UW-La Crosse

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Below is a short report from "Inside Wisconsin Sports" magazine. It contains a short blurb about each team in the WIAC.

UW-La Crosse

The best team in the Conference rarely enters the following season unscathed. For the Eagles this year, that means dealing with 14 lost seniors, but this team has plenty of talent returning, and UW-La Cross should still soar in 2005.

Offense - Gone are Conference Player of the Year Scott Burnoski - including his 14 touchdown receptions - and three outstanding lineman. Quarterback Steve Tennies (First Team All-Conference) and running back Corey Geldernick (eight rushing touchdowns) make up the core of the offense's firepower. Tennies doesn't own the Conference's best arm, but he operates within the system and helps his team win football games. As a sophmore, Geldernick averaged five yards per carry (959 yards) and scored eight touchdowns in Conference play. Guard Kent Anderson will lead the offensive line.

Defense - The five linebackers Coach Larry Terry is missing might be his greatest concern on either side of the ball. Still, for UW-La Crosse, it's a fixable problem. "Even though we graduated five, the cupboard is not bare there," claims Terry. At the top of the list of returnees, is senior safety Kenneth Halvorson, who returned two fumbles for touchdowns in 2004 and was on of eight WIAC players named to the Football Gazette All-West Region's First Team. Steve Teeples joins Halvorson to help form one of the Conference's best secondaries.

[Bisondad]

Re: UW-La Crosse

How do the Jacks prepare for this game? I know LaCrosse is a very respectable D-III football program, but it seems like a no win for the Jacks. Maybe many newer players get alot of playing time, which is probably valuable, but if the jacks kill them, they were supposed to and if they don't, they'll really catch hell! What do you Jacks fans think?

Bisondad

[SDSUFAN]

Re: UW-La Crosse

How do the Jacks prepare for this game?  I know LaCrosse is a very respectable D-III football program, but it seems like a no win for the Jacks.  Maybe many newer players get alot of playing time, which is probably valuable, but if the jacks kill them, they were supposed to and if they don't, they'll really catch hell!  What do you Jacks fans think?

Bisondad

It certainly is not a game to be taken lightly. W-Lacrosse got a little print in Street & Smith as one of the top D3 teams. I invested in a newstand copy and here is what they said:

"Despite  losing 22 seniors and 13 of the 22 starters, Wisconsin-Lacrosse remains the team to beat in the competitive Wisconsin Intercolligate Athletic Conference. The Eagles with 522 wins in 92 seasons, rank second in DIII in all-time winning percentage at .688. Defense will be critical to success this year with free safety Kenneth Halverson,( 79 tackles and four fumble recoveries) and corner back Steve Teeples (7 INTS) back to lead the effort. Quarterback  Steve Tennies will be called on to lead the young offense and must reduce his interceptions. Corey Geldernick rushed for 959 yards a year agao and three offensive lineman return."

The Street & Smith probably does not add much to what MJA posted in the first post.

I do think SDSU needs to prepare to contain the returnees who have made an impact for WLC last year.

I think with the first game of the season, W-Lacrosse comes to Brookings with several untested players and SDSU having lost some on the Oline might still have an advantage.

Even with staff changes this past year, I think our new coaching staff, particularly the defensive coordinator will have a good game plan. IMO the reason we were 6-5 with wins over the NDSU Bison and Southern and played Montana State and Cal Poly extremely close was the game plans that were executed successfully.

Stig is going be doing the same this year in asking for the same from his staff. I do think SDSU will prevail over W-Lacrosse.

[footballfan]

Re: UW-La Crosse

I am a little concerned about the LaCrosse game. I have no doubt that we will win, but as Bisondad said it is kind of a no win situation for us. We are dammed either way unless we win huge.... LaCrosse has had an excellent program thru the years. I also have faith in our coaching staff to step up and put a game plan together that will take them out of the game early.....



Go Jacks !!!!!!!

[89rabbit]

Re: UW-La Crosse

UW-L has started practicing.  Here are highlights from a La Crosse Tribune story:

http://www.lacrossetribune.com/artic...s/01second.txt

Published - Monday, August 15, 2005

UW-L football team goes back to work


By KIRK BEY / La Crosse Tribune

.
There are certain things about the first day of UW-La Crosse football practice Steve Tennies has grown accustomed to seeing the last few years.

Tennies, UW-L's senior quarterback, expects senior center Adam Dow to crack jokes. He expects senior tailback Mark Wilcox to be going full-tilt before he even touches the football. And he expects to see freshmen with confused looks on their faces.

In that respect, Sunday was a typical first day of practice for the Eagles. There were a few lighter moments — Dow and senior linebacker Gene Janke traded good-natured barbs during one drill — but the overall tone was a serious one.

That suited Tennies fine. He hopes it will set the right tone for UW-L, which has won three straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles and will open its season Sept. 3 at South Dakota State University, an NCAA Division I-AA school.

"Last year we started (practicing) a week later because we didn't play until the second week of the season," Tennies said. "This year we're playing the first weekend (of September), so we've got to be ready to go.

"I think we will be. It will be a great challenge playing South Dakota State, and it's something we're all looking forward to."

UW-L coach Larry Terry also has his work cut out for him over the next 18 days.

He must decide whether Tennies or junior John Schumann — who led the Eagles to a come-from-behind win over St. Norbert in the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs last year — will be his starting quarterback. Terry also must deal with the loss of senior safety Kenneth Halvorson, a D3football.com preseason All-American who likely will miss the entire season with a sports hernia.

Still, Terry is enthusiastic about what lies ahead.

"I really get a good feeling from this group. They're a hard-working bunch of guys," Terry said. "Opportunity is the theme of this camp. With the high number of seniors who graduated, there are a lot of opportunities for our guys to make a contribution."  .  .  .


Go State!  ;D

[JACKGUYII]

Re: UW-La Crosse

Anybody want to take a guess what kind of attendence we will see for our first game. An evening game, should be great weather, students back and it's the first weekend. It is a long weekend with Labor day on Monday and we are playing a good DIII program. I'm guessing 6,500 and hope it's much larger!

[SiouxFallsJack]

Re: UW-La Crosse

I'll be there with a couple of old roommates from my days at State and if the weather cooperates, I'll guess 7800. I want to be there for the first game with the new scoreboard rather than hear about it from someone else. With the long weekend there may be fewer students, but I'm hoping for more alumni to make it back for the game.

[footballfan]

Re: UW-La Crosse

I'm guessing we will have a very large crowd........Many good things for all to enjoy this year....I am pumped..My guess - 8500



Go Jacks !!!!!!

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: UW-La Crosse

around 9,000. I'll be back with a large group of old college buddies. Really looking foward to it ;D

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: UW-La Crosse

With the new scoreboards, increased intrest in the Great West Conf. and the move to D1. I would be surprised if it's below 9,000.
There just seems to be a lot more interest in SDSU football and the festivities that go with it these days!!
I know i've never been counting days until kickoff before, and planning my Saturday around when the backyard opens up in past years.
I will be coming back to South Dakota to see the UW-L, Valpo, and Cal-Poly games this year. That never would have happened if we hadnt moved up to D1.
It truly is a new and exciting time for SDSU athletics!!

[MilwaukeeJacksAlum]

Re: UW-La Crosse

will the students be on campus prior to the UW-La Crosse game? If they aren't that's an automatic hit on the attendance. I wish I could make it to the game. I'd drive the 8 hours Friday night for each home game if I didn't think I'd be met with divorce papers on one of my trips back to Milwaukee.

[footballfan]

Re: UW-La Crosse

I'm ready to start tailgating right now........Just received my tailgating map....stop by...3rd spot from the NW entrance of the backyard........




Go Jacks  !!!!!!!

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: UW-La Crosse

The students WILL be on campus, School starts the week of Aug 29th
The first weekend at college for several thousand students-Should be a rowdy crowd!!

[Jacks99]

Re: UW-La Crosse

Curious to see if all the students hang around. I think the holiday weekend will make sure the die hards are there, but it may impact the fair weather fans as they may have other trips in mind.

I think anything over 8,000 for this DIII game is a success.

I agree that I want to see all the new bells and whistles rather than hear about them.

[JACKGUYII]

Re: UW-La Crosse

If the Jacks get anything over 8,000 for a DIII opponent than I think we are turning the corner as it relates to bringing the same kind of support for football that the basketball teams have enjoyed for years.