University of St. Thomas Athletics
Presbyterian
St. Thomas Football set to host Presbyterian in its final game of 2021 inagural Division I season
11/17/2021 11:46:00 AM | Football
Coming Up
St. Thomas Football (6-3, 5-2 PFL) plays host to Presbyterian (2-8, 0-7 PFL) in its final game of the 2021 season, the Tommies first season as an NCAA Division I institution.
The Purple got back to their winning ways with a five-interception game at Drake, capturing a 21-14 win. The Tommies will look to use that same opportunistic defense against the Blue Hose, who has thrown a league-high 31 interceptions this season.
The St. Thomas defensive unit has been a strength of the team in its inaugural DI season, the Tommies allow a league-low 18.1 points per game. The Purple defense will clash with the Pioneer League's leading scoring offense as the Blue Hose enter the contest averaging 38.7 points per game and have scored an astounding 55 touchdowns on the season.
The Tommies are riding a 30-game regular season home winning streak at O'Shaughnessy Stadium.
The contest can be heard live on AM-1500 Radio Skor North, with Corbu Stathes on the play-by-play call. The game will be broadcast at https://tommiesports.com/watch
Background on the Blue Hose
Presbyterian embarks on its first full season as a member of the PFL after playing an abbreviated six-game league slate in spring 2021. The Blue Hose has managed 53 winning seasons throughout its history with the last coming in the spring of 2021 Prior to turning Division I in 2007, PC was a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) for 32 seasons from 1975 to 2006.
The Blue Hose lead the conference in scoring, but have also had a game in which they put up 669 passing yards in addition to 145 net yards rush to total 814 yards in a single game. They won that game by a score of 84-43.
Most recently, Presbyterian fell to Marist by a score of 57-32. R-So. RB Delvecchio Powell II had 115 rushing yards and two touchdowns while Jalyn Witcher totaled his sixth 100+ yard performance receiving but the Presbyterian College football team came out on the wrong end for senior day on Saturday by the score of 57-32 at Bailey Memorial Stadium. In the loss, Witcher surpassed Terrance Butler for single-season receiving yards with 1,073.
Upper Echelon of the Conference
In just its first year as members of the Pioneer Football League, St. Thomas is showing it belongs. The Tommies rank in the top-five of the conference in a myriad of categories including the top ranked defense.
Below are rankings and statistics for all games by the eight conference schools this season. These stats and rankings include totals from the Tommies' game against FCS power-house Northern Iowa, which was ranked in the top-25 for most of the season.
Rank - Category - Stat
Defense
1st - Total Defense - 286.8 yards per game
1st - Scoring Defense - 18.1 points per game
1st - Pass Defense Efficiency - 101.1 efficiency rating
1st - Pass Defense - 157.9 yards per game
1st - Opponent 3rd Down Percentage - 33.9% (43/127)
1st - Opponent 4th Down Percentage - 21.1% (4/19)
1st - Opponent 1st Downs Allowed - 16 per game
t-1st - Interception Return TDs - 2 touchdowns
2nd - Rushing Defense - 128.9 yards per game
Offense
4th - Offensive Rushing Yards - 1,417 yards
4th - Rushing Offense - 157.4 yards per game
5th - Rushing Touchdowns - 18 touchdowns
Special Teams
3rd - Field Goal Percentage - 71.43 percent
Team
1st Penalties Committed 38 penalties (4.2 per game)
3rd Time of Possession 32:39 minutes per game
Hope is on the Way
Sophomore running back Hope Adebayo leads the St. Thomas rushing attack with 690 rushing yards on 110 attempts. Adebayo is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and has scored 10 touchdowns on the ground this season.
Adebayo gashed the Stetson defense for a 78-yard touchdown on the game's opening offensive play in his first collegiate start. He finished the game with 182 rushing yards and four touchdowns, earning him Pioneer Football League Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Notable Performances in First Career Starts by Tommie RBs
2021: Hope Adebayo, 20 rushes-182 yards, 4 TD vs. Stetson
2016: Josh Parks, 14-74, 1 TD vs. Gustavus
2016: Tucker Trettel, 6-70, 1 TD vs. Carleton
2015: Jordan Roberts, 16-92, 3 TD vs. UW-La Crosse
2014: Nick Waldvogel, 14-67, 2 TD, vs. Hamline
2013: Jack Kaiser, 17-60, 1 TD, vs. UW-River Falls
2012: Brenton Braddock, 13-79, 0 TD vs. Augsburg
2010: Colin Tobin, 14-85, 1 TD vs. St. Olaf
2008: Ben Wartman, 11-84, 2 TD vs. Macalester
Pioneers in the Pioneer League
St. Thomas has posted a 5-2 record against Pioneer Football League teams. The Tommies two losses came at the hands of the top-two ranked teams in the conference - Davidson (6-1) and San Deigo (6-1).
Tommie D
St. Thomas' defense has only allowed 17 touchdowns through nine games. That includes four scored by FCS power Northern Iowa, plus one on a blown coverage for a wide-open 35-yard scoring catch by Valparaiso, and a 2-yard, one-play drive after a bad snap on a punt attempt against Marist.
Adding in the opponents' three special-teams or return TDs -- and 8-of-9 field-goals made -- St. Thomas allows 18.1 points per game to lead the PFL.
The Toms are holding teams to just 32.5 percent (44-of-135) on third-and fourth-down conversions.
Proud Program Builder
Last weekend's game was No. 155 at St. Thomas for 14-year head coach Glenn Caruso. He has a 6-3 record so far in FCS after building a 126-21 record in the Toms' D-III era.
Adding in his 6-12 record in two seasons of a rebuilding project as Macalester College head coach (2006, 2007), Caruso boasts a 138-36 career record (.800). That all-game win percentage ranks in the top 10 among current NCAA football coaches at all levels who have worked 10 or more seasons.
Balance on Both Sides
The 2021 Tommies have no superstars but have played well as a team with several guys sharing the load.
Through nine games, the Toms are winning despite these unusually low totals by category leaders:
• The leading passer, Cade Sexauer, is averaging just 88 yards per game.
• The leading available receiver, Wesley Juszczak, is averaging 25 yards per game.
• The leading scorers Adebayo, 60 points, and K Louis Hyde, 36 points..
• Their 26 touchdowns have come from 10 different players.
• Their defense has only player (Luke Glenna) with more than three solo tackles a game, with 13 different players recording an interception, a forced fumble or a fumble recovery.
Starting Strong in the Second Half
In seven of their nine games this season, St. Thomas has been in scoring position on its first drive of the second half. On five of those instances, the Tommies have scored on their first drive of the second half (touchdown vs. Butler, field goal at San Diego, touchdown vs. Valpo, touchdown at Stetson, touchdown vs. Marist, touchdown at Davidson). Against Michigan Tech, St. Thomas turned it over on downs at the Husky 7-yard line.
Home Sweet Home
St. Thomas has started its Division I era with a 3-0 home record - building on its 36-1 record in its last 37 games played on campus to close out its D-III chapter. The only loss in that span was to eventual NCAA runner-up UW-Oshkosh 34-31 in the 2016 NCAA playoffs.
The Purple is riding a 30-game home-field regular-season win streak.
Last Time Out
Des Moines, Iowa – The St. Thomas Football Team posted its sixth win of the 2021 season in a game that featured five interceptions by the Tommie defense, a blocked punt and a blocked field goal propelling St. Thomas to a 21-14 win over Drake
"I love how we played on defense for most of the game," said Head Coach Glenn Caruso. "We just kept teeing it up and I think e were able to put our offense in some good situations. Offense showed some beautiful flashes at times – the way we handled the game the clock in the situation before halftime, scoring in 52 seconds."
The five interceptions were the most by a Tommie defense since Caruso's second season, a Halloween day home win over Augsburg in 2009 that also included five interceptions by St. Thomas.
In an uncommonly sloppy first quarter, St. Thomas committed four penalties resulting in 45 penalty yards, including three defensive penalties. Drake posted only 30 offensive yards, including 28 passing yards and only two net-rushing yards in the opening quarter.
Senior DL Brent Robley and Senior WR/DB Isaiah Hall each recorded an interception in the first quarter. It marked Robley's first-career interception, while it was Hall's second interception of the season.
On the first play of the second quarter, senior DB Joe Hird intercepted the third Bulldog pass of the afternoon, his third interception of the season. Hird's interception sparked a 13-play 81-yard drive capped off by Sophomore RB Hope Adebayo's ninth rushing touchdown of the season to give St. Thomas its first lead of the game, 7-0 with 7:38 to play in the second quarter.
On the ensuing Drake drive, the St. Thomas defense forced a punt, which was blocked by freshman LB Nick Flaskamp, giving the Tommies the ball at the Bulldog 45-yard line. That drive got inside the Drake 20-yard line before a fumble by Adebayo at the 17-yard line.
The St. Thomas defense held on the ensuing drive, forcing a Drake punt, which landed at the 50-yard line giving the Tommie offense one last shot at scoring with 1:09 remaining the first half. The Tommies went 50 yards in 56 seconds to pay dirt, capped off with an 8-yard touchdown run by Adebayo, opening up a 14-0 lead heading into halftime.
The Tommies posted 222 yards of first-half offense, including 119 passing yards and 103 rushing yards. Adebayo recorded 86 yards on the ground in the first half. Senior QB Cade Sexauer completed 8-of-11 passing attempts for 111 yards. By comparison, Drake finished the opening half with 60 total yards – 45 passing yards and 15 yards on the ground.
Drake's offense got rolling on its opening drive of the second half before senior DB Luke Glenna recorded the fourth St. Thomas interception of the game. The Tommies were unable to score any points off of that turnover.
The Bulldogs found the end zone for their first points of the game with 4:13 to play in the third quarter by way of a seven-play, 74-yard drive, cutting the Tommie lead to 14-7.
Sexauer threw an interception late in the third quarter giving Drake the football at the St. Thomas 27-yard line. The Tommie defense stiffened, forcing a field goal attempt, which was blocked by Hall.
The blocked field goal coupled with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty sparked a scoring drive by St. Thomas, opening a 21-7 lead with less than one minute to play in the third quarter. The scoring drive was capped by a 28-yard touchdown run by senior RB Nick Rice.
Hall recorded his second interception of the game with 11:27 to play in the contest. St. Thomas was again unable to convert the turnover to points.
Drake cut the St. Thomas lead to seven, 21-14 with 5:26 to lay in the game after a 10-play, 61-yard drive. The Tommie offense was able to grind its way and chew clock to stave off a possible comeback by the Bulldogs.
Adebayo finished the game with 105 net yards rushing and two touchdowns. Rice added 94 yards on the ground and a score. In 21 total touches and including six receptions for 47 yards, Rice had 141 yards of offense.
Three different QBs threw at least two passes in the game, led by Sexauer, who finished the game with eight completions on 14 attempts for 111 yards.
Defensively, junior LB Jack Mohler led the team with seven tackles, including five solo. Hall added four tackles in addition to his two interceptions and blocked field-goal attempt.
St. Thomas returns to action for its final game of the season next Saturday at home against Presbyterian.
Did You Know?
• The Toms just missed their magic scoring number in the 27-24 loss at San Diego. They are 91-0 in regular-season games in the Glenn Caruso era when they score 25 or more points.
• St. Thomas had two pick-six interception returns to the end zone at San Diego -- by senior Joe Hird and sophomore Jonathan Bunce -- and nearly had two others. Johnson Fallah took an interception back to the USD 5-yard line.
• In 127 games last decade (2010-2019), St. Thomas defenders recorded 21 interception return touchdowns.
• Bunce's first interception since his youth football days took him to the end zone with a 22-yard return. But he scored several TDs as a high school running back at Edina High.
• Hyde, a sophomore and first-year starter, is 5-for-7 in field goals. That's a change from the 2019 season when the Toms made only 2-of-7 field goals.
• St. Thomas has held a second-half lead in 14 of its last 15 conference games (MIAC, Pioneer). The only game in which the Tommies didn't hold a second-half lead was at Davidson.
Best Opponent
Northern Iowa was the best team St. Thomas has played during the Caruso era, and thus the 44-3 final score was the Toms' widest margin of defeat over those 13 seasons. The Toms' previous biggest losses on the scoreboard were a pair of 20-point decisions.
The 44 points were the second most Caruso's teams have allowed -- they lost to Mount Union 49-35 in the 2015 NCAA championship game.
On Sept. 18 at UNI, it was the first time the Tommies didn't score a touchdown in a game since the 2011 national playoff semifinals, a 20-0 road loss to eventual NCAA champion UW-Whitewater.
Of the 21 losses by Caruso's D-III Tommie teams (2008-2019), 12 came by margins of seven or less points.
St. Thomas Returning Academic All-Conference honorees
Defense
• #91 – DL Seth Bickett, Actuarial Science major 3.98
• #90 -- DL Noah Borgeson, Political Science major 3.93
• #49 – DL Brent Robley, Biology major 3.87
• #2 – DB Tommy Fuller, Business Management major 3.58
• #21 – DB Rian O'Connor, Financial Management major, 3.71
• #22 – DB Max Meves, Mechanical Engineering major 3.75
• #12 – LB Trent Meyer, Financial Management major, 3.65
• #3—DB Grif Wurtz, Accounting major, 3.80
Offense
• #6 – WR Jacob Miller WR, Business major, 3.51
• #25 – RB Nick Rice, Mathematics major, 3.70
• #14 – QB Cade Sexauer, Mechanical Engineering major, 3.63
Pioneer Football League by the Numbers
11: Members for 2021 season with addition in 2021 of Presbyterian and St. Thomas
8: Conference games each team plays each season
8: Teams with Red or Blue as primary color
3: Teams with primary colors of Green (Stetson), Brown/Yellow (Valparaiso) or Purple (St. Thomas)
3: Teams that play games on natural grass (San Diego, Stetson, Presbyterian)
2: Teams with new head coaches in 2021 (Stetson, Presbyterian)
2: Teams with Bulldogs as nickname (Drake, Butler)
1: Teams that changed nicknames in 2021 (Valparaiso, was Crusaders now Beacons)
2: Teams whose nickname includes a color (Presbyterian Blue Hose, Marist Red Foxes)
4: Teams that don't share a nickname with any other college (Presbyterian Blue Hose, Stetson Hatters, San Diego Toreros, St. Thomas Tommies)
1: Team located in Pacific time zone
2: Teams located in Central time zone
8: Teams located in Eastern time zone
6: Teams that at one time were Division III programs (Dayton, San Diego, Marist, Valparaiso, Davidson, St. Thomas)
3: Teams located in a city that's the state capital (Butler/Indy; Drake/Des Moines; St. Thomas/St. Paul)
4: Remaining charter members since league's 1993 creation (Dayton, Drake, Butler, Valparaiso)
6: Different programs to win or share a PFL championship since 2012 (San Diego, Davidson, Dayton, Drake, Marist, Butler)
15-1: Coaching record in PFL games for Jim Harbaugh at San Diego, 2004-06
9: Pioneer alums playing on an NFL roster or practice squad in 2020 season
57: Years, from 1956-2013, when Stetson didn't play football before restarting its program
5: Current Pioneer schools that once played in a January 1 bowl game (Dayton, Drake, Presbyterian, Valparaiso, St. Thomas)
About Presbyterian
Location: Clinton, S.C. (pop. 8,443)
Distance to St. Paul: 1,153 miles
Founded: 1880
Athletics Website: www.gobluehose.com
Undergrad Enrollment: 1,102
Nickname: Blue Hose
Colors: Blue and Red
FB Stadium: Bailey Memorial Stadium (6,500)
Surface: Natural Grass
2020-21 FB Record: 4-3
FB Head Coach: Kevin Kelley (First season)
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