51 yards.

BETTER SCORE QUICK: The Oredigger defense seems to get stronger as the game wears on. CSM has allowed 44 first quarter points in five games this season, however, has allowed just 35 points in the final three quarters this season, inlcuing just seven points in the third quarter. Mines has allowed only 79 points all season (15.8 ppg) and is ranked second in the RMAC in scoring defense behind this weekend’s opponent, Nebraksa Kearney (13.4 ppg)

NICE LEG: Senior punter Josh Hodsdon was honored as the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in CSM’s 42-27 victory over Fort Hays on Saturday. Hodsdon punted five times against the Tigers for 202 yards for an average of 40.4 yards per punt. In addition, he recorded a long punt of 51 yards and helped Mines win the battle for field position by pinning the Tigers deep in their own territory, including inside the 20-yard line on one punt. Through five games this season, Hodsdon has punted 24 times for 918 yards, an average of 38.3 yards per punt which ranks third in the conference. In addition, he has registered a long punt of 61-yards and has had five of his 24 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Hodsdon has also connected on 9-of-10 extra point attempts this season.

ON THE OFFENSE: Through five games, the School of Mines offense is ranked near the top of the RMAC in several offensive categories. Below is a list of where the team ranks in several categories in the RMAC...

PASS EFFICIENCY, 1st - 166.0
PASS OFFENSE, 1st - 322.2 ppg
SCORING OFFENSE, 2nd - 32.0 ppg
TOTAL OFFENSE, 2nd - 388.0 ypg
SCORING POINTS, 2nd - 170 points
FIRST DOWNS, 2nd - 106

BUT DON’T FORGET THE DEFENSE: Not to be outdone, the Mines defense has been extremely impressive in the first five games. After allowing more than 480 yards of total offense and 35 points per game last season, the Oredigger defense is one of the top-ranked in the conference. Below is a list of where CSM ranks in several categories...

RED ZONE DEFENSE, 1st - 8-of-17 (47.1 percent)
SCORING DEFENSE, 2nd -15.8 ppg
PASS DEFENSE EFFICIENCY, 2nd - 95.3
POINTS ALLOWED, 2nd - 79
SACKS, 2nd - 20 for loss of 140 yards

SCOUTING NEBRASKA KEARNEY: The Lopers enter the week at 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference after a 17-13 victory at Adams State last Saturday. Running back Mike Miller rushed for 175 yards, 128 of them in the first half, as the Lopers took a 17-3 halftime lead. However, the Grizzlies scored 10 unanswered second half points to provide the final margin. For the season, Miller, the RMAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has rushed for 536 yards and five touchdowns on 121 carries, while Pat Korth has completed 70-of-129 passes for 897 yards and five scores. Brian Wachtel has recorded a team-best 39 tackles for UNK and has also intercepted two passes this season. As a team, the Lopers rank first in the RMAC in scoring defense (13.4 ppg), first in total defense (260.2 ypg), fourth in scoring offense (25.2 ppg) and second in rushing defense (88.4 ypg).


	2002 Colorado School of Mines Football (4-1 Overall, 1-1 RMAC) Week #6 Notes - at Nebraska-Kearney (4-1, 2-1 RMAC) THE HEAD COACHES: Bob Stitt (Doane College ‘86) is in his third season at the helm of the Oredigger football program. He claims an overall record of 13-13, including a 6-12 mark in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. A year ago, Stitt coached CSM to a 7-4 mark, which marked the most wins for a football team at Mines since 1958 and the first winning season in Golden since 1991. Nebraska-Kearney is led by 16th-year veteran Darrell Morris, who is in his third season at UNK at claims a 19-6 mark in his time with the Lopers. He is 15-4 all-time in the RMAC. ALL-TIME SERIES: Nebraska-Kearney leads the all-time series with Colorado Mines, 11-2, including wins in the last 10 meetings. CSM has not defeated the Lopers since the 1937 season. NEXT WEEK: The Orediggers will be back on the road to face Fort Lewis in Durango, Colo., at 1:00 pm. TAKE IT TO THE HOUSE: Senior wide receiver/kick returner Brian Sump recorded his sixth career touchdown off a return with a 45-yard punt return for a touchdown in the victory over South Dakota Tech. He now has five career kickoff returns for touchdowns and one career touchdown off a punt return. LONG AND LONGER: The Orediggers executed the two longest plays in school history in the 49-7 victory over South Dakota Tech on September 7. Senior quarterback Nate Jackson tied an NCAA record when he connected with sophomore Jonny Chan for a 99-yard touchdown pass. Not to be outdone, backup sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf threw a 97-yard touchdown strike to sophomore Andrew Schmid. LAST TIME OUT (10/5/02): The Colorado School of Mines football team won for the fourth time in five games this season as the Orediggers knocked off Fort Hays State, 42-27, at Brooks Field on Saturday afternoon. The Tigers jumped on the board first as they capitalized on a CSM fumble on the opening kickoff when Charles Lewis plunged into the end zone from two yards out just 37 seconds into the game. CSM responded at the 9:40 mark of the opening quarter as sophomore running back Craig Van Horn scored on a 17-yard pass from senior quarterback. FHSU regained the lead at 13-7 on a 4-yard touchdown run from Sir Jonathan Johnson with 8:54 left in the first half. However, the Orediggers would go on to tally 28 unanswered points on their final four possessions of the first half to assume a 35-13 lead at halftime. CSM senior running back Jared Thompson scored on a 10-yard run and also found the end zone on a 25-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf during the stretch. Mines extended its lead to 42-13 with 10:41 remaining in the game as Friehauf hit redshirt freshman Cole Henderson for a 5-yard touchdown strike. The Tigers added a pair of touchdowns late in the game to provide the final margin. For the Orediggers, Jackson and Friehauf combined to complete 23-of-32 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Brian Sump caught four passes for 83 yards, while Van Horn hauled in five passes for 61 yards and a score. The Oredigger defense was led by sophomore linebacker Gabe Florio who registered a career and game-high 12 tackles. LAST TIME VS. KEARNEY (9/29/01): Mike Muma threw for 369 yards and four touchdowns, while Mike Miller ran for 166 yards and a score to lead the Lopers to a 34-17 victory over Colorado Mines at Brooks Field. UNK raced out to a 20-10 lead at halftime and used two Muma touchdown passes in the second half to secure the victory. For CSM, Nate Jackson completed 27-of-53 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns, while Brian Sump caught seven passes for 80 yards and a score. THANK YOU, VERY MUCH: The Oredigger defense has come up with at least one interception in each of the first five games this season, including a season-high three at Western New Mexico on Sept. 21. Through five games, CSM is tied for the RMAC lead with seven interceptions. Sophomore cornerback Grant Newton leads the team with three picks, including one for a 93-yard touchdown return, while sophomore strong safety Daniel Leger has picked off two passes. IT’S BEEN AWHILE: The CSM football team has not compiled back-to-back winning seasons in more than 25 years. In fact, the last time it happened was 1975 and 1976. The 1975 squad posted a 6-4 record and the 1976 team followed with a 5-4 record. Head Coach Bob Stitt and his unit will be out to follow last year’s 7-4 record with another winning season and post CSM’s first consecutive winning seasons in 26 years. TWO’S ARE WILD: The number two has been the lucky number for the Oredigger football team over the last eight games. During those eight contests, Colorado Mines has had at least one player find the end zone more than one time and CSM is 6-2 in those games. RECORD SETTER: With his three TD receptions at Western New Mexico, senior wide receiver Brian Sump broke the school record for career touchdown receptions and now has 23 for his career. In addition, Sump is just 13 catches shy of breaking the CSM record for career receptions (145). I’VE GOT YOUR BACK: Backup sophomore quarterback Chad Friehauf has been sensational while filling in for the injured Nate Jackson this year. Through five games, Friehauf has completed 58-of-87 passes for 813 yards and eight touchdowns, while Jackson is 51-of-77 for 745 yards and eight TD tosses this season. Jackson (174.00) and Friehauf (166.31) are the top-rated passers in the conference. NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP HERE: Sophomore Daniel Leger is proving that not everybody experiences a sophomore slump. Last season, Leger earned Honorable Mention All-RMAC accolades as a true freshman as he led the Oredigger defense with 81.5 tackles. In addition, he tallied 15 tackles for loss, two and a half sacks, two forced fumbles and two interceptions. This year, Leger has recorded a team-best 47 tackles and is ranked third in the RMAC with 9.4 tackles per contest. He has also notched two tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions this season. SACK MASTER: Senior defensive end Casey Kraft has made a smooth transition from linebacker to defensive end this season. Through five games, Kraft is second in the RMAC with four and a half sacks, including three solo. Kraft registered a pair of sacks in the loss to Chadron State on Sept. 28. This season, Kraft has tallied 21 tackles, including nine for loss totaling 51 yards. BETTER SCORE QUICK: The Oredigger defense seems to get stronger as the game wears on. CSM has allowed 44 first quarter points in five games this season, however, has allowed just 35 points in the final three quarters this season, inlcuing just seven points in the third quarter. Mines has allowed only 79 points all season (15.8 ppg) and is ranked second in the RMAC in scoring defense behind this weekend’s opponent, Nebraksa Kearney (13.4 ppg) NICE LEG: Senior punter Josh Hodsdon was honored as the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in CSM’s 42-27 victory over Fort Hays on Saturday. Hodsdon punted five times against the Tigers for 202 yards for an average of 40.4 yards per punt. In addition, he recorded a long punt of 51 yards and helped Mines win the battle for field position by pinning the Tigers deep in their own territory, including inside the 20-yard line on one punt. Through five games this season, Hodsdon has punted 24 times for 918 yards, an average of 38.3 yards per punt which ranks third in the conference. In addition, he has registered a long punt of 61-yards and has had five of his 24 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Hodsdon has also connected on 9-of-10 extra point attempts this season. ON THE OFFENSE: Through five games, the School of Mines offense is ranked near the top of the RMAC in several offensive categories. Below is a list of where the team ranks in several categories in the RMAC... PASS EFFICIENCY, 1st - 166.0 PASS OFFENSE, 1st - 322.2 ppg SCORING OFFENSE, 2nd - 32.0 ppg TOTAL OFFENSE, 2nd - 388.0 ypg SCORING POINTS, 2nd - 170 points FIRST DOWNS, 2nd - 106 BUT DON’T FORGET THE DEFENSE: Not to be outdone, the Mines defense has been extremely impressive in the first five games. After allowing more than 480 yards of total offense and 35 points per game last season, the Oredigger defense is one of the top-ranked in the conference. Below is a list of where CSM ranks in several categories... RED ZONE DEFENSE, 1st - 8-of-17 (47.1 percent) SCORING DEFENSE, 2nd -15.8 ppg PASS DEFENSE EFFICIENCY, 2nd - 95.3 POINTS ALLOWED, 2nd - 79 SACKS, 2nd - 20 for loss of 140 yards SCOUTING NEBRASKA KEARNEY: The Lopers enter the week at 4-1 overall and 2-1 in the conference after a 17-13 victory at Adams State last Saturday. Running back Mike Miller rushed for 175 yards, 128 of them in the first half, as the Lopers took a 17-3 halftime lead. However, the Grizzlies scored 10 unanswered second half points to provide the final margin. For the season, Miller, the RMAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has rushed for 536 yards and five touchdowns on 121 carries, while Pat Korth has completed 70-of-129 passes for 897 yards and five scores. Brian Wachtel has recorded a team-best 39 tackles for UNK and has also intercepted two passes this season. As a team, the Lopers rank first in the RMAC in scoring defense (13.4 ppg), first in total defense (260.2 ypg), fourth in scoring offense (25.2 ppg) and second in rushing defense (88.4 ypg).

	Greg Murphy , CSM Sports Information Director 1500 Illinois Street Golden, Colorado, 80401-1887 Phone 303-273-3095 Toll Free 800-446-9488 Fax 303-273-3362