The winner between St. Thomas and Augsburg College on Saturday in Minneapolis will leave Edor-Nelson field in sole possession of first place in the MIAC.
The Tommies (5-0) and the Auggies (4-0) both head into the game coming off dominating performances. The Auggies took down Carleton 35-14, and the Tommies, who annihilated St. John’s 63-7, will try to stay hydrated to avoid the old Tommie-Johnnie hangover.
“We’re putting St. John’s behind us the best we can,” junior cornerback Jack Gavin said. “It doesn’t matter if we lost to St. John’s or lose to Augsburg, a loss is a loss, and in conference play that could cost us a conference championship.”
Coach Glenn Caruso said the team will most likely come out with a balanced attack against Augsburg.
“We’ve been closer to 50-50 (run-pass) every game, so even if they do let us pass, I’m sure we’ll get a good pass-run mix as usual,” sophomore wide receiver Dan Noehring said.
Augsburg freshman running back Tyler Maxwell racked up 206 total yards and four touchdowns last week and leads the MIAC in rushing yards per game. The Tommie defense has had no problem shutting down stellar running backs so far.
“He’s a good back,” Gavin said. “We’ll treat them like any other team. Our run defense has been really good, so we’re just going to keep doing the same things really.”
The Tommie defense has pretty well shut down highly regarded backs such as Wisconsin-River Falls’s Taylor Edwards and Concordia-Moorhead’s Trent Johnson. Caruso said Maxwell may be most similar to St. Olaf’s Leon Clark, whom the Tommies held to nine rushing yards.
“Maxwell is a very quick, strong kid that can make you pay in a hurry. Not unlike Leon Clark,” coach Glenn Caruso said. “Really, it goes back to making sure that we’re gap sound, not getting pushed or moved out of our gaps to where he can find a little crease. For him that’s all it takes.”
A quarterback duel
Auggie senior quarterback Marcus Brumm is second in the MIAC in passing yards per game and lead the Auggies to a comeback win two weeks ago over St. John’s with a last-second 32-yard touchdown pass to junior Tyler Swanson.
“Unbelievable talent, and it seems like he is seeing the field in a way that he is even better than the last couple of years,” Caruso said of Brumm. “As a guy who enjoys evaluating quarterbacks, I think you’re going to see a really good quarterback on Saturday.”
Noehring went to Lakeville South High School with Brumm, but was a few years younger. Noehring said he grew up watching Brumm play.
“I watched him my whole life, and he is a great player,” Noehring said. “But (Dakota) Tracy is really an unbelievable quarterback. He’s got everything you could ever ask for.”
The Tommies have a prolific quarterback too. Tracy has more passing yards and touchdowns than Brumm this season.
Tommies winning despite injuries
Caruso has been mixed in four players at strong and weak inside linebacker due to injuries to senior Mike Valesano and junior Kyle Mulrooney, who were both starters.
Caruso said that these injuries occurred early enough in the season to adjust.
“At this point in the season those guys that replaced them have a lot of reps and several starts under their belts,” Caruso said.
Gavin said the linebackers are taking their injuries “day by day.”
“Mike Valisano is still nursing that ankle, and Kyle Mulrooney with the shoulder,” Gavin said. “They’ve been making progress the last couple of weeks, and it seems like they’re on track. We’ll see.”
Augsburg’s Smith a tackling machine
Augsburg defensive end Edmond Smith had 16 tackles last week and comes into the game as the reigning MIAC defensive player of the week. Smith leads MIAC defensive lineman with 42 tackles this season.
The Tommies are holding their ground as the No. 3 team in the country on D3football.com’s poll. Bethel is ranked nine, and while Augsburg didn’t make the top 25, they are the only other MIAC school to receive votes.
“I think they absolutely deserve to be ranked,” Caruso said. “Any team that is undefeated in this league in the mid-point in the season is one that should garner national attention, and they certainly deserve the votes that they’re getting so far.”
Alex Keil can be reached at amkeil@stthomas.edu.