Sept. 1, 2002
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BELLINGHAM, Wash. -
UPCOMING GAME: Western Washington University Vikings (0-0) vs. University of Central Oklahoma Bronchos (0-0) at Wantland Stadium (Grass - 10,000 capacity) in Edmond, Okla, on Thursday, Sept. 5, at 5 p.m (PT).
The contest is the second meeting between the two schools and the season opener for both. Western finished 8-3 last season, and won the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference championship with a perfect 3-0 record. It was the third straight league title and fifth in seven years for the Vikings, who have had 11 straight non-losing seasons, a school record.
UCO won the first meeting with Western, 28-24, at Bellingham in the 2001 opener for both schools. That loss probably kept the Vikings from getting a post-season playoff berth. It was one of just three wins for UCO, which finished 3-8 overall, its first losing season in 10 years, and 1-7 in Lone Star Conference play.
Western is ranked No.14 in the Don Hansen's Weekly Football Gazette, No.16 in the Street and Smith, No.26 in the American Football Coaches Association and No.29 in the DOPKE.com preseason polls; and was first in the GNAC Coaches Poll.
SERIES HISTORY: Second meeting. Central Oklahoma won first meeting, 28-24, last season at Bellingham. The loss was Western's first in a home opener in seven years.
RADIO: KBAI (930 AM-Bellingham) is broadcasting all Western football games live this season with sports director Doug Lange handling the play-by-play duties for the seventh consecutive season. Providing the color commentary for the fifth straight year is former Viking quarterback Jason Stiles. The pre-game show, hosted by Mark Scholten, begins at 4:35 p.m. PT The KBAI broadcast can be picked up via the Internet at wwuvikings.com. The game also will be broadcast on the Central Oklahoma website (www.bronchosports.com) with Chris Needham(15th year) calling the action.
SEASON OPENERS: Western has lost its last three season openers after winning the previous eight. The Vikings are 9-4 in season debuts during coach Rob Smith's tenure. Western has won 11 of its last 16 openers after losing 14 straight from 1972-85.
NIGHT GAMES: The Central Oklahoma contest is the first of three night games for the Vikings this season. Western is 7-6 under the lights since Rob Smith became head coach in 1989, 3-4 at home and 4-2 on the road. The Vikings split a pair of night games in 2001, losing to UCO and defeating NCAA I-AA Cal Poly.
2001 RESULTS: Western finished 8-3 and won the inaugural GNAC championship with a perfect 3-0 record, and ranked No.23 in the final national poll. Central Oklahoma had a 3-8 record, winning two of its last three games.
WESTERN REPORT: Seven offensive and six defensive starters return from an 8-3 Viking team that narrowly missed the NCAA II playoffs for the second straight year but did win a third conference title for the first time in school history.
A deep receiving corps leads the offense. Senior Greg Dykstra had 57 catches for 919 yards and 10 touchdowns last year and ranks fourth in school history in career receptions (122) and career receiving yards (1,895). Junior Ryan Van Diest added 31 receptions for 539 yards and 5 touchdowns. They're joined by senior Mike Westbrook, a transfer from Montana who played 11 games as a true freshman at BYU.
The top returning running back is junior Nyle Chambers, who ran for 567 yards and 5 touchdowns and caught 21 receptions for 241 yards and two scores, but redshirt freshman Jake Carlyle will also see extensive time. Three starters return on the offensive line, led by senior tackle Joaquin Paratore-McNabb, who has started every game the last three years.
At quarterback, junior Josh Shimek and sophomore Steve Nichols have battled to replace three-year starter Scott Mitchell, a Harlon Hill Award finalist. Shimek has earned the start against Central Oklahoma, but Nichols is also likely to see action.
On defense, Western is especially strong at cornerback, as senior Martez Johnson, who defensed 15 passes last year, has started for three seasons, and senior Anthony Dalton had a team-high 4 interceptions a year ago. Junior middle linebacker Lann Olson enters his third year as a starter, and a deep defensive line is led by senior end Corey Gunnerson, who had a team-high 7 sacks last year.
Sophomore kicker Michael Koenen was brilliant as a freshman, hitting 13-of-20 field goals, including a school record 54-yarder, and averaging 40.8 yards a punt, with three efforts of 62 yards or better.
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA REPORT: The Bronchos suffered their first losing season in a decade in 2001, going just 3-8 overall and 1-7 in the North Division of the Lone Star Conference. They knocked off Western in the opening game of the year, but then lost seven straight, the longest losing skid for UCO since 1989.
The key returnee for UCO is junior split end Dee Dee Carter, who had 76 receptions for 1,469 yards and eight touchdowns last season, leading NCAA II nationally in receiving yards per game (133.5) and being named to four different All-America teams. Against the Vikings, Carter had 10 catches for 165 yards and his first career touchdown, and he had at least five receptions in every game last year. Also back is first-team all-LSC North Division tight end Brandon Whiteley, a junior who had 17 receptions.
Junior Tarik Abdullah is the top returning rusher, running for 452 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 7.0 yards a carry a year ago. Starting fullback Nick Bobeck, a senior, also returns. The most experienced quarterback is junior Erick Johnson, who has thrown just eight passes in his career, completing three. He will have the luxury of an experienced offensive line that returns four starters, led by junior tackle B.J. Bender, an all-LSC North Division pick last season; and senior center Jordan Chappell, who enters his third season as a starter.
It was on defense that UCO struggled most last year, allowing 33.9 points and 434.1 yards a game, but the Bronchos do have nine starters returning. Leading the way is junior end Ryan Cooper, a first-team all-league selection who had 51 tackles, including a team-high 13 for loss. Senior safety Jerremy Dale was UCO's leading tackler last year with 89 stops.
Sophomore A.J. Haglund was 9-of-14 on field goals and 29-of-31 on extra points last year, and sophomore Ryan Lopez returns after averaging 35.6 yards a punt.
UCO is in its 38th year playing its home games at Wantland Stadium with a 125-57-5 (.682) record, and is 40-15-2 (.719) in games there during September.
INJURY REPORT: Even before a game has been played, Western is battling injuries along the offensive line. Five offensive linemen have missed significant time in fall camp, including four who were listed as starters or second stringers when camp began.
Two of the injuries are hamstrings, one to sophomore Todd Gowing, the projected starter at strong guard, and his backup, sophomore Geoff Hise. Another guard, redshirt freshman Justin Simpson, is battling a hip flexor problem. The injuries may move senior Brad Hendrickson from center to guard, where he was a first-stringer last year, with redshirt freshman Loren Winter starting at center.
There's fewer injuries on defense, with the key absence being junior tackle Brad Mann. Mann has missed nearly all of fall camp with a hamstring problem.
LAST MEETING: Tailback Greg Briley ran for 142 yards on 35 carries and scored on a 4-yard run with one second left, lifting Central Oklahoma to a 28-24 victory over Western in the season opener for both schools on Aug. 30, 2001, at Bellingham's Civic Stadium.
Western jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and held a 24-21 edge for nearly all of the fourth quarter. But UCO recovered a fumble with 4:18 to play and marched 58 yards in 14 plays for the winning score. Briley carried the ball 10 times on the final drive.
Western's Erik Totten returned the ensuing kickoff across midfield, was trapped on the sideline, cut back across the field to open space, but was hauled down by James Thornton at the Western 45 to end the game.
The game was tied 14-14 at halftime before redshirt freshman Michael Koenen gave Western a 17-14 lead with a school-record 54-yard field goal. UCO responded with a 15-play, 80-yard drive that ended on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Brett Manning with 4:49 left in the third quarter. But Western regained the lead less than a minute later on a 60-yard pass from quarterback Scott Mitchell to wide receiver Greg Dykstra to set the stage for the fourth period.
The game-winning drive was the third time in the fourth quarter UCO reached Western territory. On the first drive, Manning was intercepted by cornerback Martez Johnson on a 3rd-and-28 from the 44, and on the following series, Briley was stopped in the backfield by defensive end Corey Gunnerson on 4th-and-two from the 33.
Mitchell completed 8-of-12 passes for 164 yards and a touchdown despite missing all but the first seven plays of the first half with an injury to his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Dykstra had six catches for 128 yards and two scores.
Manning completed 12-of-27 passes for 190 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Wide receiver Dee Dee Carter, who entered the game with just five career receptions, had 10 catches, one short of the UCO record, for 165 yards and a touchdown.
The Bronchos had a 410-317 edge in total offense as they ran for 220 yards on 56 carries and had an 11-minute edge in time of possession.
Western scored on the opening series of the game, marching 89 yards on 11 plays, capped by a 1-yard run by running back Devin Martin. The Vikings extended their lead to 14-0 late in the first quarter, recovering a UCO fumble at the Broncho 24 and scoring three plays later on a 14-yard pass to Dykstra from backup quarterback Steve Nichols.
UCO tied the game by scoring twice in 65 seconds early in the second quarter. Wide receiver Don Harris scored on a 19-yard end around, then immediately after Western fumbled on the second offensive play of the following series, Manning hit Carter with a 27-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 14-14.
PRESEASON PICKS: Two Western players were named to the d2football.com All-America preseason team - sophomore placekicker Michael Koenen (Ferndale) being a first team pick and senior defensive end Corey Gunnerson (Everett) selected to the second team.
Koenen, who enters the season with a school-record tying six consecutive field goals, earned first-team d2football.com West Region and GNAC all-star honors as a redshirt freshman last season. He led the team with 82 points, making 13-of-20 field goals, a 1.20 per game average that ranked No.7 nationally; and converting a school-record 43 extra points in 46 attempts. Koenen booted a school-record 54-yard field goal versus Central Oklahoma.
Gunnerson, a team co-captain, was a second-team d2football.com all-West Region pick in 2001 and a first-team all-GNAC choice. He was credited with 30 tackles, 13 for losses of 56 yards, including 7 quarterback sacks for minus-43 yards.
Gunnerson and Koenen were among five Vikings named to the D2football.com All-West Region preseason team. Gunnerson, Koenen, and senior offensive lineman Joaquin Paratore-McNabb were first-team picks. Koenen also earned second-team honors as a punter along senior wide receiver Greg Dykstra and senior Martez Johnson, who was recognized as both a cornerback and a kick returner.
MILESTONES: Greg Dykstra enters the season having caught a pass in 28 consecutive games. He could tie the school record of 37 set by Hoyt Gier (1975-78) in the ninth game of the season, at Western Oregon on Nov. 9, and break it on Nov. 16 when the Vikings host UC Davis in the regular-season finale ... Michael Koenen enters the campaign with a string of a school record-tying six straight field goals (Jeff Gulliford, 1984; Peter LaBarge 1985) ... Rob Smith's next win as head coach at Western will be his 90th. Western's all-time leader in coaching victories, he enters his 14th season with an 89-42-1 record (.678).
FAVORED AGAIN: For the sixth year in a row, Western is the favorite to win a league title in football, being rated slightly ahead of arch-rival Central Washington University by the GNAC coaches to win the conference crown.
The Vikings won the inaugural GNAC title last season with a perfect 3-0 record. It was their school-record third straight league championship, winning Columbia Football Association crowns in 1999 and 2000, and their fifth title in the last seven years. They finished second in 1997 and 1998.
Western split the first-place votes with Central, each getting two, but had a 14-13 point edge over the Wildcats. The Vikings have won the last three meetings with Central, including a 36-14 win last season at Bellingham. The two schools open GNAC play on Oct. 19 at Ellensburg.
WESTERN NOTES: Western is 23-9 over the last three seasons, its best stretch in school history ... The Vikings are shooting for their fourth straight league title and sixth in the last eight seasons, winning Columbia Football Association titles in 1995, 1996, 1999, and 2000 and placing second the other two years. They have been picked for the sixth straight year to win a league championship in the pre-season coaches poll ... Western is 15-2 at home over the last three seasons ... The Central Oklahoma game will be just the second non-Saturday contest in Western history ... The Vikings are 1-2 against Lone Star Conference teams, losing both to Central Oklahoma in last year's season opener and 27-24 in overtime at Northeastern State OK in a first-round NCAA II playoff game on Nov. 20, 1999, and defeating West Texas A&M, 41-17, on Sept. 16, 2000, at home.
COACHES: Rob Smith (Washington, 1981) enters his 14th year as head coach and his victory total (89-42-1) and winning percentage of 67.8 are the best in Western history. Smith has directed the Vikings to their only five national playoff berths in 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999, and guided them to their best regular-season (No.1, 1995) and final (No.1, 1995) national rankings. He was named GNAC Coach of the Year in 2001, Columbia Football Association Coach of the Year in 1989, 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000, and American Football Coaches Association College Division Region V Coach of the Year in 1995 and 1996.
Gary Howard (Arkansas, 1964) begins his 26th year (157-99-6) at UCO. His victory total is the best in school history, and he has led the Bronchos to nine national playoff berths, highlighted by winning the NAIA Division I National Championship in 1982. Howard, who was the NAIA National Coach of the Year in 1982, ranks 12th in career victories among active Division II coaches
NEXT WEEK: Western hosts Fort Lewis on Sat., Sept. 14 (6 p.m.), in its home opener at Civic Stadium. The Skyhawks lost their season opener, 75-41, at Central Washington on Aug. 30. Fort Lewis, which led 14-0 at one point, had 453 yards in total offense, but allowed 696.
WEBSITE: For the latest results, statistics and updates, including reports on all Western athletic events, visit the Vikings website at wwuvikings.com.
HEAD COACH ROB SMITH ON ...:
STATUS OF TEAM GOING INTO OPENER
"We've had a good two weeks of camp. We've had a few players who've missed some important time, but we've certainly improved and we're ready to play somebody ... I'm anxious to see this team play and get sense of where we're at."
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
"I like how our defense has executed all camp. Certainly Lann Olson at linebacker is a player we're going to lean on all year long. Our defensive front led by Corey Gunnerson is going to be solid. We have two returning corners and our safeties while not having started before do have experience. So, I feel good about our defense.
"Offensively, I like our receivers and tight ends. We have a new quarterback, but again we're talking about two guys who have both gone through their fourth set of two-a-days, so that's not a concern to me, and our offensive line is coming together."
QUARTERBACK BATTLE
"Josh Shimek will get the start and Steve Nichols will play. It was a very difficult decision. It's comforting in a lot of ways to have two players of their caliber. Both are starting caliber players, but only one can start and that's going to be Josh. He's had the better camp I feel, but it's been close. We'll watch over the early part of the season and try to get an idea of who the team responds to, who is on the field when good things are happening offensively. When it's all said and done, that's the guy whose going to be the starter."
CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
"We're going to go down and play a quality team from the Lone Star Conference. We know that they are very physical. They like to run the football, but have an outstanding receiver in Dee Dee Carter. He's probably the best receiver we'll face all season long. He's coming off just a tremendous sophomore season where he put up some big numbers and had a big game against us a year ago. They have a lot of people back on both sides of the ball. A lot of players who were on the field a year ago when they came here and beat us, and that's certainly something that we remember. It's going to be a good football game between two teams with high aspirations for the season."
RETURNING THE FAVOR
"We're 0-3 in our last three openers. Certainly losing on our home field a year ago hurt us, and at the end of the season may have kept us from continuing our season. But all credit to Central Oklahoma. They came here and got the job done, and that night we did not. What I was pleased with was how we responded to that defeat. We won eight of our next nine games."
"But we made some mistakes in that game, we fumbled twice and there were some critical penalties along the way. But that's not making any excuses. Central Oklahoma came here a year ago on our field and beat us, and we would like nothing better than to return the favor."
OPENING ON THE ROAD
"I think there are some benefits to traveling. One thing this team did show a year ago is that it played well when we traveled. We won at Cal Poly, we won at New Haven. A lot of that has to do with getting away and removing ourselves from any distractions and really focusing on the job that we have to do. Last year's team did that very effectively and certainly our hope is that this team can do it just as effectively."
