DRAKE BULLDOGS (4-1) vs.
WALDORF WARRIORS (1-4)
6:05 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 7
Drake Stadium (14,000), Des Moines, Iowa

GAME SIGNIFICANCE: Drake, off to its best start since the 2000 team won its first five games to open the season, will play host to Waldorf in its final nonconference game of the season.

The Bulldogs celebrated homecoming last Saturday by whipping Morehead State, 33-7, while maintaining a share of the Pioneer Football League with a 2-0 mark.

Drake's four-game winning streak is the longest at the school since the 2004 team closed out the season, winning its last nine games.

TICKETS: Individual adult tickets are $10 for the Bulldogs' game against Waldorf. Drake faculty and staff tickets are $8 with a limit of six. Youth tickets for those, 13 to 18, are $5. Kids, 12 and under are free, with a paid adult. For ticket information call 515-271-DOGS or order the tickets online at www.drakebullogs.org

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: Waldorf, in just its fourth year as an NAIA independent, has 14 starters back from last year's squad which posted a 2-9 record. The Warriors have been idle since dropping a 43-7 homecoming game to Wisconsin-Stevens Point Sept. 23. Wisconsin-Stevens Point gained a whopping 622 yards total offense against Waldorf.

Waldorf's lone victory was a 24-17 come-from-behind home decision against Martin Luther College Sept. 9.

THE SERIES: Drake owns a 3-0 lead in the series which began in 2003 when the Bulldogs claimed a 47-17 home victory.

THE LAST TIME: Drake 43, Waldorf 0 (Nov. 12, 2005, Valley HS, West Des Moines, Iowa) Quarterback Connor Jostes (Iowa City High), playing in his final college game, threw three touchdown passes as Drake closed out the football season with a 43-0 romp past Waldorf Saturday at Valley High School Stadium.

Drake parlayed two turnovers by Waldorf into touchdowns en route to a 28-0 halftime lead.

Sophomore Scott Phaydavong, who entered the game ranked second in NCAA I-AA in rushing (150.78 avg. per game) enjoyed his eighth straight 100-yard rushing game with 195 yards in just 18 carries. He became the eighth player in Drake history to rush for more than 3,000 yards in his career, pushing his total to 3,091 yards.

The Bulldogs struck quickly, scoring on their second play of the game when Jostes hooked up with sophomore tight end Daniel Marx for a 46-yard touchdown pass with 11:53 left in the first quarter.

After Drake sophomore cornerback Tyler Marley recovered a fumble at the Waldorf 20 yardline, Drake converted the miscue into a touchdown with Jostes spotting sophomore Travis Hardgraves on a 20-yard scoring strike with 4:02 left to give Drake a 28-0 advantage.

Jostes, who was one of 11 seniors playing in their final game for Drake, also rifled a 27-yard touchdown pass to Marx with 4:40 left in the third quarter.

Junior linebacker James Adams returned his second interception for a touchdown this season, when he picked off an errant pass from Waldorf quarterback Michael Lewis returning it 14 yards for a touchdown with 9:26 left in the second quarter to push Drake's lead to 21-0.

Drake senior cornerback Jace Denison also intercepted a pass in the second quarter to thwart a Waldorf drive. Jostes completed seven of 10 passes for 132 yards to push his career passing total to 6,445 yards, including 59 touchdown passes.

Senior Ryan Horvath became the second player in Drake history to punt 200 times in his career. A three-time first team All-Pioneer Football League selection, Horvath punted three times for a 36.0 average, to push his career totals to 201 punts. Horvath owns five school records including career punting yardage (8,108 yards).

Junior linebacker Brian Conway led Drake with a game-high 12 tackles, including four tackles for 17 yards in losses. Junior linebacker Nick Ross added nine tackles, including two for six yards in losses.

The Bulldogs closed out the season with a 6-4 record, marking the first time since 2000 that the team posted back-to-back winning seasons.

The Bulldogs went 3-0 in home games played at Valley High School Stadium, while Drake Stadium is being renovated this fall.

Waldorf marched 40 yards on its second possession but sophomore Aaron Kurowksi had a 38-yard field goal go wide right. Kurowski also missed two field goals from 52 yards.

THE COACHES: Rob Ash, a 1973 graduate of Cornell (Iowa), is in his 18th year as Drake head coach and is the school's winningest football coach with a 120-62-2 record (47-43-1 road/ 73-19-1 home).

Under Ash, Drake has enjoyed 12 winning seasons, including 11 years of at least seven wins. Ash, 55, has a 20-year overall collegiate coaching record of 171-98-5 (.634), ranking eighth among NCAA I-AA active football coaches in terms of victories. Ash posted a 51-36-3 mark at Juniata (Pa.) College from 1980-88.

David Bolstorff is in his 36th year as head coach at Waldorf. He was the third winningest active two-year college coach in the nation with a 174-125-2 record before Waldorf became a four-year school in 2003. He has coached 37 Junior College All-Americans and 12 of his players signed with National Football League teams. He played football at the University of Minnesota for one year before transferring to St. Olaf College where he was an all-league guard and linebacker.

DRAKE IN NATIONAL RANKINGS: Drake moved up to No. 4 in the latest NCAA Division I-AA Mid-Major polls by The Sports Network and Don Hansen's Weekly Football Gazette. The Bulldogs were No. 7 in the Sports Network poll last week, while being ranked No. 8 the previous two weeks. The Bulldogs entered their season opener, ranking fifth in both preseason polls.

San Diego, the choice to win the Pioneer Football League title in the recent coaches preseason poll, continues to be ranked No. 1 in both polls.

DRAKE TEAM LEADERS: After five games, junior running back Scott Phaydavong (Des Moines East) leads Drake with 642 yards rushing (5.2 avg.) in 124 carries with five touchdowns. Sophomore quarterback Derek Retherford (Johnston) has completed 56 of 105 passes for 916 yards, including five touchdowns.

Senior Shea Moroni (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) has caught a team-high 17 passes for 234 yards (13.9 avg.), while senior Tyler Putnam (Oakland/Riverside) has caught 16 passes for 302 yards (18.9 avg.). Junior tight end Dan Marx (Maple Grove, Minn.) follows with nine receptions for 178 yards (18.0 avg.).

DRAKE IN NCAA STATISTICS RANKINGS: Drake running back Scott Phaydavong and defensive end Kevin Jennings (Lockport, Ill.) are ranked seventh in the nation in rushing and quarterback sacks, respectively, according to the latest NCAA I-AA football statistics released Sunday.

Phaydavong has rushed for 642 yards this season for a 128.4 yard average per game. He also ranks 16th nationally in all-purpose running, averaging 139.8 yards per game.

Jennings is seventh in the nation in quarterback sacks, averaging 1.0 per game.

Drake is ranked eighth in total offense, averaging 408.4 yards per game, and ninth in rushing offense, averaging 225.2 yards per game. Drake also is ranked No. 18th in scoring defense, allowing 15.2 points per game.

RETHERFORD LOST FOR SEASON: Drake starting quarterback Derek Retherford (Johnston, Iowa) will be miss the remainder of the football season after suffering a torn ligament in his right elbow during last Saturday's 33-7 homecoming victory against Morehead State.
Retherford was ranked No. 34th in the NCAA I-AA in passing efficiency with 130.90 rating points. He had completed 56 of 105 passes for 916 yards, including five touchdowns.

Drake coach Rob Ash indicated that freshman redshirt Ben Ostermann (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) will start in Saturday's home game against Waldorf. Ostermann has appeared in four games as a reserve quarterback.

Ash did receive some good news before Tuesday's practice. Sophomore quarterback Cole Ingle (Runnells, Iowa/Southeast Polk) was cleared by team physicians to rejoin the team after recovering from a broken hand suffered during spring drills. Ingle played in four games in 2005, completing five of eight passes for 49 yards.

RUSHING DUO, STINGY DEFENSE KEY VICTORY: Running backs Willie Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo./Pius X) and Scott Phaydavong each rushed for more than 100 yards, while a stingy defense held an opponent to just one touchdown for the fourth straight game, as Drake rolled to a 33-7 Pioneer Football League victory past Morehead State Saturday.

Drake gained 480 yards total offense. It marked the first time since 1949 that Drake has held its opponents to seven points or less during a four-game winning streak.

Cashmore, who had rushed for just 91 yards in Drake's first four games, netted a career-high 139 yards on the ground in just six carries. He had touchdown runs of two and 74 yards. He also broke loose for a 53-yard run on Drake's second possession of the game.

Phaydavong, who entered the game ranked ninth in the NCAA I-AA in rushing, enjoyed his fourth straight 100-yard plus rushing game by galloping for 130 yards in 28 carries.

Phaydavong capped a seven-play, 72-yard scoring march with a 42-yard touchdown jaunt with 7:51 left in the third quarter to give the Bulldogs a 24-0 cushion. It also marked the 20th career 100-yard plus rushing game for Phaydavong.

Redshirt sophomore Logan Rees (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) made his first two field goals of the season from 36 and 34 yards.

Sophomore quarterback Derek Retherford rifled a 20-yard touchdown pass to Shea Moroni with 1:09 left in second quarter, giving Drake a 17-0 lead. Retherford passed for 209 yards with senior Tyler Putnam catching a team high five passes for 144 yards.

LINEBACKERS LEAD DEFENSE: Senior linebackers James Adams (Kansas City, Mo.) and Nick Ross (Atlantic, Iowa) led Drake against Morehead State with 10 tackles apiece. Adams also forced a fumble and had 2 1/2 tackles totaling 10 yards in losses.

Senior defensive end Kevin Jennings and senior linebacker Brian Conway (Waukee, Iowa) added two quarterback sacks apiece for Drake. Reserve Cole Douglas (Lawrence, Kan.) thwarted a Morehead State scoring drive with an interception at the Drake 27 yardline late in the fourth quarter.

RED ZONE DEFENSE: Drake's defense has played its best when opponents have marched inside the Bulldogs' 20 yardline. Opponents have converted just 53.8 percent of their opportunities in the redzone, scoring on seven of 13 possessions. Going a step further opponents have converted just 25 percent of their opportunities in the redzone in the last four games, scoring on only two of eight chances.

JOHNNY BRIGHT FIELD DEDICATION: Drake formally dedicated the Johnny Bright Field during special pregame ceremonies last Saturday in conjunction with homecoming.

The Field Turf football field at renovated Drake Stadium will be known as "Johnny Bright Field", recognizing the greatest football player in Bulldog history. Bright, who finished fifth in balloting for the 1951 Heisman Trophy, is the only Drake player inducted into the National Football Foundation College Football Hall of Fame.

His running and passing wizardry enabled him to lead the NCAA in total offense in 1949 and 1950, setting an NCAA record of 2,400 yards in 1950 for a per game average of 266.7 yards, which also was an NCAA record. He also set the NCAA career total offense record of 5,983 yards. Bright concluded his collegiate career playing in the East-West Shrine All-Star game and the Hula Bowl.

Bright, who died of a heart attack in 1983 at the age of 53, set 20 Drake records in football, basketball and track from 1949-51.

IOWA'S BEST CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION: The 1981 Drake football team, which became the first Iowa Division I school to win 10 games in a season, also held a 25-year reunion in conjunction with the Bulldogs' homecoming game against Morehead State.

Drake posted a school-record 10-1 mark under Coach Chuck Shelton and was co-champions of the Missouri Valley Conference. Drake won its first seven games to open the season, including an 18-17 victory at Kansas State.

UNSUNG HERO SEALS PFL OPENING VICTORY: A 14-yard interception return for a touchdown by reserve linebacker Phillip Williams (St. Louis, Mo./Lutheran) with 26 seconds left sealed Drake's 21-7 Pioneer Football League opening victory at Valparaiso Sept. 23.

Williams' heroics were part of a defensive unit that held Valparaiso to just one touchdown after the Crusaders had opened their PFL season with a 42-35 victory at Morehead State Sept. 16.

Clinging to a 14-7 lead with 48 seconds left, Drake was forced to punt giving Valparaiso one final opportunity to tie the game. But on a third-down situation, quarterback Ryan Doerffler's pass was intercepted by Williams, a fifth-year senior who only plays nickel back in pass defense situations.

Drake's Scott Phaydavong had a game-high 128 yards on the ground in 27 carries.Drake grabbed a 7-0 lead, marching 66 yards in just six plays on its opening drive climaxed by Phaydavong sprinting 16 yards along the right sideline for a touchdown with 12:34 left in the first quarter.

After Valparaiso tied the game at 7-7 with 3:40 left in the second quarter, Drake responded with a six-play, 65-yard touchdown drive. A seven-yard scoring run by junior Willie Cashmore with 1:47 left in the second quarter gave Drake a 14-7 advantage it would never relinquish.

Drake quarterback Derek Retherford completed 12 of 22 passes for 166 yards with tight end Daniel Marx and receiver Tyler Putnam each snaring four receptions.

THE DEFENSE RESTS: Drake's defense recorded three quarterback sacks against Valparaiso's Ryan Doerffler, who entered the game ranked third in the NCAA I-AA in passing efficiency. Drake's secondary also broke up a season-high nine passes.

Drake sophomore strong safety Andy Green (Atlantic, Iowa) also thwarted a Valparaiso scoring drive by Doerffler at the Bulldogs' seven yardline early in the third quarter. Junior cornerback Poul Collins (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) led Drake with 10 tackles, including nine solo hits. Senior linebacker Nick Ross collected nine tackles, including five solo hits. Senior linebacker Jimmy Adams had eight tackles, including seven solo hits.

DRAKE IN PFL OPENERS: Since the first year of the Pioneer Football League in 1993, Drake has posted a 9-5 record (3-4 road/6-1 home) in its league openers.

FRESHMAN WALKER WINS NATIONAL AWARD: Freshman defensive back Stacey Walker (Cedar Rapids Washington) won the Boys and Girls Club of America National Youth of the Year award, which was announced Sept. 20 at a Congressional Breakfast in Washington D.C.

Walker, a business law major at Drake, appeared on the Sept. 21 NBC Today Show. Walker and the other regional finalists met President George W. Bush Sept. 22.

Earlier, Walker was named the Boys and Girls Club of America 2006 Midwest Regional Youth of the Year. The Youth of the Year program, nationally sponsored by the Reader's Digest Foundation since its inception, is in its 59th year. The program recognizes outstanding contributions to a member's family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club, academic excellence, as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome. In order to reach the national level of the competition, all five teens garnered the Youth of the Year title at their respective local, state and regional levels. The Reader's Digest Foundation awarded each state finalist with a $1,000 college scholarship and each regional finalist a $10,000 college scholarship.

SHELLEY ON ROLL: Junior defensive end Cody Shelley (West Des Moines/Valley) made his first college start against Wisconsin-Platteville, collecting five tackles, including three solo hits, while also breaking up a pass.

Last Saturday Shelley led Drake with two quarterback sacks, totaling 15 yards in losses, at Valparaiso. Shelley, who has replaced the injured Josh Duvall (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest), in the lineup, finished with four tackles at Valparaiso.

GOODWIN RETURNS TO LINEUP: Drake senior fullback Matt Goodwin (Cambridge, Ill.) rejoined the team prior to the Sept. 16 game against Wisconsin-Platteville after missing the first two games because of mononucleosis. In his 2006 debut Goodwin gained 39 yards rushing in seven carries, while also catching two passes for 28 yards. He has rushed for 356 yards during his career with three touchdowns. His return allowed redshirt sophomore Blake Fuller (Cambridge, Iowa) to move back to his normal tight end position.

AMONG NCAA I-AA LEADERS: Drake ranks 19th in overall victories (533) among the 123 schools which play NCAA Division I-AA football. Only 22 schools have recorded 500 or more victories. The game against Waldorf will be the 1,028th game in school history with Drake owning a record of 533-465-29 for a winning percentage of .532.

PFL COACHES PICK DRAKE THIRD: Drake was picked to finish third in the Pioneer Football League Preseason Coaches' Poll. San Diego, receiving five of the eight possible first-place votes, was picked to defend its league title, while tallying 45 points. Dayton was selected a close second with 43 points, while earning two first-place votes. Morehead State was picked for fourth followed by Jacksonville, Davidson, Valparaiso and Butler.

For the first time in league history, all eight Pioneer Football League teams will play one another in a round-robin format. The league championship will be determined by regular-season play with the champion meeting the Northeast Conference champion in the first Gridiron Classic.

BALANCED ATTACK KEYS 35-7 VICTORY: In a final tuneup before opening the Pioneer Football League season, the Drake football team rolled up 453 yards total offense en route to an impressive 35-7 home romp past Wisconsin-Platteville Sept. 16.

Sophomore quarterback Derek Retherford threw two touchdown passes, while junior redshirt fullback Willie Cashmore (Kansas City, Mo./St. Pius X) had touchdown runs of two and one yards.

Junior running back Scott Phaydavong enjoyed his 18th career 100-yard plus rushing by netting 106 yards on the ground in 26 carries.

The Bulldogs scored on their first possession, marching 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by Retherford throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Putnam with 9:24 left in the first quarter.

On the second play of the second quarter Retherford spotted Putnam open for a 53-yard pass to the Wisconsin-Platteville 41. Five plays later Retherford teamed up with senior Shea Moroni on a 13-yard scoring strike.

Retherford completed 15 of 22 passes for a career-high 250 yards, while Moroni caught a career-high seven passes for 112 yards. Putnam snared five passes for 102 yards. Senior DeCarlos Love (Minneapolis, Minn.) rounded out Drake's scoring with a 12-yard touchdown run with 3:01 left in the game, capping a 13-play, 75-yard scoring march.

THREE AND OUT: Drake had just three offensive possessions in the second half against Wisconsin-Platteville, but made the most by scoring on each drive. The time consuming drives were eight plays, 65 yards; 12 plays, 86 yards, and 13 plays, 75 yards. Drake's final scoring drive lasted 7 minutes 44 seconds, while the other second-half scoring drives were 3:18 and 5:34.

DEFENSE FORCES 4 TURNOVERS: For the second straight game, Drake's defense forced an opponent into four turnovers. Drake's defense forced Wisconsin-Platteville into four turnovers with nose guard Jake Ramos (Waterloo, Neb.) and redshirt freshman Augustine Agyei (Aurora, Colo.) intercepting passes.

Sophomore free safety Andy Green collected a career-high 14 tackles, including 11 solo hits, for Drake.Sophomore defensive back Jacob Craig (Mount Vernon, Iowa) added a career-high 12 tackles, including 10 solo hits, while forcing a fumble. Senior linebacker James Adams had 11 tackles, including seven solo hits, while recovering a fumble. Sophomore Justin Colbert (Pleasant Hill, Iowa/Southeast Polk) also recovered a fumble for the Bulldogs.

ATLANTIC DUO SPARK WIN: The Drake defense forced Upper Iowa into four turnovers en route to a 40-7 home victory Sept. 9 with the Atlantic, Iowa, duo of sophomore strong safety Andy Green and senior linebacker Nick Ross each intercepting passes.

Junior free safety Jacob Craig led Drake's defense with nine tackles, including seven solo hits. Green added six solo hits. Sophomore linebacker Jeremy Gehl (Naperville, Ill.) also recovered a fumble. Redshirt linebacker Calen Hunt (Littleton, Colo.) added five tackles, while forcing a fumble.

A fumble recovery by Drake senior strongside linebacker James Adams at the Bulldog 16 yardline stopped an Upper Iowa drive midway through the second half. Drake took advantage with an 11-play, 84-yard scoring drive climaxed by a 31-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Derek Retherford to redshirt junior Brandon Millard (Mason City) with 2:33 left in the first half.

DEPTH PAYS OFF: Junior redshirt Clay Cleveland (Tinley Park, Ill.) and redshirt freshman Mason Bucklin (Solon) rounded out Drake's scoring against Upper Iowa with touchdown runs of 40 and nine yards, respectively, in the fourth quarter.Cleveland rushed for a career-high 61 yards in seven carries, while freshman redshirt Will Yocius (Fox River Grove, Ill.) had a career high 60 yards on the ground in two carries.

PLAYING THE BEST: When Drake opened the season against Northern Iowa, which finished runner-up in the 2005 NCAA I-AA playoffs, it marked the eighth straight year that Drake, a nonscholarship NCAA I-AA program, played a fully-funded NCAA I-AA scholarship team from the Gateway Football Conference. Drake played at Western Illinois in 1999 and 2002 and traveled to Southern Illinois in 2000; Missouri State in 2001 and 2004; Illinois State in 2003 and Northern Iowa in 2005. Drake did manage a 31-7 victory against Florida Atlantic, a fully-funded NCAA I-AA program, in 2001.

IF YOU BUILD IT...: A crowd of 10,107 the most to watch a Bulldogs' home game during their 20-year nonscholarship period attended the Aug. 31 season opener against Northern Iowa at Drake Stadium which underwent a $15 million renovation that included permanent lighting and a new FieldTurf playing surface.

The previous attendance record for a Drake home game during its nonscholarship era of football was 7,908 fans against Dayton Oct. 11, 1997. The biggest crowd ever to watch Drake play during its nonscholarship era was 33,827 Sept. 20 when the Bulldogs earned a 23-22 victory at South Florida. The game was played in Tampa, Fla.

UNI SPOILS OPENER: Terrell Allen returned the game's opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown as Northern Iowa spoiled Drake's season opener in the newly renovated Drake Stadium Aug. 31 with a 48-7 victory.

The Panthers rolled up 448 yards total offense with sophomore Corey Lewis pacing the attack with touchdown runs of two and 12 yards. Lewis finished with a game-high 105 yards on the ground in 11 carries.

Northern Iowa, which finished runner-up in the 2006 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs, was making its first appearance at Drake Stadium since 1985.Northern Iowa scored on its first four possessions to enjoy a 24-0 lead before sophomore quarterback Derek Retherford spotted Shea Moroni open for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 4:01 left in the second quarter to account for Drake's lone touchdown.

Drake did march from its own 20 down to the Northern Iowa 14 yardline to start the second half before sophomore Logan Rees (West Des Moines Valley) missed a 31-yard field goal.Retherford, making his first collegiate start, passed for 173 yards for Drake. Moroni caught five passes for 61 yards, while junior tight end Daniel Marx had four receptions for 69 yards. Junior All-American Scott Phaydavong rushed for 94 yards in 25 carries.

DUO PACE DEFENSE: Senior linebacker James Adams and junior cornerback Poul Collins led Drake with nine and eight tackles, respectively. Collins, a converted running back, was making his first collegiate start at cornerback. Junior free safety Jacob Craig recovered a fumble for the Bulldogs.
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SEASON OPENERS: Following a 48-7 loss to Northern Iowa, the Bulldogs sport a 66-41-6 record (.628) in season openers. Drake owns an 8-8-2 record (5-2-1 home/3-6-1 road) in season openers during Rob Ash's 18-year coaching tenure at the school. Drake has lost its last six season openers all of which were played against scholarship opponents: Truman State, 40-29, 2001; Western Illinois, 64-7, 2002; at Illinois State, 27-13, 2003; at Missouri State, 31-26, 2004; at Northern Iowa, 52-17, 2005; and the 2006 opener against Northern Iowa, 48-7.

LEADERS UNDER THE LIGHTS: Drake will play five of its seven home games under the lights this season.Did you know that Drake was the first college to install permanent lighting for its football field? The first game was Oct. 6, 1928, with the Bulldogs beating Simpson, 41-6. White footballs were used in the early years before lighting became more intensified.

2006 CO-CAPTAINS: Senior linebacker Nick Ross and senior wide receiver Shea Moroniwere named co-captains of the 2006 Drake football team. Ross, who also served as co-captain in 2005, is in his third year as a starter at weakside linebacker. He earned All-Pioneer Football League North Division honorable mention honors in 2004, while leading Drake with 94 tackles, including a team-high 57 solo hits. He ranked second on the team in tackles last year with 77, including 50 solo hits, while intercepting one pass and recovering two fumbles.He was Drake's second leading receiver last season, snaring 22 passes for 302 yards including three touchdowns.

PRESEASON ALL-AMERICANS: Drake senior linebacker James Adams, junior offensive lineman Dave Pammer (Frankfort, Ill.) and junior running back Scott Phaydavong have been named to the Football Gazette NCAA I-AA Mid-Major Preseason All-America team, as well as The Sports Network 2006 I-AA Mid-Major Preseason All-America football team. Adams, Pammer and Phaydavong all earned first-team All-Pioneer Football League North Division playing honors last year.

Phaydavong ranked second in the NCAA I-AA in rushing last year with 1,550 yards with eight touchdowns in just 204 carries (7.6 avg.). Phaydavong led the Pioneer Football League in rushing for the second straight year and enjoyed eight straight 100-yard-plus rushing games to close out the 2005 season. He set the Drake school single-season nonscholarship rushing record despite playing in two fewer games and carrying the ball 30 fewer times.

Adams, who is in his third year as a starter, was named Drake's defensive player of the year last season. He led the Bulldogs with 88 tackles last year, including 66 solo hits, three quarterback sacks for 32 yards in losses, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.Pammer is in his third season as a starter on the offensive line. He started at center in 2004 before moving to guard last year. He will start at tackle this fall.

IOWA FLAVOR: The 2006 Drake roster includes 38 players from Iowa, including nine who will start against Northern Iowa: quarterback Derek Retherford (Johnston), halfback Scott Phaydavong (Des Moines East), flanker Tyler Putnam (Oakland/Riverside), offensive tackle Matt Haas (Iowa City West), middle linebacker Brian Conway (Waukee), weakside linebacker Nick Ross (Atlantic), free safety Jacob Craig (Mount Vernon), strong safety Andy Green (Atlantic) and cornerback Poul Collins (Cedar Rapids Washington).

SIZING UP THE ROSTER: There are 101 players on the Drake football roster, including just 10 seniors, 24 juniors, 13 sophomores and 54 freshmen (20 redshirts). There are players from eight states: 38 from Iowa, 30 from Illinois, 18 from Missouri, six from Colorado, four from Minnesota, three from Kansas, and one each from Maryland and Nebraska.

STARTERS BY CLASS: Just six seniors started for the Bulldogs at Waldorf. Receivers Shea Moroni and Tyler Putnam were the lone senior offensive starters.The offense featured eight junior starters (LT-Dave Pammer; LG-Marco Povich; OC-Matt Huber; RG-Anthony Swope; RT-Matt Haas; HB-Scott Phaydavong, FB-Willie Cashmore) while quarterback Derek Retherford and tight end Blake Fuller were the sophomore starters.

Defensively, Drake started four seniors (DE-Kevin Jennings; SLB-James Adams, MLB-Brian Conway; WLB-Nick Ross), five juniors (DE-Cody Shelley, DT-Jake Ramos, CB-Tyler Marley, CB-Poul Collins, FS-Jacob Craig) along with sophomore Andy Green at free safety and freshman Andrew Asbell at defensive end.

LAOTIAN CONNECTION: Junior running back Scott Phaydavong is from a close-knit family of Laotian heritage.

Three decades ago, Kou Phaydavong, who is Scott's father, was serving as an officer in the Royal Lao Army. When the Communist government took control in the mid-1970's, he was sent to a concentration camp. After escaping, the Phaydavongs headed for America in 1978. Kou and his wife, Kham, didn't want their son Scott to play football until his junior season at East High School in Des Moines. When Scott turned 18, he honored his parents by getting Chinese characters tattooed on his chest. Translated, the symbols stand for "Determination."

WHAT'S IN STORE: Head Football Coach Rob Ash is counting on the return to familiar, but upgraded surroundings, to ignite Drake in the Pioneer Football League which will play a round-robin seven-game schedule for the first time in the 14-year history of the league. Two of Drake's three league home games will be against San Diego and Morehead State which battled in the Pioneer Football League championship game last year.

Thirty-eight letterwinners, including 14 starters, will try to help Drake regain the fortunes it encountered during the 2004 season when the Bulldogs posted a 10-2 record en route to winning the PFL championship.

Graduation claimed just two starters on offense but one hole will hold the key toward the Bulldogs' progress this fall. All attention will be focused on finding a replacement for departed three-year starting quarterback Connor Jostes, who passed for 6,445 yards in his career, including 59 touchdowns. Sophomore Derek Retherford is in his first year as starting quarterback.

The return of four starters on the offensive line, headed by junior Dave Pammer, a first-team All-Pioneer Football League choice who has moved from guard to tackle, should make the transition for the first-year signal caller go smooth. Other returning veterans up front are juniors Matt Huber (center), Matt Haas (tackle) and Anthony Swope (guard), while junior Daniel Marx should continue to blossom at tight end after catching six touchdowns last season.

That group will pave the way for a potent offense headed by junior Scott Phaydavong, who led the PFL for the second straight year with 1,550 yards rushing, including eight touchdowns in just 204 carries for a whopping 7.6 avg. He set the Drake nonscholarship single-season rushing mark despite playing in two fewer games. For the second consecutive year the speedster enjoyed eight 100-yard plus rushing games, highlight by a pair of 200-yard rushing efforts against Wisconsin-Platteville (234) and league champion San Diego (a career-high 244). Senior Matt Goodwin returns at fullback, along with junior Willie Cashmore who also will see action at tight end.

The 6-foot 3-inch Marx has developed into one of the top tight ends in the PFL, averaging 21.3 yards per reception, with his role expanding even more this fall in Drake's offensive attack. The team's top eight receivers from a year ago are back, led by senior Tyler Putnam, a two-year starter who caught a team-high 28 passes last year, and senior co-captain Shea Moroni who snared 22 receptions.

TRIO KEYS DEFENSE: Senior linebacker Jimmy Adams, who led the team with 88 tackles en route to earning first-team All-PFL honors last year, spearheads a defense which has five starters back. Drake coach Rob Ash calls Adams, middle linebacker Brian Conway, and weakside linebacker Nick Ross, the best balanced trio that he has encountered during his tenure at Drake. Ross, a co-captain, and Conway, also are entering their third year as starters. Junior cornerback Tyler Marley and sophomore strong safety Andy Green are holdovers in the secondary.