2011 Memory Books Ready to Order!

The 2011 Memory book will soon be finished and sent out to print.  This keepsake picture book highlights the Oles journey through their 2011 football season.  Filled with images, storylines and stats of an unforgettable football year, the book lets us enjoy the journey with 500+ images scattered over 200 pages.  This is your chance to preserve these 2011 Ole memories for a lifetime.

There is a one-time bulk rate price available to us of $55 per copy.  This offer includes shipping, and will expire on January 15th, so act now.  Books will be handed out at the banquet and they will not be available for Christmas.  Following the banquet, the book will also be posted online for individual purchase at an estimated price of $63 plus shipping.  Please note that the book’s price is set by the publisher and that 100% of the proceeds go to them.

To reserve your copy(s) please act now.  Send an email to Wendy Lundgren at wendylundgren@aol.com before January 15th and tell her how many copies you want to order.  Remember, all seniors and coaches will be receiving one complimentary book thanks to the St. Olaf Touchdown Club.

Then send your check in advance to:

Wendy Lundgren

750 Wild Oak Trail

Independence, MN 55359

The books will be handed out after the banquet concludes. Have a wonderful Christmas!

Concordia Video!

See Genette's Corcordia Video below. Just a reminder to those frequent visitors to this site. If you aren't following the St. Olaf Touchdown Club on Facebook or Twitter, those are two other ways to keep up with what is going on with St. Olaf Football now that the season is over. Go Oles!

The Ending of an Era, Beginning of a Lifetime

Hello Oles, 

For 13 years I have put on the pads and had the practices that normal people would cringe at if they knew how difficult we worked in order to have what we call "fun".  For 13 years I have had the time of my life building relationships, working hard, enjoying running around and hitting people, and participating in the best sport in the world. 

Now with the conclusion of the 2011 season, we had our senior "four corner walk" tonight.  This issues the turning of a page in the Ole Football book, as well as in the lives of all of us seniors.  We have to learn new ways to take out our anger in the form of working out, playing games, or some other activity instead of getting to legally get a running start and hit someone as hard as you possibly can for two or three hours a day.  Football has been on my mind since I was old enough to walk.  Now comes the time where I have to figure out what I am going to do without it; whether that be coaching or merely coming back next fall and cheering on the next Ole team.  

Now also comes the time where the seniors, along with the rest of the team, will not see eachother every day of the week.  Adjusting to this is something that I have never gotten used to during my time here.  I always miss the guys when I do not get to spend time with them day in and day out, though I feel that this year will be harder than the last three because I feel that our team has developed a much stronger bond of brotherhood than we have in recent memory.  The bond that we have from everyone from seniors to freshman is incredible and is the strongest that I have witnessed in my four years as an Ole.  It is honestly going to be difficult not seeing everyone and sharing the stories and having the everyday experiences like we have been doing for the last 13 or so weeks of the season as well as the last four years.  This bond of friendship that the 2011 Oles have developed is the strongest that I have ever been a part of in my years of football and is something that will be passed down from our senior class to the next classes and will continue to grow from year to year.  

It will be hard not having more games to play, not having more practices, not being yelled at for missing a block... well maybe not the last two... But it is something special to be an Ole and that is something that I will never lose and it is something that I will hold dear to me for the rest of my life.  Maintaining my friendship with my brothers will be something that will be very rewarding in the future and is something that I look forward to in order to keep up with my friends, the guys that I have bled with, sweated with, and cried with over these past four years.

It is truly special to be an Ole.  Thank you all for allowing me to be a part of this amazing family.

If you don't want to, you don't have to.  BE AN OLE!!! 

Daine #73

2011 Season: One To Savor

Ya.....Ya.....Ya....I'm still alive. Although I did just happen to notice that I'm the only person on the Ole Touchdown Club Blog Page with a black-and-white photo. Geez. Am I already one of "those old guys?". I think I am. My kids are talking into their new phones and I'm still intimidated by the thought of finding my password in my wallet so I can Login here and post a blog. And I'm still kind of thrilled when I "get in!" Enjoyed reading my own blog from the end of last season (2010.)...... trying to feel OK about the fact that last year's post happened at the end of December....and this year I'm getting to my ONLY post in 2011 before Thanksgiving!

I think age is getting finally getting to me. I am almost 50. That's like a lineman's number! Sad. I'm in that stage of life where my (3) teenage kids' lives and schedules seem to have taken over......I'm struggling to remember the days when I attended every Ole home game and a couple away games....flipped every burger....erected and tore down every tent....attended post-game analysis discussions. This year I saw more Ole Football with my ears (on the radio) than with my eyes.

I used to see the coaches every week. This year I don't even know if Coach Stern is losing or gaining weight. And I'm supposed to Blog about Ole Football? I'm having that feeling right now (that recurring dream) where I haven't gone to an English Literature class all semester and I'm walking over to the final exam.

It figures I'd miss out on some details of a great season. I didn't even see the Luther game in person. Awesome guys! Ice cream is on the menu again for next August. Seniors, 4-0 against the Dirty Norsemen, Ice cream every year.....great job.......

I turned off the radio during the 4th quarter of the Bethel game. There, I said it....still can't believe it. 15 minutes that you'll (those who were there) remember for a life time. I wish I had seen it.....or at least heard it. I DO remember being on a gravel road somewhere between Randolph and Cannon Falls when listening to the end of our win over Augsburg. We held the ball on offense for 2 first downs and ran out the clock without giving the ball back to the Auggies. Game over. Oles win. You can't have the ball! I LOVE IT when "my" team can do that. I've been a Browns fan for 40 years and a Vikings fan for 20.... enough said.

"Last games" are important. This year's Oles had every reason not to play one of their greatest games of the year in the season finale against a very good Concordia Cobber team. But they finished the season and the seniors capped their careers with an exciting and deserved victory. Wow. Records. Guts. Character. Heart. Togetherness. I could feel it (over the radio again.).....feeling great for the coaches and players, especially the seniors. You've had a great year. If it's your last, it's one about which you can be proud..... forever. For those not yet done, it's a great launching pad for your 2012 season.

I suppose we'd all like to be there for every practice, every meeting, every game. I still miss those times in my life. (Nydahl, my hamstrings are still tight.) Many of us aren't able to participate directly in every moment of every Ole football season, but it doesn't keep us from feeling extremely proud and happy for you guys, the 2011 Oles: coaches and players, trainers and parents, who got to "live" every moment of a great season. Seniors, thank you! I say there men, .....Congratulations.

Bill Nelson '84  

Statistic Summary

The 2011 St. Olaf Football season will be remembered for a variety of reasons; the comeback @ #5 Bethel, keeping the Goat and the subsequent walk downtown, and three defensive TD’s against Concordia to get back the Troll are just a few of the memories we'll remember. A few Oles also made a lasting impact on the record books:

Leon Clark ended the season with 1,008 yards on the ground, his third straight 1,000 yard season. His effort in 2011 was the 9th best rushing performance in Ole history. For his career, Leon ended with 3,240 yards rushing. That puts him at 2^nd on the all-time rushing list behind Ole Gunderson. Potentially more impressive is Leon’s total All-Purpose yards. For his career Leon ended with 5,909 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving, kick returns). Although there is not a history kept of that statistic on the Ole athletic site, Leon is probably the all-time leader in that category and if the MIAC kept track of it Leon would be right up there with the Blake Elliot’s of the world. Leon’s football resume is “sick,” but his legacy at St. Olaf will go far beyond the gridiron and he’s not done making history.

Junior QB Dan Dobson had a great statistical season of his own. He led the MIAC in touchdown passes [18] for the second straight season bringing his career total to 42, which ties him for 3^rd on St. Olaf’s all-time list. Matt Penz (’07) threw 51 in his career, best all-time. Dan only needs 9 in his senior campaign to break that mark and with the weapons coming back at receiver that could happen in the first two games (stay tuned). Dan also threw for 2,063 yards this season which was 2^nd best in the MIAC and 6^th most in Olaf history. For his career, Dan now has thrown for 4,114 yards which puts him at 5^th on the all-time list. Over the past two seasons, Dan has completed 62% of his passes --- the best in recent history. With a strong senior campaign, Dan will continue to shatter records.

New onto the scene in 2011 was the dynamic receiving duo of Schmiesing and Asp (both sophomores). With these two on the edges and Leon up the middle, defenses really had to pick their poison. For the season, Jake Schmiesing ended with 37 catches for 536 yards and 7 TDs (8^th best all-time). Steven Asp finished with 36 catches for 806 yards (7^th best all-time) and 9 TD’s (3^rd best all-time). Steven averaged a crazy 22.4 yards per catch. That average was among the top 5 in the country. The Ole faithful can’t wait to watch the plays these two will make in the years to come.

Defensively, the Oles had an amazing year. They forced twelve turnovers in the final 2 games and forced 28 on the year, best in the MIAC and 22^nd best in the country. Against Concordia the defense had THREE touchdowns! Although we can’t prove it, the Ole football historians can’t remember that ever happening before. Amongst the effort of the whole defense there were some great individual marks as well.

Senior DE Brian Albrecht finished the season with six sacks, 5^th in the MIAC. For his career Brian tallied 17 sacks, which is 2^nd best in the recent era (sacks have not always been an official statistic). First on that list would be James Bechdol who had 20.5 sacks. Brian also tallied 25 tackles-for-loss during his career which is tied for 5th best in the recent era behind Bechdol’s 46 (wow), Nick Rydberg, JMW, and Dave Busselman.

Senior middle linebacker Wes Lynch (Apple Valley) had a phenomenal season. His 58 solo tackles led the MIAC and is most since Chad Thomas (’03). His 97 total tackles was 3^rd best in the MIAC and most since Matt Lafferty (’03). Wes also had 10 tackles-for-loss which was 5^th best in the MIAC.

Lastly, Micah Johnson’s 85 yard fumble return last week was the longest in recent memory. The longest fumble return previous would have been Bill Germscheid’s classic in 2003 against Gustavus that helped start that streak the Oles have going against the Swedes down in St. Peter.

It must be noted, and the men mentioned above would be the first to point it out, that statistics are not the result on an individual effort, but the culmination of 11 Oles doing their job. From the offensive line protecting and run blocking to the defense forcing a 3 and out, football is the greatest team game on Earth. The effort of many result in the statistics of a few. Warning: Editorial comment: The 2011 Oles played for eachother and won and lost as a team. To me, that is a tribute to the seniors and their leadership. Although a few of their names will live in the Ole recordbooks forever, this TEAM will not be forgotten for the legacy they've left and for the effort they gave.