Hillsdale's Phil Doerfler name as semi-finalist for William V. Campbell Trophy

The William V. Campbell trophy is awarded annually to the top scholar athlete in each football division. Hillsdale College center Phil Doerfler was named today as one of twelve Division II semi-finalists for the prestigious award.

Here is the list of Division II semi-finalists. Congrats to all 12 guys, but especially the GLIAC guys.

Division II
Ashland (Ohio) - Joe Horn*
Bentley (Mass.) - Jared Kawadler
Clarion (Pa.) - Nick Sipes
Concordia (Minn.) - Hayden Vavra
East Stroudsburg (Pa.) - Matt Freed
Eastern New Mexico - Nathan Uland
Hillsdale (Mich.) - Phil Doerfler *
Minnesota-Duluth - Isaac Odim
Newberry (S.C.) - Matt Holmes
Slippery Rock (Pa.) - C.J. Bahr
St. Cloud State (Minn.) - Joe Winandy
Wayne State (Mich.) - Matthew Faulkner *

*GLIAC Players

Full Release from National Football Foundation

Vear Named D2football.com national defensive player of the week

Somehow this one almost slipped past me. Luckily the week isn't over yet because Hillsdale's Joe Vear is not only the reigning GLIAC defensive player of the year but also was named as the D2football.com national defensive player of the year.

The following was posted on the d2 website earlier this week.

Defensive Player of the Week

Joe Vear DB Hillsdale

Joe Vear came up with a pair of fourth quarter turnovers that helped propel Hillsdale to a 35-24 win over Lake Erie. With the Chargers holding a slim four point lead early in the fourth quarter, Vear scooped up a Lake Erie fumble and returned it 29 yards for a score. Later in the quarter, with Lake Erie threatening to close the gap, Vear picked off a pass at the goal line to end the threat. Vear lead the Chargers with 16 total tackles, 8 solo and 1.5 tackles for loss in the 42-37 victory.

Hillsdale's Joe Vear named GLIAC defensive POW

Defensive back Joe Vear becomes the first Hillsdale College Charger to be named GLIAC Player of the Week during the 2010 football season.

Vear played a key role in Hillsdale's 42-37 win over Lake Erie College on Saturday.

The Hillsdale native led the team with 16 tackles, took away 6 Lake Erie points with an interception in the endzone and put up 6 Hillsdale points of his own with a 29 yard fumble return for a touchdown.

Photo by Charger Photo Store.

Eee-Yo Eleven, Chargers move up one spot in D2 Coaches' Poll

Hillsdale College creeps one spot closer to the top 10, taking over the 11 slot that was vacated by a Minnesota State Mankato NSIC loss this weekend.

A win over Saginaw Valley just might propel Hillsdale into territory it has not explored in over 25 years.

A pair of Top 10 showdowns matching 5. Abilene Christian and 6. Texas A&M Kingsville in the Lone Star Conference and 7. Northwest Missouri State against 8. Missouri Western in the MIAA not only will be marquee D2 games this week but likely to shake up the polls come next Monday.

Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts.

1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (21) 4-0 644

2. Minnesota-Duluth (2) 4-0 620

3. North Alabama (3) 4-0 604

4. California (Pa.) 4-0 556

5. Abilene Christian (Texas) 4-0 551

6. Texas A&M-Kingsville 4-0 520

7. Northwest Missouri St. 2-1 497

8. Missouri Western St. 4-0 445

9. West Texas A&M 3-1 431

10. Midwestern St. (Texas) 4-0 409

11. Hillsdale (Mich.) 3-1 359

12. Edinboro (Pa.) 4-0 329

13. Tusculum (Tenn.) 4-0 324

14. Albany St. (Ga.) 4-0 301

15. West Alabama 3-1 260

16. Central Missouri 4-1 236

17. Nebraska-Kearney 3-1 198

18. Morehouse (Ga.) 5-0 186

19. Delta St. (Miss.) 3-1 165

20. Augustana (S.D.) 4-0 134

21. Central Washington 3-2 111

22. Tuskegee (Ala.) 3-1 103

23. Winston-Salem St. (N.C.) 5-0 87

24. North Carolina-Pembroke 3-1 78

25. Minnesota St.-Mankato 3-1 75

Dropped Out: Carson-Newman (Tenn.) (14), West Liberty (W.Va.) (18).

Others Receiving Votes: Shepherd (W.Va.), 54; Valdosta St. (Ga.), 30; Bloomsburg (Pa.), 29; Wingate (N.C.), 29; Colorado St.-Pueblo, 17; Michigan Tech, 16; Colorado School of Mines, 15; West Virginia Wesleyan, 8; Winona St. (Minn.), 7; Wayne St. (Neb.), 5; St. Cloud State (Minn.), 4; Carson-Newman (Tenn.), 3; Concordia-St. Paul (Minn.), 3; Ouachita Baptist (Ark.), 3; Arkansas Tech, 2; Northern Michigan, 2.

Please note time change for Ohio Dominican game

Thanks to Dale Embry for emailing me about an error I had on the front of Chargerblue.com.

I had the October 9 game at Ohio Dominican as a noon start in Columbus. The correct time for the game is 7:00 PM.

Sorry about any inconvenience.

Full list of homecoming events

Homecoming 2010

Team Reunions and Alumni Games

It's a GREAT weekend to be a Charger! Four sports are hosting home varsity events: Football, Cross-Country, Swimming and Volleyball. It's the perfect time to have a reunion. Check out the schedule below. Scroll down for your team's events.

Charger Golf Outing (For all Charger alumni)

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5

10:00 a.m. (Registration 9:30 a.m.)

Mill Race Golf Course, Jonesville

18 holes of golf. Buffet luncheon catered by Saucy Dog's of Jonesville

$40 per person paid in advance.

Call the Alumni Office to register your foursome!

alumni@hillsdale.edu or (517) 607-2461

Charger Football Reunion

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5

10:00 a.m. Golf Outing (see above for details)

6:15 p.m. Dinner with Coach Otterbein and the Team

Knorr Family Dining Room, Grewcock Student Union

8:00 p.m. Cocktail Reception

Sports Complex - Lower Level

9:00 p.m. Pep Rally and Fireworks

Lower Fields

9:00 p.M. Class Reunion Parties Around Town

'50s and '60s - Johnny T's (formerly Savarino's), Hillsdale

'70s - Hillside Lanes

'80s - Rosalie's Roadhouse (formerly Big Fred's

Pizza Factory), Jonesville

'90s and '00s Los Mariachis (formerly Fillmore's), Jonesville

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6

11:00 a.m. FOOTBALL ALUMNI FLAG FOOTBALL GAME

Muddy Waters Stadium

12:30 p.m. Charger Tailgate

2:30 p.m. Charger Football vs University of Findlay

1985 NAIA Championship Team Honored During Halftime

8:00 p.m. Charger Tent Party

REGISTER FOR THE REUNION AT CHARGERBLUE.COM

OR CALL (517) 607-2461

Arnn and Brubacher helping to shape the GLIAC

GLIAC.org Release: GLIAC Names Officers for 2010-11; Dr. Larry Arnn of Hillsdale Named Chairperson of Presidents’ Council

Click here for a printer-friendly (PDF) version of this release

BAY CITY, Mich. — The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) named its officers for the 2010-11 academic year. Hillsdale College President Dr. Larry Arnn will serve as chairperson of the GLIAC’s Presidents Council for the upcoming year, replacing Dr. Frederick Finks of Ashland University.

Don Brubacher, Director of Athletics at Hillsdale College, will serve as president of the GLIAC’s Management Council. Brubacher will preside over Presidents Council meetings, Management Council meetings, and the Executive Committee. Those joining Brubacher as officers on the Executive Committee include: Kris Dunbar, Director of Athletics at Lake Superior State University (past President), Suzanne Sanregret, Director of Athletics at Michigan Technological University (President-elect), Julie Rochester, Faculty Athletics Representative at Northern Michigan University, Robert M. Ackerman, Faculty Athletics Representative at Wayne State University, Allison Tookes, Associate Athletics Director/Senior Woman Administrator at Wayne State University and Sue Ramsey, Senior Woman Administrator/Head Women’s Basketball Coach at Ashland University.

“I am proud to serve with the Presidents of the other institutions on the GLIAC President’s Council and to work with Commissioner Robinson and his fine staff,” stated Dr. Arnn. “We have worked together for years in good harmony. We put the interests of our student athletes first. We maintain the highest standards both on and off the field. We look forward to elevating our service to the young people who compete for our Colleges and Universities.”

“The Conference is looking forward to Dr. Arnn’s leadership,” stated GLIAC Commissioner Dell Robinson. “He is a visionary who will position our conference for the future.”

The GLIAC Management Council includes the athletics directors, senior woman administrators and the faculty athletic representatives from each of the 14 member institutions. The Management Council conducts in-person meetings three times each academic year (September, January and May). The Presidents Council meets once per year, after the May Management Council meeting.

Founded in 1972, the GLIAC has been a leader in the advancement and promotion of intercollegiate athletics for men and women for 39 years. The league, which conducts championships in 20 sports, 10 for men and 10 for women, boasts 14 full members, nine of which are located in Michigan, and five in Ohio.

Hillsdale holds off Pesky Lake Erie 42-37

This isn't how most of us expected this one to go, but #12 Hillsdale still gets the win.

Read the Hillsdale release below.

Hillsdale College Release


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Sometimes even Charger Football takes a backseat

Well Charger fans, this is one of those weekends where you get your priorities straight. That unfortunately is rarely ever fun.

In the morning Mrs. Chargerblue and I are on a plane to Arizona to say goodbye at a dear loved one's memorial service.

Roberto Elias truly was "The World's most interesting man". That guy in the beer commercials has nothing on the man known as a teenager across northern Mexico as El Diablo but we knew as a gentle family man, tougher than the leather he wore off the tree of his saddle, and a man of deep patient faith.

Just as the Chargers kick off with Lake Erie, the memorial service will be kicking off a celebration of a truly remarkable life, the embodiment of living the American dream.

Yes, sometimes even Hillsdale College Football has to take a backseat to what is truly important in life!

A Great Charger Moment

After Saturday's win at Ashland, several Charger players took a moment to say hi to Jack Wolf. Jack just turned 11 and is battling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. He will be part of the coin toss and cheering on the Chargers this weekend as part of the Coach to Cure MD event, held in stadiums across the country.

Jack's dad Brian was my podcast guest this week and talked about raising a son with MD and what we can all do to help.

Week 4 Podcast: Coach to Cure MD Saturday

Brian Wolf stops by the podcast and discusses his son Jack's fight with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and the events that will take place during Saturday's Hillsdale - LEC game.


Click to listen.

Grand Rapids Press: Local players Troy Weatherhead, Joe Glendening a big part of Hillsdale's football success

Local players Troy Weatherhead, Joe Glendening a big part of Hillsdale's football success

Published: Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 10:00 AM

Michael Zuidema | The Grand Rapids Press

In recent years, local high school players frequently look to a school such as Grand Valley State if they want to continue their football careers at the Division II level.

More and more, however, they're also eyeing the east side of the state and Hillsdale College.

The Chargers are ranked No. 12 in the nation, largely thanks to a pair of former local standouts: quarterback Troy Weatherhead (Comstock Park) and running back Joe Glendening (East Grand Rapids).

Last weekend, Weatherhead became Hillsdale's career passing leader by throwing for 250 yards in a 27-17 win against Ashland.

Weatherhead, who has passed for 7,100 yards in his collegiate career and is first in Division II in passing efficiency (191.1), said he was recruited by multiple schools in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference but fell in love with Hillsdale the moment he stepped on campus.

It helps that the Chargers (2-1) are challenging GVSU for conference domination.

"Hillsdale has always kind of been under the radar, but we kind of like that," said Weatherhead, 6-foot-3, 223-pound senior. "We feel like we're one of the best teams, if not the best, in the GLIAC."

Weatherhead passed for 241 yards and two touchdowns in a 44-41 loss to GVSU on Sept. 11.

In that same game, Glendening rushed for a career-high 224 yards and three touchdowns. He also racked up 185 yards and another score against Ashland to give him 497 yards rushing this season and six touchdowns.

Courtesy Photo

Glendening (5-10, 186) leads Division II with an average of 165.7 yards a game in his first season as a starter. But he would have traded all of his statistics if the Chargers could have beaten GVSU.

"I think it's good for the conference to have teams compete with them, that's for sure," the junior said. "Obviously, they're a great program with a great tradition and it was great to compete with them. It's an easy game to get up for."

Weatherhead and Glendening aren't the only West Michigan players making an impact for Hillsdale.

The Chargers' roster also includes defensive lineman David Bakker (West Ottawa), defensive back Tyler Sandner (Catholic Central), halfback Cam White (Forest Hills Central) and punter Andrew Wilburn (Rockford).

"It's a small school, but I think if people give it the time, they'll see what a great place it is," Glendening said. "I think God put me in the right place, and I definitely feel like I made the right decision."

Both Weatherhead and Glendening hope Hillsdale can keep pace in the GLIAC. If GVSU slips up, the Chargers might have a chance to snag a portion of their first conference title since 1992.

Last season, Hillsdale upset the Lakers, 27-24, in the regular season and made the Division II playoffs for the first time in school history.

GVSU eliminated the Chargers in the second round, 44-27, but that has motivated Hillsdale to return the postseason and add another boost for the program.

"Joe and I were talking about how every year it feels like the incoming classes are better than the year before," Weatherhead said. "Success breeds success. Once you learn how to win consistently, when you lose it's worse than normal."

E-mail Michael Zuidema: mzuidema@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/michaelzuidema

Related topics: Joe Glendening, Troy Weatherhead

Hillsdale Football moves up a spot to 12 in coaches' poll

Hillsdale moves up a spot to 12 in coaches' poll

AFCA Release

WACO, TEX.– Morehouse beat Kentucky State, 41-25, moving its record to 4-0 and jumped into the AFCA Division II Coaches’ Top 25 Poll for the first time in school history. The Maroon Tigers are ranked No. 20 in the fourth week of the poll. Grand Valley State still holds on to the top spot with 19 first-place votes, but No. 2 Minnesota-Duluth took home three more first-place votes this week after a 42-10 win over then-No. 18 Wayne State (Neb.). North Alabama still sits at No. 3, but the Lions also received one more first-place vote from last week after a 48-6 defeat of Southern Arkansas. California (Pa.) and Abilene Christian (Texas) round out the Top 5. New to the poll this week are No. 16 Albany State (Ga.), No. 21 Central Missouri, No. 23 Delta State (Miss.) and No. 24 Augustana (S.D.).


2010 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches’ Poll

September 20, 2010

Rank School (1st votes) Rec. Pts.

1. Grand Valley St. (Mich.) (19)
2. Minnesota-Duluth (4) 3-0 620
3. North Alabama (3) 3-0 604
4. California (Pa.) 3-0 558
5. Abilene Christian (Texas) 3-0 552
6. Texas A&M-Kingsville 3-0 519
7. Northwest Missouri St. 1-1 463
8. Missouri Western St. 3-0 441
9. West Texas A&M 2-1 428 9
10. Midwestern St. (Texas) 3-0 374
11. Minnesota St.-Mankato 3-0 359
12. Hillsdale (Mich.) 2-1 350
13. Edinboro (Pa.) 3-0 280
14. Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 2-1 278
15. Tusculum (Tenn.) 4-0 219
16. Albany St. (Ga.) 3-0 203
17. West Alabama 2-1 196
18. West Liberty (W.Va.) 1-1
19. Nebraska-Kearney 2-1
20. Morehouse (Ga.) 4-0 123
21. Central Missouri 3-1 116
22. Central Washington 2-2 115 25
23. Delta St. (Miss.) 2-1 97
24. Augustana (S.D.) 3-0 82
25. Tuskegee (Ala.) 2-1 72

Dropped Out: North Carolina-Pembroke (14), Washburn (Kan.) (15), Winona St. (Minn.) (17), Wayne St. (Neb.) (18), Valdosta St. (Ga.) (20).

Others Receiving Votes: Winston-Salem St. (N.C.), 54; North Carolina-Pembroke, 51; Washburn (Kan.), 51; Wayne St. (Neb.), 48; Winona St. (Minn.), 46; Shepherd (W.Va.

Chargers at the Top of the GLIAC

Despite being a game back in the standings with a 1-1 league record, Hillsdale College is none the less sitting atop several GLIAC conference football statistical categories.

Team Statistics:
#1 Total Offense: 446 yards per game
#1 Passing Efficiency: 189.1 rating, next closest is NMU's 153.5
#1 First Downs: 24 per game
#1 Third Down Conversions: 48.3%
#1 Fourth Down Conversions: 2/2
#1 Penalties: Only 19 yards per game
#1 Time of Possession: 35 minutes 18 seconds per game
#1 Red Zone Offense: 88.2%

Individual Statistics:
#1 Rushing Yards per Game: Joe Glendening, 165.7 yards
#1 Passing Efficiency: Troy Weatherhead, 191 rating
#1 Receptions per Game: Andre Holmes, 8.3 catches
#1 Receiving Yards per Game: Andre Holmes, 114.7 yards
#1 All Purpose Yards per Game: Joe Glendening 180.3

Check out where the Chargers rank in other stat races at GLIAC.org.

My Take: Good win for Hillsdale College Football

Having to face another rival in Ashland, on the road, right after the Allendale debacle just might have been the best medicine for Hillsdale.

The Chargers had to refocus quickly and do all of the things it took to be what most figured to beat a quality opponent, despite the fact Ashland was coming off of its own loss to Indianapolis.

Troy Weatherhead had his laser sites locked in again and went 21 of 25 for 250 and 2 TDs, both to Andre Holmes. Holmes had 147 yards receiving, including a 69 yarder he broke for his second score.

In the process, Weatherhead became Hillsdale's all time leading passer with 7100 career yards. Coming into Saturday, Weatherhead was 2nd in passing efficiency and 1st in completion percentage for all of D2. He should remain right at the top again this weeks. Only 14 incomplete passes in 3 games.

Otter kept the attack balanced and gave Joe The Show the ball 38 times. Glendening picked up 185 yards and a score. That makes 409 in his last two efforts, 497 in three career starts.

Once again, the massive Charger offensive line made it all possible.

The Hillsdale bend but don't break defense might take years off of your life cheering for it, but Ben Karaba and Joe Vear made it work where it matters as they both picked off Tyler Housewright passes in the endzone, taking away a couple of Ashland scoring threats.

Vear's interception was a great momentum shifter. Hillsdale was up 10-7 with 3 minutes left in the first half. It preserved the lead, but it provided an opportunity for a quick strike and 3 plays later, Weatherhead and Holmes hooked up for the 69 yard TD, putting HC up by 2 scores.

Sounds like a hard fought game from both sides. Glad my boys came out on top and beating Ashland is always an accomplishment.

Weatherhead becomes all-time leading passer in Hillsdale win

Troy Weatherhead becomes Hillsdale's all-time leader in career passing yards in Chargers' 27-17 win over Ashland

Senior QB now has 7,100 passing yards in career

Box score

Hillsdale College Release

September 18, 2010 - It has been more than four years since the Hillsdale College football team has lost back-to-back games. Bouncing back from last week’s gut-wrenching loss at top-ranked Grand Valley State, the Chargers showed the kind of heart and character they’ve become known for in getting back into the win column Saturday night.

Hillsdale got spectacular offensive games from its primary weapons in defeating Ashland University 27-17 at Ashland’s Jack Miller Stadium. The Chargers are now 2-1 overall and 1-1 in the GLIAC, and return home next week to play Lake Erie College.

Offensive balance has been a key part to the team’s success in recent seasons, and the main cog in that offense wrote his name into the record book Saturday night. Senior QB Troy Weatherhead had another terrific game, going 21-for-25 for 250 yards and two touchdown passes. Weatherhead’s 250 passing yards make him Hillsdale College’s all-time leader in career passing yards, surpassing the record held by Bill Skelton. Weatherhead now has 7,100 passing yards for his career, eclipsing the record Skelton set following the 2003 season.

Full Release

Collegian: Football film girl works and travels with team.

By Mary Petrides

Hillsdale Collegian, September 16, 2010

Don’t insult the football players – a 5-foot-6-inch senior woman has their back.

Anna (Stinhogel) Goss has been filming practices and games since the summer before her freshman year. She’s been to football camp; she’s traveled to away games; she’s been with the team through their wins and losses.

“[They’re] people that I love seeing, love being around and would defend to the teeth anytime anyone would make a crack about the football players,” she said.

Film is an important part of football practice, said Pat Hornak, director of football operations and coach for halfbacks and tight ends. Players and coaches can see mistakes better on film than they can from the field or sidelines.

GLIAC schools are required to share films of every game, Hornak said, and watching other teams’ films can help players prepare for games.

“Film study is that mental preparation you don’t get on a field,” he said. “If [filmers are] not focused on it, we can’t be good at our job as coaches or players.”

Goss grew up in Lincoln, Neb., where, she said, “football was unavoidable in the fall – not to mention that I had three brothers.”

In the spring before her freshman year, she contacted the admissions office looking for work. She thought she would end up working for Saga, Inc., or in the mail room, but she found out that the football team needed a filmer.

She was hired in May and began work that summer.

“I remember for the first couple days of camp her first year, she would kind of sit by herself,” said Marcellus Wade ’09, a linebacker. “It would be about 100 guys and her.”

“I give her a lot of credit for stepping out of her comfort zone,” he said.

Read Full article

Lots of interesting matchups in Hillsdale College's football visit to Ashland on Saturday Night

This has been the quietest Ashland-Hillsdale runup I can remember in the last 5 or 6 years over on the D2football.com message board. Some of the best smack running over the past half decade has come from this rivalry. It's pretty slow this year. It might be the fact the teams are meeting earlier than normal or is it because one of Ashland's biggest yappers got the boot for posting under the influence this weekend? Could it be because both clubs' fanbases are still scratching their heads trying to figure how they both came home empty handed last Saturday night?

Despite the lack of chatter, there are still a bunch of intriguing wrinkles in this matchup.

Taylor Housewright is a roll-out, athletic type quarterback that relies on the short passing game to move the chains...a big switch from the dropback, deep-strike from anywhere threat of Billy Cundiff. The Chargers are going to have to keep everything in front and contain Housewright's ability to scramble. Hopefully, they can get some pressure but Ashland has only given up two sacks in two games. The secondary is going to have to mix up coverages and try to confuse him as well. Two of Ashland's first possessions in Indy ended with Housewright interceptions. A third pick came late in the game as Housewright tried to force a ball while under the shadow of his own goalposts.

Ashland is also going to have to establish a more consistent running game in order to keep the HC defense honest. Last week the team had 139 rushing yards but Housewright had 71 of those. The next highest gaining back was DJ McCoy with 35 yards.

I am also anxious to see how well Ashland's defense that limited UIndy to 11 yards rushing will handle a Hillsdale rushing unit that was virtually unstoppable at Grand Valley. One of Ashland's assistants stated in this week's game notes that Ferris pretty much stopped the run against Hillsdale, but "(Hillsdale) then blew them up with the pass." Ashland wasn't nearly as lights out against the run in their opener with Bloomsburg. Flanklin Quiteh picked up 149 yards on 35 carries. We know Glendening is more than capable of finding space so it will be up to the Charger offensive line to create it. Picking up the blitz is going to be a big job the offensive line has to handle as well. The rushing defense number for AU at Indy is especially gaudy due to the 3 sacks and 5 other tackles for loss that Ashland recorded.

Just some food for thought as the Traveling Trophy goes up for grabs again this week in Ashland.

Week 3 Podcast: You can call me Al

Heartbreak Hotel last week in Allendale. We won't dwell on that, just preview the Ashland Eagles with AU Assistant AD for Media Relations Al King.

Little CB drops by with her picks across the GLIAC


Click to listen.