| 2003 Season Recap
Schedule | Roster
| Stats | Gallery | Signings
All-KCAC & NAIA Honors | Weekly
KCAC Honors
 Picked
for sixth in the pre-season polls, and after starting the season
1-2 and losing starting quarterback and All-KCAC performer, Erik
Johnson, to a broken hand in the fourth quarter of game three, any
thoughts of a 6-4 season and a second straight tie for third place
in the KCAC race, would likely have been greeted with, “Oh,
sure!”.
McPherson opened the season with a 20-13 win over Haskell Indian
Nations University, the first collegiate football game on the new
artificial turf of the newly renovated McPherson Stadium. The next
two games resulted in three-point and one-point losses to Bethel
(35-32) and Bethany (35-34).
Against Bethel, the Bulldogs found themselves in a 21-0 hole early
in the second period, before battling back, but never being able
to get over hump. The following week, McPherson held a 34-21 lead
early in the final period, but when quarterback Erik Johnson went
out with a broken hand after scoring the final Bulldog touchdown,
the Swedes took advantage of the temporary Bulldog emotional let-down
to score twice in the next five minutes and hand McPherson the one-point
loss.
Week #4 found true, freshman Chris Johnson running the Bulldog
offense, and the result was somewhat unexpected. Five minutes into
the first period, freshman Colt Knigge opened the scoring against
the University of Saint Mary with an 84-yard pass interception return
for a touchdown. But, the Spires responded with 19 straight points
to grab the first quarter lead, 19-7. Then, the Dogs broke loose!
McPherson scored on four of its next five possessions to take a
35-19 lead. The Spires scored twice to pull with one (35-34) in
the third period, but that only seemed to ignite a fire under the
Dogs as they again scored on four of their next five possessions
to run away with the 62-34 win. Highlights of the game included
Lamar Jacobs setting a new McPherson College, single game rushing
record when he gained 305 yards on 34 carries, and Johnson throwing
four touchdown passes in his first start.
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| Lamar Jacobs (left), McPherson College
single season rushing record holder (1,429 yards) with Gerald
Henderson '85, College career rushing leader with (3,684
yards) and 2003 Hall of Fame inductee |
With the comeback win against Saint Mary under their belts, the
Bulldogs would put together a five-game winning streak. At Southwestern
(31-21), the Bulldogs never trailed. At Sterling (34-18), McPherson
found itself down 9-0 in the opening four minutes of the game, then
scored 20 second quarter points to take control. Win number four,
was a Homecoming victory over Kansas Wesleyan (21-11), in which
the Dogs’ defense held KWU to less than 200 yards of total
offense.
After playing some defense and special teams during the Bulldogs’
Homecoming win, Erik Johnson returned to the starting quarterback
spot the following week at Friends. This was an offensive slugfest
as the Bulldogs outlasted Friends (43-35). On his third carry of
the Friends game, Jacobs ran for 15 yards, and in the process broke
the old McPherson College single season rushing record of 1,216
yards. He would finish the game with 1,303 yards and still had two
games to play.
The final two weeks of the season would pit the Bulldogs against
the top two teams in the KCAC, Ottawa and Tabor, both nationally
ranked and each with just one loss. On a cold, windy day in Ottawa,
McPherson stunned the Ottawa crowd and team by jumping out to a
20-0 halftime lead over the #14 ranked Braves. But, after the break,
Ottawa showed why they were leading the conference. They switched
quarterbacks, turned loose their All-American running back, and
defensively held the McPherson offense to only 81 second half yards,
as they stormed to a 39-23 win. Surprisingly, following the Ottawa
loss, the Bulldogs broke into the NAIA’s national rankings
at the #25 spot, the first time in school history a Bulldog football
team had been nationally ranked.
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DID YOU KNOW... |
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Windows Media Audio clips from Dec. 8, 2003 Dan Patrick Show on ESPN:
McPherson Beats..
The Mac vs KW game |
| ESPN Radio's Dan Patrick has some fun with the 2003 BCS controversy. "An email sent in by a listener showing who beat whom proves conclusively that a small Kansas school has the best football team in all the land. So forget those title hopes, USC, LSU and Oklahoma." |
With all hope of a conference title or playoff berth gone with
the Ottawa loss, the Bulldogs wrapped up their 2003 season back
in McPherson Stadium against #16 Tabor. Tabor was still playing
for a share of the KCAC title and a playoff spot, and the extra
incentive was evident as the Bluejays made the plays, and the Dogs
came up just a little short, as Tabor won 26-7.
The Bulldogs’ 6-4 finish, and a second straight tie for third
in the KCAC race, marked the first time since 1988-1989 that McPherson
had posted back-to-back winning seasons. Jacobs concluded his season
with a total of 1,429 yards, breaking the old record by 313 yards.
Receiving All-KCAC honors at the
conclusion of the season were Lamar Jacobs, unanimous 1st team running
back, Todd Davis, 2nd team offensive line, Dallas Blacklock, 2nd
team defensive back, Jared Ratzlaff, 2nd team linebacker, and Jason
Henry, 2nd team defensive line. Receiving honorable mention recognition
were John Berlanga, wide receiver, Alan Childress, offensive line,
Darrell Cole, utility, Joe Blas and Ricky Gottschalk, defensive
line, Alex Holtry, linebacker, and Colt Knigge, defensive back.
During the season, Darrell Cole was recognized as the KCAC’s
offensive “Player of the Week” and Colt Knigge, was
twice named the KCAC defensive “Player of the Week.”
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