Bulldogs advance to next round of playoffs
Samantha Lefebvre
Issue date: 11/18/09 Section: Sports
A calm, sunny Saturday afternoon set the perfect stage for the second round of Division ll Football playoffs at Molasky Stadium. The University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs (3) went head to head against the University of Nebraska-Kearney Lopers (6). Defending their National Championship title, the Bulldogs overpowered the Lopers 42-7.
True freshman Bulldog quarterback, Chase Vogler, made his first NCAA ll playoff appearance with 141 passing yards, 34 rushing yards and a touchdown in the second quarter. Vogler is the first true freshman to start for the Bulldogs in 47 years.
"I'm usually comfortable after the first play, regardless if it's a pass or a run, and that's mostly just cause of the guys around me," Vogler said. "The team and coaches support me and get me prepared every week. We are great offensive and defensive. It's a great ride."
Setting the momentum of the game along with Vogler was junior running back Isaac Odim and senior defensive backfield Brandon Wood. Odim raked in the first two touchdowns in the first quarter and Wood intercepted the ball from UNK, running it for 26 yards. Sophomore kicker, David Nadeau, made both extra points which put the Bulldogs at an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs controlled the ball in both the second and third quarters with over 11 minutes of possession time in each quarter. Vogler, and sophomore wide receiver D.J. Winfield both ran the ball in for a touchdown in the second quarter. Odim ran in his third touchdown of the afternoon in the third quarter. Along with Odim's third quarter touchdown, junior running back Brad Foss also ran the ball in for a nine yard touchdown. Nadeau again placed all the extra points safely in-between the uprights.
"We want to try and be aggressive and keep the ball away from them," said Bulldogs Head Coach Bob Nielson. "We didn't even give them a chance to start off."
Going into the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points in all previous quarters, the Bulldogs let the Lopers in to score their first touchdown of the game with just over six minutes left in the game.
"We refuse to let this game diminish what we've already done," said UNK Head Coach Darrell Morris. "I'm proud of my team, but I'm disappointed in this outcome."
The win against UNK advances UMD to the NCAA ll Quarterfinals for the second straight year. The Bulldogs will be taking on Grand Valley State next weekend, November 28th.
"Grand Valley will present a great challenge," Nielson said. "We beat them last year in the playoffs, but they are still a very good football team."
"I think that the whole experience of last year gives us a bit of an upper hand," Wood said. "I'm sure there is that revenge factor with Grand Valley wanting to beat us, but at the same time, either team that loses ends their season, so we have just as much motivation and drive as they do."
True freshman Bulldog quarterback, Chase Vogler, made his first NCAA ll playoff appearance with 141 passing yards, 34 rushing yards and a touchdown in the second quarter. Vogler is the first true freshman to start for the Bulldogs in 47 years.
"I'm usually comfortable after the first play, regardless if it's a pass or a run, and that's mostly just cause of the guys around me," Vogler said. "The team and coaches support me and get me prepared every week. We are great offensive and defensive. It's a great ride."
Setting the momentum of the game along with Vogler was junior running back Isaac Odim and senior defensive backfield Brandon Wood. Odim raked in the first two touchdowns in the first quarter and Wood intercepted the ball from UNK, running it for 26 yards. Sophomore kicker, David Nadeau, made both extra points which put the Bulldogs at an early 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs controlled the ball in both the second and third quarters with over 11 minutes of possession time in each quarter. Vogler, and sophomore wide receiver D.J. Winfield both ran the ball in for a touchdown in the second quarter. Odim ran in his third touchdown of the afternoon in the third quarter. Along with Odim's third quarter touchdown, junior running back Brad Foss also ran the ball in for a nine yard touchdown. Nadeau again placed all the extra points safely in-between the uprights.
"We want to try and be aggressive and keep the ball away from them," said Bulldogs Head Coach Bob Nielson. "We didn't even give them a chance to start off."
Going into the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points in all previous quarters, the Bulldogs let the Lopers in to score their first touchdown of the game with just over six minutes left in the game.
"We refuse to let this game diminish what we've already done," said UNK Head Coach Darrell Morris. "I'm proud of my team, but I'm disappointed in this outcome."
The win against UNK advances UMD to the NCAA ll Quarterfinals for the second straight year. The Bulldogs will be taking on Grand Valley State next weekend, November 28th.
"Grand Valley will present a great challenge," Nielson said. "We beat them last year in the playoffs, but they are still a very good football team."
"I think that the whole experience of last year gives us a bit of an upper hand," Wood said. "I'm sure there is that revenge factor with Grand Valley wanting to beat us, but at the same time, either team that loses ends their season, so we have just as much motivation and drive as they do."
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