Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer
The Official Athletic Site of ASU

Football

Titans Return 15 Starters For 2001 Campaign

UW-Oshkosh, a 54-0 winner over NCAA Division II University of Minnesota-Morris in the final game of the 2000 season, seeks to carry some of that momentum into head coach Phil Meyer's second year as head coach of the Titans. Meyer's first UW-Oshkosh squad posted a 3-7 overall record (1-6 in the WIAC) and uplifted the health of the football program due to its competitiveness, hard work and determined efforts of players and coaching staff.

UW-Oshkosh enters the 2001 season returning 41 lettermen, including 15 starters and both kicking specialists.

Offensively, UW-Oshkosh returns eight starters. Among them are senior offensive guard Allan Dreblow, who has started 19 games, senior offensive tackle Luke Venne and senior quarterback Alan Beversdorf, who have started 18 games, and senior split end Shannon King, who has started 15 games the past two years.

At quarterback, Beversdorf adds experience to the position after starting all 10 games last season. Beversdorf completed 165 of 327 passes for 2,211 yards and 19 touchdowns a year ago, including 19 of 37 for a career-best 355 yards and three scores in a 38-31 win over defending WIAC champion UW-Stevens Point. In 1999, Beversdorf completed 134 of 266 passes for 1,638 yards and 10 touchdowns, including 331 yards and two scores against UW-Platteville and 321 yards and three scores against UW-River Falls. Also returning is junior Shawn Barth, who completed 7 of 10 passes last season for 66 yards and one touchdown

In the backfield, only two running backs that lettered return, junior Matt Kaufman and sophomore Anthony Renkas. Kaufman rushed for 282 yards and four touchdowns last season, while catching 6 passes for 128 yards and one score. In UW-Oshkosh's season-ending win over the University of Minnesota-Morris, Kaufman rushed for a career-best 103 yards and one touchdown. Renkas rushed for 10 yards in six attempts last year.

UW-Oshkosh's strength on offense could very well be at split end, where five of last year's top seven players at the position return. Looking for a big season after battling through injuries a year ago is King, a four-time NCAA Division III track and field champion. Last year, King caught 35 passes for 574 yards and five touchdowns, including nine catches for 151 yards and one touchdown against UW-Eau Claire. In 1999, King received All-WIAC second team accolades after grabbing 58 passes for 939 yards and six touchdowns, including 12 catches for 191 yards against UW-River Falls. King is also one of the league's top kick returnees, receiving All-WIAC second team honors last season after averaging 29.5 yards per kick return. Among his return efforts last year was a 94-yard kickoff return against UW-Platteville.

Other split ends back to compete for playing time is senior Justin May and juniors Jeremy James, Willie Jude and Kris Johnson. Last year, May caught 24 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns, while James caught 20 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, Jude four passes for 54 yards and Johnson three passes for 38 yards and one touchdown. James had seven catches for 64 yards against UW-Stout and caught the game-winning 44-yard touchdown pass with 3:37 left in the game to help defeat UW-Stevens Point a year ago. Also returning at split end is junior Paul Zelewski and sophomore Nic Sydorowicz. At tight end, sophomore Chad Lindsley returns after starting all 10 games last season. In 2000, Lindsley caught 11 passes for 143 yards and one touchdown.

In the offensive line, UW-Oshkosh returns starters at left tackle in Venne, left guard in senior Matt Duster, center in sophomore Mike Gaynor and right tackle in Dreblow. Venne was an All-WIAC second team selection a year ago. Other top returnees in the offensive trenches are sophomore Troy Holzhueter, who missed all of last season due to an injury after starting 10 games at right tackle in 1999, and sophomore tackle Lucas Koenecke.

Defensively, seven starters return for the Titans. Expected to spirit the corps is linebacker Lucas Jachthuber, free safety Keith Kamps and defensive tackle Rick Lewandowski, seniors who have started all 20 games the past two seasons. Kamps and Lewandowski each received All-WIAC second team accolades a year ago.

Up front, all three starters return in senior Brendan Burns, sophomore Dustin Drexel and Lewandowski. Lewandowski compiled 53 tackles last year with 11 for a loss and three quarterback sacks. In 1999, Lewandowski also gained All-WIAC second team honors after totaling 46 tackles with 11 tackles for a loss and six quarterback sacks. Burns had 25 tackles with six for a loss and Drexel 23 tackles with four for a loss a year ago. Other top defensive linemen back for the Titans are junior Aaron Johnson, sophomore Andy Matter, junior Dan Phelps, senior Jeff Schilling and sophomore Brian Scott. Scott had 18 tackles with three for a loss during last year.

UW-Oshkosh's group at linebacker also returns with experience, headed by Jachthuber, who registered 62 tackles last season with 10 for a loss. Another starter returning is junior Justin Schneider, who compiled 13 tackles. Other veterans returning at linebacker are sophomore Derick Bielmeier, sophomore Ed Healy, junior Ryan Lemke and sophomore Ben Schmalz. All but Bielmeier, who missed all of last season with an injury, started at least one game for the Titans a year ago.

In the secondary, Kamps returns to headline a contingent after recording a banner 2000 season. En route to last year's all-league mention, Kamps compiled 63 tackles and a team-high six pass interceptions. Another starter returning in the secondary is junior Don Ryan, who totaled 18 tackles and had three pass interceptions last season. Other returnees back to contend for playing time are junior Philip Bradfield, sophomore Zachary Harrod, senior Mike Mabry, sophomore Noah Paquin, sophomore Jon Thomas and junior John Zamiatowski. Zamiatowski, had seven starts last season and made five in 1999, while Paquin got the starting nod five times last year.

Returning to handle the kicking chores is senior place-kicker David Gaulke and punter Kris Johnson. Gaulke, an All-WIAC second team selection in 1999, has made 21 of 34 field goal and 64 of 72 extra point attempts during his UW-Oshkosh career. Last year, he converted four of his 10 field goal and 22 of his 24 extra point tries. Johnson averaged 35.2 yards on 53 punts last season.

Among the freshmen looking to contribute this fall are offensive tackle Pat Hughes of Oshkosh North, defensive end Justin Hoerning of Green Bay Notre Dame, running back Matt Kimmler of Sheboygan Falls, linebacker Dan Mulqueen of Milwaukee Marquette, defensive tackle Josh Walsh of Sheboygan Falls and quarterback Nick Wara of Oshkosh North high schools. All six players participated in the Wisconsin High School All-Star Football Game in July, with Hughes, Kimmler and Wara selected for the contest after receiving all-state second team accolades last fall. In addition, Hughes, Kimmler, Walsh and Wara helped guide their respective high schools to state championship football honors last fall.