Bar raised for Bulldogs after winning title game

DULUTH, Minn. - Minnesota Duluth football coach Bob Nielson was about to board a charter plane to return to Duluth when a security guard at Northwest Alabama Regional Airport in Muscle Shoals, Ala., said, "See you next year, coach."

"I hope so," Nielson said.

Minnesota Duluth's 21-14 victory over Northwest Missouri State on Dec. 13 in Florence, Ala., secured the first NCAA Division II championship in the storied 76-year history of Bulldogs football. Now the challenge will be getting back after the Bulldogs, who went 4-6 last season, went 15-0 in Nielson's first year back with the team, the greatest turnaround since Division II starting keeping track of the statistic in 1996.

"People have said ... 'When the year started, did you ever think you'd be playing this game?'" Nielson said in the postgame press conference. "But I don't think you ever think that far ahead as a coach. ... The credit goes to all those guys who were on the field."

Especially the team's 13 seniors. Former Minnesota Duluth coach Bubba Schweigert's first recruiting class was one of the best in school history. It included record-setting quarterback Ted Schlafke, all-time leading tackler Tyler Yelk, fellow standout safety Jim Johnson, and linemen Mitch Cady, Nate Baier and Matt Horvath, who helped pave the way for the Bulldogs to run for more than 3,500 yards.

Minnesota Duluth, however, will return standout running backs Isaac Odim and Brad Foss, linebacker Robbie Aurich and a deep and talented cornerback corps.

Odim, who rushed for more than 100 yards in seven straight games, was held to 69 yards on 21 carries against Northwest (13-2), but his second touchdown of the game gave the Bulldogs a 21-0 lead with 13:44 to play. The Bearcats, however, came right back with a 44-yard interception return for a touchdown, and Raphael Robinson's 1-yard TD catch in the back of the end zone cut Minnesota Duluth's lead to 21-14 with 1:39 to play.

On the ensuing onside kick, the football bounced between Minnesota Duluth linebacker Robbie Aurich's legs, but, fortunately, teammate Luke Schalekamp was there to fall on it — and you could almost feel a collective sigh from the thousands of Bulldogs fans either in attendance at Braly Municipal Stadium or watching at home on television.

"That's why we have the second row," Nielson said, laughing.

Added Aurich: "It scooted past me, and I was pretty nervous after that. Thank God we got it. I have no idea what Luke's going to want for that, but whatever it is, he deserves."

The Bulldogs' defense was again the key, forcing four turnovers and holding Bearcats star running back LaRon Council to 19 carries for 99 yards. The Bulldogs allowed only one 100-yard rusher all season, and in the postseason held the nation's No. 1, No. 7 and No. 3-ranked teams to a combined 34 points, on par with the Bulldogs' average of allowing 11.5 points per game.

The Bulldogs held teams to 61.4 rushing yards per game and never allowed a team to score more than 21 points, with many of those coming during mop-up duty. Minnesota Duluth has about 24 football scholarships, likely the fewest of any team to win the national title, but the Bulldogs proved all doubters wrong. They were more than just a product of a weaker football conference. They were the nation's best team. The gold standard has been set.

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