March 15, 1996

The Concordia athletic department has enjoyed the fruits of success in the past few years, but was reminded last week that success can be costly.

Brad Pole, Concordia football's offensive coordinator and assistant baseball coach, left the college to take the head football coach position at Luther College of Iowa.

Concordia has not named a new offensive coordinator, but according to Cobber Football Head Coach Jim Christopherson, a replacement will hopefully be made during the summer.

Tony Kunka and Ron Litzau have been named the assistant coaches for baseball.

Luther has been without a football head coach for two or three months, and Pole has been on the job for a week trying to catch up in recruiting new players.

Pole brought many skills to the Concordia program, but Christopherson said scouting players was one of Pole's most outstanding qualities.

"He is a very strong recruiter," he said. "Any coach has to be able to recruit, to follow up on the players, do all the things that will help them get to the school."

"He has a sound knowledge of football," said Christopherson. "He has a tremendous desire to win. He takes charge and makes the players work."

Luther has fell on hard times for the last few seasons. Schools such as Simpson, Wartburg, and Central have dominated the last couple of seasons.

Christopherson talked to Pole before he left for Luther and said he was very optimistic about his new team's possibilities.

Christopherson said Pole had applied for a few other head coaching positions, but those weren't really what he was looking for. The Luther job attracted him the most.

ñ[Pole] feels the potential is there to be a strong program," said Christopherson. "He liked everything about it when he got there."

Pole's family will remain in Moorhead until the end of the school year, however Ethan, a first-year student at Concordia will remain a Cobber.

Pole spent five years at Concordia and was a part of one MIAC football championship team and MIAC baseball title.

When he came to Concordia five years ago, he had eleven years of experience as defensive coordinator at the University of Sioux Falls, Augustana, as well as Moorhead State.