No more questions on who will start at quarterback. No
more wondering how much playing time he’ll receive. No more alternating
quarters.
His role on the team is well-defined now. Pole is listed as the starting quarterback for the Concordia Cobbers football team – a luxury the junior didn’t have a season ago.
"It was tough," Pole said. "You were always looking over your shoulder a little bit. It was hard to keep involved in the game."
Pole battled for the starting position last year with senior Greg Nielsen and junior Troy Wanless, who is now a senior and listed as the No. 2 quarterback. The issue still wasn’t resolved deep into last season.
Coach Jim Christopherson finally gave Pole his full approval against St. John’s, the Cobbers’ seventh game of the year. Concordia lost, 39-34, but Christopherson liked what he saw in Pole, who led the Cobbers to three straight victories to close the season.
"He played really well in that game," Christopherson said. "I really liked the way our offense played with him in there."
Pole said: "That helped my confidence a lot."
The new quarterback situation is sitting well with everyone on the offense. Senior captain Jed Seeger, who plays right guard, said knowing who the No. 1 guy is will help provide stability. He said last year’s musical quarterbacks left things in constant limbo.
"It was a big problem. Each quarterback has his own cadence and calls the plays differently in the huddle," Seeger said. "That makes it tough to get into a groove. (Pole’s) a lot more confident when he gets into the huddle now."
Even though Pole is the starter, Christopherson said Wanless still figures in the team’s plans. The 6-foot, 180-pounder will be a strong backup.
"It’s a nice situation," Christopherson said.
The improved confidence of Pole and continuity are two reasons why the Cobbers think their offense will be strong again this year. Concordia, however, will have to find a way to cushion the loss of its three top running backs – Eli Schuff, Mike Halvorson and Michael Flinn.
Senior Dan Steinbeisser seems a prime candidate to fill some of the void. Steinbeisser said versatility is one of his strengths.
"I think we’re looking to throw the ball a little bit more," Steinbeisser said. "I think I can do a good job of coming out of the backfield and catching the ball."
Sophomore Casey Marshall also looks to fit into the ground game. Freshmen Marcus Ludtke, Len Crouse and Joel Howard should add depth. Seniors Chris Ohm and Mark Aslakson will vie for time at fullback.
"I think we are going to have just as good a running game, if not better," Seeger said. "None of the spots are guaranteed, so all of them are working their tails off."
The running backs won’t have to do it by themselves, however. Concordia returns all five starters in the offensive line – tackles Abe Hinderaker and Noah Caron, guards Tom Fuchs and Seeger and center Bob Zacher.
Concordia returns fourth-year starter Tory Langemo at wide receiver. Langemo, named the team’s MVP last year, will also handle kickoff and punt returns. Chris Howell, Mike Rice, Rob Nick and Mike Rydell round out the receiving corps.
"I think we should win the majority of our games and make the playoffs," Seeger said. "I don’t think we should lose many games in the conference."
Looking for consistency
Concordia allowed opponents to score 30 or more points three times last year. That’s something the Cobbers want to change this season.
"This year we want to keep up the level of play and keep it up every game," said senior starting linebacker Ryan Sannes.
Sannes leads a talented group of linebackers. Back from a knee injury is senior Craig Gilbert, who started on the strong side before going down. Senior Cory Polzine, who saw some starting action last year, and junior Jamie Aanenson will also battle for time.
Concordia will be green in the secondary. Senior free safety Eric Stenehjem is the only player who saw significant time last year. But the Cobbers hope to get a lift from former starter Jarad Ziebarth, who sat out last season because of a bad shoulder. Seniors Jeremy Zirbes and Eric Kragel look to fill in the remaining slots.
"The secondary is untested," Christopherson said. "They may come through in flying colors or we may have to make changes."
The defensive line looks to be strong again, despite the loss of three starters. Seniors Jeff Gronner and Jon Jasken, who both made some starts a year ago, will lead the group. Junior Ryan Albrecht and sophomore James Poock will supply depth. Junior Lance Larson, who comes to Concordia via Nebraska, North Dakota State, the military and Minnesota, is an interesting prospect. He will play either the defensive tackle or end positions.
This article has been reprinted and stored on the Concordia College server with the permission of the Forum Communications