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PAGE 6 • UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX FOOTBALL GAME NOTES • SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 • WEEK 4 A few good men: After spending nine seasons as an assistant coach at UND, including the last seven as offensive coordinator, Chris Mussman (Iowa State ‘90) takes over as Sioux head coach in 2008. Mussman, 40, was named the 25th head coach in UND football history on Jan. 4, 2008. During his nine seasons on staff, UND has gone 90-24 (.789) with five NCAA DII postseason appearances, including a national championship in 2001. Newcomers to this year’s coaching staff include offensive line coach Rod Carey (Indiana ‘94), special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach Josh Kotelnicki (UND ‘02), running backs coach Philip Mannie (Texas State ‘03) and inside linebackers coach Digger Anderson (UND ‘07). Greg Breitbach (Montana-Western ‘92), who spent the past two years as UND’s running backs coach, inherits offensive coordinator duties from Mussman, while co-defensive coordinator Mike Mannausau (UND ‘99) has been elevated to assistant head coach. Co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach John Kelling (Minnesota State ‘91), receivers coach Tim Belmore (Gustavus Adolphus ‘96) and tight ends coach Paul Charbonneau (Mount Allison ‘05) also return from last year’s staff. You only have one chance to make a good first impression: On Thursday, Aug. 29, first-year head coach Chris Mussman became the 18th person to win his debut as UND head football coach. The most lopsided victory by a debuting Sioux head coach was a 63-4 win over Manitoba on Sept. 22, 1928, Charles A. “Jack” West’s first game on the Sioux bench. The worst opening loss by a first-year Sioux head coach was a 39-0 setback at Minnesota on Oct. 4, 1919, the first Defend your home turf: North Dakota set a new home attendance precedent on Aug. 28, 2008 when it opened the 2008 season in front of a record-breaking crowd of 11,434. This marked the largest season-opening crowd in Alerus history. With the season-opening victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville, UND moved to 47-6 (.887) all-time at the Alerus Center, including a perfect 10-0 playoff record. The Sioux have now won 36 of their last 38 games at the Alerus Center, with the only two losses coming at the hands of Nebraska-Omaha (10/13/07 and 10/29/05). The loss to UNO in 2005 ended a school-record 23-game home winning streak for the Sioux. UND ranked fifth in NCAA Division II football in average attendance in 2007, averaging 9,887 fans per game, UND’s highest average since 10,023 fans per game watched the Sioux in 2001, the team’s first season in the Alerus Center. They have a strong supporting cast: Senior QB Danny Freund (Kenosha, Wis.) and senior S Rory Manke (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) have been named team captains for the 2008 season. UND will also designate rotating game captains on a week-by-week basis. There’s no “I” in team: No fewer than five Fighting Sioux have made the transition to different positions since last season: Junior Ryan Konrath (White Bear Lake, Minn.) has switched from quarterback to wide receiver. Konrath began his transition early last season and caught one pass. Sophomore Curtis Dublanko (Thorsby, Alberta) is now listed as UND’s No. 2 fullback after spending his freshman campaign at inside linebacker. Sophomore Michael Gowan (Cando, N.d.) is listed as UND’s No. 2 tight end after appearing in three games last season as a reserve defensive lineman. Sophomore Ryan Kasowski (Grand Forks) was switched from inside to outside linebacker during fall camp. Kasowski appeared in 12 games as a freshman and made 35 total tackles (18 solo) to go with a team-high six quarterback hurries. Sophomore Matt Bakke (Grand Forks) has moved across the line of scrimmage to the offensive line. Bakke appeared in three games in 2007 as a reserve defensive lineman. Last season: UND went 10-2 overall and 7-1 in the North Central Conference last season, advancing to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The 2007 campaign was UND’s last as a Division II and NCC member. FIGHTING SIOUX ON THE RADIO: KQHT-FM (96.1) in Grand Forks, KFGO (790 AM) in Fargo, KRRZ (1390 AM) in Minot, KLXX (1270 AM) in Bismarck, KLTC (1460 AM) in Dickinson, KDLR (1240 AM) in Devils Lake and Clear Channel Communications stations throughout the state of North Dakota bring you all the Fighting Sioux football action. Dan Hammer calls the play-by-play with color analysis from former Grand Forks Central High School head coach Mike Berg. Former UND defensive back Kelly Howe provides sideline analysis. FIGHTING SIOUX ON tv: The Fighting Sioux Sports Network will televise one home game in 2008, Oct. 18 vs. Western Washington. The Fighting Sioux Sports Network (FSSN) covers Midcontinent Cable systems in North Dakota and Minnesota. The Midcontinent Cable telecast can be seen on Channel 23 in Grand Forks. Check local listings for the FSSN channel numbers in your area. FIGHTING SIOUX ON THE WEB: All UND football games, home and way, can be heard via free audio webcast at www.fightingsioux. com. UND athletics is also pleased to announced that FightingSioux.com will provide a video webcast and FREE live stats for all home football games this season. CHRIS MUSSMAN ON THE RADIO: Coach Mussman will join Clear Channel Radio’s Tim Hennessy and Scott Swygman on KKXL- AM (1440) every Monday morning at 7:40 a.m. for a conversation on the most recent game and a discussion of the upcoming opponent. Mussman also makes several weekly appearances throughout the Fighting Sioux Football Radio Network. WE ARE 1. WE ARE NORTH DAKOTA.
WEEK 4 • SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 • UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING SIOUX FOOTBALL GAME NOTES • PAGE 7 He a d Co a c h CHRIS MUSSMAN Longtime assistant coach Chris Mussman enters his first season as the head coach of the Fighting Sioux and will guide the traditionrich program into its new era of Division I-FCS football. Mussman, 39, became the 25th head coach in UND football history when he was introduced at a press conference on Jan. 4, 2008 after nine seasons on the Sioux coaching staff, including the last four as assistant head coach and the last seven as offensive coordinator. “I am humbled to have this opportunity to lead the Fighting Sioux football team,” said Mussman at the press conference. “The past nine seasons have taught me the proud history and tradition of this football program. We look forward to working with the football family from past and present as we move towards Division I.” Mussman possesses nearly two decades of collegiate coaching experience. During his nine seasons as an assistant on the UND staff, the Sioux went 90-24 (.789), won a Division II national championship in 2001, won five North Central Conference titles and made five NCAA Division II postseason appearances. Last season, his seventh as UND’s offensive coordinator, Mussman directed arguably the most explosive offensive unit in the history of Fighting Sioux football. UND set school records for total yards (5,924), total touchdowns (60) and regular season scoring average (40.7 points per game). UND finished the 2007 season as the NCC’s top-ranked offense in scoring, total offense, total first downs, 3rd-down conversions and time of possession. Individually, senior wide receiver Weston Dressler set a UND singleseason record for receiving yardage and was named a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, while two of Mussman’s offensive linemen, juniors Mitch Braegelmann and Brian Troen, garnered several postseason awards between the two of them. Additionally, junior quarterback Danny Freund set UND regular season records for passing yards (2,573) and touchdowns (24), while sophomore running back Ryan Chappell shattered the team’s single-game rushing record with 306 yards against Central Washington on Sept. 15. The CHRIS MUSSMAN File Birthdate: July 12, 1968 Birthplace: Owatonna, Minn. Hometown: Owatonna, Minn. Education: Bachelor’s Degree, Political Science (Iowa State, 1991) Master’s Degree, Sports Administration (Minnesota State, 1994) Family: Wife, Shelley; sons, Jacob (12) & Jackson (10) Coaching: 2004-07 — Asst. Head Coach/Off. Coord. University of North Dakota 2001-07 — Off. Coordinator/Offensive Line University of North Dakota 1999-00 — Offensive Line Coach University of North Dakota 1998 — Asst. Head Coach/Off. Coordinator Minnesota State University 1996-98 — Offensive Coordinator Minnesota State University 1991-95 — Offensive Line/Tight Ends Minnesota State University honors and Ben Olson (2003) and Chris Kuper (2004, 2005) were honored as the NCC’s Most Valuable Offensive Linemen. Kuper and tight end Chad Mustard, another former Mussman pupil, currently play for the NFL’s Denver Broncos, while Dressler now plays for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League. Prior to coming to UND, Mussman spent the previous eight sea sons on the staff at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In 1996 Mussman was promoted to assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at MSU after serving as the Mavericks’ offensive line and tight ends coach. Under Mussman, the 1996 Mavericks led the NCC in total offense. Mussman holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Iowa State and a master’s degree in sports management from MSU. He was a four-year letterwinner and starting offensive lineman at Iowa State, serving as a team captain in 1990. Mussman and his wife, Shelley, have two sons: Jacob (12) and Jackson (10). Offensive prominence was a staple of Sioux football during Mussman’s time of offensive coordinator. UND’s offensive record books are littered with accomplishments achieved under Mussman’s watch, including the top three single-season passing yardage performances, top seven completion percentage performances and seven of the top eight marks for single-season receptions. Also, six of the top 10 highest-rated passers in UND history were tutored by Mussman. During his seven years as UND’s offensive coordinator, Mussmanhas coached 32 All-NCC players on offense, including the two-time (2007, 2006) NCC Most Valuable Receiver in Dressler. Since Mussman joined the UND coaching staff as offensive line coach in 1999, eight Sioux offensive linemen have earned first team all-conference honors, four have received first team All-America WE ARE 1. WE ARE NORTH DAKOTA.
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