The 2007 version of the Pacific Lutheran University football team has a nice mixture of veterans and talented newcomers that bodes well for a successful season.

Pacific Lutheran looks to turn around its football fortunes after an up-and-down 2006 season that resulted in a 4-5 record, the second straight losing campaign for the Lutes after a 36-year streak of winning seasons. After starting the season with three straight non-conference losses, however, the Lutes finished with a 4-2 Northwest Conference record, good for third place. They hope to build on the momentum generated from their strong finish.

Leading the way will be a senior class numbering 26 athletes, most of whom have gained valuable experience in the past two seasons. When this group of seniors was just sophomores, eight offensive players and seven defenders who had never started a college football took the field against Cal Lutheran in Thousand Oaks. “Two years ago we were really, really young, and last year we were young,” said fourth-year PLU head coach Scott Westering. “Now we’re a veteran team. We still have some holes to fill, but we’re definitely more of a veteran team.”

Andrew Eisentrout (97)

As was the case in 2005 when the Lutes gave the ball away 30 times, turnovers took a toll in 2006 as the Lutes committed a total of 29 in nine games. Westering has targeted their reduction as a key to the 2007 season. “There’s not a team in the country that doesn’t emphasize making good decisions with the football. Sometimes other teams are going to make great plays to take the ball away. The key is to eliminate the unforced errors. We need better ball awareness when we’re running with it and good decisions from the quarterback when to throw it or not to throw it. It’s a joint effort between the kids out there doing it and us coaching them.”

Despite the rash of turnovers, the Lutes still came out a plus eight in the turnover-to-takeaway category. That’s because an aggressive defense intercepted 18 passes and recovered 19 of their opponents’ 21 fumbles. With 37 total takeaways in 2006, Pacific Lutheran finished second among all NCAA Division III football programs.

Several key members of that defense return, including a pair of first team All-Northwest Conference selections. Senior defensive end Andrew Eisentrout might be the team’s best athlete and his 2006 numbers were very impressive: 67 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 quarterback sacks and three forced fumbles. He finished second among Division III players in tackles for loss and quarterback sacks while earning all-region and second team All-America honors. In fact, Eisentrout is listed on a couple of preseason All-America lists. At 240 pounds, senior linebacker Chad Blau is an aggressive, physical force for the Lute defense. He led the 2006 team with 70 total tackles, including 15 for loss, and he also picked off two passes, forced two fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

Joining Eisentrout on the line are senior defensive end Robert Thomsen, junior tackle Andy Holden and senior nose David Nicoli. Thomsen, 1B to Eisentrout’s 1A as a defender, is also quite athletic and had a solid junior season in which he compiled 32 tackles, including four quarterback sacks. Holden managed 19 tackles while playing only five games because of injury, but most opponents know that they have to double-team the physical and quick 260-pounder. Nicoli, a graduate student, missed most of the 2006 season because of injury. Others who should see significant playing time are Eric Swanson and Giustin Jenkins.

The other starting inside linebacker position is open for competition between 2006 reserves Neal Chalmers and Bryan Neumiller. Junior Haden Gienger, who saw action last season on the defensive line, is taking his shot at the linebacker position.

Pacific Lutheran’s defensive scheme includes the “hawk” and “rover” positions, which might best be described as a mix between linebacker and defensive back. Senior Justin Kelly is a veteran who will see action at the hawk position, while senior Jeff Ebel, who compiled 46 tackles in 2006, returns as the starter at rover.

Chase Reed

The Lutes have some experience in the secondary, especially at cornerback where junior Aaron Todd and senior Max McKay both had several starts. Todd had 25 tackles and two interceptions and McKay was in on 15 tackles and had a fumble recovery last season. Stepping into the open free safety spot will be Evan Bratz, who had 13 tackles and an interception during the 2006 campaign. Senior Keith Sparks and sophomore transfer Colby Davies are both pushing Bratz for the starting job.

Among the top newcomers on the defensive side of the ball are safety Davies, a transfer from Western Washington University, freshman defensive lineman Branden Tipton from Eatonville, and freshman linebacker Josh Townsend from Kelso.

The offense returns nine starters, including a trio of first team all-conference performers. Senior wide receiver Craig Chiado is a two-time all-conference pick and last year led the team with 55 catches for 849 yards and seven touchdowns. He has 118 career catches for 2,007 yards and 14 touchdowns. Chase Reed, also a two-time All-NWC first team selection at slotback, led the 2006 Lutes in rushing (78 carries, 309 yards, four touchdowns) and kickoff returns (23 for a 17.7 yard average) and was second in receiving (34 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns). The versatile Reed has twice led the Lutes in rushing and has 103 career receptions for 1,431 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Senior guard Kelly Totten, the other first team all-conference honoree, anchors an offensive line that lost only one full-time starter. The PLU offense will benefit from the experience gained by offensive linemen Thomas Coffman, Brady Freeman and Carl Field, and there is solid depth across the line. Kyle Edwards has been moved over from defensive line and is battling for playing time at offensive guard. “We feel pretty good about our linemen,” said Westering.

Doug Rickabaugh

The depth chart currently shows senior starters in the three offensive backfield positions. Quarterback Brett Gordon completed 122-of-223 passes for 1,618 yards with 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in eight starters a year ago, and he will lead the Lutes again this year. Westering was generally pleased with Gordon’s performance, particularly because his lack of playing time in his first two seasons essentially made his junior year his college football baptism. “The reality of it is that for a ‘freshman’ he did pretty well,” said Westering, who added that experience gained during spring practice gave Gordon even more confidence. “He’s really grown as a leader,” said the coach. Gordon will be joined by halfback Anthony Canger, who returns after a 2006 season shortened by injury, and fullback Jacob Schonau-Taylor.

Among the other top newcomers are freshmen wide receivers Greg Ford and Kyle Whitford and sophomore halfback Drew Griffin, a transfer from Air Force Academy.

An area where the Lutes return all of their key players is special teams. As a freshman, kicker Pat Burke made all three of his field goal attempts and was 25-for-30 on PATs. He returns, as does junior punter Doug Rickabaugh, who averaged 35.6 yards per attempt in 2006. Chalmers and Edwards both have experience as long snappers, while Reed and junior defensive back Matt Wolford return to kickoff and punt return duties. Reed has averaged almost 20 yards per kickoff return throughout his PLU career.

The Lutes open the season with three straight non-conference games, including road games at Cal Lutheran and Wisconsin-River Falls that get it started. Their first home game comes Sept. 22 against Chapman, and the Lutes open their 2007 Northwest Conference slate on Sept. 29 at home against rival Puget Sound.